EZ Buttons v2.172

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Author:
Homepage:		http://welcome.to/ezoft
Rating:
File Size:		274 KB
Released:		02/25/1999
License:		Freeware

With EZ Buttons v2.172 you can extract all the different elements of a skin from the main window, equalizer and also playlist editor. The selections can be saved to file or copied directly into the clipboard. You will have to manually paste the selections into the different skin bitmaps, since EZ Buttons does not create them automatically. None the less, using this utility is more comfortable and timesaving than manually selecting the components in your paint program. EZ Buttons also comes with a random viscolor generator for the experimental skin author.

EZ Buttons is programmed in Visual Basic and requires msvbvm50.dll. If you can't get the program to work, download the full install from the author's homepage.

EZ Buttons v2.172 (25/02/99) Freeware

The latest EZ Buttons is always avaliable on my homepage
(URL at the end of this document).

EZ Buttons is now offically under the management of EZoft.
Why? Because I've just created another program, EZ List (you can
get it from my homepage), so I just need to group everything
together.  Hence, EZoft is established.

(Thank you for trying out this program, I hope you will find it
useful.  I would also like to thank the people at Nullsoft, Inc.
for creating such a wonderful software.  WINAMP rules!)

I. INTRODUCTION
================
Are you tired of creating Winamp© buttons manually?  Well, Here 
is your solution.  EZ Buttons is designed to make your life
easier (at least it will help you when you are creating Winamp©
skins).


II. FEATURES
=============
   *    Popup-menu for easy access
   *    User friendly interface
   *    Show your most recent files
   *    Ability to copy onto the Clipboard for use in your
        favourite image processor
   *    Comes with a Random Viscolor Generator (RVG)
   *    Open Winamp from EZ Buttons for skin testing
   *    Tooltips follow those of Winamp 2.0
   *    Ability to save, copy, open and close with just one click
   *    Ability to load bmp, jpg (jpeg) or gif image files
   *    It's FREE!


III. HISTORY
=============

2.172   (25/02/99)
   *    Fixed the menu bar on the PL (thanx again to Venompie)

2.171   (01/02/99)
   *    Fixed the preset button (thanx to Venompie ^_-)

2.17    (24/11/98)
   *    Now you can obtain the minimize, window shade, close and
        menu buttons from the main window
   *    Recode the recent-file section.  There should be no
        problem this time

2.16    (11/11/98)
   *    Fixed the silly recent-file bug

2.15    (11/10/98)
   *    Added a list of recent files
   *    Added usage tracking
   *    Fixed WinampLocation-close bug
   *    Fixed WinampLocation-open bug

2.11    (06/10/98)
   *    Show the location of Winamp
   *    Changes to the UI

2.10    (02/10/98) ... (not released)
   *    NEW FEATURE: You can now open Winamp for skin testing
        from EZ Buttons!
   *    Replaced "easy.dat"

2.00    (01/10/98)
   *    NEW FEATURE: Equalier and Playlist (The FIRST program to
        feature these skins)
   *    Added Equalizer capability
   *    Added Playlist Editor capability
   *    Added many new options
   *    Changes to the About box
   *    Fixed the unsupported-filetype bug
   *    Fixed the viscolor-FileSaveAs bug
   *    It's bigger and better!

1.11    (21/09/98)
   *    Added +/- sign (used in nums_ex.bmp)
   *    Fixed some spelling mistake
   *    Reworked the RVG to make it Winamp 2 compatible

1.10    (20/09/98)
   *    NEW FEATURE: Random Viscolor Generator (RVG)
   *    Equalizer & Playlist buttons can now be separated
   *    Added Song Title & Time Display (no use, but...)
   *    Changed tooltips to match those of Winamp 2.0
   *    Regrouped the option menu
   *    Another (possibly the last) name change; from
        "EasyButtons" to "EZ Buttons"

1.041   (15/07/98)
   *    Added the slider in the option menu

1.04    (04/07/98)
   *    Added Volume bar Slider
   *    Added Balance bar Slider

1.03    (13/06/98)
   *    Changes to the interface
   *    Dropped "Winamp" from the name; it's now just
        "EasyButtons"

1.02b   (03/06/98) ** not anymore **
   *    The program can now be installed with a setup wizard

1.02    (30/5/98)
   *    It now supports the jpeg extension
   *    Open dialog box shows all supported files (bmp, jpg, jpeg
        and gif)

1.01    (24/5/98)
   *    Suport for balance slidebar for Winamp 1.91
   *    Change 'Panning slidebar' into 'Balance slidebar'
   *    Fixed the 'file not found:' bug

1.00    (15/5/98)
   *    First release


IV. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
========================
This program requires Windows 95© or later to run. (Since
Winamp is a Win95 program, is there any reasons why this
program should not be a Win95 program? hum... ^_^)  It also
needs msvbvm50.dll v5.00.4319 (SP2) to run.

