Version 0.24.5
Documentation

LiteStep is a shell replacement for Windows 9x/NT that is fast, functional, stable, and very customizable. The interface resembles the famous NeXTStep operating system and also Window Maker, a X Window Manager. LiteStep consists of an executable (litestep.exe) and several modules, grouped into two basic types: core modules, which handle all the functions of LiteStep; and app modules, which are usually miniature applications that run as part of the wharf. Some examples of core modules would be wharf.dll, popup.dll, and desktop.dll, each responsible for handling their respective functions. Some application modules are lstime.dll, lsvwm.dll, lscpu.dll etc.

Installing LiteStep is very easy. But before you proceed, make sure you have the following:

Once you are ready, just simply Unzip the installation files to a temporary directory, such as C:\LSInstall. Then all you have to do is run the installation program (install.exe). During the installation process, you will be asked to select a default theme. You will also be asked whether the installer should make the appropriate changes for you so that LiteStep will be the default shell each time you start your computer.

Once you have LiteStep installed, make sure you edit your step.rc!!! Do not expect your LiteStep to work without editing the step.rc first!

NT Users: during the installation process, it will ask you whether the install should make the appropriate changes for you so that LiteStep will be the default shell. However, there will be two ways this can be made possible. You will be asked whether to make LiteStep as a default shell for all the users (All Users) on your computer/server or to just make it as only your own default shell (Current User). If you choose to install as a default shell for all users, you may get stuck with a unbootable system if the LiteStep shell won't start.

Note: if you are upgrading from an earlier version of LiteStep, please make sure it is not running while you install this release of it! If you are running NT, in most cases it will let you install over your previous version of LiteStep without requiring you not to have LiteStep running.

Removing LiteStep

There is really no reason why you should uninstall LiteStep (because it rocks!), but here is how you do it anyway:

If you are using:

   Windows 95/98
   Windows NT

Important Note

Just in case something goes wrong, you should have a reliable boot disk on hand. This is a very easy way to fix any LiteStep related problems you might have with LiteStep loading as your shell (if you are using Windows 95/98). Simply use the boot disk to boot to DOS, cd C:\windows and edit your system.ini there. If you don't know how to do any of this, then you might wish to reconsider using LiteStep. It is up to you, the user, to anticipate and intercept any problems you might have.

Windows 95/98

Method 1:

1. Open C:\Windows\System.ini with NotePad or any other text editor

2. You should see the following lines of text at the beginning of the file: file:     [boot]     (a bunch of stuff you shouldn't care about)     shell=C:\LiteStep\LiteStep.exe

3. Change the line shell=C:\LiteStep\LiteStep.exe to shell=Explorer.exe

Method 2:

Use the ShellSW utility included with LiteStep

If you installed LiteStep that affected:

Current User Only

All Users

Current User Only

1. Load the Registry Editor (RegEdit)

2. Go to the following key: HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\     CurrentVersion\Winlogon

3. Remove the following value: Name: Shell

4. Log out, and Log back in

All Users

Note: You will need Administrator access privileges.

1. Load the Registry Editor (RegEdit)

2. Go to the following key: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\     CurrentVersion\WinLogon

3. Change the following value:     Name: Shell, Original Value: C:\LiteStep\LiteStep.exe, New Value: Explorer.exe

4. Reboot the system for changes to take effect

LSVWM - Virtual Desktop Manager

The LSVWM (LiteStep Virtual Window Manager) manages your desktop and windows, allowing you to move and organize your open windows. The LSVWM is represented by an icon in the Wharf, consisting of four evenly divided squares. The highlighted/colored area represents the active virtual desktop you are in. Little rectangles or squares are shown within the whole VWM icon itself; these boxes represent the windows that exist in the desktops.

As you can see in the sample graphic, there are little white boxes, those are the windows that exist on your desktops.

Usage of LSVWM is as follows:

Left Click (on the window representations) & Drag	Drags windows between or within desktops
Right Click	Switches to the desktop you clicked on

The LSVWM is also accessable through key combinations to switch desktops. Those key combinations are already preconfigured for you in the Step.rc file for your convenience.

This is how you use the LSVWM via key combinations, using the default configuration:

Win + Right Arrow
Win + Left Arrow
Win + Up Arrow
Win + Down Arrow

Win is the Windows key

Changing desktops is also possible with the mouse, which is also configurable by its resistance, that is the delay between positioning your cursor at the edge of the screen and switching desktops. More about configuring resistance and the LSVWM key combinations are in the "Editing your Step.rc" section.

Task Manager

The Task Manager allows you to manage your active tasks. It allows you to switch and kill tasks. You really have no use for it unless you have the Task Bar disabled. The Task Manager looks like any other Wharf Folder icon in your Wharf, except clicking on it will give you a list of active tasks. The tasks in the Task Manager are labeled for easy identification.

Usage of the Task Manager is as follows:

Left Click	Switches to the selected task
Right Click	Opens the System Menu
Shift-Right Click	Sets the selected icon to a Window Class (useful to set a 64x64 icon)

LSTime

LSTime is a clock that sits in your Wharf. It will also display the current date.

To adjust your time and date:

Left-Double Click

Opens the standard Windows Time & Date Properties

You may also customize LSTime if you wish.

Standard Windows Conventions

These are some Windows funtions you might find useful:

Alt-Tab	Switches between tasks, hold down Alt for a menu of active tasks
Alt-Shift-Tab	Same as Alt-Tab, except it goes in reverse.
Alt-Space	Brings up the System Menu
Alt-- (that's minus)	Brings up the Group Menu (that is, if you have a window within a window, you bring up the menu of the sub window)
Alt-Esc	Switches to the last task you were using
Alt-F4	Closes the active task
Ctrl-F4	Closes the active Group window
F10	Same function as Alt, brings up the menu (Usually File)
Ctrl-Shift-Esc	Loads NT's built-in Task Manager (WinNT only.)

Popup Menu

The Popup Menu is a user-defined list, allowing easy access to programs, files, or commands you might not use often enough to place in the wharf.

