GhostShell Beta01 - explorer.exe replacement

[Jason_R0]

Download:
http://www.ghostsecurity.com/downloads/ghostshell-1000-b01.zip

Information:
GhostShell is a shell replacement for Explorer.exe. It basically replaces the start menu, taskbar, system tray and other features of explorer. Which means you can get away with not running the bloated explorer.exe unless you need to browse your drives.

GhostShell adds media player support for Itunes and Winamp, better hotkey support, clipboard buffering (you can see and select clip history), lower overhead and proper theme support.

I have cut a few features from this beta as I ran into some last minute problems with a few of them.... but any feedback about what to add, remove or whatever is wanted. Also keep an eye out for any GUI oddities if you find any.

Instructions:
1) Unzip archive (with full paths) to your hard drive
2) Run ghostshell.exe . Select YES at the prompt to install it, or NO at the prompt just to test it over the top of explorer.exe
3) Right clicking on the START button brings up your desktop and drives on your computer

Uninstall Information:
1) Click on the Ghost at the bottom right of the screen.
2) Click on the button UNINSTALL GhostShell.

[SYS 64738]

Jason,

sry, I'm unable to install this, it misses a "gdiplus.dll".

[Jason_R0]

{QUOTE-> Jason,

sry, I'm unable to install this, it misses a "gdiplus.dll". <-QUOTE}

What OS are you trying it on exactly? Windows2K I guess?

[SYS 64738]

Yes, W2k SP4, sry, i did not mention that. I found this .dll on three different folders on my harddisk, one of this a folder of MS framework. Should i copy this .dll right in the places where GhostShell it expects?

[Jason_R0]

Yep, just grab gdiplus.dll from the web, or wherever, and put it in the same directory as GhostShell.exe. I only use gdiplus to load PNGs and other formats like that, it will probably be changed to some open source implementation to avoid this issue. I just tested doing this on 2K and it works fine once doing it.

Windows XP should be fine without worrying about this.

[SYS 64738]

Ok, this worked. Looks amazing. I will play around with it. BTW, it works well even with my native screen resolution of 1400x1050. :thumb:

[ghostriderg]

Hi Jason

downloaded will test later on this evening when the sprogs are in bed!!!

One question, SYS 64738 just mentioned he had to grab .dll from msframework for win2k, does this mean that it only works on m$ net framework

ghostriderg

[Jason_R0]

{QUOTE-> Hi Jason

downloaded will test later on this evening when the sprogs are in bed!!!

One question, SYS 64738 just mentioned he had to grab .dll from msframework for win2k, does this mean that it only works on m$ net framework

ghostriderg <-QUOTE}

No.... never going to the evil .NET darkside. :) One of the main reasons I developed this GUI was because GUI code in my older apps took a lot more time than say .NET because it's more low level, and Microsoft code is pretty bad, it's code tacked on old code, built up over the years.

So starting fresh I knew what I wanted, and what could be done to make my programs easier to develop. And that's what I did, without using something like .NET (bloat).

[Alphalutra1]

Sweet a release :thumb:

It peeks my curiousity enough to go to my windows xp pc and set it up, and try seeing how it goes (currently using bb-lean, but I like your light-weight, fast, clean, and innovative programming style, so I will give it a try)

Cheers,

Alphalutra1

[darkmatter]

Hi Jason,

Installed and working well apart from the two issues below.

After installing GhostShell, OO Clevercache v6.1 does not start automatically it has to be started manually. I have tried this a few times and every time GhostShell is uninstalled the problem disappears.

Also icons in the task tray do not load up properly, first icon is cut short, whilst the others either don't appear or the few that do appear seem to flash randomly. I can post a picture if required.

[Jason_R0]

{QUOTE-> Hi Jason,

Installed and working well apart from the two issues below.

After installing GhostShell, OO Clevercache v6.1 does not start automatically it has to be started manually. I have tried this a few times and every time GhostShell is uninstalled the problem disappears.

