BBLean (Blackbox)

Submit portable freeware that you find here. It helps if you include information like description, extraction instruction, Unicode support, whether it writes to the registry, and so on.
Message
Author
User avatar
gp_hbk
Posts: 73
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2006 5:21 am
Location: India

BBLean (Blackbox)

#1 Post by gp_hbk »

BBLean is a an optimised version of the Blackbox window manager for Windows.It writes settings to *.rc files within the program folder (like LiteStep).

After you download the file v1.1.6, unzip it to a folder on the root of your drive (like F:\BBLean).Also download bsetroot & bsetbg and place the files beside blackbox.exe if you want to use your own wallpapers.(Note:The wallpaper gets changed for both BBLean as well as Windows Explorer.When you quit BBLean the wallpaper will be the one you set in BBLean.)To launch BBLean, run blackbox.exe.

It also supports plugins(XobLite Page) and styles (deviantART,Freshmeat,Freshmeat,Boxshots,Skinbase).

Put plugins in the plugins folder,style definition files in the styles folder and style backgrounds if you want in the backgrounds folder.For the backgrounds to work right you'll have to edit the style definition files in a text editor like Notepad++.You'll have to change the file path for the background image.Most plugins are capable of using relative paths.But you'll have to do that manually.Some plugins are dependent on MSVCR71.dll which you must place in the C:Windows\system32 folder.Even though some components are non-portable,the default package is.I decided to test it because it is more functional and memory efficient than Windows Explorer and because I didn't like LiteStep.

If you get any problems, I'll be glad to help. If you know of a better alternative to Windows Explorer window manager please tell

User avatar
Andrew Lee
Posts: 3048
Joined: Sat Feb 04, 2006 9:19 am
Contact:

#2 Post by Andrew Lee »

Before I try this, just wanna find out

Does it work in any directory, or must it reside in the root directory?

User avatar
Fluffy
Posts: 457
Joined: Sat Apr 15, 2006 6:37 pm

#3 Post by Fluffy »

Andrew: My guess is that it's not portable. Being a shell, it must reside in a certain area in order for any "set shell as default" functions to work properly. Beyond that, manually setting the shell to BBLean might work fine, but it's a moot point if you plan to run it from a removeable drive, as you'd either have to manually set it as the default shell and then restore explorer.exe as the default shell each time you use it on a host computer, and since removeable media doesn't always have the same assigned drive letter, you will probably end up with a bigger headache than it's worth.

By design, shells really aren't that portable simply because they're designed to take place of the standard Windows desktop. Users that want this change usually know what they're doing and set it up to be permanent, not so they can bring their shell wherever they go. It's just a big customization thing, though most shells tend to be much lighter than explorer.exe. I mentioned Desktop Lite a while ago and it's probably the most portable shell I've found, though I'm not sure just how portable that is.

After posting it on the forums, though, I thought it over and realized that a portable shell is probably an oxymoron of sorts. :)

User avatar
gp_hbk
Posts: 73
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2006 5:21 am
Location: India

#4 Post by gp_hbk »

Fluffy wrote:Andrew: My guess is that it's not portable. Being a shell, it must reside in a certain area in order for any "set shell as default" functions to work properly. Beyond that, manually setting the shell to BBLean might work fine, but it's a moot point if you plan to run it from a removeable drive, as you'd either have to manually set it as the default shell and then restore explorer.exe as the default shell each time you use it on a host computer, and since removeable media doesn't always have the same assigned drive letter, you will probably end up with a bigger headache than it's worth.

By design, shells really aren't that portable simply because they're designed to take place of the standard Windows desktop. Users that want this change usually know what they're doing and set it up to be permanent, not so they can bring their shell wherever they go. It's just a big customization thing, though most shells tend to be much lighter than explorer.exe. I mentioned Desktop Lite a while ago and it's probably the most portable shell I've found, though I'm not sure just how portable that is.

After posting it on the forums, though, I thought it over and realized that a portable shell is probably an oxymoron of sorts. :)
That is true for most alternate shells. BBLean is a peculiar one. It works better when run over Windows Explorer than when it is set as the default shell.

User avatar
gp_hbk
Posts: 73
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2006 5:21 am
Location: India

#5 Post by gp_hbk »

Andrew Lee wrote:Before I try this, just wanna find out

Does it work in any directory, or must it reside in the root directory?
It doesn't have to be in the root directory. Like I said,BBLean in its default package is portable,ie,without any extra plugins at all. But all the paths in the extra plugins' configuration files and the style definition files must be relative to the drive letter to work.

User avatar
Fluffy
Posts: 457
Joined: Sat Apr 15, 2006 6:37 pm

#6 Post by Fluffy »

gp_hbk wrote:That is true for most alternate shells. BBLean is a peculiar one. It works better when run over Windows Explorer than when it is set as the default shell.
That doesn't cause conflicts? Last time I checked, BBLean uses a right-click-on-desktop to get most things done. Does it suppress explorer's right-click options or does it create a separate desktop space? Either way, that seems pretty darned strange.

By the way, as far as memory efficiency goes, isn't it worse to have a shell running over the top of explorer.exe? Doesn't seem too efficient to me. ;)

User avatar
gp_hbk
Posts: 73
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2006 5:21 am
Location: India

#7 Post by gp_hbk »

Fluffy wrote:
gp_hbk wrote:That is true for most alternate shells. BBLean is a peculiar one. It works better when run over Windows Explorer than when it is set as the default shell.
That doesn't cause conflicts? Last time I checked, BBLean uses a right-click-on-desktop to get most things done. Does it suppress explorer's right-click options or does it create a separate desktop space? Either way, that seems pretty darned strange.