Usage is as follows:

Right-Click	Brings up the Popup Menu (click on the Wharf or Desktop), if it already exists it will scroll down the menus if the listings go off the screen.
Up/Down Arrow	Navigates through the menus and highlights a listing
Left Arrow	Closes the current SubMenu
Right Arrow	Opens the highlighted SubMenu
Enter	Runs the highlighted task, or if it is a SubMenu it opens it.
Page Up/Page Down	Navigates through the menus quickly

Wharf

The Wharf is a string of tiles and modules on your screen which allows you quick access to your frequently used software.

To move the Wharf, drag the Wharf to its desired location by its Titlebar. This will not work if NoWharfTilebar is enabled.

To put the Wharf into window shade mode (minimized), double click on its Titlebar, or activate it by running the !ToggleWharf command from the Wharf, Shortcut, Hotkey, or Popup.

Transparency

LiteStep supports Transparency in the Wharf, Shortcut, Taskbar, and Popup graphic (.bmp) files.

The Transparency color is FF00FF, or 255 Blue, 0 Green, 255 Red.

The step.rc file is the LiteStep configuration file. Everything changed in that file affects how LiteStep looks and acts. Therefore, you must edit the file the first time you install LiteStep or when upgrading to a new version. You can edit it with any text editor, such as Notepad, Edit, TextPad, etc. We have discovered that most people decide skip reading this section and then expect their LiteStep is expected to work. We have also discovered that people tend to skip the mumbo jumbo part. And since you've just gotten to the mumbo jumbo part, we'll suggest you do the following to make your life easier (and yes, you have to at least skim over this section):

Open the step.rc file now, and keep both that file and this manual open. We're not asking you to read this section word for word, rather we want you to consider this section reference material. Go ahead and go through your step.rc file now, and where you get to something you don't know, switch back to this window and find out what it is! Does that sound more enjoyable? We hope so.

Afraid to touch the step.rc? For you configure-phobic people, there may be a solution for you: LSCP, or LiteStep Configuration Panel. LSCP will not be supported by the us. Until you are comfortable editing your step.rc, make sure you back up your step.rc before editing. Since LSCP is beta software, unpredictable results may occur, and may break your step.rc in the process. To get LSCP and for more information about it, go to: http://litestep.ru.ac.za/lscp.html.

Commands
 

Wharf

*Wharf titlename tile [%systemname] action [parameters]

Sets a tile in the Wharf, either a folder or application tile.

titlename	the title name of the tile as it would appear in the Tile Hints
tile	the tile (icon) to use for the Wharf tile. The tile can be in onr of 3 formats: Bitmap (.bmp) - tile.bmp Icon within a DLL library (.dll) - ".extract=file.dll,n" Icon within a Executable file (.exe) - ".extract=file.exe,n"    ,n is the icon number, starting from 0. If no ,n is used, it assumes it to be icon 0. If a * is placed as the first letter before tile, then anything specified in DefaultBackPix or FolderPix will not be used for this tile and will be substituted with transparency.
%systemname	this is optional. This defines the tile with a Wharf SystemName. Some modules such as LSAmp use it for example.
action	this tells the tile what to perform. Can be one of: Program Path (ie: C:\Windows\notepad.exe) Folder, which tells the tile to act as a folder and begin a folder subsection (anything after this will be inside the folder until ended by a ~Folder). ~Folder will end the folder subsection; anything after it will not be in the above folder. A static !action command built into LiteStep.

PixmapPath path

This tells LiteStep where to look for images. path is the directory in which to look for images. Default: images

DefaultBackPix file.bmp

This specifies what background bitmap you want for your Wharf tiles. File must be in Bitmap (.bmp) format and be 64x64 pixels. Default: default.bmp

FolderPix file.bmp

This tells LiteStep what image to use when displaying Wharf folders. File must be in Bitmap (.bmp) format and be 64x64 pixels. It is generally recommended that you leave this at its default state. Default: 3dots.bmp

WharfTitleFontSize n

Sets the font size of the Wharf tiles' titles. This is only used by the Task Manager unless you have WharfAllTitles enabled. n is the font size (in points). Default: disabled

WharfTitleFont file

Tells LiteStep what font to use in the Wharf tiles' titles. This is only used by the Task Manager unless you have WharfAllTitles enabled. file is the font's filename (.fon, .ttf). Default: disabled

WharfTitleFore BBGGRR

Sets the Wharf tiles' title foreground color. BBGGRR is the RGB color code to be used. hexadecimal numbers such as: FFFFFF (white), 000000 (black), 808080 (gray). Default: FFFFFF

WharfTitleBack BBGGRR

Sets the Wharf tiles' title background color. BBGGRR is the RGB color code to be used. hexadecimal numbers such as: FFFFFF (white), 000000 (black), 808080 (gray). Default: 802020

WharfAllTitles

Forces LiteStep to put titles on all the Wharf tiles. Default: disabled

NTStyleTaskMgr

Forces the Task Manager to behave like NT's Explorer shell; when a window is the active window, clicking on its icon will minimize it. When this is not enabled, Task Manager will simply switch back to the active window when the icon is clicked on (as if nothing happened). This is generally not recommended since it may be quite confusing (to novices). Default: disabled

WharfBevelWidth n

Sets the width of the Wharf bevel (edge thickness of the tiles.) n is the width in pixels. Use 0 if you don't want any bevel. Default: 1

WharfPressOffset n

Sets the offset number to shift from the original image location for a button press effect. n is the offset number in pixels. Default: 1

WharfNoHints

Forces LiteStep not to display any hints (ToolTips) with the Wharf tile names when the mouse cursor is over a tile. Default: disabled

WharfNoAnim

Forces LiteStep not to animate the opening of Wharf folders. Default: disabled

Icon file.bmp [.] regexp

Defines an icon for a specified window. The . is optional, and sets the icon's regexp as a class name instead of a window name. regexp is the regular expression to define a window name or a class name. Wildcards are allowed, ie: *Netscape will match any window with a title ending in "Netscape" in the title.

