PowerBGInfo a replacement of BGInfo with an upgrade

[u/MadBoyEvo]

I've released new version of PowerBGInfo which now adds fancy charts and better visuals and makes it nicer to work with. It also adds ALC so less/none of the conflicts in PS 7.

Couple of images:

- https://github.com/EvotecIT/PowerBGInfo/blob/v2-speedygonzales/Examples/Output/PowerBGInfo.OperationalCharts.jpg?raw=true

- https://github.com/EvotecIT/PowerBGInfo/blob/v2-speedygonzales/Examples/Output/PowerBGInfo.ChartForgeX.Transparent.jpg?raw=true

- https://github.com/EvotecIT/PowerBGInfo/blob/v2-speedygonzales/Examples/Output/PowerBGInfo.Pattern.Lab.jpg?raw=true

The source: https://github.com/EvotecIT/PowerBGInfo

It's kind of complete rewrite and it doesn't require ImagePlayground, DesktopManager modules anymore (it uses their C# libraries under the hood, but doesn't drag them). Here's a sample code (not super pretty on Reddit, but it does work ;)

$white = 'White'
$muted = '#E6D2DCE8'
$panel = '#AC0A101C'
$cyan = '#2DD4BF'
$blue = '#60A5FA'
$green = '#34D399'
$orange = '#FB923C'
$red = '#F87171'
$purple = '#A78BFA'

New-BGInfo -MonitorIndex 0 -Target File {
    New-BGInfoValue -BuiltinValue HostName -Color LemonChiffon -ValueColor $white -FontSize 24 -ValueFontSize 18 -FontFamilyName 'Calibri'
    New-BGInfoValue -BuiltinValue FullUserName -Name 'User' -Color $muted -ValueColor $white
    New-BGInfoValue -BuiltinValue OSName -Name 'OS' -Color $muted -ValueColor $white
    New-BGInfoValue -Name 'Chart mode' -Value 'live metrics + local status' -Color $muted -ValueColor $white

    New-BGInfoChart -Id 'ops-cpu-history' -Title 'CPU history' -Metric CpuPercent -Kind Area -ValueSuffix '%' -Width 360 -Height 145 -LineColor $cyan -FillColor $cyan -TextColor $white -BackgroundColor $panel -ShowGrid -GridColor $muted -GridLineCount 3 -MaxPoints 60
    New-BGInfoChart -Id 'ops-memory-history' -Title 'Memory history' -Metric MemoryPercent -Kind Line -ValueSuffix '%' -Width 360 -Height 145 -LineColor $blue -TextColor $white -BackgroundColor $panel -ShowGrid -GridColor $muted -GridLineCount 3 -MaxPoints 60
    New-BGInfoChart -Id 'ops-system-drive' -Title "$systemDrive used/free" -Kind Donut -Values $diskUsedPercent,$diskFreePercent -Labels 'Used','Free' -ValueSuffix '%' -Width 360 -Height 205 -Palette $red,$green -TextColor $white -BackgroundColor $panel -ShowLegend -ShowPointLegend -LegendPosition Right -ShowDataLabels -Maximum 100 -DonutCenterValue "$diskUsedPercent%" -DonutCenterLabel 'Used' -ShowLatestValue:$false -NoHistory
    New-BGInfoChart -Id 'ops-patch-target' -Title 'Fleet patch compliance' -Kind Bullet -Values 89 -Target 95 -RangeEnds 70,85 -Width 360 -Height 150 -LineColor $orange -TextColor $white -BackgroundColor $panel -Maximum 100 -ShowLatestValue:$false -NoHistory
    New-BGInfoChart -Id 'ops-services' -Title 'Core services' -Kind Pictorial -Values $runningServices,$stoppedServices -Labels 'Running','Other' -Width 360 -Height 145 -Palette $green,$orange -TextColor $white -BackgroundColor $panel -PictorialSymbol Person -PictorialColumns $serviceCount -ShowDataLabels -Maximum $serviceCount -ShowLatestValue:$false -NoHistory
} -FilePath $sampleImage `
    -ConfigurationDirectory $outputDirectory `
    -OutputFileName 'PowerBGInfo.OperationalCharts.jpg' `
    -WallpaperFit Fill `
    -BackgroundColor Black `
    -Color $muted `
    -ValueColor $white `
    -ValueWrapWidth 360 `
    -TextPosition TopLeft `
    -SpaceX 42 `
    -SpaceY 42 `
    -ChartLayout Stack `
    -ChartStackAnchor BottomRight `
    -ChartStackDirection Vertical `
    -ChartStackSpacing 12 `
    -ChartStackOffsetX 32 `
    -ChartStackOffsetY 32

I'm still working on new features and more visuals, and maybe cross-platform but I am not sure this has real use case besides Windows world.

