Some new WonderSilk Skins are available!

[jbarr]

I have spent the past few evenings creating several WonderSilk skins, and have been having a blast.

These skins all work on both the Japanese and English versions of the WonderSilk app, but is formatted for the "English" Palm OS. Note: the WonderSilk app and these skins only work on the Sony Clie NX/Z series of PDA.

Either navigate to my site at JimsTips.com (http://jimstips.com) and click on the WonderSilk Gallery (http://g04.com/html/modules.php?name=My_eGallery) link or just click here (http://g04.com/html/modules.php?name=My_eGallery) to go there directly.

The downloadable files include a .GIF image of the skin, the installable .PDB Palm file, and the .wsb files that (when it is made available) are readable with the English version of the WonderMaker app. You can alter these or modify these as you wish.

The WonderSilk app (currently, only the Japanese version) can be downloaded here (http://www.ne.jp/asahi/fairy/chimera/Onl_OthersPalm.html).

For support for the WonderSilk app, please search this forum or contact the author.

For support for these skins, please post here.

These skins are free for your use. Your appreciation is my only desire. If you wish to contribute any amount, it would help pay for my site and for further development. Sure, I'd love to make something off of these skins, but hey, this has been fun, so I really can't ask for more!

Enjoy, and please let me know how you like them and how they work.

-Jim

[aoijun]

is it possible to create a button that auto loads a new wondersilk? kinda like having a main silk which branches off to one that has a media player built into it, or multiple others? or do you have to load each seperately?

[jbarr]

Originally posted by aoijun
is it possible to create a button that auto loads a new wondersilk? kinda like having a main silk which branches off to one that has a media player built into it, or multiple others? or do you have to load each seperately? You have to load each slik separatly, but when you develop a silk, you can create buttons on the Graffiti area ansd also hide the Graffiti area. For example, check out the "Aqua" skin. It looks somewhat "normal" but when you tap the button between the arrows, it hides the Graffiti area and reveals other controls.

Not exactly what you ware looking for, but interesting functionality!

[aoijun]

thats pretty close to what i'd like to do, i like the ability to open programs and run media player and such as it is, but the current skins are too busy for my taste.

when the english version is released i'll make a skin that is essentially the same as the original graffiti, cept instead of the cal button loading calc, it will switch part of the silk to the media player controls, search will switch it to a quick launch etc.

[xlr8]

The aqua one in cool. Its a mac lcd panel isnt it. Though, i recon the tabs should extend to the status bar. Cant wait for the english version, i really wanna skin using this new coulour scheme i'm working with (called darkcream for the moment)

[jbarr]

Originally posted by xlr8
The aqua one in cool. Its a mac lcd panel isnt it. Though, i recon the tabs should extend to the status bar. Cant wait for the english version, i really wanna skin using this new coulour scheme i'm working with (called darkcream for the moment) Credit initially goes to Koby for that one. I just "English-ified" it and reworked it a bit. ;)

[iebnn]

I don't know if an english version of the conversion app will be coming out. There was a site that translated everything for you though.

[jbarr]

Originally posted by aoijun
thats pretty close to what i'd like to do, i like the ability to open programs and run media player and such as it is, but the current skins are too busy for my taste.

when the english version is released i'll make a skin that is essentially the same as the original graffiti, cept instead of the cal button loading calc, it will switch part of the silk to the media player controls, search will switch it to a quick launch etc. You mean something along these lines... <click here (http://g04.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=My_eGallery&file=index&do=showpic&pid=22&orderby=dateD)>? ;) Tap the little "swap" button on the lower right, and the Graffiti area disappears revealing MP3 player controls. This leaves the Calc and Find button functions untouched. Also, in the MP3 controls screen, I added two definable launch buttons, one for the Media Player app and one for MSImport. I figured those were the ost relevant for MP3 playing.

(I will make the Graffiti area "standard" if you want. Right now, it's slightly different.)

