Walking on Windows with a LiteStep A LiteStep Users Reference Guide by Don Thornton II (alias ArielMT) (C) 2002, Don Thornton II Outline  Introduction  Table of Contents  I: Abandoning your Explorer (Getting and installing LiteStep)  II: Treading with a LiteStep (Using LiteStep)  III: Hiking through the Step.rc Forest (Step.rc command reference)  IV: A Change of Themes for a Change of Pace (Installing themes)  V: Walk Your Own Step with Your Own Theme (Making themes)  VI: Shoot Your Way with !Bang Commands (Step and console !bang reference)  VII: Modulo's Most Wanted (Module & command reference and SDK reference)  VIII: GNU and the GPL: License to Copy (The GPL 2.0)  IX: Walking on a Bundled Disk (The disk bundled with the book)  X: Shells, Skins, Modules, Themes, Schemes -- Oh My! (The Custo Scene)  XI: Talk the Talk with the LiteStep-English Glossary (Glossary of terms)  Index  Addendum  About the Author I. INTRODUCTION A. What is LiteStep? 1. LS is a shell replacement for Win95 that is fast, functional, stable, and very configurable. It replaces default Windows interface with an interface that resembles NextStep, OpenStep, AfterStep, and WindowMaker. 2. In practical terms, clears off desktop, giving substantially more control over your interface layout, is exceedingly cool to look at, is light (less than 1MB by itself), and excellent way to minimize the Windows look and feel. 3. LS originally written in '96 by LoneRunnr, who didn't want to do things "the MS Way." After some time, he stopped working on the project & opened the source under the GPL. 4. Once LS was opened, the project was picked up by some programmers (LS Dev Team) who have made it what it is today. The LS Dev Team has gone through many changes since its creation. The application's concept, however, has not: main idea is to allow you to control look, feel, even functioning of Window gui in any manner you want. Not something you can easily say about Windows Explorer. B. What is a shell? 1. General 2. Windows Explorer 3. Internet Explorer & the Web-enabled desktop 4. LiteStep C. Who should read this book? 1. You should read it if: a. Experienced Windows user wanting to escape Explorer b. A migrant from Next or Linux c. Skinner, themer, or customizer looking to complete your scheme 2. You should not read it if: a. New to computers or Windows b. Uncomfortable with configuring or tweaking by editing plain text files. c. Unwilling to risk the occasional LS or system crashes caused by using bad builds, using bad documentation, or making spelling errors in config files. d. Don't have time to tweak interface every other day. D. I want to use LS, but it's overwhelming 1. Don't feel confused or overwhelmed! a. What LS does minimum and maximum b. What this book sets out to do. 2. This will all make sense once you've begun to use it, learn about it, and experiment with it. 3. You don't have to be a talented artist or make the theme you want right away. a. This book comes with ready-made themes to get you started. b. You can find hundreds more ready-made themes on the Web. (See ch. 4 for installing themes) E. Who wrote it, and who upgrades and updates it? 1. LoneRunnr wrote it (real name) 2. LS Dev Team maintains it (list) a. Can usually be found on #lsdev on IRC II. TABLE OF CONTENTS III. CHAPTER I: ABANDONING YOUR EXPLORER (GETTING AND INSTALLING LITESTEP) A. Learning about LiteStep 1. LS info on the Web a. Ls.net official site b. Ls.com good source of help & other LS material c. LS2K mostly daily LS news site d. Desktopian.org (DTO) when updated, some of the best news around e. Dtop.org formerly ChunkyMunky f. FPN the original LS dev site also news & resources g. Xsweekly 2. LS info via email B. Getting LiteStep 1. (Official) sources for stable releases a. MSVCP60.DLL www.shellfront.org/litestep-upgrade02.php then click on msvcp60.dll 2. Alternative stable packages 3. On the bundled disk 4. Cutting edge dev builds a. Highly unstable & experimental C. Getting themes (to ch. IV) D. Getting help 1. Official docs (www.litestep.net/docs) 2. Frequently Asked Questions (http://LSFAQ.webhop.net and http://lsfaq.shellfront.org [more up to date]) E. Installing LS 1. System requirements and user requirements 2. Running LS over another shell 3. Installing LS on Win 95/98/SE/Me a. Beware the "You must reinstall Windows" message! 