Task Oriented Design
SkinStudio 6 takes on a much more task-oriented
design. Rather than the user being overwhelmed with information by seeing
all elements of the visual style at once, SkinStudio 6 instead takes the user
step by step through the skin.
Clean New Interface
Each element shows either (or both) a Windows XP
logo or a Windows Vista logo to let the skin author know which features are
supported under which operating system. Moreover, when editing a
particular element, the interface is clean and to the point.
Community Support
Moreover, each section will be tied to a particular part
of the SkinStudio portion of the Customization Wiki. In this
way, users can instantly get help making skins from not just
Stardock but the entire skinning community.
Supports WindowBlinds 6 New Features
SkinStudio 6 was designed with
WindowBlinds 6 in mind. All the new Windows Vista controls, Internet Explorer 7
controls and more are easily editable. No more trying to figure out how to
support the latest/greatest features.
Features:
- More user friendly than previous SkinStudio
- Task Oriented Design
- Clean New Interface
- Supports New Vista Features
- Sidebar support
- Vista Start Menu Buttons
- Edit Vista Control Panel and navigation parts
- Support for Internet Explorer 7
- Taskdialog controls
- Vista Explorer: Command Bar, Information Pane, List View, Please
Wait screen, etc.
- Explorer background
- Theme Part Details tab that visually displays components of the skin for
easy access
- Improved support for title bar buttons. Easily change the
per-pixel settings.
- Improved support for adding glow effects
- Improved support for making sub-styles
Pro Features: (just some of the outstanding Pro features)
- Start Menu Animation Builder - This allows you to build skins
with the new animated startmenu sections like the dragon
- Code editor option for sections - This allows skin authors to
directly edit the 'code' in a section
- Substyle syncing - This is a time saver for those who make
multiple substyles. Designers can sync sections between substyles.
So when adding a new style for normal buttons you can sync it between
substyles instead of making the changes twice.
- More features to come!
|
SkinStudio provides a step-by-step interface that starts with the basic left navigation buttons that change as the user
steps through the creation process.
|
|
The SkinStudio open skin dialog.
|
|
Previews of all elements appear on the right hand side of the interface when selecting and editing.
|
|
SkinStudio now supports all of the additional elements required for Windows Vista and allows the user to edit substyles
independently.
|
|
SkinStudio's full skin preview tab. Notice how all of the steps to create a skin are now listed down the left hand
navigation tab to help guide the user through the skin creation process. Skin authors can simple move down the list
for a step-by-step process that is easy AND thorough.
|
|
Edit buttons, sliders, scrollbars, and other basic elements of the skin on the Edit Controls screen.
|
|
In this shot of the Edit Buttons screen you can see the clean layout that includes all of the elements necessary to
create a skin. Previews of the controls are included above each section where the control is skinned.
|
|
Skin Internet Explorer with SkinStudio 6 including the tabs, icons and animations.
|
|
Titlebar and WindowFrames also provide a mini-preview following the consistent look and feel of the application.
|
|
SkinStudio supports Windows XP specific sections on a seperate tab to help expose the necessary elements for Vista versus XP
in a simple way.
|
|
By simply selecting a pciture from the Theme part details tab the user is taken to the editing fuction for that particular
section of the skin! Simple yet powerful.
|
|
This shot depcits the horizontal taskbar editing screen.
|
|
Finally one of the killer features in WindowBlinds 6, start menu animation is supported via this edit dialog.
|
System Requirements:
-
Windows Vista (32-bit and 64-bit) and Windows XP/2003
- 1GHz or faster processor recommended
- 120MB free drive space (including the pre-requisite of installing
WindowBlinds)
- 512MB RAM
- Note: A 16MB DirectX 8 or later compatible video card with appropriate driver support is required for per-pixel alpha-blended skins. Some integrated graphics solutions and lower-end cards from before 2004 may not be able to use per-pixel skins.