AutoHideWharf

Makes the Wharf autohide when not in use. Default: disabled

AutoHideDelay

Sets the time delay between inactivity and autohiding of Wharf and/or TaskBar. Useless if you do not have AutoHideWharf or AutoHideTaskbar enabled. Default: disabled, value 500

WharfNoTitlebar

Forces the Wharf not to display a titlebar; the old style of displaying the Wharf. Default: disabled

Note: with this enabled, you will be unable to move the Wharf to another location. You will also be unable to toggle the window shade mode with the mouse, instead you must use the !ToggleWharf command.

WharfTitlebarPix file.bmp

Sets the image into the Wharf's titlebar area. Useless if you have WharfNoTitlebar enabled. File must be in Bitmap (.bmp) format and be 64x16 pixels.

WharfCapHeight size

Sets the size of the Wharf Titlebar. Default: 16

WharfAutoUnpress

Makes an opened Wharf Folder to automaticly retract back into its closed state when you move the mouse off it. Default: disabled.

WharfCloseOnSwitch

Closes an opening Wharf Folder when the window focus changes. Wharf Folders closes immediately if WharfNoAnim is enabled. Default: disabled.

WharfPressOffset pixels

Defines the number of pixels for a depressed Wharf Tile to move to the right and down. Default: 2

WharfAnimStep pixels

Sets the number of pixels per draw during Wharf Folder opening. Useless if you have WharfNoAnim enabled. Default: 16

WharfAnimDelay time

Sets the delay between draws during Wharf Folder opening. Useless if you have WharfNoAnim enabled. Default: 10

WharfOpenSound file.wav

Sets a sound into all Wharf Folders; when it is opening, the defined sound will be played. File must be in Wave (.wav) format.

WharfCloseSound file.wav

Sets a sound into all Wharf Folders; when it is closing, the defined sound will be played. File must be in Wave (.wav) format.

WharfMinSound file.wav

Sets a sound into the Wharf Titlebar; when it is going into window shade mode (minimized), the defined sound will be played. File must be in Wave (.wav) format.

WharfMaxSound file.wav

Sets a sound into the Wharf Titlebar; when it is going out of window shade mode, the defined sound will be played. File must be in Wave (.wav) format.

SystrayDockToWharf

Makes all System Tray icons to go into a Wharf Tile.
Note: you must load Wharf.dll before Desktop.dll is loaded!

To define a Wharf Tile for all the System Tray icons, add the following line:

*Wharf "Systray" tile.bmp %LSSystray !none

More imformation maybe found by reading about the *Wharf command.

WharfDblClickDockOnLeft

Makes the Wharf dock to the left side of the screen when Double Clicked on the Wharf Titlebar. Default: disabled; docks to the right side of the screen.

WharfDblClickXPosition

When this is enabled, Double clicking on the left side of the Wharf Titlebar will put it into Window Shade mode and will also move the Window Shaded Wharf to the specified X (horizontal) position. Default: disabled.

SnapToSensitivity n

Sets the distance (in pixels) before the Wharf snaps to the edge of the screen. n is the distance number of pixels. Default: 16

Popup

*Popup entryname entryheight file.bmp action [parameters]

Sets an entry or folder into the Popup menu.

entryname	the title name of the entry as it would appear in the Popup menu
entryheight	the height of the entry in pixels
file.bmp	Sets a texture into the specific entry of the Popup Menu. File must be in the Bitmap (.bmp) format and at an approximate size of 400x17. If you do not wish to use a specific file for this, you may use the one specified for PopupEntryPix by using default.bmp.
action	this tells the Popup entry what to perform. Can be one of: Program Path (ie: C:\Windows\notepad.exe) Folder, which tells the entry to act as a folder and begin a folder subsection (anything after this will be inside the folder until ended by a ~Folder). ~Folder will end the folder subsection; anything after it will not be in the above folder. A static !action command built into LiteStep such as !PopupFolder and !PopupDynamicFolder.

PopupTitlePix file.bmp

Sets the image to be used for the Popup Menu's titlebars. File must be in Bitmap (.bmp) format and at an approximate width of 400.

PopupBottomPix file.bmp

Sets the image to be used for the Popup Menu's bottom. File must be in Bitmap (.bmp) format and at an approximate width of 400.

PopupEntryPix file.bmp

Sets the image to be used for the Popup Menu's normal, unselected entries. File must be in Bitmap (.bmp) format and at an approximate width of 400.

PopupSelEntryPix file.bmp

Sets the image to be used for the Popup Menu's highlighted, selected entries. File must be in Bitmap (.bmp) format and at an approximate width of 400.

PopupTitleColor BBGGRR

Sets the font color for the Popup Menu's title entries. BBGGRR is the RGB color code to be used. hexadecimal numbers such as: FFFFFF (white), 000000 (black), 808080 (gray). Default: FFFFFF

PopupEntryColor BBGGRR

Sets the font color for the Popup Menu's unselected entries. BBGGRR is the RGB color code to be used. hexadecimal numbers such as: FFFFFF (white), 000000 (black), 808080 (gray). Default: 000000

PopupSelEntryColor BBGGRR

Sets the font color for the Popup Menu's selected entries. BBGGRR is the RGB color code to be used. hexadecimal numbers such as: FFFFFF (white), 000000 (black), 808080 (gray). Default: 000000

PopupTitleBack BBGGRR

Sets the background color for the Popup Menu's title entries. BBGGRR is the RGB color code to be used. hexadecimal numbers such as: FFFFFF (white), 000000 (black), 808080 (gray). Default: FFFFFF

PopupNormalBack BBGGRR

Sets the background color for the Popup Menu's unselected entries. BBGGRR is the RGB color code to be used. hexadecimal numbers such as: FFFFFF (white), 000000 (black), 808080 (gray). Default: FFFFFF

PopupSelBack BBGGRR

Sets the background color for the Popup Menu's selected entries. BBGGRR is the RGB color code to be used. hexadecimal numbers such as: FFFFFF (white), 000000 (black), 808080 (gray). Default: FFFFFF

HotListName "name"

Sets the name of the Popup Menu title. ie: HotListName "The List" Default: HotList

MinPopupWidth n

Sets the minimum Popup width. n is the width in pixels. Default: 100

PopupFixedWidth n

Sets a fixed width for the Popup menu. Default: disabled

NoPopupBevel

Disables the bevel in the Popup Menu entries. Default: disabled

PopupFontFace fontname

Specifies the font to use in the Popup Menu. ie: PopupFontFace "Times New Roman (Western)" Default: Comic Sans MS

PopupFontHeight n

Specifies the font size to be used in the Popup Menu. n is the pixel size number. ie: PopupFontHeight 10. Default: 14
Warning: negative side effects may occur when using a font size that does not fit in the Popup Menu (>17 pixels).

