Changing the Background (Skins)

CONFIG BOTTOM: Skin="Windows"

Features

  • Two different control configurations
  • Ability to change background bitmap
  • Ability to change text color
  • Ability to change text background
DynaDAQ includes several predefined skins. A "Skin" is the "look" of an application. It defines the background bitmap, the text color, and the text background. DynaDAQ also provides two different control configurations: CONFIG BOTTOM and CONFIG LEFT. CONFIG BOTTOM is a configuration in which the control radio-buttons (ChannelCount, SampleRate, GlobalGain) are located at the bottom half of the window. Whereas CONFIG LEFT, the control radio-buttons are located on the left half of the window. The example shown on the left uses CONFIG BOTTOM, the default configuration. The skin used is "Windows", the default skin. To change the configuration, use the Skins pulldown menu (circled left in red) and select one of the configurations (circled left in blue). The application will close. Restart the application and the new configuration will take effect. To change the skin, select one of the skins (circled left in orange). The newly selected skin will take affect immediately.

The user can also define skins by providing a bitmap and a "skin file". A "skin file" is a text file that indicates what the skin settings are. Simply create a bitmap, create a skin file with any text editor, place the bitmap and the skin file in the "Skins" folder of the DynaDAQ installation. Restart the application and the skin will be listed in the Skins menu list (circled left in red).

Examples of Skins included with DynaDAQ

CONFIG BOTTOM: Skin="Blue Cloud Dip Flash" CONFIG LEFT: Skin="Windows"

How to do I create my own skin?

 To create a Skin is a simple process
  • Create a 24-bit, 564 x 439 Windows Bitmap (.BMP image)
  • Create a Skin File
  • Put the bitmap and the skin file in the "Skins" folder
  • Start DynaDAQ
  • Select your Skin from the "Skins" pulldown menu

Creating a bitmap

First create a bitmap that is 564 pixels wide, 439 pixels high. You can use the Paint program or a graphics editor such as Adobe Photoshop to create a ".bmp" file. Notice the red ruler lines (shown left). They give an indication of where empty space is in the window (if the DynaDAQ logo is turned off). The bitmap will fill the entire window, but the empty space is a good place to place a company logo, a face, a building, etc. Next, place the bitmap in the "Skins" folder of the DynaDAQ installation. For example, if DynaDAQ was installed at "c:\DynaDAQ", then your bitmap should be placed in "c:\DynaDAQ\Skins". Your bitmap MUST be a 24-bit, Windows bitmap.

Creating a Skin File

First, Create a text document. The document MUST have the extension ".skn". This will be your skin file. A Skin file has the following options:
  • name = whatever you want your skin to be called
  • filename = the filename of your bitmap (just the name and extension, no path)
  • background = text background RGB values(0-255) separated by spaces
  • color = text color RGB values(0-255) separated by spaces
  • logo = either 'yes' or 'no'
  • config = either 'left' or 'bottom'
  • company = company name
  • product = product/application name

Next, Place the file into the "Skins" folder of your DynaDAQ installation. You can look at the skin files in the "Skins" folder for examples of usage of the above options.

Using my new Skin

After you have placed your bitmap and skin file into the "Skins" folder, run DynaDAQ. select the "Skins" pulldown menu. The name of your skin (the 'name=' option shown above) will appear in the pulldown list. Simply select your skin and DynaDAQ will use it.

Skin Example

The following is an example of the blue and gold KineticSystems Skin. It is called "ksc.skn".

name = KineticSystems
filename = ksc.BMP
color = 255 255 255
background = 8 77 115
color,process = 8 77 115
background,process = 255 255 255
color,info = 8 77 115
background,info = 231 171 51
logo = no
config = bottom
company = KineticSystems, LLC 2002