How to Create a Boot Splash and Make it Work

Anyone know how to get a boot splash to work properly when created?

My problem is this: I've tried my hand at making a boot splash with the boot splash creator in Granular. I saved the file and then tried to activate it:

I've opened a terminal shell and changed my [roger@local host ~]$ to su and became root.

I typed in the command: switch-themes -l to list them all of the bootsplashes, then again typed switch-themes -c to change to the newly created bootsplash.

Afterward, I typed in: make-boot-splash, I receive the following message error:

syntax error: '#' box noover  0 0 #ffffff00

After trying that procedure, I just tried typing in make-boot-splash command and received this message:

usage: /usr/bin/make-boot-splash <initrd> <resolution>.

I then logged off, and rebooted. Still no luck getting the new screen to appear when rebooting the system. I get the default PCLinuxOS black screen and white text while booting.

So my question is: what's the proper commands you are supposed to type in to activate a boot splash screen, and what are the steps involved in creating a boot splash screen? Does it have to do with how a file is created? Is there a tutorial somewhere that can explain it? I know that I'm definitely making it harder than what it should be.

Thanks in advance, Roger

P.S. It would be great if there was a place on this site just for tutorials, as I think it would benefit everyone.

Thanks, Roger

I'll create one tutorial on this topic on this forum soon. But for now, I'll describe you the way to create a bootsplash successfully.

1. Open up the bootsplash creator in Granular Control Center.

2. Use only jpg images to create the bootsplash. After you have selected the silent-mode and verbose-mode images for your new theme, adjust the progress bar orientation in the silent splash and the text box orientation in the verbose-splash.

3. After you have finalized the theme, save it and select this theme from the drop-down menu.

4. Now open up the terminal and issue the command:

Code: [Select]

switch-themes -land check if your theme is listed there.

5. If your theme is listed, use the command:

Code: [Select]

switch-themes -cto see whether yours is the currently selected theme.

6. If it's the current theme, then issue this command:

Code: [Select]

make-boot-splash /boot/initrd-2.6.18.6.tex1.img 800x600to make it work with your system.

Confused? Ok, I'll explain some quick facts:

• make-boot-splash command is used to modify the initrd to make it aware of your bootsplash theme's selection. Remember that the initrd to be modified should be the one that is currently in use by your system. If you haven't upgraded the Linux kernel in Granular yet, then what I've mentioned in the command above should work perfectly. But if you have updated the kernel to a newer version, then mention it's complete location there, eg. /boot/initrd-2.6.xx.x.texx.img
• The resolution to be used for the bootsplash solely depends on you. You may want to change it to 1024x768 or higher, but there are certain points you have to keep in mind for that. First, make sure that you have the theme image corresponding to this resolution. Second, edit the grub entry of Granular to reflect the changes. Do this by opening the file /boot/grub/menu.lst and modifying the resolution code. For example, 788 is for 800x600, 791 is for 1024x768, and so on...

After all this, reboot your PC to check out the changed bootsplash theme yourself. But do remember that any mistake in applying the theme would result in that black screen, with PCLinuxOS logo at the top and scrolling text, that you encountered earlier.

Don't hesitate to ask away any questions if still in doubt.

I hate to write again, but I must be entering the wrong information, or don't have something correct. Just to be sure, I created a new file in the boot splash creator and gave it a new name and saved it. I quit the program, and opened the shell terminal and entered in the switch-themes command, it found my file, and I tried adding the command as you indicated.

I copied and pasted the following, (red used for root permission emphasis):

[roger@localhost ~]$ su
Password:
[root@localhost roger]# cd ..
[root@localhost home]# cd..
[root@localhost /]# cd ..
[root@localhost /]# switch-themes -l
Available themes are :
                        Esto-Granular
                        granular-rwn
                        rwn-gran
[root@localhost /]# switch-themes granular-rwn
syntax error: '-' box               -1 0 -1 601 #313234
[root@localhost /]# make-boot-splash /boot/initrd-2.6.18.6.tex1.img 800x600
bootsplash not found in /boot/initrd-2.6.18.6.tex1.img
syntax error: '-' box               -1 0 -1 601 #313234 (bold for emphasis only)
[root@localhost /]#

The problem seems to be with the line: syntax error: '-' box               -1 0 -1 601 #313234 after hitting the RETURN KEY
What does this mean? I only know that when I try rebooting, I can't get the boot splash to work still, and I know it's not activated. Sorry to have to ask again, but eventually I'm going to get it. You can see why some of us need to go step by step. Thanks for being understanding.

