Newbie help with skin studio.

from WinCustomize Forums
I am trying to create my own skin. I have gotten fairly far for not working for very long.

Some problems I am having are:
The little buttons that close menus, minimize, and maximize the are not adjusting themselves. I have a smaller button than how big it was originally but the little X on it isn't shrinking. I can't find an option to change it either.

The text in the top menu bar is always white and it is on a white background. I found an option when i right clicked on the option that changes the font that said color. I changed it from white to black but nothing happened.

I have to make buttons the EXACT size and nearly the same shape as I see them in the original skin. I have seen many skins though with completely redesigned buttons.

I can't figure out how to move buttons.

I tried reading a tutorial and was completely lost. I'll post pictures of waht I've gotten so far. This is my 2nd day useing this program.
wincustomize
2,950 views 15 replies
Galactic Civilizations III
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
That site was helpful but alot of it went WAY over my head. I got the start menu and things 99% done.

I am working on the logout box thing. I am trying to load my buttons with clear areas. I saved them as .tgas like I always do except this time the clear areas didn't come up clear. I thought, "no big deal, this has happened before". Ussually I just tell it transparent instead of translucent. This time it didn't have taht option!

Skinning is so fun but they picked the most complex way to do it.
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
AssassN - seems you've hit one of the areas where TGAs can't be used for transparency. I've found that in the logout/logoff dialogues you have to stick to BMPs and use magic pink if necessary for simple on/off transparency.

Another bit with the same restriction is the window frames....there are probably others, but I can't think of them for now.
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
BTW - it's not that "they picked the most complex way to do it", if by "they" you mean Stardock, as a lot of the restrictions/complications are caused by Microsoft's routines which WB relies on in places. Other are caused by compromises needed for performance and reliability/compatability. Only a few are "fixable", and often They get sorted quickly once pointed out to the developers

Besides - if it were too easy, there'd be no fun in it
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
True true, if it was easy everyone would do it.

Well thanks for the advice. I assume I am useing that pink color I've seen when I go to edit files and I open them directly in Skin Studio?

Thanks for your help. You guys are great.
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Ok, I did it with the magical pink color. Now you can't see the logos and it still has a black background where the logos should be.
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Ok, I found out you gotta flatten image. Now I have this pink frindge around my buttons though. I assume where white meets pink it turns into a lighter pink that doesn't go away.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Try opening in photoshop and coloring each pixel that is the wrong shade of magic pink with the proper color... that's how I do it.

You probably knew that though.
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
"Try opening in photoshop and coloring each pixel that is the wrong shade of magic pink with the proper color... that's how I do it.

You probably knew that though."

I was just hoping to hear an easier solution.
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top

For the Shutdown/Logoff Dialog Buttons, use the area in the Dialog image, where the buttons set, for your Buttons background. Bulid your buttons over that.  :)





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Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
"For the Shutdown/Logoff Dialog Buttons, use the area in the Dialog image, where the buttons set, for your Buttons background. Bulid your buttons over that. "


It originally was a gradient. I changed it to a solid color and did just that.







Not bad for a first skin I think. Then again it wouldnt be the first time I was wrong.