Skinstudio - Your likes & dislikes
Wednesday, April 4, 2007 by Neil Banfield | Discussion: Skinning
I was wondering what features you use in SkinStudio, what features you do not use, and what features would you really like to see in future versions.
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DigitalCHET
Reply #42 Thursday, April 12, 2007 12:01 AM
Dani, it already has a button that does this. On the toolbar, it's the folder icon to the right of the Find & Replace button (the magnifying glass), Browse Skin Folder.
I did, however, notice that when it loads up the folder in Windows Explorer, the folder name is truncated using the older (Windows 95, etc) style FOLDER~# naming convention, i.e. D:\Stardock\WINDOW~1\Acrylic. I checked the installation folder to make sure it was wasn't mislabeled and found everything to be ok with the name in Explorer, so I'm wondering if it's a minor SKS bug.
Indeed. That would be very useful and helpful.
Yes, this would be great as part of the Apply the Skin Now or Save Current File processes.
Reply #42 Thursday, April 12, 2007 12:01 AM
2 - A button to browse the skin folder in Windows Explorer.
Dani, it already has a button that does this. On the toolbar, it's the folder icon to the right of the Find & Replace button (the magnifying glass), Browse Skin Folder.
I did, however, notice that when it loads up the folder in Windows Explorer, the folder name is truncated using the older (Windows 95, etc) style FOLDER~# naming convention, i.e. D:\Stardock\WINDOW~1\Acrylic. I checked the installation folder to make sure it was wasn't mislabeled and found everything to be ok with the name in Explorer, so I'm wondering if it's a minor SKS bug.
3 - A way to save the skin with it's sub-styles together (this could be a very useful feature).
Indeed. That would be very useful and helpful.
6 - A button to backup the working skin (just zip a copy of the skin folder), this
could help the skinners when they are experimenting unusual things (graphics or code
tweaks).
could help the skinners when they are experimenting unusual things (graphics or code
tweaks).
Yes, this would be great as part of the Apply the Skin Now or Save Current File processes.
Daiwa
Reply #43 Thursday, April 12, 2007 12:45 AM
Reply #43 Thursday, April 12, 2007 12:45 AM
There are a number of things that SKS could be more explicit about.
The Help pane: Describing the image tile orientation (horizontal vs. vertical); there is no rhyme or reason why most are horizontal but some vertical & SKS doesn't clue you in. Certain images need to be specific &/or minimum or maximum sizes & SKS could tell you, but doesn't.
The Preview: It currently fails to render many elements as skinned (e.g., font colors in Taskbar Buttons) and previews some things skinned when they can't be (depending on the OS) or not as they are actually displayed when skinned (e.g., Panel Content & Special Pane Content images). If you were limited to fixing just one aspect of SKS, generating true WYSIWYG previews would be it.
The Classic Colors section does not use the same naming conventions as Windows Display Properties and uses a preview image that is bassackwards from Windows DP. I've never understood why it needed to be different; using the same names for GUI elements would avoid a ton of confusion because SKS doesn't have translation guide (which it shouldn't need, anyway).
An OS-specific preview would really be a boon. It would allow us to more easily create substyles specifically for Win2k, for instance, using images that the OS supports (transparency issues mainly).
I'm sure there are more things I've run across but can't think of just now. More will follow as I recall/encounter them.
Thanks for asking, Neil.
The Help pane: Describing the image tile orientation (horizontal vs. vertical); there is no rhyme or reason why most are horizontal but some vertical & SKS doesn't clue you in. Certain images need to be specific &/or minimum or maximum sizes & SKS could tell you, but doesn't.
The Preview: It currently fails to render many elements as skinned (e.g., font colors in Taskbar Buttons) and previews some things skinned when they can't be (depending on the OS) or not as they are actually displayed when skinned (e.g., Panel Content & Special Pane Content images). If you were limited to fixing just one aspect of SKS, generating true WYSIWYG previews would be it.
The Classic Colors section does not use the same naming conventions as Windows Display Properties and uses a preview image that is bassackwards from Windows DP. I've never understood why it needed to be different; using the same names for GUI elements would avoid a ton of confusion because SKS doesn't have translation guide (which it shouldn't need, anyway).
An OS-specific preview would really be a boon. It would allow us to more easily create substyles specifically for Win2k, for instance, using images that the OS supports (transparency issues mainly).
I'm sure there are more things I've run across but can't think of just now. More will follow as I recall/encounter them.
Thanks for asking, Neil.
patrick24
Reply #44 Friday, April 20, 2007 10:49 AM
1 - A button to clear the skin cash files (.wb4, BLOCK files).
2 - A button to browse the skin folder in Windows Explorer.
3 - A way to save the skin with it's sub-styles together (this could be a very useful feature).
4 - Better UI icons (32 bit ones)
5 - A way to export the skin code as XML or something like the actual "Generate Documentation" feature but with a HTML that works in Firefox and other browsers than IE.
6 - A button to backup the working skin (just zip a copy of the skin folder), this
could help the skinners when they are experimenting unusual things (graphics or code
tweaks).
You're a GENIUS!
Reply #44 Friday, April 20, 2007 10:49 AM
1 - A button to clear the skin cash files (.wb4, BLOCK files).
2 - A button to browse the skin folder in Windows Explorer.
3 - A way to save the skin with it's sub-styles together (this could be a very useful feature).
4 - Better UI icons (32 bit ones)
5 - A way to export the skin code as XML or something like the actual "Generate Documentation" feature but with a HTML that works in Firefox and other browsers than IE.
6 - A button to backup the working skin (just zip a copy of the skin folder), this
could help the skinners when they are experimenting unusual things (graphics or code
tweaks).
You're a GENIUS!
Vampothika
Reply #45 Tuesday, May 15, 2007 5:41 PM
Reply #45 Tuesday, May 15, 2007 5:41 PM
I just thought of 2 more things that I think would look great skinned and also give that extra element to the skinning of wb. When you double click the time in the task tray the window comes up that shows you the time, date year ect... what about skinning that horrid ticking clock that is in the 'time' section. i think that would be great. and another thing i would like skinned is the
computer icon in computer properties, GENERAL section.
computer icon in computer properties, GENERAL section.
2of3
Reply #46 Saturday, July 14, 2007 5:03 AM
Yeah!
second that!
Reply #46 Saturday, July 14, 2007 5:03 AM
I think the classic colours could have more explanation exactly what they are used for ect......
Yeah!
content margins are so inaccurate. I hate messing with content margins a bunch of times and previewing the skin to see if it's correct. What would be sweet is if there were content and stretching margins in real-time previews of what your editing. I also think being able to have custom preview elements by just drag and dropping items over to you window, or just click on one item and thats all you see, with additional options to show/hide text or different elements.
second that!
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Reply #41 Wednesday, April 11, 2007 11:10 PM