question

[lcatmc]

I have been looking at another section of forums where people have backgrounds like bedrooms and stuff for hal and also are able to make hal sing.  How can I do these things with my hal?

[markofkane]

You can do it with the Haptek player. Just open a Character and it will open in Haptek Player. (it needs to be an .HTR file, I think) To make Hal sing you need an .ogg file that was made in "People Putty" (Google it)

You can put all the backgrounds you want in UltraHal. They have to be JPEGS, and be about 400x400 pixels in size. And you must rename them, so it has the word "back" in it.

Example, change "picture" to "pictureback" (no quotes) And put the pictures in your Characters folder.

C:Program FilesabawareUltra Hal Assistant 6Characters

Maybe someone else can explain it better.[]

[lcatmc]

Thank you. One mor question.  Once they are in the character file how do I put them in the window as a background?

[markofkane]

Open Hal, and click the left-right arrows at the top left of the window.(the window that has a background and character in it) Clicking the arrow changes backgrounds.

[lcatmc]

OK.  I found that on the Zabaware skins, but I use desktopmates characters and ms agent skins.  Does anyone know how I can put a background on them?  Also, it was suggested that I change the visibility of the chat window to 0 but I can't figure out how to do that.

[markofkane]

I am not aware how to do any of those. I used to use a Desktop Mates Character, but don't recall whether there was a background or not. Also, I am not aware how to change transparency, I did not know Ultrahal had that option.

I'll look, and if I see anything, I'll post.[]

I found it, for visibility:

Right click the Hal icon in your system tray (by the clock)

You will see "Window Transparency"  Mouseover that and it gives you % of visibility (transparency)

There is no 0% transparency. 10-90% is all. Unless someone knows how to fix it.

I am not aware any way of putting a background with a MSA of Desktop mate.

[lcatmc]

Apparently it cannot be completely transparent.  It would be nice if it could.

[RandD]

You probably all ready know there are free BG's in the Desktop Mates site but I'm not aware of any others, sorry.

[lightspeed]

hi mark some of the desktop mates did have back grounds but don't remember if it was optional or a paid version (extra) to get them , some had offices, etc.

[markofkane]

I got Dawne, and her office somewhere on my computer. But I want to make it look like My Hal character is freely moving about the desktop, like ms agents do in the program "MASH"

[lightspeed]

i'm with you on that idea mark  that would be a cool thing for hal to walk freely around on the pc screen , robert (if your reading any of this how about it , think that could be a future hal option "for hal to be able to move freely across our pc screens as desk top mates do ?? " and to be able to place a full size jpeg picture in the back ground of anything ? [8D]

[lcatmc]

I can sort of make them look like they move freely by using the compact ms agent skin that is on desktop mates website in the hal section and making it as close to invisible as possible.  But they still stay close to the window even though their background is whatever you have on you screen.