[SergeNL]

6. Find New Button Images.

Skinmaker does not create a background image or any button images!
And to learn how to create them, is not the finest way to start with Skin-making.
But you will become more curious of that, after you decide you like Skin-making..
Then the easiest way to start is, to collect buttons you like, and try to edit them.

But for now: where to find buttons?
I tried to find free button collections, but didn’t find them fast.
So for a start I ‘borrowed’ some buttons from installed skins. And this is good for beginners:
Go to www.bsplayer.com , click Skins, and download a skin with buttons you like.

If the skin is a Zip-file, containing button images, you can unzip it to find the buttons.
If the skin is a BSZ-file, you can load it in Skinmaker. It will unzip all images to a folder.
You could also rename xxx.Bsz to xxx.Zip, and unzip it yourself.

Note: the creator has copyrights. I would not upload a new skin with these buttons.
Perhaps the creator doesn’t mind, because there is no money involved.. But still..
But you can edit existing buttons for a new skin in a photo-editor.
This still might be ‘disputable’, but ‘borrowing’ this way is quite usual in any form of art..

-> Images must be in BMP-format. JPG-images can be converted to BMP in a photo-editor.
. . Try right-clicking a JPG-file menu in Windows Explorer. There may be a Convert-option.
-> Rename the background image to Main.bmp. It’s easier for recognition.
-> Name buttons after their function, for easy recognition in the Buttons List and in Explorer.
-> You MUST add a N at the end of the name of normal buttons. (or buttons with 1 image)
. . BS.Player does not show buttons without it, and Skinmaker refuses to import them.
-> Buttons that change during mouse-over or clicks, have more images. Copy all of them.
. . Example: the Play-button has 3 images: PlayN.bmp, PlayU.bmp, and PlayD.bmp.
. . N = Normal view. U = Mouse-over view. D = Click view. A = on in on/off buttons.

Creating U-, D-, or A-variants. This is easy, if you only have one button image.
Edit your button, and rename it from xxx.bmp to FunctionN.bmp. (desired button function.)
Copy FunctionN.bmp to another folder. Rename it there to FunctionU, and copy it back.
Rename FunctionU.bmp in that other folder to FunctionD.bmp, and copy it back.
Rename FunctionD.bmp in the other folder to FunctionA.bmp (if wanted), and móve it back.
So all 4 variant are in your Skinfolder now! (or 3. Mostly you don’t need the A-switch variant)
Now edit the U- and the D-variant (and A) a bit in a photo-editor, for their U- or D-function.
Add the Button in Skinmaker, and save changes. Test how it looks.
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