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How To Create A Stand Alone Patch For An Existing Skins Suite?

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eclectic-tech
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Re: How To Create A Stand Alone Patch For An Existing Skins Suite?

Post by eclectic-tech »

CodeCode wrote: December 8th, 2020, 2:54 am I really only want to add some png files that would replace pre-existing images. In fact there are only 3 png files that would need to be replaced.

Please eclectic-tech, describe the patch option. I don't want to mess up existing settings - there are literally dozens of settings that are manually set by the end user.

But only 3 png files that need be replaced.
There are 2 methods to create a patch (I use the second):
Reference: Skin Packager

1.) The 'Hidden' method
a) Use the actual working skins root folder, but first set the file 'Properties' of all files that are NOT being changed to 'Hidden'.
b) Then use the package creation tool the same as i you were doing a complete replacement package.
c) On the first page, give it a name that shows it is a patch, select 'Add a skin' and select 'Add folder from Skins', select the root folder, you don't add any layouts or plugins (unless they changed).
d) On the second page, do not load the skin, set your Rainmeter minimum version, and the Windows version.
e) On the 'Advanced' tab, add your header image (optional), you shouldn't need to specify variable files in this case, and MAKE SURE YOU CHECK the 'Merge skins' option.
f) Click create the package.
When it is installed, only the files you did not set as 'Hidden' will be overwritten in the root skin folder.

2.) Custom Folder method (I prefer, no need to change Properties)
a) I create a new folder with the same root folder name in a separate folder; I use '{USERNAME}\Rainmeter\Patches\{MyRootFolderName}', but you can put in any folder you have rights to access.
b) I then copy any new/updated files from the Skins folder to the exact same folders structure and location in the new root folder I created.
- So if I were adding images that are in '@Resources\Images' in my actual skins folder, I would create the same folder structure in my 'Patches/{MyRootFolderName}\@Resources\Images' and copy the new image files there.
Open the package creator dialog...
c) IMPORTANT: On the first page, the steps are the same as 'c' above EXCEPT this time when you select 'Add a skin' you click 'Add custom folder' and navigate to the 'Patch' folder you created, and select the new ROOT folder from there; e.g. '{USERNAME}\Rainmeter\Patches\{MyRootFolderName}'

All the remaining steps are the same as the first option: steps d through f.

SAFEGUARD & TESTING
Before trying to install (test) your patch, just to be "safe", I would recommend copying your Skins root folder (only the root folder of skin you are trying to patch) to a separate location. This way you have a copy so you can recover if things goes wrong when you apply the patch to your Skins folder.

This last step should let you test and make sure the patch does what you expect without loosing any changes to your working skins. If the patch doesn't work as expected, simply replace the Skins folder from your copy and try creating the patch again.

Hope this helps to simplify your update. As mentioned, sometimes it is easier to simply create a whole new package and specify the variables files on the 'Advanced' tab; however, I have seen some discussion about unexpected results concerning how those are handled (but that is another subject).
BettyHarvey
Posts: 1
Joined: December 9th, 2020, 11:27 am

Re: How To Create A Stand Alone Patch For An Existing Skins Suite?

Post by BettyHarvey »

I think I can do it with a new additional inc file and add that the rmskin way
Last edited by BettyHarvey on February 9th, 2021, 10:57 am, edited 2 times in total.
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balala
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Re: How To Create A Stand Alone Patch For An Existing Skins Suite?

Post by balala »

BettyHarvey wrote: December 11th, 2020, 6:56 am I think I can do it with a new additional inc file and add that the rmskin way
Not really sure I know what are you talking about, but:
BettyHarvey wrote: December 11th, 2020, 6:56 am a new additional inc file
What that file would contain?
BettyHarvey wrote: December 11th, 2020, 6:56 am add that the rmskin way
You can't add anything to a .rmskin file, because Rainmeter simply will refuse to use a modified / altered such file, exactly to avoid installing a file / skin which maybe has been altered by a virus or something similar. You have to completely rebuild that file.