ResHack and TASKBARBACKGROUND_BMP

[mart3ll]

When editing a .msstyle and replacing the BLUE_TASKBARBACKGROUND_BMP I am always getting it showing up as black, yet all my other replacements show up fine... including the BLUE_TASKBARTRAY_BMP. any ideas as to why this is happening to the main portion of the taskbar? I set all my images to the same settings... Index, transparency, Exact color range... have even tried RGB with different settings and still shows up as black...

Any idea why this only happens for the TASKBARBACKGROUND bmp? :ermm:

Are there specific settings needed for the bmps? i.e. 8-bit, x number of colors, index vs RGB, transparency on or off, and so on?

Is there a hidden setting for the TASKBAR specifically?

:ermm:

[thegrinder]

no, but i have had the very same thing happen to me?

interesting.

[ikyouCrow]

"maybe you should check the palette used for the image.

i have an old version of Photoshop, and sometimes when i go to edit images for my themes, they show up black or black with striping, kinda like what happens with over compressed images.

check the image format and palette. that's all i can help you with. any questions, i'm on messenger [email protected]

thanx NeRV."

that's what he said. me, i'd just use different bitmaps instead of recycling.

but that's just me.

[mart3ll]

Yeah, I've tried changing the format, palette, and other settings and no go. Now I've been just layering my design over the original graphic and flattening the image, so I dunno if that is causing the problem. Maybe starting from scratch with the proper dimensions will work.

Worth trying I suppose... :ermm:

[ikyouCrow]

Originally posted by grafXguru

Yeah, I've tried changing the format, palette, and other settings and no go. Now I've been just layering my design over the original graphic and flattening the image, so I dunno if that is causing the problem. Maybe starting from scratch with the proper dimensions will work.

Worth trying I suppose... :ermm:

"that's probably why you're getting trouble with the bitmaps, they're probably too big.

don't use layers to change the colours of the bitmaps, just (if you're using Photoshop) use the paintbrush tool, switch it to Multiply and set the opacity to 85%. try it, and if you find it comes out too strong, just adjust the opacity until you get what you want.

it's how i do mine. otherwise, i build images from scratch"

[email protected]

[mart3ll]

Actually, the BMPs are on average anywhere from 1 to 4 kb, so size isn't an issue. I'm just confused with the fact that in ResHack, the change does occur and my graphic shows up as desired in the preview, but once saved and the theme selected, it reverts to black. All the while still looking fine within ResHack.

I'll try creating them from scratch I suppose, dont understand how that would make a difference. Both would be one layer index BMPs. No difference in palettes, size or formatting. Odd.

:ermm:

[Darrian]

When I extracted the bitmaps from reshack they were 256 color bitmaps, and in order to modify them competently I saved them as 24-bit color bitmaps, and then put them back in. I didn't bother to save them again as 256 color files first, I just kept them 24-bit, and it turned out great. You may have already done this yourself, but if not maybe you should try it and see if it makes a difference?

(I used MSPAINT to convert them and Corel Draw 10 to modify them)

[mart3ll]

I'll give it a try again, but when I did that, and saved the msstyle, once I tried to select it in the display settings, it said the theme was corrupt or not valid.

[Ja450n]

how bout you post your altered

BLUE_TASKBARBACKGROUND_BMP

file.. and i'll look at it for ya...

or you can mail it to me....

i've got a couple of pay programs for resource hacking... and they may work.. if it is a problem with Reshack, you may want to look for an updated version...

-ja450n

[mart3ll]

At work now... I'l post it when I get home later on tonight. Thanks.

[Gergith]

it might, like what has been said, be the palate, i have seen the same problem, when trying to edit the image for the startupscreen from xp and 2000.. um, there was a palate floating around for paintshop pro, so ill see if i ahve that laying around, im at school now, but ill see if that helpws to!

[Ja450n]

The pallette should not be a problem with the taskbar....

XP will display any of the formats...

i removed all the 8bit images from my theme, and it works fine...

[mart3ll]

I'm thinking its a problem with ResHack saving the file... I can see my changes perfectly in the program, it's after saving it and selecting the theme that everything messes up. Sometimes it won't even display the theme... comes out corrupt.

If it changes it no prob in the program and shows the change, it must be in the saving process, otherwise it would display my image.

I'm just confused as to why it ONLY happens with the BLUE_TASKBARBACKGROUND_BMP file specifically.

Damn computers. They sure know how to toy with you. :ermm: