skatercorpse
Hi,
I would like to edit the default skin. Just the way it looks.
As far as I understand, it is enough to edit the .png files I find in the VirtualDJ8.zip file: "2-6 Decks.png" and "4 Decks.png".
I tried to open it in photoshop and illustrator, but there are no layers obviously.
Resolution is not so high and objects are a little small, so it is a difficult task to modify or create icons that looks like the others or integrate themselves PERFECTLY among the rest.
Moreover, it is difficult to edit things that have the "shiny effect" and I should create them from scratch (but it is difficult and a little time consuming to make it fit perfectly among other elements).
Probably team staff has a file with editable objects/layers that is possible to use in photoshop or illustrator. Is there a way to have it (if it exists)? It would be so far easier to edit the skin.
An icons package would also be great and usefull.
I think the default skin coul be better. Skins customization is one of the advantage of VirtualDj. But they don't promote it well. Problem is, there is not so much customization by default.
They could include just some different layouts, where you have for exemple: "flat layout" (where buttons have no shiny useless effect), dark layout (where some grey parts become black, for a more elegant/pro impact), flat&dark layout, daytime layout, ect.
Look at the website for exemple. Now it is with no shiny button effect, just flat and minimalistic. Far way better than before. And it also looks clean, more "pro" and gives more confidence. Default skin could be like this, and customizable.
I would like to edit the default skin. Just the way it looks.
As far as I understand, it is enough to edit the .png files I find in the VirtualDJ8.zip file: "2-6 Decks.png" and "4 Decks.png".
I tried to open it in photoshop and illustrator, but there are no layers obviously.
Resolution is not so high and objects are a little small, so it is a difficult task to modify or create icons that looks like the others or integrate themselves PERFECTLY among the rest.
Moreover, it is difficult to edit things that have the "shiny effect" and I should create them from scratch (but it is difficult and a little time consuming to make it fit perfectly among other elements).
Probably team staff has a file with editable objects/layers that is possible to use in photoshop or illustrator. Is there a way to have it (if it exists)? It would be so far easier to edit the skin.
An icons package would also be great and usefull.
I think the default skin coul be better. Skins customization is one of the advantage of VirtualDj. But they don't promote it well. Problem is, there is not so much customization by default.
They could include just some different layouts, where you have for exemple: "flat layout" (where buttons have no shiny useless effect), dark layout (where some grey parts become black, for a more elegant/pro impact), flat&dark layout, daytime layout, ect.
Look at the website for exemple. Now it is with no shiny button effect, just flat and minimalistic. Far way better than before. And it also looks clean, more "pro" and gives more confidence. Default skin could be like this, and customizable.
Posted Sat 12 Sep 15 @ 12:41 pm
wickedmix
the only program i have come across that opens PNG files with layers correctly is fireworks.
i don't know if this one has layers but if you have the program give it a try.
i don't know if this one has layers but if you have the program give it a try.
Posted Sat 12 Sep 15 @ 1:18 pm
skatercorpse
Thanks Wickedmix,
I didn't know about PNGs with layers! O_O
I just thought it was so weird that graphic files for VirtualDJ were without any layer.
Now it is clear, you have to use Fireworks! it seems to be the only way. I made a quick search in the web, and there is no such software able to open/edit these PNG files other than Fireworks. ...so annoying :(
I didn't know about PNGs with layers! O_O
I just thought it was so weird that graphic files for VirtualDJ were without any layer.
Now it is clear, you have to use Fireworks! it seems to be the only way. I made a quick search in the web, and there is no such software able to open/edit these PNG files other than Fireworks. ...so annoying :(
Posted Sat 12 Sep 15 @ 2:30 pm
wickedmix
maybe fireworks can output a PSD file since its an adobe product not sure
Posted Sat 12 Sep 15 @ 4:59 pm
djdad
PNG files do not have Layers. Those are not editable files , they are just Images !
You can overlay graphics , you can cut, copy, paste some parts, if you open a PNG file in Photoshop, just like opening any other Image filetype, but you will certainly not going to get the original "vector" elements.
You can overlay graphics , you can cut, copy, paste some parts, if you open a PNG file in Photoshop, just like opening any other Image filetype, but you will certainly not going to get the original "vector" elements.
Posted Tue 15 Sep 15 @ 5:27 pm
skatercorpse
Hi djdad,
acutally it looks like Fireworks is able to manage "layered" PNG files...but then you cannot open them with other softwares. As a workaround, as wickedmix said, you can save a layered PNG from Firewoks to PSD and then use it in photoshop.
Unfortunately it looks like that Virtual dj PNG files are not layered.
My question is then: do you create a flat image when you create a skin? Or do you create it as a layered file and only at the end you save it as a PNG?
Not having the vector elements wouldn't be a problem. But having a file with layers, where you can easly edit all the objects, that would be GREAAAAT! :)
acutally it looks like Fireworks is able to manage "layered" PNG files...but then you cannot open them with other softwares. As a workaround, as wickedmix said, you can save a layered PNG from Firewoks to PSD and then use it in photoshop.
Unfortunately it looks like that Virtual dj PNG files are not layered.
