Rainmeter - A Super Cool Desktop Customisation Program

[jscho]

For those who aren't familiar, Rainmeter is an awesome program for Windows (XP and up) that allows you to install custom skins that enables users to basically create a clean, custom, but above all, functional desktop without having a large amount of icons covering the desktop. You can create the skins yourself (I have no idea how to though ) or download them. Deviantart is my main source of skins.

The program itself can be found here: http://rainmeter.net/

Before configuring Rainmeter, my desktop looked something like this:

 

 

Now, I've made it look like this:

 

 

So, I'm not a person that needs to have every program that is installed on my system as a desktop shortcut (anymore). I have zero program icons on my desktop as of now. None. If you're willing to put in the time (took me a few solid hours to get it looking sexay then over time I've added more skins) the results are quite pleasing.

Rainmeter has a HEAP of skins you can download and install to add some functionality to your desktop. I've opted for a super clean asthetic, the only true icons I have are the game panels to the far right of my desktop. Clicking them executes the game (the panel art was made by me in Photoshop, some time WILL have to be taken to get that shit up and working)

 

All of the .dll files that Rainmeter reads are fairly easy to configure, with making changes as easy as changing a few variables here and there (some are quite like CSS coding, the Game Launcher skin in particular) and positioning is as easy as click and drag. Many tutorials can be found on YouTube.

Most of the skins I used can be found here, as this is the page I used to get some inspiration for my design
http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2014/01/the-triangle-dual-monitor-desktop/ - More awesome skins, again, can be found on Deviantart

 

I've got a network skin, drive capacity skin, a music display (linked to Foobar2k, displays what I'm listening to), CPU temps and usage meter, a game launcher, time, weather, wind speed, temperature, date and that's pretty much it.

Your favourite programs that you use most often (if you don't want to ruin the sexy asthetic) can just be pinned in the taskbar no issues, I have all of my main apps macro'd to my Orbweaver keypad, so I don't even have pinned taskbar icons.

 

Enjoy! If you're using Rainmeter now, upload a screenshot, maybe others who haven't used it before can get some inspiration!

 

[EDIT] Just discovered the Rainmeter subreddit: http://www.reddit.com/r/Rainmeter/top/ - Some REALLY cool designs over there.

[TheWall]

I don't know if there is a single person here that does not know what rainmeter is, but nice setup!

[Tea1337]

I use Rainmeter at school on my programming computer, and it is 10/10. The BEST app i have used thus far for windows.

[jscho]

I don't know if there is a single person here that does not know what rainmeter is, but nice setup!

 

Scrolling through the "Post Your Desktop" thread the other day, you'd be surprised... :lol:

And thanks

[TheNinjaNextDor]

That first desktop background is AMAZING.

[JupiteL]

I've been using this for a while, but I don't use many. Does this really use ram though?

[jscho]

I've been using this for a while, but I don't use many. Does this really use ram though?

 

According to Task Manager, it's using 20MB of RAM, which is nothing.

 

That first desktop background is AMAZING.

 

'Tis quite purdy.

[T.Vengeance]

According to Task Manager, it's using 20MB of RAM, which is nothing.

 

 

'Tis quite purdy.

No. It's absolute Godlike. Where'd you get that? (if wallbase link me ples )

[ForeseenVisionz]

i use it too! this is my first attempt ever but this is what i got:

[jscho]

No. It's absolute Godlike. Where'd you get that? (if wallbase link me ples )

 

You mean this one right? I can't remember where I got it from but here's an imgur link. I uploaded it for your pleasure

http://i.imgur.com/NGaWyPm.jpg

 

[T.Vengeance]

You mean this one right? I can't remember where I got it from but here's an imgur link. I uploaded it for your pleasure

http://i.imgur.com/NGaWyPm.jpg

 

Thanks

[hiyayhi]

Jesus how did I not know this...

 

Holy crap I feel like a complete nubsticle.

 

Well at least I know what I'm doing over the next few days:D

[CatCloud]

i use it too! this is my first attempt ever but this is what i got:

 

Too messy for my teste BUT i do like the thing at the bottom row above the task bar, what is that?

(the one showing Mozilla, Your computer, HDD and so on)

[ForeseenVisionz]

Too messy for my teste BUT i do like the thing at the bottom row, what is that?

(the one showing Mozilla, Your computer, HDD and so on)

its rocket dock (a seperate application) with custom icon skins to match the rainmeter theme.

also as for the meesiness i know its pretty bad but it was my first try at it and then i planned to make a simpler new design but never got bothered lol

[JLCitadel]

Scrolling through the "Post Your Desktop" thread the other day, you'd be surprised... :lol:

And thanks

 

http://gyazo.com/e188ad446f435847f34f62ec042ca2f0

 

This is all i need

[CjlabanG]

Super cool indeed... if you keep it clean... for me, at least.

