UFO: Chapter 4

How do you make your OS/2 WARP's WPS (workplace shell) stand out from others?

C u s t o m i z e  it !!

A Step-By-Step Guide To Building A Customized Workplace Shell
The following guide is written with OS/2 WARP 4.0 in mind. (but should also work with OS/2 WARP 3.0)

Step 1: BACKUP, BACKUP and BACKUP
Before you start, MAKE A BACKUP first!!! Here are some programs to do that for you.

Robosave (freeware) is a tool which allows you to quickly and easily back up the OS/2 2.x Desktop. In addition you can save a limited number of user-specified files.

Workplace Shell Backup Utility (shareware) allows you to create backups of the files, directories and related information that control the appearance and function of your OS/2 desktop. The associated restore process is very fast and easy to use.

The following steps could make unreversible changes to your WPS system files and you might not be able to boot into the WPS if you are not careful. So BACKUP just in case.

Step 2: Change the default screen resolution
The default screen resolution after the OS/2 installation is 640 x 480 x 256 colours (i.e. if you have a VGA card and colour monitor). In a multitasking OS like OS/2 WARP, such a low resolution just doesn't cut it. Go for at least 800 x 600 x 256 colours. If you have a fast CPU and graphics card, enough RAM and at least a 17 inch monitor, consider going for at least 1024 x 768 x 16 bit colours. A resolution like this can make the most out of photorealistic wallpapers and will also give you more screen space to work with your various software applications.

Step 3: Change the default background wallpaper
The first thing you should do is to change the default wallpaper that comes with the installation. Don't just tile those tiny bmp graphics like you do in Windows, use a full size wallpaper! And if you want to create the ultimate background, make sure it is at least 256 colours and 16 bit colours if you have the necessary hardware. You can either design your own using many of the graphics software available for OS/2 (See chapter 7 Software Reviews) or snatch one from the internet. Here are some of the good sites that have cool wallpapers for use with OS/2 Warp. Of course, you are not limited to just these sites listed here. Be prepared to do some searching on the net to find the ultimate wallpaper for your desktop.


 * David Barnes' Warped Gallery
 * Totally Warped Graphics and Art!
 * Wallpaper Heaven!
 * Anime Backgrounds / Wallpaper for your Desktop - for all the anime fans out there
 * OS/2 pics from Grey Roelofs
 * Groovy OS/2 Bitmaps by Faheem Ahmed
 * windows95 and Mac joke wallpaper
 * OS/2 Heaven - OS/2 pictures
 * ArtByMath Wallpaper Design

Be sure to check out the following files for OS/2 WARP at hobbes:
 * .bmp files
 * .gif files
 * .jpg files

No idea how to change that boring wallpaper? look first at Ron Mirasol's step-by-step guide

The Wall changes background images and/or color at user-set intervals.

Step 4: Change the default background of the windows folder
Getting the ultimate wallpaper for your WPS is not enough! You will need to change the default windows background of all windows folder to give a different look. (Try to do that with Windows 95 and NT ).

Download now a 1.4 Mb collection of wallpaper images in 256 color GIF file format, or if you prefer, an 1.8 Mb archived collection containing 16.7 million color BMP files for use as background wallpaper. Also try the Tiled OS/2 Bitmaps by Faheem Ahmed

Here is an excellent guide to changing the folder background - extracted from the file OS2looks.zip in hobbes and written by Terry Lin

"A unique feature of OS/2 is the ability to use a bitmap as the background of any folder. Using this feature to it's potential allows you to make some of the prettiest button bars ever known to computing. You can now SCRAP Launchpad!

Button-bar bitmaps are simply a small image which always has a squarish area to place an icon. However, because you are using a bitmap, the square area may be anything from a stone texture to a 3d-gradient. When tiled in a folder, you get unlimited positions in which you can place icons. For good examples of nice button-bar bitmaps, check out BUT_S3R.BMP and BUT_STUC.BMP in WPS_ART.ZIP. All are seamless and beautiful. Check out the right side of my desktop, as well as the folder "Devices".

