A very complete Skeletons2.psd
 

If you use Photoshop or any program which uses layers and accepts .PSD files, and you don't have a good system for starting skins in place yet, this layered template might be useful to you.



This is basically a .PSD version of Jellby's Skeletons2.bmp (from Skinner's Atlas), but in layered PSD form, and with the following additions:

--GEN window skeleton (with buttons and sliders inside it)

--The GEN window also shows where exactly the title text will be shown.

--A separate layer showing the PL stacks, just as they will appear in the skin when you press them (makes skinning the stacks much easier!)

--A separate layer with just the Volume, Balance, Posbar, and EQ sliders. Not just their dimensions, but how they will be positioned on their bars.

--A translucent layer of all MAIN/EQ components. It's often useful to keep this layer translucent, and on top of everything else, so that you can always quickly tell just where all the components' borders are.*

-A separate layer showing the complete skeletons (not just the components) for all of the windows, which is also useful when kept on top of your graphics, so that you can make it visible whenever you need to refer to it.

--Two layers which hide all of the extra crap on the sides of the atlas so that you don't need to be distracted by it and can focus on just the windows. You'll probably want to change the colour of these to a more neutral one, depending on what colour scheme your skin has.

--MB window replaced by Video window


* I snaked this layer from a PSD that skinme! once gave me, and included it without any permission whatsoever. But skinme!'s a nice bloke, so I'm sure he wouldn't mind :D


I find that loading this up is a very good, time-saving, way to start making a skin. Everyone has their own system, but this is probably a good starting point from which to create your own system if you don't already have one.

While I'm at it, I'll share this as well.

It's a version of the GENEX.BMP which has within it a list of all of those little pixels, and what they do (taken from Skinner's Atlas)

It serves two functions:
1. you have the explanation of each of the pixels right there in front of you as you skin them.*

2. When you've finish skinning it, just crop it where it tells you to, and your genex.bmp will (unlike the one that comes with skinner's atlas) have the correct dimensions and background colour. The reason why this is important is explained by Mr Jones here


* The descriptions are slightly chopped off at the right side (Sorry, I did it very quickly :/ ) but no important info has been chopped, so you have what you need

you know what would be awesome, if someone made a program that took that psd file and cut it it up and created a skin out of it. Except it would probably have to be an open source layered image type.

the psd is really huge IMO.....but im probably just use to my own way.

Both of these will come in handy, particularly the genex.bmp one, which I will use to finish off my (late) generic plating skin.

I was contemplating making my own new skeletons file, but you beat me to it :)

Oh, and The Gimp can open the psd just fine, which means there is an open source library available that can read the psd file, pukka. I'll take a look at what would be required for such a program, but don't expect me to actually finish it.

i would be extremely happy to use that if i knew what it all meant...maybe you should make a tutorial.

I think it's all but self-explanatory for those who understand winamp classic skinning and the Skinner's Atlas template. If you want a tutorial about that stuff, try here:
http://forums.winamp.com/showthread....hreadid=134424 :)

@xeno: yep, I think it's just out of habit that it looks big. After all, you'd almost always use it in zoom mode anyway. Besides, I think you're just fussy: My GEN skeleton template was way too small, but my skeletons for the whole skin is too big :rolleyes: ;) :D

good to see old faces.

SW: this psd will be extremly handy to use because the 1 fall down for skinners atlas was its all .bmp and no .psd, or layers. i may use this....

Oops, I just realised:

The layer called "ATLAS Components" (and only that layer) was taken from an early version of Skinner's Atlas which had the wrong dimensions for the volume area.

You can easily fix it up yourself by extending the volume area a little to make it like the volume area shown in the "ATLAS" layer, or you can just download this fixed version:

that's something I and my boyfried thought about... to write a tool in c++ that would extract the buttons from a skin image from photoshop, both pressed and unpressed (and also on/off) states. But not with a layered psd file (too complicated and too many format versions ;)), but several bmp images. I wouldnt see it as a cheating program, only a more complete button extractor (it would extract the pl stacks, too, because I always hate them ;))

Would any of you find that useful? :)

Photoshop 7.0 ++ - Scripting (Slices)...maybe usefule or the psd2wal dealio that winamp.guys made.