How do I create a transparent highlight?

[Guest chance]

I spent about an hour going through the results in the search but never found what I was looking for. Basically, I just got the MPX200 and I want to personalize it. I've already added the white.xml and now I'm wondering how do I make the seperating lines in the layout transparent (by this I mean the lines between the time, appointments, e-mail, & profile) as well as the highlight block when you toggle over the icons. I know I can eliminate the lines by changing the layout template but I like the information which is displayed, just want to get rid of the lines and the highlight block/make them transparent. Here is the code for the white.xml

<?xml version="1.0" ?> 


- <colorscheme>


  <title lang="0x0409">White</title> 


  <title lang="0x0809">White</title> 


  <title lang="0x040c">White</title> 


  <title lang="0x0407">White</title> 


  <title lang="0x0410">White</title> 


  <title lang="0x0816">White</title> 


  <title lang="0x040a">White</title> 


- <scheme>


  <color name="COLOR_WINDOW" value="#FFFFFF" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_STATIC" value="#FFFFFF" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_STATICTEXT" value="#000000" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_HIGHLIGHT" value="#2A2CC5" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_HIGHLIGHTTEXT" value="#FFFFFF" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_MENU" value="#C7E8FF" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_MENUTEXT" value="#000000" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_GRAYTEXT" value="#808080" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_GRADLEFT" value="#FEFEFF" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_GRADRIGHT" value="#C9D5F4" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_INTGRADLEFT" value="#FEFEFF" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_INTGRADRIGHT" value="#9EDFF7" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_TRAYGRADLEFT" value="#33349A" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_TRAYGRADRIGHT" value="#0198FE" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_HIGHGRADLEFT" value="#2A2CC5" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_HIGHGRADRIGHT" value="#2A2CC5" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_TRAYTEXT" value="#FFFFFF" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_WINDOWFRAME" value="#000000" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_BTNFACE" value="#9EDFF7" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_BTNTEXT" value="#000000" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_SCROLLBAR" value="#91A9E9" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_HOMETEXT" value="#FFFFFF" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_HOMEHIGHLIGHT" value="#2A2CC5" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_HOMEHIGHLIGHTTEXT" value="#FFFFFF" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_HOMERULE" value="#3080CF" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_alertWINDOW" value="#E3E9F9" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_alertTITLE" value="#2D5DC7" /> 


  <color name="COLOR_alertRULE" value="#819AE4" /> 


  </scheme>


  </colorscheme>

Also, I see these great skins that people are creating, what software are you using to do this? I'm very familiar with HTML, novice with Java and CSS. I have dreamweaver but it wasn't recognizing any of the files to allow me to edit the layout. I would really like to build my own and be creative with the positioning fo the icons and plugins, I just need to be pointed in the right direction. Thanks for any suggestions you may have.

Chance

[Guest Brody]

All skins are written in notepad or something similar (or at least mine are!)

here's an example of one of my message plugins with a transparent background upon highlight:

<format state="selected" bgcolor="transparent" fgcolor="#A90100"/>

<format state="selected" bgcolor="transparent" fgcolor="#A90100"/>

Note the bold portions for how to set the highlighted background colour to transparent, hope this helps!

[Guest chance]

Do you have an expample of an entire document that I can look at? By this I mean the code I posted previously along with the rest of the required code for a complete skin with the plugins and everything. This way I can use it as a frame of referance when working on one. Also, how do you view it as a graphic to see how things are ligning up/looking or do you have to keep checking it on your phone? Thanks for your help.

[Guest Brody]

If you could view it as a graphic then you'd own a nice piece of software! ATM the only way is to test on your phone or using the emulator :? I'll PM u one of my homescreen's XML files :lol:

[Guest chance]

Brody, thank you very much. I will be a great source of referance and I will leave the author intact. I just want to get an idea of what all is involved with creating a skin along with aligning the plugins. Is there by chance a tutorial out there on how to do this? I looked at the "homescreen" link that is all over the place and that's not really what I'm looking for. I will also do a search on google. Thanks again for your help!

[Guest Brody]

There's a useful MSDN article here>> http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default....2homescreen.asp

Essential reading for budding homescreen developers! BTW, You can change the Author field in my XML! Just an acknowledgement when you post it would be nice :lol: