Different Wallpaper for each desktop (Windows 10)

[PikaDude]

In Windows 10, you can have multiple desktops at once, and switch through them using keybindings or through the GUI. I was wondering if it would be possible to have a different wallpaper for each desktop, as I cannot choose just one to use. Thanks!

[Biohazard]

Hey,
I think you mean the virtual desktops, correct? I have not found a solution for this yet, because Windows does not make enough information available about it to applications. If I can figure something out in the future then I'll see if I can make it work though.

Cheers

[PikaDude]

Yes, I mean virtual desktops. There really isn't much there. The only thing I managed to find was this https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/mt186440%28v=vs.85%29.aspx. But a feature like that would be great! Thanks for the awesome program!

[Bojenkins]

Any luck on this feature? It would be amazing!

[Kerishan]

bump!

will be great to have this.

here some info about the win10 virtual desktop different wallpapers
https://bigtechquestion.com/2018/05/05/software/windows/name-change-wallpapers-windows-10-virtual-desktops/
https://dexpot.de/

[Swirl]

Originally posted by Biohazard:

Hey,
I think you mean the virtual desktops, correct? I have not found a solution for this yet, because Windows does not make enough information available about it to applications. If I can figure something out in the future then I'll see if I can make it work though.

Cheers

How about listening to the use of the CTRL+WIN+ARROW shortcut to change the current wallpaper from a list of defined wallpapers in the application ?

I'm not really familiar with developing native functionalities on Windows, so I'm not sure that's possible.

[Zipp45]

Originally posted by Dynacord:

How about listening to the use of the CTRL+WIN+ARROW shortcut to change the current wallpaper from a list of defined wallpapers in the application ?

👆 This is a great way to do it. You could pair something like AHK with using the Wallpaper Engine CLI to change the wallpapers.

Also, if you're into Virtual Desktops, I totally recommend this little app:
https://github.com/ViRb3/SylphyHornEx

It's free and open-source and makes it so you can switch between virtual desktops more easily and reorder them.

Also, since it's open source, maybe it's a good example of how to work with virtual desktops.

[butcho]

Microsoft announced some improvements for the virtual desktops some days ago. With the next major Win 10 release it will be possible to set a different background for every virtual desktop. Maybe Wallpaper Engine can make use of this?

[Biohazard]

Originally posted by butcho:

Microsoft announced some improvements for the virtual desktops some days ago. With the next major Win 10 release it will be possible to set a different background for every virtual desktop. Maybe Wallpaper Engine can make use of this?

Yes, I've seen that. But I have not seen any indication that this new function is actually something available to developers.

If anything there is a higher chance this new feature will break Wallpaper Engine rather than allow us to add support for virtual desktops. It doesn't look like it's intended for developers so far.

[.phl]

Originally posted by Biohazard:

Originally posted by butcho:

Microsoft announced some improvements for the virtual desktops some days ago. With the next major Win 10 release it will be possible to set a different background for every virtual desktop. Maybe Wallpaper Engine can make use of this?

Yes, I've seen that. But I have not seen any indication that this new function is actually something available to developers.

If anything there is a higher chance this new feature will break Wallpaper Engine rather than allow us to add support for virtual desktops. It doesn't look like it's intended for developers so far.

How about now? :D

Is it possible with windows 11 to get enough information about the virtual desktops as you could change them? Just asking if we can hope that you're working on it =]

[Biohazard]

We are waiting for Microsoft to release information for developers, they released almost nothing at all so far as far as we know.

Not even any info on how to do rounded corners on a custom rendered window, which is what we are going to need if we hope to fit Wallpaper Engine better into their new design.

[.phl]

Wow, that's really the minimum to expect. Thank you for your quick answer and your awesome work, let's hope m$ releases some dev info soon.

I guess the first to know are the m$ partners :P

[oh'Bae]

Kinda got a fix for this,
Create a play list of desktops
Bind to a key Play next desktop
Macro program,
Windows KEY (Held) CTRL Key (Held) + Right Arrow (Press)
(add a wait time delay if you want, not sure if you will need to or not)
Key Bind for Play next Desktop (Press)
Then set the hole thing to Play as long as Held Down.
So in theory, when you go to change from one virtual Desktop too another the program will be told to also change desktops, so when it loads it should have a diffrent view each time.

what i would like to see is if i could make Wallpaper Engine trick windows into think'n there is more desktops then connected too the PC or create its own virtual sources, I would like to run diffrent desktops on diffrent windows, so i can link each diffrent window into OBS and project more then one desktop in a scene.

[Biohazard]

Originally posted by ♥ Bae ☆:

what i would like to see is if i could make Wallpaper Engine trick windows into think'n there is more desktops then connected too the PC or create its own virtual sources, I would like to run diffrent desktops on diffrent windows, so i can link each diffrent window into OBS and project more then one desktop in a scene.

I'm not sure if I understand you correctly, but you can use the CLI to create multiple, named wallpaper windows for easy OBS recording (via hotkeys too, since you can control them from commands): https://help.wallpaperengine.io/en/functionality/cli.html

[.phl]

Originally posted by ♥ Bae ☆:

Kinda got a fix for this,
Create a play list of desktops
Bind to a key Play next desktop
Macro program,
Windows KEY (Held) CTRL Key (Held) + Right Arrow (Press)
(add a wait time delay if you want, not sure if you will need to or not)
Key Bind for Play next Desktop (Press)
Then set the hole thing to Play as long as Held Down.
So in theory, when you go to change from one virtual Desktop too another the program will be told to also change desktops, so when it loads it should have a diffrent view each time.

Love it. Having a native solution with winkey as hotkey and a hotkey for "last wallpaper" in wp-engine would make it even more possible.

But I'll guess bodging with a macro tool is fine for now as long you only use two desktops.

Thank you!

[AleAleFof]

Any update on this? It would be amazing. It's a shame that microsoft doesn't add additional features available to developers for virtual desktops