: festive lights

Getting Started

First things first, you'll likely want to download the Photoshop template file by clicking on the lightset icon to the left. While you're welcome to start from scratch, this file provides a basic structure that will aid you in creating your first lightset, offering a neatly organized layer hierarchy and some guides to simplify the process.

The template itself is a valid lightset, so I recommend using it as a starting point, adjusting it piece by piece to ensure that it functions as you expect. The new lightset format makes it far easier to create custom lightsets, eliminating the need to export individual bulb files. The template includes a file called info.json which describes how to specify the details of your lightset. Here are a few additional tips to get you started:

Lightset Creation Tips

• A basic lightset will contain only on.png, off.png, and info.json. Wrapping lightsets must contain corner.png as well.
• The template contains on and off directories as well. Setting auto-slice to true is recommended to take advantage of the new, simpler lightset format, after which you can delete these directories.
• When testing your custom lightset, install it by dragging onto the info tag just as you would any other lightset.
• If your lightset doesn't load when you attempt to install it, open the Console (Applications/Utilities) to see useful debugging information and learn why your lightset is invalid.
• Completed lightsets should all use the custom lightset icon supplied with the template.
• Be sure to provide your name and attribution details in the info.json file before submitting your lightset.

Submit a Lightset

If you've created a brand new lightset and testeed it out within the widget, we'd love to see it and offer it for others to enjoy as well. The submission process is informal: just attach your lightset in an email to eben@interdimensionmedia.com. I'll verify it and add it to the lightset gallery as soon as I have a chance. Thanks!