TUTORIAL: How to Create Yahoo! Messenger Skins

[Vishal Gupta]

UPDATE: Don't forget to visit following threads:

COMPLETE GUIDE: For Windows Customization - WindowBlinds, Style XP & msstyles (http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52353)
MASTER TUTORIAL: Make Your Windows XP Super Fast !!! (http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38206)
TUTORIAL: Make Your Windows XP look-a-like Windows Vista (http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=49141)
List of Some Useful System Utilities! (http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30897)

TUTORIAL: All About Resource Hacker! A Brief Tutorial (http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31112)
TUTORIAL: List of Files to be hacked using Resource Hacker! (http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21217)
TUTORIAL: List of some Interesting Hacks, which can be made using Resource Hacker! (http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showpost.php?p=288519&postcount=26)
TUTORIAL: Changing Windows XP Login Screen Text Entries ! (http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35013)
TUTORIAL: Enable HIBERNATE Button in Shutdown Dialog Box ! (http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34566)
TUTORIAL: How to enable "VIEW" Menu on Desktop ! (http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32151)
TUTORIAL: Add any Image in Desktop/Explorer Context Menu ! (http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30859)
TUTORIAL: Add Your Favorite Program Shortcut in Desktop Context Menu! (http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27908)
TUTORIAL: Add "INSERT" Option in CD Drive Context Menu ! (http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35982)

TUTORIAL: How to use the free space under RUN in New Windows XP Start Menu! (http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27907)
TUTORIAL: Change Look-n-Feel of Windows XP Start Menu (http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46668)
TUTORIAL: How 2 change XP Boot Screen using Tuneup Utilities! (http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21202)
TUTORIAL: All Kinds of Restrictions for Windows XP/2003 (http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40864)
TUTORIAL: Hide Menubar, Addressbar & Throbber in My Computer (http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47597)
TUTORIAL: How to Add / Remove Entries in Context Menus (http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?p=508492)
TUTORIAL: How to get FREE space in Windows? (http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=45816)
TUTORIAL: Windows XP Services that can be Safely set to MANUAL!!! (http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15827)
TUTORIAL: Add DEVICE MANAGER, CONTROL PANEL, Etc. in My Computer Context Menu ! (http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30912)
Remove Save Schemes & Other Entry from Desktop Context Menu! (http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15756)

TUTORIAL: Remove ADs from New Yahoo! Messenger 8 Final ! (http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33122)
TUTORIAL: Change Yahoo! Messenger Default Status Messages With Your Own Messages (http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?p=486437)


Guys

Recently I released my first Yahoo! Messenger skin "Y! Vista":

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/4103/yvistapreviewnc3.png

http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=62901

A few ppl asked me how I created the skin, so lemme reveal the secret. :D

Actually I searched lots of Yahoo! Messenger files in its "Program Files" folder, opened them in resource hacker but I didnt find the desired images but after few hours R&D I got success. So lets start the tutorial:

1. Goto "%Programfiles%\Yahoo!\Shared\Graphics" folder and u'll see following folders in it:

Indigo
Maverick

These folders contain skins which u see in Yahoo! Messenger Skin List. So if u want to create ur own skin, then copy any folder and paste it again, it'll create another folder and then rename the folder to any name.

2. Now open this new folder and u'll see lots of images there. U can change those images to make ur own skin.

3. To change the text color, text size, button locations, etc use the XML file present in the folder. Its name will be skin_name.xml (e.g. indigo.xml, maverick.xml). First few lines in this file will be like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>

<skin version="2007.11.07.1"
compatible="2"
AuthorName="Mr. Vista // Vishal Gupta"
AuthorURL="http://vishal-gupta.deviantart.com"
Signature="Microsoft MVP"
SkinName="Y! Vista by Vishal Gupta"
PreviewImage="preview_Y!_Vista.jpg"> So u can change them acc. to ur requirements.

4. Thats it. U r ready with ur new skin. :)

[Pathik]

good tut vista uncle..

[fun2sh]

mast yaar.

[sandeepk]

Thanks for the tut... Very good!!!

[Vishal Gupta]

thnx guys. I always want to share everything I know and I'm glad u like them. ;)

[Gigacore]

thanks boss

[salilrane]

thankzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

vishal

[Cool G5]

Thanks.....:)

[blackpearl]

Hey!! that is pretty simple. Thanks bro!!

Btw Vishal, I think you can help me on this one. Have a look.

http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=62939

[piyush gupta]

Great work vishal

[Vishal Gupta]

My pleasure guys. :)

[rakeshishere]

Nice Tut though i stopped using Yahoo Msngr since long time:p
You can customize Yahoo Msngr with more themes,skins,emoticons by downloading them from below link:)
http://customize.org/yahoomessenger

[BBThumbHealer]

Thnx VG.... really nice one .. !

[netguy]

thanx friend ...sure i wil give a try............!

[mridul_blaze]

:) thanks VG

[prateek_san]

guys anything related to vista ask vista uncle here ... :D

[Quiz_Master]

Actually I figured this out a few days ago too. But didn't knew that text size can be changed too.
Thanks for telling.
Good tute.

And hey guys! Stop calling him uncle, he is just 25. :D

[Vishal Gupta]

^^ lol. thnx a lot guys for ur sweet comments. :D

[gaurav_indian]

Good tutorial Big B.:p

[ax3]

superb bo .............

[Vishal Gupta]

thnx guys. ;)

[milnniki]

nice tut man

[dark_side_of_the_moon]

wow!thanks yaarr, nic tutorial. Helped me lot

[Masroor]

anybody have a idea to edit XML file

[Vishal Gupta]

^^ Open it in Notepad. ;)