Executor Scale Skin Type Guide

Following is a brief description of how to build Executor skin files of type "scale". The best way to learn is probably to modify the already existing ones. Why "Scale"? It's because this skin type can be resized, and works at different DPI's settings (if running High-DPI version of Executor).

Some basics

• Consider using and/or learning from the Online Skin Editor and the also check out the Skin Editor Video.
• The skin file is using Windows .ini file format, but the file extension for Executor skins is .skn example: scale_dark.skn
• All properties are listed under a section called [skinvalues]
• If the skin is using an icon or images, those should be placed in the same folder as the .skn file, and best practice is to use a naming like this: scale_dark.skn, scale_dark.ico, scale_dark_topbg.jpg, scale_dark_listbg.jpg

Default skin (scale_dark.skn)

[skinvalues]
skintype=scale

; Main input field and window
fontsize=17
fontbold=0
fontname=tahoma
textcolor=#3CBAD9
textbackcolor=#171b1d
titletextcolor=#256e7f
inputwindowcolor=#595959

; Icon to show when no input
icondefault=scale_dark.ico

; List colors
listfocusbgcolor=#233343
listtitlecolor=#37637C
windowcolor=#393939

; Optional button in input to open/close list, not many use this, color it, but hide it
buttonarrowcolor=#2e353a
buttonoutlinecolor=#2e353a
buttonfillcolor=#171b1d
showcombo=0

; In case you want to skin the background of the input/list with a tile image
; use these two properties. Image format: bmp, png or jpg
;skintilepicture=scale_dark_topbg.jpg
;listtilepicture=scale_dark_listbg.jpg
; The following will center the tiling of the background image if enabled
;skintilepictureposition=center
;listtilepictureposition=center

Basic Properties

skintype

This guide is only for scale skins, so skintype must be scale.

textbackcolor

Background color of the text input and list. Should match the skin's color at that position. (Hex color code).

icondefault

Optionally define an icon file path that will be shown by default when there's no input match or no input. It's best to use a .ico file, but .jpg and .png images can also be used. Though .jpg and .png might not work as intended when running High DPI.

Input window properties

fontname

Name of the font (e.g., Arial).

fontsize

Font size (default is 8).

fontbold

Font bold style. 0 = false, 1 = true (default=0).

textcolor

Color of the input text (Hex color code).

inputwindowcolor

Border color of the input window (Hex color code), if not defined it will inherit from "windowcolor".

failcolor

Color of the text if input failed to launch (Hex color code).

bordersizewindow

the input and list border size in pixels (unscaled). Default is 2 if not defined.

bordertweaks

Small visual adjustments (corners and some color fading) will be done to the input window border. If disabled the border will be a rectangle in one color. 0 = disabled, 1 = enabled (default=1)

minimumwidth

This can overwrite the default 477 pixel (unscaled) minimum width. This is the clientwidth area, so borders will be added to this width. Default is 0 (disabled). Setting this below 250 pixels will not have any effect due to some internal limitations of Executor. The number is pixels in a unscaled resolution (96 PPI).

skintilepicture

Input background picture file, if provided, should be a .bmp, .jpg or .png image. The image will be tiled in order to support different resized dimensions/DPI.

skintilepictureposition

Optionally override the default positioning of the background picture tiling. Can be set to "center" which will center the tiling instead of starting the tiling from top left corner.

Title (Keyword/Program Description) Properties

titlealign

Text alignment within the title area (e.g., left, center, right).

titletextcolor

Text color of the title (Hex color code).

titlefontsize

Size of the title font.

List Properties

listitems

Specify the number of visible list items if using a complex listpicture not suitable for tiling/stretching. Each item height is defined by listrowheight (default 17px).

listtextcolor

Color of the text in the list (defaults to textcolor if not specified) (Hex color code).

listfocustextcolor

Text color of the selected item in the list (Hex color code).

listfocusbgcolor

Background color of the selected item in the list (Hex color code).

listtitlecolor

Color of the optional title (description) text in the list (Hex color code). If not defined it will be calculated based on background color.

listfontname

Font name to use in the list. Inherits from fontname if not defined.

listfontsize

Font size for the list.

listrowheight

Height of each row in the list (default is 17 pixels).

windowcolor

Color of the 2-pixel border surrounding the list (Hex color code).

listtilepicture

list picture file, if provided, it should be a .bmp, .jpg or .png image. The image will be tiled in order to support different resized dimensions/DPI.

listtilepictureposition

Optionally override the default positioning of the background picture tiling.

• cover - Zoom to fit a picture across both the list and input. Overrides any input picture and input picture settings. Does not work with settings that hides the list.
• centermerge - Center a picture across both the list and input but will not zoom to fit (so can be problems with size not fitting when resizing). Overrides any input picture and input picture settings. Does not work with settings that hides the list.
• center - Center the picture in the list only, but not zoom to fit (so can be problems with size not fitting when resizing).
• merge - Tile list picture from top left in list only, but cut the top so if you set same picture on the input, you can make effects of doing another color or such on the input or list only, making it seem like one picture for both with different effects.
• coverlist - Zoom to fit a picture across the list only.

bordersizelist

the input and list border size in pixels (unscaled). Default is 2 if not defined.

List Button Properties

showcombo

Show the list button. Automatically positioned after the text input. 0 = false, 1 = true. The button is kind of legacy and not used by many user and usually hidden.

buttonarrowcolor

Color of the small arrow in the list button (Hex color code).

buttonoutlinecolor

Border color of the list button (Hex color code).

buttonfillcolor

Fill color (background) of the list button (Hex color code).

Notes on Properties

If you leave out a property in the skin file, Executor will use the user's current setting for that property. For example, omitting fontname and fontsize means the skin will use the font settings currently configured by the user.

General Notes

Some skin properties are only loaded once when the skin is initially selected via the "Browse" button. This allows users to later customize colors or settings they dislike. When testing your skin modifications, either press CTRL+F5 in Executor to reload the entire skin, or re-select the skin via the "Browse" button in Settings to ensure all properties are reloaded.

If you have questions or find this guide incomplete, please use the community discussions.

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