Extract from one theme and put into another?

[IsLNdbOi]

Is there any way to extract icons from one ZLauncher theme and put them into another?

[jjesusfreak01]

Iconsets are in a separate file completely, arent they. You can always choose your icons for programs separately, if you want to.

[mattyparanoid]

HPSkin Studio will do what you are asking. If there are icons within a theme that you wish to use in another, just copy them from HPSkin Studio and then paste them into the theme or iconset that you are wanting them in...

If you just wish to extract icons, then PalmBMX will do that nicely. You extract every bmp within a palm file and they are dumped to a directory for you.

Both are fine pieces of software.

Concerning ZLauncher and icons; you can build icons into the theme, and/or make seperate icon sets with ZLauncher. Either way, you are covered using one or both of the above mentioned softwares.

HPSkin Studio:
http://www.ateliershp.com/

PalmBMX:
http://festus440.happypalm.com/

Cheers

[bh77a]

Yes, there is. Simplest way is to open each theme in Constructor (part of Palm developer's sdk) and copy paste appropriate image numbers...

[IsLNdbOi]

I just downloaded the Palm Developer's Suite and all I have is:

PalmOS Garnet Simulator
PalmOS Virtual Phone
PalmOS Debugger
PalmOS Emulator
PalmOS Reporter
PalmOS Resource Editor
PalmOS Developer's Suite

I only installed the PalmOS Garnet Stuff. I didn't install the Cobalt file.

[bh77a]

You might try searching through the development downloads. It was included with the Palm OS 5 SDK, including a demo of CodeWarrior, etc. at one time ( a while ago when I last checked ). You might have a look at the Palm Resource Editor, sounds like it might do the same thing.

[the_iceman]

Not sure what you mean by "Icons". If you are talking about application Icons (like for Datebook, Address... or different applications ... then extration from a ZLauncher Theme is not what you want. ZLauncher treats Themes, Backgrounds and Icons (Program Icons) seperately. If you are interested in Program Icons, then you will have to locate the IconFile that ZLauncher is 'using/accessing' and extract from that file.

The only 'icons' I can think of within a ZLauncher theme (and maybe a confusion of terms here) are the Tab Graphics or Category Graphics. If this is the case then you could use something like PalmBMX to extract them from a normal ZLauncher Theme.

If it is an already existing Iconset file which ZLauncher is using, why not use Festus440's ZLauncher IconSet Factory (ZLIF). That can read in an existing Iconset and you can save graphics off to your HD.

I will have to disagree with mattyparanoid .... in that you can create custom icons within a ZLauncher Theme. There are no resources shown where you can create custom program Icons within a ZLauncher theme. The only one (in the past) was the actual ZLAuncher Program icon itself, and with 5.10.3 that has become obsolete. What a ZLauncher theme does allow is the ability to specify a 'default iconset' to be used with the Theme itself but the theme itself should not be storing default program icons itself.

[mattyparanoid]

the_iceman:

Not sure what you are disagreeing with, maybe I wasn't clear enough in my description.

I was referring to the icons for the tabs. I can add or remove as many custom ones as I want to a theme, do you disagree? Further, I then referred to Icon Sets for the applications, which are seperate and again I made referrence to the fact that you could use PalmBMX to cut them out, and use as you wished.

Did I say something that wasn't factual? I don't think so. I didn't specifically state to which I was referring in my original post, because he didn't state which icons he was referring to, heck he might be referring to any of the graphics in a skin...not sure by his original post.

AFAICT, he just wants the ability to cut something from a theme, and paste it into another. What I said stands as correct given the original request.

Cheers

[the_iceman]

MattyParanoid,

I was unclear as to what you meant. Sometimes it is hard to understand what people mean by 'icons'. I usually think of icons as 'program icons' something graphically representing the program/application/game one wishes to launch and execute. I don't think we are in much disagreement here based on your last post.

I was unclear when you wrote:


Concerning ZLauncher and icons; you can build icons into the theme, and/or make seperate icon sets with ZLauncher.

I felt it was a little confusing as you were using 'icons' to be both catagory icons/graphics and icons used in iconsets. I wasn't sure which way to understand what you were meaning. I know understand what you mean and were using the word icons for both catagory icons and for iconsets it makes sense. For some of the newer people who might not understand the difference, I guess it could have been a little confusing. :)

izzzzzzzzzzzzza All good. I see we are not in disagreement at all. :)

[IsLNdbOi]

I just want to add some additional icons for the "Function Buttons" that you use for the top and bottom bars and some additional icons for the category tabs. I tried the Constructor program, but it doesn't show a thumbnail pic. of all the pictures contained in a theme. Is there an easier to use program that shows at least a thumbnail pic. of each picture in a theme and where I can just copy / cut the pictures from one theme and then just paste it into another theme? Thanks for all the replies so far guys.

