Would Someone Be Kind Enough To Help Me Please?

silver_flame_voodoo · 29th June 2001, 13:48

Ok, first of all I will warn you I am a newbie, and this usually turns people away, but please, I am not a dumb ass, I'm actually doing very well at this point, but the one damn thing that confuses me is the transparency thing. For example, all my buttons in the main window I want you to be able to see the BG image I used through all the buttons instead of having that annoying box around all the play, back, forward, etc buttons. Can someone explain this to me as simple as possible in case I missed something because I have spent many hours on my first skin but it won't be complete until I can learn to do this. Thanx everyone for hearing me out I really appreciate it. ;-)

Mr Jones · 29th June 2001, 14:15

To make buttons appear see thru you can do it in one of a few ways, all depends on what paint program you are using.

If you want a nice shaped buttons with elements of the background showing thru, you are gonna have to paint them directly onto your main bitmap image, then cut that image up to paste over the cbuttons.bmp file, this being the file that contains the play buttons pressed/non pressed state.

If however you want your buttons to be totaly see thru, giving like say a glass effect , then again you need a decent painting package. What I would do is open up my main.bmp image in Paintshop pro , create a new raster layer over the image, paint my buttons onto this layer, then decrease the opacity of the layer, allowing the background to show thru.

Bottom line, let us know what paint package you are using and what exact effect you are aiming for. I'd post some example images on here, but don't have FTP access from this workstation, so cant

,maybe later if this dosn't help

[Edited by Mr Jones on 06-29-2001 at 01:33 PM]

The Only Lynx · 29th June 2001, 14:18

welcome to the boards.. i hope you will enjoy your stay.. and i think MJ covered your question quite good, to say so myself

hehehe

Mr Jones · 29th June 2001, 14:19

Quote:

Originally posted by The Only Lynx
welcome to the boards.. i hope you will enjoy your stay.. and i think MJ covered your question quite good, to say so myself hehehe

Why thank ya kind sir, I aim to please, right whose next

BullGawD · 29th June 2001, 15:39

welcome aboard voodoo.

Namelessv1 · 29th June 2001, 16:10

Welcome to skin love, Voodoo.

silver_flame_voodoo · 29th June 2001, 17:03

Hey guys!!! Wow, thanks everyone for so many replies, I was for sure no one would answer. Well, I don't have PSP right now, I used to but I have this paint program called Micrografx Picture Publisher 8 which some of you may have heard before. It has alot of sweet things I can use that PSP don't even have, but anyways, I'll follow your example Mr Jones and let you know how it goes ;-) Again, thanks everyone!!! You have been very supportive on just my first post and I hope to keep working with you guys, and hell even learn something new with each skin I make!!! =)

silver_flame_voodoo · 29th June 2001, 17:05

Oh by the way, I don't really have a particular thing I want to do just yet, for now, I just want to get a feel for making transparent buttons and placing them correctly...lol

cyana · 29th June 2001, 17:29

welcome voodoo

when your grafics package does not support multiple layers you can 'emulate' semi-transparency with 'gridding' the upper layer so that the underlying layer shines through at every second pixel - with this you can already achieve nice effects.

Another idea would be to download a trial version of a professional grafics program - I'm mainly using Macromedia Fireworks and I can really recommend it - a free trial version that expires after 30 days is available here http://www.macromedia.com/software/fireworks/trial/ so you should have enough time to finish your skin

cyana · 29th June 2001, 17:32

Quote:

Originally posted by Mr Jones
To make buttons appear see thru you can do it in one of a few ways, all depends on what pain program you are using.

yeah - skinning can be a real pain, even without a pain program

silver_flame_voodoo · 29th June 2001, 17:40

Actually one other thing I thought about...hehehe...I completely understand the part about making buttons with some of the elements showing through you would paint the buttons on the BG image then cut and paste them over the cbuttons, but when you paint them onto the main BG image, how do you locate exactly where to put them so when you cut and paste the image over the cbuttons, whatever image you have on the background looks uninterrupted if you follow what I'm saying.

cyana · 29th June 2001, 17:55

Quote:

Originally posted by silver_flame_voodoo
how do you locate exactly where to put them so when you cut and paste the image over the cbuttons, whatever image you have on the background looks uninterrupted if you follow what I'm saying.

Again, this is a layer thing (at least for designing). When it comes to cutting I have a 'skeleton' mask for each component - I place the one for the main window here so that you have an idea :

so when you crop your main.bmp make a copy and put this frame over it - all the buttons and areas you need to take care are shining through

silver_flame_voodoo · 29th June 2001, 18:00

CYANA!!!!!!!!! You are the shit!!! You have just answered all my questions!!! hehehe...thank you soo very much!!!

silver_flame_voodoo · 29th June 2001, 18:03

BTW, do you know where (If I Can) get templates for the other areas so I can make transparent buttons for all sections?

cyana · 29th June 2001, 18:42

glad when I can help - I send you all of my templates if you want - just send me an email where I can reply to

cyana · 29th June 2001, 19:30

you might also want to look at these template skins:
http://www.winamp.com/skins/detail.j...ponentId=49760
http://www.winamp.com/skins/detail.j...ponentId=27260

silver_flame_voodoo · 30th June 2001, 04:38

sorry soo long to respond, but you can email them to silver_flame_voodoo@yahoo.com and again thank you much!! And thanks again to everyone!! ;-)

The Only Lynx · 30th June 2001, 07:13

Quote:

Originally posted by Mr Jones

Quote:

Originally posted by The Only Lynx
welcome to the boards.. i hope you will enjoy your stay.. and i think MJ covered your question quite good, to say so myself hehehe

