Actually, that worked with no loss of text size or quality. 

Yes, of course; it all helps...thank you!  I have my all programs background text set so that when I mouse over it, it doesn't move; but the ones that aren't 0 are both positive integers.  I even tried to change them to negative numbers just to see the result, but then the all programs highlight flew out over my graphics again.  May have to revisit this someday, but for now, it works.

My separators are very thin now.  The start menu doesn't look so gangly anymore.  Thanks again!

peace,

Mally

This thread is a tutorial all by itself. I've got it book marked for future reference. A step by step guide to plumbing a WB. Amazing!

where you put the log off buttons in post 152 is where i was going to suggest you put them actually,

and to move them, im assuming you already know that you use the bottom bar text to do so.

you can use other sized buttons, i just suggested the diamond template ones for beginners so they get a general idea of what is to be

done with a simple button that is not too complicated.

you can also not even use buttons and just use glyphs,  you can also use buttons and no glyphs.

my wulfin wb has just glyphs and no buttons, im sure there are wb's out there that have also used just buttons and no glyphs.

but thats getting rather techy, and you are just learning...so you do whatever is comfortable and not to hard for you to accomplish at this stage.

my main goal for you would be (concerning the log off buttons) would be to get the button and the log off font sitting in both of those squares,

if they wont sit in their perfectly, move them with the text, if you still cant get them sitting in there perfectly, you can always move those square graphics over to suite the buttons, (but it means reworking the bottom bar in photoshop, or what ever art program you made it in.)

again...hope this helps and answers your questions.

the button is obviously the bottom layer , like a blue square ect,

the glyph is like the "power" or "key" or "lock" logo that sits on top of the button.

make sense?

Questions about button creation.  I've been studying your buttons trying to figure out what makes them look the way they do, including the way they change states sometimes.  Xiandi, I'll start with you.

and

How did you make the areas immediately surrounding the buttons look like they were tailor made for the button rather than looking like the buttons were just pasted on top of it?  Also, many skinners use a technique to make the selection from a 3D image rather than a flat one, like this.  I haven't found where that image is called for in SKS?

To Vamps...In your Wulfin blind, I presume you've made your power buttons with glyphs?  In your paint program, are they treated any differently than any other sort of image...are they separate images?  Are these also glyphs?  You and RedNeckDude also use 3D images for your selections.  Any pointers on how that's done from either of you?

and

And to RedNeckDude; I'm sure you're still busy reading (and re-reading) all the accolades for your beautiful new skin, but if you happen to read this, in this image:

one sees a couple of pixels of wood when a button is pressed than one doesn't see when it's not.  Still, even when not pressed, the buttons look organic, like they fit into the wood rather than applied to it's surface.  How'd you do that, if you don't mind my asking?

peace,

Mally

like wise, photoshop.

It looks like you put the glyph images on your buttons. They should be separate images.

In the 'Button Icons' section, there is an image already in the Image tab, leave it there. It's a blank png and should only be changed if you want a separate background for your glyphs on top of the button.

Note: Check the Help tab in the Button Icons section to see what you need to do for the frame count on the glyph.

The key to making a good button is to take your time, try different things, and if you don't think it's perfect for what you need....make a new one.

There always seem to be certain points that come so easily to some people, they hardly seem noticeable, much less a potential stumbling block for someone else's learning.  We'll keep asking questions back and forth, and I bet there's be an Aha Moment just around the corner.

peace,

Dave

Now that that's done, I wonder how I could have missed it.  It didn't occur to me that I the buttons would stretch (at least to a degree) to fit the required spaces.  I thought I needed 2 or 3 different sized buttons.  This was made using 3 states of the smallest button.

Here's what the start menu looks like right now.  I'd sure love to hear any constructive criticism and other thoughts.

Have also been working on my Start Button.  I'd like for it to be slightly taller than the rest of the task bar so that it extends over the start menu in the bottom left corner.  Is this possible, or am I just better off resizing or re-designing the start button?

Thanks so much, all, wor working through this difficult part for me.  I really do appreciate your patience.

peace,

Dave

Edited to replace an image "no longer on Photobucket".

Thanks, Uvah; kind of thought I could.  Seem to remember a tutorial that even explains it from the standpoint of an older version of SKS...just can't lay my hands on it at the moment.  Thanks for your compositional comment, too.  You may well be right, it may be too busy.  The background in that image isn't the one I'll be using.  But boy, that opens a whole other can of worms design wise, doesn't it?  One of the reasons I wanted to bring these leaves into the start menu composition is that I want to use them later in the file transfer animations.  I've noticed the Monarch as kind of iconic to many steampunkish still life images.  The leaves aren't, not so far as I know anyway.

peace,

Dave

It has been very daunting.  This weekend, it has become a lot less so.  My horizontal taskbar is almost finished except for two questions about things I don't like yet.  First, in this image

the upper row shows the button I used in SKS (minus the 5px red margins, used here for illustration), while the bottom row shows that there is a joggle of a couple of pixels while changing states.  What is causing that?

Also, I'd like to use Xiani's trick for making text invisible in the power buttons, but I can't find a text tab to allow me to do that.  Is that unchangeable, or am I just missing something?

peace,

Dave