OS/2 doesn't allow lining up of icons (unlike windows), so you must select your view as "Non-grid" and manually move your icons around so that they fit in the square areas, which can be a painful task. Be sure of the order in which you want to place your icons, since it will be difficult to modify it later. And... don't try to make it work with either of the "Flowed" views, you can't adjust the spacing and it is unlikely that you can make it fit perfectly in the bitmap.

You can give an illusion of a button-bar by simply moving the folder so that the title-bar is off screen. This of course limits you to place them on the left side or the top side of the screen, but that's where most people place button bars anyways. Also, it is likely that OS/2 will place scroll-bars in the folder as a result of moving your icons around... so the only solution is to also hide them be sizing the window off the screen.

Creating Beautiful Lists

Another thing you can do with folder bitmaps is to create a chiseled 3d gradient list. With the OS/2 "Non-flowed" with "Small icons" view, you get a organized list, albeit on a plain color background.

With list-bitmaps, such as BUT_L_R.BMP, each list item is placed within a chiseled 3d gradient list box, which makes it look a lot better. However, it's also very tricky. You must make sure that each item fits perfectly within its box, otherwise it will go out of sync and not look right.

To make it look correct, you should know that OS/2 scales the height of a bitmap depending on it's width. So, if it doesn't fit, adjust the width until it does. Now your list looks amazingly cool! Check out the "Internet" folder on my desktop, it's a gradient list of my commonly used internet resources.

A tiled bitmap maximum size is the actual size of the bitmap itself. OS/2 only scales the bitmap smaller when you make the folder smaller than the width or height of the bitmap. So if you find that your bitmap is too small, then just resize it under PMJpeg. I had to do quite a trial-and-error resizing with my list bitmap, so it takes patience and time."

Step 5: Change the default colours of the workplace shell
Deciding the colours of the WPS is one of the most important factors to building a great desktop. You can use many of the themes that come with OS/2; but if you are willing to spend a little time experimenting with different colour palettes, the end results may make your efforts worth your while. Try not to choose a colour that is too bright, or a colour that is too dull and dark. The only tip I can offer is: use your artistic minds and experiment! Look at the screenshots in chapter 1 to get some ideas.

Here is an excellent guide extracted from the article "Vanity in the Workplace (Shell)", OS/2 e-Zine! vol 1 no 5 by Chris Wenham. Look at Chris's "drooltop" now.

"You'd be surprised what you can do with just a few color changes. In many cases you won't even need a bitmapped background, just a soothing dark purple, blue, red or green. I don't like grey backgrounds myself, they're drab and unexciting. With OS/2 you have the power to change the colors of each folder individually or system-wide in one big gulp but I tried to pick a different color for each folder. Color-coding helps identify in a flash which ones I have open. Here's my folder scheme: Applications: Dark sky blue. Graphics applications: Dark green. Utilities: Light sky blue. Games: Dark red. Internet Apps: Dark orange. You'll notice I picked mostly dark colors, I find this easier on the eye. Bright colors, when used for backgrounds, glare too much. Warp provides a scheme palette for editing all the colors of the WPS in one place, plus it allows you to edit some elements that can't be changed by the regular drag-and-drop methods of the color and font palettes."

Step 6: Change the default icons of the workplace shell
Icons are a way of life in the WPS! You click on icons to launch your software, and perform all the tasks in OS/2. Therefore, it is only natural that you customize the icons to make them stand out and attractive. Of course, the first thing you need is to get new icons first. Here are some of the icons library that you can download from the net. To manage all these number of icons, you will need some sort of icons manager to keep track of them. Here are 2 icons related apps to get you started.

IconEase (shareware) is a 32 bit Presentation Manager application that allows you to efficiently collect, manage and use icons to change the appearance of your OS/2 2.x and above desktop. If you are running OS/2 3.0 or better, IconEase can use DSOM to communicate directly with the Workplace Shell. You can download the extra icons for IconEase (abt 3.9 Mb) here.

Icon Heaven (shareware) is an OS/2 Workplace shell enhancement that enables the user to assign icons to objects using simple drag & drop. Sample icon libraries included. New release adds Warp support for animated icons, icon extraction and fixes problems with empty icons. If you like, you can also download the extra icons for Icon Heaven here. Please note that this file is abt 5Mb in size.