Let me know what you think.

[iebnn]

MP3 player controls in a non-sony app!!! on the NX!! That means... /me checks sony dev site

[iebnn]

Hmm... no updated SDK. How does this work without any mem stick audio APIs?

[jbarr]

Originally posted by aoijun
thats pretty close to what i'd like to do, i like the ability to open programs and run media player and such as it is, but the current skins are too busy for my taste.

when the english version is released i'll make a skin that is essentially the same as the original graffiti, cept instead of the cal button loading calc, it will switch part of the silk to the media player controls, search will switch it to a quick launch etc. Update: OK. This skin <here (http://g04.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=My_eGallery&file=index&do=showpic&pid=23&orderby=dateD)> should look just about "standard".

[iebnn]

Is it just me, or do these skins run a lot slower than the normal one (ie slow response time)?

[n0m0n]

Ok these were made with what program?
I would like something like this but I wold like to generate one without the MP3 options.
I would rather have one with apps that I usually use like PKQuicken, BDicty, stuff like that.
Is this possible, and is it easy to do?
Thanks

[jbarr]

Originally posted by aoijun
is it possible to create a button that auto loads a new wondersilk? kinda like having a main silk which branches off to one that has a media player built into it, or multiple others? or do you have to load each seperately? After pondering this, this is actually a VERY good idea. I could see defining a button that simply assigns another skin. That way, you could define a TON of functionality to multiple screens.

The only possible limitation that I see in the current design if such a feature were added is that you are limited to 8 user-definable launchable apps, and they are "global" to all skins. ie: if I define a Button 1 in the Kinumaru app to launch HandStory then EVERY skin that has button 1 defined will launch HandStory. Either the Kinumaru app would have to allow for more user-definable launch buttons or the skin itself would have to track the button assignments. Obviously, this would be a mchange to the current design.

But still, the notion of one skinn callining another is quite interesting!

[jbarr]

Originally posted by n0m0n
Ok these were made with what program?
I would like something like this but I wold like to generate one without the MP3 options.
I would rather have one with apps that I usually use like PKQuicken, BDicty, stuff like that.
Is this possible, and is it easy to do?
Thanks These were made with the WonderMaker program. See elsewhere on this forum for where to download it.

As for other designs, the sky's the limit. I only put MP3 controls on most because I play MP3's a lot. You could just as easily design skins that have buttons that launch apps (up to 8) in addition to the standard "hard" buttons (DateBook, Addresses, etc.) and "silk" buttons ("Home", "Calc", etc.)

The only negative is that the actual selection of buttons is determined at design time, so your "preferred" buttons may differ from others'. Eventually, I would like to see some "generic" button icons as opposed to the specific app icons currently available. For example, a generic "document" icon (for DOC readers, etc.), a "Search" icon (for dictionary or reference tools), a "map" or "globe" icon (for mapping programs), etc.

The challenge to designing a "generic" skin is to balance generic aompatibility with specific function.

The cool thing is that once the English version of WonderMaker is publically released, it's extremely effortless to build a skin as long as you have the graphic files for the icons.

[jbarr]

Originally posted by iebnn
Is it just me, or do these skins run a lot slower than the normal one (ie slow response time)? Yes, they are slower. I suspect that it's because they "do more" and probably aren't optimized.

Once the public release is finalized, maybe we could contact the author and pose that to him.

[jbarr]

Originally posted by n0m0n
Ok these were made with what program?
I would like something like this but I wold like to generate one without the MP3 options.
I would rather have one with apps that I usually use like PKQuicken, BDicty, stuff like that.
Is this possible, and is it easy to do?
Thanks Is <this (http://g04.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=My_eGallery&file=index&do=showpic&pid=24&orderby=dateD)> the kind of thing you are looking for? It's easy to design the layout, the challenge is deciding which app icons to include. Eventually, once you get the WonderMaker app, tailoring it to your specific needs should be a snap.

