i need examples for a skinning system
Sunday, September 8, 2002 by DanielG | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
hi everyone,
i've been writing a skinning system for a while now which i'd like to post on to a programming site (www.codeproject.com) as a free resource to help programmers (and their users) to skin their applications.
however i am not a graphic artist (most of the stuff here would put me to shame
) and am therefore asking if there are any of you who would be open to me using their skin(s) purely as examples (with specific copyright mention etc).
in addition to screenshots where the code is posted, the skin(s) would also be packaged with the code to allow programmers to hack the code and see how it all works.
i know i'm asking alot but having spent so much time on the system i'd really like to get it out there with some great looking sample skins.
i suspect that before we get to that position you'll want to ask some questions, so go ahead, make my day
i've been writing a skinning system for a while now which i'd like to post on to a programming site (www.codeproject.com) as a free resource to help programmers (and their users) to skin their applications.
however i am not a graphic artist (most of the stuff here would put me to shame
) and am therefore asking if there are any of you who would be open to me using their skin(s) purely as examples (with specific copyright mention etc).in addition to screenshots where the code is posted, the skin(s) would also be packaged with the code to allow programmers to hack the code and see how it all works.
i know i'm asking alot but having spent so much time on the system i'd really like to get it out there with some great looking sample skins.
i suspect that before we get to that position you'll want to ask some questions, so go ahead, make my day
DanielG
Reply #2 Sunday, September 8, 2002 11:06 PM
Reply #2 Sunday, September 8, 2002 11:06 PM
not specifically, but early on in the development of the system i did use a couple of windowblind skins to get started.
some history
------------
having seen the skins on trillian and winamp, it occurred to me that the app was probably designed around the skinning system and that the skinning system was very specific to the application.
as an alternative i tried to conceive of a skinning system which required _virtually_ no code changes on the part of the application - a simple initialization and then code to browse to a skin file is all.
and thats what i've done.
essentially the skin system replaces all the non-client areas of a window (title, border, menu) together with some other elements (toolbars, status bar, sliders etc).
so the bit where the user is doing most of their work remains as-is, but all around it becomes skinned.
i'm more than happy to work up a mini app to display a skin so that people can play with it.
i'll even bodge up a skin for it too
some history
------------
having seen the skins on trillian and winamp, it occurred to me that the app was probably designed around the skinning system and that the skinning system was very specific to the application.
as an alternative i tried to conceive of a skinning system which required _virtually_ no code changes on the part of the application - a simple initialization and then code to browse to a skin file is all.
and thats what i've done.
essentially the skin system replaces all the non-client areas of a window (title, border, menu) together with some other elements (toolbars, status bar, sliders etc).
so the bit where the user is doing most of their work remains as-is, but all around it becomes skinned.
i'm more than happy to work up a mini app to display a skin so that people can play with it.
i'll even bodge up a skin for it too
DanielG
Reply #4 Monday, September 9, 2002 12:13 AM
Reply #4 Monday, September 9, 2002 12:13 AM
what's the best way to post the binaries?
to you directly or somewhere on this site?
to you directly or somewhere on this site?
DanielG
Reply #5 Monday, September 9, 2002 12:24 AM
Reply #5 Monday, September 9, 2002 12:24 AM
ps. i'll do a _really_ simple port of internet explorer just so that there is some content to look at.
Koasati
Reply #6 Monday, September 9, 2002 12:36 AM
Reply #6 Monday, September 9, 2002 12:36 AM
If it's not huge, you can send it to [email protected]
What size file are we talking about?....I'm on dialup.
What size file are we talking about?....I'm on dialup.
DanielG
Reply #7 Monday, September 9, 2002 12:42 AM
Reply #7 Monday, September 9, 2002 12:42 AM
tell you what.
when i've got it working, i'll package it up and let you know how big, but i'm anticipating about 200k zipped.
when i've got it working, i'll package it up and let you know how big, but i'm anticipating about 200k zipped.
