Extended Skins API

Comments

29 Sep
2009

Article Review by savaj (20090929)

Extended Skins API are useful to change active skin and to get skin package information. This article demonstrates the use of Extended Skins API to displays current active theme details and changes the active theme. Note that this API, Extended Skins API, is not part of the public SDK. So you have to download it from SDK API Plug-in before using it. Furthermore, the author added a working demo project, which can be used for more detailed study of new opportunities for various kinds of experiments.

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Article Metadata

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Code Example

Source file: Media:ExtSkins.zip

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Platform Security

Signing Required: DevCert or Symbian Signed

Capabilities: WriteDeviceData

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Article

Created: ltomuta (17 Jun 2007)

Last edited: hamishwillee (08 May 2013)

This article provides code examples showing how to use the Symbian C++ Extended Skins API. This API provides methods to change the active skin, to get skin package information, and to notification of skin changes.

Note: This API is not part of the public SDK. It can be found in the SDK API Plug-in.

Use cases

To change the active theme.

To receive notifications of change in skin content, configuration.

To get skin package information.

To delete skin, copy skin from one location to another.

To set idle wallpaper.

Example code

Header files

#include <AknSSrvClient.h>
#include <AknsPkgID.h>
#include <AknsItemDef.h>
#include <AknsItemID.h>
#include <AknsSrvSkinInformationPkg.h>
#include <EIKENV.H>
#include <centralrepository.h>
#include <AknSkinsInternalCRKeys.h>

Libraries Used

aknskinsrv.lib centralrepository.lib

Capability required

CAPABILITY WriteDeviceData

First connect to the skin server:

void CNotifyEngine::ConstructL()
{
//connect to skin server
User::LeaveIfError( iSkinSrvSession.Connect( this ) );
// to recieve notifications of skin change
iSkinSrvSession.EnableSkinChangeNotify();
}

Virtual functions

void CNotifyEngine::SkinContentChanged()
{
CEikonEnv::Static()->InfoWinL(_L("Skin Content Changed"),_L(""));
}
void CNotifyEngine::SkinConfigurationChanged(const TAknsSkinStatusConfigurationChangeReason aReason )
{ 
CEikonEnv::Static()->InfoWinL(_L("Skin Configuration Changed"),_L(""));
}
void CNotifyEngine::SkinPackageChanged(const TAknsSkinStatusPackageChangeReason aReason)
{
CEikonEnv::Static()->InfoWinL(_L("Skin Package Changed"),_L(""));
}

The following code displays current active theme details:

void CNotifyEngine::SkinNameL()
{
TAknsPkgIDBuf cidBuf;
CRepository* repository = CRepository::NewLC( KCRUidPersonalisation );
TInt retVal = repository->Get( KPslnActiveSkinUid, cidBuf );
TAknsPkgID cpkgId;
cpkgId.SetFromDesL( cidBuf );
CleanupStack::PopAndDestroy(repository);
CArrayPtr< CAknsSrvSkinInformationPkg >* skinInfoArray = iSkinSrvSession.EnumerateSkinPackagesL();
CleanupStack::PushL( skinInfoArray );
TInt retValue( KErrNone );
if ( skinInfoArray->Count() > 0 )
    {
    for (TInt i=0; i < skinInfoArray->Count(); i++ )
        {
        TAknsPkgID pkgId = skinInfoArray->At(i)->PID();
        if ( pkgId == cpkgId )
            {
            TBuf<128> lBuf = skinInfoArray->At(i)->Name();
            CEikonEnv::Static()->InfoWinL(_L("Skin Name"),lBuf);
            lBuf.Zero();
            lBuf = skinInfoArray->At(i)->FullName();
            CEikonEnv::Static()->InfoWinL(_L("Skin Path"),lBuf);
            lBuf.Zero();
            lBuf = skinInfoArray->At(i)->Directory();
            CEikonEnv::Static()->InfoWinL(_L("Skin Directory"),lBuf);
            lBuf.Zero();
            lBuf = skinInfoArray->At(i)->IniFileDirectory();
            CEikonEnv::Static()->InfoWinL(_L("Skin IniFile Directory"),lBuf);
            break;
            }
        }
    }
skinInfoArray->ResetAndDestroy();
CleanupStack::PopAndDestroy();
}

The following code changes the active theme:

void CNotifyEngine::ActivateSkinL()
{
StoreCurrentSkinIdL();
CArrayPtr< CAknsSrvSkinInformationPkg >* skinInfoArray = iSkinSrvSession.EnumerateSkinPackagesL();
CleanupStack::PushL( skinInfoArray );
TInt retValue( KErrNone );
if ( skinInfoArray->Count() > 0 )
    {
    for (TInt i=0; i < skinInfoArray->Count(); i++ )
        {
        TAknsPkgID pkgId = skinInfoArray->At(i)->PID();
        if ( pkgId != iOriginalSkinPid )
            {
            TBuf<100> lName = skinInfoArray->At(i)->Name();
            CEikonEnv::Static()->InfoWinL(_L("New Skin Name"),lName);
            //Activate a complete skin package at once.
            retValue = iSkinSrvSession.SetAllDefinitionSets( pkgId );
            if ( retValue == KErrNone )
                {
                SetNewSkinIdL( pkgId );
                }
            break;
            }
        }
    }
skinInfoArray->ResetAndDestroy();
CleanupStack::PopAndDestroy();
}

void CNotifyEngine::StoreCurrentSkinIdL()
{
TAknsPkgIDBuf pidBuf;
CRepository* repository = CRepository::NewLC( KCRUidPersonalisation );
TInt retVal = repository->Get( KPslnActiveSkinUid, pidBuf );
CleanupStack::PopAndDestroy(repository);
// iOriginalSkinPid is of type TAknsPkgID
iOriginalSkinPid.SetFromDesL( pidBuf );
}

void CNotifyEngine::SetNewSkinIdL( TAknsPkgID aPkgId )
{
TAknsPkgIDBuf pidBuf;
aPkgId.CopyToDes( pidBuf );
CRepository* repository = CRepository::NewLC( KCRUidPersonalisation );
TInt retVal = repository->Set( KPslnActiveSkinUid, pidBuf );
// KPslnActiveSkinLocation has to be changed also
// if new skin resides on mmc whereas old one resided in phone memory 
CleanupStack::PopAndDestroy(repository);
}

Sample application

File:ExtSkins.zip

Related topics

• How to change the active theme