Please let me know what you think.

[n0m0n]

Originally posted by jbarr
Is <this (http://g04.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=My_eGallery&file=index&do=showpic&pid=24&orderby=dateD)> the kind of thing you are looking for? It's easy to design the layout, the challenge is deciding which app icons to include. Eventually, once you get the WonderMaker app, tailoring it to your specific needs should be a snap.

Please let me know what you think.

WOW that is great.
I would only change the color of the background, and well I don't really understand
this stuff yet so I wouldn't know what else.
I am not the up on these programs, and have no C, C+, C++, or any programing
writing of any kind, so the language is hard to follow.
Guess the times have passed me by..
What do I need to use your status bar?
OR how do I use it get it onto my NX, activate it etc.?
Also I have read a few postings and even though everyone who is using the products
and appear to understand them, is there a way for a VERY green person to learn.
I don't see any way to do that and not destroy my NX.
Thanks and sorry for all the 101 questions.

[*Jive Turkey*]

Beautiful stuff Jim!! You are one in a million! (Does that mean that we should have 6000x the skins being released) :p

[jbarr]

Originally posted by n0m0n


WOW that is great.Thanks! I aim to please!! ;)

I would only change the color of the background, and well I don't really understand
this stuff yet so I wouldn't know what else.
I am not the up on these programs, and have no C, C+, C++, or any programing
writing of any kind, so the language is hard to follow.
Guess the times have passed me by..Woah, hold on! Not at all! That's the cool thing...this requires ABSOLUTELY NO PROGRAMMING knowledge to create WonderSilk Skins!!! You just have to understand the concepts of the WonderMaker creation tool and know how to edit graphic images. I don't use anything funky--just MS Paint.

What do I need to use your status bar?
OR how do I use it get it onto my NX, activate it etc.?
Also I have read a few postings and even though everyone who is using the products
and appear to understand them, is there a way for a VERY green person to learn.
I don't see any way to do that and not destroy my NX.
Thanks and sorry for all the 101 questions. [/B]OK. WonderSilk 101 time:

To USE the WonderSilk skins:[list=1] Download the WonderSilk/Kinumaru .zip file from www.maicca.com (http://www.maicca.com/). It's a Japanese site, and as soon as the English Version becomes available, I (and probably a TON of other people) will probably mirror it at English web sites.

Unzip the file. It contains two important programs: WonderSilk.prc (the "Silk Plug-in" app) and Kinumaru.prc (the "Skin Manager" app. Install these two programs normally.

If you have a skin that is a .PDB file:
just install it like you would any other Palm app. Next launch the Kinumaru app and select the skin you installed and then press the "Assign" button (The "big" button on the right if you use the Japanese version.)

If you have a skin that is a .wsb file:
you need to install it into the /Palm/PROGRAMS/WonderSilk/ directory on your Memory Stick using MSImport. Next launch the Kinumaru app and open the "Skin Import" menu option (the top menu item), select the skin, and tap on Import. Next, select the skin you imported and then press the "Assign" button.

But wait. Nothing happened to your Virtual Graffiti area, right?

OK, here's the important part: You need to tap on the "Silk Plug-in" icon on your Status bar. It's the fourth button from the left. You know, that button that everyone couldn't figure out what it is for and Sony has been hush-hush about? Anyway, tap on that button, select "WonderSilk", and press OK.

Your Virtual Graffiti section should not be the new WonderSilk skin. To change back, just press the Silk Plug-in button again and select "StandardInput".

That's it.

Almost. Some skins have "Launcher" buttons--buttons that launch other apps. By default, these buttons are not defined. You must define them in one of two ways:

-Tap on the "Launcher Info Manager" menu item (the third menu choice) and assign apps there. This screen also allows you to reset or erase all definitions.
-Or, if you have no bitton definitions, you just open the app you want to assign using any standard launcher and then press the button on the Silk Skin you want to assign, and it will set it for you.
[/list=1]

OK, THAT's it!

