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How to create a skin for PokerTH
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1. Game Table Styles
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1.1 Creating a game table
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The best way to start building a custom PokerTH game table is to take 
a look at the file "defaulttablestyle.xml". You can find this file in
source code or in installation path of PokerTH >= 0.6.5 in the 
subfolder data/gfx/gui/table/default/. The defaulttablestyle.xml is 
the control center of your style. The file also contains comments 
which describe the use of the controls.

Maybe you would like to play around with the default table to see how 
the controls will work. To do this, you should copy the whole
data/gfx/gui/table/default/ directory to another place. 

In order to avoid confusing styles, please first change the description
<StyleDescription value="PokerTH default table style" /> --> (e.g.)
<StyleDescription value="my custom style" />.

It is recommended to also rename the file:
"defaulttablestyle.xml" --> (e.g.) "mycustomstyle.xml"

and the directory name: 
"default" --> (e.g.) "mycustomtable".

Now you can start playing around with color values or change/edit gfx
files. For best table drawing performance you should draw your gfx 
files with optimal size, mentioned in the corresponding comment in 
xml file.


1.2 Testing your style
--------------------------------
In order to test your style simply load it in PokerTH using 
"Settings" -> "Style" -> "Game Table Styles" --> "Add ...". 
After you have selected your file the value of "StyleDescription" is 
shown in the list. Select the corresponding entry and click "Activate".
Closing the Settings dialog will refresh the style of the game table.

If you change your mycustomstyle.xml there is no need to re-add it in
the settings or to restart PokerTH. The simplest way is just to open 
the settings dialog and close it immediately. This will refresh the 
game table style and display your changes.


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2. Card Deck Styles
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2.1 Start building a card deck
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Setting up a card deck is not as complex as the game table. The xml
file is only used for StyleDescription, StyleMaintainerEMail and Preview.
In the file data/gfx/cards/default/defaultdeckstyle.xml you will find 
all required information to set these values.

Maybe you would like to play around with the default card deck. 
To do this, you should copy the whole data/gfx/cards/default/
directory to another place. In order to avoid confusing 
"card deck styles" please first change the description:
<StyleDescription value="PokerTH default card deck" /> --> (e.g.) 
<StyleDescription value="my custom card deck" />.

It is also recommended to rename the file:
"defaultdeckstyle.xml" --> (e.g.) "mycustomcardstyle.xml" 

and the directory name: 

"default" --> (e.g.) "mycustomdeck". 

Now you can start changing/editing gfx files.

If you take a look at all files from 0.png to 51.png you will see 
which card value belongs to which number. It is VERY IMPORTANT to 
leave the filenames untouched. PokerTH will always take 0.png for 
"diamond 2", 51.png for "club ace" and 24.png for "heart king" for 
example. Also a flipside image called "flipside.png" has to be in the 
card deck directory.

The SIZE for all cards should be 48x76 pixel. If the size of an 
imgage does not fit into 48x76 pixel, PokerTH will scale it 
automatically. But this picture scaling might cause speed issues for 
example when drawing animations. 


2.2 Testing your deck
--------------------------------
In order to test your deck simply load it into PokerTH using 
"Settings" -> "Style" -> "Card Deck Styles" --> "Add ...".
After you have selected your file the value of "StyleDescription" is 
shown in the list. Select the corresponding entry and click "Activate". 
Closing the Settings dialog will refresh the style of the card deck.

If you change your mycustomcardstyle.xml there is no need to re-add 
it in the settings or restart PokerTH. The simplest way is just to 
open the settings dialog and close it immediately. This will refresh 
the card deck style and display your changes.


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3. Distributing Styles
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Once your game table or card deck style is finished you should 
complete the style information StyleDescription, 
StyleMaintainerEMail and Preview. The best way for game table preview 
will be a screenshot of the game table style running in PokerTH. For 
card deck style maybe you like to create a picture like 
data/gfx/cards/default/preview.png

If you style is ready to be shipped please pack the whole directory 
into a zip archive. 

If you like your style to be added into skin gallery on 
http://www.pokerth.net please send a link to the address where you 
are hosting your archive to webmaster@pokerth.net. We cannot promise 
that every style will be added, but if everything works fine and the 
legal issues are also clear there should be no problem. 

Please read PokerTH GUI skinning legal notices 
(http://www.pokerth.net/content/view/55) carefully if you like to 
have a link to your style archive from http://www.pokerth.net.


And now ... have a lot of fun when building a lot of 
stylish PokerTH skins ;-)


2009 by Felix Hammer