OpusOS - Desktop Sidebar skin v1.9

Based on OpusOS visual style for XP created by b0se (according to me, the best XP style ever made), this is probably the smoothest skin you can find.

Full thread about OpusOS visual style

Download OpusOS-Black
Download OpusOS-Blue
Download OpusOS-Deep
Download OpusOS-Green
Download OpusOS-Olive


What's new in v1.9 (for build 90):
- Changed the performance panel colors

What's new in v1.8 (for build 88):
- Changed the detail and alert windows

What's new in v1.7 (for build 88):
- Fixed dspackage bug (player controls were missing)
- Fixed popup handler (hard to move panel on desktop)

What's new in v1.6 (for build 69):
- New clock hands
- Fixed scroll buttons bug in list
- Minor improvements in progress bars

What's new in v1.5 (for build 69):
- Added start caption (not really hot but it's better than nothing!)
- Popups now fit with skin

What's new in v1.4 (for build 67):
- New scroll buttons
- Added effects for low and high priority tasks
- Improved clock hands
- Fixed little bugs (hover effect for active panel not fixed yet, the bug is in sidebar)

What's new in v1.2 (for build 63):
- Improved today items, tomorrow items, fresh headlines and stock changes transparency.
- Fixed misc bugs.

What's new in v1.1 (for build 59):
- Two new colors: Black and Green
- Today items, tomorrow items, fresh headlines and stock changes have a colored line above them.
- New GO button (used in command line panel).
- Small clocks are now used by default (original versions also included).

What's new in v1.0 (for build 59):
- New clocks
- New buttons for windows media player / winamp

And finally, the screenshot:

I like it! Great job!

It's FANTASTIC!
Thank you very much for this skin!

GoMa

I just LOVE the hover style
Thanks~!

I dig it, but I wish you had pending and new items show up as a different color.

I added two new colors to this skin: Deep and Olive.
I will update the download in a few hours... but here is a screenshot to give you an idea. (see first post)

Indian_Mayhem: new items should be in italic, but it looks like DS does not apply the font style.

I use your skin too and I like it a lot. Thanks.

I have but one really BIG suggestion... I'd like to see another kind of analog clock. I really can't dig the Longhorn clock style that most of the skin currently have.

Thanks.

Mazsellan.

Jeff,
I actually decided to insert my own tweak to your skin by replacing the todayitem, tomorrowitem, and freshheadline with:

</item>
<item name="todayItem" inherit="panel" >
<appearance name="standard"
fillStyle="solid"
fillColor1="255,104,99"
/>
</item>
<item name="tomorrowItem" inherit="panel" >
<appearance name="standard"
fillStyle="solid"
fillColor1="233,183,18"
/>
</item>
<item name="freshHeadline" inherit="panel" >
<appearance name="standard"
fillStyle="solid"
fillColor1="255,104,99"
/>

I'm a visual person so I like to have something that stands out when pending or new items show.

But the framework you did is mighty spiffy I like the other colors as well. Can't wait to mangle it

OpusOS v0.6 is available (see first post)
It contains 3 colors: Blue, Deep and Olive.

Have fun!


Indian_Mayhem: I will try to do something more visual for new/fresh items... probably in the next update.

Mazsellan: I don't really like this "longhorn clock" either. As I wrote in the readme file, I'm working on a new analog clock.

Vey nice thank you very much

-Reg

I'm working on new analog clocks but they are not ready yet. So, I think I will add these 3 simple clocks in the next update just to replace the old "longhorn style" clocks. I created them in 30 minutes, don't be too hard on me!

Comments? Suggestions?

Arabic numbers is not elegant enough.
I think replacing them (maybe roman) will match the skin more?

Thanks for your great skin~

I dig the clocks with numbers or Roman.

I wish I had an ounce of creative design juice....

Keep up the good work Jeff-K.
Love the skin and wait for the clock.
Keep it clean, visual, elegant, stylish .....
Powerful, humble, devine, cool

and

kdam

TNX for a great pro!

I made this one for the blue ...

I modified my previous clocks... An update is coming soon.

The new clockface is great~

I have just updated my skin, it includes new clocks and new buttons for Windows Media Player / Winamp.

See first post for the download link.

Enjoy!
Jeff-K

Nice! Tnx.

i'm addicted to skins LOL... & so far, this is my fave!

Anyone want to e-mail the files for the Opus OS visual style and sidebar theme to oggbp@muohio.edu? deviantart.com is down and I couldn't find another site that had either one. Anyone who does so will be thoguht quite highly of! And in case there's a bunch of ppl that send it, please reply to the forum and say you sent it so I don't get 3987532 e-mails with it. Thanks!

