quote:
it even picks up on the changes in layout that their is between the 2 versions and therefore its not just going to show the elements i changed
To only find the changes you made compare original 8.1 fill with your modified one. When comparing the modified 8.1 file with the original 8.5 one you only need to take notice of what's in the 8.1 that isn't in the 8.5 (leave what's in the 8.5 and not in the 8.1 because those are the differences between the two versions, it's needed to work).
That SkinTrace looks the same to me as before, make sure you use the correct definition and style files for 8.5.
To understand the SkinTrace a bit better read
Skins Essentials - The Trace File.
quote:
the 947 definitions file will always have to stay as the consolidated version as i will never ever be able to figure out what the hell i did in that one
Compare the original consolidated from 8.1 with your modified consolidated of 8.1. Editing the msgres (Windows) version is exactly the same as the consolidated ones (replace the consolidated version with the msgres one for 8.1 first, and make sure all works as should in 8.1, this makes it easier to edit the msgres for 8.5).