Guest Pigo Posted February 2, 2006 Report Share Posted February 2, 2006 Hi... I would like to start making themes for my vario (and of course for other people as well) I've done some things with my MPX200 and my C500... never publicised them. Not good enough. but now I'm willing to do more but I don't know where to start. only one file is delivered a .tsk file... I don't know what to open it with and I don't know what coding it's in. I have always done everything in notepad. can anybody give me tips or something? because I really don't know where to start Pigo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Disco Stu Posted February 2, 2006 Report Share Posted February 2, 2006 The only method I know of is via commercial thememakers. KAMware do a range and there is a version on McDeb.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pigo Posted February 3, 2006 Report Share Posted February 3, 2006 that's a shame. I like fidling with code. I feel less restricted when I use Notepad. is there a way to explore a existing theme? Pigo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Disco Stu Posted February 3, 2006 Report Share Posted February 3, 2006 Have you tried opening a tsk file with Notepad ? I just did for the first time and am now going to ask you what code that is written in ? Is it Chinese ? :?: :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest geraintwd Posted February 4, 2006 Report Share Posted February 4, 2006 Not sure about the Vario, but I have the MDA Pro. At first I used the MS theme generator with the SPB Extended Theme Generator plugin for it, however this does not give the user control over which portion of the image is displayed. What I then found is that the portrait and landscape images are stored in two separate files: stwater_640_480.jpg for landscape (actual size 640 x 376 pixels) stwater_480_640.jpg for portrait (actual size 480 x 536 pixels) All you need to do is create two images with these file names using the actual size dimensions and put them in your Windows folder on the device. Bear in mind that this is for the MDA Pro which has a 640 x 480 screen, so you may have to experiment a little to apply this to the Vario, but hopefully this will give you a good starting point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pigo Posted February 4, 2006 Report Share Posted February 4, 2006 I;ve been very smart. :) I renamed the .tsk to .cab and voila!!!! ou come the files whick are transfered to you PPC. well... for instance I rename the file and open it. in it are 3 files named: 000000km.000 0stwater.002 tdywater.001 2 of those are images (the bottom2) and one is a file with all the other info. haven't found out which code language it is. because if I open it with notepad it's still a load of mumbo jumbo. by the way... to open the images just right click on one of the files and "open with" and chose your image viewing app. one tip though.... keep the image viewing app open and drag other files to it or else you'll be going through the same steps over and over again. so if anybody knows more.... let me know. P.S.: i did make a simple theme for myself with a free theme creator. very simple but it does personalize my PPC... I'll post it soon. Pigo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pigo Posted February 4, 2006 Report Share Posted February 4, 2006 >geraintwd Thanks for the tip. I've found 2 images in the windows directory called: default_stwater.gif default_stwater_240_240.gif but the top one is 320 x 320 and the bottom one is 240 x 240 so I don't really get it. but I'll keep on searching pigo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jakaroe808 Posted February 18, 2006 Report Share Posted February 18, 2006 Im in the same boat.. I just bought my first PPC (HTC Wizard/8125) and I want to customize my homescreen. I come from smartphones MPx200/220 and the 2125, but just cant seem to figure this out. I wish I could make screens much like my SP but I guess that is not the case. Check out this link I found http://www.ppcsg.com/lofiversion/index.php/t44782.html Then.. if you want homescreens for your SP check out my site: http://www.paulya.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jakaroe808 Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 OK, This is what I have so far. If I take a .tsk file (bubble.tsk) and rename it bubble.cab. extract the files. I now have: KAMWAR~1.000, 0stwater.002, and tdywater.001. I then change 0stwater.002 and tdywater.001 to 0stwater.jpg and tdywater.jpg. I now have my two image files: 0stwater.jpg = Start Menu image. tdywater.jpg = Port. Wallpaper I have renamed KAMWAR~1.000 to .xml but that does not seem to work. I have also tried .hml and got this: MSCE¾ d€¹Éú ¾dks BubbleWindowsHPCJUPITER%CE2%%CE2% Software MicrosoftColor@ [email protected]€ÿ8 9ÿÿÿ4ÿÿÿ6ÿÿÿ7ÀÀÀ10ÿ11ÀÀÀ 12€€€ 13 14€ÿ15ÿÿÿ 16ÿÿÿ25ÿ26ÿ€@27ÿÿÿ28ÿÿÿ36ÿÿÿ37–– Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pigo Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 and that's what I think isn't fruitfull. I think the .tsk file holds the colour info and the file inside the .tsk file (not the images) contains the destination of the images