Asking this question because I made some button sets and prefer to have all standard buttons and the buttons for popular mods included. This question might also be interesting for other button makers, the idea is to have a guiding line for the creation of a new button set. So wich buttons need to be in a button set? Please have a look at the attached image below and check the following questions:
- Is a button set ok if it contains buttons as in the image below?
- Is a button missing?
- Is a button not needed neither SMF, nor in YaBB SE, nor YaBB SP1?
If you add a button then it is necessary that you post in your reply a link to the mod and to the button image.
(I know that the "notifications" and "im settings" buttons are not any longer in SMF, they are included for downwards compatibility with YaBB SE and SP1).
Fits everything I currently use...but I have a suggestion...
Because not everyone wants to give their psd's...I think every button set should include a blank of each size (since some sets use diff't sized images) as well as the font used (if custom and/or freeware) or a text file detailing what font was used. I think that would make things a lot easier on everyone.
Jason
I would only include the buttons actually used by SMF. Then make seperate zips or downloads with extra buttons.
Quote from: charlottezweb on October 10, 2003, 04:28:01 PM
Fits everything I currently use...but I have a suggestion...
Because not everyone wants to give their psd's...I think every button set should include a blank of each size (since some sets use diff't sized images) as well as the font used (if custom and/or freeware) or a text file detailing what font was used. I think that would make things a lot easier on everyone.
Eating a cooks meal does not oblige the cook to give out the receipe... Even if the cook was paid for his fine meal...
Quote from: David on October 10, 2003, 04:34:29 PM
I would only include the buttons actually used by SMF. Then make seperate zips or downloads with extra buttons.
Yes my above picture mixes basic SMF buttons with extra buttons. When the basic buttons are fixed I could modify it.
I studied some of the button threads in the yabbse.org community and have seen it was often the same extra buttons which were requested from the authors. So I thought it spares time to make those right at the beginning. For me personally it would cause some extra work to pack extras into a 2nd zip, since my buttons are auto created and zipped in one step.
Quote from: andrea on October 14, 2003, 02:15:57 PM
Quote from: charlottezweb on October 10, 2003, 04:28:01 PM
Because not everyone wants to give their psd's...I think every button set should include a blank of each size (since some sets use diff't sized images) as well as the font used (if custom and/or freeware) or a text file detailing what font was used. I think that would make things a lot easier on everyone.
Eating a cooks meal does not oblige the cook to give out the receipe... Even if the cook was paid for his fine meal...
Andrea, he's just asking for the blank and an idea what font you used.Of course, he could figure it out without your help, but he doesn't want a psd, so what's the harm? ;)
If I was in the market for a button set that I wasn't creating myself, I'd look for one with an included source file. If I was going to share mine button sets, I'd certainly provide my original files. If I didn't want to share that file, I wouldn't bother offering the set in the first place.
Regardless of your stance on that, even if you didn't want to give a layered psd file you could always supply a blank flatfile version in jpg or gif if the design allowed it.
Jason
Quote from: mephisto_kur on October 14, 2003, 04:35:08 PM
Andrea, he's just asking for the blank and an idea what font you used.Of course, he could figure it out without your help, but he doesn't want a psd, so what's the harm? ;)
Its a question of principle: the author of a button sets does not *owe* you anything. The button set is a free present (unless the graphics were created as a paid service). The author does not *owe* you anything, nor blank buttons nor psd's. If he does so its a nice free addition to this present. As this it must stay the free decision of the author. Then there is another important point. The author of the buttonset (or other graphics) always has the copyright for his graphics. As copyright holder the author has the right to be asked first if his graphics are allowed to be altered, or translated, or redistributed.
Quote from: charlottezweb on October 14, 2003, 06:12:23 PM
If I was in the market for a button set that I wasn't creating myself, I'd look for one with an included source file. If I was going to share mine button sets, I'd certainly provide my original files. If I didn't want to share that file, I wouldn't bother offering the set in the first place.
Regardless of your stance on that, even if you didn't want to give a layered psd file you could always supply a blank flatfile version in jpg or gif if the design allowed it.
Parts of my thoughts you can read already in my reply to mephisto_kur. Its not a question of "you draw a button set into the market so add empty buttons or psd's or let it be".
Jason it is your free decision not to share your graphic work with others. However the SMF community profitates the most the more people share their work. It does not make sense to impose conditions for sharing work which might prevent people from sharing their graphics. I feel these points are important since I was asking for some kind of guidlines for people *making* button sets. When asking this question I was rather thinking as kind of *helpful* orientation for the designers, for example a list of all SMF buttos and frequently asked extra buttons.
Edit: just to make sure to express it clear: I already changed my button buddy to spy out 2 blank extra buttons. In spite (after I already had done this) wrote this reply. My reply is less referring to me personally than to the general guidelines I was referring to.
Quote from: andrea on October 14, 2003, 11:26:23 PM
Jason it is your free decision not to share your graphic work with others. However the SMF community profitates the most the more people share their work. It does not make sense to impose conditions for sharing work which might prevent people from sharing their graphics. I feel these points are important since I was asking for some kind of guidlines for people *making* button sets. When asking this question I was rather thinking as kind of *helpful* orientation for the designers, for example a list of all SMF buttos and frequently asked extra buttons.
