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Skinning Documentation

Introduction to Skinning
Getting Started
What's a Skin in Messenger Plus! ?
How Does it Work?
Integration with Messenger
Your First Skin
Skins Essentials
Windows Definitions and Styles
The Trace File
Using Pictures
Packaging Your Skin
Specialized Subjects
Restrictions: How and Why?
Reshaping Your Windows
User Modifiable Options
Options for Advanced Users
Skinning Plus! Itself
XML Schemas Reference
SkinInfo Files
SkinInfo Information
SkinInfo Diagram
Schema Documentation
Messenger Plus! Interfaces
Interfaces Information
Schema Documentation
SkinInfo Schema Documentation

element SkinInfo
diagram InterfaceSchema_p1.png
children Information Region Dimensions Fonts Options MessengerSkin PlusSkin
attributes
Name   Type   Use   Default   Fixed   annotation
Version xs:unsignedInt         
documentation
Set to 2 to force Messenger Plus! 4.60 requirement. Do not use this attribute to specify the version of your skin.

attribute SkinInfo/@Version
type xs:unsignedInt
annotation
documentation
Set to 2 to force Messenger Plus! 4.60 requirement. Do not use this attribute to specify the version of your skin.

element SkinInfo/Information
diagram InterfaceSchema_p2.png
children Name Description AboutUrl Version Screenshot Compatibility TraceFile

element SkinInfo/Information/Name
type xs:string
annotation
documentation
Name of this skin (do not specify a version here). This will also be used to create the destination directory of the skin upon installation.

element SkinInfo/Information/Description
type xs:string
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  1
annotation
documentation
Describe your skin here. New lines are accepted. It is recommended to specify the versions of Messenger this skin supports.

element SkinInfo/Information/AboutUrl
type xs:string
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  1
annotation
documentation
Use this element to set an http link to the web site related to this skin.

element SkinInfo/Information/Version
type xs:string
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  1
annotation
documentation
Version tag added next to Name when Messenger Plus! displays this skin's information.

element SkinInfo/Information/Screenshot
diagram InterfaceSchema_p7.png
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  1
children File
annotation
documentation
It is highly recommended to include a small screenshot of what your skin looks like.

element SkinInfo/Information/Screenshot/File
type xs:string
annotation
documentation
Can be PNG, JPG, GIF. The maximum size of this picture is 86*86, if bigger, the picture will be resized automatically.

element SkinInfo/Information/Compatibility
diagram InterfaceSchema_p9.png
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  1
children MsgVersion
annotation
documentation
Identifies the versions of Messenger that are compatible with your skin. It is recommended to always specify this information.

element SkinInfo/Information/Compatibility/MsgVersion
diagram InterfaceSchema_p10.png
properties
minOcc  1
maxOcc  unbounded
attributes
Name   Type   Use   Default   Fixed   annotation
Major xs:unsignedInt required        
Minor xs:unsignedInt required        
Build xs:unsignedInt optional        
Revision xs:unsignedInt optional        
annotation
documentation
Messenger versions specified here help Messenger Plus! provide visual clues about compatibility. These elements won't prevent any part of your skin from being loaded.

element SkinInfo/Information/TraceFile
type xs:boolean
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  1
default  true
annotation
documentation
Specifies if a trace file should be produced in the skin's directory. Should be set to false in public distributions.

element SkinInfo/Region
diagram InterfaceSchema_p12.png
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  1
children ContactList ChatWnd ChatWndTabbed
annotation
documentation
A region allows you to cut a window in the shape of your choice.

element SkinInfo/Region/ContactList
diagram InterfaceSchema_p13.png
type RegionType
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  1
children Rectangle Image

element SkinInfo/Region/ChatWnd
diagram InterfaceSchema_p14.png
type RegionType
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  1
children Rectangle Image

element SkinInfo/Region/ChatWndTabbed
diagram InterfaceSchema_p15.png
type extension of RegionType
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  2
children Rectangle Image
attributes
Name   Type   Use   Default   Fixed   annotation
Position derived by: xs:string optional   all     
documentation
Only one element can be specified for each possible position of the group bar. If "all" is specified, no other element is accepted.
annotation
documentation
If present, this element will be used instead of ChatWnd in tabbed chat windows.

attribute SkinInfo/Region/ChatWndTabbed/@Position
type restriction of xs:string
properties
default  all
use  optional
facets
enumeration  all
enumeration  top
enumeration  left
annotation
documentation
Only one element can be specified for each possible position of the group bar. If "all" is specified, no other element is accepted.

element SkinInfo/Dimensions
diagram InterfaceSchema_p16.png
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  1
children ContactList ChatWnd ChatWndTabbed
annotation
documentation
Here you can specify size restrictions and resizing borders for your skin.

element SkinInfo/Dimensions/ContactList
diagram InterfaceSchema_p17.png
type DimensionsType
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  1
children Size Borders

element SkinInfo/Dimensions/ChatWnd
diagram InterfaceSchema_p18.png
type DimensionsType
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  1
children Size Borders

element SkinInfo/Dimensions/ChatWndTabbed
diagram InterfaceSchema_p19.png
type extension of DimensionsType
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  2
children Size Borders
attributes
Name   Type   Use   Default   Fixed   annotation
Position derived by: xs:string optional   all     
documentation
Only one element can be specified for each possible position of the group bar. If "all" is specified, no other element is accepted.
annotation
documentation
If present, this element will be used instead of ChatWnd in tabbed chat windows.