Also icons in the task tray do not load up properly, first icon is cut short, whilst the others either don't appear or the few that do appear seem to flash randomly. I can post a picture if required. <-QUOTE}

Could you grab the AUTOSTARTS program off systernals website and see how CleverCache is being loaded. And a screenshot would be helpful of the tray issue. :)

[darkmatter]

No problem :)

Task tray with all apps loaded, however only NOD & Sandboxie showing. The gap is where the other icons flash and try to load but never do. I tried to get a picture but I was to slow :P

http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/1679/gs1ny3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Exiting Sandboxie leaves the NOD icon a little short

http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/3255/gs2su6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

For OO Clevercache, there is a service -> OO Clevercache Agent and a run entry - > ooccctrl.exe (it is this that fails to start).

[Alphalutra1]

So, I have it running (it's quite nice by the way), but the one issue is that on this computer, there is avast antivirus. When I log in, the icon is in the tray, but you can't see the icon and it is blank, but I can right click it and get the options from it. Any ideas on how to fix this?

--edit
I just installed Comodo BoClean, and it's icon also doesn't show (briefly flashes then disappears, but if I click on the blank space, it will work

Cheers,

Alphalutra1

[ghostriderg]

Hi Jason

This thing is awesome it looks absolutely solid!!!!

And very very light

had to use the gdiplus.dll from on the system but plenty of those around

So brief impressions are these

1]
Cpu usage on win 2k way way way down on normal according to task
manager proc.exp

2]
Picked out my other drives no problem and could interact with them easily

3]
Found free launch bar and picked up the items within and displayed them in ghostshell start bar awesome!

4]
I am also not seeing items in the sys tray..... all icons are awol, task manager performance window/icon when inserted in tray flashes intermittantly about twice a second but is not stable this led me to test...

5]
Qmplayer.... as soon as visuals were started in full screen... no more ghostshell. It didn't crash per say it just disappeared and it seemed to be still running? Kill with TMgr and re-exe brought it back - very stable for first time out but this led me to.....

6]
Video nero showtime playback very jittery even on a one level dvd, images seem to be increasing and decreasing in size.

7]
Are all the icons on the desktop meant to transfer into the side bar? cause they didn't icons are in the sidebar and on the desktop

8]
cosmetics:

would be good if:-

you could right click on the items in sidebar for context menu

scrolling down could be done with mouse - has to be done with with scroll bar

A temporary switch button to toggle between native interface and ghostshell especially for testing purposes (if possible).

All in all this is good very good and when all the bugs are ironed out and it's integrated in GSS this thing will rock big time!



ghostriderg

[AJohn]

I am having problems with SysTray icons displaying as well. Hey ghostriderg, you can open and display GhostShell without installing it and the only time my icons did not disapear from the desktop is without fully installing.

[ElPapyo]

- Have you planned to support windows key shortcut? For example i miss WinKey + E (launch explorer.exe) only for browsing my drives ^^
(i've found the options for customize my shortcut, but i can't find a way to reproduce this behavior)

- Have you planned to localize GhostShell?

So far, only one little bug : the panel component for Intel Graphic Driver has a fun entry : screenshot into attachement

[SYS 64738]

Here are some remarks from my side:
(Win 2k SP4 with MS .NET Framework 1.?? on Dell Inspiron 8000, PIII Mobility 600 MHz, 194 MB RAM, ATI Rage128 M4.)

Istallation requires the file gdiplus.dll, which i copied in the same folder as GhostShell. However, GhostShell expected this .dll in several places:
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/2853/capture0108200620294501tj3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Maybe i'll have to copy this .dll into this folders, too?