Edit: just to make sure to express it clear: I already changed my button buddy to spy out 2 blank extra buttons. In spite (after I already had done this) wrote this reply. My reply is less referring to me personally than to the general guidelines I was referring to.
Maybe there's some confusion here...My point is that I personally would always give out those source files for something like a button set. I can't imagine doing otherwise -- It's not like a website template or something that I feel is worthy of charging for. Certainly it's at the artist's discretion, but to me it seems silly *not* to offer the psd file in every set...at the very least a flatfile version of the blanks. Does that make sense?
Jason
I think you misunderstood me, as well. I happen to agree with Jason. I would also add that when you hang a button set out there for people to use on their forums, it is sort-of *implied* that they will be able to make the buttons that fit their site, like "chat" or "uploader" or any number of other buttons people here have that aren't included in any package created by any person giving out buttons. Just seems silly to offer the buttons, then get upset when people ask for either more buttons or the sourcefile so they can leave you alone. For the most part, it doesn't matter much, since it is fairly easy (if, at times, time consuming) for the user to strip the extras and have a blank ready to go for any button.
Not giving out the PSD is one thing, but not giving out a blank is just silly.
Updated the image in the 1st post. Added some more extra buttons and as suggested 2 blanks. Not yet does the image separate the basic SMF and extra buttons into 2 groups.
The question which was the main one for me was: does a set like this on the above image contain the basic and the most wanted extras? From the previous replies I think the answer was yes. My button sets will contain the buttons as in the image above. My idea to add the extras and asking the question was to spare peoples and my precious time right from the beginning as far as possible. :)
Quote from: andrea on October 10, 2003, 08:08:36 AM
- Is a button missing?
Umm.. not sure, but does SMF have the "Who's Online" feature that was a mod in YaBBSE? If so, wouldn't one need to include a button for it.
Quote from: HackingSpider on October 15, 2003, 03:23:11 AM
Quote from: andrea on October 10, 2003, 08:08:36 AM
- Is a button missing?
Umm.. not sure, but does SMF have the "Who's Online" feature that was a mod in YaBBSE? If so, wouldn't one need to include a button for it.
It is needed that you give me a link to this mod and to this button as well.
SMF has the feature (action=who works already).
but I'm afraid I dunno where you'd find a button for it...
there isnt one. its linked off the BoardIndex page with text
A "who is online" button is already included in my set (see screenshot above). Case you wish a button instead a text link you can modify your SMF theme.
Oddly enough I really like them... ::) :)
Quote from: charlottezweb on October 15, 2003, 12:14:23 AM
Certainly it's at the artist's discretion, but to me it seems silly *not* to offer the psd file in every set...at the very least a flatfile version of the blanks. Does that make sense?
At risk of stating the obvious, perhaps I should point out that Photoshop isn't the only software, or (whispering it quietly) necessarily even the best, for this kind of work, so the existence of .psd files for some button sets isn't necessarily a 'given'!
Just splitted a post which requested buttons already in the set an not posting icons for new ones.
Right Peter, for example my buttons have no psd's because they are created with my self programmed button set generator. I think all has been said now about psd's (read the above replies).
Please focus on the main question: which buttons need to be in the set?
Please read first before you post, that means:
- do not request buttons which are already in
- if you request an additional button also post the icon for it (or at least a link to sample button containing the icon)
its not a button really, but "online" and "offline" that goes above the post count would be nice as a matching "button" just to get the completed theme feel.
i have no ideas for an icon
hold on *searches*
[edit]
k the ones from the smf beta should work...
(https://www.simplemachines.org/community/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fnrrds.com%2Fsmf%2FThemes%2Ftheme2%2Fimages%2Fuseroff.gif&hash=b01b38bcb911cd452e30b87a530969f284ff6132)
(https://www.simplemachines.org/community/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fnrrds.com%2Fsmf%2FThemes%2Ftheme2%2Fimages%2Fuseron.gif&hash=5dd7cc92524be0dc4907b10596c06a8d364f1f9d)
Quote from: Cheschire on November 30, 2003, 01:45:22 AM
its not a button really, but "online" and "offline" that goes above the post count would be nice as a matching "button" just to get the completed theme feel.
Not sure if I understand right Cheshire: you want these 2 become a button with the text "online" resp. "offline" in it?
Quote from: Symetrix on November 30, 2003, 07:34:32 PM
Button for downloads @ Lunabyte:
http://www.lunabyte.com/Skins/yabbse/YaBBImages/downloads.gif
Ok Symetrix I will add a downloads button. Indeed was already thinking earlier of adding that one.
Quote from: andrea on November 30, 2003, 08:55:52 PM
Not sure if I understand right Cheshire: you want these 2 become a button with the text "online" resp. "offline" in it?
yeah just two buttons, one saying "offline" and one "online" to go under the user rating stars on the left. I'm going to make it a button on my board to point to the who's online thing, but even if its not a link, it still adds to the "complete" feeling of the user info side of the post block
Great work.. Thanks Andrea