About xpize
xpize is a utility program for Windows XP (32-bit only) and Windows Server 2003 (32-bit only) that replaces most of the bits in Windows that didn't match XP's style with bits that do.
The software contains no spyware or adware, it is a purely volunteer-driven community effort; it is also easily uninstallable.
xpize does not replace any files, system or otherwise. Instead it "patches" the files by replacing the old resources inside the files.
For a similar utility for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, check out the Vize Project.
News & Updates
2009-06-28: xpize 5 Beta 3 Released
Latest beta of xpize 5, now including pretty much everything. 'nuff said.
2009-06-28: Resourcer 0.8.9 Released
This new version of Resourcer adds some much-needed features (like batch export from a single file) and other nifty bits.
2009-05-22: Resourcer 0.8.8 Released
Resourcer 0.8.8 has been released and takes precedence over 0.8.7 immediately as it fixes a pretty bad bug when loading up lists of resources.
2009-05-21: Resourcer 0.8.7 Released
Resourcer 0.8.7 is now released. The two main selling-points of this version are the Batch Process feature, which enables you export all the resources from every file in a directory to disk, and a much faster resource list view.
The download and full release notes are available from the Codeplex website.
2009-05-04: xpize 5 Beta 2
The xpize 5 Beta 2 is now available for download from the download page. Be sure to to read this forum thread first!
Requires XP Service Pack 3, the .NET Framework 2.0 (or later), and Anolis Installer.
2009-04-10: XP SP3 UxTheme Patcher
Since xpize 5 will be a little longer in the proverbial oven, I've written a simple uxtheme patcher for Windows XP SP3 (it also supports XP x64 SP2, Windows Server 2003 x86 and x64).
You can download it from the downloads page.
2009-02-12: Resourcer 0.8 Released
Now that Resourcer has reached beta status I can work properly on getting the xpize 5 Beta out. Yes, you read that correctly. Everyone who signed up to be a beta tester will get the xpize release first; it won't be public until all the initial bugs are ironed out. You can still register as a beta tester on the signup thread. You'll receive a PM with further instructions when I've cranked a release out.
Resourcer 0.8 Beta is an incremental improvement on the 0.7 Alpha, but the main thing is now proper support for replacing resources in files, especially icons.
Download it and spread it around: http://www.codeplex.com/anolis/Release/ProjectReleases.aspx?ReleaseId=23186
In related news, I've opted for LZMA compression for the package system xpize 5 will be using, which yields 50% better compression ratios compared with PKZip, but there are speed problems with compressing things, however since this only affects people who make packages and not the end-users I don't think it's a major problem.
Anyway, expect to see the xpize 5 beta sometime next week. Watch this space.
2009-01-25: Resourcer 0.7 Released
Resourcer is now at 0.7 which means we're closer to getting xpize 5 and Vize 2 out the door (yes, still on-track for February)
You can download the binaries from Codeplex.
Major changes include an improved UI (better toolbar, List-view mode, tree-view icons) and more functionality (you can now save icons, view RIFF/AVI resources, etc) and more besides.
I hope to get 0.8 out within 2 weeks.
2008-12-31: Finally
I've finally got the Anolis Resourcer program up to a usable state and christened it a 0.6 Alpha release (sorry, not a beta as I earlier promised). You can download it from the Codeplex releases page.
What this means for everyone else is that we're actually getting somewhere and I'm confident in a Febuary release for xpize 5 and Vize 2.
I'd appreciate it if everyone could leave feedback on the Issue Tracker page on Codeplex, thanks.
...and have a happy new year!
2008-12-25: Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas (or Season's Greetings, or Happy Holidays, or Satisfactory Nondenominational Winter Gift-Giving Festival) wishes from all of the developers on xpize, Vize, and Anolis
We were going to have a nice public beta of the Anolis Resourcer program available today, but at the last minute we discovered a show-stopping critical bug on all x64 Windows and a severe performance hit on all Windows Vista editions (so those of you using Vista x64 would be really screwed). We'll work on getting these issues fixed in the next few days and have a release before the end of the year (assuming no new bugs have been found).
2008-12-08: Artist Wanted!
We're getting close to a beta release of xpize 5 (my own money is on us getting at least something out before Christmas 2008) but there's some artwork we'd like done.
xpize 5 and Vize 2 are based off this framework I've been developing called 'Anolis', named after a colour-shifting lizard (since "Chameleon" is cliche), but we need some original artwork done for the website for it and the user-interface art.
This is a paid role, and if you're interested please send a link to your portfolio in an email to me and we'll get back to you if we like your stuff and feel like comissioning you to do the work.
You can contact me using my contactify page: http://www.contactify.com/62d87
2008-10-06: xpize Five slightly delayed
Whilst the work on xpize 5 has continued in earnest, we've hit a few unexpected snags so the Beta release will be pushed back until late October at the earliest.
Progress so far:
- The resources have now been organised and collated into their appropriate sets. HappyDude will be converting them into Anolis Packages.
- The Anolis software library can now work with Bitmap and Icon resources but it's still rough around the edges.
- We've got a nice bunch of beta testers at the ready. If you're willing to risk your computer why not sign up?
- A friend of mine, Long Zheng, has agreed to run a story or two about xpize and Vize as soon as we hit release. Hurrah for friends in high places.
- We've got the latest batch of patched
UxTheme.dlls from the original patcher Rafael at WithinWindows so SP3 compatibility is assured.
2008-08-04: xpize Five
The rumours of xpize's demise have been greatly exaggerated! Almost a year since the release of the last update to XPize (4.7b2) a new release is on the horizon.
...and this release will be bigger and better than ever before!
xpize 5 (now all lowercase because it's fashionable) will see the codebase rewritten in C# to remove the dependence on ResHacker and enable further improvements.
Well, it's more than a rewrite. It's a total re-organization. More details will be forthcoming in the next few days. But we're aiming for a release date around Mid-September 2008.
XPize 4.7b2 and earlier editions will still be available, so don't worry.
2008-07-14: XPize Project Discontinued (Temporarily)
Hi all,
I'm not very good at speeches, so I will try to keep this simple.
Since I got my job last year, I've become a busy person with little or no time for continue developing my 2 main heavy projects: Vize and XPize.
Also, I must admit that with time, I have been losing interest and strenght in both projects and they're now a tough task for me. That means that the fun is gone for me developing Vize and XPize and they have become a "job". That said, I think that when you no longer enjoy doing that akind of stuff, you should stop. So that's what I am doing right now.
I will make available all the source code of both projects, so other people can create similar packs (there are already users doing so).
I would like to give BIG THANK YOUS to all of you MSFN guys that helped me a lot in making the XPize and Vize projects a reality, specialy Martin_L and xper.
I would like to give a BIG THANK YOUS to all XPize and Vize users.
I think that's all, so thank you very much again
UPDATE: The XPize project has been ressurected by a group of people.
2007-08-14: XPize 4.7 Beta 2 Released
XPize is a GUI enhancer that replaces most of the non-XP icons, avis and bmps that Microsoft has always overlooked. It also includes some extras and a reloader, which you can use after visiting Windows Update.
Changes since 4.6 include new resources for Windows Defender and Internet Explorer 7, and some more updated control panel applets.