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Custom Splash Screens
I like to customize my Designer Pro splash screen because it's easy to do and kind of fun to see my images on there. :) Now I know not everyone would bother to do this and might rather keep the default screen but I thought it would be nice to have this thread where we all could just share our custom screens. I've seen some very nice ones in the other thread :) I'm even including a template for creating your own splash screen. The grey rectangle is your design space and the white strip is for the pantone info (which I have included as a bitmap) and other info that the program shows.
For any new users that may not know how to change the splash screen here are the steps
1. save your custom screen as a Windows Bitmap (BMP) and call it splashscreen
2. go to the Xara program files folder (program files(x86) for the 32bit) and open the bitmaps folder
3. what I like to do is move the existing splash somewhere else so I have it if I want to return to it for any reason. copy and paste your new custom splash screen to the bitmaps folder and that's it.
So Now here is one I have created for myself. I invite one and all to join in and have some fun!
NOTE: The image needs to be saved as a Windows Bitmap and NOT a jpeg as I earlier stated. My apologies for any confusion or inconvenience.
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Quote:
Originally Posted by
angelize
3. what I like to do is move the existing splash somewhere else so I have it if I want to return to it for any reason.
It is not necessary to backup the old splash screen (unless you actually like it after all, in which case why would you be wanting to change it?) as you may delete the splashscreen.bmp entirely with no ill affect owing to the executable having an internal replacement.
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
I know :) I like to change things once in a while, and if you don't want to keep the original as you have said you don't have to. Got a custom splashscreen you'd like to share? :)
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Yes.. :)
I'll share mine, Frances.
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Well, Rik, what does the final icon in your row of 5 represent?
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
I think it is supposed to represent the entire suite.
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Quote:
Originally Posted by
tonylondon
Well, Rik, what does the final icon in your row of 5 represent?
It's Xara who've designed them, not me. And it's not always easy to work out what is what?!
But, all I've done is to include the 'Pencil' icon in my splashscreen.
Gary: Thanks for your reply in Post #7.
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Thanks, Rik; I feared that's what you'd say. Neatly executed, I must say.
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
This is not quite "there", but it's an earnest, honest attempt to convey the capabilities of the program, while doing something other than "3D" for everything:
Attachment 97153
My Best,
Gary
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Thanks Rik and Gary.
Gary, I like where that is going!
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
I haven't tried, andf perhaps it isn't possible to get Xara 9 to load a portrait-oriented splash screen, but that wasn't the point I was trying to make graphically. I just wanted to encourage everyone to entertain the possibility; think outside of the box, use the alpha channel manufacturers use for transparency. Creature House Expressions loads a portrait screen, and it's quite startling and a diversion.
-g
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
I never thought about trying a portrait oriented splashscreen. It probably would have to maintain the same width as the landscape screen though as the program adds (overlays) some information in the bottom right. In the template I provided I left the space for this info.
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Just to try it, I thought I would give it a go.
So I just created a rectangle of 323 width and 506 height. Called it 'splashscreen.bmp'
And it loads as the splashscreen in XDP9.
So, Gary's portrait splashscreen should work.
EDIT: I thought I would try Gary's splashscreen. I hope he doesn't mind.
As you can see by the attached image, it works.
So, if you leave enough space for the usual details bottom right, then it should all be fine.
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Edit: No, I don't mind, Rik.
Ask first, post last, okay!? :)
You can see that the coded overlay for user details is in a place where I didn't intend, so you'd want to edit backwards to make it work if you so choose.
++++++++++++++++++
I didn't attach the file, but here it is in case anyone wants to use and probably improve upon it.
Fool disclosure: three of the icons are tracings from a free Pixeden flat fonts pack, so it's my skill by not my graphic. But the graphic is free and PD by these folks.
Other thing is I used several weights of Bernhard Gothic, which you can get for free if you look in the right places online (it ain't a brand new typeface!), or use something similar.
My Best,
Gary
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Thanks for testing that out and letting us know Rik. So now the possibilities have been widened (or should I say lengthened? ;)) ) I hope we'll see some more art in this thread :D
Edit: you snuck in there Gary, Thanks for sharing your file.
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Gary's icons are pretty cool, eh?
I had always thought that the splashscreen had to be 486x300.
Because I had read time and time again words like 'as long as the splashscreen is 486x300'
Now we know that it could be different sizes.
I wonder what the maximum size is?
Worth doing a bit of testing, eh?!
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Rik, read my lips:
"I didn't create the icons, all I did was trace them from an excellent source!"
Attachment 97156
Looky here!
:)
Here's 25 tracings, if you want icons, but be forewarned that I don't think any more of them are appropriate for a "flat" art style splash screen.
But they're really nice IMO, and I did draw the web design icon is this style.
TGIF!
Gary
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Gare
Rik, read my lips:
"I didn't create the icons, all I did was trace them from an excellent source!"
Gary
Oops!
I was a bit pre-occupied with the size of the splashscreen and being portrait and so on.
Well, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Rik
Oops!
I was a bit pre-occupied with the size of the splashscreen and being portrait and so on.
Well, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!
EXCUSES, EXCUSES, EXCUSES!
Good man Rick. Stick to your guns even if it is only just an excuse.
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
I quite like some of Xara's earlier ones. I also like a bit of bling, so here's a sort of Best of Xara created in fond memory of Eye Candy Chrome. It's "versionless".
Probably a bit messy and OTT, but it works for me. Hopefully it's OK to use the previous logos in this way.
