Difference between revisions of "Skins"

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Skin support for VLC is now mature and there are some wonderful skins. You may like to use them rather than the default interface.
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{{VLC}} supports skins (sometimes also called themes) through it's skins2 interface module. To get new skins go to the [http://www.videolan.org/vlc/skins.php Skins website].
  
 
== Using a skin ==
 
== Using a skin ==
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In order to use skins you have to switch to the skins2 interface. To do that do the following:
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Start VLC, open menu "Preferences", select "Interfaces" and click "Main interface". Change the setting in the drop-down menu "Interface module" from 'Default' to '''Skinnable Interface'''. Click the 'Save' button and restart VLC. To change get the old interface choose 'Default from the "Interface module" drop-down menu.
  
=== Download ===
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== Adding a new skin ==
First, go to the [http://videolan.org/vlc/download-skins2.html Skin page], choose a skin and download it.  
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To add a new skin go to the [http://www.videolan.org/vlc/skins.php Skin page], choose a skin and click the "Download" link. Alternatively you can obtain the 'Skin Pack' which contains all available skins.
  
Important: '''You shall download the "complete" 'Skin Pack'''', because the download package of some 'specific' skins, as ASkin and WMP11, don't include it's '.vlt' file, that is needed to use it. These '.vlt' files are only at the "complete" 'Skin Pack', that, by other hand, don't include other files needed to use some specific skins, as the same ASkin and WMP11 skins. So, '''besides the "complete" 'Skin Pack', you shall download the specific skins you want''' and see if they include not '.vlt' files, mainly '.png' files, that are not included at the "complete" 'Skin Pack', that has only '.vlt' files.  
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<div style="border-width:2px;background:#ffffe0;border-style:solid;border-color:red;padding:20px;margin:30px">
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Important: '''It is recommended to download the 'Skin Pack''''! This is, because the download package of some 'specific' skins (e.g. ASkin and WMP11), don't include it's '.vlt' file, that is needed to use it. These '.vlt' files are only found in the 'Skin Pack', which, on the other hand, doesn't include other files needed by other skins. <!-- So, '''besides the 'Skin Pack', you should download the specific skins you want''' and see if they do not include '.vlt' files, mainly '.png' files, that are not included at the "complete" 'Skin Pack', that has only '.vlt' files. ??? Is this still valid? -->
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</div>
  
In addition to the skins listed at the Skin Page, VLC supports all the Winamp2 and XMMS skins (.wsz files).
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In addition to the skins listed on the 'Skins Page', VLC supports all Winamp2 and XMMS skins (.wsz files).
  
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To install, move the skins' ".vlt" file to the 'VLC\skins' (Linux users '''~/.vlc/skins2/''') directory. For the the 'Skin Pack' goes: unzip it to 'VLC\skins'.
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Each skin will have it's own sub-folder created containing it's files.
  
=== Extract the "complete" and specific skins at the 'VLC\skins' directory ===
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Finally, to set the skin, right-click in the title bar or control bar, go to 'Select skin' and select the desired skin.
The '.vlt' files of the "complete" 'Skin Pack' will be at this directory. The other files of each specific skin, mainly the '.png' files, will be at an specific sub-folder for each skin that use these files.
 
* Linux users: Put it in '''~/.vlc/skins2/'''
 
  
 
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== Creating a skin ==
=== Tell VLC you will use an alternative skin ===  
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You can either use the [https://trac.videolan.org/skin-designer/ Skin Designer] or compose the skin manually. For more information in general (and on the latter, in particular) consult the [http://www.videolan.org/vlc/skins2-create.html Create your own skin] How-To.
Start VLC, open menu "preferences", open "interfaces" and click "main interface". Change the setting in the dropdown control "Interface module" from 'Default' to '''Skinnable Interface'''. Click the Save button.  
 
 
 
 
 
=== Choose your alternative skin ===
 
Restart VLC. It has now a new default skin! To change this skin to any other you want, right-click on it's title bar or controls bar, choose 'Select skin' and the skin you want.  
 
 
 
 
 
=== To return to the Default skin ===
 
Right-click on the title bar or controls bar, choose 'Preferences' and undo what you did 2 steps before: Open "interfaces" and click "main interface". Change the setting in the dropdown control "Interface module" from 'Skinnable Interface' to 'Default'. Click the Save button.
 
 
 
 
 
== Create a skin ==
 
[http://www.videolan.org/vlc/skins2-create.html Create a new skin] documentation.
 
  
 
[[Category:Interfaces]]
 
[[Category:Interfaces]]

Revision as of 22:12, 12 January 2008

VLC media player supports skins (sometimes also called themes) through it's skins2 interface module. To get new skins go to the Skins website.

Using a skin

In order to use skins you have to switch to the skins2 interface. To do that do the following: Start VLC, open menu "Preferences", select "Interfaces" and click "Main interface". Change the setting in the drop-down menu "Interface module" from 'Default' to Skinnable Interface. Click the 'Save' button and restart VLC. To change get the old interface choose 'Default from the "Interface module" drop-down menu.

Adding a new skin

To add a new skin go to the Skin page, choose a skin and click the "Download" link. Alternatively you can obtain the 'Skin Pack' which contains all available skins.

Important: It is recommended to download the 'Skin Pack'! This is, because the download package of some 'specific' skins (e.g. ASkin and WMP11), don't include it's '.vlt' file, that is needed to use it. These '.vlt' files are only found in the 'Skin Pack', which, on the other hand, doesn't include other files needed by other skins.

In addition to the skins listed on the 'Skins Page', VLC supports all Winamp2 and XMMS skins (.wsz files).

To install, move the skins' ".vlt" file to the 'VLC\skins' (Linux users ~/.vlc/skins2/) directory. For the the 'Skin Pack' goes: unzip it to 'VLC\skins'. Each skin will have it's own sub-folder created containing it's files.

Finally, to set the skin, right-click in the title bar or control bar, go to 'Select skin' and select the desired skin.

Creating a skin

You can either use the Skin Designer or compose the skin manually. For more information in general (and on the latter, in particular) consult the Create your own skin How-To.