Skins

[Fernando P. Malard]

Hello,

Can I use the Windows Media Player Skins technology inside my particular
VC++ application?

My application has nothing to do with Media Player but I would like to
enabled skins on this application.

If not, could you point me to a good skin toolkit?
I have tried SkinMagic (www.appspeed.com) and SkinCrafter
(www.skincrafter.com) but they are very slow...

If so, is there any sample showing how to use Windows Media SDK to enable
skin support on a VC++ (or VC.NET) application?

Regards,
Fernando.

[Jim Travis [ms]]

Well, the RemoteSkin sample demonstrates making the UI a skin, but why would
you want to do that if you weren't using Windows Media Player?

--
Jim Travis
Microsoft Corp.
Windows Media Player SDK

Download:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/downloads/list/winmedia.asp

Latest online:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/wmplay/mmp_sdk/default.asp?frame=true

Please do not send email directly to this alias as this alias is for
newsgroup purposes only. This posting is provided "AS IS" with no
warranties, and confers no rights. You assume all risk for your use. © 2003
Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

"Fernando P. Malard" <fpma...@cadtec.dees.ufmg.br> wrote in message
news:%2373JgT%23kDH...@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...

[Fernando P. Malard]

Dear Jim,

I think that Windows MediaPlayer Skin is fast and reliable.
As I mentioned, other skin packages are too slow and does not have a good
interface.

I'm wondering if the Skin libraries of Windows Media SDK can be used
separately of player stuff. If so, I can use the same skin approach inside
my stand alone application.

So what I would like to know is that is there a way to use only the Windows
Media Player Skin technology and, of course, if I can use it with no license
limitation.

Kindest regards,
Fernando.

"Jim Travis [ms]" <jtr...@online.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:uOwhoJHl...@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...

[Jim Travis [ms]]

No, not possible. Sorry.

--
Jim Travis
Microsoft Corp.
Windows Media Player SDK

Download:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/downloads/list/winmedia.asp

Latest online:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/wmplay/mmp_sdk/default.asp?frame=true

Please do not send email directly to this alias as this alias is for

newsgroup purposes only. This posting is provided "AS IS" with no
warranties, and confers no rights. You assume all risk for your use. © 2003
Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

"Fernando P. Malard" <fpma...@cadtec.dees.ufmg.br> wrote in message

news:uaVQULLl...@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...

[Ted McIsec]

Hi there,

Having been interested in applications' skinning for quite an amount
of time, I would say that all skin engines make any software slower.
Another thing to mention, is the difference between skining developed
for a particular app and universal engines. When implementing
something which is fully integrated in a certain product, programmers
do adapt it completely for the app needs, and pay no attention to the
features, which are not used. This allows not to hook/use/allocate
unnecessary resources. E.g. what for is a developing of toolbars
skining if there is no toolbars in the programm, and so forth.
Therefore, the usage of "many-sided" engines may be slower (but not
have to), on the other hands the development of your own skins is a
time-consuming operation.
Comparing the existing skin toolkits I would prefer SkinCrafter. Here
is a short explaination:
- DirectSkin - is pretty expencive (500$ - smth like introduction
version, 1000$ - the cheapest redestributable version)
- ActiveSkin - this is cheaper (100$) but has no support for a number
of controls (trees, edits, etc.), aslo it does own handling of
standard messages, which can be intolerable for some situations.
- SkinCrafter - the price is 400$ but all the controls are supported,
which can let to use it almost in all kinds of projects.
- SkinMagic - 90$, but is narrow aimed for C++ usage

Also need to say about quite actual theme, about .NET platform
(WindowsForms). Here mentioned SkinMagic does not work anyhow at all
(it is C++ specialised library) and SkinCrafter is the only library
available at the moment. Maybe that's because ActiveSkin and
DirectSkin underestimate the spreading of .NET or may be not.

Best regards,
Ted