zSkinner & zSkin

lpxxfaintxx · 02-08-2007, 01:57 PM

Ok, so Pity has made a great discovery: that we can modify the ZuneLoc.dll to change the skin of the Zune Software.

We didn't want to release just a boring old "how-to." Instead, berdon, the programmer of zMeta has volunteered to help.

He has some very clever ideas that we can really build on. Here's what we have so far.

We create the Zune Skin by editting the ZuneLoc.dll. We then use his convertors to convert that .dll into a ".zsk" (zuneskin) file. The .zsk file will have some info incorporated in it, such as the skin name, author, etc. In reality, the .zsk will be a .dll in disguise.

There will also be another program. It will be userfriendly, and will automatically "swap" the old ZuneLoc.dll with the new altered version, with the skin modifications.

This way, the users who don't want to mess around with resource hacker can easily switch skins.

Any ideas are welcome!
8)

@berdon: G'luck man. Need any more info, contact me and/or Pity.

PityOnU · 02-08-2007, 02:09 PM

Wow. Sounds pretty hardcore... but AWESOME ;D

I'll try and get the two stock Zune colors (brown and white) to you by tommorrow. I figured out how to edit areas instead of using the paintbrush :P

Pink and orange by next week. Maybe the Zune Master skin by then, too.

Custom skins by your request after that.

Good luck with that programming

Sounds intense.

P.S. - Maybe we can put this and zMetaData Editor together and call it the zSuite?

Napoleon Iven Quinnly · 02-08-2007, 06:39 PM

I been doing this manually, and im almost done with a really cool retro looking skin :P!!!

lpxxfaintxx · 02-08-2007, 06:43 PM

Awesome. BTW, depending on your screen resolution, adding images pixelate the skin a lot. You can prevent this by making the bitmap 1280px wide.

Napoleon Iven Quinnly · 02-08-2007, 06:51 PM

I just pasted the image in MS paint deleted it and filled in the white space that was left ;D. I know its really stupid to use MS paint but I think it adds to the retro effect :P You guys may end up hating it, but hey it something,

P.S. in my opinion the mini mode one looks pretty cool 8)

lpxxfaintxx · 02-08-2007, 06:53 PM

Yea, it does.

Napoleon Iven Quinnly · 02-08-2007, 07:17 PM

Heres a link to a raw screen shot i took of it tell me what you think

normal: http://two.xthost.info/zunerfatman/screen1.bmp

Since minimode is smaller ill post it

minimode:

Napoleon Iven Quinnly · 02-08-2007, 08:39 PM

based on the fact that both WMP11 and zune have a loc file were the skins are stored would it not be easier to just take the skin changer for WMP11 and configure it to use on the zune? Just an idea, im probably completely wrong cause i havent researched this any more than what i stated

PityOnU · 02-09-2007, 01:22 PM

Could somebody post .ico files for a brown and white Zune so that I can complete the color themes?

Might as well have everything matching :P

PityOnU · 02-10-2007, 02:46 PM

Here's what I have so far:

Pink

White

lpxxfaintxx · 02-10-2007, 03:14 PM

They look nice!

PityOnU · 02-10-2007, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lpxxfaintxx

They look nice!

My favorite so far is the pink :P It looks really nice in combination with the Zune toolbar theme

The brown is going to take a bit more work than these two, however...

putis · 02-10-2007, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lpxxfaintxx

They look nice!

Very, very sexy.

lpxxfaintxx · 02-10-2007, 03:18 PM

Yea, it does. Pink + Black = Hawt.

Napoleon Iven Quinnly · 02-10-2007, 03:31 PM

Lot better than mine

i need to get that GIMP program someone mentioned(i read about it in popsci today too ;D)

PityOnU · 02-10-2007, 06:07 PM

How is berdon coming along with the programming? He must be kind of busy since he's working on the zMeta Editor as well...

What kind of time frame are we looking at here?

berdon · 02-10-2007, 08:26 PM

Tonight (I hope).

