View source for Skinning How To/Skin the viewer

= Introduction =

This is a basic guide to skinning the Second Life viewer. Generally, creating a new skin for the viewer typically involves two steps:
# Recoloring the '''texture files''' (buttons, icons, toolbar, etc).
# Recoloring the viewer elements set in '''colors.xml''' (text color, window color, etc). 

= Recoloring =
== Texture files ==
* The viewer's texture files are located in '''\SecondLife\skins\[SKIN]\textures''' (where {{code|[SKIN]}} is the particular viewer skin).

Almost all the files you need to edit are in the {{Wikipedia|Truevision_TGA|Targa}} (.tga) format and must be opened with an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphics_software image editor] to be changed. These are named after their functions:

* '''icn_*''' files are icons.
* '''ff_*''' files related to the friends list. 
* '''inv_folder*''' files are inventory folders.
* '''inv_item*''' files are inventory items. 

Etc. 

*NOTE: This folder also contains files in the {{Wikipedia|JPEG_2000|Jpeg2000}} (.j2c) format. These are the OI HUD and miscellaneous viewer files. You will never need to edit them, except if you want to change the login screen ({{code|startup_logo.j2c}}). To do so, you need to have a program that can save Jpeg2000 Codestream files (any program that can write {{code|.j2c}} or {{code|.j2k}} files; the two extensions are interchangeable). 

To recolor an image:
# Open it in your image editor.
# Apply a color mask.
# Save it, overwriting the original image. 

This process is unique to the program you're using, but Yukiko Omegamu has provided a [http://yukikoomegamu.blip.tv/file/810017 video tutorial] for Photoshop.

== Viewer colors ==

All non-texture colors in the viewer are set in the xml file '''colors_base.xml'''. This file is located in '''\SecondLife\skins\[SKIN]\'''. 

Colors are set using the following format:

<pre>value="[RED],[GREEN],[BUE],[OPACITY]"</pre> 

...where <code>R,G,B,Opacity</code> are each in the range 0-255.  For opacity, 128 is half opacity (ergo, half transparent).

(Note: Opacity is also sometimes called the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_channel Alpha value]. See [http://exchange.manifold.net/manifold/manuals/5_userman/mfd50RGB_Images_and_Channels.htm this tutorial] for a more detailed explanation of RGB).

* You can use the website [http://www.colorschemer.com/online.html http://www.colorschemer.com/online.html] to quickly generate RGB values. 

=== Editing colors.xml ===
Editing colors_base.xml is not recommended, as any typo will cause the viewer to crash on startup. Instead, edits should be made in colors.xml, which can be found in the same folder. There are two ways to do so: 
# Copy the entries you want to edit from '''colors_base.xml''' into '''colors.xml''', then change them there. 
# Use the [[Skinning_How_To/Fully_commented_colors.xml_file|fully commented colors.xml file]] on the wiki. 
* NOTE: Not everything can be colored as of yet. If you're looking for an entry you cannot find, check out [[Skinning_How_To/Hardcoded_limits_in_the_xml_files | hardcoded limits in the xml files]]. It maybe listed there.


= Editing other stuff =
* Read [[Skinning_HowTo/Basics]] and the [[Skinning_HowTo/Basics#Other_Tutorials | accompanying tutorials]].

[[Category:Skinning]]