The Un-Official WindowBlinds/SkinStudio Documentation Project

Published on September 11, 2003 By Koasati In Skinning

The Un-Official WindowBlinds/SkinStudio Documentation Project

Documentation for skinning WindowBlinds using Skinstudio is sorely lacking. The intention of this thread is to gather as much info as possible about the subject. I think a few rules need to observed, to keep this thread on track.

1. Keep the chit-chat to a minimum.... any comment that doesn't contribute to the purpose of this thread, and threatens to hijack it, will be deleted.

2. If you have a question, begin the comment with QUESTION:

If you have an answer to a Question, begin your comment with ANSWER to #xx: (#xx being the post number of the question)

If you have a tip, start the comment with TIP:

You get the idea.

3. Please do not post a solution if you're guessing. Be sure you know what you're saying is correct, otherwise you're not helping anyone.

4 I would like to see images in this thread only when that would help explain the problem or solution, BUT optimize your images before you post them here.

Use jpg, and compress until it hurts.

Learn to use the image insertion feature before you post the image. (I don't want to see a bunch of red X's) (You can't uploaded images from your harddrive)

Your image should only show the relevant parts of the skin, or SkinStudio interface. (NO FULL DESKTOP IMAGES!) Some of us are on dialup.

If you don't know how to use the feature, or how to optimize jpgs, don't ask in this thread, start a new one in the HELP section.

Hopefully we will have most of our top skinners contributing to project... you know how you are..

LET'S DO IT! Who will be the first to contribute?

[Message Edited]

Comments (Page 3)

Zodiaq~

on Sep 27, 2003

#15 by Skinner I.R. Brainiac - 9/13/2003 7:52:41 AM ANSWER to #14once you add a logoff\shutdown button background,the buttons themselves stop reacting to mouseovers.

TIP: Look at Mormegil's Orion (cobalt) V1...He seems to have worked it out

I.R. Brainiac

on Sep 27, 2003

Supplement to#31:Clever use of the logoff background image.The loggoff button dosnt change,the BACKGROUND supplies the mouseover effect.Very impressive.

I.R. Brainiac

on Sep 29, 2003

Tip:you can make the user text disappear if you set the text angle to 1800.

Koasati

on Sep 29, 2003

#33 by Skinner I.R. Brainiac - 9/29/2003 7:52:54 AM
Tip:you can make the user text disappear if you set the text angle to 1800.

Koasati thinks he means 180.

I.R. Brainiac

on Sep 29, 2003

You would think so wouldnt you,but options for text angle specify 0 to 3600.Dont ask me why.

I.R. Brainiac

on Sep 29, 2003

#26 by Skinner I.R. Brainiac - 9/26/2003 8:44:42 PM
Tip:The text colors for your disabled text in your drop down menus are taken from: button shadow is the main text,button light is the text shadow color.

Plus the color for sub-menu mouseover text is taken from the non-skinned menu mouseover text color.

wierd huh?

I.R. Brainiac

on Sep 30, 2003

Tip:If you make the progress bar graphic any higher than 11 pixels it will chop off the bottom when it is displayed in a download dialog.Tile horizontal and stretch vertical to make it large enough for an explorer window.

In an explorer window the graphic is 188 pixels wide(94+94)in case you want to use text or a single image.
[Message Edited]

Lecrayon

on Oct 01, 2003

Brainiac! Thanks for these tips, most I figured out, but lots of helpful tips

I.R. Brainiac

on Oct 01, 2003

Bones2112

on Oct 10, 2003

Yeah Thanks Brainiac, Koasati, and all again for all the tips, Quite useful!

eieio

on Oct 20, 2003

Just a bump.

Don't want this one to drop off the board.

Nomad529

on Dec 07, 2003

QUESTION:
I'm trying to update an older to skin to WB4(first try). I added images for the task/special panes, buttons and background and it looks fine in the preview in SS but now I can't even get explorer to show that part. It's as if it doesn't exist. When I switch to another skin it shows up fine. What am I doing wrong?

MMJuno

on Dec 28, 2003

QUESTION: Maybe I've overlooked it, but is there a way to stretch the background images for dialog boxes and the like? I see nowhere so far to change it from the default tile method.

Koasati

on Dec 28, 2003

#42 by Nomad529 - 12/7/2003 10:40:00 PM
QUESTION:
I'm trying to update an older to skin to WB4(first try). I added images for the task/special panes, buttons and background and it looks fine in the preview in SS but now I can't even get explorer to show that part. It's as if it doesn't exist. When I switch to another skin it shows up fine. What am I doing wrong?

#4 by Skinner I.R. Brainiac - 9/11/2003 5:43:23 PM
Tip:Those shellstyle images at the bottom right of explorer windows wont show unless the top left pixel of your image is EXACTLY the same color as your window background color. That ONE pixel determines whether or not the image will appear.

#43 by Citizen MegaManJuno - 12/28/2003 11:56:57 AM
QUESTION: Maybe I've overlooked it, but is there a way to stretch the background images for dialog boxes and the like? I see nowhere so far to change it from the default tile method.

ANSWER: I don't think there's an option for that.

Advait Shinde

on Jan 03, 2004

TIP: Use Stardock Skin Studio to apply your images to a skin.

Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:

Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting on the forums.
Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
It's simple, and FREE!