Daily Dilbert Cartoon Docklet for ObjectDock

[Ghostwalker]

I sent you some skins to look at.

[Smaky]

Thanks for the skins... I will add them to the deployment package.

I think tomorrow will be releasing a version with skin support.

Cool now it is time to go to work.

[Ghostwalker]

Would it be to difficult to increase the skin image size to 45x45?

[Smaky]

Updated docklet... added tabbed dialog for configuration & skins - not yet fully fucntional (General tab & Icons & Images are not fully working yet - no skins... but maybe tomorrow).

I am thinking on letting the skin set it's size dynamically, that is... the only limit will be that all images should be squares of the same size.

Edit: Another small update... now all that's missing is the skin configuration support... hopefully I'm going to get that done during the week-end.

Edit2: Finally skin support is here... now you may configure the strip border elements through the icons & images tab. Right now it supports 35x35 pixel alpha & transparency PNG's... if you would like to have some other dimension supported, please send me an image set to test with.

[Ghostwalker]

Suggestion, instead of replacing all the window images one at a time. Would it not be better just to have a dropdown with skin names? Then you choose a name and the docklet uses the corresponding directory to get the images. Maybe place all skins in a "Skins" folder and have the docklet display all the directories found in that folder by the folder name, Hud, Leopard, Red, Bezel and so forth. And I will be sending you some new skins with larger image sizes.

[Smaky]

This is the way some of my early docklets worked (take a look at WiFi & HDD Monitor) I thought this way would let you configure the images with whatever name you like... but... this is your Docklet... I may configure anyway you think it's easier...

Right now I am starting to code a way to support disimilar skin elements... It's not yet done, but if you want, I can change the way you select the skin and include that when I finish the code I am designing right now.

[Ghostwalker]

If someone downloaded the docklet and wanted to look at each skin they would have to change 8 images each time they wanted to change skins. With the dropdown menu they would just have to choose the skin, I think that would be much faster. Right now instead of configuring each image I just go to the dock directory and copy and paste the skin I want to use and then restart the docklet even that is faster than changing 8 images.

[Smaky]

Voilá, c'est comme vous avez demandé.

As you requested... the docklet's skin is changed via a combo... the skin set should be saved on a named folder under the "icons" folder.

[Smaky]

SKin Support updated... support for different element sizes has been added.

[Ghostwalker]

E-mailed you two new skins.

[Smaky]

The skins were fine, my code was still a bit buggy... I updated it again... I believe it fixes the problems with your skins.

I also added an "Absolute Dimensions" option for skins tailored to be on exact dimension... look at the one I have created as a sample (balloon) and your two new skins (elements with sizes larger than 35x35).

The absolute dimensions should be used to skin with elements that would not be "stretched" as with regular skins.

[Ghostwalker]

Excellent, that gives me some more ideas.

[Smaky]

There's one thing you should take into account... with the Absolute dimensions skins the corners should be 2 pixels larger than expected... this is... from your PSD (beforte "cutting it") make the corners overlap to the borders two pixels... this is to avoid those ugly blanks that get drawn when compositing the final bitmap.

[Smaky]

Well... I will not be updating this thread anymore, nor the downloads will work. I have decided to rename the docklet and create a new thread for the released one. Sorry for the inconveniences... as soon as I create the thread I will update this last post with the link to the new one.

Edit: The new Docklet's thread is http://www.aqua-soft.org/board/showthread.php?t=50914 please come here to conitune supporting it's develpment.