Custom Skin/Theme Trouble-shooting help: R4DS

Hello, first of all I'd like to say that I really, really like this site . I'm an R4DS newbie, started off on a different site, but this site seems more organized and easier to use ;D.

I won't ask how to make my own skins for my R4, been doing lots of reading and research, and have figured out how to make my own with the help of Photoshop (I'm also considering using one of those skin making programs). Anyway, I would like trouble shooting tips since I'm not able to see my skins. I downloaded 2 skins from a site just to see if they worked, which they did, now I'm just trying to get mine on my DS as well.

Here are my file names, and things are the correct size:

logo.bmp
icons.bmp
bckgrd_1.bmp
bckgrd_2.bmp

Now as for the: theme.ini , I wasn't really sure what to do - or if I even really needed it? I copied an existing one from one of the skins I downloaded and just changed it a bit. Regarding the theme.ini file, can any tell me or show me where I can see what color00 thru color12 represent? What exactly is each line/number coloring? I think it's text, but I'd like to know text for which area? Is there a default if I do not use the theme.ini file?

Okay, so my system folder did not contain a "themes" folder, I had to create it along with the 12 other theme# folders. So because I had to do this, where is the original theme located? I saw a skins or skin folder with a bunch of images. This is what I have so far, anyone have any suggestions or advice as to what I may be doing wrong? Or information regarding the theme.ini file content? Thanks for any help!

 

The .ini file is the configuration file which tells which fonts and colours to use, and where. The original theme is built into the firmware files, didn't used to be in earlier firmware versions. It takes some knowledge on how to correctly have the right filesizes and dimensions, and how to correctly write up the configuration .ini file. For an easy way to create R4 themes, you can use R4 Theme Creator Alice http://dxe22.wordpress.com/. If you have any problems with installing them, find my tutorial in the Tutorials section.

 

Hi, I went ahead and downloaded the R4 theme creator. I had read about it before, but was still hoping to do things on my own. The theme creator worked really well and was a lot easier than I thought it would be - one of the YouTube demos listed on the download page really makes it seem a bit complicated, but creating was super easy. And I was able to use the Photoshop images I had previously made. Thanks ;D .


P.S., if you happen to revisit this thread (or anyone else) - just out of curiousity, what is the Preview.png file? I think that's what it's called, can't remember. Is it like a layout preview of what I've created? (I didn't select that option).

 

It creates a preview image, which basically shows all the images of your theme in one image. They just add it in if you want to show what your theme looks like to other people, forums etc.

 

Re: /Theme Trouble-shooting help: R4DS

im tryin bto change my theme on my ds and i have a problem,
i dont have a themes folder n dont know how to create them,
is it in the system folder i create them one at a time? thanx

 

In _system_, create a themes folder. See my tutorial in the Tutorials section.