Skins specification (v2.1)

General

• All skins must be placed to the folder SKINS in the instalation folder.
• Each skin must be placed in separate folders
• The file with skin description must be named tlbskin.ini
• All file names are related to skin's folder

Skin description

The section [General] describes the skin itself

Values:

• SkinName = skin name
• AuthorName = The author of skin
• AuthorURL = The link to authors web page. (optional)
• AutorEmail = Email of author (optional)
• Version = 2 always include this string.

Skins elements descriptions

• [Button] - describes the button in the horizontal state of toolbar
• [ButtonVert] - describes the button in the vertical state of toolbar
• [DropdownButton] - describes the button with menu in the horizontal state of toolbar
• [DropdownButtonVert] - describes the button with menu in the vertical state of toolbar
• [MenuItem] - describes the menu item
• [MenuItemSubmenu] - describes the menu item with submenu
• [Caption] - describes the menu caption
• [Chevron] - describes the chevron button (>>) in the horizontal state of toolbar
• [ChevronVert] - describes the chevron button (>>) in the vertical toolbar
• [TopMenuScroller] - describes the scroller on the top of menu
• [BottomMenuScroller] - describes the scroller on the bottom of menu

Values:

Each section can contains some values (<value name> = <value>). The order of values is not important.

BgType (required)
Type of the element background. Can be the ImageFile or Fill.

• ImageFile - the background of the skin element is the image
• Fill - the background draws using one of the fill methods

ImageFile=<bitmap file name> (required for BgType=ImageFile)
The file name that contains the item appearance in vary states. Images must be tiled vertically and bitmap must contain 5 images for the following states:

1. normal
2. over (active/selected)
3. down
4. opened active
5. opened inactive

   Note: For caption section you must make bitmap with only image and specify the ImageCount=1

ImageCount=<number(greater the 0)> (optional)
Number of images in the bitmap. Ordinary value is 5. But for TopMenuScroller, BottomMenuScroller and Caption this value must to be 1.

Transparent (optional)
Can be True or False. If you set Transparent into True You must include TransparentColor value. Transparent value used only if BgType=ImageFile

TransparentColor=<RGBValue> (optional)
This value allow you to set the transparent color of the background image. Transparent value used only if BgType=ImageFile.

SizingMargins (optional)
SizingMargins = left, right, top, bottom
This value allow you to specify the margins used for scaling the background image. Set this value if your background image have borders that must not strached.

ContentMargins (optional)
ContentMargins = left, right, top, bottom
This value allow you to specify the margins for content of skin elements. TLB draws icons and text using this margins. You can set this margins if you cannot the TLB draw something on the background borders. For chevron button you must set this value to specify the size of chevron button

TextColor (optional)
TextColor = RGB normal, RGB over, RGB open active, RGB open inactive
The text color in all states. For the chevron you can ommit this value. For captions set only one color value

FillType (optional)
May be: Solid, GradientVert, GradientHorz
Defines the fill type for BgType=Fill

FillColor, FillColor2 (optional)
FillColor = RGB normal, RGB over, RGB open active, RGB open inactive
FillColor2 = RGB normal, RGB over, RGB open active, RGB open inactive
The colors for filling. The FillColor2 used for gradient filling.

Image# (optional)
Draw the image inside element. Replace the # sign with number from 1 to the number of addition images to draw. Format of value:
Image1 = <bitmap file>, <images count>, Transparent(<False or RGB value>), X, Y
The X and Y can be numbers to draw in absolute coordinates or in format:
- right(offset) Align to the right
- left(offset) Align to the left
- top(offset) Align to the top
- bottom(offset) Align to the bottom
- center(offset) Align to the center

[Separators] section

This section defines skins for separators. The values
- Horz
- Vert
- Menu
Format of values:
<Value Name> = <bitmap file>, <size of separator>, <top/left sizing margin> <bottom/right sizing margin>,Transparent(<False or RGB value>)

[Separators]
Horz = sephorz.bmp, 6, 0 0, Transparent(false)
Vert = sepvert.bmp, 6, 0 0, Transparent(0xFF00FF)
Menu = sepmenu.bmp, 8, 1 1, Transparent(false)
                   

Some notes for skins designers

The size of buttons and menu items are defined by True Launch Bar itself. So you must keep in mind that all bitmaps can be stretched. Use SizingMargins values to keep borders of bitmaps unstretched.