My question is then: do you create a flat image when you create a skin? Or do you create it as a layered file and only at the end you save it as a PNG?
Not having the vector elements wouldn't be a problem. But having a file with layers, where you can easly edit all the objects, that would be GREAAAAT! :)
Posted Tue 15 Sep 15 @ 9:47 pm
djdad
Of course we use Layers when we create the graphics in Photoshop or Corel.
Not sure about Photoshop (I dont use it personally), but Corel doesnt provide the option to export to a single PNG file with layers.
It offers this option when e.g. choose export to pdf.
Anyways, the original Photoshop file is not going to be shared,
Not sure about Photoshop (I dont use it personally), but Corel doesnt provide the option to export to a single PNG file with layers.
It offers this option when e.g. choose export to pdf.
Anyways, the original Photoshop file is not going to be shared,
Posted Wed 16 Sep 15 @ 10:26 am
skatercorpse
djdad wrote :
Anyways, the original Photoshop file is not going to be shared,
Anyways, the original Photoshop file is not going to be shared,
Ok, but why not? Isn't skin customization something to be proud about virtual dj?
At the moment skin customization is something for an "elite" only.
Providing at least a basic PSD file (or whatever file extentions is used) based on the default skin (a kind of "draft") would be very usefull to everybody.
Especially for people that don't have time to study how to programm/code a custom skin. But at least it would be possible to make some basic changes to the way the default skin looks , with precision and quality.
Am I missing something?
PS: English is not my mother tongue, just in case you think I cannot express myself very well XD
Posted Wed 16 Sep 15 @ 6:35 pm
djdad
skatercorpse wrote :
At the moment skin customization is something for an "elite" only.
What do you mean by that ?
FYI, None of the authors who have uploaded skins in our Addons page had or have access to the original PSD files.
Just to be curious, what exactly do you want to modify ? If you dont like how a button is designed, why dont you just design your own, add it to the existing png file and then use those graphics instead of the original.
Yes maybe having the PSD files would make your life easier, but i dont find this as a barrier to those who want to create a modification to the original skin.
Posted Wed 16 Sep 15 @ 6:58 pm
Supercue
I've been playing around "doctoring" my first skin recently and after some initial issues, I've got on quite well with it. Although I'm quite good at programming, so I found editing the XML reasonably straight forward (after figuring out what all the tags meant), I'm not so hot at graphic design, so this proved a little trickier.
I started editing the PNG file with an old version of Photoshop, but when I copied and pasted an icon and made some changes to it to "create" one of my own, this icon never showed up when I viewed the PNG in Windows picture viewer. I turned out that the image contains something called an "alpha channel", which all the foreground graphics needed adding to to make them show up. This was a bit fiddly and involved loading a new selection from the existing alpha channel, adding my "new" icon to the selection and saving the selection back to the alpha channel. Photoshop also seemed to struggle a bit with the background transparency, although this may just have been me being useless.
So I invested in the latest copy of Paint Shop Pro and this seems to work great. Copy a button and paste it somewhere blank on the PNG. Faff with it, make it bigger, change the colour and simply save the PNG file. And it works. Maybe PSP handles this "alpha channel" automatically, or maybe I'm just doing it wrong and getting lucky.
But I've managed to make a number of changes to the default skin to customise it to how I like it. Added some buttons, changed some sizes, added a zoom browser, added cover art to the turntable etc. and to be honest, I'm quite chuffed with the result. Or maybe I'm easily pleased.
So you don't need the original layered artwork to have a bash at customising the skin. Although maybe if your graphical skills are better than mine it would be easier for you?
I have had some help with some issues from the experts on here and it was well appreciated. DJDAD especially. He's a good'un. So if you're nice to them, they'll be very helpful.
Hope my ramblings have helped someone else. :-)
I started editing the PNG file with an old version of Photoshop, but when I copied and pasted an icon and made some changes to it to "create" one of my own, this icon never showed up when I viewed the PNG in Windows picture viewer. I turned out that the image contains something called an "alpha channel", which all the foreground graphics needed adding to to make them show up. This was a bit fiddly and involved loading a new selection from the existing alpha channel, adding my "new" icon to the selection and saving the selection back to the alpha channel. Photoshop also seemed to struggle a bit with the background transparency, although this may just have been me being useless.
So I invested in the latest copy of Paint Shop Pro and this seems to work great. Copy a button and paste it somewhere blank on the PNG. Faff with it, make it bigger, change the colour and simply save the PNG file. And it works. Maybe PSP handles this "alpha channel" automatically, or maybe I'm just doing it wrong and getting lucky.
But I've managed to make a number of changes to the default skin to customise it to how I like it. Added some buttons, changed some sizes, added a zoom browser, added cover art to the turntable etc. and to be honest, I'm quite chuffed with the result. Or maybe I'm easily pleased.
So you don't need the original layered artwork to have a bash at customising the skin. Although maybe if your graphical skills are better than mine it would be easier for you?
I have had some help with some issues from the experts on here and it was well appreciated. DJDAD especially. He's a good'un. So if you're nice to them, they'll be very helpful.
Hope my ramblings have helped someone else. :-)
Posted Wed 04 Nov 15 @ 5:52 pm