GLoSS

GLoSS is a screensaver and desktop changer for Gallery2 which uses the random Image Block functionality in Gallery2 to download images from your Gallery installation and use them as a Windows screensaver and as a background on your Windows desktop.

Features

• Local user-configurable caching and offline mode (displays random pictures from local cache when offline).
• Allows you to specify the max size of the images to be displayed (as a percentage of available screen real estate).
• Supports multiple monitors - can choose to have the screensaver fill a screen or the whole desktop. I use UltraMon, so with my screensaver, I can choose to have one screensaver fill the whole virtual desktop, or have two copies of my screensaver running in different monitors.
• Authentication against username/password protected Gallery2 installations.
• Ability to select random images only from specific albums in your Gallery2 installation.
• Ability to change your Windows desktop background at regular, user-selectable intervals to a random image from your Gallery2 installation.
• Widget-style display of EXIF information, image description from Gallery, etc.
• High quality resampling of images using a Lanczos Kernel filter when resizing for display.
• History of desktop image changes.
• Prevention of screensaver startup when a particular application is active (e.g. screensaver should never start when Skype is active).
• Drag 'n' drop image onto Thumbnail Widget to change desktop image.
• Double-click on image in Thumbnail Widget to open image in default viewer.
• Google Earth 4 integration - live display of current desktop image location (geocoded images only).
• Support for proxy servers.
• Auto-update feature checks for new versions of GLoSS on startup.
• Automatic purging of images older than X days from cache - prevents cache becoming stale if images are removed from Gallery.
• Uploading of JPEGs to Gallery, with automatic, configurable resizing of images (again, using high quality Lanczos Kernel filter) prior to upload.
• Optional locking of workstation requiring standard Windows login password when Screensaver is interrupted.

Requirements

• Gallery 2.1.1 or higher
• Image Block module (only required for Gallery2 installations prior to G2.2RC1)
• Remote module
• Windows 2000 or XP [has only been extensively tested on Windows XP]

• Optional: Google Earth integration requires version 4.0.2080 or later of Google Earth

Licensing

Free to download, copy & use.
However, please make a donation via the link on the right if you find this program useful.

Screenshot of Desktop Changer in action

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News

January 8, 2008

November 13, 2007