How to create WindowBlinds skins
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Stardock Forums
Stardock Forums
Many users swear by Notepad in their creation of WindowBlinds skins. That's usually becaue when they got started, notepad was the best way to do it. Early versions of BuildBlinds and SkinStudio just weren't easy enough to get the job done.
But that's changing. A use can now create a skin in a matter of hours rather than days by using some of the features of SkinStudio to their advantage.
Here are a few links to help get started:
If you don't have SkinStudio you can get it at http://www.skinstudio.net
Here is a link to the UIS 2 skin tutorial: http://www.windowblinds.net/skinning/2-uis2tutorial.html
One of the best tutorials I've seen and best third party one for sure is here:
http://www.aleksyandr.com/tutorial.htm
Aleksyandr did a great job on this.
Now for me, I'm lazy. Dangerously lazy. And for that reason, what I do is literally draw up my GUI in say Photoshop how I want it to look. Then I load up SkinStudio and choose new blank skin. It then creates a completed Luna style skin. From there, I then go to file->load template image and load up my template bitmap.
From there, I can literally select the pieces I want and press the cut button and it will do the work for you. No need to mess with different button states and such because it does it for you.
There will be a more complete article on this feature soon. But for now, that feature will save you a lot of time. The real work should be in creating the graphics, not having to mess with the skin language itself.
If you have any specific questions on skinning, respond here and I'll ask someone from Stardock (or I'll do it myself) to respond with some info on it. Good luck and have fun!
But that's changing. A use can now create a skin in a matter of hours rather than days by using some of the features of SkinStudio to their advantage.
Here are a few links to help get started:
If you don't have SkinStudio you can get it at http://www.skinstudio.net
Here is a link to the UIS 2 skin tutorial: http://www.windowblinds.net/skinning/2-uis2tutorial.html
One of the best tutorials I've seen and best third party one for sure is here:
http://www.aleksyandr.com/tutorial.htm
Aleksyandr did a great job on this.
Now for me, I'm lazy. Dangerously lazy. And for that reason, what I do is literally draw up my GUI in say Photoshop how I want it to look. Then I load up SkinStudio and choose new blank skin. It then creates a completed Luna style skin. From there, I then go to file->load template image and load up my template bitmap.
From there, I can literally select the pieces I want and press the cut button and it will do the work for you. No need to mess with different button states and such because it does it for you.
There will be a more complete article on this feature soon. But for now, that feature will save you a lot of time. The real work should be in creating the graphics, not having to mess with the skin language itself.
If you have any specific questions on skinning, respond here and I'll ask someone from Stardock (or I'll do it myself) to respond with some info on it. Good luck and have fun!
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