Sincerely, Roger Nurick

Depending on the situation, this box (that you get in the error message)  could be the progress bar in the silent mode or the textbox in the verbose mode. It seems that there is some mistake in the syntax for box or parameters corresponding to it are incorrect. You can manually try to fix it by comparing your bootsplash theme configuration file with the original one (EstoGranular).

Find your theme's config files in the folder: /etc/bootsplash/themes/granular-rwn
Similarly, the config files for EstoGranular are located is: /etc/bootsplash/themes/EstoGranular

What has seemed pretty obvious to me on seeing your error message is that you are passing 2 parameters with a negative value (-1 each). You can avoid these kind of errors while preparing the theme. I mean just use the GUI method (Granular's bootsplash creator) of adjusting the textbox and the progress bar. But if you still get into errors, you can always refer to the EstoGranular theme.

Any luck so far, Roger?

Not one to run from a challenge, but there is such a thing as beating your head against a stone wall and not getting the results you want. So I'm sorry to say - I'm stumped and haven't had any luck yet. I do appreciate the help you've provided, and it did give me some insight to Linux commands, so not all was a bust. I actually learned something. Maybe I'll yet hit the right combination, but it's not been very much fun trying to do something and not get the proper results.

I tried several things as you suggested; I followed the original Esto-Granular boot splash's parameters while adding a new graphic and didn't even change any parameters, but gave the file a different name, but still no luck. I continue to get similar errors I described before. I know it's something I'm not doing correct, or I would be successful. So, it's back to the drawing board for me.

In the meantime, I can at least say that I had a sort of half-way success - I 'cheated'. I swapped out the original Esto-Granular graphic with one I created and changed the name to reflect the original. I also backed up the originals in case I ever want to use them again. At least by doing it this way temporarily, it's allowed me to get a sense of what this design would look like if it were actually working as a bootsplash. The mock attempt actually works really well for this design, because of where all the original elements were set up with the original Esto-Granular file. The progress bar sits right underneath the Granular text logo I created perfectly, which I didn't actually plan out but got lucky. I also have a few personal critques with some of the artwork elements, but overall, I was pretty pleased. I'll let you be the judge.

With that said, I am going to go ahead and upload the design I created and perhaps yourself or someone that actually knows what they're doing can turn this design into a working bootsplash. I have different sizes as well, so I can upload the others later. What I would envision is a small progress bar next to and underneath the penguin head logo as a progress meter. Under the Granular name, I'd really like to see the loader text information in white.

The colors I chose are a little bit colorful - red, white, and blue. Actually, the original I did come up of the graphic I'm uploading was in black in white with shades of grey. It had nice contrast, but I thought color was a better idea. I also wondered if adding a glow around the 'G' was a good idea or not. I can live with it, but I think there are many other ways of handling this. At least you get an idea of what I'm capable of designing.

With that, I'd like to make this graphic available for someone, or yourself, to try their hand at creating a bootsplash out of it. My interest is really in graphic designs, not the nuts and bolts of things, but the creative aspect. The graphic might not be the most exciting design of all time, because I've seen things here on this site that make me envious, but I'm sure it gets the Granular name of the distro across.

The only thing I would ask is that if someone is successful, and does upload it somewhere, please be sure to give me a credit for the design concept and Geminuguy for his permission of the grey-swoop now turned blue, and I would love to be able to download it to use as well!

Well for now, I haven't given up, but I think I'll sit this dance out for a while. Again, thanks for your help. I'll keep my eyes on this board for a while. Maybe I'll get lucky one day.

Sincerely,

Roger Nurick

Here's the next biggest size for the same graphic.

Here's the largest size.

Roger, I'll surely try to create the bootsplash theme out of these images sometime soon. It would be a great help if you could provide me the .cfg files as well (the ones present in the /etc/bootsplash/ folder).