upon installation of the theme. and I think the theme-app of our phones convert the information in the .tsk file to what ever it needs. that's my idea. I've been renaming and opening in all kinds of apps on my PC... all things point to the same I guess. Haven't gotten very far untill now. only thing I've noticed is that themes with landscape and portrait mode have only one background and it's 320 x 294 so it fit's in both ways. I've tried installing my biohazard theme and replacing the file in the windows folder by an altered background image with the 320 x 294 measurements and it works. I get a good picture in portrait and in landscape it's just as good. not sure if two different pic's is possible Pigo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ericharlz Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 anyone who were able to create tsk with landscape and portrait? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pigo Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 Yup I did. don't really like it this way but I'm not getting any more information from taking the files apart. (just more nerves snapping) you need 2 things which you can find here SPB Extended Theme Generator on this page there is a link to the microsoft theme generator.. install this first then the SPB generator. both FREE!!! good luck Pigo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ericharlz Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 (edited) Yup I did. don't really like it this way but I'm not getting any more information from taking the files apart. (just more nerves snapping) you need 2 things which you can find here SPB Extended Theme Generator on this page there is a link to the microsoft theme generator.. install this first then the SPB generator. both FREE!!! good luck Pigo <{POST_SNAPBACK}> k thanks Pigo.. you can also use WinCE CAB manager to open the tsk.. and you'll find the inf and the 2 jpgs.. the landscape pics are same as the portrait ones.. they were just stretched to fit the width of the ppc --part of the code= HKLM,"Software\Microsoft\Color\ThemeGen","tdywater",0x00000000,"test" HKLM,"Software\Microsoft\Color\ThemeGen","tdywaterPct",0x00010001,0 HKLM,"Software\Microsoft\Color\ThemeGen","stwater",0x00000000,"test" HKLM,"Software\Microsoft\Color\ThemeGen","stwaterPct",0x00010001,0 ty marlboro_red for the tip Edited March 18, 2006 by ericharlz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pigo Posted March 20, 2006 Report Share Posted March 20, 2006 Haven't seen 1 theme yet that has 2 jpg's as a background image... all that fit the wizard have a 320 x 294 resolution which makes it fitting for both modes can you show me 1 that has 2? and where did you get that wince cabmanager? Pigo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ericharlz Posted March 20, 2006 Report Share Posted March 20, 2006 (edited) Haven't seen 1 theme yet that has 2 jpg's as a background image... all that fit the wizard have a 320 x 294 resolution which makes it fitting for both modes can you show me 1 that has 2? and where did you get that wince cabmanager? Pigo <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi Pigo.. what I mean by 2 picture files are 1 for the background and 1 for the start menu.. and you are correct the background picture should be 320X287 or 294.. but I think if you use the theme manager it will automatically cut the background image to fit the portrait mode so when its on landscape mode the image is smaller than the orientation of the ppc. looking at the INF files i think 2002/2003 TSKs are almost the same as the WM5.0 except for the 4 HKLM lines mentioned above.. EDIT: WINCE Cab Manager from OCP http://www.ocpsoftware.com/products.php?nm=cecabmgr they have a 15 day trial.. Edited March 20, 2006 by ericharlz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pigo Posted March 22, 2006 Report Share Posted March 22, 2006 very well possible. Tried the Cab manager. works great (like the fact that I can change the colors in a tsk this way) but microsoft's theme generator does cut the picture down. but if you install latest SPB extended theme generator it does not cut it down somehow. My biohazard theme was made this way. dowload the latest one and you'll see. Pigo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ericharlz Posted March 28, 2006 Report Share Posted March 28, 2006 ok cool.. I'll try the SPB theme generator.. I still do mine using CabWiz and then rename it to TSK... haven't tried doing animated themes though.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest drblow Posted April 25, 2006 Report Share Posted April 25, 2006 Haven't you guys heard of Wisbar, pocket breeze etc? I only got my first PPC a few days ago & I'm already feeling able to skin wisbar, WA desktop & pocket breeze. If you use these apps then a simple background theme & colour scheme form the MS generator will be enough to completely transofrm your screen. WA desktop truly rocks & lets you do almost as much customising as a smartphone xml - & its simple & easy to edit in notepad!! Go check it ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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