The Systray:

I had a lot of crap ihn there before GhostShell installation, stuff like Intervideo WinDVD QuickStarter, the Windows language localization info, etc. All in all i guess it were about 8-10 icons. Now there are much less icons

Time display in the right corner is changed from 24h mode to 12h am/pm mode, no matter, which is selected originally.
http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/1322/einsjj3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Some of the remaining icons flicker. The icon for the Synaptics touchpad flickers regularly every second or so. I usually run an application called t-online DSL-Manager, which sits in the Systray. It is a software, which optimizes DSL connection and logs traffic, displays ip-adress, etc. Its systray icon displays a little diagram with bars, which are changing in height with the incoming or outgoing traffic. Now, it is only displayed when there is traffic actually. Without traffic it disappers, leaving an empty space.
http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/5162/zweijm9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Don't know if it is of some importance, but in its program folder there is also a gdiplus.dll file by default.

In the original windows systray some applications like NOD32 display some bollon-tip-like information upon hovering with the mouse pointer. This feature is gone.

In the systray the MS icon for the configuration of automatic updates, which i don't use, disappears leaving an empty space when clicked and the appearing window is closed. The empty space is active toward mouse-clicks however, only the icon seems not to be displayed.
http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/5415/dreitt3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/461/drei2je8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Context menues of the systray icons are still accessable via right-click. However, after having played around some time, the menues don't disappear anymore.

http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/3127/capture01082006202945hf5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


The taskbar:

The windows taskbar provides usually a context menue upon right click. This feature is gone. This would not matter too much, but it is an issue with InJoy firewall. The InJoy firewall has a so-called "deskbar application" which afaik can only be activated via the taskbar context menue. It displays network traffic, firewall activity, etc. So, this cannot be launched anymore. (However, i found this quite buggy even in windows taskbar environment.)

For testing GhostShell i deactivated GSS, because it seems to need "learning" every application again. This maybe due to explorer.exe is replaced. I don't want to click all the pop-ups away again.


Start menue:


In the menues for the start menue, the desktop and the control panel many icons are displayed as the windows standard file-icon as if there is no application associated with that files.
A textfile created with windows editor is displayed as (filename).txt. Good: the file extension is given.
http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/7813/capture0108200620294502hm5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/462/capture0108200620294502qw2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/5758/capture0108200620294502ie3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

The control panel show an entry "nwc". Don't know what it is, however, upon clicking nothing happens.
http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/7733/capture0108200620294502ay8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

So far for now, i will add the screenshots later today.

[farmerlee]

Tried it out on xp pro but all i got was a black screen? Nothing was coming up on screen, i could still access the taskmanager tho. I'll have to try it again later when i have some time.

[Jason_R0]

OK, I've added some fixes to the systray, hopefully they will fix your issues. I'm trying to get the OPENGL support back in before tonights new beta also.

Popup menus (right clicking on task buttons, etc) was one of the things I had to cut as I am having a few issues with them, they will be back soon though.

[Jason_R0]

{QUOTE-> Tried it out on xp pro but all i got was a black screen? Nothing was coming up on screen, i could still access the taskmanager tho. I'll have to try it again later when i have some time. <-QUOTE}

Make sure you extract the ZIP with full paths. There should be a THEMES directory with files in it for instance.

[buffet]

there are some problems with application system tray; kis6 is the cause or Ghostshell1b1
there are some applications not always shown properly in the xp system tray: Kaspersky Internet Security 6.x | Process Guard 3.4.100 | OpenOffice Quick Starter 2.x |
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m35/vn119/GhostShell-1b1.gif

[ghostriderg]

Hi Jason,

have played around a little bit more with this today and have few more observations and ideas.

1]
Firstly the icon thing, I think I've found a temporary workaround, for me anyway. All those prgms that would initially on start up be in the system tray, if you go to their .exe in explorer and exe them they will appear again in the systray. This may be redundant advice as I see you going to implement a change here anyway.

2]
Where is the search dialogue box? For the life of me I've searched everywhere and cant find it, perhaps I need a search box to search for it.
;D Which brings me to..... Howabout incorporating the search box below or above the run box in the left start menu side-bar?

