The IncrediMail Skin Creator assists you with the IncrediMail Skin creation process. IncrediMail's Creative Team has been using it to create skins for years and it is now available commercially for your own private use.

This tutorial is meant to help you understand how the Skin Creator works. The workflow for using the Skin Creator is divided into the following sections:

1. Getting Started
2. Application Overview
3. Editing Elements
4. Saving a new skin

To open the Skin Creator and start creating a new skin:

1. Double-click on the Skin Creator desktop icon.





2. The Skin Creator will open and you may now begin to create a new skin.

Note: Once you've downloaded and installed the IncrediMail Skin Creator, you will also find access to the Skin Creator in Start - > Programs -> IncrediMail.

Category Tree region (marked in red):
On the left side of the Skin Creator's main window, you will find the category tree that contains all the elements that make up an IncrediMail skin. Each element has been placed in the Images, Colors, Sounds or Layout folder.

Description region (marked in blue):
For every element you select, there will be a short description informing you what part of the skin the element is used for. For bitmap images that are divided into sections, you will find detailed information regarding the size and mode of each section.

Preview region (marked in orange):
Alongside the description region, a preview box offers you visual assistance in locating the actual location of the element you've selected.

Work region (marked in green):
The work region in every category is displayed a little differently.

Images and Sounds Categories
Images and sounds need 2 columns:



1. the Default column, which offers the dimension, size and visual display of the element in the default skin
2. the New column provided for editing elements

Color Category
One column is offered in this category in order to easily select colors for certain elements.

Layout Category
One column is offered in this category in order to select layout properties such as border width, margin offsets, fonts, etc.

Browsing through the elements
Before you begin creating a skin, browse through the elements in the category tree and get acquainted with the various types of elements available in an IncrediMail skin. Make a mental note of the elements that you will want to modify.

Editing elements
When you begin the skin creation process, it is recommended to begin with the Images category - at the top of the tree. This category offers the most significant elements in terms of how your skin will end up looking. Please keep in mind that all the elements in each category are listed in order of importance. So take that into consideration when editing elements.

Images and Sounds categories
In the Images, Sounds and Cursors categories, you will find 2 columns - 'Default Skin' and 'New Skin'.

1. Copy from Default - Clicking on this button copies the element used in the default skin and places it into the New Skin column.
2. Get Image - A window will open enabling you to browse through your folders, select the file you want to use and load into the 'New Skin' column.
3. Edit Image - The file from the Default Skin column will be copied over to the New Skin column as well as automatically open in the appropriate editor program so that you may start to make changes to the element.
4. Delete - Any element placed in the New Skin column will be deleted.

1) To edit the file directly from IncrediMail's default skin:



1. After selecting the element you would like to work on (for example, the first image in the 'Images' folder called 'CaptionBar.bmp'), click on the "Edit Image" button (marked in red).
2. The file from the Default Skin column will be copied over to the New Skin column and the designated editor program will open automatically so that you may start to edit the element.
3. For any changes to be made to the file in the New Skin column, you must 'Save' the file in the editor program.
4. Repeat these steps for every element you would like to edit.
2) Editing your own files saved on your computer:


1. After selecting the element you would like to change (for example, the first image in the 'Images' folder called 'CaptionBar.bmp'), click on the "Get Image" button (marked in blue).
2. A window will open enabling you to browse through your folders, select the file you want to use and load into the 'New Skin' column.
3. To open the editor program so that you may edit the image that you just loaded, click on the "Edit Image" button (marked in red).
4. For any changes to be made to the file in the New Skin column, you must 'Save' the file in the editor program.
5. Repeat these steps for every element you would like to change.

1. Selecting a color from a standard color palette.
2. Using a sample color tool to grab a color on the screen.
3. Restoring the color to that in the default skin.

To place content into the Work Folder:

1. Open the computer folders that contain the files you want to use.
2. Click on the 'Work Folder' button on the Skin Creator toolbar (marked in red).





3. 'Click and drag' the files you want to use into the Work Folder.
4. Changes will be reflected in the "New" column within the work region of the Skin Creator.

Note: Make sure to name your files using the exact element name as in the original default skin.

Previewing the changes you make as you work
You can preview the changes you make to the IncrediMail skin every time you change an element.

1. After editing an element, click on "Preview" (marked in red) in the Skin Creator toolbar.





2. The IncrediMail application will open automatically.
3. Find the location where the element is used and see the changes you made.

Reviewing the 'Not Modified' folder
In the category tree section, you will find a folder called "Not Modified"(marked in red).. This folder contains all of the elements that you left untouched throughout the skin creation process.

It is not necessary, but it is recommended to browse through the elements in this folder, before you save the skin, in order to make sure that you haven't overlooked an element of the skin that you wanted to change.

Checking the 'Unrelated Items' folder
The last category in the tree called 'Unrelated Items' (marked in red) only contains files or folders left in the Work Folder that does not replace a skin element. While working you might have saved a file or folder in the Work Folder that is not directly associated to any specific element in the skin.

If you try to save the skin before removing any unrelated items in your Work Folder, you will receive a warning message asking you whether or not you would like to delete or save the items. It is recommended that you delete all items in this folder before saving the skin.

Unrelated items are saved in the skin file and may make the skin unnecessarily heavy in size.

1. Keep the dimensions of the image the same as indicated under the image in the 'Default Skin' column.
2. The pink transparency color (255,0, 255) is absolute and must not be changed.
3. Element file names are absolute and must not be altered.

When you've completed editing all of the elements you've wanted to, all you have to do to save the skin you created is:

1. Click on the 'Save' button (marked in red).
   
   
   
   
2. Select the location you would like the new skin to be saved.
3. The new skin will be saved as an '.ims' file and can be sent to family and friends via email, as well as placed on the Internet for direct download.

Note: At any time, you can save the skin as an .ims file and exit the Skin Creator tool. To work on the skin at a later time use the "Open" button to find the skin file and open it where you left off.

4. If, by this time, you haven't already provided your new skin with a display, file and collection name, the Skin Properties window will pop up requiring that you fill in the fields.
5. Give the new skin a Display name, File name and Collection name.

To add the new skin to your Skin dialog in your IncrediMail application:

1. Go to the File menu (marked in red) at the top of the Skin Creator and select 'Import into IncrediMail' (marked in blue).





2. The file will be automatically downloaded into your IncrediMail application and will be indicated by a star in the 'Skin' window (marked in red).

If you feel that you have made an exceptional skin and would like to share it with the rest of the IncrediMail community, send your creations to the Creative team (skins) so that it can be reviewed and maybe even placed in the IncrediMail Online Gallery for the whole IncrediMail community to enjoy.