Active desktop

[Faramir]

I put a couple .jpg pictures in my windows directory to use as wallpaper but i could only use them if I enabled Active desktop-- why is that and what does Active desktop do?

[drizzle]

Windows has to have 'Active Desktop' installed to show jpeg images for wallpaper. Without 'Active Desktop' it will only show bitmap images. The only way around your problem that I can see would be to convert those jpeg files to the bitmap format.

[deep_sky]

coverting jpgs to bmps will increase the size of the file and will decrease the quality of the image, especially if you have to stretch it. i would advise that you just enable active desktop and keep the images in jpg format.

[Faramir]

thanks for the responses...
what else is the Active desktop used for (what else does it do?)

---- sorry, as bad as I type I'd probably do better using my forehead

[This message has been edited by Faramir (edited 02-29-2000).]

[OuTpaTienT]

Ouch! I would advise you disable active desktop immediately if not sooner. It's much more of a demand on system resources and slows everything down.

Converting and image to .bmp will not lose any quality if done right. The file will be larger, but if you're that pressed for space then it's time for a new HD.

[Faramir]

will clicking on another wallpaper discontinue active desktop? and whats the correct way to convert .jpg to .bmp?

[OuTpaTienT]

Almost any of the THOUSANDS of shareware/freeware image viewers will convert to/from different formats.

The only two I use, and recommend, are:

Thumbsplus 4.0
(find it here: http://www.cerious.com/ }

and

ACDSee 3.0
(find it here: http://tucows.tierranet.com/grap95.html )

[Nathan]

Active desktop can cause some problems. So you might want to try it and see if it causes havoc. If you have problems, then convert them to bmp's.

[CujoRbd]

also to convert (so that you don't have to download anything), you can just open Paint and the click open and find the *.jpg file that you want to convert... then just do a "save as..." and save it as a *.bmp...

this does reduce the quality of the image (not at all significantly if you save in 24-bit format), so just be aware of that...

and to repeat, it does increase the size of the file a little, but the performance increase (of not have Active Desktop enable) will more than make up for this extra-used space...

i hope this (and what all everyone else has said) can help you to solve your Active Desktop "dilemna"... http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif


anywayz...

CujoRbd

[Faramir]

thanks all

[OuTpaTienT]

Cujo, why does that reduce the image qualtiy. It shouldn't at all. Unless that's specific to Paint.

Unlike .jpg, .bmp is not a lossy format, no reason what-so-ever to lose any quality.

[OuTpaTienT]

Faramir, you'll find that most image viewers (including the 2 I named) will have an option to make any image you want (whatever format) as your wallpaper.

Of the viewers I names, Thumbsplus is a little cumbersome and not really needed if you don't do much with your photos other than view them. But, ACDSee is a utility that no computer should be without. Do yourself a favor & d/l it. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif

[This message has been edited by OuTpaTienT (edited 03-01-2000).]

[Faramir]

thanks Outpatient-- I will try them both and experiment with the pictures and see how they look--- sheesh you would think win98 would allow more picture files to be used or at least make it easier

thanks again!!

[AuraEdge]

Its true that Active desktop sucks up alot of resources. If you had it enabled, disable it and I guarentee that you will notice a speed increase. I go with the jpg->bmp route...easiest, and you dont suffer any proformance loss.

[OuTpaTienT]

Paint doesn't open .jpg's, at least mine won't.

[CujoRbd]

ok... to answer both of outpatient's questions...

first off.... most jpeg's, by default, run at a 32-bit mode... (granted most people don't use this many colors, but it happens)... M$ Paint only allows you to save in 24-bit format, so there is ALWAYS a loss in quality of the pic... though you may not notice it, pics just sorta fade when they are not stored the same way (sorta like real pics http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif)...

ok... now the second... all you have to do is open paint... then select open... then (on that little bar thing at the bottom), select "all picture files" (or "all files" if you have an older version of paint)... i don't believe it will open still gif's, though, so don't mix up the two and get frustrated....

hope that i could help ya figure out the answers to your questions...


anywayz...

CujoRbd