Step 1 Create the top screen for your skin in a graphics software, such as Photoshop. The top screen of your skin is the one that will appear in the upper screen on your CycloDS. This screen can be any type of image design that you want, but it must measure 256 by 192 pixels to fit the CycloDS screen. Step 2 Create the bottom screen in a graphics software. The bottom screen of your skin will display in the lower screen on your DS. It should measure 256 by 192 pixels like the top screen, but in the design of the bottom screen, you must include a 16-pixel thick solid-colored bar on both the top and bottom. This allows space for the information automatically displayed by the DS, such as the directory and time. Step 3 Design an icon screen. This is the screen that will be used for the game, media, and settings list. The screen should measure 128 by 192 pixels and be divided into six 64-inch squares. There will be two squares each labeled "Games," "Media" and "Settings." One "Games" icon will show it as selected, the other as de-selected. The same for both "Media" and "Settings." Step 4 Draw a cheat code screen. The cheat code screen should measure 32 by 48 pixels and be divided up into four 16 by 16 pixel squares. There will be two squares representing "Folder," showing it as both opened and closed, two squares for "Code," showing it as both on and off, and two squares for "Radio" as both on and off. Step 5 Make a scroll bar that measures 8 by 64 pixels. This scroll bar will appear on both the icon and cheat code screens. It will have two separate layers. The first layer will be the bar rail. This is the area that appears blank on the side of the screen beneath the scroll bar. The rail will likely be a solid color. The second part is the actual bar. The bar can be any color or design you like, but it should measure 8x48 pixels. Step 6 Save all of the skin files you have created as Bitmaps. Bitmaps are the only file type that will upload correctly to your CycloDS. Step 7 Create the corresponding XML file for the skin in an XML editor, such as Open XML Editor. The XML file contains the names of the files that make up your skin, as well as all color information. The code should read as follows: <top-bitmap file="top.bmp"/> <bottom-bitmap file="bottom.bmp"/> <menu-icon-bitmap file="menu-icons.bmp"/> <cheat-icon-bitmap file="cheat-icons.bmp"/> <scrollbar-bitmap file="scrollbar.bmp"/> <window-fill colour="FFFFFF"/> <button-fill colour="b2dfe3"/> <window-border colour="00A9CC"/> <text-list colour="000000"/> <text-window colour="000000"/> <text-status colour="FFFFFF"/> <selection colour="98d4d9" transparency="7"/> The window-fill color is the color that you want to appear in dialog boxes on your CycloDS. The window-border color is the outline color for dialog boxes and buttons. The button-fill color is the color the buttons will appear. The text-list color is the color that text will appear in the icon and cheat code list screens. Text-status color is the color of the status text on the screen, such as time and directory information. The Selection color is the color that will be used to highlight an item when it is selected on the screen. You can alter the transparency of the selection between 1 and 15. A higher number will create a more transparent bar. You can find the proper HTML code for your colors online. Once you have submitted completed your coding information, upload all the bitmap files and the XML file to your flashcard and transfer to your CycloDS.
