how to make winamp modern skin from?

rovingcowboy · 12th August 2005, 14:58

I am wondering if the theme.mskn format is the modern format for winamp?

if not then is it possible to convert it?

i did look for the answer but was not able to find it in the first room in this skin forum.

thanks

Mr Jones · 12th August 2005, 15:18

Moved to modern skins forum.

theme.mskn?, no, don't think that is anything to do with winamp modern skinning, that's made up of several parts that come together to make a modern skin.

gen_ff.dll, a general purpose plugin that winamp uses to render modern skins etc etc,

XML, a general purpose cross platform language that is used to communicate with gen_ff.dll, giving skins their functionallity.

.png images, an open source image format used to create modern skins

.maki, a scripting language used by gen_ff.dll, similar in appearance to c+/c++ etc etc, but only used for extending the ability of modern skins, a cookie for the first person to tell me what MAKI stands for

.wal, basically a renamed .zip file for holding all the files that make up a modern skin, named in this fashion so that it can be associated with the winamp application itself.

So what exactly is theme.mskn? and what's it used for?

/edit, oh I see, it's a mediamonkey skinning application right?

http://www.mediamonkey.com/contrib/a...ediamonkey.txt

You could probably convert MM skin, but it'd be easier and quicker to start from scratch rather then trying to write another skin engine or plugin that could read and render MM skins itself.

rovingcowboy · 12th August 2005, 15:26

mskn is a skin used by some players that uses windows explore style frame work it has all bmp or png images and it works kindof like a modern skin? i thought it would work. so i converted one of my skins to it hoping it would also be a modern winamp skin? since it took me a long time to figure out the theme skin then i guess it would be even longer to figure out the new modern skins? why can't it just be easy like the classic skins with the templete was.

mskn = mega compressed skin.
also can make them
uskn = uncompressed skin.

so now that i got my skin in this theme format i wonder if it would be alright to upload it to winamp even though winamp will still only use it as a the same classic skin that is also still in the file

Mr Jones · 12th August 2005, 15:30

Well, unless your skin is made up of .png/.xml/.maki files and comes as a .wal it's not going to be a modern skin.

if you uploaded it here, it'd probably get rejected for containing files thare are useless to winamp, we've bounce many skins like this before.

Winamp modern skinning simply couldn't conform to a simple system like classic skin, mainly because it's supposed to a non fixed system, make your skin whatever shape you like, the buttons where ever you want them, add as much or as little functionallity to it as you like.

If it was a simple system like classic skinning, then it would no better than , well, classic skinning and what would be the point of that?

rovingcowboy · 12th August 2005, 15:42

a simple lesson like the one for the classic skins templete would be great for the modern skins, it took me about 6 months to figure out this theme skin? and about 3 minutes to figure out the classic skin templete.

so something like that would be my point of making it easy.
i did try to follow the lessons on the site but they don't make sense to me, they were wrote by people that understand how to do it and when people like that write lessons they tend to leave out the small commonly known steps and reasons. but i being fairly new to skins only got the 4 made before they went to modern skins. i am not really sure what common steps and reasons for making the modern skis are.
reasons = why put that type of code in that spot? and what does that code do anyway?

Mr Jones · 12th August 2005, 16:26

Of course they were wrote by people who know what they are talking about, if they were written by people who didn't they wouldn't be much use.

The skin engine may seem complex, and your probably right, however the range of what you can do with it far and away exceeds what you can do with most other skinned applications.

There are 1000's of thread and things in these forums, pretty much any question you might have has been answered before.

Besides, there are way more complex skin systems out there, have you ever looked at skinning WiMP, oh my...

JW · 12th August 2005, 16:46

MAKI = Make A Killer Interface

Mr Jones · 12th August 2005, 16:49

mike-db · 12th August 2005, 20:03

Hey rover how's it going you should of told me you joined the winamp forums.

sbroadbent · 12th August 2005, 21:27

Quote:

Originally posted by rovingcowboy
so something like that would be my point of making it easy.
i did try to follow the lessons on the site but they don't make sense to me, they were wrote by people that understand how to do it and when people like that write lessons they tend to leave out the small commonly known steps and reasons. but i being fairly new to skins only got the 4 made before they went to modern skins. i am not really sure what common steps and reasons for making the modern skis are.
reasons = why put that type of code in that spot? and what does that code do anyway?

If you want a useful tutorial to get you into modern skinning go here:

http://www.frisbeemonkey.com/winamp3/tutorial/index.php

It (and these forums) helped me immensely in understanding skinning.

rovingcowboy · 13th August 2005, 06:08

thanks guys i will check those sites out.

mr. jones i ment that a newbie that understands how to skin winamp would be better to write a lesson for a newbie trying to learn as they speak the same unknowing language

mikwiththestick don't you remember who told you about the other forum?

oh i guess not with all the stuff your up to lately

but yep i joined this forum a couple years ago.
i just post in the ones where the product is used more and in some other forums where people know what they are doing besides the ones that work with the product.

got to get good help where ever i can

also you guys if you add the letter a to that you get a guys hawaiiain name.

Makia = Sam Makia and His Hawaiian Surfers

thats the guy and the name of his band.

corwwin · 13th August 2005, 09:11

Maki is also the alternative name of a friendly little ape known as lemur catta (see attached file).
Please note that its tail has a question mark shape, symbolizing the hours we spend scratching our hair while wondering why this bloody code doesn't work.
Should be the skinner's mascot instead of the lama...

http://www.thebigzoo.com/Animals/Ring-tailed_Lemur.asp

corwwin · 13th August 2005, 10:08

Being more serious, Roving Cowboy, I didn't knew a single piece of xml, maki and skinning art a couple of monthes ago, and I'm quite proud of my first skin. The way I've proceeded :
* Load a ton of skins including the functions you want to bring in your skin, whatever their graphics can be.
* Explore the xml files to understand how it's built and how it works
* Choose a base skin, quite near of your needs, and modify it step by step to bring it to what you want.
* As I never could write a working Maki code, I used tested maki files from the forum or from other skins (never forget to credit the authors!).

Then shake your brains and be a bit obstinate, and you'll be able to release a decent skin in a reasonable amount of time (~200 hours for my Wurlitzer skin, including the time I spent to domesticate the XML code. Concerning the MAKI code, I've surrounded). Go on and bring the wind of novelty in the skinning world !

12th August 2005, 14:58	#1
rovingcowboy Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: texas Posts: 131	how to make winamp modern skin from? I am wondering if the theme.mskn format is the modern format for winamp? if not then is it possible to convert it? i did look for the answer but was not able to find it in the first room in this skin forum. thanks

12th August 2005, 16:46	#7
JW Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Valencia, CA Posts: 304	Oreo, please... MAKI = Make A Killer Interface

12th August 2005, 20:03	#9
mike-db Pancakes! (Major Dude) Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Colour, if you're, you know... Posts: 3,527	Hey rover how's it going you should of told me you joined the winamp forums. (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

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12th August 2005, 15:18	#2
Mr Jones Nothing to say... Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: UK Posts: 23,098	Moved to modern skins forum. theme.mskn?, no, don't think that is anything to do with winamp modern skinning, that's made up of several parts that come together to make a modern skin. gen_ff.dll, a general purpose plugin that winamp uses to render modern skins etc etc, XML, a general purpose cross platform language that is used to communicate with gen_ff.dll, giving skins their functionallity. .png images, an open source image format used to create modern skins .maki, a scripting language used by gen_ff.dll, similar in appearance to c+/c++ etc etc, but only used for extending the ability of modern skins, a cookie for the first person to tell me what MAKI stands for .wal, basically a renamed .zip file for holding all the files that make up a modern skin, named in this fashion so that it can be associated with the winamp application itself. So what exactly is theme.mskn? and what's it used for? /edit, oh I see, it's a mediamonkey skinning application right? http://www.mediamonkey.com/contrib/a...ediamonkey.txt You could probably convert MM skin, but it'd be easier and quicker to start from scratch rather then trying to write another skin engine or plugin that could read and render MM skins itself.