ShrinkPopupBar

Shrinks the bitmap (.bmp) used in the Popup to fit the Popup Menu size. Default: disabled
Note: All Bitmaps must be the same size when using this setting, otherwise the Popup Menu may not display correctly.

NoPopupTransparent

Disables Popup Menu transparency; may increase performance. Default: disabled.

PopupTextOffset n

Sets the number of pixels from the left of the Popup menu before displaying text and also cutting off any overflowing text from the number of pixels from the right. n is the number of pixels.

NoPopupFolderIcon

Disables the display of the Popup folder arrow. Default: disabled

ShowPopupIcons

Enables the display of standard Windows icons in the Popup Menu. Default: disabled

PopupDefaultIcon file.ico

Sets the default icon to be displayed in the Popup Menu when no icons are found in particular Popup entries. file.ico must be an Icon file (.ico). Useless if ShowPopupIcons is disabled.

PopupIconSize n

Sets the size of the Popup Menu icons. n is the size of the icons in pixels. Default: 20

PopupTaskDefaultIcon file.ico

Sets the default icon for the Popup Task Manager. file.ico must be an Icon file (.ico). Useless if ShowPopupIcons is disabled and if !PopupTasks is not used.

PopupEmptyDefaultIcon file.ico

Sets the default icon for all "empty" Popup entries. file.ico must be an Icon file (.ico). Useless if ShowPopupIcons is disabled.

PopupUseDesktopIni

Makes the Popup Menu use the Desktop.ini file in your Windows directory so that the Popup Menu will use the Font and Display settings you have set in the Display Properties. Default: disabled

Shortcut

*Shortcut "titlename" x y image1.bmp image2.bmp image3.bmp [group] [MouseOverSound.wav] [ClickSound.wav] action [parameters]

Sets a Application Shortcut on the Desktop.

titlename	the title name of the Shortcut as it would appear in the Shortcut Hints
x	The horizontal position to be used for the Shortcut. x starts from the left side of the screen. All Shortcuts' extreme left line up with the defined x position. Must be used with y. Specifying a negative number is the same as screenwidth - number.
y	The vertical position to be used for the Shortcut. y starts from the top of the screen. All Shortcuts' extreme top line up with the defined y position. Must be used with x. Specifying a negative number is the same as screenwidth - number.
image1.bmp	the icon to use for the shortcut when it is inactive. File must be in Bitmap (.bmp) format.
image2.bmp	the icon to use for the shortcut when the mouse is over it. File must be in Bitmap (.bmp) format.Use .none for no animation; old style Shortcuts.
image3.bmp	the icon to use for the shortcut when the mouse clicks on it. File must be in Bitmap (.bmp) format.Use .none for no animation; old style Shortcuts.
group	specifies what group the shortcut belongs to. (Optional)
MouseOverSound.wav	See ShortcutMouseOverSound.
ClickSound.wav	See ShortcutClickSound.
action	this tells the shortcut what to perform. Can be one of: Program Path (ie: C:\Windows\notepad.exe) A static !action command built into LiteStep.

ShortcutMouseOverSound file.wav

Sets a sound into the Shortcuts when the mouse cursor over a Shortcut, the defined sound will be played. File must be in Wave (.wav) format.

ShortcutClickSound file.wav

Sets a sound into the Shortcuts when the mouse is clicked on a Shortcut, the defined sound will be played. File must be in Wave (.wav) format.

Hotkey

*Hotkey modkey hotkey action

Binds a combination of keys so that when pressed it will execute a command or action.

modkey	Keystroke modifier, can be one of: Ctrl, Alt, or Win
hotkey	This sets the key you want to use. It can be either: A-Z, 0-9, F1-F12, Left (Arrow), Right (Arrow), Up (Arrow), Down (Arrow), Home, End, PageUp, PageDown, Insert, Delete, Escape, Spacebar, Backspace, Apps (Application key, the one next to Right Win Key).
action	this tells the Popup entry what to perform when the hotkey is pressed. Can be one of: Program Path (ie: C:\Windows\notepad.exe) A static !action command built into LiteStep.

Taskbar

AutoHideTaskbar

Makes the Taskbar move off screen when it is not in use. You may also set the AutoHideDelay. Default: disabled

HideApplication

Forces LiteStep not to display its icon in the Alt-Tab window. Default: enabled

NoSplashScreen

Forces LiteStep not to display its splash screen on startup. Default: disabled

TrayIconSize n

Sets the size of the icons in the Tray area. n is the size of the icons in pixels. Default: 16

MSTaskBar

Forces your taskbar to be displayed in Microsoft's style. Default: disabled

NoTaskBar

Prevents the taskbar from being displayed. System Tray icons will still be displayed on the desktop. Use the Task Manager to switch and manage your tasks. Default: disabled

StripTaskBar

Makes it so that the Wharf (when docked to the side of the screen) and Taskbar do not overlap each other. Default: disabled

LSTaskBarFore BBGGRR

Sets the foreground color for the Taskbar, usually used to create a bevel effect. BBGGRR is the RGB color code to be used. hexadecimal numbers such as: FFFFFF (white), 000000 (black), 808080 (gray). Default: FFFFFF

LSTaskBarFore2 BBGGRR

Sets the second foreground color for the Taskbar, usually used to create a depth effect. BBGGRR is the RGB color code to be used. hexadecimal numbers such as: FFFFFF (white), 000000 (black), 808080 (gray). Use 202020 for a depth effect. Default: FFFFFF

LSTaskBarBack BBGGRR

Sets the background color for the Taskbar. BBGGRR is the RGB color code to be used. hexadecimal numbers such as: FFFFFF (white), 000000 (black), 808080 (gray). Default: 808040

LSTaskBarText BBGGRR

Sets the color used for the text for the Taskbar. BBGGRR is the RGB color code to be used. hexadecimal numbers such as: FFFFFF (white), 000000 (black), 808080 (gray). Default: FFFFFF

TaskbarStartButton

Enables the Start Button in the Taskbar. Default: disabled.

