“Mastering rlToday Skin Builder: A Complete Guide” is a specialized community tutorial designed for modifying the UI of legacy Windows Mobile devices. It explicitly teaches users how to create and edit XML-based themes for rlToday, a highly popular freeware plugin used in the mid-to-late 2000s to customize the “Today Screen” (home screen) on Pocket PCs and Windows Mobile smartphones.
The guide bridges basic text editing with visual UI design, enabling enthusiasts to replicate modern interfaces—such as the classic HTC Home interface or the original iPhone UI—on older hardware. Core Components of an rlToday Skin
The guide breaks down an rlToday skin into three mandatory layers:
The skin.xml File: The structural backbone containing positions, coordinates, and behavior rules.
Image Assets: Transparent PNG files used for clock hands, weather icons, battery bars, and background walls.
System Registry Links: Strings that tell the plugin where to pull real-time data from the mobile operating system. Key Techniques Taught in the Guide 1. Managing Coordinates and Positioning
Windows Mobile devices of that era relied on strict, static resolution formats like QVGA (240×320) or VGA (480×640). The guide outlines how to use X and Y offset coordinates relative to the screen boundaries to ensure layout assets do not overlap or break when switching orientations. 2. Building Analog and Digital Clocks Clock creation is a foundational skill in the guide:
Digital Clocks: Coded using specific system text strings (e.g., %H:%M for 24-hour time).
Analog Clocks: Require defining a rotation pivot point exactly in the center of the clock face image asset, then assigning image paths for individual hour, minute, and second hands. 3. Fetching Dynamic Windows Mobile Data
To make a skin functional, the guide provides XML scripts to map onscreen elements to live data. Common variables include:
Missed Calls / SMS: Displaying counts directly through registry tracking strings.
Battery & Signal Meters: Using image sequences (0% to 100%) that swap based on the power state.
Calendar Data: Displaying the upcoming event text via localized system fonts. Step-by-Step Workspace Setup
Extraction: Download the core rlToday plugin and place your custom skin folder inside the \Program Files\rltoday</code> directory on the mobile device.
Coding: Edit your code on a PC using standard XML text editors (like Notepad++).
Execution: Long-press your device’s home screen, open rlToday Options, and load your custom skin folder to test alignment.
If you are trying to source this guide for a specific project or need help writing a particular chunk of XML code for a vintage mobile layout, let me know!
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