-
1 Attachment(s)
[ UPDATE: I have updated the download to version 1.1 as a noticed a bug with the original version where files that were previewed could not be deleted (why do bugs always show up just after you release something?) ]
Lone Wolf and others posted some questions about viewing Xara X files as thumbnials in Windows Explorer. As Karim and Michael pointed out, to do this requres a DLL file so Windows can read the preview out of the .xar files.
I have put together such a DLL and you can get it (with a nice installer) here:
Thumbnail viewer for Xara X
You can also get the source code (in C++ format) from here:
The source code
This is a personal project that I have created in my own time. I take no responsablity for any problems that this program may cause and I will not be able to offer any support for it. Be aware that as this program runs as part of Explorer so bugs in it could cause Explorer to go wrong.
I have tested it on Windows 2000 and Windows XP with no problems (if you are brave enough to try it on Windows 9x please post here with the results).
Please be aware that this program is not linked in any way with Xara Ltd (so don't blame them if it causes you any problems).
I have attached a screen grab of one of my folders showing the new icons.
Jonathan
[This message was edited by Jonathan Payne on February 02, 2003 at 07:31.]
-
[ UPDATE: I have updated the download to version 1.1 as a noticed a bug with the original version where files that were previewed could not be deleted (why do bugs always show up just after you release something?) ]
Lone Wolf and others posted some questions about viewing Xara X files as thumbnials in Windows Explorer. As Karim and Michael pointed out, to do this requres a DLL file so Windows can read the preview out of the .xar files.
I have put together such a DLL and you can get it (with a nice installer) here:
Thumbnail viewer for Xara X
You can also get the source code (in C++ format) from here:
The source code
This is a personal project that I have created in my own time. I take no responsablity for any problems that this program may cause and I will not be able to offer any support for it. Be aware that as this program runs as part of Explorer so bugs in it could cause Explorer to go wrong.
I have tested it on Windows 2000 and Windows XP with no problems (if you are brave enough to try it on Windows 9x please post here with the results).
Please be aware that this program is not linked in any way with Xara Ltd (so don't blame them if it causes you any problems).
I have attached a screen grab of one of my folders showing the new icons.
Jonathan
[This message was edited by Jonathan Payne on February 02, 2003 at 07:31.]
-
This is really great Jonathan.
May I post the URL in the Shareware page?
Gary
Gary Priester
Moderator Person
<a href="http://www.gwpriester.com">
www.gwpriester.com </a>
The Xara Xone
-
the link for installer is broken (the one fof the source works) could you fix it, I would really like to have that dll ...
or is there any other site to download from?
thank you!
-
Gary: Thanks for the complement. You're welcome to post the URL to the shareware page but I would prefer it if you could copy the file(s) to your server (the server I am using is a bit slow and unreliable). If you do post it, please include a note stating that I am not responsible for any problems and ask people not to bother Xara Ltd about any problems it may cause.
Alan: I think I have got the link fixed now. Sorry about that.
Jonathan
-
yes, it works now! thank you!
-
I'll make it available from the Xara server.
Gary
Gary Priester
Moderator Person
<a href="http://www.gwpriester.com">
www.gwpriester.com </a>
The Xara Xone
-
THANK YOU so MUCH!!!
WOW!! It works and boy does it work!! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif
I can't tell the difference from my image files now and my .xar files!! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif
Truly wonderful! You are so kind to put this together for us Xarians. Xara Ltd. should offer you some bucks for this and include it in the next releass!!
Richard http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif
---Wolff On The Prowl---
-
Worked well on XP. I tried it on the shed computer. I sort of runs on Win98 SE. Didn't see anything happen. Your welcome to my texture files in return. Rich
-
Excellent! Windows XP home.
Egg
-
Excuse my ignorance.
Where should this dll be installed? Any other information we need to make it work? (I am bravely trying to use it in Win98.)
http://talkgraphics.infopop.net/1/Op...&ul=1101906325
Why, I’m afraid I can’t explain myself, sir, because I’m not myself, you know...
- Lewis Carroll
-
from me Jonathan, I will finally be able to get all my images organised easily.
One thing I would ask of you though - is it possible to include the Xara BAK files as well?
Christine
[This message was edited by Christine Farrelly on February 02, 2003 at 23:19.]
-
Excellent, works fine on my Windowss 2000 SP3 machine too... thanks!
-
Thank you Jonathon for this. It works for me in windows 2000. Dale , I used the executable file and it installed by default in the program files folder.
-
Brilliant, great work!!
I was considering doing it myself, but seeing as I've never produced a DLL in my life, it would have been an up-hill task.
This is something that is going to help a lot of Xarans!
Michael Ward
http://www.exosoftwebdesign.co.uk (soon)
http://www.leythers.co.uk
http://www.metalandplastics.co.uk
-
Hey, that is very, very impressive stuff!
Looking at the source makes me a bit downcast, though (but not because of your code); I've realized that in order to properly handle drag and drop, and be able to use XP icons, I need to add OLE to my project too, and that's something I haven't used before, and it doesn't look pretty.
