[help] Skinning Itunes

Originally posted by TheBigB@Sep 18 2004, 09:49 PM

ok... i want... THAT FILE!!! [zombie=MUST HAVE ITUNES WITH DARKER BG!!!]zombification=too much;file=must-have[/zombie]

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I got your PM, right now I don't have time to send you the skinned exe. Just wait until I finish the program to allow you to skin iTunes so that I can edit things easily. Right now I have to edit by hand and it takes about 5 min just to change an image. with my program it'll take just seconds. I just have to program it in

- Evolution

#214908

Post content removed.

It was bugging. Please let our godlike skinners work, have some patience.

Keep it up guys

-Pe8er

#214916

Well just to update again. My iTunes skinning technique is pretty much flawless. I was editing the stuff my hand at first but after I finally figured out exactly what the process was, I created a ALPHA version program which lets me exchange whatever resource I'd like.

There are limitations but they aren't that big of a problem.

1. The file you are inputting cannot be larger than the original file.

2. The background images work off of greyscale so no color. Only texture type things.

What's cool tho is that you can use 16bit or 32bit images. so if you create a skin and one of the files is too large, save it in 16bit and it'll cut the size in half. I don't really see in difference with the images used in iTunes since they are not super complex so using 16bit won't hurt appearance I don't think. hehe

I would like to create a full blown skinning program that will allow the user to change every aspect of iTunes and do so very easily. I will release a very early version of the program within a day or two.

It's just too much fun being able to switch out everything in iTunes and I need time to play with it hehe

- Evolution

#214957

Originally posted by evolution@Sep 19 2004, 12:44 AM

Very true, check this out

hehe

I can now change every aspect of iTunes. I don't think it is possible to add files that are larger than the original but now smaller is no problem Every time I've resaved it's always been smaller, quite smaller in fact.. by 10 kb depending on the original size..

- Evolution

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i didn't talk about that 128x128 mask, but the gradient this mask is applied to. try changing the mask to full black and you'll see it. only if we could change THAT we could make the background exactly like in a Mac.

#214965

It would be nice to be able to change BOTH. I would like to be able to do things like they are doing on OSX with the GUIKITS.

#214970

Very interesting iTunes developments going on in this thread.. great work all!

#214988

Originally posted by localhost@Sep 19 2004, 04:31 AM

i didn't talk about that 128x128 mask, but the gradient this mask is applied to. try changing the mask to full black and you'll see it. only if we could change THAT we could make the background exactly like in a Mac.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

right, I've changed it to black and have seen what you mean. There is a gradient being applied to the mask which is why if you change the mask to a color image nothing happens except the outline of the original image, hence the name "MASK" hehe.

Everything can be changed in iTunes from the highlight colors, scrollbars, fonts and yes now even the interface images. I am pretty sure there has to be a section in there that defines the gradient, it is just the way apple works. I will look into that as well.

This is the way MaxOsX users started out. They could only change the Mask and couldn't do much else. Not only that, but the iTunes skini implementation on the Mac is different that that of Windows. I downloaded some mac skins expecting the images to be pretty much the same of windows and the Mask and Basic images are different but I guess that's expected.

- Evolution

#215032

well i still want the exe but if you need me to wait ok. if anyone wants screenies of the mac itunes i'll try to install it on pearpc and give you that. not that it would help but i wanna try. i can't just look at something this cool without trying to help in some way. sorry if i am being annoying.

#215168

Originally posted by TheBigB@Sep 20 2004, 03:00 AM

well i still want the exe but if you need me to wait ok. if anyone wants screenies of the mac itunes i'll try to install it on pearpc and give you that. not that it would help but i wanna try. i can't just look at something this cool without trying to help in some way. sorry if i am being annoying.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually, what you could do to help out is this. Install the iTunes MAC version on PearPC and then open iTunes, CTRL+CLICK on the titlebar and select "Show Package Contents", Open the contents folder and then the resource folder, copy the "iTunes.rsrc" file and send it to me at runasoft@runasoft.net.... That would help alot.. Make sure you zip it up or rar it up or something so it's not so big. It doesn't matter, just saying to save u some bandwidth..

- Evolution

#215172

WOW amazing guys, simply great!! I hope this goes the distance.

#215183

CTRL+CLICK on the titlebar and select "Show Package Contents", Open the contents folder and then the resource folder, copy the "iTunes.rsrc" file and send it to me at runasoft@runasoft.net

hmm, doest seems like that ctrl+click did the work...

Is it a other way?