4. Installing LS in Win NT/2K/XP for all users 5. Installing LS in Win NT/2K/XP for only one user F. Removing LS 1. Removing LS in Win 95/98/SE/Me a. Beware the "You must reinstall Windows" message! 2. Removing LS in Win NT/2K/XP for all users 3. Removing LS in Win NT/2K/XP for only one user G. Setting up a basic theme (if you didn't get one) H. Getting LS Distros (non-mainstream builds) 1. Installing LSDistro and OTS a. Compatibility and patches 2. Uninstalling LSDistro and OTS I. Upgrading LiteStep IV. CHAPTER II: TREADING WITH A LITESTEP (USING LITESTEP) A. The default interface (0.24.5) 1. Taskbar a. Start button b. Taskbar c. System tray 2. Wharf a. Moving, docking, and "winshade" mode b. Regular tiles c. Folder tiles d. Module tiles 3. Desktop shortcuts 4. Popup menu 5. Accessing the file system a. Explorer b. File Manager c. Third party apps B. Popular theme interfaces V. CHAPTER III: HIKING THROUGH THE STEP.RC FOREST (CONFIGURING LITESTEP) A. Basics Step.rc, modules.ini, lstime.thm, and themes B. Back up the Step.rc files! C. The basics of Step.rc 1. LS variables ($evars$) 2. System environment variables 3. LS & module settings variables 4. *Hotkeys 5. *Popups 6. *Shortcuts 7. *Wharfs D. Basic !bang commands 1. LS 2. Desktop 3. Popup 4. Taskbar 5. Systray 6. VWM 7. Wharf 8. Shortcuts 9. Command E. The basics of Modules.ini F. The basics of LSTime.thm G. Standards 1. LSDistro 2. OTS 3. "Standardless standards" H. Complete core reference VI. CHAPTER IV: A CHANGE OF THEMES FOR A CHANGE OF PACE (INSTALLING AND USING THEMES) A. Preparing to get a theme 1. Installing themes is not exactly easy or pain-free a. Automated theme managers do exist to fill the void (LSTS, formerly LSThemes). b. OTS attempts to take a great deal of pain out, without sacrificing flexibility and without needing LSTS. 2. You must have a stable working LS shell 3. Back up your LS directory a. Copy c:\litestep to c:\lsback b. Copy step.rc to "copy of step.rc" or "step-rc.bak" c. Add a hotkey to launch explorer just in case (1) *Hotkey Win E "explorer.exe" 4. Make a Windows Startup Disk B. Getting a theme (from ch. 1) 1. Litestep.net usually the best place 2. List others C. Installing a theme 1. Find and read the theme's readme file a. May detail theme quirks or nonstandard file arrangement b. A few themers have been known to ship entire LS builds with themes. 2. Unzip theme into a temporary folder 3. Examine theme's step.rc or theme.rc file a. Copy over your hotkeys and popups (unless you're using an OTS-style personal .rc layout b. If a theme.rc or step.rc that insists on not being in the main LS dir, and isn't compliant with a standard, add ThemeDir and PixMapPath to main step.rc. c. Modify modules.ini if needed d. Copy over every directory of the theme except the files that go in LS or replace existing files in LS\modules. e. If only files that'll overwrite main LS program files: (1) Recommended method (killing LS): (a) Start Explorer or a file manager. Do not terminate it or you'll have to reboot prematurely. (b) Kill LS by giving it the !quit command or using the Close Program box (Task manager in NT) (c) Set folder view option to hide nothing (d) Copy the temp dir's main LS folder to the real LS folder. (e) Restore