Executor Alpha Skin Type Guide
Following is a brief description of how to build Executor skin files of type "alpha". The best way to learn is probably to modify the already existing ones. Why "Alpha"? It's short for alphablending a transparency technic, the other skin types does not support transparency.
Property Description
Basic Properties
skintype- This guide is only for alpha skins, so
skintypemust bealpha. skinpicture- Skin picture file, it must be a either a PNG (with transparency) or a 32bit bitmap (.BMP) with an alpha channel.
transparentcontrols- If enabled (1), the background of the input and list button (if visible) will be transparent, showing the skin behind it. 0 = false, 1 = true (default=0).
Input (Text Edit Field) Properties
editleft- Left position (X coordinate in pixels) where the text edit input will be placed on the skin.
edittop- Top position (Y coordinate in pixels) where the text edit input will be placed on the skin.
editwidth- Width of the text edit input in pixels.
editheight- Maximum height of the text edit input in pixels.
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).
textbackcolor- Background color of the text input. Should match the skin's color at that position (Hex color code).
failcolor- Color of the text if input failed to launch (Hex color code).
Icon Properties
showicon- Show the icon of the current input/selection. 0 = false, 1 = true.
iconleft- Left position (X coordinate in pixels) where the icon will be placed.
icontop- Top position (Y coordinate in pixels) where the icon will be placed.
iconsmall- If true (1), the icon will be small (16x16 pixels) instead of the default 32x32 pixels. 0 = false, 1 = true.
icondefault- Optionally define an icon file path that will be shown by default when there's no input match or no input.
Title (Keyword/Program Description) Properties
showtitle- If enabled (1), the title (hint) shows within the skin instead of above/below the window. Also known
as
titleenabled. 0 = false, 1 = true (default=0). titleleft- Left position (X coordinate in pixels) of the title area.
titletop- Top position (Y coordinate in pixels) of the title area.
titlewidth- Maximum width of the title area in pixels.
titleheight- Height of the title area in pixels.
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.
titleprefix- This text (if any) will be prefixed to the title.
List Button Properties
showcombo- Show the list button. Automatically positioned after the text input. 0 = false, 1 = true.
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).
List Properties
listpicture- Optional image file path (.bmp, .jpg or .png) for the list background. Does not support transparency/alpha.
listleft- Left position of the list relative to the main skin window.
listtop- Top position of the list relative to the main skin window.
listwidth- Width of the list (defaults to skin width if not specified).
listfillmode- Specifies how
listpictureis drawn. Can betileorstretch. listitems- Specify the number of visible list items if using a complex
listpicturenot suitable for tiling/stretching. Each item height is defined bylistrowheight(default 17px). listtextcolor- Color of the text in the list (defaults to
textcolorif 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).
listfontname- Font name to use in the list.
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).
listlargeiconpaddingleft- Optional padding (pixels) to the left of large icons in the list. Only applies if large icons are enabled.
listlargeiconpaddingright- Optional padding (pixels) to the right of large icons in the list. Only applies if large icons are enabled.
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
Compared to other skin types, skintype=alpha automatically adjusts the height and width of
the Executor window based on the dimensions of the provided skinpicture.
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 want to make an older style non-alpha channel skin, please follow this skin guide.
If you have questions or find this guide incomplete, please use the community discussions.
Notes on 32bit Bitmap with Alpha Channel
In image editors like Photoshop, you need to add an alpha channel to your image and save the final result as a 32-bit Bitmap (.BMP) with alpha transparency enabled. Alteratively you can use a PNG with transparency.
Below is an example of a 32-bit bitmap with an alpha channel opened in Photoshop, featuring shadows and glass-like effects. Notice the alpha channel layer expressing transparency levels, while the RGB channels show the image without transparency. Photoshop offers advanced BMP saving options (e.g., "A8R8G8B8" corresponds to 32-bit alpha). The skin shown here can be found in the forums.
