Text colors in skins
Wednesday, January 14, 2004 by Ridge Runner | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
There are many attractive skins by made by many different people. Unfortunately, it seems that many are made but seemingly not used by the maker. Too many skins have text that is the same color, or near the same color, as the background they are on. In Windows what may be light on dark in one section becomes light on light in another section and visa versa. This makes attractive skins unusable unless a great deal of time is spent in SkinStudio making adjustments. Skin makers do not wish to have their skins modified without permission but this inattention to detail makes modifying the skin a neccessity. 
Keila
Reply #2 Wednesday, January 14, 2004 1:56 PM
Reply #2 Wednesday, January 14, 2004 1:56 PM
Crazy Travis, you are correct on both counts. Yes, as long as the skin you modified is only for your personal use.
Also, opening other authors skins in SkinStudio is a perfect way to learn how to make a WB.
Also, opening other authors skins in SkinStudio is a perfect way to learn how to make a WB.
Koasati
Reply #3 Wednesday, January 14, 2004 3:09 PM
Reply #3 Wednesday, January 14, 2004 3:09 PM
| you can make small modifications of the skins all you want as long as you don't distribute the modified skin without permission or claim the work as your own. |
For your own personal use, you can make any changes you wish. Not just small, but major changes as well.
Ridge Runner ....... you should point out any problems to the author of the skin(s) It may help them improve. 
goodmorphing
Reply #4 Wednesday, January 14, 2004 3:23 PM
Reply #4 Wednesday, January 14, 2004 3:23 PM
If you open your system display properties, then click on the appearance tab, then click on the advanced button you will find lots of font overrides. In the advanced window you will find at the bottom a button called other advanced controls. You can use these to change almost any setting you want.
[Message Edited]
[Message Edited]
SelfExiled
Reply #6 Wednesday, January 14, 2004 3:39 PM
Reply #6 Wednesday, January 14, 2004 3:39 PM
Okay, Ridge Runner, that was a constructive criticism and I will respond to it in kind. I've made three windowblind skins so far. From the very first day that I change anything to begin making a blind, I use it until the end. I spend weeks just using a partly constructed skin. I've read many other artists who say that they do the same. I'll tell you that the colors are the most difficult and frustrating part of a skin for me. One font color is the same in another part of the skin. That is the way "Windows" was designed. So, for example, if I use yellow font on what is a black background, in one area, it will look great. But, if the background changes to grey? Okay, so I use black text on the grey background, but what about the black background? It uses the same color for the text. And now, the text is unreadable. I've spent days apon days using a skin that I thought I liked the text color settings on, only to find another program where something was completely unreadable now. So, I blend the color. Make the Yellow darker, so it can work in both areas. But, it isn't easy. Also, one really has no idea, for some colors, everywhere that will be effected. It is a hit and miss scenario. You fix the color in one area, and it effects another area. There is also no real tutorial for all the color changes. No diagram anywhere that says everything that changes for this color as compared to another. It is almost impossible to find every change that one color will do in some cases. Only one person has the solution really. That person is Bill Gates. We just do the best we can and hope you like it. Believe me, we do. We want people to like our work. Otherwise, we've wasted 30 or 40 hours, and life is too short to waste so much time.
kongit
Reply #7 Wednesday, January 14, 2004 4:12 PM
Reply #7 Wednesday, January 14, 2004 4:12 PM
good 
I was pretty sure I was right just thinking from a common sense angle. but, a lot of skins have that little notice that pops up telling you not to modify the skin. the pop-ups on my two skins say that you just can't distribute modifications. I wish people would change it to that to avoid confusion.
I was pretty sure I was right just thinking from a common sense angle. but, a lot of skins have that little notice that pops up telling you not to modify the skin. the pop-ups on my two skins say that you just can't distribute modifications. I wish people would change it to that to avoid confusion.Please login to comment and/or vote for this skin.
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Reply #1 Wednesday, January 14, 2004 1:49 PM