I don't know how feasible this is but how about 1 button, call it a config button, that brings up a configuration dialog for the other buttons. To set the function of buttons 2,3,so on. That way the user could set the functions according to his/her own desires and be able to easily change those functions. I guess this would entail button 1 bringing up some sort of application to do this?
"the one they call ted" has some ObjectDock Icons that are for log off, shut down, etc. that are programmable in this fashion.

What you describe pictoratus is actually the whole idea behind SmartButtons, but the implementation of this feature is somewhat lacking. For example, it's entirely feasible to add ten SmartButtons as dsn suggests, but there are only four possible functions to tie to each of those buttons. Two of those four functions are already available as standard buttons anyway.

Until such time as the DLLs for SmartButtons are expanded and improved, the only option is to hard-code buttons. It's still possible to hide buttons until they're needed on an individual-window-basis using scripting. It's just not really possible as yet to offer customization options for those buttons without expecting the user to hand-edit the UIS file.

I'm still working on a solution to the 'launcher' button problem.

So, if I understand you, if someone came up with an app/interface that would edit the UIS file, button 1 could call up the app and, working with the existing Smart Button dlls available, the other buttons could be reprogrammed within that interface.

That app already exists - the WindowBlinds configuration dialog. If you look at the SmartButtons tab/section you'll see the options to configure the plugins used for the SmartButtons. The SmartButtons themselves will need to have been defined in the original skin, but once they are you have complete control over what they do and whether they are visible. It also doesn't touch the UIS file.

The problem lies in the plugins provided for SmartButtons. They are lacking in both number and implementation. For example, no matter how hard you try to define a button image for a URL shortcut, it still only displays as an ugly blue IE icon. The potential is there for a great plugin interface, but no development has been done to take advantage of the feature.

So for the time being, I'm steering away from using SmartButtons and just making sure everyone gets the features they want as default.

Ok, thanks. I keep learning more and more about this stuff.
I'll have to look into Smart Buttons on the next skin I do.

dang it! I had it working last night before I went to bed. I changed something this morning (on another part of the skin) and after I re-saved it, it's not working. The code still looks the same though. That sucks. I'll keep working on it and see if I can fix it. If I can I'll let you know.

How come the button can't just link to it as a short cut? I know about the exe file only buttons, but I beleiev you can write a .wsd file and link it to the button show desktop.

Also, strangely enough, if you have a smartbutton and it is configured to go to the quicklaunch folder, guess what? The show desktop button is there as well (at least on my computer it was... win2000)

Also with win Menu, I believe you could set it to link to the show desktop button. But that would be 2 steps and not one...


Take a look at SETI (search for windowblinds under the name SETI) There are 2 of them. One in orange and one in green. Lots of buttons.

Funny you have this thread, thanks to SETI, am am inspired to make a skin with.... take a seat... 140 buttons!!!

(why 140? I don't know)

I have no idea how or what they will do but they are going to be in there.

winMenu
2 smartbuttons
roll up
always on top
always in front
attached to desktop
system drives
winamp 2
windows media player
display properties
specail folders (all of them)

and some others I can't think of right now

But to answer your question, how many is to many?

As long as the window is clean and useable, I think its cool. It can look really busy (check out some 2001 skins on wincuto) but I think it can look really good and simple if you want it that way.

haha that is my 2 cents.

Search for an
Extra
Tiny
Intereface

SETI. (I forgot who did it) Hope that helps you grayhaze

DavidK did SETI for the GUI-O last year.
Still one of my favorites. *s*

As I've said before, I don't consider SmartButtons to be worthwhile additions to a skin. The two useful buttons both have problems. The URL button can't be skinned, and the QuickLaunch button doesn't work correctly under WinXP. I've also had problems skinning the button for QuickLaunch under certain circumstances too.

SETI is certainly a very good skin, but I find the titlebar buttons a little too small for use at high resolutions, and often find myself accidentally clicking on a wrong button. I've still used the skin a lot though because I like the overall look, and the way it's put together.

I'm looking into scripting at the moment, but I don't believe it's currently possible to launch applications from a script.

I got it working again. It seems I accidentally deleted the skin's derectory name from the file path. Want me to post the section of the code here so you can see it?

I'd like to see it, Sylva. I'm always looking for new things to add to my repertoire.

What do you have working Sylva? Show us what you've got.

By the way, I'm making progress on the 'My Documents' problem. I'll let you know when I've found a good way of doing it.

It's exactly what I had descirbed in one of my earlier posts. I had to add it in notepad though, instead of in SkinStudio. SS kept cutting out the file path when I saved it.

[Button3]
ButtonImage=Futility\tbb4.bmp
Action=5
Align=1
XCoord=87
YCoord=0
Visibility=22
Command=C:\Program Files\Object Desktop\WindowBlinds\Futility\Show Desktop.scf

Well that's solved one problem! I think I was having a similar problem with the path being removed. Well done Sylva.

oh yeah... I forgot about that! Notepad work good when you need to make a shange like that. I think that is why some artist still use notepad to skin their skins (I think DavidK is one of them)

Look forward to your Futility skin Sylva_cg76

36 and counting, not counting Shift-click functions... and still no clutter.

Current list:

Close
Maximize
Minimize
Help
WinMenu
Roll-up
Always on Top
System Menu
Activate ScreenSaver
My Documents
My Computer
Text Editor
Calculator
Control Panel
Display Properties
Web Browser (to WinCust of course!)
Windows Media Player
WindowBlinds Config
Show Desktop
Minimize to System Tray
Increase Transparency
Decrease Transparency
Media - Previous
Media - Play
Media - Pause
Media - Stop
Media - Next
Media - Eject
Media - Menu
Media - Open
Media - Visualisation
Media - Decrease Volume
Media - Increase Volume
Windows Volume Control
Media - Song Title
Clock

I know technically the last two aren't buttons, but they probably take up the most space out of all of them!

So what else would a large number of people need one-click access to frequently?

A lot of this is probably going to be XP-only, as XP tends to be a bit more forgiving with the command buttons.

Now if only I can work out what the default path for a command button is so I can get my little macros working...

And yes, this does mean I'm skinning again, but that's all I'm saying for the moment.

what no winMenu button????

I am shocked and appalled at the lack of a winMenu button.

why oh why do they do this to me!!!

So wait, all these buttons fit on the title bar? or is it a expansion button is clicked and it shows all these buttons on it?

/me can;t figure that all these buttons are on the title bar

I listed a WinMenu button joe!

They all fit on the titlebar without any complicated expanding bits to add another mouse click to the process. I've managed to find what I think is a quite unobtrusive and logical method of displaying icons which are used less often than the main titlebar buttons.

All of these buttons (currently) fit on the smaller windows you'll encounter too, which was one of my aims.

I still can't work out that path...

Post a screenshot! I wanna see! I wanna see!

me/ gets dizzy just thinking about all those buttons!

oops
/me gets dizzy just thinking about all those buttons!

hehe

how small is the smaller window?
willing to put up a screenshot? (or do you want to surprise us with the upload later on?)

they must be really small buttons. I think so far you have around 30 buttons.

don't forget how it looks when you resize a window!!

/me thinks grayhaze knows that already