Admiral Quality Poly-ana offers custom skinning (and win a free license)!

[Limeflavour]

I just found how to add labels/scales in Knobman but this would only make sense if ALL knobs would need the same label which is not the case. Currently it does not seem to be possible to use multiple files for similar knobs (e.g. there is only one "Big knob" file).

Theorectically it is maybe posible to "register" new file names to the XML file to e.g. use multiple versions of a "Big knob".

You can just add another control in the XML file. ie "Alt-BigKnob" and link it to a separate image.
I don't see anything about that not being allowed and I'm going to use that to make controls alot easier to spot on the gui.

Edit. I tested yesterday on an old Beta (v2 or 3) and it worked just fine. However I have not tested on the newer version.

[Ingonator]

I just found how to add labels/scales in Knobman but this would only make sense if ALL knobs would need the same label which is not the case. Currently it does not seem to be possible to use multiple files for similar knobs (e.g. there is only one "Big knob" file).

Theorectically it is maybe posible to "register" new file names to the XML file to e.g. use multiple versions of a "Big knob".

You can just add another control in the XML file. ie "Alt-BigKnob" and link it to a separate image.
I don't see anything about that not being allowed and I'm going to use that to make controls alot easier to spot on the gui.

Edit. I tested yesterday on an old Beta (v2 or 3) and it worked just fine. However I have not tested on the newer version.

Hi,

many thanks for the reply. An honor to have such a great GUI/skin designer here...



UPDATE:
Based on an e-mail by Mike it seems to be confirmed by Mike that you could use multiple PNG files for similar knobs etc. with different labels

UPDATE:
Besides finding how to add labels/scales in Knobman i also found how to add new PNG files in the XML file. Due to that i culd now use multiple different files for e.g. the big knobs.

Actuallöy it should be even possible to use a different PNG file for each of the controls.


Ingo

[Ingonator]

: One question (which I should probably just answer myself), is there a way to increase the overall size? It still seems like things are a bit cramped and a little bit of extra width would do wonders with usability.

You could increase both the height and width of the background image. So far i did not see that you have to define the size in the XML file so this seems to be detected automatically.

[camsr]

How do I install a skin?

[Ingonator]

How do I install a skin?

Not sure what you mean. Which "template" are you searching?

[camsr]

How do I install a skin?

Not sure what you mean. Which "template" are you searching?

I just tried modifying the background panel, and it's not showing the change. I just edited the file in the skin directory.

Also, I just installed the beta version, and I need to reg it but how do I do that now?
There used to be a bar at the bottom to generate a challenge code.

[Ingonator]

How do I install a skin?

Not sure what you mean. Which "template" are you searching?

I just tried modifying the background panel, and it's not showing the change. I just edited the file in the skin directory.

Also, I just installed the beta version, and I need to reg it but how do I do that now?
There used to be a bar at the bottom to generate a challenge code.

Hi,

you could not re-save the background file in the "official" skin folder. You have to save at a different locations and copy it to the skin folder. Same with the XML and other files.

Concerning the license the seems to be a key file now. The change of the license is ages ago so i do not remeber details. You have to contact Mike at Admiral Qualty for that.

[Ingonator]

I just added scales/circles to my own Knobman knobs and removed the corresponding graphics from teh background image.
I created 4 different big and 4 different small knobs and added all PNG files of those to the XML file.
Now i got e.g. "BigKnob", "BigKnob2, "BigKnob3" etc. and "registered" the corresponding file names to the XML file.

This is how my current skin looks now:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/532 ... ed__02.png


The labels for the waveform selections are the old ones.


For those who are interested here is a download for the curent skin and my own Knobman files i used for this:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/532 ... D_v2.0.zip


The "rings" around the knobs currently are white so maybe during editing in Knobman you have to switch them to another color like e.g. black.

FWIW the "color coded" borders around the sections in the background could be easily changed by using the "fill" feature/tool in an editor like e.g. Windows Paint.


PS:
A future improvement could be to add most labels directly in Knobman (besides the knob "rings" that i just added) so the background will get more and more empty (and additionally replacing existing labels in the background by custom ones).


UPDATE (30.07.):
Just added the "-10" and "+10" labels of the small value knobs directly in Knobman. Same with the minimum/maximum value labels at the Envelope time and Sutain knobs. Both the screenshots and the download are updated.^

The "SOURCE" labels were substitted by new and slightly bigger ones called "MOD-SOURCE".