If you are not interested in both IconEase and Icon Heaven but want to get those nifty icons, get this file which is essentially the same as the Icon Heaven edition but is in the usual .ICO format (abt 5.2 Mb). And if this is not enough, get this file (abt 1.3 Mb) too. If you really love icons that much, then I guess you will want to get this file (abt 720K) too.

Not sure how to change that icons in OS/2? Ron Mirasol has a step-by-step guide for you.

3D Icons are available now:
 * Euge's 3-dimensional icons, volume #3
 * Free-D Warp Icons

Get those Animated Icons for OS/2 now!
 * New folder icons (w/ animations) for Warp
 * A few icons in animated pairs
 * Warp folder icons with perspective animation

Here is a collection of folder icons for OS/2.

TIP: To all Zip drive users out there, get these 256 colours icons for the Zip drive!

COOL STUFF:

How does BeOS looks like? Sample their icons now!

And if the above links do not satisfy you, I guess you just have to browse Hobbes yourself

Now that you have downloaded the ultimate icons for your WPS, don't forget that you can also change the colours of those icon titles so that they stand out or blend in with the background of your desktop or window. You can even make the icon titles invisible.

Step 7: Change the default fonts of the workplace shell
OS/2 has some built-in fonts which you can use..but if you are looking for something more, have a look first at hobbes' archive of OS/2 TrueType fonts and OS/2 Type 1 fonts And when you have downloaded all the 1 million fonts available on the net, you will need a software to manage all the fonts. Get FontFolder now.

Here is an excellent guide to changing the system fonts - extracted from the file OS2looks.zip in hobbes and written by Terry Lin

"You're probably sick of System Proportional being everywhere in dialog boxes and help windows. And you've probably noticed that you can't change it through the font palette or scheme palette. The reason is that '10.System Proportional' is set in your OS2.INI file as being the default system font. You can modify that however with the following REXX program: -- BEGIN SYSFONT.CMD -- /* */ call RxFuncAdd "SysIni", "RexxUtil", "SysIni" AppName = "PM_SystemFonts" KeyName = "DefaultFont" FontName = "6.System VIO" call SysIni "USER", AppName, KeyName, FontName||"0"x exit -- END SYSFONT.CMD Modify "fontname" to the font of your choice, in the format of "size.fontname". The fontname is case-sensitive, check with your Font Palette for the exact name. And BTW, 6.System VIO is a GOOD choice for a system font because it's a monospaced font which IMHO is better for dialog boxes and help files. It's common for people to choose 10.Helv but note that all your tabbed dialog boxes will use the ATM font 10.Helvetica which is of course ugly (I don't know how to get around it). Another thing is that 6.System VIO has a decent bold font... which is used heavily in help files, 10.Helv in contrast has a screwed up bold font.

On the note of ATM fonts, be sure not to use any of them as your display fonts. Beside the obvious fact that they are not anti-aliased (i.e. smoothened..therefore jaggy), they are not pure bitmapped fonts like Helv and System Proportional, which leads into performance slowdowns."

Step 8: Change the default mouse cursor
To compliment all the fancy icons you have now given to WPS, consider giving your mouse cursor a new look by changing the cursor styles. To do this, you will need the help of third party add-ons for the WPS. Here are some programs to do just that.

Software that make your mouse dance!

Animated Mouse Pointer (freeware) by Christian Langanke. This is by far my favourite! Now you can also use all the modules available in Win95!! All modules for Animouse (see below) is also compatible with Animated mouse cursor. Read about the review of animated mouse cursor by Ryan Dill.

Pointers.zip (freeware) - author unknown

Animouse (shareware) is an add-on for OS/2 Warp that adds a bit of style to your boring old mouse pointer by changing it from a single pointer into an animation composed of a series of pointers. Here are some cursor modules for Animouse (modules are compatible with Animated mouse cursor too). Read about the review of Animouse by Ryan Dill.

Here is a transparent mouse pointer for Warp

WarpWait (freeware) is a utility that changes the default OS/2 wait clock to an animated warp-logo or a user defined icon animation.

