F.A.Q. (Frequently Asked Questions)

[Öhr]

Since there a many guys out there who still have problems creating skins or using others skins, I'll try to answer the most asked questions:

Q: How do I install a custom skin?
A: First of all, pick unpack your skin if necessary. Put those files (*.bmp and .xml) in a random folder. Call it whatever you want. I'll call it SKINA here. Put the folder SKINA in the folder named skin in the CycloDS folder which can be found on your microSD card. You might have to create the folder "skin" first. In the end, it should look like this: X:\CycloDS\skin\SKINA
If you want to add another skin, just follow the procedure once more and call the folder SKINB if you want to: X:\CycloDS\skin\SKINB
In the end, you can choose between your now installed skins in the CycloDS Evolution settings menu.



Q: How do I create a skin?
A: First of all, you need a better graphic editor than Paint *cough* - like Photoshop. If you don't have 500$, you can go with the best freeware app for PC: GIMP.
Next you have to create the background for both screens. If you use the regular skin.xml file, you have to name the BG for the touchscreen bottom.bmp and the BG for the topscreen top.bmp. Simple, isn't it?
Info: Color transitions cant be displayed properly, because the Nintendo DS screens are limited to 16bit, this means you can't see as many colors on DS as on your computer!
If you want to use one picture for both screens, this information will help you to keep the proportions: the space between the two screens is around 90pixel!
Be sure both backgrounds have the dimensions of 256x192 pixel and saved as a 24bit bitmap(.bmp) or you'll get a black background!

Next the buttons on the touchscreen. The dimension should be 128x192 pixel. Each button is 64x64 large and is made out of two pictures: the selected(left) and the unselected(right). You can see which button is which in this picture:

Now you have to choose ONE color which should be transparent if you don't want to fill the whole space of 64x64 for each button. The most used one is magenta(#ff00ff), because it mainly doesn't show up in the visible graphic (use darkblue if you are going to do a Barbie skin )
Fill all the space which should be invisible with this color! Remember, everything else than magenta will be visible(!), so you can't use anti aliasing for the edges Also save this one as a 24bit bitmap(menu-icons.bmp).

The next part are the cheat-icons. If you do only want a skin for yourself and a good boy, you can skip this part
This part is nearly the same as the buttons. You have a 32x48 which is made of 6 different icons. The best thing I can do to teach you this part is showing a picture:

Hint: do not use larger dimensions for each icon - it won't look good!

Now the easiest part: the scrollbar.
The scrollbar is made out of two parts: the bar and where it scrolls
The picture is 8x64 pixels large. The first 48 pixels(y axis) are for the bar. the size of the bar is fixed on the CycloDS Evolution, no stretching!
The rest is for the rail. Use magenta as the transparent color as well, if you want to.
Heres also a picture which might help you:


Your skin is nearly finished, all you have to do is to edit the skin.xml file(use Notepad). Heres a example of the file:

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<skin>
    <!-- Information -->
    <skin-name>My new skin</skin-name> <!-- skin name -->
    <skin-author>Max</skin-author>  <!-- your (nick)name -->
    <skin-version>1.0</skin-version> <!-- version of your skin -->

    <!-- Bitmaps -->
    <top-bitmap file="top.bmp"/> <!-- defines "top.bmp" as the background of the topscreen -->
    <bottom-bitmap file="bottom.bmp"/> <!-- defines "bottom.bmp" as the background of the touchscreen -->
    <menu-icon-bitmap file="menu-icons.bmp" transparent-colour="FF00FF"/> <!-- defines "menu-icons.bmp" as the main menu buttons. The transparent color is magenta(FF00FF) -->
    <cheat-icon-bitmap file="cheat-icons.bmp"  transparent-colour="FF00FF"/> <!-- defines "cheat-icons.bmp" as the cheat icons. The transparent color is magenta(FF00FF) -->
    <scrollbar-bitmap file="scrollbar.bmp" transparent-colour="FF00FF"/> <!-- defines "scrollbar.bmp" as the scrollbar. The transparent color is magenta(FF00FF) -->

    <!-- Colours -->
    <window-fill colour="ffffff"/> <!-- This is the colour used to fill the dialog box windows -->
    <button-fill colour="b2dfe3"/> <!-- This is the colour used to fill the selected button for the button dialog boxes (such as the cheat code prompt). -->
    <window-border colour="00a9cc"/> <!-- This is the colour used as a border for dialog box windows and for the outline of buttons. -->
    <text-list colour="000000"/> <!-- This is the colour used to draw text for the game list and cheat code list. This text is drawn over the middle area of the bottom screen bitmap. -->
    <text-window colour="000000"/> <!-- This is the colour used to draw text for dialog box windows. This text is drawn over the "window-fill" colour. -->
    <text-status colour="ffffff"/> <!-- This is the colour used to draw text for the status info such as the current working directory, time etc. It is drawn over the top and bottom "bars" in the bottom screen bitmap (ie: the first and last 16 vertical pixels). -->
    <selection colour="98d4d9" transparency="7"/> <!-- The colour specified is used to draw the selection bar over the selected item in the game list, cheat code list or settings menu. The transparency value is used for blending the selection bar into the background. The range of this value is from 0-15; the higher the value the more transparent the selection bar will be. -->
</skin>

now put everything(top.bmp, bottom.bmp, menu-icons.bmp, cheat-icons.bmp, skin.xml) in a folder called skin. Put this folder on your microSD card in the CycloDS folder.
That's all you have to do. Your skin is finished!

