Today I want to show you how to SKIN a DesktopX object/widget -- without using a GUI.  One frustration of skinners is that if you work with complicated width or object group it gets tedious to try to create other visual editions of it.

Let me give you an example:

This is the iTunes widget for DesktopX. It's really cool. But what if you want to make change the way it looks. Not the shape so much but to change around the graphics some.  One way is to work with each object in there to do it. But that can be quite difficult to do and time consuming. But there's another way: Get into its object package.

Object packages

Object packages have the extension .dxpack.  If you want to get a widget into that state, you have to first import the widget into DesktopX using the import menu item in DesktopX.  Then you need to right click on the imported widget and export it as an object package.

Once you have your .dxpack you're ready to begin.  A .dxpack is simply a ZIP file renamed. So to get into it just rename its extension to .ZIP and open it up. Now extract it to some folder so you can work on the stuff:

Once you have it in a folder:

Now you're ready to go. Now you can modify the images to your looking. Use alpha channels in Photoshop (or your favorite graphics package) to determine which areas are transparent.

And just like that, you'll have a new skin. ZIP it back up, rename to .dxpack and off you go. And if you want to move around controls, hold down the CTRL key to move them around (note: DesktopX 2.21 adds support for moving objects that have been combined together into a contained window too).

Have fun!

BTW, any objects created by Stardock people that aren't marked for use by registered users only you may use and modify and upload your own derivatives with our permission. That includes any objects by me (Frogboy) or Martin.