Go to the first post in this thread.

thanx !

Yes I did a small taskbar version and ended up scrapping it by accident... (So I know how many bmp's had to be changed)
Thats cute, but too small. If anything I'm only going to lower it by 1 or 2 pixels..

Chris

sorry if this has been answered before, but will there be a blue taskbar scheme?
thanx binary for a fantastic VS!

Actually I think it would be great if we could get an idea about any new color schemes you're thinking about, Binary. I know I'd love to see a black scheme and maybe even a nice bright red scheme. Thanks!

/edit/ OK I'm kinda slow and I just noticed that the Watercolor Plus suggestion thread was closed, so I hope no one minds, but I thought of something that might be kinda cool for future WC's. What do you think of multiple colors in a scheme? This sounds kinda corny, but to give an idea, you could use a green and red theme for Christmas or a black and orange theme for Halloween. I dunno, just thought it was worth mentioning. I'm done now /edit/

I think this is a good idea.

It's been mentioned b4. I liked the idea, but the contrast was just to awful imo.

Chris

i totally agree

I'd love to give this theme a try (looks very nice), but I can't get it off of ThemeXP. I always get a time out or page not found from the provided link.

Is there any other place I can download this theme?

Cheers,
RW

Watercolor 4.3

Chris

Hey Binary i was experimenting today with replaceing bitmaps with a color in a theme (just for kicks) and though stylebuilder wont let you do this .. if the class is defined as a image you cant change it to a color .. you can edit the xml document that stylebuilder creates for your style and replace the Bgtype=imagefile information with borderfill information .. you could conceiveably reduce the size of watercolor WAY more by changeing to a color reference where you are just useing a single color image now. The method worked with the images i tested and once you manually replace the image info with a color reference you can open the style back up in stylebilder and its happy to work with the color reference ....

What about my new scheme I just did? I only have to play with that light blue text to the right...anyone know where that is to change?

elw3irdo
i dont see any light blue text ...
but i think what you are after is taskbar-rebar-textcolor ...

Yes! That's it! Woohoo! Thanks man .

Here is an update with an almost done Start Menu...

The logoff/shutdown buttons are from Mafia and the Places portion just has an Inner Shadow applied to it.

Comments and suggestions are needed!

Hey,
I really like what you've done with that.. are you going to release it?
--yzero

Ooooo very nice. Maybe I could get a job as a Watercolor modder, I've been doing a lot of modding themes lately.

elw3irdo

Your Welcome !

that looks very nice btw !

and the next mystery font color your going to be asking about is General-Rebar-textcolor address,links etc, in explorer toolbars

I was finally able to download Watercolor 4.2 but its not thinned?
Where can i find the thin taskbar version?

-- tony

there is no thin taskbar watercolor version.

people have moded it for their own personal use.

What's this obsession with a thin taskbar? Frankly it makes everything look too squashed to me. The thin menubar in apple has a different function, where a thin form factor can work. A thin taskbar not only looks awful, but must be more difficult to use.

i have seen ppl say this is watercolor Picture
can anibody tell me where to get it???

thanks

Can we please keep this thread on track? It's only for discussion of the current watercolor theme. I dont wish to discuss any theme mods or plus versions in here, as it only leads to fights...

Chris

to his his own

Those colour schemes they had planed for WaterColour plus were quite good ideas, just add those, maybe give us an option of a thin taskbar like Mafia so easily does without pulling peoples hair out for requesting it.

I have another visual style from somewhere else, can't remember whwere, called "Metallic Shades" which is exactly like this. Is it the same, or are you being ripped off?

this is a mod made by Kol, ask him for the style.

This style is absolutely amazing! Any chance I can get it?
Pretty please with chery on the top?

KoL and I will not redistribute the mod (unless he has permission to) because we are using Binary's work if KoL's is truly a Watercolor mod. Unless I get Binary's permission to release this version I have or if KoL gets permission, no one will recieve this theme from me.

So please get back on topic, sorry for throwing everyone off topic . As for the current version, I want to see more color schemes! And I think the Min/Max/Close buttons should be scaleable because I like thin title bars .

Metallic Shades is nothing like watercolor... the only similiarity is the pixel gradient

But it's ok... I understand.

Any Chance of the download link being re-added as it was removed from the 1st post and i am unable to get it from themexp

Any mirrors would be appreciated

T

Watercolor 4.3

If a mod wants to readd this link to the first post thats ok with me.


I'd like to edit my own posts, but it seems I can't.


Chris

Ok I have a small update.

I have finished the 'thin' taskbar mod (only in ergonomic and blue for now - seems not many people use the gray and green anyways), but I need suggestions. Do you guys want 2 separate versions? cause that means 8 substyles I have to work on, changing each value manually in each when they need changing, which can be a pain. Or do you want just the thin version from now on? It's only like a few pixels smaller then the first version.

I've also made many more optimizations (shrinking bitmap size, tiling etc..) And Skinbench tells me it's pretty darn close to classic speed. So thats a good thing!

Unfortunatly, I cant do anything about my host right now. My ISP account isnt letting me on (perhaps I put too many files on, but then how do you take um off if you cant get on? ) So I cant upload any more files. Maybe Alex can host the file if he wants to, but I dont think he's too pleased with the people around here right now .

Anyways I'll try to have the new build up somewhere by tomorrow.


Chris

I'm glad to see you are still working on this theme Binary. However you want to distribute the thin taskbar version will be fine by me and i'm sure most people. After all it mainly comes down to how you want to distribute it either seperate or whatever

Hmmmm weird, you should be able to edit your post. I'll see what I can fix

It was changed so that people wouldn't delete their posts. You can only edit posts for 30 minutes to prevent people from posting something, then deleting it.
I remember the thread that caused it too. Big argument, and Neobond fixed it so that people couldn't do that anymore.

Thanks a lot Binary , now i can make my work pc's bearable to use
btw i can mirror the file if u like

Here's what the new thinner taskbar looks like for those that want to know:

I dont think it's too thin, and I dont think it's too thick, I'm loving it

Also in the new release I will add the start button psd file, so you guys can make your own and replace them with images of your choice.

Chris

How soon before you release it?

I'll host it if you want.

We made it so that first posts can always be edited by the poster (esp. for people like Binary)

It does work because other threads (first posts) are edited by other themers that post here. Just wondering why this one doesn't work

I'd like to see continuation with the current taskbar, since it (seems) to have the closest likeness to the original Whistler taskbar. Also, how is work on the spacing of text in the taskbar coming? It still looks like there is excess whitespace on the left and right.

Well I cant help that. The content margins are set at 0, so the text should be right up against it *shrug* It looks fine to me.

I think I mgiht make the menu's more compact too, the taskbar looks dwarfed compared to everything else.


Chris

I wouldn't mind to have the taskbar thinned but the current one is good enough. The start button is kinda small, I wouldn't mind to see it get stretched a bit.

The main server for Watercolor will down 6:30PM-12:00PM, Please use the provided mirrors.

Everything is fine,
It's not here I'm not too pleased with. I love this place, how dare you binary just playing.

Thank god! I just downloaded it from the main server just a few minutes ago! Oh yes, another suggestion. I don't know if I already mentioned this but I wonder if it would alright if you can add a bit of color to the taskbar to match the color of the visual style?

binary, try setting the left and right taskbar button margins (currently 0) to -7, or -5, thats what i had done in the theme i sent you i think, it pulls the icon left and gives the text more room to the right, taskbar seems a little more cluttered when you do this, you may want to mess around with it, just informing you that you can think outside the box! negatives work

edit: i just checked my theme, i actually left the margins zero because it felt too cluttered to me, but play with it anyway.

Ok, I will keep the regular version on it's own, and release the 'slim' version on it's own, but right now the slim will only include ergonomic and blue (keeping all these margins the same throughout compiles is driving me nuts!?!?!??!!!?!??! )

So I will call this Watercolor Light 1.0

changes include:

- small taskbar both horizontally, and vertically.

- text is closer to the margins, in both the taskbar and start menu now.

- highly optimised, still some more to go.

- added 'feature' to allow end user to change the start button to a graphic of their choice. I'll include the one pictured above, but the default is now an XP flag like the other watercolor version. Also I will include the psd file for the start button.

Changes yet to come:

- Still pondering the resize issue. I know how to fix it, but the fix may be worse then the issue.
- still havent figured out the 24 bit depth checkbox bug.

I will release this tomorrow FOR SURE. It's finished, I'll just have to wait till Alex puts his server up again, and I will also call my ISP tomorrow. Plus I need a break!

Chris

sounds good! this isnt going to be v5??? or just another point release.