Assuming you all still have SkinStudio open....

What???

Shut up.

Select Edit Horizontal Taskbars>Rebar Gripper

Import your image (Roan-TB-Rebar-HZ.png in the Updated Taskbar download in the Graphics Gallery)

And use the following settings :

On the Image Tab -

Then select the Painting Tab and apply the following settings -

Save Skin.

While still in the Edit Horizontal Taskbar window, select Expander under the Tray section.

On the Image Tab, select the arrow next to Edit and select Frame Builder.

In the Sub Frame Builder window, select Import Into All Frames

There are 6 frames for the Expander. You will import Roan-TB-Button-Arrow-01.png into ALL of the frames. This tells the frame builder what size each frame needs to be as they all must be the same size/dimension. After you have done this, select Import Into Selected Frame. If you are using the images from the download, they are Roan-TB-Button-Arrow-01.png thru 06.png and should be imported in that order so you see this : 

Select 'Save with alpha channel' and make sure your frame count is set accordingly. Select 'Save file as'... and close the window. Be sure to have This image uses transparency selected in your Image Tab panel.

In the Painting Tab, use the following settings : 

Save Skin.

Now we're going to do the Quicklaunch Buttons.

I currently am unable to test them, but under advice, I went ahead and made them. We'll apply them here and IF you are following and using Vista, let me know how they work. I will try to get a saved copy of the blind to someone with Vista to check/test in the mean time.

In the Edit Horizontal Taskbar window, select Quick Launch Icon Button. We're going to be following the same steps we used to apply the Expander.

On the Image Tab, select the arrow button next to the Edit button and then select Frame Builder.

In the Sub Frame Builder window select Import Into All Frames.

Now - import Roan-QLB-02.png. This png will appear in ALL of the six states.

All the pngs for the QL Buttons are the same size. The actual images in the pngs vary in size (which you will see in the next image) I import the png whose image is the largest to make sure Frame Builder uses the same space for each state.

Now select Import Into Selected Frames. The Roan-QLB-  .png's are numbered 01 thru 06 and should be imported in that order. After you import all 6 pngs, you should have what you see below.

Select 'Save with alpha channel' and make sure your frame count is set accordingly. Select 'Save file as'... and close the window. Be sure to have This image uses transparency selected in your Image Tab panel.

In the Painting Tab, use the following settings : 

Save Skin.

For the Vertical Taskbar, we will be using images from the following downloads.

Roan Update to Horizontal/Vertical Taskbar III

Roan Updated Taskbar and Buttons II

The first is the latest zip of images. The second is the collection of images we used for the horizontal TB and we will be able to use some of the same images for the Vertical.

In SkinStudio select Edit Start Menu and Taskbar>Edit Vertical Taskbar>Background.

On the Image Tab select the Arrow Button next to the Edit Button and import ROAN-Verticle-TB-vtaskbar02.png (Your taskbar background)

Use the following settings on the Image Tab:

Select the Painting Tab and apply the following settings.

Save Skin.

DAMMIT!

I've got money riding on this!  

Still on the Background window, add your second layer by selecting '+' next to your layer dropdown .

On Additional Layer 2 you will import ROAN-Verticle-TB-vtexture002.png. 

On the Image Tab use the following settings:

In the drop-down menu on the far right, you want to be sure to set Additional Layer-2 to the setting shown above. (Overlay Blend with automask)

On the Painting Tab use the following settings : 

Save Skin.

I'm afraid this is one bet you might lose Zubaz.

*make check payable to........* j/k

To test your quicklaunch button, add a toolbar to your taskbar (I use desktop). The mouseover on the little arrows is your QL.

They look like crap. They are showing as a lot smaller than I made them and the little dimple effects I put in the corners are terrible. Maybe they will work better as actual quicklaunch buttons in Vista?? Where in the hell did the little arrows come from??????? I'll get back to this when I am done posting for the Vertical Taskbar.

actual button >> 

how it looks applied>>>

Moving right down the left side menu of the Vertical Taskbar window, I'm going to skip over the Quicklaunch buttons until I can get back to them and find out where I screwed up.

We'll move down to the Pinned App (Vert).

Again, as I laid out above, you have two options. (FRame Builder or Import the image from the the Horizontal Taskbar, rename and save in your image editor, and apply to the Vertical TAskbar.)

Which ever option you chose, then apply these settings.

Image Tab:

Painting Tab:

Save Skin

Thanks! And I'd like to say in case I haven't before, to you (or anyone using a avatar I made) , seeing that avatar whenever I am going through the forums really makes my day and I'm really honored that you continue to use it.

Having said that, I am sure you'll change it now. lol. Whether you do or not, I just appreciate that you gave me the opportunity and you use (or used as the case may be) at all.

So, on my end for the moment, that about completes the taskbar section. I'm gonna wait at least a day to see what the experts have to say, incase we need to go back to anything (like the Quicklaunch Buttons).

In the meantime, I will start putting together the download file for the Frames and get ready to begin the next thread this week.

Here are a couple of actual screenshots (modified so I didn't have to do 4 screenshots) of what the taskbar sections look like so far.