StartButtonSkin file.bmp

Sets the image to be used for Start Button (center image). File must be in Bitmap (.bmp) format. Transparency is supported. Useless if TaskbarStartButton is disabled.

StartButtonLeft file.bmp

Sets the image to be used for Start Button (left image). File must be in Bitmap (.bmp) format. Transparency is supported. Useless if TaskbarStartButton is disabled.

StartButtonRight file.bmp

Sets the image to be used for Start Button (right image). File must be in Bitmap (.bmp) format. Transparency is supported. Useless if TaskbarStartButton is disabled.

StartButtonSize pixels

Sets the width of the Start Button. Useless if TaskbarStartButton is disabled.

StartButtonText "text string"

Sets the text to be used in the Start Button. Useless if TaskbarStartButton is disabled.

TaskbarSkin file.bmp

Sets the image to be used for the Taskbar. File must be in Bitmap (.bmp) format.

LSTaskButtonSkin file.bmp

Sets the image to be used for the Taskbar's Inactive Task button (center image). File must be in Bitmap (.bmp) format. Transparency is also supported.

LSTaskButtonLeft file.bmp

Sets the image to be used for the Taskbar's Inactive Task button (left image). File must be in Bitmap (.bmp) format. Transparency is also supported.

LSTaskButtonRight file.bmp

Sets the image to be used for the Taskbar's Inactive Task button (right image). File must be in Bitmap (.bmp) format. Transparency is also supported.

LSTaskButtonSkinActive file.bmp

Sets the image to be used for the Taskbar's Active/Current Task button (center image). File must be in Bitmap (.bmp) format. Transparency is also supported.

LSTaskButtonLeftActive file.bmp

Sets the image to be used for the Taskbar's Active/Current Task button (left image). File must be in Bitmap (.bmp) format. Transparency is also supported.

LSTaskButtonRightActive file.bmp

Sets the image to be used for the Taskbar's Active/Current Task button (right image). File must be in Bitmap (.bmp) format. Transparency is also supported.

TaskbarNoSkinShift

Forces the Taskbar skin not to move.

TaskbarNoTextShift

Forces the Taskbar text not to move.

Desktop

SetDesktopArea

Enables the manual configuration of the Desktop workspace area; allows you to define how you want your maximized windows to be positioned and occupy your desktop workspace area. Default: disabled

SDALeft n

Sets the number of pixels from the left side of the screen before begining the Desktop workspace area. Setting this will affect how far left a window will maximize to. n is the number of pixels. Default: disabled

SDARight n

Sets the number of pixels to occupy from the right side of the screen; how far right the Desktop workspace area occupies. Setting this will affect how far right a window will maximize to. n is the number of pixels. You may also specify a negative number, which will be counting the number of pixels from the right side of the screen towards the left. Default: disabled

SDATop n

Sets the number of pixels from the top side of the screen before begining the Desktop workspace area. Setting this will affect how far up a window will maximize to. n is the number of pixels. Default: disabled

SDABottom n

Sets the number of pixels to occupy from the bottom side of the screen; how far down the Desktop workspace area occupies. Setting this will affect how far down a window will maximize to. n is the number of pixels. You may also specify a negative number, which will be counting the number of pixels from the bottom side of the screen towards the top. Default: disabled

VWM

VWMVelocity n

Sets the virtual window switching resistance. n is the number of milliseconds that the mouse cursor has to be at the edge of the screen before switching virtual windows. Default: 300

VWMNoAuto

Forces the VWM to load with Auto-Switching of virtual windows disabled.

VWMNoGathering

Prevents LiteStep from gathering all windows to the first desktop during Recycling or startup. Default: enabled

VWMSecurityDistance n

Sets the distance from the edge of the screen the mouse cursor has to be before performing a virtual desktop switch. Default: 5

VWMBackColor BBGGRR

Sets the color of the background. BBGGRR is the RGB color code to be used. Hexadecimal numbers such as: FFFFFF (white), 000000 (black), 808080 (gray). Default: 808040

VWMSelBackColor BBGGRR

Sets the color for the current virtual desktop status indicator. BBGGRR is the RGB color code to be used. Hexadecimal numbers such as: FFFFFF (white), 000000 (black), 808080 (gray). Default: 404040

VWMForeColor BBGGRR

Sets the color of the foreground; the color for the indicators of the windows on the desktop. BBGGRR is the RGB color code to be used. Hexadecimal numbers such as: FFFFFF (white), 000000 (black), 808080 (gray). Default: FFFFFF

VWMBorderColor BBGGRR

Sets the border color of the VWM. BBGGRR is the RGB color code to be used. Hexadecimal numbers such as: FFFFFF (white), 000000 (black), 808080 (gray). Default: 404040

VWMNoBackBmp

Disables the use of Wharf Tiles and transparency in the VWM; will use the old, pre-0.24.x VWM "look". Default: disabled.

