Too easy because it leaves us with little choice of how we wnt things to work. Toy t best.I am looking for software like this for a while. Like the types that take a picture and make eyes blink etc. I think this software or one similar to it was offered before, but it didn’t really have a variety of effects. From the few comments here this program looks the same, I would give it a download if I get back to the site in time.

Thanks for offering it!

This was easy to use but I could not get the registration code to be accepted. It was anoying pop ups asking me to register. I decided to uninstall and it wouldn't. I did a hard un-instal and got rid of all the files physiclly. Good ridance I say. For all the trouble it caused me it is not worth it.

I first have to Thank #15 the Renegade for those tips he gave on how to use a personal picture, or a graphic, for wallpaper. I thought I was going have to spend a few hours researching, or paying someone to do a job for me. But not any more! Thanks Again Renegade!!! Your The Man!

#20 - Yes there is a way to do what you want. Just use Iconoid. Google it. Should work well with this wallpaper.

XPSP2, MCE, 32

saved me the uninstall-reinstall question by advising uninstall prior version first...

opened my browser & asked for feedback (why i was uninstalling)...i allowed it, stating my hope that the new version would fix the icon problem: in my case, the icons were backed by blue boxes...

still the same in this version... : (

attempts to add itself to startup programs...

attempts to update on starting the program...

the simple wallpapers that can be made are fine with me, but the icon problem makes me crazy...so it's a no-go here...

for everyone getting the Direct3D problem: some programs will not work when my screen-capture program is on (usually games)...the previous giveaway of this program worked on my pc, this time i got the Direct3D message...i turned off my screen-capture program, and all was well again...hope this helps someone...

thank you DesktopPaints.com & GOTD

After getting a call from a friend, who'd downloaded this program, ("Animated Wallpaper Maker"), I downloaded it, so I could help them figure it out, and I must say, this program does a LOT more than it would first appear to!

My only real problem was that it installed itself all over my machine, (running OS: Vista Home Premium 64-bit SP2), but after repeatedly choosing different "Open..." buttons, I found all of the files, and examples, etc., and this thing is a NICE piece of work!

(Anyone who remembers me from here, many months ago, knows I don't give praise easily, either!)

My only OTHER problem was trying to get it Registered;
The "Register" button in the menu, first said it was in "Trial" mode, then the images disappeared & it asked me if I liked the Trial and wanted to buy it... (I'd hardly had time to even LOOK at the first example!),

...I'd run "Setup" in Administrator mode, (there was a note about that in the readme file), and after running "Activate" as an Administrator, (I tried running "Activate", both in a "Limited-Account mode", and in an "Administrator mode", which didn't seem to matter much, but it doesn't hurt), both ways with the program closed, and again with it open & running;
After it closed itself out, (or Vista closed it, unsure which), I was then able to re-open it, with a License Code already entered in it, and I immediately copied this code to a small "text"-file with "Notepad", & put it in the program folder;
After the program again ran for a few minutes, then stopped and asked me to buy it yet again, I copied the License Code that had been showing in the "Current License Code" box, into the lower "Enter New License Code" box, and hit "Apply New Code";

That seemed to work, because then I was able to "take it for a spin", without having it stop and ask for money every twenty seconds...

If you don't see any examples besides the Aquarium, and no options in the Select-Windows, find the "Animated Wallpaper Maker" folder in the User's folder with the Administrator's name on it, under "Documents", and you'll find everything it didn't put with the rest of the program;

Also look at your Task bar, (lower right-hand side, opposite the "Start" button, it may be hard to see with some color-schemes), and you'll see an icon for the program, with various options when you right-click on it;

This program REALLY needs some basic instructions, placed where the average user can FIND them, and that may be why it got such low "ratings", but it IS amazing at just how much you CAN do with it!

Get the "Aquarium" example started, (it should have started with the "Aquarium" already in the preview, or "work in progress", window, in the center of the program's overall window;
Then click the green "plus"-sign near the center, above the moving picture of the fish and other things in the Aquarium, and you should get a nice long list of extra options that you can add to the existing animated aquarium - From several kinds of "Lightning" to "Light Rays", and lots more, several different versions of each;

Try adding "Bubbles", and it starts to look so much like a real aquarium, you may find yourself watching the different nuances and interactions between the various elements in the example for a half-hour and not even feel like ten minutes went by!
(And there are actually three examples: Aquarium, Seascape, and a Forest scene, with waving grass, etc.), all of which can be modified in many different ways, with just the picture files that come with the program as "examples";

Add your own, and the possibilities are endless.

