YaBBG - Yet Another Bloody Button Generator

[Iridium]

Well I decided that I'd release the button generator that I've used for my boards. It's different from the various other button generators in a number of ways:

Firstly: the buttons that it creates can't be used on a "virgin" install, there are a number of modifications that need to be made to some of the code. This is because my generator, unlike other button generators produces fully anti-aliased buttons, but, in order to achieve this, the background color onto which the button is to be placed needs to be known, so that a matte color can be applied. Obviously, this raises issues with the fact that some buttons are used in multiple places (with differently colored backgrounds) and the posts themselves alternate in color between "windowbg" and "windowbg2". Thus, one button needs to be created for each, and slight code modifications need to be made to ensure that the correct button is put on the background.

Secondly: the buttons themselves are a fixed size. It's my button generator, and I personally think that all the buttons should be of an equal size to create a uniform feel.

Well, I think those are the main points. Try it out, constructive (or otherwise ) criticism is welcome. If you would like to use the buttons generated by "YaBBG", PM me, and I'll arrange to make the code-modifications available, and a list of buttons and the background color(s) on which they are used.

The address to the button generator is:

http://yabbg.dyndns.org/

(It's hosted on a machine connected only by 56K, so don't expect miracles in terms of speed, and if you can't access the site, more than likely, my IP has changed, so wait 10 mins and try again.)

Update:

I have recently finished a new version of this generator, in which buttons colors and shapes fully-customizable (see my post on page 2 of this thread for more details). It's only "beta" at the moment, but as far as I know, there are no major bugs. I've not quite finished adding all of the temlpates, but am nearly there. Pleas try it out, and post comments/suggestions/bugs here.

The link:

http://yabbg.dyndns.org/Version2/

[Spaceman-Spiff]

It's pretty cool that u can choose the button color yourself
how about making a color picker or something like that?

[A.M.A.]

E X C E L L E N T

How did you achieve the anti-aliased effect!! Is it thought php or using premade anti-aliased text/pic.


cheer

[Iridium]

The templates (and the star-icons) are all saved as 24bit PNGs which support full, variable transparency (not just a single transparent color as in GIFs). The GD2 libraries also support true-color formats, and so the output image is first filled with the background color, then the template is painted on top, then the icon and text (which is automatically anti-aliased by GD).

It'd be a whole lot easier if Internet Explorer supported variable transparency in PNG files, then you wouldn't have to choose the background color at all. Whenever IE loads a true-color PNG with transparency, the transparent areas are filled with a pale blue color. So, at least for now, we're stuck doing it this way

Edit: Woohoo, stickied! Thanks to whoever was responsible.

[Daniel Hofverberg]

Seems very interesting, and nice with a service that actually supports ÅÄÖ (unlike Cae's regular button generator).

The only problem is that pretty much whatever I write, I always get "Text too long". Seems to be impossible to be able to fit pretty much any Swedish phrase in whatever space you have allocated...

[Iridium]

Unfortunately, I don't speak Swedish, so I don't know the sorts of phrases you are trying to fit. As I mentioned in my initial post, having fixed-size button templates was a design feature, rather than a flaw, since I believe a uniform button size is more aesthetically pleasing.

If you give me some idea of the longest phrase that you require on the button face, I shall make some templates that will fit it for you. (If it is very long, I shall probably also include some intermediate sizes too)

[Daniel Hofverberg]

The longest I tried with was:
Mark as Read

which in Swedish is:
Markera som läst

A few characters longer than that should be sufficient for most phrases...

[Iridium]

Ok, there is now a "_Long" version (30 pixels longer) for each of the large templates.

If you need similar long versions of the small templates, just post the longest string you're likely to use on a small button, and I'll put some long templates up in the small section too.

[MORT]

lmao nice name

[Derek]

I love this thing! It's gonna make it sooo much easier to make really good looking buttons for my site. BTW, the name is great.

[Iridium]

I have updated the button generator with links to the source and language updates that are required for the buttons generated to work perfectly. I have also added a "checklist" detailing each button used in YaBB, and the background(s) on which they appear (and thus the backgrounds that they must be made for) and the names under which they should be saved in the YaBBImages directory for them to be immediately usable with the update.

[Daniel D.]

Nice work, but they don't match the original ones.

[Iridium]

I've added some "_Rounded" ones which near-exactly match the style of button used here (I wish I could remember why I thought that the original buttons had flattened ends!)

[vcblues]

Amazing, and it really isn't that slow either! Great job and thanks for the donation!

[Shockie]

very nice! good job. i love the name, it rocks!