diff -r 51a74ef9ed63 -r ae94777fff8f Symbian3/SDK/Source/GUID-4FC82562-9163-45F5-9E14-DA0AB6B5E54C.dita --- a/Symbian3/SDK/Source/GUID-4FC82562-9163-45F5-9E14-DA0AB6B5E54C.dita Wed Mar 31 11:11:55 2010 +0100 +++ b/Symbian3/SDK/Source/GUID-4FC82562-9163-45F5-9E14-DA0AB6B5E54C.dita Fri Jun 11 12:39:03 2010 +0100 @@ -1,53 +1,54 @@ - - - - - -UI -themes -

A UI theme is a customized graphical user interface (GUI) that replaces -the phone's default look, and it is used to change the appearance of the user -interface for the phone's applications. A phone with the Symbian user interface -may provide several UI themes of which the user can activate one theme at -a time. By activating a UI theme, the visual appearance of the user interface -is changed. Note that this setting only affects visual elements, e.g. functions, -the interaction style or language settings are not affected.

- -Simplified illustration of the UI theme concept - - -

UI themes give the UI theme designer a freedom to design a unique GUI, -and by designing backgrounds and icons, the result can be very different from -the default settings.

-

A good GUI has consistent metaphor. When designing UI themes, the UI theme -designer should make sure that the user interface supports the user's aim -and does not mislead the user. It is also good to remember that even though -the new look and feel offered by a UI theme would be fancy and exciting, the -general positive user experience will fade if the performance of the terminal -suffers because of a too large UI theme package file size.

-

To ensure a consistent look and feel in all applications, it is recommended -for the application UI designer to use the UI components that support UI themes. -In case application uses UI components that the UI theme does not support, -the factory default of the missing items is used.

-

A UI theme designer can decide which elements belong to a UI theme package. -It is possible to design a UI theme that uses the default UI components of -the phone together with components belonging to the UI theme.

-
Using -UI themes in C++ applications

The API to use for UI themes is the Skins API. For implementation information, see Using the Skins API.

The UI controls -that support themes using the Skins API include:

    -
  • Status pane, -including its sub-panes

  • -
  • Control pane

  • -
  • Lists and grids

  • -
  • Find pane

  • -
  • Forms

  • -
  • Setting lists

  • -
  • Pop-up windows

  • -
+ + + + + +UI +themes +

A UI theme is a customized graphical user interface (GUI) that replaces +the phone's default look, and it is used to change the appearance of the user +interface for the phone's applications. A phone with the Symbian user interface +may provide several UI themes of which the user can activate one theme at +a time. By activating a UI theme, the visual appearance of the user interface +is changed. Note that this setting only affects visual elements, e.g. functions, +the interaction style or language settings are not affected.

+ +Simplified illustration of the UI theme concept + + +

UI themes give the UI theme designer a freedom to design a unique GUI, +and by designing backgrounds and icons, the result can be very different from +the default settings.

+

A good GUI has consistent metaphor. When designing UI themes, the UI theme +designer should make sure that the user interface supports the user's aim +and does not mislead the user. It is also good to remember that even though +the new look and feel offered by a UI theme would be fancy and exciting, the +general positive user experience will fade if the performance of the terminal +suffers because of a too large UI theme package file size.

+

To ensure a consistent look and feel in all applications, it is recommended +for the application UI designer to use the UI components that support UI themes. +In case application uses UI components that the UI theme does not support, +the factory default of the missing items is used.

+

A UI theme designer can decide which elements belong to a UI theme package. +It is possible to design a UI theme that uses the default UI components of +the phone together with components belonging to the UI theme.

+
Using +UI themes in applications

The API to use for UI themes +is the Skins API. For implementation information, see Using the Skins API.

The UI controls that support +themes using the Skins API include:

    +
  • Status pane, +including its sub-panes

  • +
  • Control pane

  • +
  • Lists and grids

  • +
  • Find pane

  • +
  • Forms

  • +
  • Setting lists

  • +
  • Pop-up windows

  • +
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