While I've never used wallpaper before, (my desktop is too crowded with program icons to see anything underneath them), after seeing just how nice this program can make the desktop look, I'm re-thinking my log-in default, just so I can log in as a different "user", and have a nice, almost-blank desktop to really try this out on, and see just how well it fills up my laptop's 1080p 16:9 screen, because the more you "play with it", the more things you'll discover it lets you do, and gives you plenty of examples to get you started.

I'm VERY hard to impress, especially when it comes to software that "just sits there and looks neat", but this program is an exception:
I think it's a lot easier than sitting through two hours of finding a Classic Cartoon from 1952, then capturing it and converting it, etc., OR making a cartoon of my own, with some "Only found in TV stations" software & the hardware to run it on, then "hooking" it to the list of backgrounds, themes, and screensavers, as I described how to do above, and while I'd use this program to do just those sorts of things, you DON'T need to have worked in TV all of your life to get it up & running and making all kinds of scenes;

(I DO wish I still had the old NewTek "Video Toaster", but unfortunately, they based it on the Amiga platform, which is long gone, as far as I know, and without that, I'm not much of a "blank-sheet animator", because some scenery made with THAT old setup would really make this program rock & roll!).

Try starting with the "Aquarium" example file, then start adding some different lighting options, a little "Rain", and some "surface drops" & "light rays" to the scene, and you may think you're really looking into a window at the National Aquarium in Baltimore MD;

Then try putting some "fire" in the mix, just for fun; Take it out and put in more "bubbles", add a couple more items, and you've got what it would take a professional animator hours just to storyboard up, let alone get drawn & painted/inked, then sequenced & onto film, or even using state-of-the-art CGI equipment, like the stuff at Industrial Light and Magic;

I think it's capable of producing anything from "animated wallpaper", to a full-length 6-minute cartoon, (if you have the patience to "take it to the limit"), it's really THAT good,
...But you've got to be willing to "play" with it for a couple of hours, just to find all of the features and figure out how to use them!

Don't let the relatively small, additional controls, like "Time between scenes", slip past your eyes, either, since they let you have the scene change every few seconds to minutes, and your imagination is the real limiting factor with this one.

The one thing I'm concerned about is the large number of comments about it messing up the PC's desktop icons, once it's running as a wallpaper, and I'm still looking for a program I had "back in the day" that someone wrote, which let you set your icons just how you wanted them, then saved the layout, colors, etc., so if the PC "moves things around on you" for any reason, it was one mouse-click to putting everything back the way you had it and preferred it!

But, with today's computers, if that becomes a real problem, and no one gets around to writing an updated version of that great old app that ran on the "XT-Class" machines so well, then there's always the option of making a folder or two, and putting everything on the desktop (almost) into those, so you can really see the "wallpaper", because with some work from the operator, it's downright breathtaking!

To the Author/Publisher: It desperately needs some basic "How To Use" instructions, which don't require being online around the clock to use, and if it does foul up the icons when it runs, then that's a real "deal-breaker", as others have already said;
So, since fixing that little detail is a matter of copying the system's "icon-placement & colors info" file, it shouldn't be too hard to fix that part, & you'll have "hit a real Home-Run" with this program, (especialy for something that "doesn't DO anything except look pretty");

It could conceivably be used by all of the folks who still lament the loss of the "Video Toaster", with a small additional capture routine to connnect a scanner or camera, and a converter to get the captured pictures or video into the proper format for the existing program to use.

As for the price-point, until it's fully "polished", I'd have to suggest not going higher than $14.95 to $19.99, and that'd be with a complete (paper) manual AND a "no Internet required", "online"-help file & full instructions, since it took me a lot longer just to find all of the "pieces" and put them all into ONE folder, then figure out how to get the functions to WORK, than it does to make some "neat" wallpaper, once the basic controls and functions are figured out;
"As it sits", I don't know of anyone who'd pay more than $4.99 to $9.99 for it, just because there is SO much that many users wouldn't find in a lifetime of using it!
But, once it gets the proper Instructions, and that all-too-necessary "polish" I mentioned, then it'd be a good deal at $19.99, and with some well-thought-out and very through "wizards", the suggested range of up to $24.99 wouldn't be too much, but more than that would require the capabilities of the REAL "NewTek Video Toaster", since today's machines aren't 16-bits with only 4,096 colors, and 4Mb of storage doesn't cost what it did in the early 1980's, which is why many "Commercial-Use Only" programs, which can handle graphics like a short-order cook handles a spatula, are still under $100, and can do everything the "Toaster" did and more, with modern multi-core 3+GHz processors with RAM at the "Dollars per Gb" and storage in the two-Tb-range right now, and those prices will only continue going down as the complete hardware-software platform keeps getting faster and better every six months.