Napoleon Iven Quinnly · 02-10-2007, 08:33 PM

Tonight!! im stayin up for this one ;D Berdon you rock!!!

berdon · 02-10-2007, 09:13 PM

Well, there's two app's that need to be created. The one that you guys use to convert them into a .zsk and the one that switches the skin, I hope to have them both done tonight or tomorrow morning anyway.

berdon · 02-10-2007, 10:43 PM

zSkinner v0.5
Alright, it's not pretty, but it should get the job done for converting.

Please Note: This was a quick job, it's not dirty, but it was quick. Everything functions, there might be a few bugs though.

More Important: For now, descriptions can't include enters/returns/new lines. If you do, things won't work so hot in the zSkin app. :P

Anyway, as I said, it was quick, but I'll release another prettier one later on (next weekend I'm sure). Also, if you have any thoughts, suggestions, ideas, etc, feel free to express them.

http://www.cppworld.com/Zune/zSkinner.exe

02-08-2007, 01:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
lpxxfaintxx Administrator Ultimate Zuner Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Fullerton, CA Posts: 5,837 Reputation: 259	zSkinner & zSkin Ok, so Pity has made a great discovery: that we can modify the ZuneLoc.dll to change the skin of the Zune Software. We didn't want to release just a boring old "how-to." Instead, berdon, the programmer of zMeta has volunteered to help. He has some very clever ideas that we can really build on. Here's what we have so far. We create the Zune Skin by editting the ZuneLoc.dll. We then use his convertors to convert that .dll into a ".zsk" (zuneskin) file. The .zsk file will have some info incorporated in it, such as the skin name, author, etc. In reality, the .zsk will be a .dll in disguise. There will also be another program. It will be userfriendly, and will automatically "swap" the old ZuneLoc.dll with the new altered version, with the skin modifications. This way, the users who don't want to mess around with resource hacker can easily switch skins. Any ideas are welcome! 8) @berdon: G'luck man. Need any more info, contact me and/or Pity. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

02-08-2007, 02:09 PM	#2 (permalink)
PityOnU Super Zuner Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: In the real world Posts: 1,987 Reputation: 134	Re: zSkinner & zSkin Wow. Sounds pretty hardcore... but AWESOME ;D I'll try and get the two stock Zune colors (brown and white) to you by tommorrow. I figured out how to edit areas instead of using the paintbrush :P Pink and orange by next week. Maybe the Zune Master skin by then, too. Custom skins by your request after that. Good luck with that programming Sounds intense. P.S. - Maybe we can put this and zMetaData Editor together and call it the zSuite?

02-08-2007, 06:39 PM	#3 (permalink)
Napoleon Iven Quinnly zB Programmer Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 630 Reputation: 20	Re: zSkinner & zSkin I been doing this manually, and im almost done with a really cool retro looking skin :P!!! __________________ With all due respect, Napoleon IQ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

02-08-2007, 06:43 PM	#4 (permalink)
lpxxfaintxx Administrator Ultimate Zuner Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Fullerton, CA Posts: 5,837 Reputation: 259	Re: zSkinner & zSkin Awesome. BTW, depending on your screen resolution, adding images pixelate the skin a lot. You can prevent this by making the bitmap 1280px wide. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

02-08-2007, 06:51 PM	#5 (permalink)
Napoleon Iven Quinnly zB Programmer Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 630 Reputation: 20	Re: zSkinner & zSkin I just pasted the image in MS paint deleted it and filled in the white space that was left ;D. I know its really stupid to use MS paint but I think it adds to the retro effect :P You guys may end up hating it, but hey it something, P.S. in my opinion the mini mode one looks pretty cool 8) __________________ With all due respect, Napoleon IQ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

02-08-2007, 06:53 PM	#6 (permalink)
lpxxfaintxx Administrator Ultimate Zuner Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Fullerton, CA Posts: 5,837 Reputation: 259	Re: zSkinner & zSkin Yea, it does. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