Oh, well, those are my troubles, and this certainly shows that you can do cool stuff with it.
Great work!
-
Everyone: Thanks for all the kind complements.
Dale: Sorry, my post was a bit misleading. The first link is to the installer for the DLL rather than the DLL itself. Everything should work if you just download the installer and run it. I think your problem might be due to Windows 98.
Christine: I think it would be possible to enable the preview for .bak files as well. I am not that keen on enabling at the moment as other applications use .bak files as well and I don't want to cause any problems for them. If you like, I could post some registry changes that would enable .bak preview.
Michael & Lone Wolf: The code doesn't do anything that complicated but it does use a lot of different things at the same time (ATL, COM, shell stuff, Flare file format, etc). If you are interested, I found out most of the stuff I needed for this project on CodeProject and from the Xara file format specification. The OLE code is only there to avoid having to load the GIF file manually.
To everyone: Has anyone got this working on Windows 95, 98 or ME or is there anyone who would like it to work on one of these platforms that can't get it to run (if there is, I will try and get an install of Windows 98 to test it on).
-
Jonathan.
This is excellent work! Something many of us have been wanting for a very long time. No problems on my Win2k system.
I will let other Xara users in my company be aware of its existance.
-
No go on Win98.
It would be great to be able to use this dll on Win98.
http://talkgraphics.infopop.net/1/Op...&ul=1101906325
Why, I’m afraid I can’t explain myself, sir, because I’m not myself, you know...
- Lewis Carroll
-
Suffice it to say I was a litte bit leary to try this out. But I figure whta the heck...its only data, right?
The good news:
It didn't totally crash my Millennium system.
The bad news:
I think it is only doing half of what you planned. Most (95%) of my Xara files are represented in the right side of the Explorer window with an icon showing their contents. However, when I select a .xar file, the left side preview pane does not show it. It just says "Preview not Available."
If you need any additional info let me know.
dafipp
http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/confused.gif
-
I think that if you choose "Icons" from your "View" menue then click on one of them the left side pane should give you your preview image. I don't think any Windows flavor is set up to allow for a preview on the left while "Thumbnails" is selected from the "View" menu.
Richard http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif
---Wolff On The Prowl---
-
I went and checked and it makes no difference whether my view is set to icon or thumbnail. The preview window still doesn't show .xar files. When I am in Thumbnail mode and I select a .gif file it does show in the preview window.
dafipp
-
-
Click Here.
Thanks again Jonathan. Works fine in XP. Just have to remember to select View Thumnails in the View options.
Gary
Gary Priester
Moderator Person
<a href="http://www.gwpriester.com">
www.gwpriester.com </a>
The Xara Xone
-
It might be wholly unconnected, but I can't see thumbnails for .gif or .jpg files in Win 2000 SP3.
I've never really paid too much attention to thumbnail views to be honest, though after installing the Xara thumb program, I switched a few folders from List to Thumbnail view - and realised gif or jpgs aren't thumbnailed.
Like I say, it's probably not connected to the Xara thumbnailing, perhaps gif/jpg never were thumbnailed here - something for others to check maybe
-
Daniel,
All formats thumbnail for me. Might be SP3
+++Computers let you make more mistakes faster than any other invention in human history, with the possible exception of handguns and tequila+++
-
I am running Win2000 SP3 at work, if I can remember http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif I will download and run the .dll and see if it works there. I have a couple of .xar files on board there and I have a few images, not sure if thay are .gifs or what have you. Interesting dilema though, you would think something like that would be pretty consistant in all the Windows flavors? http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/confused.gif
Richard http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif
---Wolff On The Prowl---
-
Thanks Jonathan for this excellent work - I would appreciate if you could post the registry changes to enable BAK file to show.
Christine
-
-
1 Attachment(s)
Everyone: Thanks again for all you positive feedback. I have been looking into Windows 98/Me support but unfortunately I haven't been able to find all the bits I need to install either of them (despite having two Windows 98 licences). I think this means that Windows 98/Me support isn't going to get any better unless someone else fixes it (I will be happy to help anyone who wants to give it a go but they will need to have a copy of Visual Studio and some understanding of C++). Am I right in thinking that Windows 98 and Me have a thumbnails mode but Windows 95 doesn’t?
Christine: To display thumbnails for .bak files you need to add a registry key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT called ".bak\ShellEx\{BB2E617C-0920-11d1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}" and set it's default value to "{4E27AB95-F528-47E4-BB48-347D13D77C91}". Sorry about the tricky to type key names - they are one of the less fun bits of Windows programming! The attached screen shot should show what I mean. As always, be careful when editing the registry.
-
You are correct. In my experience Win95 does not have a thumbnail view and Win98 does.
Win98's thumbnail view sucks if you have any large .bmp files, as it takes forever for them to appear as icons/thumbnails.
http://talkgraphics.infopop.net/1/Op...&ul=1101906325
Why, I’m afraid I can’t explain myself, sir, because I’m not myself, you know...
- Lewis Carroll
-
Jonathan,
Again I thank you - I have done the registry changes and all looks good - I can now view the BAK files as well.
Christine