12th August 2005, 15:26	#3
rovingcowboy Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: texas Posts: 131	mskn is a skin used by some players that uses windows explore style frame work it has all bmp or png images and it works kindof like a modern skin? i thought it would work. so i converted one of my skins to it hoping it would also be a modern winamp skin? since it took me a long time to figure out the theme skin then i guess it would be even longer to figure out the new modern skins? why can't it just be easy like the classic skins with the templete was. mskn = mega compressed skin. also can make them uskn = uncompressed skin. so now that i got my skin in this theme format i wonder if it would be alright to upload it to winamp even though winamp will still only use it as a the same classic skin that is also still in the file

12th August 2005, 15:30	#4
Mr Jones Nothing to say... Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: UK Posts: 23,098	Well, unless your skin is made up of .png/.xml/.maki files and comes as a .wal it's not going to be a modern skin. if you uploaded it here, it'd probably get rejected for containing files thare are useless to winamp, we've bounce many skins like this before. Winamp modern skinning simply couldn't conform to a simple system like classic skin, mainly because it's supposed to a non fixed system, make your skin whatever shape you like, the buttons where ever you want them, add as much or as little functionallity to it as you like. If it was a simple system like classic skinning, then it would no better than , well, classic skinning and what would be the point of that?

12th August 2005, 15:42	#5
rovingcowboy Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: texas Posts: 131	a simple lesson like the one for the classic skins templete would be great for the modern skins, it took me about 6 months to figure out this theme skin? and about 3 minutes to figure out the classic skin templete. so something like that would be my point of making it easy. i did try to follow the lessons on the site but they don't make sense to me, they were wrote by people that understand how to do it and when people like that write lessons they tend to leave out the small commonly known steps and reasons. but i being fairly new to skins only got the 4 made before they went to modern skins. i am not really sure what common steps and reasons for making the modern skis are. reasons = why put that type of code in that spot? and what does that code do anyway?

12th August 2005, 16:26	#6
Mr Jones Nothing to say... Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: UK Posts: 23,098	Of course they were wrote by people who know what they are talking about, if they were written by people who didn't they wouldn't be much use. The skin engine may seem complex, and your probably right, however the range of what you can do with it far and away exceeds what you can do with most other skinned applications. There are 1000's of thread and things in these forums, pretty much any question you might have has been answered before. Besides, there are way more complex skin systems out there, have you ever looked at skinning WiMP, oh my...

12th August 2005, 16:49	#8
Mr Jones Nothing to say... Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: UK Posts: 23,098

13th August 2005, 06:08	#11
rovingcowboy Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: texas Posts: 131	thanks guys i will check those sites out. mr. jones i ment that a newbie that understands how to skin winamp would be better to write a lesson for a newbie trying to learn as they speak the same unknowing language mikwiththestick don't you remember who told you about the other forum? oh i guess not with all the stuff your up to lately but yep i joined this forum a couple years ago. i just post in the ones where the product is used more and in some other forums where people know what they are doing besides the ones that work with the product. got to get good help where ever i can also you guys if you add the letter a to that you get a guys hawaiiain name. Makia = Sam Makia and His Hawaiian Surfers thats the guy and the name of his band.

13th August 2005, 10:08	#13
corwwin Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Kingdom of Amber Posts: 281	Being more serious, Roving Cowboy, I didn't knew a single piece of xml, maki and skinning art a couple of monthes ago, and I'm quite proud of my first skin. The way I've proceeded : * Load a ton of skins including the functions you want to bring in your skin, whatever their graphics can be. * Explore the xml files to understand how it's built and how it works * Choose a base skin, quite near of your needs, and modify it step by step to bring it to what you want. * As I never could write a working Maki code, I used tested maki files from the forum or from other skins (never forget to credit the authors!). Then shake your brains and be a bit obstinate, and you'll be able to release a decent skin in a reasonable amount of time (~200 hours for my Wurlitzer skin, including the time I spent to domesticate the XML code. Concerning the MAKI code, I've surrounded). Go on and bring the wind of novelty in the skinning world !