Bootskin: image format? only BMP? how many colors? only 16?

from WinCustomize Forums
I tried Bootskin yesterday and I tried to make my own skins from pictures I have. It's pretty good even though I kind of prefer the software I was using before.

First I found out that the pictures have to be only in BMP format and second, they can't have more than 16 colors...

Is that true? I can't use a JPG with at least 256 colors?

What about the image size? Can it be more than 640 x 400??

I need answers please. Thank you.
3,284 views 6 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
From the first news story on this site's homepage about the Bootskin app:

" It is really easy to create your own boot screens. In the BootSkin directory (\program files\stardock\wincustomize\bootskin) there are sub directories that that contain a .bmp and a simple .ini file that describes the file. Realistically just change the bitmaps and off you go. For now, you have to make them as 16 color (that's 4bit) .BMP files since that's all Windows supports at boot presently. We plan to update BootSkin before release to support true color boot screens as well."





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Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
And here's a post from Phoon in the Simple Question thread here:

#1 by Sir Phoon - 11/12/2003 10:04:52 PM
One would begin with the readme file included with the bootskin program.
But a quick overview..
Background image = 640x480 resolution 16 colors ( bit ) ONLY for now.
Progress Bar image = 22x9 resolution 16 colors using the EXACT same palette as the background image.
Again I stress, read the readme file included with the program.
Hope that helps..





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Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Ok, thank you. That clarified all of my questions.

What does "before release" mean? Isn't already released??? I mean I downloaded it so that's what I called released but I guess I'm wrong.

So, when is it going to be officially released?
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Not forgetting of course that BootSkin is at present an Alpha version, Stardock are working to bring you a Truecolour version which will be (24 bit) 16m colours.



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Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Yipe!!!! Hooray!!!

I'll be waiting for the release... I already uninstalled all of my programs that I used to use for boot skinning...

Thank you for the good news!
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
For now you may use SkinStudio to convert your imaged to proper size\colors.
Tools->Bootskin-> prepare image.
Most images convert really well without a drastic quality drop.