PoSmedley PoSmedley

One Piece At A Time : Windowblind Tutorial Part III

▼

One Piece At A Time : Windowblind Tutorial Part III

Design: Edit Controls

from WinCustomize Forums

 

Welcome to Part III of the 'One Piece At A Time' tutorial. This thread will be concentrating on the design of the 'Edit Controls' for the Roan Windowblind. Several skinners are helping me through these threads in an effort to understand and learn how to build Windowblinds. (And they would be Vampothika, neone6, and 2of3) Along with a lot of other talented skinners, artists, etc, who have participated with this so far, we're hoping these threads will also help other would be or existing skinners as well. We also have gmc2 sorting through all of the info posted for hte Wincustomize Wiki.

For these first few parts, we'll be working on the design of the Roan Windowblinds elements and then bringing them all together and exploring SKS (Skin Studio) where we'll take everything and put it together.

If you're looking for Part I and II, you can find them here:

One Piece At A Time : Windowblind Tutorial Part I

Design : Start Menu and Taskbar

 

One Piece At A Time : Windowblind Tutorial Part II

Design: Title Bars & Window Frames

 

PLEASE :

  • I am open to suggestions but may not use any of them. Please, don't be offended if I don't use yours.
  • Keep the image posting to the skin(s)
  • If you want to make a skin to go with this, PM me for the files. My PSD's tend to be a mess, but I save everything and will be happy to     share. I am uploading the actual files to the Graphics Gallery here on Wincustomize.
  • We'll be skinning for Windows7, maybe Vista. If someone wants to do XP, PM me and I will get you what you need.
  • Any files you request will come as I complete them. I won't be jumping ahead. Please be patient.
  • ;)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The PSD files for the  previous threads are in the Graphics Gallery.

Roan WB Title Bars and Window Frames  

  Roan WB Taskbar Buttons

Roan WB Title Bars and Window Frames  

  Roan WB Taskbar Buttons

74,362 views 118 replies
Reply #76 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting PoSmedley, reply 74
Not using transparency. Afraid to ask if I should be.

Just my opinion, but don't use transparency on this one.  It's not mean to be glassy.  Just delete all the code in the glass section. 

As for the lovely texture...it's not going to work in the header bars.  You're better off going with something a little simpler there, like a gradient or just a little inner glow.

Reply #77 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting PoSmedley, reply 74
Don't they have it hanging on the fridge in the break-room along with all your other uh...'art'?
If they are going to hang somethign, I'd vote for the art.   x_x

Galactic Civilizations III
Reply #78 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Zubaz, reply 68
So you've seen my first Xion skin?

Yup and I bet it works too. :thumbsup:

Reply #79 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I am here in case...... :waaaa:

Reply #80 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Zubaz, reply 77
Quoting PoSmedley, reply 74Don't they have it hanging on the fridge in the break-room along with all your other uh...'art'?If they are going to hang somethign, I'd vote for the art.  

Reply #81 from WinCustomize Forums Top

What a pain in the ass this was.

Previous SS of Header Bar - Used rounded corners on top and bottom...then just on bottom...doesn't tell you NOT to use rounded corners.

The freaking separators....geez. I can't explain what I did to get them to what you see below but all the previous versions were too dark, too wide, and awful. Maybe one of you Pro's can explain it (for the Wiki).

Texture is gone (per Karen) and I think I took care of the 'Glass' issue.

Reply #82 from WinCustomize Forums Top

your going to have explain by what you mean by "seperators"

dont forget your painting margins...

i dont believe text settings work for this area (i dont mean the colours, they work,  but to move the font up down left right ect) mine are all set to zero and work fine.

hmm im going to send you my header bar templates and header drop down templates

and yes karen babe, i DO use your templates... you got tricks up your sleeve my angel that even i dont think of sometimes.... (huggles and kissies)

 

Reply #83 from WinCustomize Forums Top

for that glass area, just go to the code tab of that and delete the whole codex for it. and that part is gone ..