It may seem overwhelming, but it's pretty straight forward.

One quick note: This does NOT affect the "Status bar", the very bottom row of icons where the time is displayed. This ONLY affects the Virtual Graffiti area.

Good luck, and have fun!!!

[jbarr]

Originally posted by *Jive Turkey*
Beautiful stuff Jim!! You are one in a million! (Does that mean that we should have 6000x the skins being released) :p Yikes! :eek:

[alfa12]

Hey all,

does this also work on non-english or non-japanese versions of the OS? German? Has anyone tried this?

If it works, another reason to upgrade my nr70 to a nx-something... :-)

[iebnn]

Originally posted by n0m0n

...and have no C, C+ , C++, or any programing
writing of any kind...

:p

[EvanMinnesota]

Originally posted by jbarr
...
Almost. Some skins have "Launcher" buttons--buttons that launch other apps. By default, these buttons are not defined. You must define them in one of two ways:

-Tap on the "Launcher Info Manager" menu item (the third menu choice) and assign apps there. This screen also allows you to reset or erase all definitions.
-Or, if you have no bitton definitions, you just open the app you want to assign using any standard launcher and then press the button on the Silk Skin you want to assign, and it will set it for you.
[/list=1]

...
Hmm, doesn't seem to work.

I am using the WS-Standard-01

I assume you are referring to the 1 - 5 buttons in the lower left. I assigned them in Kimaru, but nothing happens when I click them.

One thing I notice is that in the 'Launcher Info Manager' part, after assigning the apps, I check the little check box next to it. If I leave and come back, it is no longer checked.

Edit: ok, noticed something else. If I click the voice recorder button, the app I assigned to slot 2 came up. Maybe all I need is to know which buttons are supposed to be which.

Edit again:

Ok, I figured out most of them, but some I am not sure where a couple are:

1 = ???
2 = voice recorder button
3 = movie recorder button
4 = movie player button
5 = mp3 player button
6 = hot sync button
7 = ???
8 = calc button (in lower right)

So what are the little 1 - 5 buttons for in lower left?

[ojleblanc]

Jim,

Is it possible to make a skin that looks very much like the original one, but with the hardware buttons that appear at the bottom of the Aqua skin. I'm really interested in having access to the hardware buttons. The Aqua skin provides them, but I don't need all the other features.

Thanks for all your work!

[dmale7]

Jim,

Thanks so much for the tutorial! I have a question, however.
Why can I not read the skins from the card? Not the .wsb files but, the .pdb files?

[Kaz]

English version of WonderSilk/Kinu-maru and WonderMaker is officeially released by the author.

New version of Kinu-maru is not just English version but it compress .prc skin file when you convert .wsb file by Kinu-maru.

Have an exciting weekend!

[n0m0n]

Ok I have opened WonderSilk.exe..
I cant seem to figure out how to put a picture in the graffiti area.
I tried it will MSPaint and re-sized it to 320x120.
I thought I had it but when I try to drag and drop nothing happens.
I then figure maybe until I save it I wont see it.
So I name it hit the save button and it tells me it cant read the picture.
I figure I am missing something simple but haven't figured it out as of yet.
Once I get that then I need to select some app's to see where the buttons will appear
in the picture.
Thanks

[OcellNuri]

Originally posted by EvanMinnesota

So what are the little 1 - 5 buttons for in lower left?

You can store text strings in these buttons. For instance, I have "1" set to enter my name and e-mail address. I use this for my signature at the bottom of my e-mails. These buttons enter the assigned text string into any text field. You define the text strings in Kinumaru. It is the button the bottom right. Says "Define" in the English overlay version I'm using. (I havn't gotten around to getting the official english version yet)

[xlr8]

Originally posted by Kaz
English version of WonderSilk/Kinu-maru and WonderMaker is officeially released by the author.

New version of Kinu-maru is not just English version but it compress .prc skin file when you convert .wsb file by Kinu-maru.