Thanks and a tip of the hat to the GAOTD team, and the Author(s) and Publisher(s) for this offering!

...I'm genuinly impressed, and I've been in photgraphy, animation, video, & computers, since before "home video-tape" OR "home computers" even existed!

"then use LavaSoft’s (free) Registry Editor to do the actual editing. (www.lavasoft.com, look on the homepage for “Downloads” or “Free Downloads”, and you’ll find their enhanced Registry Editor);"

After checking their website & Google, Lavasoft does not seem to offer their registry editor for free. For those who want a blinding-fast and excellent registry editor, I recommend the free version of Resplendant Registrar.

For those who didn't already know this, you can make almost any pic or animation you want work as a screensaver or wallpaper, as long as you have it in the correct format, and in the right place for the system to find:

Look for where your flavor of Windows keeps the wallpaper pics, screensavers, etc., and put your pix of choice in the same location, in the same graphics format, and, (very important!), with the same filename extensions.

If they don't appear in the choices for wallpapers, "also look in "Themes"), or screensavers, etc., then you may need to run them, or use a viewer that works across everything from XT-class 16-bit machines to whatever you're running, (the more the better),

{"IrfanView" is an old favorite that seems to always work with various formats};

If you aren't using the correct format, convert what you want to have on the screen to match the existing pix first;
There are hundreds of still-pic and video-format converters available for free, on almost every download site worth putting in a Bookmarks list;
{MajorGeeks.com, cnet.com, softpedia, Technet.org, etc.; If you don't see what youre looking for, try to "Google" what you want it to do, and you should be inundated with choices};
Then, make sure to rename the extension to match the other graphics that are in the existing list;

(For any newbies, the "extension" is the three-character-long part of the filename after the last "dot", like "filename.ext", where "ext" is the extension).

Once you've gotten them to appear on the screen when you open them from the folder or location with the other wallpapers or screensavers, etc., then you'll either see them in the drop-down list, or you may need to do a little tweaking, depending on which versin and vintage of Windows you're using...

For wallpapers, (again, depending on which version of Windows you're using), you *may* need to look for where the "Themes" are kept...

...Or, you may need to find where your system stashes the list of filenames for what you're trying to add to in the system Registry, and add your filenames {and possibly paths, too}, to the list you may find in there;
(Remember, before making any changes to the system Registry, ALWAYS back up the registry FIRST! If you inadvertantly "break" something, you should be able to get things right again, by using your backup copy & "importing" it under Safe Mode with RegEdit or some other good Registry Editor, if you either don't have "System Restore", or it won't work that way, since that's much easier).

I've been putting 6-minute "Classic Cartoons" up for my "screensavers" for years doing it this way, and I haven't had any troubles yet, (other than figuring out where a newer, unfamiliar-to-me version of Windows keeps the lists of files), and making sure that the filename extensions are correct;

(Hint: All screensavers have always used the extension "*.scr"; Wallpapers use something different, but I don't remember what, since I never use them, because my desktop is always covered with program icons; You shouldn't have much trouble finding them, just look in the existing list, then do a search for those filenames, {either leaving off any extensions, or you may need to use the "old standbys" of the "wildcard" extensions, of either "???" or "*"}, and they should come up in your search-window, or similar),

Once you've found them, see what the extension is for your purpose, so you'll know what to change your files' extensions to, if you need to change them at all, again depending on which version of Windows you're using.

If you've got a Windows version that puts the filename list only in the Registry, and opening the file from where the others are kept doesn't get its name in the list, then you'll need to search the Registry for the filenames, {just one or two will do}, and add your new filenames, one at a time, {to ensure you've got it right}, in the same Reg hive & key, and in the same layout & format as the others.

