I have divided the Yahoo messenger skin tutorial up into six seperate categories to make navagation easier.

Introduction | Make a Platform | Color the .BMP's
Guide to the .BMP's | Alter the .XML | Guide to the .XML

#1 You will need to open your Yahoo messenger 6.0 skins .xml file. To do this you need to open your notepad. Then click on File> Open> C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Shared\Graphics\Your Skins Name (example Red). Now you will need to select "All files" under the "Files of Type" text field at the bottom of the window. Click on the .xml file name "Your Skin" example "Red". It will be the one file that isnt a .bmp. (note: I am assuming you have read my section on creating a platform Yahoo messenger 6.0 skin).

Now that you have the .xml open you might as well change the "authors name" to your own and the "authors url" if you have one.

If you have used HTML before than the rest should be easy

#2 You can change colors in the .xml by changing the Color Hex Values. These are six digit character codes, each character combination will change the color.

The "Color Name" is the location of the Yahoo messenger 6.0 skin it will effect. The "Value" is the color code.

#3 You can also change the fonts size and style.

The "Font Name" is the location of the Yahoo messenger 6.0 skin it will effect. If you change the face you will change the font style (example: comic sans ms). Change the height and you will change the over all size of the text. Change the weight and it will act like a bold effect, the bigger the number the bolder the text. You can adjust many color's and font's in the .xml.

#4 Some of the Yahoo messenger 6.0 skin can be repositioned to your needs.

The "Position Name" is the name of the part that can be positioned. The "Indentx" has a number. Changing this number will move the named part left or right on the skin. The "Indenty" is the same thing but moves it up or down. The text areas with "Position Name" will have a "Bound" number. This number tells the text how long or short should be displayed.

#5 There are ways to adjust or manipulate the .bmp's with the .xml

The "Image File" is the name of the .bmp. It will have a "width and height". The border images will have a "left, right or top, bottom". These numbers tell the borders where to start and stop expanding. Some of the "Image File's" will have a "Border" number attached. This adjust how much of the actual image is displayed.

See my .xml guide for what parts affect what.