Changing Fourth Shift™ Client colours and

using your business logo    

     NOTE: Please make a copy of your FSGUIAPP.EXE file in a folder other than <Fourth Shift root drive>\Mfgsys\System just in case you need to copy it back at a later date.

     The Fourth Shift™ client executable is called FSGUIAPP.EXE. You can find it on your Fourth Shift™ server in folder <Fourth Shift root drive> \Mfgsys\System. There are various resources you can modify to alter pictures on the login screen and background graphics to alter the colour of your Fourth Shift™ system. Your business logo or other business relevant pictures can be added to the Fourth Shift™ login screen and altering the colour of your Fourth Shift can be a useful visual indicator for identifying multiple systems for example: pilot and live Fourth Shift systems.

     A tool called resource hacker can be used to alter resources contained in the FSGUIAPP.EXE. Initially, make sure you have a copy of FSGUIAPP.EXE and move a copy of FSGUIAPP.EXE into a folder with ResHacker.exe.  You can obtain Resource Hacker from various sources on the internet and it is freeware: <link> .Select FSGUIAPP.EXE and explore a folder called Bitmap, which contains the graphics used in the Fourth Shift™ User Interface:

• 911: Fourth Shift™ picture used in Fourth Shift™ login screen
• 913: SQL Server picture used in Fourth Shift™ login screen
• 914: Fourth Shift™ background picture
• 915: Fourth Shift™ header picture

     Select the picture you are interested in replacing and right click. The 3rd option enables you to save the picture bitmap which can be edited in the windows paint application. The bitmap file can be replaced with another bitmap file for example:  a business logo.Make sure replacement bitmap files have the same length and width in pixels. Alternatively the saved bitmap can be altered.

     To replace the picture again right click on selected bitmap and choose the replace option. Select the open file with new bitmap and select your new bitmap file.

     The background and header pictures can be modified to alter the colour of a typical Fourth Shift™ screen. If you add a rectangle to your bitmap file, using the windows paint application and then fill with the colour you require. The replacement process is the same as previously defined.

     Make sure you save the changes to the FSGUIAPP.EXE, you will need to save the file with a different file name. Make sure you make a copy of your original FSGUIAPP.EXE in your <root drive>\Mfgsys\System folder. To implement your altered FSGUIAPP.EXE copy into your <Fourth Shift root drive>\Mfgsys\System with the file name FSGUIAPP.EXE. The following shows the login screen with the new business logo picture selected:

    Here is the new look Fourth Shift™ system. This provides a visual indicator for multiple Fourth Shift™ systems.

Fourth Shift™ Client customisation advance topics

Managing Flexible report writer

Fourth Shift™ screen customisation

Developing external applications with the look and feel of Fourth Shift™ 

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