"Official" Beautiful Widgets Skinning Thread

[928Droid]

The skinnable version of Beautiful Widgets is now released to the Market. Visit the Market (QR Code below) to purchase, or check your Market updates if previously purchased for this exciting new version!

As some of you may know Beautiful Widgets has released their Skinnable version of Beautiful Widgets. I thought it would be great to have a place where we can share tips and skin files for this very popular Widget!

The new release of Beautiful Widgets will not only include a lot of popular skins built it, but you will be able to easily install skins made by others, or you can create your own unique look(skin).

Here is the link to the "Skin Development Kit" http://levelupstudio.com/addons/bw/skindevkit.zip (SkinDevKit.zip UPDATED 01/25, adds support for skinning AM/PM )that has sample files for creating skins. Download and extract the files to a directory of your choice. Please read the contents of the included Readme.txt file for skinning instructions.

Important: Let's please try to keep this thread on topic as a place to post/share BW Skins and tips/tricks of how to make them!

Also, this thread is for sharing BW skins with each other, not for promoting BW skins for sale. If you've got a BW skin and want to show it off, please do so, BUT PLEASE post the skins in a Zip file for others to enjoy too!

Thanks to JonKyu, a "BW Skin Preview Template" (as shown in next post) is now available for all interested BW Skin Developers.

For any skin makers that are interested here is my template to use for your Skin Previews: Skin Preview Template

*******************************************************
Updated 03/09:
Watch this spot for newly released skins not(yet) on the BW Skins server!
(click links for posts w/Zip files)

"Naked-Destroy" - http://www.droidforums.net/forum/dr...ul-widgets-skinning-thread-24.html#post174561

"Cents for You and I" - http://www.droidforums.net/forum/dr...ul-widgets-skinning-thread-37.html#post182828

"Real Cents" - http://www.droidforums.net/forum/dr...ul-widgets-skinning-thread-47.html#post198697

"Naked Cents" - http://www.droidforums.net/forum/dr...ul-widgets-skinning-thread-47.html#post198697


Current BW Skin Server Total: 99
NOTE: 1 New Skin(s) added to the BW SKin Server today, check
your "Download Skins" screen for details.

*******************************************************

Screen Capture of the new Beautiful Widgets "Skins" screen

Sample BW Skins ...

 

[928Droid]

Due to all the questions about how to use and install skins in Beautiful Widgets I decided to make a "Beautiful Widgets for Dummies" , a user manual to make things easier for those not familiar with it.

Installing and Using Beautiful Widgets Home (and Smaller Home) Widget and Skins.

Step 1: Purchase and Download Beautiful Widgets from the Android Market
Note: Beautiful Widgets is a WIDGET and not a APP, you will not find it in the App Drawer after installation.

Step 2: Long Press in the open area of your Home Screen where you want to add the Beautiful Widget and the “Add to Home Screen” pop-up will appear (see 2nd screen capture)
Note:If you are planning to use “Beautiful Home” it is a 4x2 Widget and you will need 2 empty rows on the Home Screen where you want to add it (see 1st screen capture below). IF you are planning to use Beautiful Smaller Home it is a 4x1 Widget so you will only need 1 empty row on the Home screen.

Step 3: Tap “Widgets” and the "Choose Widgets" pop-up will appear. Select either “Beautiful Home” or “Beautiful Smaller Home” depending on the version you want to use (or the room you have available).

Step 4: After selecting 1 of the 2 widgets the Configure Screen will open. Make the appropriate choices on this screen and then tap “Skins” at the bottom right....
Note: The screen capture shown is “stitched” together, you will have to scroll the screen to see all the options shown.

Step 5: The Skins Screen. Note at the top you have 2 “Tabs”, the one on the left is the “Installed Skins” which displays the Skins you have downloaded or manually installed. (This is the default screen that displays when you visit the Skins Screen).

The right tab is the “Download Skins” and is where you see what skins are currently available to you on the Beautiful Widgets server. When you tap that tab you will see the “Loading Skins” pop-up. Depending on your data connection and server load it can take a minute or more for the skin previews to download, be patient.

Once the Skins List is populated from the server you will see a list of Skins available for you to download and the “Download Skins” tab is now highlighted..