folder view options to what they were (f) Restart LS (g) Quit Explorer (or your file manager) (h) Log out and reboot. (2) Alternate method (Explorer): (a) Edit system.ini or NT registry to have explorer.exe the shell (b) Restart by logging out or shutting down (c) Set folder view options to hide nothing (d) Copy the temp dir's main LS folder to the real LS folder. (e) Restore folder view options to what they were (f) Edit system.ini or NT registry to have LS the shell (g) Restart by logging out or shutting down (3) Alternate method (DOS Mode 9x only): (a) Shut down Windows and restart in DOS mode (F8) (b) Change to LS directory (c) Use the following command to copy the temp dir's main LS folder to the real LS folder, replacing "templs"with the actual temp dir's main LS dir: i) COPY templs\*.* . (d) Restart Windows with the WIN command D. Recovering from a bad theme install 1. If you didn't overwrite any modules or images: a. Delete the main step.rc b. Rename the backup copy of it to step.rc c. Recycle, or reboot if recycling doesn't work 2. Or if you did overwrite such files: a. Set explorer.exe as the shell and reboot b. Delete the LiteStep directory c. Copy the backup copy of the LiteStep directory to the LiteStep directory d. Reset LiteStep as the shell and reboot 3. Or if you can't boot at all now (or Windows says that you need to reinstall Windows) (9x): a. Boot to DOS by pressing [F8] at the "Starting Windows..." screen b. Edit step.rc (with DOS Edit) in the LS dir and check for typos, both there and in all files referenced by step.rc. (Spelling is a killer) c. If that doesn't work, or you know for sure it won't work: (1) Deltree the LiteStep directory (2) Xcopy the backup directory to the LiteStep directory d. Reboot 4. Or if you can't boot at all now into an NT shell: a. Boot up and log in. b. Press [Ctrl] + [Alt] + [Del] to get the system security window c. Click Task Manager d. Choose Launch New from the Tasks menu and launch cmd.exe e. Edit step.rc in the LS dir and check for typos, both there and in all files referenced by step.rc. f. If that doesn't work: (1) Deltree the LiteStep directory (2) Xcopy the backup directory to the LiteStep directory g. Log out and log back in E. Tweaking your theme (old, new, borrowed, or...) 1. Everything is changeable. Very little needs something else to work 2. What you might want to tweak right away: popups, wharf, shortcuts, maybe hotkey and modules 3. Tweaking and restoring hotkeys 4. Tweaking and restoring shortcuts 5. Tweaking and restoring popups 6. Tweaking and restoring wharfs 7. Adding modules 8. Removing modules F. Removing a theme 1. Basically, the only way to remove a theme is to install another theme (the previous theme seems best) 2. If the only thing you changed was one line in step.rc: a. Undo the change b. Recycle LiteStep c. (Optionally) Delete the theme's files 3. If you significantly changed or replaced step.rc: a. Copy back the step.rc from your LS backup b. Recycle LiteStep c. (Optionally) Delete the theme's files 4. If you changed or deleted multiple files: a. Copy back the files from your LS backup b. Recycle LiteStep c. (Optionally) Delete the theme's files 5. If you changed DLLs that LS is using: a. Start Explorer then end LS (via !Quit or Close Program box/Task Manager) b. Copy back the files from your LS backup c. Restart LS then end Explorer. You may have to logout or reboot. d. (Optionally) Delete the theme's files G. Managing themes 1. The ideal LiteStep structure (which all LS standards are based on): a. C:\LITESTEP This can be anywhere, and the $LiteStepDir$ evar is set to it. Most themes don't like spaces in the name, which is why most installers insist on not installing in C:\PROGRAM FILES. b. C;\LITESTEP\LSDOCS All LiteStep docs unique to