Visit this thread if you still have problems with creating a skin or want a free sample.



Q: The background(s) of my new skin is/are black! What can I do?
A: Please check if the dimensions of the related background are 256x192 pixel. Check if you saved it as a 24bit Windows Bitmap(.bmp) file called as in the skin.xml file(standard: bottom.bmp or top.bmp). Check if the bitmap is in the correct folder.



Q: My buttons/icons/scrollbar shows parts that should be invisible. What can I do?
A: Be sure you set the transparent color for the right parts in the skin.xml file correctly. Check if the color you choose to be transparent is the right one. Remember: anti aliasing is NOT possible!



Q: How can I snap a clean screenshot of my skin?
A: Theres a great tool by ste123: Skin tester
You might have seen a thread about it but never wanted to click it, but now, you have to



Q: Where can I upload my skin?
A: First of all, you have to compress/archive them with the Windows or 7-zip. Then you can use the forum attachments:

You have to use the .zip format, .rar is not allowed, but 200KB should be more than enough

[riffraff00]

Excellent FAQ Ohr!

A quick side note - make sure the actual .xml file name remains SKIN.XML - this is where i screwed up the first time.

Since all the other files are referenced within this file, you can technically rename all the .bmp to whatever you want, and change the code in the .xml respectively. However, the DS is specifically looking for the pathname of \CycloDS\skin\skin.xml in order to boot your skin.

(just like how a web browser specifically looks for the index.html file to load a webpage)

[Mestre Yoda]

Thanks man!!!!! It really helps!!

[ExnuX]

Nice post.
It helps you a lot better then the original TXT file by Team Cyclops, Mainly because it has images and text mark up etc.
Great work

[jiggygeek]

Getting back to installing a skin. I'm confused. I'm familiar with the R4 card. I just bought an Evo. All of the system files on an Evo are contained within the card itself and not on the flash memory card, correct? Do I create a folder on the memory card called "CycloDS" and put the skin in there and then on bootup, the skin will go into the Evo card? does this skin directory stay on the memory card? Am I limited to just 1 skin or can I have several? Is there any way to switch between skins?

[Shane R. Monroe]

Currently, one skin .. that will change in future releases.

You will have to create the folders yourself, as mentioned. Put the files that make up your skin in:

\CycloDS\skin\

[Azn_Tomato]

I'm a bit confused on the save part.
I don't have CycloDS Evo yet, (oh but i will...yes yes) but i decided to make a skin. So um...yea, i made the top part and bottom, and i don't know what to do. I saved it as top.bmp for the top and bttm.bmp for bottom.
I can't load it onto the skin tester yet, can i? I don't understand how the skins which are multiple photoshop files load as one file.

Edit: I just realized that when i made the document i didn't save it as a bitmap...how can i fix this?
Re-Edit nevermind i changed it to a bitmap...but now its a psd file?!? I mean, it's now called bttm.bmp.psd ..... Originally i just named it.bmp, but now it's .bmp.psd....God i hate me.

P.S. I really, really, really, suck with photoshop.

[tjfear]

Can you make it like 250KB? I have a skin that is 212KB and I can't seem to make it any smaller...

[Thiencao]

Just a tip for those over the limit

If you have photoshop, I'd recommend using Brightness and Contrast to take away some of the "colors" of the high quality image. Mess around with it until you get a setting that looks nice. Hue and Saturation isn't bad either. Tone down the quality a bit until it fits as a 200kb ZIP file or less.

@ AZN_TOMATO When you want to save it as a Bitmap file (BMP), go to File -> Save as.. and name your file w/e (example: top_bg) then under that is a drop down menu with options, just pick BMP and click save. If you want to see your progress I'd recommend downloading one of the skins available and start replacing each file slowly. If you named them differently go into the "skin.xml" file using NotePad to edit the name in there. This way you could view your progress slowly to make sure it looks okay and if you have to reposition anything.

[Shane R. Monroe]

Other options:

- Host the file at a free host (tons available).
- Change to 256 colors, then back to 16M. That will let the file compress farther.

TC should up the limit to 300k and/or allow RAR format (I haven't seen a skin that won't compress under 200k if it's RARed vice ZIPped).