by creativconfusion » Thu Feb 13, 2014 12:33 am
A skin is simply a group of 2 types of images and a set of variables determining their locations within the confines of the screen. The first type of image is static, like buttons and icons. The second type is spannable meaning a single line of pixels which can be set to a single color or a gradient, which then is stretched across the screen horizontally or vertically to create a solid or gradient bar. Even the more complex skins with nice shadows and highlights rely on maybe 50 images tops. Ones for buttons, ones for bars, and ones to bookend those bars.
So, yes, right now MMAs simplistic screens are coded in, but there is no reason that those references cannot be made external rather than internal. Thus you would download a skin, which would install the images and the code telling the program where to locate those images. The main MMA program would then refer to those files as it builds what ultimately becomes what you see. The location of Clickable areas are determined in a similar way as the determination of the location of the images.
MM has already done the hard part of creating the guts and functionality. They just need to open up the canvas for us rabid enthusiasts to work on.
A skin is simply a group of 2 types of images and a set of variables determining their locations within the confines of the screen. The first type of image is static, like buttons and icons. The second type is spannable meaning a single line of pixels which can be set to a single color or a gradient, which then is stretched across the screen horizontally or vertically to create a solid or gradient bar. Even the more complex skins with nice shadows and highlights rely on maybe 50 images tops. Ones for buttons, ones for bars, and ones to bookend those bars.
So, yes, right now MMAs simplistic screens are coded in, but there is no reason that those references cannot be made external rather than internal. Thus you would download a skin, which would install the images and the code telling the program where to locate those images. The main MMA program would then refer to those files as it builds what ultimately becomes what you see. The location of Clickable areas are determined in a similar way as the determination of the location of the images.
MM has already done the hard part of creating the guts and functionality. They just need to open up the canvas for us rabid enthusiasts to work on.