Koasati
Reply #8 Monday, September 9, 2002 12:59 AM
Reply #8 Monday, September 9, 2002 12:59 AM
200k isn't so bad. Let me know when you're ready.
joetheblow
Reply #9 Monday, September 9, 2002 1:07 AM
Reply #9 Monday, September 9, 2002 1:07 AM
wow that sounds good. does this program skin everythng or just a specific program?
Koasati
Reply #10 Monday, September 9, 2002 1:33 AM
Reply #10 Monday, September 9, 2002 1:33 AM
a free resource to help programmers (and their users) to skin their applications.
some history
------------
having seen the skins on trillian and winamp, it occurred to me that the app was probably designed around the skinning system and that the skinning system was very specific to the application.
as an alternative i tried to conceive of a skinning system which required _virtually_ no code changes on the part of the application - a simple initialization and then code to browse to a skin file is all.
and thats what i've done.
essentially the skin system replaces all the non-client areas of a window (title, border, menu) together with some other elements (toolbars, status bar, sliders etc).
so the bit where the user is doing most of their work remains as-is, but all around it becomes skinned
joe..what did you not understand?
some history
------------
having seen the skins on trillian and winamp, it occurred to me that the app was probably designed around the skinning system and that the skinning system was very specific to the application.
as an alternative i tried to conceive of a skinning system which required _virtually_ no code changes on the part of the application - a simple initialization and then code to browse to a skin file is all.
and thats what i've done.
essentially the skin system replaces all the non-client areas of a window (title, border, menu) together with some other elements (toolbars, status bar, sliders etc).
so the bit where the user is doing most of their work remains as-is, but all around it becomes skinned
joe..what did you not understand?
Koasati
Reply #11 Monday, September 9, 2002 1:36 AM
Reply #11 Monday, September 9, 2002 1:36 AM
OMG! I just realized this is aafuss's dream come true. EEK! 
Koasati
Reply #12 Monday, September 9, 2002 6:43 PM
Reply #12 Monday, September 9, 2002 6:43 PM
I'm surprised no one else seems interested in this.
DanielG
Reply #13 Monday, September 9, 2002 7:39 PM
Reply #13 Monday, September 9, 2002 7:39 PM
i don't know.
i've been watching this forum for a while seeing how 'things' work to work out how i might get people interested.
but in the end, i just thought 'go for it'.
and so long as one or two people are interested enough to give it a go (thanks) then it'll either build from there if it's good enough or it'll die because it wasn't.
i've been watching this forum for a while seeing how 'things' work to work out how i might get people interested.
but in the end, i just thought 'go for it'.
and so long as one or two people are interested enough to give it a go (thanks) then it'll either build from there if it's good enough or it'll die because it wasn't.
Koasati
Reply #14 Monday, September 9, 2002 8:51 PM
Reply #14 Monday, September 9, 2002 8:51 PM
Daniel, you may get a better response here.. http://skinnables.org/
DanielG
Reply #15 Monday, September 9, 2002 10:39 PM
Reply #15 Monday, September 9, 2002 10:39 PM
thanks
i had a look and for the moment it looks way too hardcore for my humble beginnings
i had a look and for the moment it looks way too hardcore for my humble beginnings
Integer
Reply #16 Tuesday, September 10, 2002 1:27 PM
Reply #16 Tuesday, September 10, 2002 1:27 PM
ooh - I'm interested
Skinnables.org is in no way hardcore - we aim to help budding developers in any small way we can, please feel free to drop by.
Skinnables.org is in no way hardcore - we aim to help budding developers in any small way we can, please feel free to drop by.
DanielG
Reply #17 Tuesday, September 10, 2002 8:01 PM
Reply #17 Tuesday, September 10, 2002 8:01 PM
ok
but first let me work with koasati a bit and then when i/we think its a go-er i'll get in touch and we can talk about it.
as i'm sure you'll all understand, posting code that is not ready can get you really hammered in the forums so i'm just treading carefully
but first let me work with koasati a bit and then when i/we think its a go-er i'll get in touch and we can talk about it.
as i'm sure you'll all understand, posting code that is not ready can get you really hammered in the forums so i'm just treading carefully
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Reply #1 Sunday, September 8, 2002 10:29 PM