Bootskin: Color Problems

from Stardock Forums
So, I'm trying to get my bootskin on. i started with bootxp. made some .bmps, 16 color. loaded them up, all is gravy, restart. when windows boots, all my colors are totally screwed - kinda like they were negatived. i try a default skin, works fine. uninstall bootxp, the default works fine.

so i move over to BootSkin. better process, but same results (although i like BootSkin's interface MUCH more). on every type of file viewer, from BootSkin's preview window to Windows Image Viewer, the colors are all right. but when i start my computer, they're all haywire. when i use any of the skins that come with BootSkin, all is well.

any tips? just fyi, i have, by now, tried the v1.02 and 1.03 BootSkin, same results.

mech
wincustomize
2,185 views 8 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Make sure the background, and progressbar are both using the same color palette....... that's all I can think of at the moment.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
mechiah: are you an Object Desktop subscriber? If so, you can use SkinStudio's feature to "get a bootskin ready". Remember that you can only use 4 bit color and a 640x480 .bmp. There is an article somewhere in WC that gives a good tutorial on this, but I can't find it at this moment. You might give someone that uploads a lot of bootskins an email, I know SIXX21 is an adept in this. Good luck to you, I never could make anything worth posting in bootskins.
Fences - Organize your desktop icons today!
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The problem of color being off during the actual reboot is, as Koasati said, the result of the Progress Bar and Background images having differing palettes.

Not only must both images be 4-bit depth, but they must use the same colors in the same spots on the palettes.

A good way to approach it is to create your BG image, then use that palette to make your progress bar image by hand.

Personally I do not recommend SkinStudio for converting images to the proper format; you will get much better results with your image editor.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Make sure the background, and progressbar are both using the same color palette

Koasati is correct.

You can use ANY 16 colours you like....but BOTH images MUST have the same palette...that is, MUST only have 1, any, or all of those same 16 colours...

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
awesome, i'm pretty sure i over looked that - my progress bar is most likely the same 16 colors as default windows... awesome, thanks, guys.
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Koasati is 125% correct.

If you need any help converting, send them to me. I'll make them both the correct palette, and send them back to you.

{email addy is in profile}
Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top
once you pointed out the problem, it was a pretty simple matter of making the colors work, i actually improved the colors on the way.

new problem!

the progress bar. we all know the standard windows "three boxes that look like they're in motion" progress bar.

i pretty much used the same progress bar, though i shaped it as an oval... heck, i'll host it and link it...

http://img376.imageshack.us/full.php?image=blueprogressbar5zb.png

there. now, the problem is this - instead of being that three-sectined capsule, the third section comes first. on top of that, there are some white spots! here is a mock-up of what it looks like on boot that i made in Paint:

http://img424.imageshack.us/full.php?image=ugh2kh.png

what's wrong now?
Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top
just for good measure, here's my bootskin.ini:

[BootSkin]

Type=0

Name = Blue

Author = XXXXX

Description = XXXXX

ProgressBar=BlueProgressBar.bmp

ProgressBarX = 44

ProgressBarY = 422

Screen=BlueBackground.bmp

ProgressBarWidth = 116