Step 6: You can now scroll through the list of Skin Previews and decide which one(s) you want to download and install. When you are ready simply tap the Skin you want to download and you will see the Download confirmation pop-up.

After selecting “Download” you will see this “Downloading” pop-up…

Once that has completed you can download other skins if you like. Once you are finished tap the left “Installed Skins” tab at the top of the page to return to the Installed Skins screen. The skins you just downloaded will now be displayed on this screen (along with others you may have installed).

Step 7: Decide which of the installed Skins you want to apply to Beautiful Widgets and tap the Skin preview. You will get the confirmation pop-up “Do you want to Apply this Skin”..

Once you tap “Yes” you will notice a small message near the bottom of the screen “Applying Skin”. Once this is completed then tap the “Save and Apply Skin” button at the bottom of the screen.

If you followed the steps correctly your Beautiful Widget will now display on your Home Screen….

After you have successfully installed the Widget you can easily change the skin by following these steps.

Step 1: Tap the area where the weather is displayed on the Widget and the Forecast/Animation Screen will appear..

Step 2: Tap the Phone's “Menu” key and the pop-up menu will appear at the bottom of the screen..

Step 3: Tap the “Skins” button and follow the previous steps above starting at “Step 5: Skins Screen” to Download and /or install another skin of your choice. If you plan to use skins you have already downloaded you can skip “Step 5” and start at “Step 6”.

Enjoy!!

 

[928Droid]

Here are the screen captures of the "Naked Droid" Skin for BW.
EDIT: Now using JonKyu's "BW Skin Preview Template"

Update: Naked Droid is on the BW SKin Server

 

[xtremecanefan]

Can't wait...really want that "naked" skin. Only thing that bothers me about beautiful widgets is that "Small Home" clock thing's background looks ugly in landscape. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[928Droid]

Can't wait...really want that "naked" skin. Only thing that bothers me about beautiful widgets is that "Small Home" clock thing's background looks ugly in landscape. Thanks for the heads up!

FYI, the smaller home in landscape will also be fixed in the new release, there is now is a wide(r) background file for that which goes all the way across like the normal home. It's also cool because there is room between the clock and weather info where you can put some cool graphics for that mode. This also gives you the option to have a different background look for each mode (portrait and landsacape).

Fun stuff!

 

[cpjr]

Oh nice.....cant wait.

 

[928Droid]

Here is another BW skin I saw that I kind of like. It is called "Hangover", credit goes to herki.

Update: Now on BW Skin Server.

 

[JasonLee]

when is the new release coming out

 

[mth04]

I have stickied this thread at the OP's request. I believe he is right. Please guys tro to keep it on topic in this thread. Once the update is released we can create a second thread for discussion.

A special thanks to 928 & Level up (Tama) for excellent support and help! we appraciate all you hard work!

 

[Martin030908]

I'll be tinkering with this later on
Thanks for keeping us up to date 928!

 

[928Droid]

Thanks guys!!

when is the new release coming out

Last I heard should be out in the next week or so depending on the Beta feedback which so far has been perfect!

Update: Released 01/25

 

[Shad0w325]

Can you add a little tutorial on how to use these skins in the OP, and where to get the Beta right now?

 

[928Droid]

Can you add a little tutorial on how to use these skins in the OP, and where to get the Beta right now?

Just so it is clear there is no need to have to learn how to create skins for Beautiful Widgets in order to skin the Widget. You will be able to select from skins made by others within the app, plus you will also be able to easily install skins that are posted here. All of that will be revieled once the app is finished and those details are finalized.

If you want to really get creative and make your own custom BW skins there is some good info on this in the Themes section of this Forum. That is a big subject and this thread is for sharing BW skins and tips specific to the BW widget/app.

At this time the Beta is not available to the public by request of the Developer.

 

[JonKyu]

What about a Beautiful Widgets 2.1! I tried remaking a 2.1-like version so it'll mesh better with the stock 2.1. I don't have the beta so do you think one of you beta users could try it out? And post a screen shot or something lol. I didn't include any smaller-home-back files cause it didn't have it in the skin pack, so I didn't know lol. here's the zip file. hope it looks ok can't really tell without the beta. Oh I took the numbers from your naked skin since I had no idea where else to get them, hope you don't mind.

 

[928Droid]

I will check it out, give me a few minutes.

BTW, get the updated link in the OP, it should have the smaller home files.