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[HPBEME]

Add a line in the skin main.XML files to allow skin authors to specify a custom spotlight icon. The default icon is very unattractive IMO, and it clashes with the color scheme of every skin, with the possible exception of Aruba.

I am currently doing a major update of my Dream in Blue skin, and while I can replace the default spotlight icon located in the MC installation folder: Default Skin Items/Standard View with my custom icon(s), every time MC is updated it gets overwritten. I obviously know how to change it back after an update, but most users will have no idea how to do that.  If you add a dedicated spotlight icon input line to the skin XML, all is solved.

[marko]

Add a line in the skin main.XML files to allow skin authors to specify a custom spotlight icon. The default icon is very unattractive IMO, and it clashes with the color scheme of every skin, with the possible exception of Aruba.

Hi HPBME, this is already done. Simply add this inside the Frame section:

Code: [Select]

<Entry Name="SpotlightButton" Bitmap="Frame_Spotlight.png" NumberImages="3" />

I am currently doing a major update of my Dream in Blue skin, and while I can replace the default spotlight icon located in the MC installation folder: Default Skin Items/Standard View with my custom icon(s), every time MC is updated it gets overwritten. I obviously know how to change it back after an update, but most users will have no idea how to do that.  If you add a dedicated spotlight icon input line to the skin XML, all is solved.

In that "Default Skin Items" folder, there is also a "Main.xml" file. This shows how MC uses each item. If any of the default items are missing in the xml of the currently loaded skin, the default item is used. If present in the currently loaded skin main.xml, that takes precedence over the default item.

I always find 16x16 icons really hard to work with. The attached is what I came up with for my Knit Knots skins.

-marko

[HPBEME]

Ahh.... Fantastic! Marko to the rescue again - thanks buddy.

I tried some educated guesses at what the input line might be, but I obviously never came up with the correct text.  How did you find out about this?

Re: 16 x 16 icons… I agree, they are a pain. That said, I managed to come up with three very unique spotlight icon designs, and all of them are awesome. I predict MC will adopt one of them as the new default once I upload my new version of Dream in Blue.

Maybe you can educate me on the custom resources and how that works. I read a little bit on the wiki with a sample XML for custom hotkeys, but I don't really grasp what you're supposed to do.  You have my real email address, so if you are willing to explain it or at least point me to a place where I can learn about it myself, I would much appreciate it.

[marko]

Ahh.... Fantastic! Marko to the rescue again - thanks buddy.

I tried some educated guesses at what the input line might be, but I obviously never came up with the correct text.  How did you find out about this?

You're welcome. cnbc mentioned that the icon was skinnable earlier in Spotlight dev. I made an edit to my post above regarding how "Default Skin Items" work.

For a truly, 100% original skin, you would craft your own versions of every default skin item 
Some of the default items are really well chosen though. The border ones are very clever. I  passionately dislike those white frames around my photo thumbnails so generally work with the "Images Off" option enabled. A few weeks ago, I messed around a bit with the "Frame" image for Knit Knots, as attached, though I'm not sure if I like it or not yet....

I'll drop you a line re: "Custom resources"....

[HPBEME]

Thanks for the clarification. With your reply for guidance, this is now incredibly obvious (palm to face) in retrospect.

For a truly, 100% original skin, you would craft your own versions of every default skin item 

Reviewing that default skin item XML file, I am pretty sure I have replaced all the default skin images with my custom ones - with the exception of those picture borders you mentioned. I need to take a closer look at that. I always have the option to add a "picture frame" turned off, so I guess I forgot about them.

And for an unsolicited opinion, I think the screenshot of your custom picture borders look very nice - I like a good shadow effect.  Now that should be the MC default - I agree that the default white frames are  uuuuuugleeee!  That said, I guess shadows won't work on dark skins.  My personal preference would be to have zero space between all thumbnails - literally edge-to-edge.  In fact, I should post that as a another suggestion for this thread.  There already exists thumbnail spacing options for none, small, medium, large.  I always choose none, but no matter how I tweak the thumbnail size slider, the smallest gap I can get is still about four pixels.

So let's double up on this post.  Matt, can you make the "none" thumbnail spacing actually be zero space between thumbnails?

I'll drop you a line re: "Custom resources"....

I appreciate that and I look forward to your message.