What is a glyph?

from WinCustomize Forums
I am new to skinning and was wondering ....what is a glyph? I need a simple, if possible, explanation. Thx in advance.
windowblinds
6,871 views 14 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
A glyph are those images you see on skins or in a skins folder like my music or pictures. Usually if your in skin studio and highlight that particular area in preview..on the Right side it will show " Glyphs" and they can be disabled. If you want to remove them.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Sometimes a logo on the start panel is a " glyph " depends on how they wanted it.
Offworld Trading Company
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Yw ...I dont know that much about skinning but I have removed a few glyphs
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
hmmm, I thought that a glyph, in Skin Studio anyway, was the actual image used for the 'x' in the exit button or the '-' for minimize/restore or whatever. Not the button image, but the 'x' and '-' themselves. Guess I guessed wrong.
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Werewolf, you're on the right track, for sure. That is, I think, what the intention of the "glyphs" is. File size can be saved if you are skillful in their use, and it prevents duplicate files as well. Most people dont use it too much in skins though.
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
There's always the dictionary (if you want to get technical )

Noun: glyph glif

1. Glyptic art in the form of a symbolic figure carved or incised in relief usually in stone

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Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
[werewolf]
hmmm, I thought that a glyph, in Skin Studio anyway, was the actual image used for the 'x' in the exit button or the '-' for minimize/restore or whatever. Not the button image, but the 'x' and '-' themselves. Guess I guessed wrong.


And I stand corrected..but the images I'm referring to are listed under " Glyphs " so it can be a bit confusing.
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
What's that skin there Fairyy~?
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
You can use a glyph to add a non-stretched/non-tiled graphic element to another graphic element, say a system button. The button graphic itself then serves as sort of the background and can be stretched or tiled without distorting the overlying glyph image. Since certain graphic elements can be sized differently in different apps, using a glyph is a good way to be sure a particular graphic element looks the same all the time, regardless of the underlying element size. I don't believe glyphs were added to WB until version 3.x or so, so there are still many skins out there that do not utilize them. They're just one more way of giving some flexibility to a skin.

And the above skin is Luna Alt (see the path for the image?).

Cheers,
Daiwa
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Excellent description Daiwa... thank you!
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thx for the input. I've noticed that a lot of things in the making of a skin, you can add glyphs to it. I guess I will experiment some more.....
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thanks for the excellent explanation Daiwa, I have been wondering about those 'glyphs' as well. Now I know!

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Reply #14 from JoeUser Forums Top
Thanks, aufisch, but I just thought I knew something about glyphs. Right after that reply, I went to add one to the system button of a skin I'm working on and got stymied immediately - the Glyph Image attribute is listed in SKS for the system button but SKS won't let me assign an image! All the subattributes are assignable, but no image - strange. They work fine in the spinner buttons and most other graphic elements where they are permitted, but sheesh.

Cheers,
Daiwa