[Villain]

SkinWorks

Updates:
SDI UI Shows it's haed!


Not the final layout, but it was PCModer's idea. a good one too. I think i like the left handed buttons better that the "black" ones on the right handed side.


First peek at the MenuEditor.

Quote

So this is just a pic to show that i have the basic code behinf the Pain version's MenuDesigner in.

One thing that is always the same between Windowblinds, Msstyles, ViStart, etc... Is that all in all, it is the same start menu.

This app will let you literally Design your own StartMenu in a drag and drop - Resizeable, click to load the graphic user friendly enviroment.

The start menu design that i have up there took all of 3 minutes, i have links to:
*my art folder (top button)
*my Gtalk chat logs (second button)
*my dA webpage (3rd button)
*my media player(Huge Icon)
*also the standard Vista program menu

I used the default "menu" skin because i was lazy.

There will be more features, but that DIY MenuEditor is one of the main "Pay" features. Not to bad between $5-$10.

And YES, any skin made with the menu editor WILL work with the free version, the start menu layout will be exactly like how the Menu Designer person made it.

Original Post


Please forgive the horrible color loss and compression, I think that you can understand the video demo when you see it.
So while I did not start off looking to make a WindowBlinds-esque clone, it seems as if I have done so.

Taskbar Texturizer has evidentually "Grown Up" on me, being that I can now change out the Start button / Orb, and customize a Start menu (Thanks go to fediaFedia, you see, that is his ViStart start menu skin i used in the demo )

I have pulled out the old "Metaknight" code (windows skinning) and it will be added in to the codebase, giving me pretty much the main componets that WindowBlinds has.

I do not know when the final will be ready, I have beta testers already that i know i can trust, so no one really needs to "sign up" for this.

Yes, i Will eventually have an OpenBeta, but for now, it is just me, once i get some of the kinks worked out, it will be a Closed Beta (my normal testers), and once the feedback is good, it will be Open Beta (free for all).
I Will announcing that this WILL be a paid app, but, there will be a free version, that is not really limited to much. As it is looking right now, the SkinBuilder will be the object in question.

The Free version will be what you saw in the demo, the Paid version will offer up a lot more options, such as different PNG buttons (not seen in this video, to be on the Start menu), special drag and drop layout for the Menu Designer, HTML integration (WebBrowser in the Start menu), RSS reader (on taskbar?)... You get the idea.
So yeah, just post what you think. do you like what you see?

[Villain]

no comments? Must be the idea of a Cost that is driving people away.

[LonghornGT]

Villain, on 02 November 2009 - 04:52 PM, said:

no comments? Must be the idea of a Cost that is driving people away.

1st comment. Nice. Very nice. Just cool!
All you need to do is to make full start menu like ViStart, or even better! Waiting for new version!

This post has been edited by LonghornGT: 02 November 2009 - 01:23 PM

[Neschy]

I like it!
It already has nice features.
Its gonna be nice alternative to Windows Blinds.
Keep up the good work!

[Villain]

it is going to have a full start menu, an enhanced one. this was just the alpha milestone that i had working last night.

[Culprit]

Is this for windows7? If so the start menu looks horrble. I wouldn't pay for this. If you look at a comparison to WindowBlinds this is very por.

[Villain]

this is also the first version, a work in progress. please keep that in mind.
and this is for windows 2000 and up. that means 2000, XP, Vista and 7.

[zool]

Villain, on 02 November 2009 - 08:52 PM, said:

no comments? Must be the idea of a Cost that is driving people away.

haha.. i was thinking about that too.. btw, is that WindowsXP shown in the video or Win7 because i saw pinball just now
But, good job on skinning the windows menu.. IMO, focus on vista/win7 first because they need skinning more compared to XP.. XP got too many VS/WB skins compared to Vista/Win7..
One question, is it possible to make thin version of windows menu for vista/7 just like XP(display icons only with no text) using your SkinWorks?

This post has been edited by zool: 02 November 2009 - 03:30 PM

[Lord Devrexster]

You should bring the part that says "All this was done on Win XP" to stay throughout the whole video. Some people dont watch the whole video u know ...

But the thing looks good. But I wud rather prefer it stays only a taskbar skinner (coz we have none for windows that exclusively skins only the taskbar)

[Villain]

zool , yes, it IS xp. the Start menu that you see is a custom widget acting in place of the start menu, so it can be (with the paid version) and size / width / height that you want to, in the designer and in the skin. these skins can be run by any one using the app, just the designer is only in the paid version

Dev, i will have an option to have it be only skinning the bar VS the whole task bar / start menu.

[PurplePeopleEater]

Love the idea, your basically making your own skinning suite

[pcHuntqwerty]

Nice video! Looking forward to see it.

[PcModer]

Looking good!

[pm_41]

So you're coding a free competitor to WB? Stardock might have a run for their money!

[Villain]

Thanks guys! yes, the basic use will be free.