(I've only heard of ONE, very "antique" version of Windows, that HAD to have the filenames of backgrounds, or "wallpaper", in the Registry, but before that, they were in an "ini"-file, so there's always a chance that there could be other versions out there which Microsoft may have done the same thing with, just to let those who shy away from the Registry know that sometimes it's easy, and sometimes you've got to "dig around" a little);

If you DO need to go digging around in the Registry for anything, I'd recommend what the authors of the LavaSoft "Ad-Aware" anti-spyware utility suggest:
Use the Windows "built-in" Registry editor, "RegEdit", to do the search, then use LavaSoft's (free) Registry Editor to do the actual editing. (www.lavasoft.com, look on the homepage for "Downloads" or "Free Downloads", and you'll find their enhanced Registry Editor);

They found that the "built-in" Windows "RegEdit" had better search capabilities then they could whip up without major effort, and since every version of Windows that HAS a Registry also has RegEdit with it, and LavaSoft's editor IS free, they weren't going to waste time re-inventing the wheel for the search routines, and weren't going to infringe on Microsoft's work by taking those routines, puttig them into their own Registry editor and then claiming them as their own, so that's why they've always suggested using Windows' "RegEdit" for searching, and use their Registry Editor for actual editing, since it's a better editor.

Hope this helps those users who have some favorite pix or short video clips, and wanted to use them for wallpapers or screensavers, but didn't know how to start out going about it, and based on the comments posted here today, it sounds like the offering is another "also-ran", sorry to say;

For those who found today's offering "just what the doctor ordered", that's great, so remember to thank the GAOTD folks, as well as the program's publisher(s)/author(s), and if today's offering "just won't make it", and you decide to try what I outlined here, Good Luck, and may you achieve what you set out to accomplish!

#20 - desktop wallpapers always show the icons. Screensavers do not.

#20- Drvajra --
That's not how Windows works. The "wallpaper" is always the bottom layer of the desktop- there is no way to make it "stay on top" as you can with Windows. That would be a disaster - totally unworkable. So NO, there is no way to do what you want.

The first review is not quite correct...unless their computer does not enable all the features.
I can add 3 or more animations to one image...mirror, rain, grass and fish swimming by.
I am surprised and disappointed, to see these 'low ratings' for what I found a superior product.....
I actually enrolled here to rate this...I have created some amazing screen animations

This is fantastic...offers 5 basics with a great selection of additions.
I love it....even has fish swimming along and grass waving.
Awesome.

It works with my new computer and Vista, but not on the older one with XP..so you do need a computer that allows animation with Flash...

I Love it...it is easy to set up, register and very simple to use.
Thank you

Simple but effective. About those icons I use Object Dock for my icons and it sits neatly on top of the wallpaper but when I open a program both wallpaper and icons hide beneath the active window.

I Think this is a great program! Lots of fun an easy to use. I'm sure it will get better as most programs do. May be a bit pricey now but still fun. I would have no problem paying about 10 bucks for this program as it is now.

This ok. I give it 4 out of 10. It has some nice features, I was able to install it without any issues and it runs with out crashing. While it running it does not sit in your task bar it sits like it an open application, it is a little rough on your video card you need a decent one. It did make the background of my icon description black and for that reason I probably will not use it.

Please - can someone give me a solution to this problem:
There are icons on my desktop. When I preview the animated wallpaper, the icons are above. Is there a way to make them below the wallpaper, so the entire scene is visible?
Thanks

Drvajra

I have been using the previous GOATD offer of this prog and have enjoyed it. As many before have commented, those additional features will be quite welcome. The important thing for the user is, in order to bring out his/her creativity, he/she would want to be able to alter various controls, and when a prog provides such flexibility, it is a winner.

When the program also gives the option to save the final product as a flash, anim-gif, avi,exe, etc., that is extremely useful.
drvajra

Why is the Direct3D accelerator needed? It's not listed in the System Requirements and my hardware does not have what is requires. thumbs down here!

"* Desktop icons are not properly dealt with when an animated wallpaper is turned on."
I just tried it on my computer and, this is a deal-breaker. No way would I pay $23.77 for this software if it can`t even show the desktop icons properly.

Win XP already has built-in features allowing a user to add color, patterns, pictures, and even sounds to customize their desktop’s appearance. To use a picture as a background;

**Open the My Pictures folder.
**Click the picture you want to use.
**Then under Picture Tasks, click “Set As Desktop Background”.

You can also right-click a picture, and then click “Set As Desktop Background”. You could save a picture or use a graphic from a Web site for wallpaper. A user can customize the background color;

** Open Display in Control Panel.
** On the Desktop tab, click Color.
** Click Other.
** In the Color dialog box, click anywhere in the color matrix.
** Drag the mouse in the color matrix to the right or left to change the hue. Drag the mouse up or down to change colors saturation. Drag the slider at the right of the matrix to change the luminosity.
** Once you have the color you want, click “Add to Custom Colors” then click Ok.

