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How-To Geek Forums » Windows Vista

problems with desktopsites

(27 posts)
  • Started 1 year ago by The Geek
  • Latest reply from Santo
  • Topic Viewed 1614 times


1 2
ronspeak
Posts: 3

[admin note: This is a post from somebody else who posted it into the FAQ, so I'm moving it into it's own thread]

Ave's desktopsite. Looks like a great program but it won't work for me HELP PLEASE!. I loaded pgm to a download folder, unzipped and clicked .exe. Screen appeared to paste URL. When finished, a small website appeared on that screen and nowhere else including desktop. I got an error concerning a "hook" several times. Program does not appear in program list or in programs folder. Small icon does appear in task trayI am unable to uninstall to try again. .exe file can not be deleted. I think the .exe should have put the program in the program files, but didn't.

Posted 1 year ago #
 
thegeek
The Geek
Posts: 1341

I really need to get some better moderation plugins.

Posted 1 year ago #
 
thegeek
The Geek
Posts: 1341

Alright,

Are you running Vista?
Are you running Aero?
Are you an administrator on your machine? Is UAC enabled or disabled?

There's no install, it's just a zipfile with a couple of files. I'm not sure what you mean by uninstall or install... you just need to unzip the file to somewhere that you would like to use it.

The program will not appear in the programs list unless you manually make a shortcut for it.

More information on the specific hook error would also be helpful.

Posted 1 year ago #
 
Ave
Posts: 6

You need to unzip all files to your harddisk and then run it from there.

Posted 1 year ago #
 
Scott
Scott
Posts: 1702

Thanks Andreas

Posted 1 year ago #
 
catch
Posts: 3

I hate to pick up where ron left off, but I'm having (what sounds like) the exact same difficulties...

-.exe file and .dll file in same folder
-Can get the .exe file to run
-Only small screen within program displays website info (desktop seemingly unchanged..)

Thanks for a great start!

Posted 1 year ago #
 
Scott
Scott
Posts: 1702

Try adjusting the 'top' and 'left' settings, something like 200 and 200. If the page appears on the desktop, adjust the height and width.

Posted 1 year ago #
 
catch
Posts: 3

Acknowledged and attempted, but still no noticable change to desktop

Tried many Top-Left-Width-Height combos from 12 to 900, [i have] yet to see a change in the desktop.

I wonder if I am supposed to adjust the wallpaper/desktop settings...

(btw I'm currently running Vista with Aero with a solid grey background)

Posted 1 year ago #
 
Scott
Scott
Posts: 1702

Ah, good point. I remember I had to change the wallpaper to a non solid color. I currently use the City buildings one.

edit- Aero is fine.

Posted 1 year ago #
 
catch
Posts: 3

HOORAY!

Mr. Scott from Vermont, (as I'm sure you've done it before) you've done it again!

My desktop is now = the internet.

I am extremely appreciative and will learn more about computers so that one day when a n00b's in need, I'll be there.

Thanks a ton!

(for anyone having trouble, make sure the desktop is a picture not a color)

Posted 1 year ago #
 
Scott
Scott
Posts: 1702

Great news. The program is not without (minor) bugs. If you experience any trouble in the future, please do not hesitate to ask them here. We'll do our best to help.

Posted 1 year ago #
 
cbassett
cbassett
Posts: 24

Well I emailed the geek and as well I will post my problem here(even after 7 months). I know I am behind but I have the problem that when it is unzipped and then run with both files in the same folders, the icon shows up in the taskbar and then pops up a box saying bitmap image not valid until it continually pops up "Access violation at address 0048559C in module 'AveDesktopSites.exe'. Read of address 00000008." until I end the process through task manager. I am running 32 bit Home Premium with Aero and the woodknot as a desktop and UAC enabled with me being the admin.

Posted 4 months ago #
 
thegeek
The Geek
Posts: 1341

@cbassett:

If you can wait a few hours, Scott will be online and will probably have some helpful suggestions for you.

Posted 4 months ago #
 
thegeek
The Geek
Posts: 1341

You could also check out Samurize, which has some modules that can display webpages on the desktop as well:
http://www.samurize.com/modules/mydownloads/

Only problem is that it's not easy to configure... but they have a pretty active forum.

Posted 4 months ago #
 
Scott
Scott
Posts: 1702

cbassett,

I'll do my best to help.

If you know how to manually allow a program in your firewall, please do so for AveDesktopSites.exe

Make sure the wallpaper you have on your desktop is NOT a solid color.

I do remember initially having a looping error but not it's cause. We'll figure it out, just be sure to post back the changes you have made. M'kay?

Posted 4 months ago #
 
cbassett
cbassett
Posts: 24

I have Norton Internet Security 2008 Firewall and it really only allows for control of allowing access to the internet. I have the background of the default background of the old Yod'em 3D. It looks black with stars(I guess that is not a solid color). As a note I have just recently found howtogeek and love all of its articles on how to improve Vista(they did not do a good job with it). Registry hacks are what I am good with. Also I wish to use active desktop for the same exact reason that Scott does which is to display a whole bunch of weather information and satellites from NASA's active desktop thing. Also Scott can you tell me your base webpages of where you get most of your radar and such? I have to convert from Northeast maps the Southeast maps(I live just south of Atlanta). Also can I use looping images like the on weather.gov its looping maps that use java or do I have to put standard and refresh. As another note usually I am on at night from 8 PM to 4 AM ET typically.

Posted 4 months ago #
 
Scott
Scott
Posts: 1702

I am signing off but will spend time on this in the morning. I can also email you the .ini file to copy.

Posted 4 months ago #
 
Scott
Scott
Posts: 1702

We'll get this right or I'll fly into Hartsfield myself (spent many a weekend at Emory).

For us to test the program, you'll need to disable the firewall temporarily, if not the whole of Norton if you can't manually add a specific program internet access (hard to fathom). You will also need to use a default Vista wallpaper, one that is not a solid color as mentioned.

Click the executable and tell me if a little 'lightbulb' icon appears in the tray.
Click the lightbulb and tell me if that opens the interface to AvesDesktopSites.
See if the only entry is www.howtogeek.com , the only one entered by default. If so, make sure the values are not all set to 0, try 100 for each of the left, top, width and height fields.

If you are able to get this far, please open Explorer and navigate to C:\Users\YOUR NAME\App Data\Roaming
Is there an AvesDesktopSites 'Configuration Settings' file created there? If so, I will send you mine (yours will be deleted later) so you don't have to go through the hassle of creating yours from scratch.

Yes, some pages are Java based.

Posted 4 months ago #
 
cbassett
cbassett
Posts: 24

It must have been Norton because the messages no longer pop up and I have a 1280x800 desktop and the main thing I want are these maps(looping)http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/radar.php?rid=FFC&product=NCR&overlay=11101111&loop=yes and http://radar.weather.gov/ridge.....8;loop=yes ( as you can see, my radar station is Peachtree City, GA (FFC). As you may or may not know, by what I know, Peachtree City is the home base for all of the nation's weather. All satellite feeds come it there and the Weather Channel is out of Atlanta. Anyways I have the lightbulb and everything seems to be running fine.

Posted 4 months ago #
 
Scott
Scott
Posts: 1702

Good to hear it's working.

You can also use either Desktop Sidebar or Vista Sidebar to point to a folder of maps. They update themselves, are detachable and the DS one can even rotate as wallpaper every few minutes.

Posted 4 months ago #
 

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