One of the things you may want to do in your skin is make that contact search bar have another color, or even being transparent. It isn't hard to do, but it may be hard to find how to do it all by yourself, so, I'll tell a simple way for you to do it.
First of all, of course, you have to have the extracted resources from WLM 8.5 and your SkinInfo.xml, then search for the file "msgres_4005_1001.txt" in your extracted resources styles folder, open it, search for ai550, you will find this:

Element[ID=Atom(ai550)]
{
BorderColor:rcclr(20023);
}

Add a background color, or image, for example "Background:argb(100,145,206,242);" it should be like this:

Element[ID=Atom(ai550)]
{
Background:argb(100,145,206,242);
BorderColor:rcclr(20023);
}

Then, change the BorderColor to a color of your choice, for example:

Element[ID=Atom(ai550)]
{
Background:argb(100,145,206,242);
BorderColor:argb(100,145,206,242);
}

For better results, in the same file, search for ai558, you will find this:

Element[ID=Atom(ai558)]
{
Background:rcbkd;
}
Element[ID=Atom(ai559)]
{
Background:rcbkd(45717);
}

Change both rcbkd to a color of your choice, or to the same color as the contact search bar background, for example:

Element[ID=Atom(ai558)]
{
Background:argb(100,145,206,242);
}
Element[ID=Atom(ai559)]
{
Background:argb(100,145,206,242);
}

Then save the file in your Skin's folder.

Next, also open 44103 style file.Search for:

Element[id=atom(wordWheelTextBackground)]
{
MinSize: size(0,37);
Background:rcclr(20232);
AccName:rcstr(46364);
AccDesc:rcstr(46363);
Tooltip:true;
}
Element[id=atom(wordWheelTextContainer1)]
{
MinSize: size(0,37);
Background:rcclr(20232);
}

And edit it adding the colours of your choice, for example:

Element[id=atom(wordWheelTextBackground)]
{
MinSize: size(0,37);
Background:argb(100,145,206,242);
AccName:rcstr(46364);
AccDesc:rcstr(46363);
Tooltip:true;
}
Element[id=atom(wordWheelTextContainer1)]
{
MinSize: size(0,37);
Background:argb(100,145,206,242);
}


Now, we've gotta replace the old style 1001 and 44103 style with the new ones.
For example:

<Windows>
<Styles>
<Style Id="1001"><File>1001 Style.txt</File></Style>
<Style Id="44103"><File>44103 Style.txt</File></Style>
</Styles>
</Windows>

Save your SkinInfo.xml, restart your Windows Live Messenger 8.5, and your contac search bar should look like this:


Any problems, just reply. Enjoy!!

It's not working...help?

code:

---

Element[ID=Atom(ai550)]
{
Background:argb(126,255,255,255);
BorderColor:argb(126,255,255,255);
}
Element[ID=Atom(ai558)]
{
Background:argb(126,255,255,255);
}
Element[ID=Atom(ai559)]
{
Background:argb(126,255,255,255);
}

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could you send a screenshot please??
is there any Skin Trace.txt?
Did you see if you replaced ai550, then skiped ai551-ai557 and then replaced ai558-ai559?
Are you sure you replaced the Style in the skin info.xml?

quote:

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Originally posted by blessedguy
is there any Skin Trace.txt?

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quote:

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Originally posted by blessedguy
Did you see if you replaced ai550, then skiped ai551-ai557 and then replaced ai558-ai559?

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quote:

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Originally posted by Nagamasa

code:

---

Element[ID=Atom(ai550)]
{
Background:argb(126,255,255,255);
BorderColor:argb(126,255,255,255);
}
Element[ID=Atom(ai558)]
{
Background:argb(126,255,255,255);
}
Element[ID=Atom(ai559)]
{
Background:argb(126,255,255,255);
}

---

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quote:

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Originally posted by blessedguy
Are you sure you replaced the Style in the skin info.xml?

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H'mm...I guess it's with the style 923.
Open it and search for

IMInput[id=atom(idSearchText)]

You should find this:

"element[id=atom(idmetoolbarcontainer)]
{
foreground:rcclr(639);
background:rcbkd(636);
}
IMInput[id=atom(idSearchText)]
{
foreground:rgb(51,51,51);
richeditstylelainText|SaveSelection|AllowBeep;   
contentalign:middleleft;.....

Now add background:argb(0,0,0,0); to it, like this:

IMInput[id=atom(idSearchText)]
{
foreground:rgb(51,51,51);
richeditstylelainText|SaveSelection|AllowBeep;   
contentalign:middleleft;
background:argb(0,0,0,0);
(...and more codes down here...)
Down there, there will be something like this(mine is already changed)

element[id=atom(idSearchTextBackground)]
{
contentalign:middleleft;
Foreground:argb(0,172,168,153);
background:argb(0,0,0,0);
}

I don't know if the foreground and background will be there, if they are, put background to argb0,0,0,0); and foreground to a colour of your choice, if there aren't just add them.

Nope not working...

Could you send me your 1001 style file please?

Here it is. I dont quite remember if I took out your code or not.

Thanks

ToolbarButton[ID=Atom(AbTbContactAdd)]
{
AccName:rcstr(49110);
AccDesc:rcstr(49110);
AccDefAction:rcstr(20068);
}


add an argb code inside this element

If it doesnt work, it is with another file...I'll post mine here, if you want to test anything
Good luck

quote:

---

Originally posted by blessedguy
ToolbarButton[ID=Atom(AbTbContactAdd)]
{
AccName:rcstr(49110);
AccDesc:rcstr(49110);
AccDefAction:rcstr(20068);
}


add an argb code inside this element

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quote:

---

Originally posted by blessedguy

If it doesnt work, it is with another file...

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quote:

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Originally posted by Nagamasa

quote:

---

Originally posted by blessedguy
ToolbarButton[ID=Atom(AbTbContactAdd)]
{
AccName:rcstr(49110);
AccDesc:rcstr(49110);
AccDefAction:rcstr(20068);
}


add an argb code inside this element

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Nope all that does is transparentize the button beside what I wanted to transparentize.

quote:

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Originally posted by blessedguy

If it doesnt work, it is with another file...

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Probably is...Willz, wanna shine some light here?

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quote:

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Originally posted by Willz
ok naga, is it not working in the sense that it stuffs up your contact list entirely or in the sense that the contact list shows but the effect is not there?

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quote:

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Originally posted by Nagamasa

quote:

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Originally posted by Willz
ok naga, is it not working in the sense that it stuffs up your contact list entirely or in the sense that the contact list shows but the effect is not there?

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Everything is fine, except I am not getting the intended affect. The Word Wheel is not transparentizing. Instead, the "Add a Contact" button beside the word wheel is being transparentized. Sorry being unclear before. As for the screenshot, I will if this still is confusing.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Willz
should add this into your tutorial and always make sure that the tutorial works as promised

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quote:

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Originally posted by blessedguy

quote:

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Originally posted by Willz
should add this into your tutorial and always make sure that the tutorial works as promised

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It is now fixed. Thanks Willz.
And Nagamasa, did you get the effect you wanted now?

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How can the wordwheel be moved below the contact list. I managed to make it go in the lower part of the contact list but there is a problem. when the contact list's background is white, the bar's background gets white also. But I want it to have the color that the sign in window has. So, when I make the contact list transparent, the wheel is for example red, but when it the CL background is white, the bar's background gets white, although the style file says it should be transparent.  So I figured out that the bar and the buttons must go below the contact list. How can this be done?

quote:

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Originally posted by Basilis
How can the wordwheel be moved below the contact list. I managed to make it go in the lower part of the contact list but there is a problem. when the contact list's background is white, the bar's background gets white also. But I want it to have the color that the sign in window has. So, when I make the contact list transparent, the wheel is for example red, but when it the CL background is white, the bar's background gets white, although the style file says it should be transparent.  So I figured out that the bar and the buttons must go below the contact list. How can this be done?

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quote:

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Originally posted by me
How can the wordwheel be moved below the contact list. I managed to make it go in the lower part of the contact list but there is a problem. when the contact list's background is white, the bar's background gets white also. But I want it to have the color that the sign in window has. So, when I make the contact list transparent, the wheel is for example red, but when it the CL background is white, the bar's background gets white, although the style file says it should be transparent.  So I figured out that the bar and the buttons must go below the contact list. How can this be done?

quote:

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See attached screenshot above

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