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Pretty good, Jimi.
You didn't want to share your .bmp file?
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
I was unable to attach it before, so I saved it as a JPG instead. Let me try again...
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Gare
use the alpha channel manufacturers use for transparency.
-g
How?
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
My bad, Frances.
Gary meant to say, "Even though you can't do exactly what you want with Xara's splash screen, don't let this reality dampen your imagination. Software companies do all sorts of weird and wonderful things with splash screens, including making them 32-bit which results in a splash screen that can have areas missing."
You can't do this with Xara...or can you? I'll try to make a 32-bit image and save it as a bmp and see if my machine blows up or not, okay? BMPs CAN have transparency. It's just that VERY few programs know how to write a BMP w/ and alpha.
-g
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
I can save you some time Gary I already tried Xara's BMP export and Alpha is not supported for BMP. But if we could find a program that can I suppose it might be possible to export from Xara as a png and use another program to export it as a bmp with transparency
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
I can export transparent BMP files from PhotoLine. They work correctly in photo editing software, but not in many other types of applications, Xara included. Xara refuses to open one, AI opens it but without honoring the alpha channel.
I think that either Xara would need to allow the alpha channel support in BMP files, use a PNG or whatever, in order for the splash to support transparency.
Mike
Edit to add...the attached screen shot is from Word. The XDP8 splash has a rectangular hole, there is a blue rectangle behind the imported BMP with an alpha channel. Word? Go figure.
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So I assume that your Transparent BMP from photoline would not load as a Xara splashscreen?
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No. And as mentioned, it also cannot even open it.
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
After some reading, definitely, for sure, the BMP file format supports an alpha channel, although some call it transparency, and alphas and layer transparency technically aren't the same thing.
I couldn't get a 32-bit splash screen to load when I had transparency saved.
It can be done. I'm not sure, though, that Xara is set up to recognize alpha information in a BMP image. I've been through several esoteric programs that claim they will save a BMP with transparency, but either the channel order is wrong, or it can't be done by mortals.
This is a screen snag of Painter loading in front of part of my Desktop. The lettering has an alpha around it, showing the patterned page I have behind it in Xara.
Attachment 97166
Technically, it's do-able.
By us? probably not!
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Well this has been interesting for sure :) Anyway I've done some experimenting my self with different sizes of splash screens. I've found you can't go narrower than 480 pix or the information that the program overlays doesn't fit correctly, it seems that the overlay shows up in the same spot no matter what size your bitmap is. You can however go taller! :)
Here is one I did that's taller but maintains the same width. I've included the BMP file if anyone would like to use it. I zipped it because the forum has a 500kb size limit on BMP files and it's just a little bigger (698 kb)
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Gare
After some reading, definitely, for sure, the BMP file format supports an alpha channel, although some call it transparency, and alphas and layer transparency technically aren't the same thing.
I couldn't get a 32-bit splash screen to load when I had transparency saved.
It can be done. I'm not sure, though, that Xara is set up to recognize alpha information in a BMP image. I've been through several esoteric programs that claim they will save a BMP with transparency, but either the channel order is wrong, or it can't be done by mortals.
This is a screen snag of Painter loading in front of part of my Desktop. The lettering has an alpha around it, showing the patterned page I have behind it in Xara.
Attachment 97166
Technically, it's do-able.
By
us? probably not!
I've checked the PhotoLine alpha BMP with PS. Same order, same result with Xara.
Like I mentioned, this is something Xara would need to change for it to work with itself. That Xara cannot even load one, whether stripping it like AI CS6, or honoring the alpha (like evidently Painter does), would likely be part of the fix. Uh, how about updated filters altogether in Xara Designer Pro 25 anyone?
Mike
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Designer Pro 25?? I certainly hope we don't have to wait that long! Anyway getting back to splash screens does anyone else have any more?
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Quote:
Originally Posted by
angelize
Designer Pro 25?? I certainly hope we don't have to wait that long! Anyway getting back to splash screens does anyone else have any more?
OK, OK. Just a bit tongue in cheek with the version 25 thing. It'll be version 20 ;^)
But I would settle for PDFX-4 in a patch.
I have started one before being on the phone too much. The present splash in XDP8--still haven't ponied up for XDP9--hasn't ever bothered me and the new one doesn't either with the exception of the omitted pencil or whatever. But it is a fun, short exercise...at least if I get off-line for a little while.
Mike
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Feelin' Blue
Liked Gary's Blue Cube rendering, redrew it in XDP, added oh so little to it. But it works for now.
Mike
Oops, the ZIP is updated. I forgot to move one of the cube's shadows...
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
I did some playing around with Gimp for creating bmp files with transparency in order to create some customer graphics for the music making program Cakewalk Sonar. was a total pain, but once I understood how they were doing their "masking" within the graphics, I was able to do a few cool things with their mixer UI - but it required editing dll files as well as resource files which contain the graphics.
So - if you are wanting to play with the 32-bit bmp files, you might want to give Gimp a go, though it seems that xara won't honor them in the splash screen based on what I think I read above.
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Very nicely done Mike.
Quote:
But it is a fun, short exercise
Which was exactly the point of this thread :D Just fun :)
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Still playing with my original design.
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Re: Custom Splash Screens
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Gare
an earnest, honest attempt to convey the capabilities of the program, while doing something other than "3D" for everything
you could always dazzle with something created using xara's admittedly limited 3d capabilities