My home is not a place, it is people.
Cordelia's Corner for the Complete Newbie: Part 7
Published on January 11, 2005 By Cordelia In OS Customization

Merriam-Webster online defines Obsession and Compulsion thusly:

 

Main Entry: ob·ses·sion
Pronunciation:
äb-'se-sh&n, &b-
1 : a persistent disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling; broadly : compelling motivation obsession with profits>
2 : something that causes an obsession
 

Main Entry: com·pul·sion
Pronunciation:
k&m-'p&l-sh&n
1 a : an act of compelling : the state of being compelled b : a force that compels
2 : an irresistible impulse to perform an irrational act

 

Put the two words together and you get LogonStudio. OK, actually you get Obsessive-Compulsive disorder, but it's a very thin line between the two, right?

 

LogonStudio is a free program that allows you to change your logon screen. You can get it here. (Note: LogonStudio is no longer a supported program. *weeps quietly*).

 

A logon screen is the screen where you type in your password in order to gain access to your computer, always assuming you can remember your password. Oh, wait, you use the same password for everything you have to log in to and everything you've ever signed up for on the Internet, right? Here's a brief note about personal computing security: stop that. Also change your passwords on occasion.

 

Anyway, the unskinned screen looks something like this:

 

 

Are you obsessed? Are you compulsed? Want to change your logon screen to match your current skin, or just change it to something different because you are sick of looking at the same thing for ten whole seconds out of your day? Well here's how:

 

1.) Download and open LogonStudio. It looks like this:

 

 

2.) Download a logon from WinCustomize's Logon Gallery. There are also some nice standard logons that come with the program. If you download a logon you will be required again to save it someplace you will remember, and then extract the zipped files as we discussed in yesterday's article on wallpapers. (See the daily hint at the bottom for a faster way to do this).

 

 

3.) Click Load and find the skin you just downloaded and then click Apply. I am trying out both Azure by adni18 and SkinPlant 102 by Mike Bryant. They are both so pretty I can't decide, I can't decide!!!

 

 

4) Once you click apply it will take you right back to your logon screen to show you what it looks like now. Sometimes I just log off and log back on just so I can stare at the pretty logon screen. See definitions at top of page.

 

Here are the two new screens:

 

 

Daily hint for the newb: Have LogonStudio open. Download your files and when the download dialog box tells you it's been downloaded you can click on open. This action will load the new logon into the program library. No more extracting files! Save precious mouse clicks!

 

 

Tomorrow's Article: CursorXP

Translate this article into Gaelic and win a Garden Cthulu !!!

(Offer not valid for carnivores or herbivores or carnivorous herbivores or vegetarian carnivores)

 

Check out the other Newbie Tutorials here:  #1: Intro.#2: WindowBlinds, Part 1, #3: WindowBlinds, Part 2, #4: Screenshots, #5: IconPackager, #6: Wallpaper Basics
 


Comments (Page 2)
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on Jan 28, 2005
The answer is No Smile!
on Jan 31, 2005

Awww! Too bad. Well, I'm glad at least you got an answer. Thanks for sharing.

on Feb 02, 2005
just an update:
ive worked out why the "Welcome" text doesnt show on any logons, and its a bit strange:
by default, Logon Studio sets the width of the Welcome text to be 0 pixels wide:
<element layout=filllayout() width=0rp>
<element id=atom(welcomeshadow) content=rcstr(7)/>
<element id=atom(welcome) content=rcstr(7)/>
</element>

i modified the width to 100, and i actually saw the last two letters of 'welcome'..

but i find it strange that, by default, the welcome text is 'hidden'...

havent worked out how to get the text that tells you what windows is doing when it shuts down though..
on Feb 17, 2005
Mr. Douglas: As you may have already guessed your comment is far too technical for a newbie like me. It does not seem right that your welcome text should be hidden. If you require assistance (you may not, but if you do) then you can always contact support@stardock.com. Sorry I'm not more helpful!
on Mar 07, 2005
i can never get this to work... i always get this error .. but i dont noe wat it is. it just wont show up. and i have to press ok like 10 times then i can get into windows. can someon help me. i follwed all the steps haha
on Mar 07, 2005
i can never get this to work... i always get this error .. but i dont noe wat it is. it just wont show up. and i have to press ok like 10 times then i can get into windows. can someon help me. i follwed all the steps haha
on Mar 07, 2005
you can try to email me your uifile.txt and theme.ini file, maybe i can work out whats up. most likely, its that the code hasnt be formatted properly (missing something or theres something that shouldnt be there).
on Mar 07, 2005

huck403: you can also - and perhaps should - email support@stardock.com. Good luck!

Edited - corrected spelling. And it must have been a bug, becasue I would never spell anything wrong. Oh no, not me.

on Mar 08, 2005
support@stardock.com
on Nov 05, 2006
How do you use a customised/personalised image/background as a logon?
on Nov 05, 2006
Open Logon Studio and click 'help' - then click 'creating a logon with logon studio'

you'll get a basic create a logon tutorial.
when you get to the 'center panel' and 'use pic' part, you'll want to click 'browse' and find the pic you want to use.
on Jan 08, 2007
o
on Jan 23, 2007
Hey i made myself a logon screen but everytime i "apply" it they give me this error mssg....:
Value creation failed" at line 14

Wut did i do wrong?
on Jan 23, 2007
You probably used a .jpg or .gif for the center panel and renamed it to .bmp. The center panel needs to be a true .bmp. Open the image in Paint or any other graphics program you have, and save it as .bmp_100 in the folder of the logon you're creating.
on Jan 23, 2007

The center panel needs to be a true .bmp

Thanks boss0190, I never would have been able to answer that!   

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