Hello Anurag,

I wanted to write in and say that after much tinkering and experimenting, I finally got lucky and finally figured out what I had been doing wrong and made a working bootsplash. It feels pretty good, since it had been such a difficult task to figure out how to do it correctly for these past couple of weeks, and I felt like kicking myself for not realizing how easy it really was.

For someone new that would like to know, here's how I figured out how to do this correctly:

After using DrakCreator as root to create a new file, I saved the file and then opened up a terminal session and began typing the following commands:

[roger@localhost ~]$ su
Password:
[root@localhost roger]# switch-themes -l (l as in little 'L' for all listed bootsplash files)
Available themes are :
                        3DGran
                        Esto-Granular
                        rwn-gran
[root@localhost roger]# switch-themes -c (c stands for Current file)
The current theme is: rwn-gran (the new file I wanted to process)
[root@localhost roger]# switch-themes rwn-gran make-boot-splash 800x600

and after typing in all of the commands as they are presented above, you simply hit the RETURN KEY, and the file is processed and created and all the text disappears and goes back to [roger@localhost ~] (providing that you have all of the correct parameters for text boxes and progress bars set up). All config files go to their appropriate place (although I would like to know how I can share what I created later).

The problem I had was a two-fold problem. The first problem was in the way I had set the file up for saving. It had overlapping text and progress bars, which were causing the errors I had previously reported on when the configuration files were being generated. The other problem was in the way I was trying create the configuration files with incomplete commands as I've indicated prior to this posting.

So, I finally know how to create a bootsplash.

My next question is this: how can I share what I've created? What files do I need and where would they be located?

It doesn't matter right this moment. I'm sure the answer will be forthcoming. I'm just happy I've gotten this far and can't wait to share with the community. Thanks again for your assistance in the previous posts.

Sincerely,
Roger Nurick

Congratulations, Roger. 

Sharing your bootsplash theme is super easy. Do this:

1. Create a folder with the name of your bootsplash theme on the Desktop.
2. Go to /etc/bootsplash/themes/yourthemename/config. Copy all the files from here to the new folder created on the Desktop.
3. Go to /usr/share/bootsplash/themes/yourthemename/images. Copy all the files from here to the folder on the Desktop.
4. Zip/Tar the folder and post it on th forum as an attachment.

That's all!

Well, now that the hard part of learning is over, I would like to offer an early Christmas present to the community with my first bootsplash creation called rwn-gran. If anyone has been reading my previous posts, they would see that it had been a difficult road in understanding how to make the things actually work. Now that I know how to create these, I plan on from time to time posting things to share with others. I would like to offer my thanks to both Anurag Bhandari for his patience and answering all my questions and last, but not certainly least, my thanks and appreciation goes out to Geminiguy for giving me permission to incorporate his 'grey-swoop' design into my first design. With that said, I hope you all enjoy my first attempt. Feedback and critiques are completely welcome.

Happy Holidays.

Sincerely,
Roger Nurick

Thanks for sharing the bootsplash theme Roger  . I'll try it today! 

A request of mine for you is to share the little tutorial for creating the bootsplash theme you mentioned in your previous post. Just copy-paste that material to start a new topic in the Tutorial board. In this way, many others could benefit from your experiences. 

I'll later post the installations to install this theme.

I tried it Roger. Worked out fine.

A suggestion is to place the loader text (the booting info that you see on the silent splash) somewhere near the bottom. I noticed that it as placed above the logo. Was that deliberate?

Anurag,

I completely agree with you. I think it would look good at the bottom. I know you have a preference for a soft, gray theme, and believe it or not, I had originally created a screen that was basically black and white with shades of grey based upon Geminiguy's original grey-swoop design, but I felt that it was just a bit too dark for my taste, and since I like bright colors, I decided to see what a red, white, and blue, color scheme would look like, especially with the reddish color of the 4-penguin-heads logo. I'm flexible though. 

By the way, I haven't forgotten about trying to add the information to the tutorial section. I'll add it as soon as I have a free moment. I also think for now, I still need some more experience in creating bootsplash screens before I can be considered pretty knowledgeable as a source. Even so, I'll add the things I already learned to the tutorial section for now, and later can edit as I learn additional things.

Sincerely,
Roger Nurick