SkinStudio 6 Beta Feedback

Tuesday, August 7, 2007 by Neil Banfield | Discussion: Stardock Support General

Please post general feedback about SkinStudio 6 here.

You must have WindowBlinds 6 beta installed to use SKS6, but any skins made with it should work with WindowBlinds 5 as well.

This is a beta so you should expect missing sections and bugs.  If you find SKS is missing support for a specific section, please let us know!

If you are working on a new skin it would be best to ensure it is backed up before using SKS6.  Remember in this beta all changes are saved instantly!

First Previous Page 1 of 8 Next Last
bilbo1930
Reply #1 Tuesday, August 7, 2007 3:52 PM
ok lets get to party..
PurrBall
Reply #2 Tuesday, August 7, 2007 4:59 PM
Woot
thomassen
Reply #3 Tuesday, August 7, 2007 5:05 PM
installing...
three updates on one day? it's like ... like ... a kinderegg!!
thomassen
Reply #4 Tuesday, August 7, 2007 5:16 PM
Nice!
Some first thoughts:

The "Theme parts detail" section with explanation of the various elements is very nice. With the old SKS I was sometimes confused over some of the elements, even though I'm used to programming VB and C# apps.

The skin colour section where you set the system colours would be nice if it was supported with a little preview of a window and some controls in just the classic mode.
PurrBall
Reply #5 Tuesday, August 7, 2007 5:30 PM
Tahoma should be used instead of MS Sans Serif and Microsoft Sans Serif throughout the UI. Come on, one of those doesnt even use ClearType.
WebGizmos
Reply #6 Tuesday, August 7, 2007 5:38 PM
Do we need to uninstall SKS before installing 6?
PurrBall
Reply #7 Tuesday, August 7, 2007 5:41 PM

Do we need to uninstall SKS before installing 6?


No.
Also, the Classic Fonts configuration is missing. Ive also lost the ability to set No Image Defined in shellstyle images.
Neil Banfield
Reply #8 Tuesday, August 7, 2007 5:57 PM
Remember it is a beta and will be missing some things.
Quentin94
Reply #9 Tuesday, August 7, 2007 8:50 PM
Look great for now, maybe need some improvements on previews of the skin (interactivity real preview to see how act the elements like buttons...)... But i'll wait to explore it a little more maybe miss some options

Also try out with a copy of my Skin called "Arileen" copy to "ArileenSKS6" and apply and got a wonderful glitch on many elements (back to Luna theme or simply missing)
tried again in calling the copy "Arilee" "SKS6" "SKSTest" no problems
tried again with "Arileen6" problems odd
Maybe (after thinking in this problem) the 60 characters things... is there anyway to see the code and the analyse like in SKS5 ?

Thanks in all cases that will be helpful to make Vista skins
messiah1
Reply #10 Tuesday, August 7, 2007 9:38 PM
OH MAN! This is awsome. I'm just surfing it right now but I can't wait to devote a little time to it. GREAT JOB STARDOCK! You folks sure do ROCK!
eieio
Reply #11 Wednesday, August 8, 2007 12:25 AM
Am I just not seeing 'Content Margins'? or is that one of the missing due to beta things?
ShelbyGT_The_Car
Reply #12 Wednesday, August 8, 2007 1:02 AM
Hum gona have to see how both SKS 5 and SKS 6 will work together to get the things all worked out it seems. Looks nice so far - will spend more time this weekend to getting some stuff worked over with this and maybe an update or two would be nice also by then??...!

Great Work Team!
SGT  
Neil Banfield
Reply #13 Wednesday, August 8, 2007 5:13 AM
Content margins are set on the text page
NightTrainthedark
Reply #14 Wednesday, August 8, 2007 5:52 AM
It will take some getting used to but I think in the end I will prefer the 6.0 set up better.

However.. It won't apply any changes I make unless I close out SKS 6 and restart, then applying , the changes happen.

Example.. I simply edit the tasknar background to a new color. Save and apply, no change.
Close out SKS, restart, open skin, apply, changes happen.

The changes are also not showing in the preview window immediately either. I must restart SKS for the changes to show.

I already uninstalled windowblinds 6 and sks 6 and reinstalled.


Running XP SP2
WindowBlinds version : WindowBlinds 6 (6.0 (beta build 21 x86))

WindowBlinds is installed correctly on this PC

WindowBlinds appears to be activated on this PC

Your machine supports per pixel borders on WindowBlinds skins.

(Plug and Play Monitor) 1 is attached to NVIDIA GeForce 6600 GT
(Plug and Play Monitor) 2 is attached to NVIDIA GeForce 6600 GT

Wblind.dll 2007/08/07 11:43:20
Wbsrv.dll 2007/08/02 11:25:18
Wbconfig.exe 2007/08/02 11:25:47
Wbload.exe 2007/07/30 13:14:11
Wbhelp.dll 2007/07/24 10:21:07
Wbui.dll 2007/07/24 10:21:06
Tray.dll 2007/07/24 10:21:49


I would like to request a more convenient location for the apply button. Using the drop menus are ok but I apply , apply, apply.




Neil Banfield
Reply #15 Wednesday, August 8, 2007 5:59 AM
If you have edited an image that was a TGA then you will need to press F5 when you return to SKS so it reimports the image.  Otherwise it will not reimport until the next time it reloads the preview.
NightTrainthedark
Reply #16 Wednesday, August 8, 2007 6:08 AM
If you have edited an image that was a TGA then you will need to press F5


That was easy. Lets see what else I can screw up now.   
thomassen
Reply #17 Wednesday, August 8, 2007 6:44 AM
Tahoma should be used instead of MS Sans Serif and Microsoft Sans Serif throughout the UI. Come on, one of those doesnt even use ClearType.

For Vista systems is "Segoe UI" according to the new UI guidelines.
I.R. Brainiac
Reply #18 Wednesday, August 8, 2007 6:49 AM
all changes are saved instantly!



That seems like a bad bad idea...while adjusting and piddling,seeing realtime updates in the preview window is fine...but to have test settings applied whether you like them or not(or intend to save)is scary at best.

You WILL forget and you may be making changes to more than 1 section without knowing it.  

It could be a usable feature but it needs to be something you can turn on and off on the fly.
NightTrainthedark
Reply #19 Wednesday, August 8, 2007 6:51 AM
I.R. It said that the final version will not work that way when I started it up. Only the Beta. Thankfully...whew.
vStyler
Reply #20 Wednesday, August 8, 2007 6:52 AM
all changes are saved instantly!


I have to agree with I R... this at least should be an option to use or bypass by preference if wanted.   

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