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Author Topic: I need a bump start regarding skin creation.  (Read 1796 times)

marko

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I need a bump start regarding skin creation.
« on: January 22, 2007, 11:18:01 am »

I started messing around with "The Fly". The idea being to create "The Fly 2" with more original, and less borrowed content.

I began messing around with player bar display ideas, drawing a little incentive from the "amped" mini skins...

This is still rough, just some preliminary messing around to get a feel of what does what..

Now, the player_bar_display image is actually a part of the main_frame_top_border image because I could not work out how to place the display text within the display. The top line of text was being placed at the absolute top of the image, so parts of the text were over the black border at the top, while there was ample empty space at the bottom for it all to drop a few pixels and still fit in nicely. Is it possible to place the text, or is my work-around actually the correct way to tackle the issue? As you can see, the text could still do with dropping another few pixels to be properly vertically centered.

The other thing I need help getting to grips with is the matrix drawing system.
I can grasp the basics of the 'old style' way, using margins, sections A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,J and DrawModes, but I cannot get my head around the rows, columns and ?-flex stuff of the 'new' method.

I've found a few skins that use the new way, with row numbers such as 5, or 41, etc. but when I edit the row numbers to get an idea of what effect it will have, nothing in the skin changes, leaving me floundering.
Are they percentages? I see some images with row numbers of 100?
or does the skinning engine draw the matrix depending upon how many rows and/or columns are specified?
and if so, is a corresponding "numberimages" value also required?

I've a feeling some rather neat stuff could be achieved if I could just get some momentum built up.

fx. I see some "Action Window" template images that contain two images, but don't understand why, or how, they would be implemented. IIRC, Aruba is one such skin...

Anyone out there up for a quick "skinning workshop"?

-marko.

Mr ChriZ

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Re: I need a bump start regarding skin creation.
« Reply #1 on: January 23, 2007, 09:34:26 am »

I can help with the matrix drawing system.
It took me a while to get my head around it but it's really simple.
If you choose a graphic I'll happily try and point out how it should work...
I don't use it much yet as I learnt late on in my skin.

edladner

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Re: I need a bump start regarding skin creation.
« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2007, 01:12:51 pm »

Quite an intresting song there Marko.  I have a couple questions about skins.  I took the old itunes skin from v10 and fixed it up to work with v12.  I renamed it Itunes killer tho, may get in trouble for that. I put a death figure on it with an apple with headphone with a red no circle on it.   I dont know if it's okay to post or not.  I also reworked the tbo-s playning now skin into the itunes style.  I have tried to get on the board there but it appears to be inactive, I am pretty sure you have something to do with that plugin right?


http://home.earthlink.net/~edladner/PlayingNow.jpg

http://home.earthlink.net/~edladner/ps000021.JPG
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marko

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Re: I need a bump start regarding skin creation.
« Reply #3 on: January 28, 2007, 01:19:18 pm »

Mr ChriZ, thanks for responding.
Things are falling apart around here atm...

My router finally threw the towel in this weekend...
Firefox can't login to the replacement D-Link's pretty 'orrible java control panel...

My scanner's just stopped working too! It's making all the right noises, the right lights are flashing at the right times, but no picture, just an error saying "no original detected" which is all very frustrating!

I shall clear the workbench, then get back to you.

edlander,
Quote
I also reworked the tbo-s playning now skin into the itunes style.  I have tried to get on the board there but it appears to be inactive, I am pretty sure you have something to do with that plugin right?
wrong.
I knocked up a few skins for it, that's all.

-marko.

edladner

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Re: I need a bump start regarding skin creation.
« Reply #4 on: January 29, 2007, 03:40:28 am »

I knocked up a few skins for it, that's all.

-marko.

Sorry about that. If you have a moment, your opinion of my skins would be valuable.

Playing now
http://home.earthlink.net/~edladner/PlayingNow.jpg

Media Center 12
http://home.earthlink.net/~edladner/ps000021.JPG
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