Skinning the Today screen

[suchiaruzu]

I just got that Today Image Tool from Microsoft. Well, it's kinda stupid, because it doesn't drop pics in the background, like I want to. I've prepared a little example:<br>http://www.crosswinds.net/~shapeshifting/<br>So is there any way to use some kind of "background" without dashboard and still using the same Today screen?<br>Thanks.<br>[stupid pic - made a website - damn, you can see it by going there directly - how long will it take until I figured out how to use this forum?]<br>Last modification: Shapeshifter - 05/27/01 at 06:51:32

[999]

You mean like this?<br><br>All I use is the Today Image tool. I really hate bloatware shell enhancers.<br><br>

[suchiaruzu]

I thought of putting an image behind the other stuff, as a background.<br>Your Todayscreen looks cool!

[Moose or Chuck]

holy penishole, how did you make those links and crap on the today screen is that dashboard? looks awsome,

[999]

They're just images that line up. The Today Image powertoy can launch programs by tapping the image, so it all worked out nicely.<br><br>

[Diego Cueva]

Yeah, I use the Image Tool too. I created a small icon that when I click it goes to the File Explorer.

[Moose or Chuck]

how'd u ad the icons under appointments. i see pocket artist and other crap. I have the full version for pArtist, but i don't seem to appreciate what it does thats exciting, probably because if i don't pay for things, i get bored with them quickly.

[999]

The icons are a freeware Today applet called Launcher. It's pretty nice.<br><br>As for PocketArtist, it truly is dope. It's like a mini photoshop in your pocket. The only thing it's missing is layers. If they offer layers in the next one, I'll seriously be in designer heaven.<br><br>Believe it or not, but I made the PocketGB button on my TodayScreen in PocketArtist I also heavily modified the Quake one as well in PA. Give it a try, it really rocks.<br><br>

[Moose or Chuck]

cool, i may have to edit my today screen to make it look cool. I never really used my today screen, it jsut seemed to get in the way. now maybe i'll use it more.

[Matt Keys]

999, maybe you should make a how-to for awesome today screens with buttons to launch your favorite progs and all that fun stuff..

[suchiaruzu]

Shapeshifter agrees

[999]

Matt:<br><br>My idea was to make a handful of horizontal buttons (like the ones I have now) for the more popular applications out there. <br><br>Like one of those "create a character" templates with the different bodies, legs and heads, you could do the same with these buttons, arrange them in any manner to suit your preferences.<br><br>Unfortunately, I have a bit of a skewed perception of what looks *good*, and thus has been the deciding factor in discontinuing that idea. <br><br>It's like you gotta use a million eyecandy filters, and riddle the skin with Gradients to get anyone to give a damn about them these days <br><br>If I can find the PSTemplate for the Today Image and a button or two, I'll post that, and let others have at it instead.<br><br>

[RavenRay]

Hey, You can kind of Create a template.  Using Photoshop, just create the slices according to the Today Banner and Today Date and also for any most use apps images you wanna create.

[randall]

I hacked 999's skin for PocketQuake, and added my own custom skin to the game. It pretty easy to do as long as you have a hex editor and know a little bit about the BMP format- headers, palette and stuff.<br><br>But anyway, we were talkinga bout the today screen. Yeah, it would be nice to have some PQ related skins by 999. I have no doubts about 999's idea of what "looks good"- it is all professional quality.<br><br>Last modification: randall - 06/07/01 at 15:26:44

[Moose or Chuck]

I got a B in portfolio art, because I HATE PAINTING. Computer art is so much more fun, you can create a layer for everything, just incase the stroke is wrong, or the filter doesn't look good, or you decide to change the color of that. Ahh.. my mind is now at ease. Thank you Photoshop.