3]
Tool bar options what are they for? They don't seem to work correctly, they change the format as to how the launch bar functions but you cant change it back without a re boot, i.e. side by side in the launch bar now becomes toggle arrow < left or right > to choose what to launch.

4]
Along with the windows/ghost sidebar hot key as suggested by ElPapyo how about adding a show desktop or terminate all open windows/bowsers button. Just thinking along the security line aspect here.

5]
Not all my desktop icons transferred across specifically Nero smart start and Nero showtime. Luckily they were stored in the free launch bar.

6]
Would it be or is it possible to alpha-sise(?) the start menu items in order to make it easier to find what your looking for?

7]
Once the media player (in this case QMP:thumb:) is reduced to the launch bar it cannot be resurrected again without de-selecting media support in the side bar.
Now here's my favourite... Howabout if...., in the media window along with what you have now, you could put: currently playing track and number, Artist, format playing (i.e. wav, flac,ogg etc.), next track is.......

@Ajohn thanks for the heads up it does behave entirely differently when fully installed much more stable.

Well thats it!!

Buddha bless you

TTFN

ghostriderg

[WSFuser]

some observations:

1. some icons are missing from my systray and in their place is empty space; also I experience the same problem as SYS 64738: the menus dont disappear.

2. wheres my desktop context menu?

3. there is a thin empty space between the taskbar and the bottom of a maximized window (happens for both themes)

4. the start and ghost buttons need to be pressed to show/hide. why cant they hide when i click on the desktop?

5. does ghostshell include a quick launch? because theres is empty space where it would be.

6. so how do i access my desktop shortcuts and any files saved there?

[AJohn]

WSFuser, you can see your desktop icons by either right or left clicking the start menu (forgot which one).

[WSFuser]

ah thx ajohn.

and now that i can see my desktop stuff, i confirm that some files have a generic icons of sorts liek SYS 64738 posted.

[Alphalutra1]

I just wanted to also report that I managed to crash ghostshell last night :-[

It occurred when a large number of copies and pastes of images in Microsoft word were going on. I will try to replicate it in a little bit and get the error since I just clicked close when the error box came up.

Cheers,

Alphalutra1

[SYS 64738]

Some additions from my side:

I had severe difficulties to take the snapshots using hoversnap (http://www.hoverdesk.net/freeware.htm). Ok, it is a beta, too...
Sometimes it refuses to work, displaying an error message in french ??? , sometimes it works regularly. If it refuses to work, i exited hoversnap via right click on the systray icon and started it again. Usually it refuses to take snapshots (ctrl+print) again. Quit hoversnap again, and restartet it - same result. After having this done three or four times, GhostShell crashed, leaving an empty desktop. I had to restart the computer with taskmanager, which is still accessable. Sometimes upon restart hoversnap may work, sometimes not.

After having taken the snapshots finally, i had difficulties to upload them. Using imageshack, one have to choose the file from your harddrive using the regular explorer-like menu. Once this appears the browser (Firefox) is shut down immediately. I had to upload my screenshots from another machine.

[SystemJunkie]

this tool does not work on my pc. The taskbar remains empty.

Tip @ all: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Empty Shell and restart windows.

[SYS 64738]

The "command-line" feature seems not to work for URLs yet.

As i prefer to update Windows manually, i'm missing the Quick-link in the upper part of the Start-menu in W2k. I have to use IE/Extras/Windows Update.

I cannot access the computer management console via start/settings/control panel/administrative tools. Have to use mmc.exe in GhostShell command-line (works).

[Jason_R0]

{QUOTE-> Some additions from my side:

I had severe difficulties to take the snapshots using hoversnap (http://www.hoverdesk.net/freeware.htm). Ok, it is a beta, too...
Sometimes it refuses to work, displaying an error message in french ??? , sometimes it works regularly. If it refuses to work, i exited hoversnap via right click on the systray icon and started it again. Usually it refuses to take snapshots (ctrl+print) again. Quit hoversnap again, and restartet it - same result. After having this done three or four times, GhostShell crashed, leaving an empty desktop. I had to restart the computer with taskmanager, which is still accessable. Sometimes upon restart hoversnap may work, sometimes not.

