Design Evolved Community Forum

Hello,
Lets start with the basic things first. My name is Karl, but do feel free to call me Karlos (Aged 14), I'm a PHP, MySQL, HTML and CSS coder, but I am interested on learning JavaScript, Ajax and also XML. I have been coding approximately 4/5 months. I am here because I would like to try "skinning" MSN Plus! Any tips would be welcome as this is kinda new territory for me.

Hi Karlos

At the moment, skinning Messenger's layout files is practically impossible (as of the latest RC build of version 14), but there are people working hard on cracking the format.

In the case of the current stable version 8.5, there are two kinds of layout file used: XML and something close to CSS. Both of these languages are extremely easy to learn, and Messenger Plus! uses XML for its SkinInfo and Options panel files.

There are a few tools you can use to aid you while you skin. I recommend using MSNCoreFun, a small program that lets you see the DirectUI elements (the XML Definition files) of WLM's windows in more or less real time. I am currently working on a frontend for the MSNRLE2PNG application that can convert the MSRLE files that WLM uses to ordinary PNG32's.

Hope this helps