Topic: How to have picture on USB submenu
started by: allgames71
Posted by allgames71 on Sep. 19 2010,16:51
I have Penguin gif pictures on USB Main Bootmenu, but how can I put a picture in USB submenu.Thank you
Posted by balder on Sep. 19 2010,18:17
@allgames71Quote: ”how can I put a picture in USB submenu”
First you need a background picture.
Picture must be an ***.xpm-picture (you need “Gimp” to create your own background)
Some info < HERE >
Note: grub support compressed files (wallpaper) ***.xpm.gz
Change your “sub-menu.lst”
To something like this there “boot.gfx.gz” is the background wallpaper:
default 0
timeout 10
gfxmenu = /boot.gfx.gz
Regards balder
Posted by allgames71 on Sep. 20 2010,13:13
hello balder,Thanks for your instruction. I think there's a lot for me to learn in .GFX
May be I'll reply you later, thanks in advance.
Posted by allgames71 on Sep. 24 2010,08:22
hello balder,I've failed in making submenu background pictures.
I tried it these way :
1. Uncompress your Wallpaper\BOOT.GFX.gz. Drag it to the GFX_Menu-tray to become a BOOT_Files folder with jpg pictures. I replace your pback.jpg with my jpg file. Then drag this folder to GFX_Menu-tray again to become BOOT.GFX, then compress it with winrar and name it to test.gfx.gz. I palce this test.gfx.gz file to Wallpaper\test.gfx.gz.
one of my submenu is like this :
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
default 0
gfxmenu = /wallpaper/test.gfx.gz
title RXPE999
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /iso/rxpe.iso
map /iso/rxpe.iso (hd32)
map --hook
chainloader (hd32)
boot
title Acronis FULL Rescue Media 2010
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /iso/acron2010.iso
map /iso/acron2010.iso (hd32)
map --hook
chainloader (hd32)
boot
title Win7PE (Windows 7) , Win7PE (BSExplorer)
find --set-root /7PE.lst
configfile /7PE.lst
title Redo Backup & Recovery
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /iso/redo.iso
map /iso/redo.iso (hd32)
map --hook
chainloader (hd32)
boot
title Easeus Disk Copy 2.3
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /iso/edc.iso
map /iso/edc.iso (hd32)
map --hook
chainloader (hd32)
boot
title CopyWipe
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /iso/wipe.iso
map /iso/wipe.iso (hd32)
map --hook
chainloader (hd32)
boot
title Back to Main Menu
find --set-root /menu.lst
configfile /menu.lst
----------------------------------------------------------------------
2. I use GIMP to make a back.xpm photo and use winrar to compress it and named to back.xpm.gz, then place it in Wallpaper\back.xpm.gz
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
default 0
gfxmenu = /wallpaper/back.xpm.gz
title RXPE999
find --set-root --ignore-floppies /iso/rxpe.iso
map /iso/rxpe.iso (hd32)
map --hook
chainloader (hd32)
boot
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Both the above 2 ways fail to load background picture and only can see the plain text menu.
Balder, can you please tell me how to make the USB submenu background picture step by step. Thanks.
Posted by balder on Sep. 24 2010,14:41
@allgames71Sorry I misunderstood you a bit
I thought your intention was to use “gfxmenu” when you only want a background picture
To use a background picture you instead set “splashimage”
In your case it should be like this: splashimage /wallpaper/test.gfx.gz
Notice difference to “gfxmenu = /wallpaper/boot.gfx.gz”
Test and see if this works okay
Regards balder
Posted by allgames71 on Sep. 24 2010,15:43
hello balder,quote : "Sorry I misunderstood you a bit"
My question is simple :
How can I put a normal picture in USB submenu as a background picture.
I've tried "splashimage /wallpaper/test.gfx.gz" , it doesn't work, instead when choose this submenu , all the screen black with a tiny white cursor blanking all over and nothing comes out.
Actually what format of picture should I create for it ? jpg, gifm, bmp, xpm or compressed xpm.gz ? After create this picture, how should I put in the submenu.lst ? Say "splashimage /wallpaper/test.bmp", would it be ok ?
Thanks in advance.
Posted by balder on Sep. 25 2010,03:53
@allgames71Quote: ”Actually what format of picture should I create for it ? jpg, gifm, bmp, xpm or compressed xpm.gz ?”
You can use any jpg, gif, bmp , png etcetera as input but you need a program that is able to manipulate image to the right 14-bit image (yes it’s mostly a 14-bit image not 8-bit or 16-bit etcetera as used in Windows) – try to use “gimp”.
Quote: “how should I put in the submenu.lst ? Say "splashimage /wallpaper/test.bmp", would it be ok ?”
Sure that should work just fine
Please read < HERE >
Regards balder
Posted by allgames71 on Sep. 25 2010,09:31
hello balder,Thanks for your tutor. I've gone through the "Grub4dos Guide - Creating a Splash Image" page. It's tutorial is :
1. Use GIMP to make a 14 bit color image (I use .BMP) ,
it's easy. But I found that if the color changed to 14 bit coler, it's very ugly , unlike your USB mainmenu's gif Penguin background wallpaer, your color is very smooth and beautiful like 256 color at least. I'm not sure if it is 14 bit color look ugly in windows but will be smooth and beautiful in USB submenu !