After having taken the snapshots finally, i had difficulties to upload them. Using imageshack, one have to choose the file from your harddrive using the regular explorer-like menu. Once this appears the browser (Firefox) is shut down immediately. I had to upload my screenshots from another machine. <-QUOTE}

Try disabling Clipboard support and see if the problem goes away. I've noticed some odd behaviour with clipboard support enabled which I have yet to debug also, mostly to do with some cut/paste operations.

[Jason_R0]

{QUOTE-> this tool does not work on my pc. The taskbar remains empty.

Tip @ all: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Empty Shell and restart windows. <-QUOTE}

Did you extract the ZIP with full paths? Was there a start/settings button in the bottom left and right of the screen? If not the problem was there was no THEMES directory, and no default theme to load, which means the ZIP wasn't extracted with paths correctly.

[SystemJunkie]

{QUOTE-> THEMES directory, and no default theme to load, <-QUOTE}

I do not use any designs/themes, I use windows rough, oldschool like.

[topmoxie]

What is the purpose of Ghost shell?

[SystemJunkie]

@topmoxie: Explorer.exe is highly vulnerable against malware attacks, if there would exist a real cool alternative then the attack range of modern malware would be reduced.

A lot of malware exploits Explorer.exe, inject all sort of evil things.

[SystemJunkie]

I actually played the rules and activated the themes and designs to test Ghost Shell 0.1. Really nice design, unfortunately I must use permanently ALT+TAB to switch between apps.

But design is very nice I could get used to use it. Network Icons aren´t displayed in the right corner, PG and some other apps also lacks of icon display.

[masqueofhastur]

Seeing as this goes straight to a zip file, and GeoShell isn't compatible with Vista: Is GhostShell compatible with Vista so far?

[Pedro]

1- WOW
2- :o
3- Any feedback you want mr. Jason sir! Any updates, please report, i'll install them.

Problems:
Avast! icon comes and goes, SSM icon doesn't show, etc.
In desktop, also some icons don't appear, they show that uggly windows default "i don't know what file this is" icon. Pretty much what was reported, and you say your on top of.
The Firefox taskbar just went a bit to the right (i presume it should be on the left most).
I can't access Comodo Firewall with the icon. I can with Avast!, and SSM (clicking on where the icon is supposed to be).

BTW, is it supposed to show all tray icons without the collapse/ expand button?

My initial impressions:
Easy navigation, more professional and efficient. Though the graphics are not stellar, THEY CAN WAIT!

Another Q: what are you going to do with the real desktop? Some kind of alternative to browse files or..? Leave it as is?

I like it, and like what it promises. If only i knew how to help.

[Pedro]

And now i uninstalled SSM, installed GSS Alpha and again :o , mr. Jason blowing my mind. GSS owns Windows LOL. I had to allow Windows?

BTW, i'm embaraced to find out i needed the GhostShell to run Alpha. It didn't run before..

[SystemJunkie]

{QUOTE-> SSM icon doesn't show, etc. <-QUOTE}

I can see SSM icon, but PG icon comes and goes and several others,
in the moment I write this text, ghostshell disappeared totally, lol, strange thing.

Beside GSS 1.2 a is cool, but app defend does not prevent installation of hooks.
Far in my mind I also had a remembrance that Comodo firewall does not work together with Gss 1.2 a.

[Jason_R0]

Beta 2 has been released with systray fixes among other things.

[Pedro]

I change the 1 for the 2 in the URL and download?

[Jason_R0]

I started a new thread, but yes, you can also do that. :)

[Pedro]

Ok, found it. Thanks, i'll take it for a spin later.