Change Windows 7 Wallpaper Automatically via a RSS Feed





Wednesday, February 10, 2010 Leave a Comment

As if the rotating wallpaper slideshow in Windows 7 was not enough to keep us entertained, the newest Windows operating system also allows RSS feeds to change our wallpapers for us.
There are a few software programs around that do this, but really a short script will do the same thing without having to download anything extra.  Do not be intimidated by the length of the script; you can always cut and paste!


Open a notepad file and type/paste this code:

[[Theme]
DisplayName=Nasa
[Slideshow]
Interval=1800000
Shuffle=1
RssFeed=http://www.nasa.gov/rss/image_of_the_day.rss
[Control Panel\Desktop]
TileWallpaper=0
WallpaperStyle=0
Pattern=
[Control Panel\Cursors]
AppStarting=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_working.ani
Arrow=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_arrow.cur
Crosshair=
Hand=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_link.cur
Help=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_helpsel.cur
IBeam=
No=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_unavail.cur
NWPen=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_pen.cur
SizeAll=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_move.cur
SizeNESW=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_nesw.cur
SizeNS=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_ns.cur
SizeNWSE=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_nwse.cur
SizeWE=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_ew.cur
UpArrow=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_up.cur
Wait=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_busy.ani
DefaultValue=Windows Aero
Link=
[VisualStyles]
Path=%SystemRoot%\resources\themes\Aero\Aero.msstyles
ColorStyle=NormalColor
Size=NormalSize
ColorizationColor=0X6B74B8FC
Transparency=1
[MasterThemeSelector]
MTSM=DABJDKT
You will notice a couple things about this code.  First, the example we have chosen pulls from Nasa’s image feed.  The second line of the code, Display=Nasa, calls the name you want to show in your theme personalization panel.  You can change the name to whatever you want, just do it right after Display= and do not type a space.
The next thing you might notice is the sixth line:
RssFeed=http://www.nasa.gov/rss/image_of_the_day.rss.
You can use any RSS feed on the web by altering this line with the RSS feed address following RSSFeed=. Again, remember not to space after the =.
Now, click File>Save and name your file Nasa.theme.  Make sure you chose all files instead of the text file option.  It is best to save your theme to the desktop—you can always move it later. Click Save.
save as - rss
Minimize the notebook window and you should see your new theme’s icon on your desktop. Double-click it and a window should pop up asking if you want to subscribe to the RSS feed.  Click Download Attachments.
subscribe
Once this is done, right click on your desktop and choose Personalization. In the window that opens, you should see your new theme towards the top.
personalization menu
Double-click your theme and your background will change. Then, as if by magic (or computerized telepathy) when the RSS feed updates, your background will change.  Nasa changes their feed every day, but there are feeds on the web that change hourly.
Absolutely any image RSS feed will work this way.  Flickr and Getty Images are two of the most popular.





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