Here are some links to get that ultimate cursor for OS/2

Animated Cursor Schemes for Windows '95 and OS/2 WARP [http://web.archive.org/web/20011006172513/http://pages.prodigy.com/cursors/main.htm Animated cursor set packs ]All the cursor related apps in Hobbes

Step 9: Add a screensaver to workplace shell
When you are away from your computer for any length of time, consider using a screensaver to prevent unauthorized access to your PC prevent screen burnins (although newer monitors have almost eliminated the effects of screen burnins somewhat). impress others! A screensaver is one of the sure ways to make your desktop stand out from others. The following programs will help you to choose the ultimate screensaver for your WPS.

TIP OS/2 WARP comes with a free password protected screensaver. There is nothing fancy, however, but it works!

Deskpic (freeware) - even has animated desktop modules! Here is a guide that shows you how to create Deskpic screen blankers

ScreenSaver (shareware) is an easy-to-use 32-bit screen saver for OS/2 2.x and above, with password protection, DPMS monitor support, DOS and Win-OS/2 fullscreen support, Sound support, module building toolkit, more than 50 modules included. Download new modules for ScreenSaver here.

Blanker (Screen Blanker) (shareware) is a multimedia screen saver for OS/2 with lots of functions: Go to Blanker's homepage.

Cyno's BlankIt! (shareware)

EscapeGL (commercial) utilizes OS/2 Warp 4.0's support of OpenGL for true 3D screen saver modules. Escape GL now has unlimited 3D model support utilizing the very popular 3D Virtual Reality Modelling Language. Fully-compliant VRML 1.0 models may be viewed and animated as a screen saver for Warp 4.0 systems.

Of course there are other good screensavers for OS/2...take a look here

Step 10: Change the default OS/2 WARP bootup and shutdown logos.
Why settle for the standard bootup and shutdown logos? After a while, they can be boring to look at!

My advice: Change them!! Here are some files to get you started (of course they are all freeware!)

OS/2 Warp boot logos - from Jon Czerwinski OS/2 WARP splash screenOS/2 Desktop BMP and Boot Logo

Also, have a look at the boot logos for OS/2 Warp available at hobbes.

Step 11: Change the default sound schemes in OS/2 WARP
OS/2 WARP comes with some default sound schemes. Like the default bootup and shutdown logos, they can get boring quickly. Changing the sound schemes will give your WPS a new experience to navigate, and a good opportunity to impress your colleages or friends.

How to Create and Use Custom Sound Schemes in Warp? Read Ron Mirasol's step-by-step guide

Here are some theme files to get you started. You will need a sound scheme editor to use these files.


 * Mortal Kombat sound scheme
 * Startrek sound scheme
 * A clone of the Win'95 'Utopia' sound scheme
 * Another sound scheme for Warp 4
 * Fragrant Sound Scheme

Step 12: Enhance the functions of the workplace shell
When you have performed all the above enhancements to the WPS, it is time to enhance the functions of the WPS itself. Here are some good programs to get you started:

WPS replacement shell

PC/2 (freeware) is a WPS enhancement or replacement, that features a program launcher, Virtual Desktops, Hotkey support, Sliding focus and a Spooler Control Window. Look at PC/2 screenshot here. Read [http://www.os2ezine.com/v3n05/first.htm#progcom OS/2 e-Zine! review of PC/2] here.

MDesk (shareware) is a fast, complete shell replacement or add-on for OS/2 Warp 3.0 and above. It also features many desktop tools not found in the base OS/2 product.

Virutal desktop

Megadisk (freeware) is a virtual desktop overview which allows you to expand the area for your PM windows, creating many "rooms" in which to group running PM applications.

WPS enhancement

NPS WPS Enhancer (freeware) allows you to use more than 20 functions which enhance OS/2, such as nice window animations, window shadows, "close" buttons, automatic mouse movement, and more! Click here for a functional reference of NPS WPS Enhancer written by the author himself! Download new window animation set for NPS WPS Enhancer here. Read the review of NPS WPS Enhancer by Mark Flanagan here!

Desktop Wizard (freeware) is a interesting desktop enhancement that adds ZIP features to the WPS. Here is a screenshot of this utility.

Warp Enhancer (freeware) is an exciting new tool designed to add much of the functionality every user wants but IBM did not include with OS/2. Go to the author's homepage now.

