SkinStudio Trouble with Maximize Caption Bar

help please

from WinCustomize Forums
Ok so i know this isn't the right section to post this thread but i reckon this concern will attract those who are willing to help. It has been ignored in th Windowblinds Section :D

Something is wrong. I am attempting to create my first ever perpixel skin. everything is going so well with the skin but something is not right with the maximized window caption. when i apply the skin to test it, and when i maximize, say the "My Documents" window, the max caption bar can't be seen. all i see is the title text. even the window buttons are gone. Everything is fine with the rest of the window, the only problem is that max caption bar. What should I do?

I studied every single per pixel skin that i have, disected the max caption bar section in the UIS2 code and followed "verbatim" the specifications made with other skins. (Naturally i would be using Skinstudio to do that)However, it still doesn't resolve my problem. Please Help me...somebody, anybody... Thank you.
By the way I am using the free version of skinstudio and i do believe that it has the same function as that of the Professional version.
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Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I don't know if I'll be much help. I've only dabbled a bit in SkinStudio since WB5 came out, but I'll give a shot....


After looking at a few skins, the common denominator I see for the Max Caption is a TGA image, but "Transparency and translucency -Switch" is set to "Opaque", and the "Translucency -Switch" is set to "NOT used".

Siege of Centauri
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
got exactly the same problem as mentioned here. The only difference- I found the caption buttons by positioning them with high values for distance from right/top. But the caption bar is still missing.

I,m using SkinStudio 6.

Any idea?
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Ok #1 Normally SKS will do this for you but sometimes it does not!
(there is actually another image for maximized)
In SKS 5 goto tree in left pane...Window Borders-PerPixel/Maximized Caption
Noe if you want to use the same images as (caption)after clicking Maximized Caption just click the down arrow in the box that gives you the preview and image name scroll through the images find your (window frame.tga )select it set content and sizing margins

In SKS 6 Edit Tilebars and/Edit PerPixel frames/Maximized Caption

Note in both instances make sure you have transparent...and ...translucent checked and it shows in the code (in SKS 5 the check boxes dont always take)
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thanks AVMAN. Actally I did it the way you mentioned here, nevertheless your post made me play around a bit more. Now I think I know what´s the problem. Most people here might know it and find it trivial, but I post it for other newbs to proceed faster without experimenting*.

1. The image used for max-caption is truncated at the left and right side by the width of right and left widow borders so you have to add those values to painting margins and text/button positions. (seems to be some kind of relict from UIS2 windows, at least it follows the same geometric principle)

2. Don´t forget that the hight of max-caption is defined in Extra Settings in Caption (normal).

For me it was helpful to set the number of frames to 1. This is better for beginning and getting the feeling for it.

* which you have to do a lot when starting skinning WB due to almost NO documentation from Stardock. Though WB and SS are great this is such a negative point...