Creating an Installer for a Skin

How do you create a skin installer

from Stardock Forums
Hi,

I am new to the world of skinning so please bare with me and my ignorance.

Can someone please explain to me what steps are required to create an .exe installer file for a skin.

After all the graphics ect have been create in Skinstudio what needs to happen next for an installer to be created for say a program like winamp so that someone can just download the .exe and click on it and it will install to the said program.

Thanks.
skinstudio
5,798 views 15 replies
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
There really isn't any need to make a .exe to install a skin unless you plan on wrapping something up with the skin file, such as spyware.
Galactic Civilizations III
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The correct extension for winamp is .wsz or .wal (wal is most common)
The file is actually a zip file with the extension changed. If you double click on a .wal or .wsz file it should "auto-install" if you have Winamp on your computer.
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
Here is an example of what I want to to learn how to do. You can download skins for this software and install them on your computer via an .exe installer. What I would like to know is what progam is used to create the .exe installers.

Example is here
http://www.dvdnextcopy.com/skins.aspx

Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
You might want to email that companyor hit their forums.  I've neer seen those skins before.
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
All the skinners on there are also here. You might want to PM one of those people.
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
It looks like SK Originals has made a few skins for it. If he happens around, you will probably get an answer.

I'm guessing some utility included/associated with thate software makes the exe files, which would be useless for anything but those particular skins.
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Doh!  I didn't look at the author's names.
Thanks guys!
Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top
Thanks for all the responses everyone. I will continue to look around and see if I can figure out how those installers are created.
Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top
Can someone tell me how to contact those authors here on the forums. I do not see where that can be done.
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Find one (using the search above right).
Click on thier name in a post.
Choose "Private Message Name"
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
j00x: NSIS will create Windows installers, although you don't need it if you're installing skins for a program like WindowBlinds as their standard format already auto installs upon double-click.

Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
just curious.. does not maybe dvd next copy do that for you? considering the site says it comes with skin templates
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
just curious.. does not maybe dvd next copy do that for you? considering the site says it comes with skin templates
End of quote


This is most likely the case.

I've been thinking about what you're asking j00x and if I'm correct then you want to create a skin via SKS and then have an executable that will install that program for other Windows users. If this is correct, then it won't work. Not unless those users have WindowBlinds installed. SKS only creates skins for use in the application WindowBlinds.