Category:Skinning Reference

From TrillWiki

The SkinXML reference is written to allow skinners to look up a specific part of a skin quickly while they are coding the skin. Here is a list of references categoried logically according to the anatomy of Trillian SkinXML:

[edit] The SkinXML Reference

<icontrol> tags

Where it all started. Contains complete lists of the "inner controls" placed inside <window> for Contact List, Private Message Window and more.

<control> tags

All the different types of <control>s such as the button, switcher, menubar, boundary and more, defined inside <prefs> to be sourced by <icontrol>s.

Other SkinXML tags

All the rest of the XML bits used all over the place, including <anchor>, <background>, <mainregion> and more.

Miscellaneous

Items that are not easy to grasp but are not XML tags, such as Skin Math, desc.txt and System variables for skins.

Changes in New Versions

Every new version of Trillian always comes along with a SkinXML update galore. Take advantage of these new technologies and update your skins to newer versions by reading what were updated in Trillian 1.0, 2.0 and of course, Trillian 3.0.

Skinning Resources for Skinners

More links if you like to read, read and read.

[edit] Other References

For skinning with Stixe, see STIXE reference. To learn how to create extensions for skins such as emoticon packs or interface packs, see skin packs.

For plugin-specific information, see the Plugin Skinning category.

[edit] History

Skins were supported in the very first public release of Trillian, version 0.50, and SkinXML, a language designed by Kevin, was used by skins from day one, though in a much less advanced incarnation. However, the skinning boom did not come upon until almost a year later, when Trillian finally became somewhat popular.

As the skin language was still relatively simple back then, most members were able to figure out the language easily with a couple exchange with the developers. However, as Trillian became more and more complex and versatile, SkinXML has become more and more difficult to handle with its growing list of iControls and Controls. Demands for a skinning tutorial grew.

This reference was started by DREADNOUGHT, one quiet afternoon, sitting in front of his PC with nothing else to do. There had been calls for a list of icontrols, as the only way to figure out what you could use at the time was to look at others skins or to experiment. Obviously this wasn't always practical. So he sat down and went through a few of the major skins at the time, and documented all the icontrols he could find.

This list was shown to Md and Kid, the two eminent forces in Trillian skinning at the time, and got excellent responses from both, which prompted him to start adding bits and pieces of code here and there. Trouble was, these bits were added in a hotch-potch fashion - never in any logical way thus leaving the reference in a very incomplete state.

Through help from Tometheus, Risen, Sjoerd, Kevin and others, it should now document as much of the skinning language as is currently publicly known, and then some ;). It has been thoroughly updated through three major Trillian versions ever since with input from Kevin and Kid. Its final Civillians incarnation was in a WikkiTikkiTavi-based wiki, which was finally opened up for the world to edit in early 2005.

Sparks set up the Trillian Developers' Wiki in late 2005, which for the first time allows the community to contribute articles right in the official Trillian web site. With the help of Tometheus (again, hehe) the references were moved from the old site Civillians to the new wiki site.

If you notice any errors/omissions as you go along, please feel free to correct them. If you are not comfortable with the wiki format, please visit the forums and drop off a note telling us, that we may keep it as up to date and correct as possible. If you find it helpful, please let us know, so we know we haven't wasted our time :).

Please put [[Category:Skinning Reference]] in your article to include it in this category