your build. (Called DOCS in older builds). c. C:\LITESTEP\THEMES Ideal root of the theme hierarchy. All themes should be saved under this directory. d. C:\LITESTEP\THEMES\THEMENAME Root of an individual theme. Set the $ThemeDir$ evar to this directory ($LiteStepDir$themes\themename\). Also the place for theme-specific step.rc or theme.rc and theme readme. e. C:\LITESTEP\THEMES\THEMENAME\IMAGES All theme- specific images. May be grouped into subdirs if the theme has that many images. f. C:\LITESTEP\THEMES\THEMENAME\MODULES All modules used by the theme. g. C:\LITESTEP\THEMES\THEMENAME\MODULES\DOCS Docs for all modules used by the theme. Bad practice to not include docs with themes. h. These directories are only the beginning, not the end. You can add directories to manage complex themes. 2. Keep zipped-up archives of your themes a. Suggested dir: C:\LITESTEP\ARCHIVES\. b. Save screenshots with themes. 3. Keep a list (on paper or on the computer) of: a. The theme b. Where you got it c. How cool it looked d. How well it worked e. How hard or easy it was to install 4. Always keep a backup copy of a known-good LS setup, preferably the default theme (just after installing LS) a. Some themes may become finicky if you start tweaking them b. You can safely delete any other backups once your present theme is stable. (1) BUT ONLY IF YOU DON'T WANT TO GO BACK (2) Once you delete a backed-up LS dir, the only way back is to reinstall and retweak. VII. CHAPTER V: WALK YOUR OWN STEP WITH YOUR OWN THEME (CREATING THEMES) A. Why make a theme? 1. If you have a theme idea that nobody's ever tried before, or the closest you can find isn't close enough. 2. You're hit with inspiration skirting the edge of your scripting and artistic talents. 3. You feel the urge to significantly reinterpret someone else's theme. 4. (Confirm first) 0.25 or 0.24.7 may include the XML metacommand support. Future versions may include a theme-building application for total point-and- grunt themebuilding. B. Okay, how? 1. Now we get to the hardest part: Planning 2. Everything from here on out depends on your personal creation style. 3. Basic kinds of themes: explorer, wharf, bar, corner, popup-driven, border, integrated shortcuts, combinations, and kinds heretofore unheard of. 4. LS's job, to provide access to programs and docs. Decide how. 5. Theme's job, to tailor LS's job so desktop-based access is as cool and appropriate as possible. 6. The Plan: a. Decide what you want your theme to look like and act like. b. Find and choose the modules to do the job. c. Make the graphics and sound files, keeping in mind what sizes and formats your chosen modules expect. d. Back up your step.rc and modules.ini files. e. Lay out your theme files' structure: (1) (Cite the desired structure from ch. IV and include LSDistro and OTS). (2) Consider breaking up your theme's .rc file into multiple .rc files, using "include" in the theme's .rc to bind them together. (Only if your planned theme is extremely complex.) f. Plan for as much resolution independence as your design will allow. Common resolutions: (1) 640 x 480 (VGA) Old laptops and monitors are locked into this size. (2) 864 x 480 Custom widescreen laptops, like Sony (3) 800 x 600 (SVGA) Highest resolution lots of monitors are still legible at, and all the resolution some people want. (4) 1024 x 768 (SVGA/XGA) Present adopted standard. (5) 1152 x 864 Only a few monitors can display it well. (6) 1280 x 1024 The other high resolution standard, but only a few monitors can display it well. C. Let's do it! 1. All at once (ill-advised for all but the simplest of themes) a. Back up your LiteStep directory and be prepared to restore it without a shell. b. Put all your theme files in their proper places (except for step.rc and modules.ini). c. Change or copy your step.rc and modules.ini as appropriate. d. Cross your fingers and !recycle. 