Shoutbox

hello
I am trying to make a skin (very new in this) as a B-day gift.. and i can't find tutorials on msn 2009.
I made the basics of the XML file. and it appeared in the plus window. but non of my modifications on my new skin are taking action .. i don't know why.
please help I'm afraid that I'm running out of time till the occasion

thanks

Maybe you changed restrictions to Major 8 Minor 5, while it sould be Major 14 Minor 0...
Post you skininfo pls?

If you're starting from scratch and you've got a time limit, you're going to have some trouble tbh. It takes some time to learn how everything works and to get it right. I'd recommend something else as a birthday present

thanks for u'r responces

I entered the version as Major 9 and minor 0 .. but I'll post my skininfo soon as i get to my laptop

^^ the idea of making a skin as a gift really fits now.. cause i'm finding out more about that person's personality.. and the fun side and.. other thigs really fit well.. i hope to get the skin ready by that time.. but if i couldnt  .. idk what im going to do 'o.O 
think i learned the basics..

As said, use Major 14 and Minor 0 =), you should always use the first values of the version stated in the about window (14.0.xxxx.xxxx)

(and good luck =P)

this is my skininfo:

<?header  <SkinInfo xmlns="urn:msgpluskins" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsichemaLocation="urn:msgpluskins PlusSkins.xsd">?>
<SkinInfo>
<Information>
<Name>My first skin</Name>
<Description>fear my ubor skills</Description>
<Version>1.0</Version>
<Compatibil>
<MsgVersion Major="14" Minor="0"/>
</Compatibil>
</Information>
<MessengerSkin>
<ResGroup>
<Restrictions>
<Version Major="14" Minor="0"/>
<Resources>
<Replace>
<Graphics>
<Pictures Id="48024">
<File>Images/48024</File>
</Pictures>
</Graphics>
</Replace>
</Resources>
</Restrictions>
</ResGroup>
</MessengerSkin>
</SkinInfo>

(the file i was trying to replace was the avatr when i have not chosen a picture_that's what i think i did anyways   )

.. don't need to copy anything of the extracted msn resources into our skin's file..am I right?

thanks so much for the help

This is my skininfo so far..the string changes are working nicely but the graphics are not.


<SkinInfo xmlns="urn:msgpluskins"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xsichemaLocation="urn:msgpluskins PlusSkins.xsd" Version="4">

    <Information>
        <Name>altova</Name>
        <Description>Skin for WLM2009</Description>
        <AboutUrl>insert url</AboutUrl>
        <Version>0.0</Version>
        <Screenshot>insert screenshot</Screenshot>
        <Compatibility><MsgVergion Major="14" Minor="0"</Compatibility>
        <UpdateId>updateid</UpdateId>
        <AllowAutoUpdate>true</AllowAutoUpdate>
        <BuildNumber>00</BuildNumber>
        <TraceFile>true</TraceFile>

    </Information>

    <MessengerSkin>
        <ResGroup>
            <Restrictions>
                <MsgVersions>
                    <Version Major="14" Minor="0"/>
                </MsgVersions>
            </Restrictions>

            <Resources>
                <Replace>
                    <Strings>
                        <String Id="61288">Hello you!</String>
                        <String Id="61295">remember you!</String>
                    </Strings>

                    <Graphics><Pictures>
                        <Picture Id="1828">
                            <File>earth.png</File>
                        </Picture>
                    </Pictures></Graphics>
                    <Windows>
                         <Definition Id="10001">
                             <File>1001.txt</File>
                         </Definition>
                    </Windows>
                </Replace>
                <New>
                    <Pictures>
                         <Picture Id="59000">
                             <File>cloudss_59000.png</File>
                             <Metadata>
                                 <UMLeft>1</UMLeft>
                                 <UMRight>1</UMRight>
                                 <UMTop>1</UMTop>
                                 <UMBottom>1</UMBottom>
                                 <Colorize>true</Colorize>
                             </Metadata>
                         </Picture>
                    </Pictures>
                </New>
 
            </Resources>

        </ResGroup>
    </MessengerSkin>
</SkinInfo>

I'm not too sure about the graphics part, but I have noticed the definition replacement is wrong, it should be:

xml code:

---

<Windows>
>>><Definitions><<<
>>><Definition Id="1001"><<<
<File>1001.txt</File>
</Definition>
>>></Definitions><<<
</Windows>

---

EDIT: And the MsgVersion tag up the top should not be spelt with two g's...

EDIT2: Also, you must put in "Graphics" tags before and after the Pictures tags. Always. Spelling and syntax is vitally important when developing any kind of software (Plus! Skins are quite a way away from being software, but you get what I mean).

thanks for the help :)

I am trying now to go with the diagras in the official documintation.. and now I've found out about the plus skin schema and how to use it (i hope lol).. and the trace file

this is my skininfo so far.. and, in the trace file it says:
09/04/14 23:00:02| **** The trace has started ****
09/04/14 23:00:02| Skin: fromStart 0.0
09/04/14 23:00:02| Messenger version: 14.0.206.8064 (en-us)
09/04/14 23:00:02| Messenger Plus! version: 4.81.358
09/04/14 23:00:02| SkinLoader: Couldn't find file "664"
09/04/14 23:00:11| **** The trace has ended ****

and when i start messenger .. the upper box (place of scene) appears solid black square.. (not the image i chose)

quote:

