PhishGuard Skinning Guide

One of the key aspects of the PhishGuard desktop/client application was the ability to define custom branding or skinning of the application elements, including form size, text font, color schemes, custom graphics, etc. The PhishGuard Desktop Skinning Guide was aimed at helping large financial institutions, resellers or partners to tailor the look and feel of the application and provide a branded version to their specifications. This guide was used to document the skinning capabilities of the application and to skin the PhishGuard application for a key distribution partner (Global Security One).

Key skinning capabilities:

Define application constants such as Company Name, Product Name, Copyright Notice
Define required executables, components, help manual
Define application navigation, tabs and menus
Define user interface form characteristics for each application form including
Form size (e.g., height, width
Form colors (e.g., form background color, text foreground color, edge radius, border frame color)
Form objects (e.g., labels, text boxes, graphic images, components)
Form layout, object placement
Text fonts and size
Form caption
Form window control graphics (e.g., minimize, close)
Serialized objects, such as graphic images

In addition to the PhishGuard distributions, the The PhishGuard desktop application is licensed to c4cast.com and is used as the basis for the EconomicInvestor desktop application. The skinning capabilities were used to tailor the desktop look, feel and functionality. Excerpts from the PhishGuard Desktop Skinning Guide follow:

The PhishGuard Skinning document was an internal reference document used to document the capabilities provided by the desktop application custom developed skinning methodology.

Overall form characteristics

Application Splash screen

Application About screen

Example Skin XML File

<Skin CaptionTopColor1="7566195"
  CaptionTopColor2="15132390"
  CaptionTopColor3="13487565"
  Border1="5460819"
  Border2="9211020"
  EdgeRadius="7"
  FormBackColor="14145495"
  CaptionNonFocusFactor="7"
  CaptionTextTop="55"
  CaptionTextLeft="150"
  CaptionFontName="Tahoma"
  CaptionFontSize="10"
  CaptionActiveForeColor="3289650"
  CaptionInactiveForeColor="8355711"
  CaptionBackColor="11446180"
  CaptionLineColor1="11842740"
  CaptionLineColor2="6316128"
  CaptionHeight="395"
  URL="http://www.phishguard.com"
  AppTitleEval="PhishGuard for {Browser}"
  AppTitleLicense="PhishGuard Pro"
  AppDataDirectory="PhishGuard"
  UpdaterEXE="PGUpdater.exe">
 <Form Name="frmMessage"><Caption Close="0"></Caption></Form>
 <Form Name="frmSplash" Width="5700" Height="3120">
  <Components>
    <Component Name="ProductName"
	Caption="{\rtf1\ansi\deff0{\fonttbl{\f0\fnil\fcharset0 Microsoft Sans Serif;}}
	\b\qc\f0\fs18 {AppProductName}{\fs7\up9  TM} {Qualifier}}">
    </Component>
    <Component Name="Company"
	Caption="{AppCompanyName}">
    </Component>
    <Component Name="TagLine"
	Caption="{\rtf1\ansi\deff0{\fonttbl{\f0\fnil\fcharset0 Microsoft Sans Serif;}}
	\b\i\qc\f0\fs16 {AppComments}{\fs7\up9  TM}">
    </Component>
    <Component Name="Copyright"
	Caption="{AppCopyright}">
    </Component>
    <Component Name="Version" Caption="PGM080">
    </Component>
    <Component Name="Nag" Top="2250" Left="280" Width="2625" Height="615"
	Caption="PGM034">
    </Component>
    <Component Name="cmdContinue" Type="CommandButton"
	Caption="PGM035" ToolTipText=""
	Top="2490" Height="375" Width="1215" Left="4190"
	BackColor="255" Visible="0" Enabled="1">
    </Component>
    <Component Name="cmdUpgrade" Type="CommandButton"
	Caption="PGM036" ToolTipText=""
	Top="2490" Height="375" Width="1215" Left="2850"
	BackColor="255" Visible="0" Enabled="1">
    </Component>
    <Component Name="Credit"
	Top="2250" Height="240" Width="5070" Left="300">
    </Component>
  </Components>
  <Graphics>
    <Image Top="360" Left="280" Width="1452" Height="1848"
	Source="PhishLogo121x154.gif">R0lGODlheQCaAPcAAAwA....
	</Image>
  </Graphics>
 </Form>
</Skin>