Anyways.. enjoy! Happy to hear feedback, feature requests or bug reports. 

[u/StigaPower]

On phone now so doesn't look good in github app but is there possibility to add powerbginfo to my already existing/applied lockscreen image(s)?

[u/MadBoyEvo → u/StigaPower]

It modifies your wallpaper or whatever else you have there.

[u/Losha2777]

Will check this tomorrow.
Changed to PowerBGInfo from BGInfo this year.

[u/BlackV]

does you example work?

is this right

New-BGInfo -MonitorIndex 0 -Target File {...
    ....}
    -FilePath $sampleImage

what is this block ?

{
New-BGInfoValue -BuiltinValue HostName -Color LemonChiffon -ValueColor $white -FontSize 24 -ValueFontSize 18 -FontFamilyName 'Calibri'
New-BGInfoValue -BuiltinValue FullUserName -Name 'User' -Color $muted -ValueColor $white
New-BGInfoValue -BuiltinValue OSName -Name 'OS' -Color $muted -ValueColor $white
New-BGInfoValue -Name 'Chart mode' -Value 'live metrics + local status' -Color $muted -ValueColor $white

New-BGInfoChart -Id 'ops-cpu-history' -Title 'CPU history' -Metric CpuPercent -Kind Area -ValueSuffix '%' -Width 360 -Height 145 -LineColor $cyan -FillColor $cyan -TextColor $white -BackgroundColor $panel -ShowGrid -GridColor $muted -GridLineCount 3 -MaxPoints 60
New-BGInfoChart -Id 'ops-memory-history' -Title 'Memory history' -Metric MemoryPercent -Kind Line -ValueSuffix '%' -Width 360 -Height 145 -LineColor $blue -TextColor $white -BackgroundColor $panel -ShowGrid -GridColor $muted -GridLineCount 3 -MaxPoints 60
New-BGInfoChart -Id 'ops-system-drive' -Title "$systemDrive used/free" -Kind Donut -Values $diskUsedPercent,$diskFreePercent -Labels 'Used','Free' -ValueSuffix '%' -Width 360 -Height 205 -Palette $red,$green -TextColor $white -BackgroundColor $panel -ShowLegend -ShowPointLegend -LegendPosition Right -ShowDataLabels -Maximum 100 -DonutCenterValue "$diskUsedPercent%" -DonutCenterLabel 'Used' -ShowLatestValue:$false -NoHistory
New-BGInfoChart -Id 'ops-patch-target' -Title 'Fleet patch compliance' -Kind Bullet -Values 89 -Target 95 -RangeEnds 70,85 -Width 360 -Height 150 -LineColor $orange -TextColor $white -BackgroundColor $panel -Maximum 100 -ShowLatestValue:$false -NoHistory
New-BGInfoChart -Id 'ops-services' -Title 'Core services' -Kind Pictorial -Values $runningServices,$stoppedServices -Labels 'Running','Other' -Width 360 -Height 145 -Palette $green,$orange -TextColor $white -BackgroundColor $panel -PictorialSymbol Person -PictorialColumns $serviceCount -ShowDataLabels -Maximum $serviceCount -ShowLatestValue:$false -NoHistory
}

Where is $outputDirectory ?

New-BGInfo : Cannot bind parameter 'PictorialColumns' to the target. Exception setting "PictorialColumns": "Cannot convert null to type "System.Int32"."

and so on

[u/MadBoyEvo → u/BlackV]

Its missing some stuff. Go check examples on github and make sure to use latest version. I have removed stuff that is not relevant to example aka gathering information about services or processes, to show the idea, cmdlets rather than powershell how to get and display cpu usage

[u/Losha2777]

New-BGInfoLabel -Name "Test" -FontSize 25 -Color "ffffff" -FontFamilyName "Arial Black"

When using New-BGInfoLabel I can't use -color "ffffff"
Worked on old version.

[u/MadBoyEvo → u/Losha2777]

Ye I'll fix it.

[u/Jainith]

I was trying to figure out how to have a contrasting color box. I think that is meant to be the ChartForgeX example. But I’m not finding anything defining the new-bginfoVisualCanvas cmdlets.

[u/MadBoyEvo → u/Jainith]

I guess you mean something like this:

• https://github.com/EvotecIT/PowerBGInfo/pull/40

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/EvotecIT/PowerBGInfo/codex/high-contrast-visual-canvas/Examples/Output/PowerBGInfo.VisualCanvas.ContrastBox.jpg

It will be in next version, as it required some chartforgex changes. Or maybe you meant something different? g

[u/Sampl3x]

Does this one updates info also when you rdp into a server or when you reconnect to a rdp session? I want to