02-08-2007, 07:17 PM	#7 (permalink)
Napoleon Iven Quinnly zB Programmer Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 630 Reputation: 20	Re: zSkinner & zSkin Heres a link to a raw screen shot i took of it tell me what you think normal: http://two.xthost.info/zunerfatman/screen1.bmp Since minimode is smaller ill post it minimode: __________________ With all due respect, Napoleon IQ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

02-08-2007, 08:39 PM	#8 (permalink)
Napoleon Iven Quinnly zB Programmer Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 630 Reputation: 20	Re: zSkinner & zSkin based on the fact that both WMP11 and zune have a loc file were the skins are stored would it not be easier to just take the skin changer for WMP11 and configure it to use on the zune? Just an idea, im probably completely wrong cause i havent researched this any more than what i stated __________________ With all due respect, Napoleon IQ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

02-09-2007, 01:22 PM	#9 (permalink)
PityOnU Super Zuner Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: In the real world Posts: 1,987 Reputation: 134	Re: zSkinner & zSkin Could somebody post .ico files for a brown and white Zune so that I can complete the color themes? Might as well have everything matching :P

02-10-2007, 02:46 PM	#10 (permalink)
PityOnU Super Zuner Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: In the real world Posts: 1,987 Reputation: 134	Re: zSkinner & zSkin Here's what I have so far: Pink White

02-10-2007, 03:14 PM	#11 (permalink)
lpxxfaintxx Administrator Ultimate Zuner Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Fullerton, CA Posts: 5,837 Reputation: 259	Re: zSkinner & zSkin They look nice! __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

02-10-2007, 03:18 PM	#14 (permalink)
lpxxfaintxx Administrator Ultimate Zuner Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Fullerton, CA Posts: 5,837 Reputation: 259	Re: zSkinner & zSkin Yea, it does. Pink + Black = Hawt. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

02-10-2007, 03:31 PM	#15 (permalink)
Napoleon Iven Quinnly zB Programmer Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 630 Reputation: 20	Re: zSkinner & zSkin Lot better than mine i need to get that GIMP program someone mentioned(i read about it in popsci today too ;D) __________________ With all due respect, Napoleon IQ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

02-10-2007, 06:07 PM	#16 (permalink)
PityOnU Super Zuner Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: In the real world Posts: 1,987 Reputation: 134	Re: zSkinner & zSkin How is berdon coming along with the programming? He must be kind of busy since he's working on the zMeta Editor as well... What kind of time frame are we looking at here?

02-10-2007, 08:26 PM	#17 (permalink)
berdon zB Programmer Jr. Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 311 Reputation: 50	Re: zSkinner & zSkin Tonight (I hope). __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

02-10-2007, 08:33 PM	#18 (permalink)
Napoleon Iven Quinnly zB Programmer Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 630 Reputation: 20	Re: zSkinner & zSkin Tonight!! im stayin up for this one ;D Berdon you rock!!! __________________ With all due respect, Napoleon IQ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

02-10-2007, 09:13 PM	#19 (permalink)
berdon zB Programmer Jr. Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 311 Reputation: 50	Re: zSkinner & zSkin Well, there's two app's that need to be created. The one that you guys use to convert them into a .zsk and the one that switches the skin, I hope to have them both done tonight or tomorrow morning anyway. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

02-10-2007, 10:43 PM	#20 (permalink)
berdon zB Programmer Jr. Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 311 Reputation: 50	Re: zSkinner & zSkin zSkinner v0.5 Alright, it's not pretty, but it should get the job done for converting. Please Note: This was a quick job, it's not dirty, but it was quick. Everything functions, there might be a few bugs though. More Important: For now, descriptions can't include enters/returns/new lines. If you do, things won't work so hot in the zSkin app. :P Anyway, as I said, it was quick, but I'll release another prettier one later on (next weekend I'm sure). Also, if you have any thoughts, suggestions, ideas, etc, feel free to express them. http://www.cppworld.com/Zune/zSkinner.exe __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

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