Have an exciting weekend!

Where, where, WHERE!?

[iebnn]

Google, google, GOOGLE!!

[Kaz]

Sorry,

http://www.maicca.com/

is the author's page.
He linked to automatic translation service site. If you click "The software for Palm devices is here." on top page, his contents will be translated into English. It takes few seconds to complete translation.

If it does not work, simply scroll down his top page, then click LINK button at Palm software, then click LINK again at next page.
You will see Disk icon and the software is around there.

[xlr8]

Originally posted by iebnn
Google, google, GOOGLE!!

I searched google, 2 results, the wondersilk thread and a link to the wondersilk thread : P

[jbarr]

Originally posted by n0m0n
Ok I have opened WonderSilk.exe..
I cant seem to figure out how to put a picture in the graffiti area.
I tried it will MSPaint and re-sized it to 320x120.
I thought I had it but when I try to drag and drop nothing happens.
I then figure maybe until I save it I wont see it.
So I name it hit the save button and it tells me it cant read the picture.
I figure I am missing something simple but haven't figured it out as of yet.
Once I get that then I need to select some app's to see where the buttons will appear
in the picture.
Thanks That should be 320x130

[n0m0n]

Originally posted by jbarr
That should be 320x130


Yes my mistake I meant 320x130...
I have tried it again.
First I right clicked on there pic and chose re-size.
I then picked custom and entered 320 130 in hit ok, and went to drag ot over the
graffiti area of WonderMarker.
Nothing happened.
I named it and went to save and it said,
The base picture is not read.

What am I missing?
Thanks

[T800]

n0m0n:

Make sure that your file is;
320X120 pixels
256k colour
Called "Silkbase.bmp" (not Silkbase.bmp.bmp like can happen in Windows)
Then just drag her over.

Lemme know how you get on

[n0m0n]

Same thing I drag and drop and the sample window does not change.
I then generate a name and save and I get the same message:
The picture is not read.
I am sure its a basic mistake but Im missing it.
Thanks

[jbarr]

FIrst, open the WonderMaker app and look at the main screen. Write down the dimensions of both the Graffiti picture (216x126)and the Base Area picture (320x130). It may seem obvious, but make sure you are entering the correct dimensions into your paint program (ie: 320 is the width, 130 is the height.)

Next when you drag and drop the Graffiti area, be sure to drag it WITHIN the dotted lines defining the Graffiti area. If you drop it outside, it WILL NOT IMPORT. Likewise, when you drag and drop the Base image, make sure you drop it OUTSIDE the dotted Graffiti area. If you drop it inside, it WILL NOT IMPORT.

It should be that simple.

[n0m0n]

ok a real green quetion.
I have a image [bmp pic] that I resized to 320x130.
I have tried to drop it within the graffiti area [within the dotted lines] over the sample area.
I do not undertand what else am I dropping?
And what is it supposed to looke like?

[n0m0n]

I can also say that:

G.Pic. Del.
Base Pic. Del.
Select Pic. Del.

are grayed out.
Nothing except for frame is checked.
And I have a #2 for Alt-Relative Grid
What ever that stuff is..

[alfa12]

Originally posted by alfa12
Hey all,

does this also work on non-english or non-japanese versions of the OS? German? Has anyone tried this?

If it works, another reason to upgrade my nr70 to a nx-something... :-)

Hello? Anyone ??

[MikeLang]

Hi,
I just tried Wondersilk and I really like Jim's WA_TaPad01 but tapping on the number pad was so **SLOW** that it wasn't really usable (or useful). Is it just me or is there anything wrong?
Thanks.
-Mike-

[aoijun]

This is almost too easy to use:D just a quick question. How do you set up the skin to load buttons over an area when you press another button (refering to my earlier question) and can you have 2 areas that do this?

[quantum]

Just finished making me a nice WarCraft III skin. Don't mind sharing it, is there anywhere i can upload this skin?