NFNF is a 32bit WPS add on for OS/2 Warp. NFNF adds extra functionality to the OS/2 Workplace Shell and makes many things easier to do.

DragText (shareware) gives OS/2 Warp drag-and-drop text. Read the review of DragText by Martin S. Hanoian.

X-it (shareware) provides a one button click to many desktop operations, such as closing a window, displaying a task list, VIO, single and multiline edit field cut-and-paste, and a unique title bar roll-up function. Go to the CodeSmith Software's X-it homepage now. There is also a screenshot of X-it here.

X-File, (shareware) "The Open File Dialog Fixer", is a desktop enhancer which adds major enhancements to the standard OS/2 microscopic "open/save as" file dialog. Go to the CodeSmith Software's X-File homepage now. Also look at X-File screenshot here.

FM/2 Taskbar (shareware) a small utility program that works in conjunction with the WPS window list, program objects and launchpad to control what's running on your system and where it runs. Look at the screenshot of FM/2 Taskbar now.

Taskbox (shareware) gives a bar of running programs/open windows (includes win'95-type start menu)

Taskbar (shareware) allows quick switching among multiple running apps. Current running apps are listed in a popup button bar that is activated by moving the mouse cursor to a user selectable edge of the screen. Also has a hotkey facility similar to the Windows Alt-Tab feature. Read the review of Taskbar by David Gaskill.

FileBar (shareware) is a menubar for your desktop. Spanning across the top or bottom of your desktop, FileBar is designed to give you quick and easy access to your most used applications, whether they are DOS, Windows or OS/2! Read the review of Filebar by Trevor Smith and another review by Chris Wenham here.

WarpBar (freeware) is a handy system information display that runs in a compact strip, and is good at showing all the vital statistices of the computer at a glance. Read [http://www.os2ezine.com/v3n05/first.htm#warpbar OS/2 e-Zine! review] here.

Dialog Enhancer (shareware) is set to make major improvements into the look and feel of the OS/2 Warp's WPS. Read the review of Dialog Enhancer here.

WPS cosmetics

CandyBarZ (shareware) gives OS/2 WARP a gradient-filled titlebar. Both active and inactive colors are supported, and CandyBarZ will not muck up your titlebar text colors or fonts. Read the review of CandyBarz here and look at the here.

CHG_CTLS (freeware) is a program that replace default OS/2 window controls.

NewLook (freeware) changes WARP default icons & window controls.

TransWarp PlusPak (freeware) is a desktop enhancer for OS/2 Warp 4.0. It currently includes mini-schemes to enhance the desktop. A must have! Read the review of TransWarp PlusPak by Thom Davis.

WPS tools

PMSysMon (shareware) is the ultimate system monitoring tool for OS/2 multithreaded PM statusbar monitoring system.

ScreenSpace is a small desktop utility to make windows autohide and more

ExDesk (freeware) extend functions of OS/2 desktop object.

Program Creator (freeware) create program objects by dragging files and folders on the creator icon. Saves the trouble of using the migration program or typing in the program's path and name to program template.

SwapMonitor (shareware) is a utility that displays the size of OS/2's swap file in a small window and shows other useful information such as: A clock. Free space on all drives. Percentage of used space. Disk size. Volume label. File System. The number of threads and processes currently running. Highly customizable.

Winkey (freeware) is an OS/2 base device driver that maps the left and right Win95 keys on those newer Win95 style keyboards to display the task list (same as Ctrl+Esc) and the menu key to switch tasks (same as Alt+Esc).

MSE (shareware) allows you to assign various commands to your mouse buttons with or without keyboard modifiers. It also provides optional clipboard management and extension, swapfile monitor, desktop clock, virtual desktops, screen capture, file dialog enhancement and some other mouse-related options. Read the review of MSE by Rian Hill.

PMCalc (shareware) is a calculator with scientific and programmer functions, calculating with variables, Regression, easy transfer to/from the clipboard, detailed error messages, online help.

XFolder (freeware) is a replacement class for the WPFolder class of OS/2's Workplace Shell, which will add entries to all of your WPS folders' context menus, whose contents you can define yourself by putting regular WPS objects in a special XFolder configuration folder. Anything placed in this folder will immediately appear in the context menus of all folders. Look at the screenshot now.

