Creating a screen saver (scr/executable) from images/pics

[GeekDrew]

I need to create a screen saver (several of them, actually) that my office will be deploying/mandating via group policy, on a per-department basis. Needs to run on Win XP, Vista, and 7. Basically, each screen saver needs to be one or more images (jpegs, gifs, whatever they need to be). Very similar to how the "My Pictures" screen saver works, except that I need the images to be contained within the scr file.

What software will let me do this? I know that they're out there -- searching on Google/Bing give me a TON of results. So many that I don't know where to start. Does anyone have any experience with a particular piece of software?

Thanks.

 

[GeekDrew]

Bump. Anyone? Please?

 

[johnny.dacu]

Maybe there are lighter solutions... but i build one time a screen saver with Flash iDE.. If you know some AS you can access does photos dynamic.

 

[uberman]

I used to have a program for making slideshows into screensavers; however as soon as I got XP it no longer worked. I think I paid $20.00 for the shareware.

Look in the file forums and shareware places. It was pretty cool. And yes I noticed it wasn't free. I don't mind paying for good shareware.

Sorry I forgot the name of the program.

 

[atreader]

there are tons of screen saver type softwares available online. A custom full screen slide show can be made with Adobe AIR and flash CS5.

 

[GeekDrew]

Yeah, as I mentioned, I know that there are tons of ways to do it - I don't know which is best. With Flash, does it all compile into an EXE/SCR? Does it require that flash be installed on the workstation?

 

[rasczak]

I need to create a screen saver (several of them, actually) that my office will be deploying/mandating via group policy, on a per-department basis. Needs to run on Win XP, Vista, and 7. Basically, each screen saver needs to be one or more images (jpegs, gifs, whatever they need to be). Very similar to how the "My Pictures" screen saver works, except that I need the images to be contained within the scr file.

What software will let me do this? I know that they're out there -- searching on Google/Bing give me a TON of results. So many that I don't know where to start. Does anyone have any experience with a particular piece of software?

Thanks.

GeekDrew,

There's is a file called ssmypics.scr in C:\Window\System32 (use the search feature > *.scr )

from there, copy that to your desktop, rt click, and you can configure that scr to point to what ever picture folder you would set it to for that dept. you could create a .scr for each dept i suppose. then create your GPO for each dept to point to it's own .scr file. I don't know if this helps you, I imagine you probably tried this route already. If so sorry i couldn't be of more help.

 

[GeekDrew]

Yeah, I know how ssmypics works... but I really *really* don't want to use it. Most of our users are local administrators on the workstations. It's pretty easy for a user to change the security rights on a folder (where the pictures for the screen saver are stored), and add more pics, thereby altering the screen saver. That's not acceptable. It would be a lot more difficult, in my opinion, for them to override a group policy requiring a specific SCR be used.

 

[Blazer7]

Maybe you should have a look at gPhotoShow Pro. It comes with a 30 day trial period with no limitations and it's quite easy to use. Unfortunately the free version does not support scr files.

http://www.gphotoshow.com/compare_gphotoshow_features.htm

HTH

 

[rasczak]

Yeah, I know how ssmypics works... but I really *really* don't want to use it. Most of our users are local administrators on the workstations. It's pretty easy for a user to change the security rights on a folder (where the pictures for the screen saver are stored), and add more pics, thereby altering the screen saver. That's not acceptable. It would be a lot more difficult, in my opinion, for them to override a group policy requiring a specific SCR be used.

I see. Good point.

 

[GeekDrew]

Maybe you should have a look at gPhotoShow Pro. It comes with a 30 day trial period with no limitations and it's quite easy to use. Unfortunately the free version does not support scr files.

http://www.gphotoshow.com/compare_gphotoshow_features.htm

HTH

That looks like it might do the job. Do you know of any negative aspects of it? (Causes crashes, uses an unusually high amount of system resources, etc...)

 

[atreader]

GeekDrew, The flash AIR app can be created as .air, .exe, .scr(i think). AIR is a desktop flash player wrapper for applications that want to run outside the browser like a native app.

 

[Blazer7]

That looks like it might do the job. Do you know of any negative aspects of it? (Causes crashes, uses an unusually high amount of system resources, etc...)

To be honest I've only used the free version so far. I've installed the Pro trial just yesterday but I didn't had the chance to "play" with it. However the free version works fine and the fact that they offer free upgrades even for older users is encouraging.