Appearance Manager

[Old Dog]

Okay you're mostly changing the backgrounds and highlighted buttons with this AM tool. Interesting working idea..

Oh there's more...

But the key is to provide the end user with just enough flexibilty to express themselves, at the click of a few buttons.

[Old Dog]

For those with graphics programs like PhotoShop...

The AM system provides three layers of graphics

1. The background, for establishing the primary color
   
2. A static layer supporting transparency for creating the motif
   
3. A dynamic layer for the buttons, selections, and informative text.
   

If we're lucky, when the system is mature, we'll attract a more artistic crowd that will come in and create new skins simply by creating new skin-effect files, without having to be concerned with any of the drudgery of xml files.

AM quiz...
What do all of these headers have in common?

[Old Dog]

BTW, did I mention that the next release of AM will support optional, individual skin effects for each plugin?

[Old Dog]

AM quiz...
What do all of these headers have in common?

They are all grayscale images...

[gruskada]

Old Dog - I just checked out Appearance Manager. It is really slick. Nice work. Also, great work on "The Collection" series itself.

My only suggestion is to have arrows on the actual buttons on the Appearance screen, so it's obvious that you can cycle through settings.

gruskada

[Old Dog]

The latest update of The Collection (Feb. 5, 2006) includes a new version of the Appearance Manager.

The new version of AM:

• makes fewer assumptions about the skin
  
• more faithfully reproduces the skin
  
• supports skin effects for individual plugins
  
• supports menu variations including
  • vertical vs horizontal
    
  • number of visible buttons
    
  • wrap around
    
  • always centered
    

AM now requires its own skin.xml which usually is derived from the skin's main menu.

Going forward, the next task is to implement selection of task image sets. After that, make changes as required by the next version of GBPVR. Then work will begin on documenting AM probably in the form of a tutorial.

Be advised that for the next six weeks, I am working overtime and week-ends at my day job.

[Old Dog]

The AM EXample skin...

[Old Dog]

with a skin effect...

[groover km]

I've got to be honest, I looove those glossy black bars....

[Old Dog]

At the click of a button, they turn blue...