---

<SkinInfo xmlns="urn:msgplus:skins"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xsi:schemaLocation="urn:msgplus:skins PlusSkins.xsd" Version="4">
    <Information>
        <Name>fromStart</Name>
        <Description>Skin for WLM2009</Description>
        <AboutUrl>insert url</AboutUrl>
        <Version>0.0</Version>
        <Screenshot>
         <File>screenshot.png</File></Screenshot>
        <Compatibility>
           <MsgVersion Major="14" Minor="0"/>
         </Compatibility>
         <TraceFile>true</TraceFile>
         <UpdateId>my_first</UpdateId>
         <BuildNumber>1</BuildNumber>
         <AllowAutoUpdate>true</AllowAutoUpdate>
    </Information>
    <Options>
     <MessengerPlus>
         <AllowContactListChange>true</AllowContactListChange>
         <AllowChatWndChange>true</AllowChatWndChange>
     </MessengerPlus>   
    </Options>
   
        <MessengerSkin>
        <ResGroup>
            <Restrictions>
                <MsgVersions>
                    <Version Major="14" Minor="0"/>
                </MsgVersions>
            </Restrictions>
            <Resources>
                 <New>
                     <Colors>
                            <Color Id="59999">
                                <R>0</R>
                                <G>0</G>
                                <B>0</B>
                            </Color>
                     </Colors>
                     <Pictures>
                        <Picture Id="59000">
                            <File>59000.png</File>
                            <Metadata><Colorize>false</Colorize></Metadata>
                        </Picture>
                    </Pictures>     
                 </New>
                 <Replace>
                    <Strings>
                        <String Id="61288">Hello World!</String>
                    </Strings>

                    <Graphics>
                         <Pictures>
                             <Picture Id="664" >
                                 <File>/59000.png</File>
                             </Picture>
                                 
                             <Picture Id="628">
                                <File>clouds.png</File>
                               </Picture> 
                         </Pictures>
                    </Graphics>
                </Replace>
            </Resources>
        </ResGroup>
    </MessengerSkin>
</SkinInfo>

---

okay.. I got the pictures to appear.. by adding a metadata colorise and make it false.. (i don't know why it used to say it couldn't find the file though)

but.. how do i get to .. change the whole color of messenger to make it black for example.. instead of the light blue color all over the windows of messenger?

thanks all for the help ^^

My skininfo (so if some one might find it helpful)
<SkinInfo xmlns="urn:msgpluskins"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xsichemaLocation="urn:msgpluskins PlusSkins.xsd" Version="4">
    <Information>
        <Name>fromStart</Name>
        <Description>Skin for WLM2009</Description>
        <AboutUrl>insert url</AboutUrl>
        <Version>0.0</Version>
        <Screenshot>
         <File>screenshot.png</File></Screenshot>
        <Compatibility>
           <MsgVersion Major="14" Minor="0"/>
         </Compatibility>
         <TraceFile>true</TraceFile>
         <UpdateId>my_first</UpdateId>
         <BuildNumber>1</BuildNumber>
         <AllowAutoUpdate>true</AllowAutoUpdate>
    </Information>
    <Options>
     <MessengerPlus>
         <AllowContactListChange>true</AllowContactListChange>
         <AllowChatWndChange>true</AllowChatWndChange>
     </MessengerPlus>   
    </Options>
   
        <MessengerSkin>
        <ResGroup>
            <Restrictions>
                <MsgVersions>
                    <Version Major="14" Minor="0"/>
                </MsgVersions>
            </Restrictions>
            <Resources>
                 <New>
                     <Colors>
                            <Color Id="59999">
                                <R>0</R>
                                <G>0</G>
                                <B>0</B>
                            </Color>
                     </Colors>
                     <Pictures>
                        <Picture Id="59000">
                            <File>59000.png</File>
                            <Metadata><Colorize>false</Colorize></Metadata>
                        </Picture>
                    </Pictures>     
                 </New>
                 <Replace>
                    <Strings>
                        <String Id="61288">Hello World!</String>
                    </Strings>
                    <Colors>
                                                                                    <Color Id="1820">
                                                                                        <R>255</R>
                                                                                        <G>0</G>
                                                                                        <B>0</B>
                                                                                    </Color>
                                                                                </Colors>

                    <Graphics>
                         <Pictures>
                             <Picture Id="664" >
                                 <File>/59000.png</File><Metadata><Colorize>false</Colorize></Metadata>
                             </Picture>
                             <Picture Id="1472">
                                    <File>earthbrt.png</File><Metadata><Colorize>false</Colorize></Metadata>
                                </Picture>
                                 
                             <Picture Id="628">
                                <File>clouds.png</File><Metadata><Colorize>false</Colorize></Metadata>
                               </Picture>
                               <Picture Id="20129">
                                <File>earthmoon.jpeg</File><Metadata><Colorize>false</Colorize></Metadata></Picture>
                                <Picture Id="20632">
                                    <File>us.</File>
                                </Picture> 
                         </Pictures>
                    </Graphics>
                </Replace>
            </Resources>
        </ResGroup>
    </MessengerSkin>
</SkinInfo>