Change Soft Key Colors via .xml?

[Guest swivel]

Hey guys, can anyone help me with this problem? I've been working on modifying a home screen. I want to know what the .xml code is for changing the color of the on-screen soft keys. Here's an image capture of how dark I am trying to get my soft keys at the bottom.

I got them this dark by using the program BaseHue Express. It works to change the colors, but every time I restart my phone or reload my theme, the colors go back to a lighter grey. Very annoying. I'd like this color to be a permanent part of my home screen. I tried changing the "btnface" portion of the section of my .xml file, because I've read that that is the way to do it. However, it didn't work. Any ideas?

[Guest w411y]

I believe btnface only changes the colour of the soft keys in WM2003 and not WM5

[Guest swivel]

I believe btnface only changes the colour of the soft keys in WM2003 and not WM5

I see, thanks. Any idea how to do it on WM5?

[Guest swivel]

I see, thanks. Any idea how to do it on WM5?

Nobody knows?

[Guest swivel]

Nevermind. I came up with a work-around. I simply forced vijay's VJBaseHue (designed for PPC) to install onto my Smartphone, figured out the value I needed to add at the end of a shortcut to his app (which was -95), and placed it in my Startup folder. w00t!

[Guest w411y]

Nevermind. I came up with a work-around. I simply forced vijay's VJBaseHue (designed for PPC) to install onto my Smartphone, figured out the value I needed to add at the end of a shortcut to his app (which was -95), and placed it in my Startup folder. w00t!

Fancy sharing it for others with the same problem?

[Guest swivel]

Fancy sharing it for others with the same problem?

Well, I'm not sure if I can post the .cab file for my altered version of vijay's VJBaseHue without getting his permission first, because it was designed for PPC. I had to edit the .cab file so that it would install on Smartphones.

Edited November 5, 2006 by swivel

[Guest swivel]

Nevermind. I'm just going to post it. It is freeware anyway, so if he wants me to remove it, I will. Download the .cab file and install on your WM5 Smartphone. If you're not familiar with base hues, read up on it here: http://www.vijay555.com/index.php?Releases:VJBaseHue

Now you're going to want to create a .lnk file in your Windows\StartUp folder. Name it anything you want, and have it point to: 64#"\Program Files\vijay555\VJBaseHue\VJBaseHue.exe" -95. That "-95" at the end of the link instruction is the base hue color value for the dark grey color of my screen in the first post. Negative numbers will result in greyscale colors. Positive numbers will result in pretty much all of the rest of the colors in the spectrum. The link to Vijay's page above will explain what numbers will produce what colors.

This work-around doesn't allow you to add new colors to your home screen .xml files, but it does allow you to choose the color of the soft key buttons that is automatically loaded upon each boot (or at any time by executing the link you created).

Enjoy!

vjbasehueSP.cab

[Guest w411y]

Good stuff :rolleyes: Thanks

[Guest swivel]

Good stuff :rolleyes: Thanks

No problem

[Guest XxDrAg0nxX]

Would any of these turn the softkeys black?

[Guest w411y]

Would any of these turn the softkeys black?

That would be Kleinweders method which is edditing the registry. Not entirely sure how BasuHue goes about it. May be essentially the same method performed in different ways

[Guest XxDrAg0nxX]

Can it be used in the XML?

[Guest swivel]

Can it be used in the XML?

I tried it and didn't have any luck.

[Guest w411y]

Its used in the XML that is later packaged into a cab installation file. So no it cannot be done in the homescreen XML

[Guest XxDrAg0nxX]

Still waiting for my 320 cant wait to experiment myself :)

So does this mean the cab file adjusted something in the registry?

[Guest w411y]

Still waiting for my 320 cant wait to experiment myself :D

So does this mean the cab file adjusted something in the registry?

Quite right :)

[Guest netsyd]

I'm still working on getting the right code for black ... but I've been able to create most every color and do it right in the XML for the Scheme on WM5

Try this:

Betcha you end up with Purple sofkeys.

There's no registry key hack needed for everything but black so far ... this is on a stock Cingular BlackJack and it worked like a charm.

So far I've done Blue, Red, Green, Purple and pink (stuff I know that VJBaseHue could do).

Black however is another story.... I'll figure it out eventually (I hope). #000000 does nothing, and similar codes like #1C1C1C don't do anything either.

Edited December 8, 2006 by netsyd

[Guest joenewbreed]

here's a tip for anyone trying to do the whole black softkey thing... get kleinweder's black beauty homescreen (i apologize, i cannot find the link right now), then change any of the xml in the theme. the softkeys will still be black. this helped me make my iphone ripoff homescreen

[Guest bothof]

Nevermind. I came up with a work-around. I simply forced vijay's VJBaseHue (designed for PPC) to install onto my Smartphone, figured out the value I needed to add at the end of a shortcut to his app (which was -95), and placed it in my Startup folder. w00t!

How did you do that, I have VJBasehue.cab and already have my .lnk file ready to go..just need to get the VJBasehue.exe into my program folder...can you help me get this onto my smartphone?

Thanks,

Rob.

[Guest swivel]

How did you do that, I have VJBasehue.cab and already have my .lnk file ready to go..just need to get the VJBasehue.exe into my program folder...can you help me get this onto my smartphone?

Thanks,

Rob.

Click here: http://www.modaco.com/index.php?act=attach...st&id=20305

Transfer that .cab file over to your phone and then open it from your phone's file browser.

[Guest bothof]

Click here: http://www.modaco.com/index.php?act=attach...st&id=20305

Transfer that .cab file over to your phone and then open it from your phone's file browser.

Thank you!!, that finally answers all the questions about how to easily change the softkeys to black.

Rob.

[Guest Jpike005]

whatd i do when it says "Please specify a number to set as the base hue! [email protected]"

don't see where you can input a color?

anyways, can you make it white?

finally, the program seems to be slowing my phone down...is that possible?

[Guest Jpike005]

Now you're going to want to create a .lnk file in your Windows\StartUp folder. Name it anything you want, and have it point to: 64#"\Program Files\vijay555\VJBaseHue\VJBaseHue.exe" -95. That "-95" at the end of the link instruction is the base hue color value for the dark grey color of my screen in the first post. Negative numbers will result in greyscale colors. Positive numbers will result in pretty much all of the rest of the colors in the spectrum. The link to Vijay's page above will explain what numbers will produce what colors.

This work-around doesn't allow you to add new colors to your home screen .xml files, but it does allow you to choose the color of the soft key buttons that is automatically loaded upon each boot (or at any time by executing the link you created).

Enjoy!

basically, whatd you mean by "point to" in reference to the .lnk file?

[Guest swivel]

basically, whatd you mean by "point to" in reference to the .lnk file?

Links (or shortcuts) "point" to a specific file or folder, etc., using the pathname and possibly some additional instructions or commands. Basically, what you want to do is create a .lnk file containing the pathname above (ending in -95, which is an additional command) by using any text editor you'd like to type it out, and then saving it as a .lnk file.