MS3 Config v0.15 - Test5 "ZipException - CreateFileCe failed" error FIXED!!

[volDeus]

Spb Mobile Shell 3 Background Changer (MS3Config v0.15)
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This is a small application I am developing that I hope will evolve into a full-fledged skin editor for Spb Mobile Shell 3. At the moment it only has the ability to change panel backgrounds (among some other helpful tool options), but it has a decent GUI and is unique in that it does not overwrite any changes that have previously been made to your copy of MS3 by other skins or widget packs... I have a long way to go but take a look at the features in the changes list and the planned features below it... Please give as much feedback as possible, good or bad, and don't hesitate to make suggestions... This is my attempt at giving back to the community, please enjoy it ...




6/27/9 - Changes (v0.15 - Test5):
-- 1. Fixed the "ZipException - CreateFileCE failed" error that many people were recieving.
-- 2. Editing the "MS3C.txt" for languages other than english should no longer be neccessary.
-- 3. Added logging ability to help solve problems and errors ... Log is saved to "MS3C_Log.txt" in your "MS3Config" installation folder.


6/22/9 - Changes (v0.15):
-- 1. Scrolling bug fixed.
-- 2. Added two more slots to the Images panel.
-- 3. Now includes original artwork by volDeus and MoonCat.
-- 4. Images are now more evenly distributed throughout available panels.
-- 5. All images are now converted to optimal format for MS3 performance and low memory use.
-- 6. Added "Global Background" image slot and panel option.
-- 7. Added standard panels; Contact - Select Picture, FaceBook Contact Selector, FaceBook Picture Selector, FaceBook Sign-In, Spb Menu Items.
-- 8. Replaced "Restart MS3" menu item with expanding menu including; Status, Stop, Start, Restart.
-- 9. Added "Select All" and "Select None" buttons to the "Panels" tab.
-- 10. Removed "Vertical Slide" image slots and changed corresponding panels to full-screen, fixed backgrounds.
-- 11. Added link to home forum thread in about page.
-- 12. Other minor bugfixes.



--- Note!: ---
If you are recieving an error "\Program Files\Spb Mobile Shell\qa_layouts.dat is not a valid zip file" it is probably because your device is set to a language other than English and your default application installation folder is not "\Program Files\" ... Please follow the instructions here. to redirect MS3 Config to the correct folder.



------------- Instructions: -------------


PLEASE USE THE File>Backup OPTION TO BACKUP FILES THAT WILL BE MODIFIED BEFORE MAKING ANY CHANGES... I TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DAMAGE TO YOUR DEVICE, INCONVIENIENCE TO YOUR DAILY ROUTINE, OR ANNOYANCE TO YOUR GEEKING/TWEEKING EXPERIENCE...

( If you are upgrading to version 0.15 from a previous version, please follow these steps, otherwise skip to step 5)
-- 1. Disable all panels and apply changes.
-- 2. Uninstall previous version of "MS3 Config".
-- 3. Delete the "MS3Config" installation folder from your device.
-- 4. Delete the file "MS3Config.dat" from your "Spb Mobile Shell" installation folder.

-- 5. Install the .CAB file at the end of this post.
-- 6. Run the application."MS3Config" and read the "About" tab.
-- 7. Click on the "Panels" tab and wait for it to load.
-- 8. Check each panel you want to change the background of.

( If you want to use the default images for now, skip to step 11 )
-- 9. Click on the "Images" tab and wait for it to load.
-- 10. Tap and hold the image you want to modify and choose "Browse" to open the file picker and replace that image with another - or - "Edit" to open the image in your associated image editor. (I use Pocket Artist)

-- 11. When you are finished changing your backgrounds, Open the "File" menu and click "Apply changes".
-- 12. Wait for the progress form to close.
-- 13. Open the "File" menu and the "MS3" sub-menu .. then click "Restart". Wait for MS3 to restart and admire your changes.


Requirements:
Only tested on my Touch Pro and Mogul so far, both are running custom WM6.5 ROMs ... but requirements should be ...
-- 1. WM6 or higher...
-- 2. .NET CF 3.5 Runtimes installed...
-- 3. Spb Mobile Shell 3 installed.

Good luck ... If you find it useful, please use the button ...

[volDeus]

MS3Config v0.15 with VGA backgrounds included
MS3Config v0.15 with QVGA backgrounds included

6/22/9 - Changes (v0.15):
-- 1. Scrolling bug fixed.
-- 2. Added two more slots to the Images panel.
-- 3. Now includes original artwork by volDeus and MoonCat.
-- 4. Images are now more evenly distributed throughout available panels.
-- 5. All images are now converted to optimal format for MS3 performance and low memory use.
-- 6. Added "Global Background" image slot and panel option.
-- 7. Added standard panels; Contact - Select Picture, FaceBook Contact Selector, FaceBook Picture Selector, FaceBook Sign-In, Spb Menu Items.
-- 8. Replaced "Restart MS3" menu item with expanding menu including; Status, Stop, Start, Restart.
-- 9. Added "Select All" and "Select None" buttons to the "Panels" tab.
-- 10. Removed "Vertical Slide" image slots and changed corresponding panels to full-screen, fixed backgrounds.
-- 11. Added link to home forum thread in about page.
-- 12. Other minor bugfixes.


MS3 Config v0.14 Download

6/8/9 - Changes (v0.14):
-- 1. Image format support added; Jpeg, GIF, PNG
-- 2. Bugfixes.


MS3 Config v0.13 Download

6/8/9 - Changes (v0.13):
-- 1. Bugfixes.


MS3 Config v0.12 Download

6/8/9 - Changes (v0.12):
-- 1. Added settings file "MS3C.xml" to installation folder ... Directory paths that MS3Config will use can be set here..
-- 2. New image browser.


MS3 Config v0.11 Download

6/7/9 - Changes (v0.11):
-- 1. Added panels; Panel Carousel, Panel Carousel (accelerated), Contact - Edit Picture, Favorite Contacts.


MS3 Config v0.10 Download

6/6/9 - Changes (v0.10):
-- 1. Full parsing of MS3's XML files to prevent problems with other Spb Mobile Shell 3 add-ons and mods.
-- 2. Backup and Restore options.
-- 3. Ability to choose which panels will be modified.
-- 4. Ability to undo changes simply by disabling the panel that was changed.
-- 5. Image browser shows the current images as thumbnails and allows choosing a different file or opening the file in your associated image editor.
-- 6. Checking for redundant packing and unpacking now makes applying small changes much faster than in ALPHA.
-- 7. Ability to quickly restart Spb Mobile Shell 3 to view your changes.
-- 8. Progress is indicated wherever possible.


Planned Changes:
-- 1. Ability to add more images to the "Images" tab.
-- 2. Ability to choose which image is applied to each panel individually.
-- 3. More panels available to modify.
-- 4. Ability to resize images and alter bounding rectangles to control behaviour during kinetic scrolling and panning. (Especially with long panels like the Launcher and Spb Start Menu)
-- 5. Ability to Import/Export skin settings for moving to another device.
-- 6. Error checking and logging so that I can respond to bugs that people with other devices might find.
-- 7. Incorporate common tricks and tweaks available from the community for for easy installation/removal .. and the ability to combine tricks and mods that otherwise might over-write each other.
-- 8. Detect and save changes made by other mods, skins, or widget packs so that they can be combined with each other and with the content already available in MS3Config.



The "About" tab.
General information about MS3Config.



The "Panels" tab.
Use this tab to choose which MS3 panels you want to change the background of.



The "Images" tab.
Use this tab to view and change the images that will be used for backgrounds.



The Professional Panel with the included background applied.



The Tiled Panel View with included backgrounds applied.

[ali1010]

this will be a useful app for ms3.
thank you!

[volDeus]

Originally Posted by ali1010

this will be a useful app for ms3.
thank you!

Thank you for the support!!

My next update will parse the qa_layouts.dat file and modify it rather than overwrite it... It will show the current background images on your screen and allow you to replace the files without leaving my app.. I also plan to allow launching of your favorite image editor from the app..
In future updates I'll work towards implementing as many of the tricks and tweaks in MrHawaii's thread as possible... Keep an eye out

[MrHawaii]

Originally Posted by volDeus

MrHawaii posted this trick a while ago in his [SPB MS3] Shine Up and Show Off Your Shell! [THEMEz, TWEAKz, WALLPAPERz, WIDGz, ETC] thread (which I feel he deserves quite a bit more thanks button clicks for)...

>How to use your own Background on all pages (i.e. carousel, Prof Home, etc.)<

After a few days of using his instructions to change my own MS3 backgrounds, I decided to start work on a small application that could speed up the process...





Spb Mobile Shell 3 Background Changer (MS3Config) ALPHA
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This is a very simple configuration application I wrote this morning that assists in changing the backgrounds for panels other than the Lifestyle panel in Spb Mobile Shell 3 ...

THIS IS AN ALPHA!!! PLEASE BACKUP ANY FILES REQUIRED BY MS3 BEFORE USING... PLEASE DO NOT COMPLAIN OR INQUIRE ABOUT PROBLEMS ...
I TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DAMAGE TO YOUR DEVICE, INCONVIENIENCE TO YOUR DAILY ROUTINE, OR ANNOYANCE TO YOUR GEEKING/TWEEKING EXPERIENCE...


