Hacking Creating a plugin skin - Help!

[JoBrittain]

I'm trying to create a DSTWO plugin menu skin.

I have tried different programs to try and convert both 24-bit bmps and pngs, with little success. The images always come out distorted.

Even in the 16-bit format the images come out in odd colours.

Programs I've tried:

• Gimp 2
• Paint
• Fireworks
• InfraView
• bmpBatchConverter

I heard Gimp works, but I can't seem to find the right settings, or if they are the right settings then they arn't working for me...

I know that plugin themes have been made, so I ask as to how those bitmaps were successfully converted with such reasonable quality.
(If i'm being honest then I do remember making one that worked ages ago, but I managed to delete it when updating the firmware/eos and have forgotten how)

Someone please guide me!

 

[Terminator02]

We have a couple skin editors made specifically for skinning (check them out at the top of this thread), but I don't know how to do it myself.

[m]Cannonfoddr[/m] might be able to answer you better.

 

[JoBrittain]

I've tried those and none of them are helpful when it comes to making a plugin menu skin... it seems.

Perhaps I'm missing something.

 

[CannonFoddr]

Got your PM - I'll try & help......

Firstly - I use GIMP......
I find the 'best' way of creating graphics is by firstly making a copy of one of the original skins ['pink' or 'silver'] that comes with the DSTwo into a 'work in progress' folder on the desktop
(unless you're alter the actual plugin graphics in which case copy all the graphics in the 'plug' folder)

I then load in one of the graphics in the 'WIP' folder in, alter it, then save it - overwriting the original in the 'work-in-progress' folder

When it come to GIMP - to save the graphic as a 16-bit version...

Click on 'File'​

Click on 'Save as' - the name of the graphic should be still the same as it was when loaded, but select it anyway just to be sure​

Click on [Save] button & you'll be asked if you want to overwrite it , click on [Replace]​

In the next box that pops up - click on the 'Advanced options'​

Select the 16 bit 'X1 R5 G5 B5' option, then click on the [Save] button​

That's it - the graphic is now save in the proper '16-bit' format
Once you've altered/replaced all the graphics you want - you can the copy them over to the DSTwo, into the proper folders (If it's a UI 'skin' then the whole folder can be copied over) & it 'should' work

If it's possible - when you mean 'distorted' - HOW exactly ?? is it like this (I know it's for a plugin 'icon' & not a 'skin' but the principled is the same)

Or is it something totally different ??
- one thing you MUST make sure is that the graphics saved is exactly the same size as the one you are replacing (so for a background image - it MUST be 256x192, not 255x192 or 256x191)
Sometime when cropping/resizing - dimension may not be exact, especially if you use features like 'keep proportions'

Also - converting from 32 or 24-bit down to 16-bit can cause 'graphical glitches' (or so I've been told), usually if you have a gradient pattern in it, especially if it at an odd angle (like '23Degrees) diagonal

Can you upload your 'skin' anywhere & PM the link to me. I can then have a look & see (possibly) where the problem lies