Folder (freeware) is a dialog box that helps create new folder on desktop

Float(freeware) is a simple utility to keep windows floating on top of others in the WPS

Browse hobbes' archive for WPS related applications.

Step 13: Get a commercial utility to spice up your desktop - Get Object Desktop
This is debatable. If you are happy with the enhancements the above freeware and shareware do to your WPS, then do save yourself some bucks and don't get Object Desktop. But if money is no objection, I would highly recommend the use of Object desktop (available from Stardock). Read about the Object Desktop v1.5 review in OS/2 e-Zine! by Christopher B. Wright. Here is the Object Desktop Pro v1.5 review in OS/2 e-Zine! by Alex Bradley.

The Pros and Cons of Object Desktop

Like I said, getting Object desktop is debatable. Listen to what Christopher B. Wright (Object Desktop - Pros) and Edward Crouser (Object Desktop - Cons) have to say.

Amongst the many enhancements to OS/2, Object Desktop adds native ZIP, LHA, ZOO and ARC archives support to the WPS. Even though archives are special compressed file objects, they behave very much like OS/2 folders. You can store objects in an archive by dragging and dropping, and you can view the contents of an archive by double-clicking it.

Customizing Object Desktop v1.5

Go to my [chap3.html#Object collection of tips and tricks for Object Desktop]

Enable the Rollup button

By doing this, you will be able to "roll up" any particular window (just like you are rolling up a curtain at home) when click on the rollup button so that only its title bar is visible. This helps to reduce desktop clutter while allowing you to see all open windows.

Enable the window drag mode

This will need some good CPU power and display card as object desktop needs to remember all the contents (colours, icons, etc) of the window and displays them in real time as you are dragging the windows. This makes dragging windows from one position to another a more pleasurable visual experience.

Replace scrollbar buttons

Enable this to replace all buttons in OS/2 to use the Object Desktop buttons which have a chisel steel 3D look.

Replace Frame Controls

Enable this to replace the standard OS/2 Minimize/Hide and Maximize buttons to the Object Desktop buttons. In my opinion, the Object Desktop's buttons are more intuitive and look better too.

Enable the Close button on all windows.

This will add a Cross in the windows titlebar, which makes closing a particular window as easy as point and click.

Step 14: Just for fun
Magnify (freeware) is a PM desktop magnifier for reading the 'finest' print. Operates at the click of the mouse.

PMPopUp (freeware) is a simple program which will display a message on the PM desktop. Simply issue the command "PMPOPUP Message" to display your message on the desktop. PmPopup/2 (freeware) is yet another similar program that creates a configurable dialog box.

FClock (freeware) is a PM digital clock with perpetual calendar.

Stardate/2 (freeware) is a PM Stardate Clock for OS/2 Warp

PMWorld (freeware) enables up to 8 Analogue Clocks to be displayed, each showing the current time for a selected location anywhere in the world. The program also marks the position of the selected locations on a world map drawn by the program.

PMGlobe (freeware) is a program which displays the Earth as a globe using OS/2 Presentation Manager. Additional options add shading to the globe for a three-dimensional effect, and let you measure and track distances between two points on the globe.

World Clock (shareware) is a multi-city time display clock for OS/2 Warp. World Clock displays one to twenty-four clocks. Choose from over 550 cities or build your own city list.

ExCal (freeware) is a PM Calendar program

Xeyes (freeware) shows a pair of eyes that follow your mouse cursor. Behold is another X Eye-like program with a more realistic eyeball.

Hot Scroll (freeware) is a utility that can put the Scroll Lock key to some practical use, and does a fairly decent job of emulating the IntelliMouse's nifty scroll wheel. Read the review of Hot Scroll here.

Lens (freeware) let you move your mouse pointer around the screen, enlarging the area your pointer is over. Read the review of Lens here.

PMView (shareware) is the award-winning file viewer program. It is also great for screen capture too! Perfect if you want to submit your OS/2 screenshot to me.

PM Camera (freeware) is yet another screen and image grabber.

Step 15: Visit other sites
Tips on working with OS/2 Desktop - by Fred Gerlach.

Congratulations !!! You have just created your very own ULTIMATE WPS!!!