[the_iceman]

well... hrmmmmmmmmmmm you can't add 'additional function buttons'. That is simply not possible at the present time. Function buttons are required to compile a theme and you cannot add 'extra functionality'. I would venture to guess you mean you want to add applications to your function bar and the program icons don't match the look/feel of the ZLauncher Function buttons. If you want the small icons changed for your applications which may be launched from the Function bar area... then you need to create an ICONSET. You would probably want to use ZLauncher IconSet Factory:

http://zlthemes.com/ProductDetailListing.php?PID=24

Then you can compile your own iconset and then use that iconset with the theme you want. Probably confusing ... but that is kinda how it works.

Iconsets can have 4 icons assocated with each application. LARGE HI-RES LARGE LOW-RES, SMALL HI-RES SMALL LOW-RES (well terminology might not be the best but ... you get the picture).

You would have to change some of the icon images so it would look like your bottom/top bar area and the graphic you want. Then once you create the Iconset, you load it on your PDA, and select that iconset through ZLauncher's Theme Manager and then it should look the way you want.

As far as category Icons...... Well they a total of 93 cat graphics you can use. 3 are required (Handheld Icon - 7000, Specific Tab Icon - 7001, and Card Tab Icon - 7002). The next 90 category icons are optional. The resource IDs run from 7010-7099. Some themes use them all... some might only use 1/2.

You would have to run some kinda extractor (like Festus440's PalmBMX to extract the graphics from an existing theme, and then create the additional ones you want, putting them in the same directory as the extracted .bmp images. Then you will have to run ZLauncher Theme Maker to recompile the theme.

This works well if you know the transparency is the same in all the theme graphics (like hot-pink's of 255, 0 255). If people created themes with different transparencies then it becomes a bit more cumbersome as you would have to modifiy some of Theme Maker's configuration files (.rcp files) in order to get the transparency back.

All in all.... it isn't any quick task to add/subtract/modify images in an existing theme. It can take some time to do this.

My suggestion to you (if you want more category icons) .... is to get the images you want to use for the category icons in .bmp images sized at 20px by 20px and request the author to be so kind as to generate a theme for you with those category icons. I would think many developers would be willing to do something like that for you. If the skin you wish to modify isn't a free skin, you might need to provide the developer with some information confirming you have already purchased the skin.

Just my 2cents about it.

Good luck!

[IsLNdbOi]

Sorry, let me rephrase my statment. I do not want to add more function buttons. I want to change the icon of just the "Popup Menu" function button in ZLauncher for some certain themes. I also want to change some of the icons that you see when you go into the "Tab Properties".

[Festus440]

Sorry, let me rephrase my statment. I do not want to add more function buttons. I want to change the icon of just the "Popup Menu" function button in ZLauncher for some certain themes. I also want to change some of the icons that you see when you go into the "Tab Properties".

There is a program like this in the works by Herve (creator of HPSkin Studio) and myself. It shows all of the bitmaps in skin at once as thumbnails and then will allow you to change one or all of them and recompile the skin. (Should work for programs also.) I'm currently writing the compiler that will be used in it. No eta yet.

F440

[mattyparanoid]

MattyParanoid,

I was unclear as to what you meant. Sometimes it is hard to understand what people mean by 'icons'. I usually think of icons as 'program icons' something graphically representing the program/application/game one wishes to launch and execute. I don't think we are in much disagreement here based on your last post.

I was unclear when you wrote:



I felt it was a little confusing as you were using 'icons' to be both catagory icons/graphics and icons used in iconsets. I wasn't sure which way to understand what you were meaning. I know understand what you mean and were using the word icons for both catagory icons and for iconsets it makes sense. For some of the newer people who might not understand the difference, I guess it could have been a little confusing. :)

izzzzzzzzzzzzza All good. I see we are not in disagreement at all. :)

Agreed, I was vague...the original post did not make it clear and I approached it from either of the possible iterations.

Cheers

[mattyparanoid]

Sorry, let me rephrase my statment. I do not want to add more function buttons. I want to change the icon of just the "Popup Menu" function button in ZLauncher for some certain themes. I also want to change some of the icons that you see when you go into the "Tab Properties".

HPSkin Studio will do exactly what you are asking right now. Slight learning curve, but easily doable.

Great software,

Cheers

[mattyparanoid]

There is a program like this in the works by Herve (creator of HPSkin Studio) and myself. It shows all of the bitmaps in skin at once as thumbnails and then will allow you to change one or all of them and recompile the skin. (Should work for programs also.) I'm currently writing the compiler that will be used in it. No eta yet.

F440
Exactly the software I desire, where can I sign up?

Can't wait to test er out!

[Festus440]

What I'm working on is actually a general purpose Palm compiler / decompiler in the form of a Windows DLL. I'm writing it specifically for HPSkin Studio, but it will make programs like the one I mentioned much easier to write.

Herve suggested the program and sent me a prototype that had the viewer working using the decompiler part of this new dll, and it's pretty cool. Once it's available, we'll mention here on the board.

F440

[lesliefranke]

What I'm working on is actually a general purpose Palm compiler / decompiler in the form of a Windows DLL. I'm writing it specifically for HPSkin Studio, but it will make programs like the one I mentioned much easier to write.

Herve suggested the program and sent me a prototype that had the viewer working using the decompiler part of this new dll, and it's pretty cool. Once it's available, we'll mention here on the board.

F440

Looking forward to it.