Shoutbox

quote:

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Originally posted by stuartbennett
no the 628 images i found its reference in the 8.1 style files so it belongs in the 8.1 resgroup the problem i have is does it belong in

<new>
<pictures>

or in

<replaces>
<pictures>

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It belongs in where ever it was in the 8.1 skin (I don't see any reference to the 628 in your SkinInfo )

Remember this:
New is for when you add new resources (colors/pictures) to messenger
Replace is for when you replace an existing resource with another

quote:

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secondly i dont know what the picture id is supposed to be

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If it is a new resource/picture you need to assign an ID between 59000 and 59999

Example

code:

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<New>
    <Pictures>
        <Picture Id="59000">
           <File>buddy.png</File>
            <Metadata>
              <Colorize>true</Colorize>
            </Metadata>
        </Picture>
     </Pictures>
</New>

---

If it replaces an existing resource the ID is the ID of the picture you are replacing

Example

code:

---

<Replace>
    <Graphics>
           <Picture Id="20066">
                <File>logo.png</File>
           </Picture>
    </Graphics>
</Replace>

---

quote:

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once i have the answers to those questions i will easily be able to fix this and ensure compatability for both 8.1 & 8.5

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Don't forget to use the Definitions/Styles from the 8.5 Resource folder for 8.5 compatibility, not a copy of the 8.1 ones that you modify.

you seem to have missed something from the start, this skin was built on top of the test skin outlined in the skinning documentation it started out with 8.5 compatibility im trying to add 8.1 compatibility

in 8.5 i had to declare the images as new as i was using 59001, 59002 and 59003 as there ids

where i come unstuck in 8.1 is with the following bit of code

quote:

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           <Picture Id="">
                <File>682.png</File>
           </Picture>

---

what id do i use to declare the picture as that in turn tells me where to put it, theoretically as i dont know the id its not going to be defined as a 59xxx number so im assuming as it will refer to an existing id it will go into <replace> however i dont know the existing id to look for however the below is a section of the 8.1 picture map.

quote:

---

663:   919
664:   921
682:   923, 947
961:   920
962:   920
963:   920

---

when it refers to picture 628 it says its from windows 923 and 947 so would i be correct in assuming the id i need to set for this picture is 947?

quote:

---

           <Picture Id="947">
                <File>682.png</File>
           </Picture>

---

EDIT:

i've attempted the changes below is my 8.1 resgroup which the schema wont valid can you please point out my mistakes please?

quote:

---

       
<!-- ResGroup for 8.1 -->
        <ResGroup>
            <Restrictions>
                <MsgVersions>
                    <Version Major="8" Minor="1"/>
                </MsgVersions>
            </Restrictions>
            <Resources>
                <New>
                <Pictures>
                    <Picture Id="59003">
                        <File>background.png</File>
                            <Metadata>
                            <UMLeft>1</UMLeft>
                            <UMTop>1</UMTop>
                            <UMRight>1</UMRight>
                            <UMBottom>1</UMBottom>
                             </Metadata>
                    </Picture>
                </Pictures>
                </New>
                <Replace>
                <Graphics><Pictures>
                    <Picture Id="947">
                        <File>682.png</File>
                    </Picture>
                </Pictures></Graphics>
                    <Windows>
                    <Definitions>
                            <Definition Id="1001">
                                <File>8.1\1001 Definitions.txt</File>
                            </Definition>
                            <Definition Id="947">
                                <File>8.1\947 Definitions.txt</File>
                           </Definition>
                        </Definitions>
                        <Styles>
                        <Style Id="947">
                           <File>8.1\947 Styles.txt</File>
                        </Style>
                        </Styles>
                    </Windows>
                </Replace>
            </Resources>
        </ResGroup>

---

i have to go to work now so im going to save the skininfo file in this flawed state. as soon as i know what i did wrong ill go back and try to fix it. i have switched to no skins for the time being so atleast this flawed skininfo file will not prevent me from signing into messenger.

quote:

---

Originally posted by stuartbennett
you seem to have missed something from the start, this skin was built on top of the test skin outlined in the skinning documentation

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Please start by taking out remains of the test skin you do not wish to use in your skin.

quote:

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it started out with 8.5 compatibility im trying to add 8.1 compatibility

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Sorry i missed that, usually one updates instead of downgrades (older versions are most likely to dissappear or used less). The principle is the same tho.

quote:

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in 8.5 i had to declare the images as new as i was using 59001, 59002 and 59003 as there ids

where i come unstuck in 8.1 is with the following bit of code

quote:

---

           <Picture Id="">
                <File>682.png</File>
           </Picture>

---

what id do i use to declare the picture as that in turn tells me where to put it, theoretically as i dont know the id its not going to be defined as a 59xxx number so im assuming as it will refer to an existing id it will go into <replace> however i dont know the existing id to look for however the below is a section of the 8.1 picture map.

quote:

---

663:   919
664:   921
682:   923, 947
961:   920
962:   920
963:   920

---

when it refers to picture 628 it says its from windows 923 and 947 so would i be correct in assuming the id i need to set for this picture is 947?

quote:

---

           <Picture Id="947">
                <File>682.png</File>
           </Picture>

---

---

The picture map tells you that the picture with ID 682 is used in window 923 (main/contactlist) and 947 (logon).
So you'd put it in as follows:

code:

---

         <Picture Id="682">
                <File>name of the picture you replace it with.png</File>
           </Picture>

---

quote:

---

EDIT:

i've attempted the changes below is my 8.1 resgroup which the schema wont valid can you please point out my mistakes please?

quote:

---

<!-- ResGroup for 8.1 -->
<ResGroup>
            <Restrictions>
                <MsgVersions>
                    <Version Major="8" Minor="1"/>
                </MsgVersions>
</Restrictions>
<Resources>
    <New>
    <Pictures>
<Picture Id="59003">
<File>background.png</File>
<Metadata>
                            <UMLeft>1</UMLeft>
                            <UMTop>1</UMTop>
                            <UMRight>1</UMRight>
                            <UMBottom>1</UMBottom>
                             </Metadata>
</Picture>
</Pictures>
    </New>
<Replace>
<Graphics><Pictures>
<Picture Id="947">
<File>682.png</File>
</Picture>
</Pictures></Graphics>
<Windows>
<Definitions>
                            <Definition Id="1001">
<File>8.1\1001 Definitions.txt</File>
                            </Definition>
                            <Definition Id="947">
        <File>8.1\947 Definitions.txt</File>
       </Definition>
                        </Definitions>
                        <Styles>
<Style Id="947">
   <File>8.1\947 Styles.txt</File>
    </Style>
</Styles>
</Windows>
</Replace>
</Resources>
</ResGroup>

---

---

Correction:

code:

---

       
<!-- ResGroup for 8.1 -->
<ResGroup>
    <Restrictions>
      <MsgVersions>
        <Version Major="8" Minor="1"/>
      </MsgVersions>
    </Restrictions>
  <Resources>
      <New>
        <Pictures>
          <Picture Id="59003">
             <File>background.png</File>
             <Metadata>
               <UMLeft>1</UMLeft>
               <UMTop>1</UMTop>
               <UMRight>1</UMRight>
               <UMBottom>1</UMBottom>
             </Metadata>
          </Picture>
        </Pictures>
      </New>
    <Replace>
      <Windows>
           <Definitions>
              <Definition Id="1001">
                 <File>8.1\1001 Definitions.txt</File>
              </Definition>
              <Definition Id="947">
                 <File>8.1\947 Definitions.txt</File>
               </Definition>
           </Definitions>
           <Styles>
              <Style Id="947">
                 <File>8.1\947 Styles.txt</File>
              </Style>
           </Styles>
      </Windows>
      <Graphics>
         <Pictures>
           <Picture Id="682">
             <File>name of file you are replacing it with.png</File>
           </Picture>
         </Pictures>
      </Graphics>
    </Replace>
  </Resources>
</ResGroup>

---

- Switched Windows and Graphics. Correct sequence of Replace is: Strings, Colors, Windows, Graphics, StandardUI (it won't validate if you use a different sequence)
- Fixed Picture ID (682, fill in name of replacing image yourself)

quote:

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i have to go to work now so im going to save the skininfo file in this flawed state. as soon as i know what i did wrong ill go back and try to fix it. i have switched to no skins for the time being so atleast this flawed skininfo file will not prevent me from signing into messenger.

