Resource & System Monitors/Meters

MidnightCowboy · 29. Jul 2009, 05:40 PM

I started a thread similar to this in the editor's forum recently but thought it might be of general interest to members.

These are just a few examples of what is possible with Rainmeter. The skins shown are all available elsewhere but I've customized the contents, layout, colors and fonts etc. to reflect my own system and preferences. Most of the highlights shown only "switch on" when the relevant function is "live". Temperatures displayed at "0" degrees are because SpeedFan also needs to be installed before Rainmeter can read this information from the motherboard sensors.

Similar configurations are also possible using Samurize which are much easier to write being GUI based. Samurize also offers more flexibility with skins as pretty much any image you like can be used changed or adapted from something else to suit. I once wrote a Samurize config containing 28 separate monitoring functions with tooltips and alarms plus 20 program launch buttons. I won't tell you what the memory use was though, or how long I kept it

If anyone else has some adaptations of their own please share them with us here

Attachment 183 Attachment 184 Attachment 185

Attachment 186 Attachment 187

Click each image to enlarge:

MidnightCowboy · 29. Jul 2009, 05:42 PM

.... and a few more

Attachment 188 Attachment 189 Attachment 190

Attachment 191 Attachment 192

garbanzo · 30. Jul 2009, 08:48 PM

those are some wonderful skins! i especially like the first two...

i've always been torn between Rainmeter and Samurize. i love the modular approach that Rainmeter takes - it's dead easy to run several individual configs simultaneously. but it's terribly difficult to skin, requiring a lot of time for more complex configurations. plus, it is absolutely awful at rendering text.

Samurize offers a pseudo-real-time preview of what you're making, along with a GUI that has a bit if a learning curve, but offers a massive improvement over the pure INI-based skinning system that Rainmeter uses. Samurize is also capable of producing smooth text with subtle shadow effects and lovely antialiasing. things get a bit tricky when it comes to loading multiple configs though.

right now, i use Samurize for basic text-only weather data and basic system meters on my desktop. i've made them to match my custom Rainlendar skin. i've dabbled in rainmeter as well, and have a weather config on deviantart that needs to be updated now that weather.com has cut off their xoap feed. in the end, both apps are fun to use, and each has its advantages. i have yet to decide which one i prefer...

MidnightCowboy · 30. Jul 2009, 09:41 PM

A very good description of the differences between the two programs. I used to spend ages messing with these things but since joining TSA don't have the time. For my SAM configs I used to have only one open with Windows and then made multiple shortcuts for the others and opened them manually as needed. I found it safer this way. Now I'm dead boring and use mainly the triple segment Rainmeter (third one in) and just NxSensor for temperatures.

One thing I did discover by accident is that if you take the Rainmeter 4JL skin and import into a SAM config. when you stretch it, it takes on a completely new form. You can also vary this by inverting the image. Being black it's a good base color although the edges fade out to translucent gray.

I'm not smart enough to skin from scratch but I did enjoy making all the variants.

George · 09. Aug 2009, 08:37 PM

Hi all,

you might also want to check these articles:

http://www.techsupportalert.com/best...urce-meter.htm

http://www.techsupportalert.com/best...load-meter.htm

I am still siked about Spotlight on Windows...

29. Jul 2009, 05:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
MidnightCowboy Site Manager Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: South American Banana Republic, third bunch from the left Posts: 8,812	Resource & System Monitors/Meters I started a thread similar to this in the editor's forum recently but thought it might be of general interest to members. These are just a few examples of what is possible with Rainmeter. The skins shown are all available elsewhere but I've customized the contents, layout, colors and fonts etc. to reflect my own system and preferences. Most of the highlights shown only "switch on" when the relevant function is "live". Temperatures displayed at "0" degrees are because SpeedFan also needs to be installed before Rainmeter can read this information from the motherboard sensors. Similar configurations are also possible using Samurize which are much easier to write being GUI based. Samurize also offers more flexibility with skins as pretty much any image you like can be used changed or adapted from something else to suit. I once wrote a Samurize config containing 28 separate monitoring functions with tooltips and alarms plus 20 program launch buttons. I won't tell you what the memory use was though, or how long I kept it If anyone else has some adaptations of their own please share them with us here Attachment 183 Attachment 184 Attachment 185 Attachment 186 Attachment 187 Click each image to enlarge: __________________ Knows nothing and cares even less Last edited by MidnightCowboy; 15. Oct 2010 at 08:20 PM.

29. Jul 2009, 05:42 PM	#2 (permalink)
MidnightCowboy Site Manager Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: South American Banana Republic, third bunch from the left Posts: 8,812	.... and a few more Attachment 188 Attachment 189 Attachment 190 Attachment 191 Attachment 192 __________________ Knows nothing and cares even less Last edited by MidnightCowboy; 15. Oct 2010 at 08:20 PM.

30. Jul 2009, 09:41 PM	#4 (permalink)
MidnightCowboy Site Manager Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: South American Banana Republic, third bunch from the left Posts: 8,812	A very good description of the differences between the two programs. I used to spend ages messing with these things but since joining TSA don't have the time. For my SAM configs I used to have only one open with Windows and then made multiple shortcuts for the others and opened them manually as needed. I found it safer this way. Now I'm dead boring and use mainly the triple segment Rainmeter (third one in) and just NxSensor for temperatures. One thing I did discover by accident is that if you take the Rainmeter 4JL skin and import into a SAM config. when you stretch it, it takes on a completely new form. You can also vary this by inverting the image. Being black it's a good base color although the edges fade out to translucent gray. I'm not smart enough to skin from scratch but I did enjoy making all the variants. __________________ Knows nothing and cares even less

09. Aug 2009, 08:37 PM	#5 (permalink)
George Progradminstrateditor Join Date: May 2008 Location: Frankfurt, GER Posts: 1,203	Hi all, you might also want to check these articles: http://www.techsupportalert.com/best...urce-meter.htm http://www.techsupportalert.com/best...load-meter.htm I am still siked about Spotlight on Windows... __________________ Best regards, George

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30. Jul 2009, 08:48 PM	#3 (permalink)
garbanzo Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 20	those are some wonderful skins! i especially like the first two... i've always been torn between Rainmeter and Samurize. i love the modular approach that Rainmeter takes - it's dead easy to run several individual configs simultaneously. but it's terribly difficult to skin, requiring a lot of time for more complex configurations. plus, it is absolutely awful at rendering text. Samurize offers a pseudo-real-time preview of what you're making, along with a GUI that has a bit if a learning curve, but offers a massive improvement over the pure INI-based skinning system that Rainmeter uses. Samurize is also capable of producing smooth text with subtle shadow effects and lovely antialiasing. things get a bit tricky when it comes to loading multiple configs though. right now, i use Samurize for basic text-only weather data and basic system meters on my desktop. i've made them to match my custom Rainlendar skin. i've dabbled in rainmeter as well, and have a weather config on deviantart that needs to be updated now that weather.com has cut off their xoap feed. in the end, both apps are fun to use, and each has its advantages. i have yet to decide which one i prefer...