 

My first official setup of the app:

[spoiler=]

 

Second:

[spoiler=]

 

[DanTheMuffinMan]

Wish I could find some 2560x1440 designed skins, most of these 1080P's are too tiny on my monitor

[.:Lucky:.™]

Here's what my rainmeter looks like across both my monitors. The main monitor is the bottom one and the secondary is on top.

Also the toolbar you see on the left side of the bottom monitor pops out when I mouse over it, I use it when I need additional options.

[nathanhd123]

Wish I could find some 2560x1440 designed skins, most of these 10800's are too tiny on my monitor

That is the problem I have found as well!

[DanTheMuffinMan]

That is the problem I have found as well!

If anyone known of some 2560x1440 rainmeter skins, let us know, Google has let me down there.

[ofr057]

I tired using rain meter but i found it too complicated to set up

 

I've been using rocket docket for years now but yeah rainmeter is a different thing

[jscho]

Wish I could find some 2560x1440 designed skins, most of these 1080P's are too tiny on my monitor

That is the problem I have found as well!

 

That sucks I'd imagine scaling it up somehow would be a bit of a pain

[Caspur]

If anyone known of some 2560x1440 rainmeter skins, let us know, Google has let me down there.

Deviantart is the place to go, if anyone has them it would be them

[MatheusSanzo]

I got very bored of Windows so I've been enjoying Linux as my primary OS.

 

 

And have been modifying a Conky script as seen on the right.

 

gap_x 30gap_y 15alignment middle_rightupdate_interval 0.5use_xft yesxftfont BahamasLight:size=8:boldown_window yesown_window_type overrideown_window_transparent yesown_window_colour 000000own_window_hints undecorated,below,sticky,skip_taskbar,skip_pagerown_window_argb_visual noown_window_argb_value 0double_buffer yesdraw_shades nodraw_graph_borders nouppercase yesdefault_bar_size 0 4default_graph_size 0 24border_inner_margin 16default_color 1ACCE0minimum_size 0 0TEXT#${alignc}${nodename}${alignc}arch linux ${kernel}${alignc}${exec lscpu | grep -i "model name" | cut -c 24-}${alignc}${freq}MHz${alignc}${processes} threads${color red}cpu1${alignr}${cpu cpu1}%${cpugraph cpu1}${cpubar cpu1}${color red}cpu2${alignr}${color red}${cpu cpu2}%${cpugraph cpu2}${cpubar cpu2}${color red}cpu3${alignr}${cpu cpu3}%${cpugraph cpu3}${cpubar cpu3}${color red}${color red}cpu4${alignr}${cpu cpu4}%${cpugraph cpu4}${cpubar cpu4}${color red}cpu usage${alignr} %${color yellow}${top name 1}${alignr}${top cpu 1}${top name 2}${alignr}${top cpu 2}${top name 3}${alignr}${top cpu 3}${top name 4}${alignr}${top cpu 4}${top name 5}${alignr}${top cpu 5}${top name 6}${alignr}${top cpu 6}total${alignr}${cpu}%${color purple}${memgraph}${membar}${memperc}%${color yellow}ram usage${alignr} %${color yellow}${top_mem name 1}${alignr}${top_mem mem 1}${top_mem name 2}${alignr}${top_mem mem 2}${top_mem name 3}${alignr}${top_mem mem 3}${top_mem name 4}${alignr}${top_mem mem 4}${top_mem name 5}${alignr}${top_mem mem 5}${top_mem name 6}${alignr}${top_mem mem 6}total${alignr}${memperc}%${alignr}(${mem})${color light blue}sda1 ${hr 1}/${alignr}${fs_size /}${fs_bar /}${fs_used_perc /}%(${fs_used /})sda2 ${hr 1}/home${alignr}${fs_size /home}${fs_bar /home}${fs_used_perc /home}%(${fs_used /home})${color green}network ${hr 1}${color green}down ${downspeed enp4s0}${alignr}up ${upspeed enp4s0}${downspeedgraph enp4s0 32, 130}${alignr}${upspeedgraph wlan0 32, 130}total ${totaldown enp4s0}${alignr}total ${totalup enp4s0}

Why so colorful?

 

My conky:

 

[AHaskin14]

I don't know if there is a single person here that does not know what rainmeter is, but nice setup!

i didnt. now i do.