Creating custom skins - some basic questions

[Guest Xpressive]

I am quite new to XML and the SPV and want to create my own skins, so I have some questions:

1. Is it possible to download/install the Smartphone Emulator WITHOUT installing the whole SDK package or do I have to install the whole stuff, even if I don't need all these tools?

2. Is it possible to not only create a new home screen, but also replacements for the other screens (incoming call, etc.) Do I have to create a .cab file then and how to do this?

3. Where can I find a list of all plugins and programs of my SPV (and their 'clsid value' or whatever I need to add them to my own home screen)?

4. Most important: where could I find a (complete) tutorial for all the XML options and tags I can use on the smartphone?

5. Is it possible to replace the wait cursor (color wheel) with a custom one (f.e. hourglass etc.)?

Thanks for helping :)

Mike

[Guest Monolithix [MVP]]

1: Afraid not :)

2: Yep, but not sure on the specifics, your best bet is to see midnight's website and rip some other homescreens to pieces (brushed2 is a good example for what you want).

3: http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default....2homescreen.asp

4: http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default....2homescreen.asp

5: Not as far as i know...

[Guest Xpressive]

That helps a lot!! Thanks so much!

[Guest drblow]

Xpressive -

Hello! I'm also new to xml, but have been messing about with home screens for a while. Mono is right in saying that the best thing to do is go to midnights site (and others like smartphony.org) and get toehr skins to rip to pieces.

However, I don't use the SDK at all, and I believe that other more experienced skinners do not either. Apparently it is not the best thing for skin creating (damned if I know anything about it, but thats what I heard!) & the best way of testing is to load the xml into the phone (IPSM/application data/home) and view it on the phone. It is an irritatingly long process, but I have asked a few of the skinners on here, and thats the way everyone seems to do it.

Hope that helps a bit! Good luck m8

[Guest vijay555]

try removing the default skins (the orange ones etc in the IPSM). this helps speed things up: i think the home page settings panel parses every .home.xml every time it loads, which takes time...

V

[Guest Xpressive]

The most time consuming thing is to upload the xml file after each change just to see what's the difference now (and often enough there isn't any) :) I really don't want to install Microsoft's 205 MB fat Visual Tools monster, together with the 90 MB Smartphone SDK just being able to view my skin on the PC -but I think there's no choice. It's too damn slow and inefficient to test the skin on the phone each time -aaarrrgh! That really drives me crazy :(

I wish there'd be any standalone Smartphone Emulator available!

[Guest vijay555]

mine takes a sec to download, and then about 30 secs for the full rotation of the home page. emulator wouldn't be that much faster i guess?

you might also want to try using the theme generator that allows a kinda full preview... (shareware?)

V

[Guest Xpressive]

Yep, I already tried the Theme Generator -it's quite simple and intelligent, but it doesn't display any plugins or custom xml (just meant for color combinations) :)