VWMDesksX x

Defines the number of virtual desktops columns to have. Multiply this value with the VWMDesksY one to get the total number of virtual desktops. x is the number of columns. Default: 2

VWMDesksY y

Defines the number of vitrual desktops rows to have. Multiply this value with the VWMDesksX one to get the total number of vitrual desktops. y is the number of rows. Default: 2

VWMNoSwitchOnFocus

Prevents unwanted virtual desktop switches when LiteStep is in focus (foreground/active task). Default: disabled

VWMFocusCenter

Makes it so that any window in the center of the screen will come into focus (become foreground/active task) after a virtual desktop switch. Default: disabled

Misc

LoadModule file.dll

Loads non-Wharf LiteStep component, such as popup.dll, wharf.dll, etc. file.dll is the file to load, you may also specify a path.

USClock

Forces the clock to display in 12 hour time (AM/PM). LSTime support this, and some other third-party clock replacements do too. Default: disabled (24 hour time)

LSTimeThemeFile file.thm

Loads a LSTime theme file that allows you to customize its looks. file.thm is the theme file to load, you may also specify a path.

ThemeFile file

Loads a LiteStep theme file that allows you to load a pre-made theme. file is the theme file to load, you may also specify a path.

SystrayOrientation orientation

Changes the orientation of the System Tray. For orientation, you may use a combination of top or bottom, left or right, and vertical to define the orientation of the System Tray. Top and vertical are only used when NoTaskBar is enabled.

SystrayWrapCount n

This sets the number of System Tray icons to be displayed before wrapping over to the next row or column. Setting this to a large number will keep it from wrapping. n is the number of System Tray icons to be displayed before wrapping over. This is only used when NoTaskBar is enabled.

Actions

These are actions, built into lsapi.dll, that can be used from anywhere in LiteStep - Wharf, Popup, Hotkey, or Shortcut. They are placed where a command would be placed: i.e. *Wharf "Recycle" recycle.bmp !Recycle would give you a wharf button that recycles LiteStep. You may also stack multiple actions to a command: i.e. *Wharf "Recycle" recycle.bmp !Gather !Recycle

!Recycle

Reload LiteStep and its configuration (step.rc & modules.ini) files.

!About

Brings up the LiteStep About box which will show the version of LiteStep that is currently running and displays a list of loaded LoadModules and their version numbers.

!Shutdown

Brings up the Shutdown dialog box.

!Logoff

Closes all active programs and logs you off from your user account.

!Run

Brings up the run dialog box.

!Gather

Gathers (moves) all windows to the current desktop

!ToggleWharf

Toggles the Wharf WindowShade mode on or off.

!WharfTasks

Opens the LiteStep Task Manager. This may only be used in the Wharf.

!CascadeWindows

Cascades all windows.

!TileWindowsH

Tiles all windows horizontally.

!TileWindowsV

Tiles all windows vertically.

!MinimizeWindows

Minimizes all windows.

!RestoreWindows

Restores all minimized windows to their opened, "Restore" window state.

!Quit

Exits LiteStep
Warning: once LiteStep has exited, you will be left with no shell. Do not use this unless you know what you are doing!

!Popup

Brings up the Popup menu.

"!PopupFolder:path"

Specifies a directory path to be displayed as a Popup folder/directory tree list. Any changes to any files or directories in the specified tree will not take effect in the Popup Menu until LiteStep has been Recycled.

"!PopupDynamicFolder:path"

Specifies a directory path to be displayed as a Popup folder/directory tree list. The list is refreshed everytime the Popup folder list is redisplayed, thus it may take a while to refresh the directory.

!PopupTasks

Allows task switching via a Popup folder-like list.

!VWMDeskn

Jumps to a specified virtual desktop number. n can be from 0 to the number of vitrual desktops - 1 you have.

!VWMLeft

Switches to the virtual desktop to the left of the current one.

!VWMRight

Switches to the virtual desktop to the right of the current one.

!VWMTop

Switches to the virtual desktop to the top of the current one.

!VWMDown

Switches to the virtual desktop to the bottom of the current one.

!ShowShortcutGroup group

Displays all shortcuts belonging to the specified group. group can be any shortcut group name that exists.

!HideShortcutGroup group

Hides all shortcuts belonging to the specified group. group can be any shortcut group name that exists.

!ToggleShortcutGroup group

Displays/Hides all shortcuts belonging to the specified group. Executing this action will change the state of the shortcut group to the opposite state. group can be any shortcut group name that exists.

!SwitchToShortcutGroup group

Displays all shortcuts belonging ot the specified group, and hides all other shortcuts. group can be any shortcut group name that exists.

"<drive>\<path>\file" [parameters]

Runs a specific executable or associated file. Example: "C:\Program Files\Netscape\Communicator\Program\netscape.exe" -mail

@<drive>\<path>\file.app

Loads the specified App Module. Example: @C:\Litestep\LSTime.dll
Note: This command is used only during the loading process of the Step.rc, not when clicking on the Wharf.

LM78

LM78 is a CPU temperature monitoring module that displays your CPU temperature and will also warn you if it is overheating. This module may or may not work with your computer. This is because the LM78 module requires that your motherboard to have LM78 support. To see if your motherboard have LM78 support, please refer to the documentation your motherboard come with. Even if you have the required hardware, the module may still function or display incorrectly because this module was originally designed and tested on an Intel® 430TX chipset motherboard. To avoid problems, this module is not loaded by default. To load it, uncomment the *Wharf "LM78 Monitor" default.bmp @c:\litestep\lm78.dll line in your Step.rc.

Because this module is no longer futher developed, it is based on the older way of displaying graphics in the Wharf. Therefore, transparency is not supported in this module. Thus you are required to use a complete 64x64 background image (.bmp) for this module. Any transparency color in the background image will just be displayed as a "pinkish" color.

LM78CPU cputype

Allows you to specify what CPU type you are using in your computer.

cputype

can be: AMD, Cyrix, or Intel Default: AMD

LM78Unit u

Allows you to specify which temperature standard of measuring units to use. You may use Celsius (Centigrade) or Fahrenheit. u is the measuring unit. Valid values are either C or F. Default: C

LM78MaxCPU n

Specifies the maximum tollerance of CPU temperature before the warning LEDs in the Wharf module flash. n is the maximum temperature. Default: 75

LM78MaxMB n

Specifies the maximum tollerance of motherboard temperature before the warning LEDs in the Wharf module flash. n is the maximum temperature. Default: 50

The Modules.ini file is the LiteStep Modules configuration file. Everything changed in that file affects how LiteStep's modules look and act. LiteStep includes some components that uses the Modules.ini file, which are explained below. Most third-party modules out there uses the modules.ini file as their configuration file.