---

If you use the Definitions/Styles for 8.1 then 8.1 should sign in just fine.

quote:

---

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by stuartbennett
you seem to have missed something from the start, this skin was built on top of the test skin outlined in the skinning documentation
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Please start by taking out remains of the test skin you do not wish to use in your skin.

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ok i do understand this and would love to, however although i know what i dont want in the skin im not sure what blocks of code to remove to take it out safely.

in the test skin you have skin options panel, i may decide to add skin options for my skin although i dont know quite what those will be right now but i dont want the options that have been provided, also i dont want to change the remember me text at all but according to what patchou says in the skinning docs if i dont change the remember me text none of the skinning i have done for the login screen will be used by the skin atleast thats my understanding of what he said i could be wrong though.

Knowing what to take out isn't so hard, everything related to what you don't want can be taken out. The test skin in the documentation is what it says: a test skin, you can use it as a base to work on but foremost it is ment to teach/show you how to do all these things to create a skin.

If you don't understand what does what i suggest you go read the documentation again and try to understand what's done too instead of just copying.

If all you do in your skin is replace resources/images then you don't need any Definition/Stylesheet at all. And you don't need to make a Custom Option panel unless you need/want stuff inthere the default Option Panel doesn't provide (like a link to your website).

ok sunshine . tested my skin in 8.1 and it works, well it dont give me errors any more atleast but i still need help to fine tune things, in 8.1 my background on login screen is blue at the top and gradients to a pastelly yellow at the bottom, in 8.1 the top is the same but the bottom only shows as far down as the greenyblue it wont go all the way down to the yellow yet im using the umbottom etc (all four of them) so how do i fix that to make it look the same as in 8.5?

i will now attempt to take out the options panel and the rememberme text stuff and ill be right back here if i break something.

quote:

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Originally posted by stuartbennett
ok sunshine . tested my skin in 8.1 and it works, well it dont give me errors any more atleast but i still need help to fine tune things, in 8.1 my background on login screen is blue at the top and gradients to a pastelly yellow at the bottom, in 8.1 the top is the same but the bottom only shows as far down as the greenyblue it wont go all the way down to the yellow yet im using the umbottom etc (all four of them) so how do i fix that to make it look the same as in 8.5?

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Try without Metadata, i don't think it needs it (goes for both, 8.5 and 8.1 skin).

quote:

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Originally posted by Sunshine

quote:

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Originally posted by stuartbennett
ok sunshine . tested my skin in 8.1 and it works, well it dont give me errors any more atleast but i still need help to fine tune things, in 8.1 my background on login screen is blue at the top and gradients to a pastelly yellow at the bottom, in 8.1 the top is the same but the bottom only shows as far down as the greenyblue it wont go all the way down to the yellow yet im using the umbottom etc (all four of them) so how do i fix that to make it look the same as in 8.5?

---

Try without Metadata, i don't think it needs it (goes for both, 8.5 and 8.1 skin).

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i tried without the meta data in 8.5 earlier in the week and i get the effect im getting in 8.1 however maybe as 8.1 is slightly different it might be worth a try in the 8.1 block

EDIT:

ok i tried removing 8.1 meta data and it had no effect, i even increased the meta data to maximum everything as 255 and no effect, i then realised something in 8.5 my background uses the whole of the login window and once signed in the 8.5 dashboards sits on top of hit essentially hiding the top half of my background now that i can live with for now but i will customize the dashboard later on in the skins developement.

in 8.1 however so much of the login window is set aside for the dashboard and the dashboards image is always there regardless of whether your signed in or not, i only noticed it cause the dashboard in 8.1 has a patterned effect on it and my background doesnt.

my question therefore seems to be how do i stop messenger from using the dashboard image so mine can go to full screen?

Don't remove anything. The best you can do is replace the image that's bothering with a modified one (apply the background to it)...

Can't help you on 8.1 specific issues as i haven't attempted to make a skin for 8.1 (nor do i plan to).

well im not going to do anytthing then the 8.1 users will just have to suffer in that they wont see the full effect.