Ingo

[fmr]

Dark:



Hope you guys enjoy!
Norb.

This is currently my favorite. You are tempting me to buy PolyAna (after years beyng pulled back by the GUI). I am still convinced that things could be rearranged in a less sluttered way, though.

[H-man]

You can just add another control in the XML file. ie "Alt-BigKnob" and link it to a separate image.I don't see anything about that not being allowed and I'm going to use that to make controls alot easier to spot on the gui.

Yeah that was my thought too. I have been messing around with colours (similar to the SSL mixer colours) and it seems to help with navigation etc. Long way to go but fun to play with PolyAna again,

https://www.dropbox.com/s/icruh8k2wiar3 ... A.PNG?dl=0

[Ingonator]

Maybe i am a bit biased as i did my own skin (see my update and links at this page) but with all due repect to the work of others that posted their results here (e.g. Teksonik and Norbz) for me my skin looks MUCH cleaner and better to read than those other skins.

I have huge problems with that skin by Norbz, could hardkly read any labels there. Those 3D effects and the selections of color do not seem the best choices IMO.

Besides that i also rearranged the sections (except oscillators + filters) to new places which makes the controls arranged in a more "logical" way IMO. I also re-sorted the global controls into multiple sections, all at one line.

Of course i would have to replace some of the labels in my skin but since my very first version on Friday i made HUGE imrovement to my Poly-Ana skin.

I do nor want to participate on the contest with my approach (as i already got a license since ages) and do not want to earn money with the current skin and i also do not want to please everyone here. at the end it counts if i like the result myself or not (and if not i try to add changes like i had doe since Friday).

If people like those other skins it's OK for me but at the moment i will better stay with my own approach or wait for a new one like e.g. from Flavors of Lime who usually does an awesome job with his skins/GUIs.


PS:
It's not like i do not learn from others. I used 1 or 2 things i found in the skin from Norbz...


UPDATE:
The skin just posted by H-man looks good IMO. Somehow close to my own designs but still different and good IMO.


Ingo

[H-man]

The skin just posted by H-man looks good IMO. Somehow close to my own designs i did so far but still good.

Cheers Ingo. I think you are on the right track with your resizing and re-arrangement of the elements. The background and text is going to be pretty tricky too IMHO but I do like the "Puzzle" of it all.

[fmr]

I have huge problems with that skin by Norbz, could hardkly read any labels there. Those 3D effects and the selections of color do not seem the best choices IMO.
Ingo

I would probably not use the "curve" effect in those "blocks" for each section - perhaps a slightly "elevated" effect would be nicer. But I like 3D elements - gives me a sense of deep that a flat screen doesn't, and helps to better visualize what is what, and what is there to be altered and what is not.

I also like the way he got rid of those (IMO ridiculous) yellow "boxes" with the name in the bottom for the drop down menus, pushing them to simple grey reactangles in the Dark skin. It's much cleaner that way, IMO.

Anyway, all fo these are still WIP. Let's see what we reach in the end. I'm glad I can see something changing in this department anyway. I always feel sorrow when a good synth is buried because of a badly thought GUI.

[Ingonator]

The skin just posted by H-man looks good IMO. Somehow close to my own designs i did so far but still good.

Cheers Ingo. I think you are on the right track with your resizing and re-arrangement of the elements. The background and text is going to be pretty tricky too IMHO but I do like the "Puzzle" of it all.

Hi, i like your current approach too while it is maybe not the final stage.

If you like you could use my Knobman files, the rendered files, the background or the XML file (those 2 maybe belong together) which i included as a download at this page.

For me it doesn't matter i anyone re-uses those elements as long as it looks at least slightly different to my own skin.


My own focus in the near future will be replacing some or most of the labels. The basic design of the knobs, switches and LEDs and also the current arrangement of modules/sections is OK for me at the moment.
Posible that i also do a version ofmy skin that works nicely with the "mod selection wheels". More likely will be that i search for a new option for the sources selection.

[toothnclaw]

Hey Ingo, it seems you're new to this Knobman/Skinman thing, but progressing fast nonetheless. Why don't you spend say a month learning the apps and improving your skin and post the result only when you're completely satisfied with it.

These hourly updates on some incremental 'improvements' you make are a little too much... Or do you work as a marketing man / sock puppet for the Admiral now? It looks that way.

I like your enthusiasm, though.