Peace

#215244

*drool*

This has progressed so far since I saw it last.. amazing work Ev and Localhost

#215395

Just a quick update. Although skinning is now possible, there are limitations as i stated before. The filesize limit is a problem sometimes with masks. Primarily for the Close, Minimize and Restore Mask.. There is so little Mask information that attempting to create a Mask for ROUND buttons rather than Square isn't possible due to the file size restriction

I'm not sure how to overcome this as I've tried multiple things. My latest which I was sure was going to work, didn't I attempted to resize the "ABOUT" box image since it is 108KB in size to just 6 KB which i succeeded in doing.

I then filled the remained 102KB with zeros.. I figured, ok if an image is larger, I will simply take away from the 102KB and fill the image in the extra image data, problem solved right, NOPE! hehe.

I don't think it's iTunes doing the check, I think it's just the way windows programs work. If there is just 1 byte difference past the original byte offset even if its been taken somewhere else, the program crashes

I'm still going forth with my iTunes Skinning program as it will provide some skinning abilities that many will find short of amazing LOL but until I find a way to replace images of larger size, I won't be satisfied. Yes, this is a step in the right direction but not the full leap I was hoping to make

as for the program completion date, I am working on it as we speak but tomorrow I have some job interviews and things and friday I have to take some tests. But Wednesday and Thursday are free for me to program so I can probably get alot done by then. I will see and keep you all updated.. Ooh, here is a screeny for all of you all of the latest iTunes Skinning program.

- Evolution

#215426

Originally posted by evolution@Sep 19 2004, 11:19 PM

Actually, what you could do to help out is this. Install the iTunes MAC version on PearPC and then open iTunes, CTRL+CLICK on the titlebar and select "Show Package Contents", Open the contents folder and then the resource folder, copy the "iTunes.rsrc" file and send it to me at runasoft@runasoft.net.... That would help alot.. Make sure you zip it up or rar it up or something so it's not so big. It doesn't matter, just saying to save u some bandwidth..

- Evolution

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ok i'll see what i can do. i didn't get networking up in pearpc properly but i will try again.

#215450

Originally posted by Sputnikk@Sep 20 2004, 07:45 AM

hmm, doest seems like that ctrl+click did the work...

Is it a other way?

Peace

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

sorry for double posting but if you got networking to work in pearpc you need to actually ctrl+click on the itunes app not the titlebar. that pops up a menu and then you click show package contents.

#215451

have you tryed Resources Tuner ??? it does not corrupt the file, sometimes the problem is resourcehacker and not all that you`ve said anyway just give it a try

bye

#215465

Originally posted by IngeneerMind@Sep 21 2004, 03:13 AM

have you tryed  Resources Tuner ??? it does not corrupt the file, sometimes the problem is resourcehacker and not all that you`ve said anyway just give it a try

bye

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hehe, I don't think you understand what we are doing here. iTunes is not being skinned simply by using a resource hacker.. hehe If only it were that easy. No, instead I have had to develop a custom program to skin iTunes. It is a resource hacker of sorts but nothing like anyone has seen on a windows system, primarily due to the fact the Apple doesn't do things like Microsoft does when it comes to resources anyhow.

- Evolution

#215470

Evolution,

consider 2:

1. Single codebase.

I guess that Apple compiles both the Windows and the Mac version from one single codebase, this would be the most feasible strategy, and since the Mac version was first, maybe all this stuff is a binary mac .rsrc file. In that case, you could employ mac compiler documentation to provide larger images and keep the structure intact.

2. Lazy programmers.

If the binary resource stuff is hand crafted, imagine what kind of info YOU would stuff into a binary stream and try to find it. I'd do:

- somewhere, pointer to:

- data head:

-- 1 DWORD size of binary data in total (in case I have other data following)

-- 1 SHORT count of sections (in case I reused some code that required it)

--- n times

--- 1 DWORD size of resource

--- 1-4 BYTEs resource type (in case I mixed bitmaps and other stuff in a collection)

--- n Bytes of image data, beginning with your PNG headers

--- maybe up to 4 bytes of closing 0 (pedantic, alignment or neglective)

This need not be the case but I hope you get the idea. Apple coders are coders too.

Especially if you have two PNG headers following, try to figure out what kind of info might be contained between the end of image 1 and before the image 2-header and try to derive a general rule of thumb, which will allow you to resize these image sizes at will.

#215508

Originally posted by TheBigB@Sep 21 2004, 03:54 AM

sorry for double posting but if you got networking to work in pearpc you need to actually ctrl+click on the itunes app not the titlebar. that pops up a menu and then you click show package contents.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I got network and i have dl'ed/installed iTunes .

But when i try that ctrl+click it doest come any meny up...