I will send them to you

it will be from reginald476@msn.com

-Reg

Thanks so much! You're great!

not a problem glad I could help

-Reg

This is a great skin, very smooth, but it has, for me obviously, a negative characteristic. If compared with the XP Blue skin, the same panels occupy more space in OpusOS than in XPBlue and this, for me, is enough not to use it in spite I like it very much. For me is the best skin posted here.

I changed the margin settings so that it fits tighter. If Jeff K doesn't mind, I can post my revisions to the OpusOS skins. I've taken some of the backgrounds from different ones and changed the color for the item notification.

MenosZero:

I intentionally added some space between panels to make them clearer. They were too close in my opinion. You can change the height by editing the XML file:

Thnks Jeff-K I have done it and it is OK for me.

I just posted it and v10 OpusOS on another thread

Any chance of getting this in a zip file? Really don't want to shell out for another archiving program.

Thanks,
-Ron

Rar is the future TechnoMage, time to jump on board.

WinRar Trial Edition

I have installed the Olive one. Its great. Tiny suggestion. Can you change the panel titles? They tend to get lost with this color.

Very smooth though. I like it a ton. Only one I have been able to use with the analog clock.

TechnoMage:
If you still need a zip file I can send it to you... PM me.

mtaylor007:
You can easily change the text color for the panels. Just edit the XML file, look for the "caption" item and change the "textcolor" property (RGB format).

I don't know if you noticed but there is a small analog clock in my skin. To use it, edit the XML file, search for the item named "clockface" and then replace the image filename by "clock_small.png".

Jeff-K

Jeff-K,

Thanks for the advice on the clock, just switched mine.

One thing that I've noticed, in the earlier version I was using, v0.5, calendar appointments were showing up in different colors for today, tommorrow and later. This doesn't seem to be happening in the new version. I checked the panel properties and "Show today's appointments in different color" is checked.

Changing

This is my fault, I will fix it in the next release.
-- New release date: ~4 april 2004.

Since I really like smooth skins, the fresh headlines, today and tomorrow items will be identified using a small line.

Here is a preview (fresh headlines have a yellow line above them):

Wow, ask one question, get 2 answers.

I just knocked the caption color back to 225 225 225 and that helped a ton. Looking forward to your next build though. I like the ideas you had.

Love it. Thanks.

Can I distribute this skin with the next build of Desktop Sidebar?

Hi kdam...

I just got the permission from the author of OpusOS theme for Windows XP (he accepted, so cool! )

But before you add it in your next build, I have to change the readme file and I would like to update my skin to include 2 new features.

Do you think I have one day or two to complete my changes?

Great. Please let me know when you will be ready

Hi kdam.
I have almost completed my skin. I will update it in a few hours.

I have a little question... Do you plan any changes/fixes to the skinning engine in the next build?

By the way, I never told you before but your app (don't know if you are alone on this project) is really great. Good work!!

Jeff-K

I have a black and green versions of my skin. Please, I want your opinions on these... I'm not sure someone will use them.

I will propably add them in the next release if you are interested.

I really like it!

those two together remind me of girl scout cookies mmmm
to bad opusos doesnt have a black skin I would much rather use that one

-Reg

Here is OpusOS v1.1 (for build 59)
See first post for details.

Removed attached File ( Number of downloads: 197 )

Good stuff Jeff-K! You have what is no doubt the most heavilly developed and best looking skins to date. Nice!

btw - Thanks for the code, Technomage! I was able to use that on my Focus skins and finally fix the news panel problems!

Here is OpusOS v1.2 (for build 63)
See first post for details.

Just for your information, Jeff-K, the hover state of the command line "go" button is set to show the same image as the pressed-state. I think it should be only for the pressed state.
When I looked in the skin file, I saw that the hover state was set to the "goh.bmp" which is exactly the same as "gop.bmp".

Just a small issue
-GoMa

I just installed build 62 and have a question on the OpusOS skins. Right now I show 5 OpusOS skins in my dropdown. They are Black, Blue, Deep, Green and Olive.

1. Which of the skins are the one's now being included in the build?
2. Of the skins now being included, which version are they; 1.1 or 1.2?

Thanks,
-Ron

1: All 5 colors, I think
2: Version 1.1, again - I think

Just to make it easier, until Kdam removes the excess skins from the DSB installer, it might be a good idea to just download the latest versions of our skins if you are going to use them.