Why thank ya kind sir, I aim to please, right whose next

you dont need to please me bro.. why not turn to the chicks

cyana · 30th June 2001, 14:47

Quote:

Originally posted by silver_flame_voodoo
sorry soo long to respond, but you can email them to silver_flame_voodoo@yahoo.com and again thank you much!! And thanks again to everyone!! ;-)

done
enjoy and let us know when your skin is ready

29th June 2001, 14:18	#3
The Only Lynx Major Dude Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,938	welcome to the boards.. i hope you will enjoy your stay.. and i think MJ covered your question quite good, to say so myself hehehe "when you are with me i'm free, i'm careless, i believe"

29th June 2001, 15:39	#5
BullGawD Cool Guy. (Forum King) Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 2,122	welcome aboard voodoo. ...a blatant person.

29th June 2001, 17:29	#9
cyana total eclipsed (Major Dude) Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 1,488	welcome voodoo when your grafics package does not support multiple layers you can 'emulate' semi-transparency with 'gridding' the upper layer so that the underlying layer shines through at every second pixel - with this you can already achieve nice effects. Another idea would be to download a trial version of a professional grafics program - I'm mainly using Macromedia Fireworks and I can really recommend it - a free trial version that expires after 30 days is available here http://www.macromedia.com/software/fireworks/trial/ so you should have enough time to finish your skin the Southern Pinwheel Project A conversation with our universe googlism note of the week: cyana is going to be the last thing you ever see

29th June 2001, 19:30	#16
cyana total eclipsed (Major Dude) Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 1,488	you might also want to look at these template skins: http://www.winamp.com/skins/detail.j...ponentId=49760 http://www.winamp.com/skins/detail.j...ponentId=27260 the Southern Pinwheel Project A conversation with our universe googlism note of the week: cyana is going to be the last thing you ever see

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29th June 2001, 13:48	#1
silver_flame_voodoo Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Posts: 18	Ok, first of all I will warn you I am a newbie, and this usually turns people away, but please, I am not a dumb ass, I'm actually doing very well at this point, but the one damn thing that confuses me is the transparency thing. For example, all my buttons in the main window I want you to be able to see the BG image I used through all the buttons instead of having that annoying box around all the play, back, forward, etc buttons. Can someone explain this to me as simple as possible in case I missed something because I have spent many hours on my first skin but it won't be complete until I can learn to do this. Thanx everyone for hearing me out I really appreciate it. ;-)

29th June 2001, 14:15	#2
Mr Jones Nothing to say... Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: UK Posts: 23,098	To make buttons appear see thru you can do it in one of a few ways, all depends on what paint program you are using. If you want a nice shaped buttons with elements of the background showing thru, you are gonna have to paint them directly onto your main bitmap image, then cut that image up to paste over the cbuttons.bmp file, this being the file that contains the play buttons pressed/non pressed state. If however you want your buttons to be totaly see thru, giving like say a glass effect , then again you need a decent painting package. What I would do is open up my main.bmp image in Paintshop pro , create a new raster layer over the image, paint my buttons onto this layer, then decrease the opacity of the layer, allowing the background to show thru. Bottom line, let us know what paint package you are using and what exact effect you are aiming for. I'd post some example images on here, but don't have FTP access from this workstation, so cant ,maybe later if this dosn't help [Edited by Mr Jones on 06-29-2001 at 01:33 PM]

29th June 2001, 16:10	#6
Namelessv1 Forum King Join Date: Nov 2000 Posts: 4,757	Welcome to skin love, Voodoo.

29th June 2001, 17:03	#7
silver_flame_voodoo Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Posts: 18	Hey guys!!! Wow, thanks everyone for so many replies, I was for sure no one would answer. Well, I don't have PSP right now, I used to but I have this paint program called Micrografx Picture Publisher 8 which some of you may have heard before. It has alot of sweet things I can use that PSP don't even have, but anyways, I'll follow your example Mr Jones and let you know how it goes ;-) Again, thanks everyone!!! You have been very supportive on just my first post and I hope to keep working with you guys, and hell even learn something new with each skin I make!!! =)

29th June 2001, 17:05	#8
silver_flame_voodoo Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Posts: 18	Oh by the way, I don't really have a particular thing I want to do just yet, for now, I just want to get a feel for making transparent buttons and placing them correctly...lol

29th June 2001, 17:40	#11
silver_flame_voodoo Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Posts: 18	Actually one other thing I thought about...hehehe...I completely understand the part about making buttons with some of the elements showing through you would paint the buttons on the BG image then cut and paste them over the cbuttons, but when you paint them onto the main BG image, how do you locate exactly where to put them so when you cut and paste the image over the cbuttons, whatever image you have on the background looks uninterrupted if you follow what I'm saying.

29th June 2001, 18:00	#13
silver_flame_voodoo Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Posts: 18	CYANA!!!!!!!!! You are the shit!!! You have just answered all my questions!!! hehehe...thank you soo very much!!!

29th June 2001, 18:03	#14
silver_flame_voodoo Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Posts: 18	BTW, do you know where (If I Can) get templates for the other areas so I can make transparent buttons for all sections?

29th June 2001, 18:42	#15
cyana total eclipsed (Major Dude) Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 1,488	glad when I can help - I send you all of my templates if you want - just send me an email where I can reply to

30th June 2001, 04:38	#17
silver_flame_voodoo Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Posts: 18	sorry soo long to respond, but you can email them to silver_flame_voodoo@yahoo.com and again thank you much!! And thanks again to everyone!! ;-)