A bit of general help...

...on major suite.

from WinCustomize Forums
Ok here goes,i'm making a grand suite due to completion at sometime in summer,maybe in the fall.I know it sounds big but it isn't,at least i don't have that innovative flame to achieve such works.Well i'm a bit stuck with details and i'd like some help if you would like to enlighten me on some issues:

a.How do you skin the throbber,which version of Skin Studio is the feature implemented in?I have 4.1 Build 872.How do you make a throbber,which program to use?

b.Which program is best to use for making animations?I have Image Forge 3,but something just doesn't work.

c.How can you insert a new texture in Photoshop Pattern Style in Blending Options?

d.What program do you use for creating Icons and 3D Icons?Besides Corel Draw and Photoshop.

e.How do you make a Compact size Start Menu?

f.Which is the most complete Windows Media Player skin that you've seen?I need coding guidance,as well as for Winamp.

g.Does anyone use Beatnik,Color Pad,Coolplayer,Dashboard,KewlpAd?Just to know whether to skin them or not...

Well that are all my inquiries for the moment.I hope someone responds to some of these questions.Thanks for any help.
requests
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Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
How do you make a throbber,which program to use?


I assume any graphics editor for the throbber itself and an animation studio for the animation itself. Gif Movie Gear really works well. ImageReady [with Photoshop] functions well, too. PSP comes bundled with animation software; all should suffice.

Which program is best to use for making animations?


I think it comes down to preference and what works out best for you. I prefer GIF Movie Gear, myself.



How can you insert a new texture in Photoshop Pattern Style in Blending Options?



Once you have a tile[able] image, go to EDIT > Define Pattern. Give it a name in the popup menu then hit ENTER. From there, either go to Layer > Add layer style > Texture/pattern overlay OR in the top menu go to EDIT > Fill and select "Pattern" from the menu options of that window.

What program do you use for creating Icons and 3D Icons?


Haven't made many icons. I presume IconDeveloper?.. I could be dead-wrong, though. Sorry.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I assume any graphics editor for the throbber itself and an animation studio for the animation itself.


The throbber is an avi animation or a gif animation?

GIF Movie Gear


It compresses it to the MS RLE format required by SkinStudio?Cause i'm having a bit problem getting the right format.

IconDeveloper?..


Nope you are right,Icon Developer is great for making icons,but i am also asking for 3D icons.Is it pseudo 3D,like the ones in Mormegil's tutorials in Corel,or there is someking of program to make mini-3D models for icons?

All in all thank you for the help Master Apprentice sbgFX,you are a great help indeed,especially on the advice about Photoshop.
Sins of a Solar Empire II
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The throbber is an avi animation or a gif animation?


oh, yea.. LOL.. Not sure. I'm guessing AVI. Sorry

It compresses it to the MS RLE format required by SkinStudio?


I'm assuming so as I've already used that program to make the rest of the animations for WindowBlind [the one I've made]
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The throbber is a bitmap with several frames similar to how you do animations in DX.
More info: http://www.virtualplastic.net/html/logo_thr.html#throbber
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thank to you both Master Apprentice sbgFX and Developer thomassen.