Reply #84 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I'm home now.

 

I'm gonna need a couple of days to put some of the pieces in a test skin. I'll need to do that in order to be able to instruct you on how to do it.

Reply #85 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting 2of3, reply 84
I'm gonna need a couple of days to put some of the pieces in a test skin. I'll need to do that in order to be able to instruct you on how to do it.

okay.

Reply #86 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Vampothika, reply 82
your going to have explain by what you mean by "seperators"

dont forget your painting margins...

i dont believe text settings work for this area (i dont mean the colours, they work, but to move the font up down left right ect) mine are all set to zero and work fine.

hmm im going to send you my header bar templates and header drop down templates

I got the email.

Separators - The lines you use to widen the areas. Because of my shading and all, they were real thick and dark. No shading and you don't even see them. I had to play around to get them to how they look now, (No, I'm not making actual lines.)

Reply #87 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Reply #88 from WinCustomize Forums Top

That looks pretty cool Po. Right click  I assume.

Reply #89 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Uvah, reply 88
That looks pretty cool Po. Right click I assume.

Not Right Click program, just the WB rightclick menu.

This is some tedious stuff.

Reply #90 from WinCustomize Forums Top

One thing I would add. There are 3 areas on a blind which to make your life easier, aught to be the same color.

The menu color, the window background color and the button face color. This is not a set rule, just a very good idea and you will understand why as we start building the blind.

Reply #91 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I would suggest for this blind that you use the beige color from your window background for the menus

Reply #92 from WinCustomize Forums Top

That menu is too dark for these old eyes.  I love everythign else about it but that.

Reply #93 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting 2of3, reply 90
One thing I would add. There are 3 areas on a blind which to make your life easier, aught to be the same color.

The menu color, the window background color and the button face color. This is not a set rule, just a very good idea and you will understand why as we start building the blind.

Because of fonts?

**Pay no attention to the mouseovers...I was (and still am) trying to work those out.

Reply #94 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting PoSmedley, reply 93
Because of fonts?

That and the fact that some color selections effect seemingly unrelated sections.

Reply #95 from WinCustomize Forums Top

The color of the background graphic and text color settings in the menu section has to reflect the color scheme in the Edit Colors section or you will get some really funky results. That's fine, but the colors section is also a tricky little bastard which uses those same colors elsewhere!

 

Reply #96 from WinCustomize Forums Top

It's nothing you need to think about just yet...for now.....trust me B)

Reply #97 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting 2of3, reply 96
It's nothing you need to think about just yet...for now.....trust me

***note to self - Check supply of Irish Whiskey

Opinions on the mouseover, please (I set the glyph so that is doesn't show in sizes (pop-ups) smaller than the actual glyph)

Reply #98 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Zubaz, reply 92
That menu is too dark for these old eyes.  I love everythign else about it but that.

Never thought it would happen, but I agree with Zubaz.

Reply #99 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Zubaz, reply 92
That menu is too dark for these old eyes. I love everythign else about it but that.

Quoting DrJBHL, reply 98
Never thought it would happen, but I agree with Zubaz.

I could see that that may be an issue. I can certainly change it. I was waiting to get into SKS (I'm just testing these graphics as I go along for the Edit Controls) to see if I could change the font color. (I moved that gradient over a couple times, I could also try brightening it up. Trying to position it under the text just for this reason)

I'm noticing the 'mouseover' on the menu popping up all over the place as I do stuff on my PC. Not sure it's going to work for all the areas it's been showing up. (Right clicking on tabs, web pages, etc.)

Reply #100 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting PoSmedley, reply 99

I'm noticing the 'mouseover' on the menu popping up all over the place as I do stuff on my PC. Not sure it's going to work for all the areas it's been showing up. (Right clicking on tabs, web pages, etc.)
Again... Welcome to the fun and INTERESTING world of skinning. :grin: