WinCustomize Interview With Xion Developer Cliff Cawley

The Audio Wonder from Downunder!

https://www.wincustomize.com/articles.aspx?aid=158641
from WinCustomize Forums

Today we're kicking off a new feature on WinCustomize; The Developer Interview Series.  We spend a lot of time talking to and about skinners, but not so much about the folks that really make the hobby (or profession for some) actually possible.

To kick things off, our first interview is with the lead developer behind the Xion skinnable media player application, Cliff Cawley.  Xion is our most recent gallery addition here at WinCustomize, and one of our most quickly growing!  Xion is a relative newcomer to the skinnable application area, having just been released to the public a year ago, but it's already developed a strong following due to how easy it is to skin the application.  Instead of building the art in one application and piecing together the skin in another, artists can visually layout and build their skin entirely in Photoshop using layers.

Click the link below to read the full interview with Cliff for a peek behind the scenes of one of the more popular skinnable apps on the net today.

Also, please digg this story by hitting the "Digg This" button below.

[digg]http://digg.com/tech_news/Developer_Interview_Cliff_Cawley_of_Xion[/digg]

7,215 views 19 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The only drawback to the "ease" of skinning Xion, is that I don't use Photoshop.... so for me it's not easy.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I love this media player. It's SO easy to skin (if you have Photoshop that is) and I'm glad to see that the Xion gallery has taken off. BoXXi is a machine when it comes to putting up Xion skins. I've got a few in the works and will upload when they are done. To Cliff, good on ya mate!
Star Control: Origins
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The only drawback to the "ease" of skinning Xion, is that I don't use Photoshop.... so for me it's not easy.


Actually you have a couple of different choices when it comes to creating PSD files:

* Adobe Photoshop
* Paint.Net (PSD Plugin available here)
* GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)
* Paint Shop Pro

Hope that helps!

Cliff
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
COOOOL....!!!! Very interesting! and you showed some of my skins too!!.



If you use Xion, send Cliff some money. I sent some a while back, but I need to send more to pay for all the fun I'm having with this player!.



Thanks for a great program Cliff, keep up the good work
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Cliff Cawley...Super Code Monkey.  In a world short on heroes comes SCM!Fearlessly defending code illiterate javatards everywhere.  

All supaheroes need a sidekick...I could come out of retirement as Captain Blammo.  


Glad you came along with Xion Cliff and its great to see you here at Winc.  
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thanks for breathing some life into the world of skinnable media players. Hope your around for a long long time Cliff!   
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
javatards


haha, that's my word now brainiac. I'm taking it. MINE! You got a problem with that, I'll send a couple of my gorillas yer way to un-problem you.
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Great article! I, too, believe Winamp has caught the bloat bug. Xion is the second coming in skinnable media players! Onward and upward, Cliff!   
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Congratulation Cliff, glad and proud, I was a little apart of it.. thanks mate
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
What about if I use CorelDraw? I'd love to start skinning this thing, but I don't know where to start.
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
What about if I use CorelDraw? I'd love to start skinning this thing, but I don't know where to start.


Sure, as long as it can save as PSD then no worries

I don't know as I don't have a copy of CorelDraw, but if that's what you use, I'm sure you can check if you can save to PSD

Cliff
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I really enjoyed this interview and would love to see more journalistic/magazine style content like this on WinCustomize.  
Will there be more?  
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top

That's the idea.  I've got a few more interviews sitting in the queue, and want to do more articles like my Windows Vista series from earlier in the year.  The only problem is I'm just one guy, and this sort of content takes a lot of time.

My dream is to reach a point where there are other people writing magazine-like content for the site too.  But it's hard getting people to write quality content for free.

Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Nice one Zoomba,and thanks for your efforts,I really look forward to reading more in the future.
Cheers.  
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Sure, as long as it can save as PSD then no worries


Well, it doesn't "save" as PSD's but I can export as a PSD. Do I need to maintain the layers when I export it?
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Do I need to maintain the layers when I export it?


I'm betting yes, since Xion is applying the layers
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Do I need to maintain the layers when I export it?


Yes...each layer is critical...each has to be named as to its function...play,stop,etc..
Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
see, I don't think naming the layers is even possible when exporting from Coreldraw. Oh well...
Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top

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I think Xion is the coolest skinnable audio player I have found.


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