2. Then use "ImageMagick tool " to convert the 14 bit color made.BMP. The command line is :
convert.exe C:\splash.bmp C:\splash.xpm.gz
My question is , I can't find the convert.exe in "ImageMagick tool "'s folder. If there is , I can jump to command prompt and type the above command line to convert the made.BMP to made.xpm.gz . Please where exactly (which folder dir location) can I start to type the command line in command prompt ? As the "ImageMagick tool " folder structure is like this :
Posted by balder on Sep. 25 2010,15:33
@allgames71Quote: ”I can't find the convert.exe in "ImageMagick tool "'s folder”
Same here
Instruction in diddy’s grub-tutorial is here a little bit confusing
You have to download a different version of "ImageMagick tool”- download < HERE >
I have created a script that automatically runs the process with convert.exe mentioned in diddy’s tutorial. – download script < HERE >
Extract script from zip-file to “WinBuilder_Complete\Projects\LiveXP\EasyBoot”
Restart WinBuilder.exe and you have a new script “easyboot-convert-xpm”
Note1: you still need to use Gimp and “down-converting” images to 14-bit bmp
Then run script to optimise bmp-image to a image accepted by grub.
Note2: Best result is always to create a 14-bit image from beginning and not “down-converting” from a created bmp-image that have a lot of more colours that is lost when “downgrading” to 14-bit colour.
balder
Posted by allgames71 on Sep. 25 2010,19:30
hello balder,Thanks very much for your tutorial, It works and easy enough. But I've a request if you don't mind.
quote : "Note2: Best result is always to create a 14-bit image from beginning and not “down-converting” from a created bmp-image that have a lot of more colours that is lost when “downgrading” to 14-bit colour."
I think you are right , as my test.xpm.gz is very ugly that I really "down-converting" it from a very nice colorful one.
I'm an Art-Blind , I don't know how to draw or paint pictures , I just download some funny pictures from some website , then take it as my USB submenu background.
I understand "Best result is always to create a 14-bit image from beginning" is important. But I really don't know how and I want to have a 14-bit nice image. Would your mind to be my teacher again. Please tell me the best way to convert a colorful nice pitcutre to 14-bit image ? Thanks in advance.
Posted by balder on Sep. 26 2010,04:54
@allgames71Quote: ” Please tell me the best way to convert a colorful nice pitcutre to 14-bit image ?”
Well I have never created any 14-bit image - and in fact - I have never even used Gimp or any of this stuff mentioned in “diddy’s” tutorial
I just know it can be done
To spare time and efforts I search the Internet for nice backgrounds and use these
So, I guess I’m not the right teacher for you to solve this issue
Regards balder
Posted by allgames71 on Sep. 26 2010,08:01
hello balder,You are right, I also would not spend time on making my own background picture. I just download pictures from some website.
If so, I have to end up this topic. But thanks for the prior effort you have made. And also the nice scripts. Thanks a lot.
Posted by allgames71 on Sep. 26 2010,14:14
hello balder,As the submenu background is 14-bit image, so ugly is a must. But I find that your mainmenu gif Penguin is very nice, so ....
I use winrar to unzip "BOOT.GFX.gz" and find there's a "Boot.GFX" file in it. I start "GFX_Menu.exe" to have a big "GFXMenu" big icon on right bottom of the desktop. Then I drag your "Boot.GFX" file to that big icon , and a new folder name "Boot_Files" unpacked. Inside this new folder there are some files in it , the main picture's name is pback.jpg (this is the Penguin). I find that this pback.jpg is 800x600 with RGB color. That's why it looks very nice and sharp in the USB main bootmenu.
In the USb submenu.lst I used the same string as yours in the menu.lst :
gfxmenu = /wallpaper/BOOT.GFX.gz
So the submenu has the same gif Penguin nice background picture of course.
For this reason , I've an idea just to change the "pback.jpg" , then repack it as a new xxx.GFX.gz :
1. Use a 800x600 RGB color jpg file to name it as pback.jpg .... to have the exact image format. I open your pback.jpg in photoshop , then paste the same size new picture in it and save up.
2. Put this new pback.jpg to the "Boot_files" 's folder
3. Delete the former "Boot.GFX" file
4. Drag the new "Boot_Files" folder to the "GFXMenu" big icon , then a new "BOOT.GFX" repacked.
5. Repack this new "BOOT.GFX" file to "BOOT.GFX.gz"
6. Rename this new "BOOT.GFX.gz" to a new name say "ABC.GFX.gz" (Suppose I don't mind the animate creatures walking here and there)
7. In the USB submenu.lst use :
gfxmenu = /wallpaper/ABC.GFX.gz
8. It should work fine
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
My problem is I don't know how to repack the new "BOOT.GFX" file to "BOOT.GFX.gz"
I've tried to use winrar to compress it. But fail to boot the new picture. So I think there must be a way unlike winrar to repack the new "BOOT.GFX". Would you mind to tell me how ? Please.
Thanks very much.
Posted by balder on Sep. 26 2010,15:01
@allgames71Quote: “My problem is I don't know how to repack the new "BOOT.GFX" file to "BOOT.GFX.gz"
Use script “easyboot-cab.script” (you have it already in script-collection from downloaded “WinBuilder_complete”
This “easyboot-cab.script” can run “Gzip” (that’s what I think you are asking for) but can also run “MakeCab” (cab-utility used in Windows) to files and finally has built-in option to extract “uha-files” (used in Hiren’s Boot-CD as example).
Overall this script is both power-full and versatile in my opinion
Test and see if “Gzip” can solve your problem.
Note: I’m unsure if this “manipulation” that you do can work properly – but you can always test. Penguin-menu is a very special construction – so how background react I don’t know – but test doesn’t harm anything
Regards balder
Posted by allgames71 on Sep. 26 2010,17:01
hello balder,Thanks for your help, but I'm surely fail with only a black screen with menu options only.
I better let go my idea and back to the 14-bit image choice.
Anyway , thanks for all the way help. This time I really have to close this topic. Thanks a lot again.