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- ZiPaper Version 1.0 Copyright (c) 1990 by Daniel Thomas 10-10-90
- -------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Warning
- -------
-
- For people that don't like to read instructions (as well as everyone else),
- read this:
-
- 1) You really should read this entire file.
-
- 2) If you have a .BMP file called WALPAPER.BMP, YOU SHOULD RENAME IT!
-
- 3) If you have a file called ZIPAPER.DAT, YOU SHOULD RENAME IT.
-
-
- Introduction
- ------------
-
- ZiPaper (that's "Zip Paper") is a program that chooses one of your .BMP
- files for use as Windows Wallpaper. There are several programs out that
- do that, though. ZiPaper is different - it lets you place all your .BMP
- Wallpaper files in a .ZIP file, reducing disk space dramatically.
-
- Features:
-
- 1) Group all your Wallpaper .BMP files into one .ZIP file! Save on disk
- space!
-
- 2) Get a randomly-chosen Wallpaper file each time you start Windows.
-
- 3) ZiPaper remembers all the Wallpaper files it has chosen, so it makes
- sure that you get each file an equal number of times.
-
- Requirements for running ZiPaper
- --------------------------------
-
- ZiPaper is a DOS program, and therefore does not require Windows. However,
- it is designed to select Windows .BMP files for use as Wallpaper, so if you
- don't have Windows, you don't need this program!
-
- You need PKUNZIP.EXE from PKWARE, Inc.
- 7545 N. Port Washington Rd.
- Glendale, WI 53217
-
- It is available on many BBSes as Shareware. You'll also need PKZIP.EXE to
- create the ZIP file.
-
- How does it work
- ----------------
-
- You run ZiPaper each time before you start Windows (usually in a batch
- file). You tell ZiPaper the name of your ZIP file that contains .BMP files
- for use as wallpaper. It will extract a .BMP file randomly (into the same
- directory as the ZIP file), and change its name to WALPAPER.BMP .
-
- You make a one-time change to Windows, telling it to use the file
- WALPAPER.BMP as wallpaper.
-
- That's it!
-
- Installation/Running
- --------------------
-
- Move all the .BMP files you want to use as wallpaper into a ZIP file. See
- PKZIP's instructions for this. Place the ZIP file in the Windows directory,
- or anywhere else you wish.
-
- NOTE: Because of a problem with the Windows Control Panel, some people have
- found it almost impossible to get Windows to load wallpaper that is
- not in the Windows directory. If you don't want to hassle with this
- potential problem, place the ZIP file in the Windows directory. If
- you're willing to tackle this problem, put the ZIP file wherever you
- wish, and pay attention to the upcoming notes.
-
- Place the file ZiPaper.exe in any directory on your path (actually, if you
- specify the path when you run the program, you can place ZiPaper anywhere
- on your hard disk).
-
- Since ZiPaper should be run each time you run Windows, I suggest you place
- the line that runs ZiPaper into a batch file that you use to run Windows.
-
- Here's the syntax for running ZiPaper (anything enclosed in brackets [] is
- optional):
-
- ZiPaper [d:\path\]walpaper.zip [[d:\path\]pkunzip.exe]
-
- "d:\path\walpaper.zip" is the drive, path, and file name of the ZIP file
- that contains your .BMP files.
-
- "d:\path\pkunzip.exe" (optional) is the drive, path, and file name of
- PKUNZIP.EXE. You don't need to specify this if PKUNZIP.EXE is located
- along your current path.
-
- Run Windows, click on Control Panel, Desktop. In the box titled
- "Wallpaper", click in the box that is labeled "File". Delete what is in
- there (if anything) and type in the name "WALPAPER.BMP". If you have *any*
- Wallpaper that you would like Tiled, please read the section on Tiled
- Wallpaper, below. For now, click on "Tile".
-
- Click on OK and you're done.
-
- NOTE: If you placed the ZIP file somewhere other than the Windows
- directory, this is where you MIGHT have problems. Instead of
- typing "WALPAPER.BMP", type "d:\path\WALPAPER.BMP" (where "d:\path"
- is the drive and path of your ZIP file). If Windows doesn't load
- the Wallpaper file, you will have to modify WIN.INI. I suggest
- doing it outside of Windows, with a text editor. Find the line
- that indicates "Wallpaper=", and change it accordingly.
-
-
- Tiled vs Centered, and ZiPaper
- ------------------------------
-
- ZiPaper doesn't do anything with the "tile" option, but here's how *I*
- handle it: I leave the setting on "Tile". That way, if the wallpaper fills
- the screen, the "Tile" setting doesn't matter. If the wallpaper doesn't fill
- the screen, it gets tiled.
-
- If I have a small wallpaper that I DON'T want tiled, I paste it into a
- full-screen .BMP in Windows Paint (explained below), and use this new file.
- This has 2 advantages. The first is it lets *me* decide where to put it
- (not just centered). The second is that I can make the rest of the screen
- any color I want. Some small wallpaper looks better with black background,
- others white, etc. Although this new file is larger, it will be reduced
- quite a lot when you zip it. The constant color of the background compresses
- very nicely with PKZIP.
-
- How to paste a small Wallpaper .BMP into a full-screen .BMP
- -----------------------------------------------------------
-
- Open Windows Paint. Click on Options, Image Attributes. Click on "pels"
- (pixels), and set the Width to 640 and the Height to 480 (for VGA). CLick
- on OK. Exit Windows Paint (this saves the settings and makes them active).
- Open Windows Paint again.
-
- Click on View, Zoom Out. Click on Edit, Paste From. Select your small
- Wallpaper file. It will appear on the screen as a "hashed" box. drag it to
- where you want it, and click on any of the tools. Click on View, Zoom In,
- and then View, View Picture to see what it looks like. You can use the
- "roller" tool to change the background color. Save this new file, and PKZIP
- it into your Wallpaper ZIP file. You're done!
-
- Yes, the resulting .BMP file will be larger than the original. But PKZIP
- will do a remarkable job of shrinking this file, because of the constant
- color of the background. You'll hardly notice the difference <grin>.
-
-
- Life with ZiPaper
- -----------------
-
- Once you've done the installation steps, you need never bother with ZiPaper
- again (except maybe to send in a shareware fee <grin>). You may add and
- remove .BMP files from your ZIP file with no fear of upsetting ZiPaper.
-
- ZiPaper creates a file called ZIPAPER.DAT in the directory that contains
- your ZIP file. This file keeps track of what .BMP files it has chosen,
- so that you get a more even distribution of Wallpaper choices. If you have
- any problems, you may delete this file. It will be re-created the next time
- ZiPaper is run.
-
- How to Pay for/Register ZiPaper
- -------------------------------
-
- If you like ZiPaper, please send $10 (US Bank) to:
-
- Daniel Thomas
- 2301 North Huron Circle
- Placentia, CA 92670
-
- You may reach me on Compuserve at: 72301,2164
-
- Enjoy!
-
- Dan Thomas
-