By the way, as far as memory efficiency goes, isn't it worse to have a shell running over the top of explorer.exe? Doesn't seem too efficient to me. ;)
Well, I couldn't make out very clearly what you meant. Blackbox runs over Windows Explorer like another window.You hit Win+D you get your windows desktop. The right-click is only for the desktop and the windows' titlebars.
Yes, I know it isn't efficient. I just posted it for people who might like having their own desktop when they work.

TPFC Fan
Posts: 37
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2006 2:44 pm

#8 Post by TPFC Fan »

Can´t say if its portable or not but i tried and like it :)
Just one thing, is it possible to configure BBLean in the way that i could use the normal windows contxt menu on the desktop?

User avatar
gp_hbk
Posts: 73
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2006 5:21 am
Location: India

#9 Post by gp_hbk »

TPFC Fan wrote:Can´t say if its portable or not but i tried and like it :)
Just one thing, is it possible to configure BBLean in the way that i could use the normal windows contxt menu on the desktop?
No you can't use the Windows Explorer context menu on the desktop

User avatar
Andrew Lee
Posts: 3048
Joined: Sat Feb 04, 2006 9:19 am
Contact:

#10 Post by Andrew Lee »

Thanks! I have posted BBLean to the database.

Darkbee
Posts: 291
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2006 8:35 am
Contact:

#11 Post by Darkbee »

This is quite a surreal experience, I must say... It's like Windows has been DSL'd

User avatar
gp_hbk
Posts: 73
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2006 5:21 am
Location: India

#12 Post by gp_hbk »

Darkbee wrote:This is quite a surreal experience, I must say... It's like Windows has been DSL'd
There is a difference between DSL's window manager and BBLean.
BBLean is based on Blackbox for windows which in turn is based upon the original Blackbox. DSL's Window Manager is called Fluxbox which is based on Blackbox.
Still it definitely beats Windows Explorer.

User avatar
gp_hbk
Posts: 73
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2006 5:21 am
Location: India

#13 Post by gp_hbk »

I decided to tell you guys about Xoblite and Blackbox for Windows.
Blackbox for Windows is the original Windows port of the original Blackbox.
Xoblite is a derivative of Blacbox for Windows like BBLean. I thought you might want to put these in the database as alternatives for BBLean. I said alternatives because BBLean is more stable and has less problems with plugins. Other than that BBLean, Xoblite & BB4Win are the same.

User avatar
gp_hbk
Posts: 73
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2006 5:21 am
Location: India

#14 Post by gp_hbk »

gp_hbk wrote:I decided to tell you guys about Xoblite and Blackbox for Windows.
Blackbox for Windows is the original Windows port of the original Blackbox.
Xoblite is a derivative of Blacbox for Windows like BBLean. I thought you might want to put these in the database as alternatives for BBLean. I said alternatives because BBLean is more stable and has less problems with plugins. Other than that BBLean, Xoblite & BB4Win are the same.

User avatar
Firewrath
Posts: 321
Joined: Mon Aug 28, 2006 2:36 pm

#15 Post by Firewrath »

yeah, i tryed bblean, but ran into a problem or two i really didnt care for, ...and right now, i cant really remember what they were, O_o

anyways, dont matter, bblean is cool, but yeah,
it hasnt been updated in like, forever, so i went with xoblite,
seems to be abit supported more to me, O_o?
but yeah, i like it, no real problems with it so far, so its cool,


But, then i havnt used it in a month or so since i got it, so im prolly not the best person to say how good anyof them are, ^-^


Edit:
*trys bblean again*

Yeesss, Now i remember why i hate the damn thing, >.<
but since i dont see anyway to attach pics,.....

anyways, it screwup up my taskbar when i run it over XP,
otherwise the that, its cool,
but it just Ticks me off when it does that,......

good for a replacement, mebey, but for running over Explorer, i recomend xoblite, only i thing miss about bblean is the systemtray, ...which is prolly what screws up my taskbar, But, yeah, ahwell,
(you cant seem to get a good systray in xoblite w/o replacing the shell, =/ )

*sighs*

/restarts


(Edit2: it also seems to screw it some icons, i opened regedit to check and see if there was a tackbar size setting bbl screwed with, and all the little icon sizes/color was messed with, they were larger, like zoomed in,
(And yes, i checked this after the restart,)

...and no, i have no idea what it did to my taskbar, sorry,
anyways, if you dont mind, i now have to go hide from Fluff.

/RUNS )


Edit3: Important xoblite Info:
this one has a bad habbit of replacing your background. But, that can be fixed like so:

open whatever style you want to use in like notepad or whatever,
go to the VERY bottem of the file, where you should see this line:
(from qtopia)

Code: Select all

rootCommand:	bsetroot -gradient DiagonalInterlaced -from 05121f -to 05121f
now, this is the hard part.
change that line to this:

Code: Select all

!rootCommand:	bsetroot -gradient DiagonalInterlaced -from 05121f -to 05121f
...ok, now, if you missed that and still dont get it, ill explain,
its really hard ya know, :P
adding a "!" to the start of a line, comments it out, ^-^
hence, it wont fill in your background with that odd granient color thing it does, and keeps it at whatever you had it before, while still letting you use the style, kk, just thought id let anyone interested know,

Btw, Andy, if you check this and add xoblite to the database, you might wanna put that as a note so ppl wont be going "Wtf, it screwed with my background!" ...and looking for 30min on how to fix it, >.<
*ahem* ...uhh, not ..that it took me that long to learn to check the sytle files, .....no, i uhh had it in 5 min flat, *nodnods* <.<; >.>;

/rehides from Fluff.

Post Reply