2. Piecemeal (one element at a time) a. Back up your LiteStep directory and be prepared to restore it without a shell. b. Put in the essential hotkeys for shell control and step.rc access. c. Add and change only one desktop element at a time. (1) May involve putting in multiple files and/or lines in step.rc. (2) Comment your step.rc extensively, including commenting out commands instead of deleting them. (3) Don't be too afraid to experiment. d. Don't forget to !recycle between changes e. For some changes, you may have to log out or reboot f. Don't delete unnecessary files or lines until you're satisfied with your theme. D. Theming help 1. Web: litestep.net, joeblade.com (la haine), westep.cjb.net (west) 2. IRC: #litestep, #lshelp, and #ls2k on IRC (Efnet, Undernet, DALnet, and OpenProjects) 3. Email: LS mailing list (litestep-subscribe@litestep.ru.ac.za) E. Hey, bud, can you spare a theme? 1. Respect copyrights, especially with graphics and sounds! 2. Clean up your theme's directory 3. Make a readme.txt file describing your theme, what it needs, and how to install it. 4. Make a screenshot of your theme in action. 5. Zip it all up into a PK-Zip/WinZip file a. DO NOT zip up your entire LiteStep distribution. Zip only what your theme needs to transform an existing LS to your theme (which you should've put in C:\LITESTEP\THEMES\YOURTHEME\). b. DO zip up any third-party modules your theme needs, IF: (1) the module's author gave you permission (most do) (2) you include the module's full documentation, and (3) you include "how-to-get" info for anything you don't include F. Beyond LiteStep 1. Wallpapers 2. Microsoft Plus! themes 3. Winamp themes 4. WindowBlinds skins VIII. CHAPTER VI: SHOOT YOUR WAY WITH !BANG COMMANDS A. How !bangs are used B. The core modules !bang reference C. The most popular third party !bangs reference IX. CHAPTER VII: MODULO'S MOST WANTED A. The core modules - complete reference B. Third party modules - nearly complete reference C. The LiteStep API D. The LS SDK for VC++ E. The LS SDK for Delphi X. CHAPTER VIII: GNU AND THE GPL: LICENSE TO COPY A. The Free Software Foundation and the GNU Project B. Software copyrights and licenses C. LS's need for the GPL to be free D. This book's role E. The GPL v2.0, quoted verbatim XI. CHAPTER IX: WALKING ON A BUNDLED DISK A. The build included B. The theme(s) included C. The modules included D. Where and how to get updates E. Copyrights and licenses for everything on the disk XII. CHAPTER X: SHELLS, SKINS, MODULES, THEMES, SCHEMES OH MY! A. The Windows customization scene 1. Microsoft's stance on custos B. LiteStep's role the shell C. Alternative Windows shells to Explorer (besides LiteStep) 1. Program Manager 2. Norton Commander 3. GXExplorer 4. 2xExplorer 5. GeOShell 6. NeXTStart D. Alternative Windows file managers to Explorer 1. The command prompt 2. GXExplorer 3. 2xExplorer 4. Workspace Manager E. Alternative Windows Web browsers to Explorer 1. Netscape 2. Mozilla 3. Opera 4. Amaya 5. Lynx 6. Arachne F. Okay, if LS doesn't skin windows, what do I need to be like all those cool LS screenshots that do have skinned windows? 1. WindowBlinds 2. eFX 3. Others G. Summary of what LS is H. Summary of what LS is not XIII. CHAPTER XI: TALK THE TALK WITH THE LITESTEP-ENGLISH GLOSSARY A. !bang B. !recycle C. LSDistro D. LS2K E. LSDev F. The Dev Team G. FPN H. Wharf I. Bar J. Step RC (step.rc) K. Module L. Evar M. Lsnet (www.litestep.net) N. #ls (#litestep on IRC) O. The Community (rootrider's rant) P. Shell Q. Windows versions (95/95A/95B/98/SE/Me/NT/2K/XP) R. OTS XIV. INDEX XV. ADDENDUM XVI. ABOUT THE AUTHOR NOTES: Win2k installer/uninstaller: http://shellfront.org/utils/win2kinstaller.zip