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Mac OS X  |  System / Utilities  |  Other System / Utilities  |  ShapeShifter

ShapeShifter

ShapeShifter - 2.0

Customize your OS X interface by changing the menus and buttons with this mod.

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(File Size: 6.8M)

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All Time: (3.8)
Version 2.0: (4.8)
Selected Version: 2.0
Release Date: 2004-10-26
License: Shareware
Downloads (version 2.0): 5,232
Downloads (all versions): 2,748
Price: $20.00

Information Related to Version:

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Product Description:

ShapeShifter is a revolutionary new product that lets you change the overall appearance of your Mac using 'themes'. We're not talking about just desktop backgrounds and icons here, we're talking about everything - the look of windows, menus, apps, buttons, absolutely everything. You don't wear the same clothes everyday, your house doesn't look exactly like your neighbor's - why should the computing interface you use everyday be any different. You personalize your physical workspace to suit your tastes and whims, so why not your Mac?
With ShapeShifter, you can:
  • Change the overall appearance of your operating system safely, quickly, and reliably;
  • Change the appearance of individual apps to match your theme and your mood;
  • Experience things that haven't been possible with Mac themes before;
  • Quickly preview themes without actually applying them;
  • Use Jaguar themes in Panther effortlessly;
  • Install different themes for different users;
  • Add and remove themes effortlessly.

What's new in this version:

  • ShapeShifter can now apply themes, icon sets, cursor sets (if Mighty Mouse is installed) and desktop pictures. Each user can have his or her own settings, and these items can be applied independently of each other. Multiple variants of each can be bundled into a single guiKit file for easy distribution, or icontainers, mightymouse sets, and desktop pictures can be added directly to ShapeShifter. ShapeShifter will even select the best sized desktop picture for your monitor if the theme creator included multiple sizes in the guiKit distribution!
  • Added a new Download tab that can be used to find and download featured themes.
  • The 'Themes' tab of the ShapeShifter preference pane has been completely redesigned to be more intuitive and to allow independent selection of themes, icon sets, cursor sets, and/or desktop pictures.
  • The ShapeShifter preference pane now loads virtually instantly after its first launch.
  • Installed themes are now cached, meaning that they apply instantly if they're in-cache.
  • The preference pane listing now shows mod packages that are no longer present in the filesystem and indicates that they've been removed.
  • Added a "Restore Defaults" button that, you guessed it, restores all defaults.
  • When removing an item from ShapeShifter, it's now clear which variants will actually be removed.
  • New serial number system.
  • Added Italian localization to the Installer, courtesy of Claudio Santucci.
  • The menubar now supports transparency effects.
  • Added ability to customize the Finder's sidebar, list, and column view backgrounds.
  • Added ability to customize the background color of the list and column view in open and save panels.
  • Added the ability to customize background (and alternating row color) of lists and tables.
  • Added ability to customize the background color in editable text boxes.
  • Text within buttons and popup buttons can now have its own unique theme colors - they're no longer required to be the same as the radio button and checkbox text color.
  • The text of the selected tab in a tab view now has its own theme color.
  • Toolbar text labels now have their own unique theme colors.
  • Added support for coloring "placeholder" text within editable text (such as the Find item in the Finder toolbar).
  • Cocoa panels (Fonts and Colors) in Carbon applications are now themed properly.
  • iTunes etched text and content frames are now themed properly.
  • Font Book now honors a theme's etched text settings.
  • Authentication window backgrounds are now themed properly.
  • Disabled popup menus now use the disabled text color.
  • Added ability to theme iSync Menu Extra.
  • Resolved some issues with Finder's icon text label colors.
  • Carbon popup buttons are now themed properly.
  • Changed +/- buttons in Themes tab of ShapeShifter prefpane to square buttons to match Apple's style better.
  • Changed the appearance of the buttons used to cancel a guiKit file download or inform the user that an error occurred that prevented the file from being downloaded.
  • The ShapeShifter banner is now properly located to span the width of the prefpane.
  • Fixed the text baselines in the list of themes.
  • Applications are now skinned properly even if they're not in the expected filesystem location.
  • Resolved an issue that caused the iTunes music store to function improperly if the installed theme had an iTunes application skin that was designed for an earlier version of iTunes. Includes a fix to prevent future occurences.
  • Resolved an issue that would cause Homeworld 2 and VNCViewer to crash when launched.
  • Resolved an issue that could keep some programs from being themed, notably Proteus and ShadowIRC.
  • The entire contents of the About box are now displayed properly.
  • Resolved a rare issue that could cause iTunes to crash.
  • Updated the installer to remove some potential installation issues.
  • Variants with a slash in the name can now be applied.
  • Switching quickly between themes no longer causes the Dock, Finder, and Menu Extras to appear unthemed.
  • The "Welcome to ShapeShifter" sheet is no longer shown when the ShapeShifter prefpane is redisplayed in System Prefs without relaunching System Prefs first.
  • Resolved an issue that could cause ShapeShifter to become unresponsive while downloading a guiKit file.
  • Resolved an issue that could remove the ability to open guiKit files by double-clicking them.
  • Resolved issues that could prevent iChat, Preview and Installer app skins from working properly.
  • Resolved an issue that could cause theme descriptions to appear in the wrong font.
  • The ShapeShifter preference pane is no longer automatically launched when ShapeShifter automatically disables itself in order to avoid possible issues with prebinding.

Operating System Requirements:

This product is designed to run on the following operating systems:

  • Mac OS X 10.3
  • Mac OS X 10.2

Additional Requirements:

  • Mac OS X 10.2 or higher

Screenshots:

Developer: Submit screenshots for ShapeShifter

Download Links:

Download ShapeShifter Version 2.0 (File Size: 2.97M)

Download ShapeShifter Version 2.0 (File Size: 2.97M)

Download Links:

Download ShapeShifter Current Version (File Size: 6.8M)

Your Installed Versions:


 
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Feedback Summary:

Version 2.0:
Overall Rating: (4.8) Features: (5.0) Support: (5.0)
Ease of Use: (4.8) Quality / Stability: (4.8) Price: (4.7)
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ShapeShifter ReviewGOD AWFUL ! - Version: 2.5, 7/22/2009 11:55AM PST

OSXLITTLE
Look, these guys have been trying to make this work since the beginning. It crashes, it doesn't work, it NEVER worked. I bought the first versions when I started in OSX and after being the free beta tester for this horrid little program I finally gave up. So here I come back to see if it's improved , well , I don't have my password , that was when I had another email, so I write them, not a word. Their stupid password recovery system is based on the email you had back then WHICH YOU PROBABLY DONT HAVE !

Think I'm going to pay again for what ended up being a reason to do a complete reinstall ? H E double hockey sticks no ! Lousy crashmaster program that isn't supported ! Dump that junk !
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ShapeShifter Usage TipNot safe as Shapeshifter but, if you got sick of Leopard's look, free alternative - Version: 2.5, 3/20/2009 01:56PM PST

Ilgaz
I saw this URL on another download site
http://magnifiqueapp.com/
It does what shapeshifter does in file overwriting (with backup of course) way.
IMHO Unsanity should have released a Leopard edition without APE exactly. Well, some people have done it.
Shapeshifter's method is still the safest and way more reliable. If you keep running Tiger, there is no reason to give up.
It seems we lost shapeshifter thanks to the anti ape trolls and jealous developers. Hopefully I will be proved wrong but it seems so...
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ShapeShifter Usage Tip4 apps to exclude - Version: 2.5, 7/27/2008 06:19AM PST

(1 of 1 users found this comment useful)

dsilvan
Here are 4 apps I've found which have problems booting so you should add them to your Shapeshifter Exclude List:

Bittorrent
Minefield (Firefox 3.x beta)
Skitch
Toast Titanium 9
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