Downloading and Using StarSkin Themes

Because StarSkin themes can include visual styles, you really are downloading a skin when you download a theme that has been built for StarSkin. The default website for StarSkin downloadswww.belchfire.netprovides a large library of ready-made skins.

Let's look at downloading themes/skins for StarSkin and then applying the theme. Select the Themes tab and then select Get More Themes. Internet Explorer opens and you are taken to the main theme page at www.belchfire.net.

Tip

You can also set the transparency of any window by dragging the Transparency icon (the square with the circle in it) from the StarSkin Setup tab onto the window, such as an application window. A Specify Level dialog box opens on the window on which you dropped the Transparency icon. Use the drop-down list to set the transparency level for that window, and then click OK.

You can browse the themes by page or use the Search box to search for particular themes by keyword. After you have located a theme you want to download, click the Click to View/Download link for that theme.

Note

You can download additional themes for StarSkin from www.lightstar.com. There are a few free themes on this site, but you can also pay for a package of themes.

You will be provided a larger image of the theme; click the Click Here to Download link to download the theme. The File Download dialog box opens. Click Save and specify a location for the file download. You might want to create a folder for your themes so they are easy to locate after downloading.

Tip

Make sure you are downloading a theme that has been designed for StarSkin; it will be noted as such. Themes/skins for other products are also available on the Belchfire website.

After the download, locate the Zip file and use the Extraction Wizard to extract the contents to the C:\windows\resources\themes folder. When you return to the StarSkin window use the Themes list to locate the newly installed theme (see Figure 6.24).

Figure 6.24. Select the newly downloaded and installed theme from the Themes list.

After selecting the theme, you can apply it by clicking the Apply button. A large number of themes/skins is available for StarSkin. You can mix and match theme elements such as visual styles and backgrounds to create your own custom environment.