VWM Sticky Windows

Sticky windows is a feature that allows you to set any window on the desktop of your choice which will allow the window to be in your active virtual desktop all the time. This means the VWM will move the window, thus following you to another virtual desktop you switch to.

To use sticky windows:

1. Open the modules.ini file, create it if it does not exist.
2. Define the sticky window(s) by entering the following text: [LSVWM] stickes=n stickyW=windowname stypeW=n
stickies=n	this sets the number of sticky windows you wish to use. n is the number of sticky windows.
stickyW=windowname	This defines the sticky window number and its window name. W is the sticky window number. windowname is the window titlename, you must type in the exact case of the window you wish to stick. You may also set the windowname based on the window's Window Class, if you don't know what this means, don't worry about it. You may also use wildcards when defining the window name. To use wildcards, place a * before the first letter of the windowname.
stypeW=n	This is optional and allows you to force the use of window titles (text as it appears in the window titlebar) instead of Window Classes. W is the window number. For n, using 1 means window class is forced, 0 means it will use the Window Title. If no stypeW=n is defined, it assumes the n value of 0.

Wharf

The Wharf allows you to set its position in the modules.ini, which is read during start up. You should see the following in the Modules.ini file:

[Wharf]
Position=x,y

x	The horizontal position of the Wharf. x starts from the left side of the screen. The Wharf's extreme left line up with the defined x position. Must be used with y.
y	The vertical position of the Wharf. y starts from the top of the screen. The Wharf's extreme top line up with the defined y position. Must be used with x.

Generally, you should not need to edit the positions since the Wharf will automatically write its own position upon shutting down your System or quitting LiteStep.

AutoPlay

LiteStep allows you to disable AutoPlay of Audio CDs, because some CD players do not work with AutoPlay correctly, or you are using a third-party module which allows you to play CDs from the Wharf.

To disable AutoPlay open your Modules.ini and add the following lines of text:

[Desktop]
AudioAutoplay=0

To reenable AutoPlay, simply change 0 to 1 or delete the text shown above all together.

LSCPU is a CPU load monitor which displays the current amount of CPU processing used by your software.

Note: this module will only work in Windows 95/98. It will not function in Windows NT. This module is loaded by default.

LSTime allows you to fully customize the clock to the way you want it to look. To define the looks, LSTime incorporates Theme (.thm) files. You either have to create a theme file or modify one.

BitmapFile file.bmp

The "skin" image file to be used for your clock. File must be in Bitmap (.bmp) format.

DigiClockFont x y width height

x	The horizontal position to be used for the digital clock font. x starts from the left side of the tile. The first character's extreme left line up with the defined x position. Must be used with y.
y	The vertical position to be used for the digital clock font. y starts from the top of the tile. The first character's extreme top line up with the defined y position. Must be used with x.
width	The width of the font. Must be used with height.
height	The height of the font. Must be used with width.

DateFont x y width height

x	The horizontal position to be used for the digital clock font that displays the day, month, and year. x starts from the left side of the tile. The first character's extreme left line up with the defined x position. Must be used with y.
y	The vertical position to be used for the digital clock font that displays the day, month, and year. y starts from the top of the tile. The first character's extreme top line up with the defined y position. Must be used with x.
width	The width of the font. Must be used with height.
height	The height of the font. Must be used with width

DigiClock x y width height

x	The horizontal position to be used for the digital clock. x starts from the left side of the tile. The first character's extreme left line up with the defined x position. Must be used with y.
y	The vertical position to be used for the digital clock. y starts from the top of the tile. The first character's extreme top line up with the defined y position. Must be used with x.
width	The width of the clock. Must be used with height.
height	The height of the clock. Must be used with width

DigiDay x y

x	The horizontal position to be used for the digital clock font that displays the day. x starts from the left side of the tile. The first character's extreme left line up with the defined x position. Must be used with y.
y	The vertical position to be used for the digital clock font that displays the day. y starts from the top of the tile. The first character's extreme top line up with the defined y position. Must be used with x.

DigiMonth x y

x	The horizontal position to be used for the digital clock font that displays the month. x starts from the left side of the tile. The first character's extreme left line up with the defined x position. Must be used with y.
y	The vertical position to be used for the digital clock font that displays the month. y starts from the top of the tile. The first character's extreme top line up with the defined y position. Must be used with x.

Digi2dYear x y

x	The horizontal position to be used for the digital clock font that displays the two digit year. x starts from the left side of the tile. The first character's extreme left line up with the defined x position. Must be used with y.
y	The vertical position to be used for the digital clock font that displays the two digit year. y starts from the top of the tile. The first character's extreme top line up with the defined y position. Must be used with x.

DigiYear x y

x	The horizontal position to be used for the digital clock font that displays the year. x starts from the left side of the tile. The first character's extreme left line up with the defined x position. Must be used with y.
y	The vertical position to be used for the digital clock font that displays the year. y starts from the top of the tile. The first character's extreme top line up with the defined y position. Must be used with x.