Dunno if it's ppc who doest

support keyboard shortcuts >.<

Any other why to get the itunes.rsrc file?

Peace

#215527

Originally posted by herd@Sep 21 2004, 08:21 AM

Evolution,

consider 2:

1. Single codebase.

I guess that Apple compiles both the Windows and the Mac version from one single codebase, this would be the most feasible strategy, and since the Mac version was first, maybe all this stuff is a binary mac .rsrc file. In that case, you could employ mac compiler documentation to provide larger images and keep the structure intact.

2. Lazy programmers.

If the binary resource stuff is hand crafted, imagine what kind of info YOU would stuff into a binary stream and try to find it. I'd do:

- somewhere, pointer to:

- data head:

-- 1 DWORD size of binary data in total (in case I have other data following)

-- 1 SHORT count of sections (in case I reused some code that required it)

--- n times

--- 1 DWORD size of resource

--- 1-4 BYTEs resource type (in case I mixed bitmaps and other stuff in a collection)

--- n Bytes of image data, beginning with your PNG headers

--- maybe up to 4 bytes of closing 0 (pedantic, alignment or neglective)

This need not be the case but I hope you get the idea. Apple coders are coders too.

Especially if you have two PNG headers following, try to figure out what kind of info might be contained between the end of image 1 and before the image 2-header and try to derive a general rule of thumb, which will allow you to resize these image sizes at will.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thank you for your input. This is what I was thinking as well, I just hadn't quite got around to it. I will definetly look into this later today when I get back from interviews.. Peace..

- Evolution

#215578

Originally posted by judge@Sep 21 2004, 07:22 PM

I can't be sure, but maybe this chapter from Inside Macintosh might be useful?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That helped, not the extent I had hoped but it did a little. It helped guide me as I checked the data in between each PICT file. I figured out that the data in between each PICT file is actually the size of the next PICT file. I attempted to try a little premature editing and deleting 1 byte and changing the size of the hex data to the new size but it still did not work. I have to play around with it some more.

I am leaving out of town until Sat due to some Job related testing I have to do so when I return I will start work on this project again.

edit: sorry, judge, I forgot to say thank you for the link Oooh and thanx to everyone else who is providing input, it has really helped me.

As localhost posted, there is a valid .rsrc file within the iTunes.exe. I have found and am attempting to treat it just as a valid .rsrc file and reading it's header data and attempting to get the information that APPLE says it contains. Once I do this, it may be possible to use files of a larger size to skin iTunes. I apologize for the wait time for the early alpha release of the iTunes skinner but I've been busy with reallife and seems it may only get busier. I will try and release something when I can, things should calm down by Sat and I can attempt some more work. I will take my laptop with me when I go out of town and try to do some work there but I can't be too sure I will get any done..

- Evolution

#215850

I don't know if this will help much but...

It seems O'reilly has released a book with all kind of iTunes and iPod hacks. in it he describes a way to hack itunes resources. Now this hack he describes is for the MAC iTunes but I thought maybe it will give you programming geniouses some ideas... if not - then... well... I tried

here's the link:

Oreilly

#216509

Originally posted by Quazimodo@Sep 25 2004, 12:19 PM

I don't know if this will help much but...

It seems O'reilly has released a book with all kind of iTunes and iPod hacks. in it he describes a way to hack itunes resources. Now this hack he describes is for the MAC iTunes but I thought maybe it will give you programming geniouses some ideas... if not - then... well... I tried 

here's the link:

Oreilly

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

well i've read a ton of MAC resource editing info and it's got me to where I am now. I will take a look at your link and see if it's of any help. Thank you for the link

- Evolution

#216571

well this project is going really cool and i hope you manage to skin itunes. this will be the COOLEST!!!. mac itunes in a windows format. the REAL itunes!!!thx soo much for trying and you must've tried your best! not bad for someone with only 64 posts!

#217176

Originally posted by TheBigB@Sep 27 2004, 11:55 PM

well this project is going really cool and i hope you manage to skin itunes. this will be the COOLEST!!!. mac itunes in a windows format. the REAL itunes!!!thx soo much for trying and you must've tried your best! not bad for someone with only 64 posts!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

hehe, well as they say, don't ever judge someone based on thier post count. Thier input could be just as valuable as that of somebody who has 5,000 posts.. I've been around since iTunes first came out and developed one of the first Always on Top plugins for iTunes. I was the first to develop a plugin which did the minimize to sys and tooltip things and I believe I have the only plugin that does window transparency. Granted, these are not difficult things to accomplish but they have helped keep my interest in iTunes modding.. hehe

- Evolution

#217177