The only caveat is if you choose an *.htm document and want to use that as your background, the “Position” options aren’t available (it automatically stretches). I would assume that Vista and Windows 7 has the same features set, but I know better than to assume anything as far as Microsoft is concerned...lol

#4, Happy Person, not a single one of your options has anything to do with today's offering. Quit searching CNET for unrelated junk, and only post links to the developer's websites. #12, ws, posted a somewhat comparable alternative, but it doesn't create animated wallpaper. #13, Promytius, Corner-A ArtStudio is more sophisticated but doesn't create animated wallpaper.

Posted by Ashraf:

"Desktop icons are not properly dealt with when an animated wallpaper is turned on."

Not sure what that means, but it sounds like a deal breaker to me

I still have and use Corner A Art Studio from a download here - it does all that this doesn't. Nice to compare them though. Thanks GOTD.

Another free one, available in several languages:

http://www.wellwasser.com/en/b2b-download.html

... But for me it´s far away from useful; just for those who always already want to be distracted from their work.
I prefer a calm screen (actually will almost never see the wallpaper, because hidden under the stuff I am working on !) I prefer other fun.

There are lots of free animated wallpaper out there however it is free and so I will try it out.

If I really do like it I may well upload a review on my website ;-)

Person with Direct3D problem on Stickies- don't worry about it, I have excellent 3D ability & it won't run on my PC either.

I'm back. Have been working with it since the 1st comment I left. Animations actually change positions from where you see them in the ap, & after all my work, saved only 2, and would you believe..the dang thing now won't even show up on my screen at all! Acts like it's going to, then doesn't.
Oh, & yes, it wants access to a lot of things. In my stupid happiness to see results, I let it. Argh. For nothing. Uninstalling.
TEN thumbs down! I obviously wouldn't want it if you gave it to me. :) Oh, you did. :) Don't want! Thankies anyway.

Very Good Indeed, u can use your pictures collection then transform into beautiful dynamic wallpaper. Cheers...........

Actually it is kinda neat. You can add as many animations as you want. Wish there were more effects.And that you could add multiple ones. It is NOT a resource hog...which actually amazed me. Installed fine in Win 7.

This is improving, but has numerous problems. Still has limited effects, animations, and adjustments. If nothing else, effect height needs to be more adjustable. Luminosity of animations needs to be adjustable. At a minimum, need upper and lower bounds for animations. Numerous bugs, such as in-editor preview doesn't match result, no choice but to use Stretch on multi-monitor configurations, which distorts the aspect ratio. Exceptionally low CPU use (near zero), low memory consumption, doesn't impact Aero. Wants to access Explorer's memory, which I block. Always performs update check, which I also block. Animated Wallpaper Maker 2 definitely has potential, but I wouldn't purchase it in the present form.

Would be lots better if it had a selector for what part of image to use the anim on! A full painting of water & sky made the drops & waves in the sky. lol Now using Paint Shop Pro to try to make parts and stuff for it that work with it better. Also I wish I could save these as EITHER wallpaper OR screensaver. That would help a lot. I don't like my icons messed with either. That's a big deal to me. I do like the waves & the grasses and the sparkles for what this pic is. I'd always like the water effects, snow, & grasses, sometimes lightning, & it has several variations of each. Am considering using a combo of this and Anfy effects for finished product. Would be nice not to have to use 3 different image editors to do 1 thing. :) But all in all, it's nice except for the messing with my icons. That isn't tolerable to me. Because of that, I wouldn't buy it. Using XP sp2 here. Thanks GOTD & Desktop Paints! :) I do appreciate letting us use/review it! :)

FREEWARE OPTIONS:

Wally - Win 7 Compatible

T3 Desk - Win 7 Compatible

MD Wallpaper-Vista Compatible

I am looking for software like this for a while. Like the types that take a picture and make eyes blink etc. I think this software or one similar to it was offered before, but it didn't really have a variety of effects. From the few comments here this program looks the same, I would give it a download if I get back to the site in time.

Thanks for offering it!

Too easy because it leaves us with little choice of how we wnt things to work. Toy t best.

The Good
* Straightforward and easy to use.
* Gives users the ability to use background animation effects, and to add animated objects.
* Can create multi-image wallpapers (can double as a wallpaper changer).
* Users are allowed to export wallpapers into standalone .EXEs that anyone can use, regardless of if you have the program install or not.

The Bad
* Only one background effect can be used per image.
* Has a fairly limited selection of animations.
* User can't control if he/she wants the animations (effects and objects) to occur only in a specific portion of the image.
* Desktop icons are not properly dealt with when an animated wallpaper is turned on.
* Doesn't allow user to add GIF images (animated or otherwise).

For final verdict, recommendations, and full review please click here.