AnaDayFont x y width height

x	The horizontal position to be used for the analog clock font that displays the day. x starts from the left side of the tile. The first character's extreme left line up with the defined x position. Must be used with y.
y	The vertical position to be used for the analog clock font that displays the day. y starts from the top of the tile. The first character's extreme top line up with the defined y position. Must be used with x.
width	The width of the font. Must be used with height.
height	The height of the font. Must be used with width

AnaMonthFont x y width height

x	The horizontal position to be used for the analog clock font that displays the month. x starts from the left side of the tile. The first character's extreme left line up with the defined x position. Must be used with y.
y	The vertical position to be used for the analog clock font that displays the month. y starts from the top of the tile. The first character's extreme top line up with the defined y position. Must be used with x.
width	The width of the font. Must be used with height.
height	The height of the font. Must be used with width

AnaClock x y width height

x	The horizontal position to be used for the analog clock. x starts from the left side of the tile. The first character's extreme left line up with the defined x position. Must be used with y.
y	The vertical position to be used for the analog clock. y starts from the top of the tile. The first character's extreme top line up with the defined y position. Must be used with x.
width	The width of the clock. Must be used with height.
height	The height of the clock. Must be used with width

AnaDay x y

x	The horizontal position to be used for the analog clock font that displays the day. x starts from the left side of the tile. The first character's extreme left line up with the defined x position. Must be used with y.
y	The vertical position to be used for the analog clock font that displays the day. y starts from the top of the tile. The first character's extreme top line up with the defined y position. Must be used with x.

AnaMonth x y

x	The horizontal position to be used for the analog clock font that displays the month. x starts from the left side of the tile. The first character's extreme left line up with the defined x position. Must be used with y.
y	The vertical position to be used for the analog clock font that displays the month. y starts from the top of the tile. The first character's extreme top line up with the defined y position. Must be used with x.

HourHandColor BBGGRR

Sets the analog clock's Hour Hand color. BBGGRR is the RGB color code to be used. hexadecimal numbers such as: FFFFFF (white), 000000 (black), 808080 (gray).

HourHandShade BBGGRR

Sets the analog clock's Hour Hand shadow color. BBGGRR is the RGB color code to be used. hexadecimal numbers such as: FFFFFF (white), 000000 (black), 808080 (gray).

MinHandColor BBGGRR

Sets the analog clock's Minute Hand color. BBGGRR is the RGB color code to be used. hexadecimal numbers such as: FFFFFF (white), 000000 (black), 808080 (gray).

SecHandColor BBGGRR

Sets the analog clock's Second Hand color. BBGGRR is the RGB color code to be used. hexadecimal numbers such as: FFFFFF (white), 000000 (black), 808080 (gray).

X-Mouse is a feature that allows you to switch active windows with your mouse without having to click in the window. This feature is particularly useful when you switch around windows often and you are just tired of clicking on them. The X-Mouse idea originated X-Window and since then it has grown so popular, it is now offered in Windows. Thus you may use X-Mouse with LiteStep!

To enable X-Mouse, you must do the following:

Windows 95/98 users	1. Download the X-Mouse utility from Microsoft and save it into the LiteStep directory. 2. Run the W95x_mouse.exe file to extract the files into the LiteStep directory. 3. Run Xmouse.exe which will immediately enable the X-Mouse feature. Note: You may also create a Shortcut in the Start Menu's Startup folder so that X-Mouse would be enabled everytime you turn on your computer.
Windows NT users	1. Run the Registry Editor (regedit.exe) 2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Mouse 3. Add the following DWORD Value:     Name: ActiveWindowTracking Value: 1 4. Restart the computer or Logoff and Login again for the feature to take effect.

Here are some helpful tips that will help you configure and enjoy your LiteStep better:

Explorer /e	Opens Explorer to the Desktop folder
Explorer /s file.cab	Opens a Cabinet (.cab) file.
Exit To Dos.PIF	Running this file will Shut Down Windows and exit to DOS. (Windows 95/98 only)
Control applet.cpl	Runs a Control Panel applet. Example: Control mmsys.cpl
.LNK files	you can make .LNK Shortcut files and run them from the Wharf, LS Shortcut, Popup, or Hotkey.
Associated Files	You can launch any file as long as they are associated with a program.
Blank Wharf Tiles	To create a blank Wharf tile with transparancy: *Wharf "" *. !none
To disable VWM Auto-Switching	Double-click on the VWM Wharf module to disable Auto-Switching, to reenable, double-click on it again.

For Windows NT only:

%SystemRoot%	this is the Windows NT directory, ie: J:\WINNT
%SystemDrive%	this is the drive Windows NT is installed on, also called the root drive. ie: J:
%UserProfile%	this is your profile directory where you keep your personal files (Start Menu, Desktop, etc.)
RAS/DUN .rnk Shortcut files	To run a NT RAS/DUN .rnk Shortcut file, use "%SystemRoot%\system32\rasphone.exe" -lt file.rnk

Using Explorer under NT with LiteStep is generally not a good idea, since many unpredictable results occur from system to system.

To run multiple instances of Explorer: 1. Run the Registry Editor (regedit.exe)

2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Explorer

3. Add the following DWORD Value:     Name: DesktopProcess Value: 1 If you are using IE4 and up, you must do the following instead: 1. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\     CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser\NewProcess 2. Add the following String Value:     Name: BrowseNewProcess Value: YES

For advanced users: If you know the CLSID of an Explorer namespace, you can use it for opening a folder or program.

The following information was taken from the Microsoft® SDK Help:

Explorer.exe /e,/root,::{CLSID of item}	Used when you junction point you are opening is an item that is under the Desktop.
Explorer.exe /e,/root,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\::{CLSID of item}	Used when the junction point you are opening is an item that is under My Computer.
Explorer.exe /e,/root,path to junction point	Used when the junction point you are opening is a file system folder.

License

We are not responsible for anything that occurs to you, your computer, or anything else, while the duration of LiteStep's use to the maximum extent permitted by law.

If you really want to read that legalese stuff from GNU, go right ahead and read the General Public License.

Support

It is difficult for us to maintain a technical support team, but we will try to answer as many questions as possible and to the best of our abilities. You may E-Mail technical support questions to us at qa@litestep.org. Alternatively, you may try the #LS_Help channel on the EFnet IRC Network; more people maybe able to help you there. Remember that technical support is at a voluntary basis. Therefore, it may take quite some time for a reply to your questions.

General Discussion

If you want to discuss about any LiteStep works you produced, have new ideas for new LiteStep features, or just want to talk about other LiteStep related things aside from technical support questions, there is the #LiteStep channel on the EFnet IRC Network for them.

Known Problems