The second thing that bothers me a little bit is that there are functions performable in the newest version of the Theme Builder (4.2.2) that don’t translate to the device you’re working on. For example, most 7100s run on OS 4.1 which obviously has more restrictions than OS 4.2. One of those restrictions includes static items at the top of the screen: time, date, carrier – they’re all on the same place on every 7100 that runs OS 4.1. However, in Theme Builder 4.2.2, I have the option of moving those banner objects around and repositioning them. Theme Builder 4.2.2 just doesn’t let me export a 7100 theme that’s compatible with the 4.1 OS, because of the fact that the banner objects are movable in Theme Builder 4.2.2. Even if I don’t move them, the fact that they ARE movable prevents me from exporting to OS 4.1. Therefore, I have to do all my 8100 themes in Theme Builder 4.2.2 and all my 7100 themes in Theme Builder 4.1.
The help file is thorough if you read the whole thing, but sometimes I just didn’t know exactly what I was looking for. For example, when I was replacing the default icons with the ones I designed, I was literally clicking the default icon, navigating to the new icon and clicking OK. It doesn’t sound like much, but with over 90 icons to replace, it gets to be a little tedious. Luckily, I found out this past week that if you name the new icons to the same name as the default icons, you can perform a “Change All Icons…” and point Theme Builder to a new folder containing the same names. I wish I had known that 3 months ago!
I was lucky enough to have been a part of the beta testing team for Theme Builder 4.2.2, and so I know for a fact that RIM is aware of a lot of the problematic issues with the software. I know a lot of it’s fixable, and so I’m anxiously awaiting the arrival of the next version.
Fellow theme builders: post a comment and let us know what it’s like to get your theme on, ed.
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