If your windows do not have msvbvm50.dll, or if it is an earlier
version, you can download the latest version from my homepage.
(URL at the end of this document)

unzip the file and put it in your Windows\Systems folder.


V. INSTALLATION
================

 1.     Create a "EZ Buttons" folder somewhere on your computer
        (e.g. C:\Program Files\EZ Buttons\).

 2.     Unzip the contents of EZ Buttons into the folder you
        have just created.

 3.     Copy Picclp32.ocx, Tabctl32.ocx and ComDlg32.ocx into
        you Windows\Systems directory.

** If you encounter a 'run-time' error when running the program,
** then you will have to download the full install, avaliable
** from my homepage.

UN-INSTALLATION
----------------

I wish you do not have to do that, but if it is necessary, just
delete the EZ Buttons folder.  I suggest you leave the DLLs in
the windows directory because some programs may need them.

VI. USAGE
==========

** If you encounter a 'run-time' error when running the program,
** then you will have to download the full install, avaliable
** from my homepage.

Before you do anything, please make sure that your would-be
Winamp Skin (Main, EQ, PL) is 275 x 116 pixels, because the
program will not allow you to continue even if the skin is 1
pixel more or less.

 1.     Open EZButtons.exe

 2.     Click on the tab whichever skin you want to make (Main
        Window, Equalizer or Playlist Editor)

 3.     Click Open to open a background image.

 4.     Click on the desired button area (A Tooltip text will
        appear if you are not sure which button it is).

 5.     If you want to save the image, click Save and type in a
        name for your image (make sure it is saved in bmp
        extension).  If you want to copy it, just click on
        Edit -> Copy from the menu bar.

 6.     Repeat step 4 and 5 until you finish, or until your
        fingers hunt.

Random Viscolor Generator (RVG)
-------------------------------

What RVG does is that it randomly generates 21 set of RGB value
used in viscolor.txt.  So far, the RVG can only handle black
background.

 1.     Click on the RVG hotarea.

 2.     Enter a file name (usually viscolor.txt).

Easy to use, eh? ^_-


VII. TIPS
==========
   *    Click on the left image will bring up the Open File
        dialog

   *    Right-click on the right image will bring up a popup
        menu.  You can choose your button from the popup menu

   *    Right-click on any button areas will bring up a popup
        menu.  You can choose to Save or Copy the button.
        Altervatively, you can Open a new image or Close the
        current one.

   *    Put your mouse over any button areas will bring up a
        Tooltip text that tells you which button it is.

   *    Shortcuts:
        Ctrl+O  - Open
        Ctrl+S  - Save
        Ctrl+C  - Copy to Clipboard
        Ctrl+G  - Random Viscolor Generator
        Ctrl+F4 - Close
        Alt+F4  - Exit

        (Pretty standard in all Windows applications)


VIII. KNOWN PROBLEMS
=====================
It's nothing major, but I'll fix them when I know how to.

   *    The image flickers when you load it.
   *    Some images are 1 pixel wider.


IX. UNKNOWN PROBLEMS / BUG REPORTING
=====================================
This program is my first program ever.  So there might have some
unknown problems with it (I already have a couple of emails about
run-time error, thanks for all your help, guys).

If you encounter a 'run-time' error when running the program,
then you will have to download the full install from my homepage

Check my homepage for more details.

If anyone finds any bugs in the program, please email me
(email address at the bottom of this file) or you can fill in a
form at

http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Sector/1883/ez_bug.html

In the body of your email, please mention the version of
EZ Buttons that you are using and your OS.

I will try my best to help you, but I cannot guarantee I can 
fix it.  Although I might not be able to help you, it's great
fun trying to figure out what's wrong with my code.


X. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
======================
I'm a university student who is interested in computers, that's
why I am studying Business Systems at uni.  When I am away from
the computer, I take up the tennis racket and play table-tennis
with it (just kidding).  I also enjoy watching Japanese anime.

Besides programming, I'd like to create some creative things,
like making icons, winamp skins, writing/updating homepages, and
definitely my favourite, surfing the net.

I am the author of this program (in case you still don't know
that yet) and 7 very attractive Winamp skins. Please visit my
homepage and try them out!  You can also visit my homepage for
interesting windows icons as well.

Although it is not your obligation to do so, it will be much
appreciated if you can mention your use of EZ Buttons in your
readme file, or something to that effect.

Say something like
"This skin is made with EZ Buttons" ^_-


XI. COPYRIGHT & TRADEMARK
============================
EZ Buttons - Copyright © 1998-1999, EZoft, All Rights reserved.
Winamp - Copyright © 1997-1998, Nullsoft, Inc.
Microsoft® is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
Windows(TM) is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

Edmund Wong

email           : 
URL             : http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Sector/1883/
Forward address : http://welcome.to/ezoft

-=End=-