attribute SkinInfo/Dimensions/ChatWndTabbed/@Position
type restriction of xs:string
properties
default  all
use  optional
facets
enumeration  all
enumeration  top
enumeration  left
annotation
documentation
Only one element can be specified for each possible position of the group bar. If "all" is specified, no other element is accepted.

element SkinInfo/Fonts
diagram InterfaceSchema_p20.png
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  1
children Font
annotation
documentation
Allows your skin to use custom fonts distributed as separated files.

element SkinInfo/Fonts/Font
type xs:string
properties
minOcc  1
maxOcc  unbounded
annotation
documentation
The font files specified here are loaded for the Messenger and Messenger Plus! processes only. Supported extensions: fon, fnt, ttf, ttc, fot and otf.

element SkinInfo/Options
diagram InterfaceSchema_p22.png
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  1
children MessengerPlus Messenger Skin

element SkinInfo/Options/MessengerPlus
diagram InterfaceSchema_p23.png
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  1
children AllowContactListChange AllowChatWndChange TabbedChatBar
annotation
documentation
Request some specific behaviour from Messenger Plus!.

element SkinInfo/Options/MessengerPlus/AllowContactListChange
type xs:boolean
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  1
default  true
annotation
documentation
Specifies if Messenger Plus! should try to add its icons in the contact list and the contact cards.

element SkinInfo/Options/MessengerPlus/AllowChatWndChange
type xs:boolean
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  1
default  true
annotation
documentation
Specifies if Messenger Plus! should try to add its icons in chat windows.

element SkinInfo/Options/MessengerPlus/TabbedChatBar
diagram InterfaceSchema_p26.png
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  1
children Color1 Color2
annotation
documentation
Use this element if tabbed chats don't display properly in your modified chat windows.

element SkinInfo/Options/MessengerPlus/TabbedChatBar/Color1
diagram InterfaceSchema_p27.png
children Position R G B

element SkinInfo/Options/MessengerPlus/TabbedChatBar/Color1/Position
diagram InterfaceSchema_p28.png
attributes
Name   Type   Use   Default   Fixed   annotation
X xs:unsignedInt required        
Y xs:unsignedInt required        
annotation
documentation
Messenger Plus! will use the color displayed at this position to create some of the colors for the group bar.

element SkinInfo/Options/MessengerPlus/TabbedChatBar/Color1/R
type xs:unsignedByte

element SkinInfo/Options/MessengerPlus/TabbedChatBar/Color1/G
type xs:unsignedByte

element SkinInfo/Options/MessengerPlus/TabbedChatBar/Color1/B
type xs:unsignedByte

element SkinInfo/Options/MessengerPlus/TabbedChatBar/Color2
diagram InterfaceSchema_p32.png
children Position R G B

element SkinInfo/Options/MessengerPlus/TabbedChatBar/Color2/Position
diagram InterfaceSchema_p33.png
attributes
Name   Type   Use   Default   Fixed   annotation
X xs:unsignedInt required        
Y xs:unsignedInt required        

element SkinInfo/Options/MessengerPlus/TabbedChatBar/Color2/R
type xs:unsignedByte

element SkinInfo/Options/MessengerPlus/TabbedChatBar/Color2/G
type xs:unsignedByte

element SkinInfo/Options/MessengerPlus/TabbedChatBar/Color2/B
type xs:unsignedByte

element SkinInfo/Options/Messenger
diagram InterfaceSchema_p37.png
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  1
children ResetUserColor
annotation
documentation
Messenger specific options.

element SkinInfo/Options/Messenger/ResetUserColor
diagram InterfaceSchema_p38.png
type extension of xs:boolean
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  1
default  false
attributes
Name   Type   Use   Default   Fixed   annotation
R xs:unsignedByte         
G xs:unsignedByte         
B xs:unsignedByte         
documentation
New color to set. If not specified, the color is reset to the default one.
annotation
documentation
If true, the user color is reset when the skin is enabled/installed (currently logged-on user only).

element SkinInfo/Options/Skin
diagram InterfaceSchema_p39.png
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  1
children Properties OptionInterface
annotation
documentation
Options specific to this skin. They can be used to help the user customize the skin.

element SkinInfo/Options/Skin/Properties
diagram InterfaceSchema_p40.png
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  1
children BoolVal MultiVal
annotation
documentation
These properties can be used for conditional replacement of some resources. They will be displayed in a special window automatically created by Messenger Plus! for the skin.

element SkinInfo/Options/Skin/Properties/BoolVal
diagram InterfaceSchema_p41.png
children DispLabel DispHelp Default
attributes
Name   Type   Use   Default   Fixed   annotation
Name xs:string required        
documentation
No space allowed.
annotation
documentation
Simple true/false option. Displays a checkbox by default.

element SkinInfo/Options/Skin/Properties/BoolVal/DispLabel
type xs:string
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  1

element SkinInfo/Options/Skin/Properties/BoolVal/DispHelp
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  1
annotation
documentation
This will display in a tooltip associated to the control.

element SkinInfo/Options/Skin/Properties/BoolVal/Default
type xs:boolean

element SkinInfo/Options/Skin/Properties/MultiVal
diagram InterfaceSchema_p45.png
children DispLabel DispHelp Values Default
attributes
Name   Type   Use   Default   Fixed   annotation
Name xs:string required        
documentation
No space allowed.
annotation
documentation
Multiple string option. Displays a combobox with the given choices by default.

element SkinInfo/Options/Skin/Properties/MultiVal/DispLabel
type xs:string
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  1

element SkinInfo/Options/Skin/Properties/MultiVal/DispHelp
properties
minOcc  0
maxOcc  1
annotation
documentation
This will display in a tooltip associated to the control.