[Donkeystyle]

I just made a sweet LSU graffiti skin. Its got the logo over the graffiti area, but when you touch the stylus down to write the logo fades back (not animated of course, just the colors dim down to blend into the bg) and the divider line appears to separate letters/numbers. its sweet.

[OcellNuri]

That sounds awesome Donkeystyle. This is why I got so excited about WonderSilk... I know the skinners are going to come out with some amazing stuff.

[ojleblanc]

Originally posted by Donkeystyle
I just made a sweet LSU graffiti skin. Its got the logo over the graffiti area, but when you touch the stylus down to write the logo fades back (not animated of course, just the colors dim down to blend into the bg) and the divider line appears to separate letters/numbers. its sweet.

Donkeystyle,

I'm an LSU alum. Would you be willing to share your LSU skin??

[n0m0n]

ok can some one maybe shed some light on what I may be doing wrong.
I have repeatedly opened the Wonder Marker app.
Then with the paint program that came with XP home I have been trying to get a
picture onto the graffiti area and it wont go.
I have tried 320 x 130, 320 x 120, 216 x 126. Set it to 256, and made sure that it
was saved as a bmp file.
Also where are how do I get buttons on this when I finally get the picture on?
I downloaded the button file and can't seem to figure out how to get them separated.
Thanks

[Donkeystyle]

are you dragging from the paint program or from windows explorer? to the best of my knowledge you have to drag it from windows explorer or my computer.

[n0m0n]

Originally posted by Donkeystyle
are you dragging from the paint program or from windows explorer? to the best of my knowledge you have to drag it from windows explorer or my computer.

I was saving it to the desktop, and then dragging it.
Is this not right?
Thanks

[GSC3D]

I think you have to selsct the button assignment you want it to go into from the bottom... then drag it to there, not just anywhere on the window.

seems to work that way for me anyway.

[jbarr]

Originally posted by n0m0n
ok a real green quetion.
I have a image [bmp pic] that I resized to 320x130.
I have tried to drop it within the graffiti area [within the dotted lines] over the sample area.
I do not undertand what else am I dropping?
And what is it supposed to looke like? Please read my above post and the documentation! The graphic size that you are trying to drop in CANNOT be dropped into the Graffiti area (It's too big). That size graphic MUST be dropped into the Background area ie. OUTSIDE the dotted lines!

[KCoram]

Many, many thanks to Jim for introducing WonderSilk and for supporting us all so well while we waiting impatiently for the english version to be released. Thanks to, to Kaz for his HowTo page and his efforts on our behalf.

And many more thanks to Chime, for writting such a cool application, and taking the effort to localize it into english! Arigatou gozaimasu!!!

For hoots, I took a couple of the VG skins that I've put together with NxSkinGen and redid them as WonderSilk skins. Nothing fancy -- just an image and the "normal" silk screen buttons. The image in each blends with a ZLauncher background that I use.

It only took me a few hours to make WonderSkin versions with the newly released English application, which I think is pretty good for a non-graphically inclined person like me. It took longer to make the VG skins in the first place. The second one only took 15-20 minutes, once I had a clue what I was doing.

The really funny thing is ... when I use Kinumaru to import the .wsb files, with "compress" turned on, the WS skins are smaller in size than the VG skins!! 85.3K and 61.4K respectively. This is too cool! No more having to soft-reset after changing my VG skin via PhotoSkin -- now I can just activate a different one with Kinumaru and keep on going!!

[Unregistered]

I don't understand I resized the picture to 320 by 130 pixels and tried to drop outside the dotted lines, but the picture is still not the same size as the background area. What is wrong?

[gunmetal]

Any idea if it's possible to add more than 8 application buttons? I've got the 4 hard buttons on my status bar so don't need them in the graffiti area which leaves me room for more than 8 launch buttons.

Also is it possible to access the english keyboard from these skins? All I get is the japanese version.