Question? Problem! I tried to skin the little "Spin box" thats on the task panel. However once I opened it up to edit it, then saved again, it gets distorted. I think that it is because I am changing it from TGA to BMP to edit it, but then saving it as BMP instead of back as a TGA file. Does this make any since. Please clarify. If true, Then how do I save it back as a TGA file.
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"Spin Box"? Whats that?

csurfside, if you want to use .tga files in your skin, save them and edit them as .png files. Skin studio will then convert the images to .tga for you. A couple of tips for you though:

1. When saving as a .png for this purpose, click on the Options button in the Save As... dialogue.

2. Make sure the checkboxes for Noninterlaced and Optimized palette are checked.

3. Click on the Run Optimizer... button.

4. On the Color tab of the Optimizer dialogue, make sure you check 16.7 million colors (24 bit).

5. On the Transparency tab, make sure you have Alpha channel transparency and Existing image or layer transparency checked.

You can then import the image into SkinStudio and it will convert the image to .tga for you.

It is also a good idea to put a check in the box to change tga files back to png files with Skin Studio before you edit them with you're paint program. You can find that checkbox in tools/preferences/image/editors in Skin Studio. After I finish a skin I just delete all the PNG files that Skin studio created.

I think that it is because I am changing it from TGA to BMP to edit it, but then saving it as BMP instead of back as a TGA file

If you let Skin Studio change it to a PNG file you can edit it without problems.

Someone please do this to see my problem. Start SkinStudio, then click file-new-skin.
When it opens click on the Horizontal tray button to open it in paint to edit. Then just click save. It then gets distorted. Why is that?

When you click on edit in SKS for a tga file, it is converted to a png file and opened by default in MS Paint. Don't save the file just close it. When you save it in paint it loses it's transparency quality and becomes basically a bmp with a png label. That's why it's destorted

So then how do I edit it?

Open up PSP and browse to the png file that SKS created

After editing and saving in PSP as Shameless explained, use SKS to import your new png file. SKS will automatically convert it back to a tga file

Look im trying to but it's not working for me. Im trying to use the soame image thats already there. Once I move it it wont work properly. Just disappears.

Im trying to use the soame image thats already there. Once I move it it wont work properly. Just disappears.

what image as in thisimage.ext? How are you trying to move it? Where won't it work properly? Nothing disappears unless you move it to your recycle bin

Im having troubles skinning the "Horizontal Tray.TGA" Button. When I can edit it in PSP but what do I need to save it as? And exactly how do you import it back to SKS. It seems to always disappear on me.
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1. In SKS click the edit button for the HorizontalTray.tga. This will create a png and open it in MS Paint. Close MSPaint, don't save.
2. Open PSP and browse to the skin's folder and open the HorizontalTray.png file. Edit it. Save it like Shameless explained.
3. In SKS...in the section tree, on the right, where all the attributes are listed for this image, right-click on the first attribute Horizontal Tray Image and Select Import => Browse for File. Get the new png file you made in PSP and SKS wil convert it to a tga.

I did that to the tee. And still the image doesnt show up when I apply the skin. And it looks distorted in the preview.
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make sure translucent and transparent are checked for tgas

Be more specific please.

In SKS, when you are at your Horizontal Tray image, in the center box at the bottom, below the Show Frame ComboBox and PaintMode ComboBox are two checkboxes, one for tanslucent and one for transparent, both of these need to be checked for tga images, or black will show where the image is supposed to be transparent. Also remember to set your margins for your images. Not setting margins or using the default settings may distort your image.

csurfside...I've got to take care of some other business may not be back tonight. Hopefully you've figured this out or maybe someone else can step in for a bit.

Okay, here is what you want to do.

Open Skin Studio, click tools at the top bar, and then preferences. Then click editing and image editors. You will see the add button, click it and then locate your PSP8 executable file. Once you have PSP added move it to the top. Then, put a check box in "convert TGA files to png before editing."

Now, whenever you double click a image it will open in PSP8. If it is a tga file, it will be converted to PNG automatically. Once you finish editing it, just click save in your PSP. Then, you need to save your WB skin and the modified PNG will automatically update back to TGA in SKin Studio with the modifications.

Ok, I will go try. Boy I hope this works. I swear I had nightmares all night last night trying to think of what I did wrong. In my nightmare I kept Cutting and Pasting the Horizontal tray button. I better be able to figure this one out before tonight. My girlfriend asked me what I was tossing and turning for, When I told her about the button she just laughed at me. I told her it's passion for my hobby. lol


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Oh great. Please have patience with me. Ok I started to do what you described ChaUGC One problem How do I know what is the excutable file for PSP 8 please help me. WIll it matter if I click the wronfg file trying to find it. Is there a path you can give me. I assume it's in the PSP directory somewhere. Dont give up on me ChasUGC. I will be rolling once these few things are worked out. Heck I already have good designs waiting to be applied.
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Ok scratch the last remarks I figured out the excutable file deal. Let me go try the button now as you decribed before and I will return with the outcome.

Ok, It still didnt work. Here is what I did. I opened a new theme in Skin Studio. I clicked tools/preferences/image editing/add/browse/ I made PSP 8 my default editing program. That worked fine. Now for the problem I have. I start with a new WindowBlind Theme. UIS 2. As soon as it opens it looks like XP theme. I click on the HORIZONTAL TRAY BUTTON to and it opens in the SkinStudio window. I double click it to edit it and it opens in PSP 8. Then without even editing I click file save.(Just to put it back just like it was) I go over to SkinStudio and save. Then I apply the theme to my windows and the button and taskbar look grey and sometimes the HORIZONTAL TRAY button is gone. I wonder about these things-> Sometimes in SKS when I ask to edit or save the horizontal tray button. It tells me it's going to be deleted. Also, It is wierd that the horizontal tray button is square in its edit image, but appears round when in action (before I edit it anyway...lol)I look at the button image in edit and its first button has blue borders and the rest is white borders. I see no MAGIC PINK as I have heard about, Yet it appears to work the same by appearing round. "Untill I click to edit it and then save it again." (I also have the free version of SKS 4.3 so maybe I cant import images.) but the way I am doing editing my images now with PSP opening the Imageby default. Im really not importing, or am I.""Stressing"" If true then let me know. I know I must be doing something wrong. Please try what I said above yourself to a new theme to figure out my mistake. Hope I have added enough details.
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I found out something else too. When I check the "Traynotifyhorzarrow" button by mouse over in SKS it says its in 32 bit color. Then I open it to edit in PSP and its in 24 bit color, then when I save it, It saves in 24 bit color. and it shows it is still in 24 bit color not back to 32 bit when I recheck it in SKS. Dont know why or if this matters. Also, I looked and didnt even see a 32 bit color option for PSP 8. Is this a problem.