Features:
1. Extracts the internal background images from Spb Mobile Shell 3 data files and places them in "\My Documents\MS3Config Backgrounds\"
2. Compresses the files found in "\My Documents\MS3Config Backgrounds\" and copies them back to the Spb Mobile Shell 3 install folder.


Instructions:
1. Install the .CAB
2. Run the application "volDeus MS3Config"
3. (IMPORTANT) Click Extract and wait for the "Please Wait!!!" message to clear
4. Navigate to "\My Documents\MS3Config Backgrounds\" and alter or overwrite the .BMP files there with your own backgrounds.
- OR -
4. Copy all of the .BMP files from "\My Documents\MS3Config Backgrounds\" to your PC, adjust them there, and copy them back.
5. Run the application "volDeus MS3Config"
6. (IMPORTANT) Click Compress and wait for the "Please Wait!!!" message to clear
7. Soft reset and cross your fingers


Requirements: (this application has only been tested on one device, therefore, the requirements are not yet certain)
As far as I know, the only requirements would be ...
1. WM6 or higher...
2. .NET CF 3.5 Runtimes installed...
3. Spb Mobile Shell 3 installed ... In the default location....


Notes:
1. This application is in alpha stage ... I spent around 3 hours this morning researching for it and coding it and it is probably packed with bugs... It works perfectly on MY device but I can guarantee NOTHING for your device or your setup...
2. This application overwrites the stock qa_layouts.dat file in the Spb Mobile Shell install folder... If you have installed any Spb MS3 mods or addons that alter the qa_layouts.dat file, this application will cause you SERIOUS problems...
3. This application does not check the resolution or format of the files in the "\My Documents\MS3Config Backgrounds\" folder... It simply compresses the files in that folder with the correct password for Spb MS3, and copies them back to the original install folder...
4. This application uses no type of error-checking whatsoever... Expect it to blow up...





So all that being said ...
I have alot of things planned for this app that I won't bother to list here yet because most of them will be obvious... I'm hoping for it to eventully evolve into a full-featured customization app for Spb MS3 (hence the name MS3Config) ...
I welcome suggestions and help ... Please no criticisim ... This app, in it's current stage, barely does anything other than save some time...
This is my first publically released PPC app and I only released it this early because I hoped it might help other tweekers with their MS3 customization...

Good luck ... If you find it useful, please use the button ...

"You have been linked!!!"

Originally Posted by MrHawaii

>Easier way to change your background<
- Thanks to volDeus
- THREAD

This works great, thank you!

[MrHawaii]

Originally Posted by volDeus

Thank you for the support!!

My next update will parse the qa_layouts.dat file and modify it rather than overwrite it... It will show the current background images on your screen and allow you to replace the files without leaving my app.. I also plan to allow launching of your favorite image editor from the app..
In future updates I'll work towards implementing as many of the tricks and tweaks in MrHawaii's thread as possible... Keep an eye out

Really looking forward to this! It will help a lot! Thanks again.

[natefish]

Not working on my Vogue. I did the extraction, replaced the backgroundpanel.bmp with an image of my own. I renamed it appropriately, compressed, and then reset. Now, MS doesn't start up at all. When I tried to start it from clicking one of the icons, it went to a black screen with small red print that reads: "Error."

[volDeus]

Originally Posted by natefish

Not working on my Vogue. I did the extraction, replaced the backgroundpanel.bmp with an image of my own. I renamed it appropriately, compressed, and then reset. Now, MS doesn't start up at all. When I tried to start it from clicking one of the icons, it went to a black screen with small red print that reads: "Error."

I hope you did a backup XD ... Can you tell me your OS and ROM version and your exact version of MS3 so I can look into it a bit more?

[dyablo]

Appreciate your contribution....Thx for this Gr8t app..........

[volDeus]

I just uploaded a new version of my background changing application with lots of new features ... Check it out!

MS3 Config v0.1 SO MANY NEW FEATURES!!

1. Full parsing of MS3's XML files to prevent problems with other Spb Mobile Shell 3 add-ons and mods.
2. Backup and Restore options.
3. Ability to choose which panels will be modified.
4. Ability to undo changes simply by disabling the panel that was changed.
5. Image browser shows the current images as thumbnails and allows choosing a different file or opening the file in your associated image editor.
6. Checking for redundant packing and unpacking now makes applying small changes much faster than in ALPHA.
7. Ability to quickly restart Spb Mobile Shell 3 to view your changes.
8. Progress is indicated wherever possible.