Creating desktop x Themes and icons PLEASE help :)!
Wednesday, August 8, 2001 by magic0200 | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
Hey, I just recently got into des X and I was wondering how do you make the icons (programs and steps)? I'm excelled in Flash and Photoshop programs, so can anyone please help me out with this. Also do you need a special version of Desktop X to create your own themes, like window blinds has that "enhanced" version? TIA to anyone who responds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
paxx
Reply #2 Wednesday, August 8, 2001 10:05 PM
Reply #2 Wednesday, August 8, 2001 10:05 PM
You don't need anything but the regular version of DesktopX (although I really don't know if the trial version is crippled or not - sorry) and your favorite bitmap editor (Photoshop), although I do start with Flash to create my objects's animations sometimes.
An object is all but either a BMP or a PNG. I suggest using 24 bits PNG with alpha blending. This way you can create very easily degrees of transparencyt and somehat of a antialiasing around your objects. So, since you said you master Photoshop, you proabably know how to create transparent PNGs. That's your regularobject. If you want an animation, create a horizontal strip with all the frames of your animation next to each other.
What I do often is create my animation in Flash, export as animated GIF, then convert the GIF'S frames into one flat strip.
The best thing to do is still to extract the graphics from a theme or object and open the graphics in Photoshop, you'll understand howe it's done. To extract the files, just rename the .dxtheme or .dxpack extensions to .zip, then unzip.
Hope this helps. Have fun.
An object is all but either a BMP or a PNG. I suggest using 24 bits PNG with alpha blending. This way you can create very easily degrees of transparencyt and somehat of a antialiasing around your objects. So, since you said you master Photoshop, you proabably know how to create transparent PNGs. That's your regularobject. If you want an animation, create a horizontal strip with all the frames of your animation next to each other.
What I do often is create my animation in Flash, export as animated GIF, then convert the GIF'S frames into one flat strip.
The best thing to do is still to extract the graphics from a theme or object and open the graphics in Photoshop, you'll understand howe it's done. To extract the files, just rename the .dxtheme or .dxpack extensions to .zip, then unzip.
Hope this helps. Have fun.
BoXXi
Reply #3 Wednesday, August 8, 2001 10:05 PM
Reply #3 Wednesday, August 8, 2001 10:05 PM
You can make them in Photoshop, and you don't need anything special in you DX program.
I just started theming Dx this week, and this is what I do when I want learn how to make an object:
Go to the objects folder in "C:\Program Files\Object desktop\Objects, choose an object that you want to copy, right click on it and choose "open with"-Winzip, this opens the file and lets you extract the contents so that you can examine them in Photoshop. Then when you have figured out how the objects graphics are made, look how it is configured in the DesktopX settings, and you should be able to make your own.
Works for me! But I usually do things the hard way, so someone will probably come along and tell you it's simpler than that.
Good Luck........
I just started theming Dx this week, and this is what I do when I want learn how to make an object:
Go to the objects folder in "C:\Program Files\Object desktop\Objects, choose an object that you want to copy, right click on it and choose "open with"-Winzip, this opens the file and lets you extract the contents so that you can examine them in Photoshop. Then when you have figured out how the objects graphics are made, look how it is configured in the DesktopX settings, and you should be able to make your own.
Works for me! But I usually do things the hard way, so someone will probably come along and tell you it's simpler than that.
Good Luck........
Dork
Reply #4 Wednesday, August 8, 2001 10:18 PM
Reply #4 Wednesday, August 8, 2001 10:18 PM
graphics associated with the _current_ theme are copied into a folder inside object desktop/desktopx, usually, desktopx/currenttheme.
from here you can browse the contents of a theme without renaming/unziping, but be careful with the contents.
also, right click on DX, choose 'object browser' to get an idea of the structure.
.png's also have limitations on some machines if they are set to 'always on top'.
there is a tutorial here http://www.mis-online.co.uk/
grab a theme, play with the bits, you'll learn...
from here you can browse the contents of a theme without renaming/unziping, but be careful with the contents.
also, right click on DX, choose 'object browser' to get an idea of the structure.
.png's also have limitations on some machines if they are set to 'always on top'.
there is a tutorial here http://www.mis-online.co.uk/
grab a theme, play with the bits, you'll learn...
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Reply #1 Wednesday, August 8, 2001 8:07 PM