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Say goodbye to looping video...
Published on March 28, 2007 By Zoomba In WinCustomize News

DeskScapes 1.01For the past month, Windows Vista Ultimate users have been enjoying the benefits of the Stardock DeskScapes, an extension Microsoft DreamScene (an extra given only to owners of Vista Ultimate Edition).  DeskScapes took basic DreamScenes one step further by allowing authors to retain credit for their work through the use of the .Dream format.  Anyone who made a video could attach their name to it, a brief description, and a link back to their website.  In addition to giving artists the ability to receive credit and recognition for their work, we also launched the community site Dream.WinCustomize.com, the premier site on the web for Dreams on Windows Vista.

However, providing a basic by-line and a link for artists wasn't all DeskScapes would do.  From the beginning we have been working to not only allow users to play videos on their desktop, but also be able to run  triggered content that could change based on time of day, local weather, or other set events, not to mention dynamically generated content, rendered on-the-fly on their system.  A looping video is cool, but what about a rotating planet Earth that accurately shows where it is currently day or night?  Or maybe a lake scene that changes from day to night based on your computer clock? 

Desktop Earth draws the day/night cycle of the planet in real time.

Today, we're ready to unleash DeskScapes 1.01 upon the world!  1.01 includes support for triggers and dynamic dreams.  Users of Object Desktop have been testing dynamic dreams for a week now, and the response has been great.  DeskScapes 1.01 is a free update and comes with an updated DreamMaker so you can start creating your own triggered animated wallpapers!

Head over to Dream.WinCustomize.com now to get the latest version and start experiencing what Stardock has made possible for Windows Vista!

If you're a current Object Desktop Subscriber, you can get the latest update via Stardock Central.  Subscribers also get the Desktop Earth dynamic dream for free!

Digg!
Comments (Page 4)
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on Mar 30, 2007
The Desktop earth dynamic dream will be released as a premium dream in the future for those who do not have ObjectDesktop.
on Mar 30, 2007
Thanks for clearing that up for me Neil - now all I have to do is wait for it
on Mar 30, 2007
JRSCCivic98: There was a bug in the code that was to move the files over, it would fail in some cases. We're working hard to resolve it.


I'm glad to hear that. BTW, one last thing. I don't like how your program "extracts and cache's" the animated desktop files to the new "%HOMEPATH%\Documents\Stardock\*" location. I don't have a problem with it caching stuff as it needs it because it obviously needs some working room, but I do have a problem with it leaving the files behind... it's just redundent and takes up room for no reason. Why can't it just use the file from it's original location and not do this "extract/caching" thing. I don't think MS's side of things does this... I couldn't find a place to indicate otherwise.
on Mar 30, 2007
Are there plans to make Object Desktop subscribers get all the premium dreams for free? Or atleast some of them? That would be a nice benefit to OD owners.
on Mar 30, 2007
Are there plans to make Object Desktop subscribers get all the premium dreams for free? Or atleast some of them? That would be a nice benefit to OD owners.


Wouldn't count on it...kinda defeats the purpose of a "premium" dream. Subscribers do get a discount though.
on Mar 30, 2007

Replies 7 and 8 

Please explain. There is nowhere in SDC I see an Earth dream...   

on Mar 30, 2007

Are there plans to make Object Desktop subscribers get all the premium dreams for free? Or atleast some of them? That would be a nice benefit to OD owners.

They get Dynamic Earth already free in Object Desktop. It will cost $8.95 as a premium dream on its own.

on Mar 30, 2007
Fuzzy - it's in the DeskScapes content folder.
on Mar 31, 2007
OK, got it now   
on Mar 31, 2007
All the dreams I had before installing 1.01 have disappeared!!! Where are they? Do I REALLY have to download everything again?
on Mar 31, 2007
Reply #56Sir ZubazToday, 10:08 AMAll the dreams I had before installing 1.01 have disappeared!!! Where are they? Do I REALLY have to download everything again?

Please read reply 33 in this post.


Great! Thanks. I should have read all the postings I guess.

One more question then. Since the installer has a bug and does not transfer prior dreams to the new install, and it does not cleanup properly after itself do we or can we manually delete the Stardock folder and all its contents from the old location (ProgramData folder)?
on Mar 31, 2007
All the dreams I had before installing 1.01 have disappeared!!! Where are they? Do I REALLY have to download everything again?

Please read reply 33 in this post.    
on Mar 31, 2007
JRSCCivic98: the new v1.01 resolves that as well. These cache files would of cours always be removed upon an uninstall, but previously it didn't delete unused parts of the cache in a timly manner. Starting with this new release, the cache area that DeskScapes maintains automatically clears itself after a couple days of not using a given Dream
on Mar 31, 2007
Hats off to Stardock for Deskscapes, it is simply marvellous.....fantastic, even.

And Desktop Earth is an absolutely brilliant Dream, nothing short of amazing.


Thank you.
on Apr 01, 2007
Hi,

How do I report a bug with the latest version of DeskCapes? I have been using the previous version of DeskCapes for a while with no problems, but since I installed 1.01 there is a problem.

My wife and I have separate user accounts set up (both as administrator), and are using Vista Ultimate RTM. I installed v1.01 on my account, and all works fine, including the new triggers etc. However, my wife can no longer have files in .dream format as her desktop - the following error is generated:

Windows Dreamscene has encountered an error.

The video file format is not supported, or there was an error decoding this video file.


There was no problem with her using .dream files before the latest version. I have installed version 1.01 on her account too, but made no difference.

FYI - she can still use wmv files as desktop - it is only .dream files which cause an error.

Rowan
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