4.2x customizable toolbar

By "unsupported" I mean that

(a) It may be changed or removed without notice in future.  I expect it will be included in the eventual official release of 4.2x, but at some point in future I pretty much guarantee it will be modified beyond recognization.

(b) If you play around with this and it results in the toolbar display funny, breaking, etc., then it's upto you to resolve it.  I do NOT guarantee that it will work if you do something unusual or exotic

Because of (b) if you want to use this feature, I'd suggest you build your ebook as normal and do this last - then test carefully.  If you are not sure what you're doing, I strongly recommend you do NOT try this.

Okay now to the details

If you look in the folder where you install Activ E-Book Compiler, something like C:\Program Files\Activ E-Book Compiler 4.22\, you will find a file called toolbar.tb

Despite it's name this is a Windows BMP file (an image which you can edit in Paintbrush etc.)

The image contains a long strip containing the images for the toolbar buttons.  When you compile an ebook a compressed version of this file is embedded in the ebook.

The standard bar is 384X22 pixels, 16 colors

The buttons are all 24X22 pixels, and from left to right are:
1. Back
2. Forward
3. Previous
4. Next
5. Stop
6. Refresh
7. Home
8. Search
9. Contents
10. Copy
11. Find
12. Size
13. Print
14. Enter Password
15. About
16. Exit

(16 buttons X 24 pixels = 384 pixels)

Right now the sneaky part...

You can modify this file, or replace with your own version to replace the toolbar button images with your own design.

Here is what you do:

1. Make a safe copy of this toolbar.tb file before you start.  If things go wrong, then you can put this file back.  

2. Make your own version of toolbar.tb and save it to replace the original
- Stick to 16 color BMP files.  I am not sure other color depths will work on all systems.
- Your version of the image MUST have the same buttons in the same order as the oriignal, from left to right.
- You may vary the size of the buttons in your version, but each button on your version MUST be the same size.  Example: If you make one button 20 pixels wide, all buttons must be 20 pixels wide.
- If you vary the button size bigger or smaller by a bit it should be okay.  However if you make the bugs huge or tiny, the results may be unpredictable.  So if possible try to stick to 24X22 buttons
- Three colors are treated specially in 4.22 and later (there is a bug on these colors in 4.20 and 4.21)
192,192,192 (light gray) = replaced with a transparent color to show the rebar underneath
128,128,128 (dark gray) =  replaced with a"shading" color according to windows settings.
233,233,233 (very light gray) = replaced with a "highlighting" color  according to windows settings

3. Compile your ebook.  You should see the toolbar in place

4. Don't forget to put the oriignal toolbar.tb file back if you want to go back to the original toolbar buttons, or else all subsequent ebooks you make will have the special toolbar images you made.

Last couple of points:

- Although I'll call this "unsupported", I will be prepared to answer any brief questions in this discussion thread only.  Post here if you have a question