How to create an automatic Wallpaper Changer with Visual Basic 6.0

Download chwallpaper_src.zip - 159.46 KB

Designing apps in Visual basic is pretty straightforward.
Click on the desired component (control) , located at the left toolbar
of visual basic and draw it at an appropiate locaton on the form.
Componments on the form align to rectangular grids giving
your apps a symmetric look.

This app uses the following components:

- command buttons
- radio buttons
- check boxes
- horizontal scroll bars
- frames
- image controls
- list box
- timer
- labels

Altering the wallpaper change mode

Selection of how the app will change desktop wallpapers is
done here. One can either let the app automatically change
wallpapers or one can manually do so by clicking the
'set as wallpaper' button.

Private Sub optMode_Click(Index As Integer)
	Select Case Index
	Case 0: optMode(0).Value = True
	Case 1: optMode(1).Value = True
	End Select
End Sub

                        
If optMode(0).Value = True Then
    
           
        '***********************
        
If optSeq(0).Value = True Then

     cnt = cnt + 1
     Frame5.Caption = " Wallpapers  ( " & MaxWallpaperFiles & "  files ) " & MaxWallpaperFiles - cnt & "  to go "
      'CurrentWallpaperFile = DoneWallpaperFiles(cnt)
       CurrentWallpaperFile = Int(MaxWallpaperFiles * Rnd)
     List1.ListIndex = CurrentWallpaperFile
     'If (DoneFileCount > MaxWallpaperFiles) Then

	     If (cnt > MaxWallpaperFiles - 1) Then
	     cnt = 0
	      ' DoneFileCount = 0
	      GenerateRandomFile

     End If

End If
        
 

Setting the wallpaper change sequence

The sequence of the wallpapers can be randomily done or
sequenced in a foward non-random direction.
The app generates a series of random numbers, stores them
in an array. This is done to assure that numbers arent
repeated as often occurs when using the random function.

Private Sub optSeq_Click(Index As Integer)
Select Case Index
      Case 0:
                optSeq(0).Value = True
                optSeq(1).Value = False
                autoMode = True
      Case 1:
                optSeq(1).Value = True
                optSeq(0).Value = False
                autoMode = False
   End Select
End Sub

     If optSeq(1).Value = True Then
             
            
            
             List1.ListIndex = CurrentWallpaperFile
             FileName1 = DriveLetter & WallpaperFile(CurrentWallpaperFile).Path & WallpaperFile(CurrentWallpaperFile).Name
             Image1.Picture = LoadPicture(FileName1)
    
            
             If (CurrentWallpaperFile > MaxWallpaperFiles - 1) Then CurrentWallpaperFile = 0
             Frame5.Caption = " Wallpapers  ( " & MaxWallpaperFiles & "  files ) " & (MaxWallpaperFiles - 1) - CurrentWallpaperFile & "  to go "
                 
                 
                 Else
                
                 'DoneFileCount = DoneFileCount + 1
                 'CurrentWallpaperFile = DoneWallpaperFiles(DoneFileCount)
            
    
       
             
         End If

Adjusting the wallpaper change time

The default time and max time is set to 30 seconds but can be
reduced down to 2 seconds using the scrollbar.

Private Sub HScroll1_Change()
    Timer1.Interval = HScroll1.Value
    Label10.Caption = " " & Timer1.Interval / 1000 & " seconds"
    WallpaperChangeInterval = HScroll1.Value
End Sub

The Program's loop

< alt="Screenshot - wall06_timer.jpg" src="wallpaperchanger/wall06_timer.jpg" />

The core of this app has been placed in Timer1
to make things as simple as can be.

Private Sub Timer1_Timer()

        '********************
        '**                **
        '********************
        On Error Resume Next
        
        TimerStart = Timer
        
         'Delay = ((TimeDelay / 1000) - (TimerElap - TimerStart)) * 1000
          Delay = TimeDelay - Int(((TimerElap - TimerStart)) * 1000)
        
        '***********************
                        
If optMode(0).Value = True Then
    
           
        '***********************
        
        If optSeq(0).Value = True Then
        
             cnt = cnt + 1
             Frame5.Caption = " Wallpapers  ( " & MaxWallpaperFiles & "  files ) " & MaxWallpaperFiles - cnt & "  to go "
              'CurrentWallpaperFile = DoneWallpaperFiles(cnt)
               CurrentWallpaperFile = Int(MaxWallpaperFiles * Rnd)
             List1.ListIndex = CurrentWallpaperFile
             'If (DoneFileCount > MaxWallpaperFiles) Then
             
             If (cnt > MaxWallpaperFiles - 1) Then
             cnt = 0
              ' DoneFileCount = 0
              GenerateRandomFile
                              
             End If
        
        End If
        
        '***********************
       If optSeq(1).Value = True Then
             
            
            
             List1.ListIndex = CurrentWallpaperFile
             FileName1 = DriveLetter & WallpaperFile(CurrentWallpaperFile).Path & WallpaperFile(CurrentWallpaperFile).Name
             Image1.Picture = LoadPicture(FileName1)
    
            
             If (CurrentWallpaperFile > MaxWallpaperFiles - 1) Then CurrentWallpaperFile = 0
             Frame5.Caption = " Wallpapers  ( " & MaxWallpaperFiles & "  files ) " & (MaxWallpaperFiles - 1) - CurrentWallpaperFile & "  to go "
                 
                 
                 Else
                
                 'DoneFileCount = DoneFileCount + 1
                 'CurrentWallpaperFile = DoneWallpaperFiles(DoneFileCount)
            
    
       
             
         End If
     
     ChangeWallpaper
     CurrentWallpaperFile = CurrentWallpaperFile + 1
         
     If (CurrentWallpaperFile > MaxWallpaperFiles - 1) Then CurrentWallpaperFile = 0
     
       
     'DoneFileCount = DoneFileCount + 1
     'MsgBox DoneFileCount & ".  " & DoneWallpaperFiles(DoneFileCount) & " opps"
      
    End If
     
End Sub

when all said and done
(when the code is run)

Browsing for wallpapers and
selecting wallpaper folders.

Obviously this app would be useless without this feature. Browsing for
folders containing wallpapers is pretty straightforward. Select the
folder containing the 'bmp files and click the ' ok ' button.
The app will list all bmp files found in the directory, in the list box
located to the lower left section of the form.

Selecting the files is done by clicking the file in question,
a preview of the .bmp file will be rendered in the wapaper preview.
Clicking the ' set as wallpaper ' will set it as wallpaper or
one can click the ' automatic ' radio button to have the app
automatically set the wallpapers.



Download Source code : Download chWallpaper_src.zip - 198.03 KB