This is the best tutorial out there, though it isn't for 4.3 http://www.aleksyandr.com/ Skinartistry Workshop http://skins.skinartistry.com/ will help you with issues and find bugs you might have in your skin

I am qurious ? Should you always get no errors found when you analyze a skin in SkinStudio?

No, it will show errors.

With diligence...you can get a skin to show no errors Most of the errors that show in skins are not fatal, the skinner just added code that WindowBlinds won't recognize, Like defining a disabled color for an attribute that doesn't have a disabled state or content margins where no content margins are allowed. WindowBlinds will just ignore that type of error, but it is not a bad thing to strive to make your skins error-free.

I took one look at skin studio and realized just how backwoods I really am!!

This thread ( https://www.wincustomize.com/msgboard.asp?BID=WCS&id=187649 ) was more helpful than anything else I've read on SkinStudio. The best way to learn, however, is just by good ol' trial and error. It might seem daunting at first but don't be afraid to play around. For instance, in the custom colors. If you're not sure what one is, just switch it to a bright gaudy color and apply it. You'd be suprised at where it shows up sometimes.

hey I have a question? I use a certian colour "Violet purple" For editing the start button and the colour works like an invisible ink. Any clarification on this would be nice. I think it may be due to an attribute or value. Please help!

Most people around here call that "Magic Pink" but normal people call it Magenta. That's a masking color that tells WB to make those pixels transparent. If you want to use that color, make sure that you don't have the "Transparent" box checked for that particular element.

normal people call it Magenta

Essencay sticks his tongue out at FM...."it's a good thing you got that association correct. Normal I am not "

Essencay thinks invisible ink is as good a name for it as magic pink

Ok, Here is a good one. When I try to save sometimes It says there are numerous errors in my work and wants to know do I want to "Validate" them now or not. What do they mean?

click yes....it'll open the tab showing the errors. Critical errors need to be fixed, they will affect how the skin works in WB.....the most common critical error is the caption height error. Once you have the tab show errors open, double-click on any line an you'll go right to the error so you can fix it. You'll be asked to re-validate since the skin code has changed. Any error that says Windowblinds will ignore can be Deleted, since WindowBlinds will ignore that line of code.

Top middle pane with the four tabs. The first tab is Analyze. Here you will see the errors in your skin that no one really bothers to correct(except me). When you click the the Analyze tab, it will check for errors and it says validating while it does it. It doesn't remove anything just validates that the errors exist.

What do the "Margins" really change? I adjust them but dont really understand whats happening.

Please answer my question above. Plus What do all the different templates mean and what is the best template to start with for a begginer? I am using SkinStudio 4.3

It depends on which section you are trying to change the margins for. In some sections, changing the margins does nothing. For example, the menu margins don't really work. The taskbar margins and the start menu margins do seem to work.

The content margins effect the location of the text or images that are placed in it. For example, if your icons in the start menu pane are too far to the left, you can adjust the content margins and give it a larger left content margin. Thereby, pushing the icons further away from the border.

The sizing margins adjust the image so that it doesn't stretch or tile wrong. For example if you have a 3 pixel frame on your image, you don't want the frame tiled or stretched. So, you would set a "3" on the sizing margins, which tells Skin Studio not to stretch or tile that area. You can click the margin setting and then look in the help section to see what type of margin it is(content or sizing). Normally, if it just says "margins", it is a sizing margin. This is because a lot of images don't have content(like arrows).

As far as templates, I don't use them. They are basically someone elses images. But, they are okay to use. But, your skin will not be very original if you use them. Mostly, they are very simple. In my opinion, it is therefore better to develop your own drawing skills before you start making themes.
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