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How to Extract Files and Install A Skin
So by now you should understand the process of opening a zip file and extracting it. Now we will take instructions from one of the skins located on this site and break it down one by one. We will continue to use the program 7 zip as it’s very easy to use and less cluttered like Winzip. Be sure to download 7 zip before continuing.
OMG IT’S SO CONFUSING!
Installation: OverWrite
WARNING: These Instructions will remove any custom skins. Please note you should always back up your files incase anything goes wrong.
Note: Winzip users, please click View Style at the top of your window to allow better viewing of the folders.
1. Extract (and select Yes to Replace) themes.box at:
C:\Program Files\AIM6\services\imApp\ver6_9_17_2\theme
2. Extract (and select Yes to Replace) blgadgets.box at:
C:\Program Files\AIM6\services\imApp\ver6_9_17_2\content\bl
3. Extract “bumpxseries” folders at:
C:\Program Files\AIM6\services\imApp\ver6_9_17_2\theme
Don’t Panic! Most websites will gladly give instructions in a similar fashion and you are on your own. Just for the sake of this tutorial, we will pay more attention to what is written. You will need to understand a few aspects of these instructions though.
Extract: This means we will take a certain file out of the zip and place it in the specified folder.
Select Yes to Replace: This is a brand new concept for this tutorial known as overwriting, we will get to that next.
themes.box: This is a file from the skin’s zip that needs to overwrite a file of the same name on your computer in the specified folder.
ver6_9_17_2: This is your AIM version number as a folder. In this tutorial, the skin’s instructions will install only to AIM version 6.9.17.2. IF YOUR AIM VERSION DOES NOT MATCH THIS FOLDER THE SKIN WILL NOT INSTALL. Pay particular attention to this as it will change every time you upgrade AIM. FEAR NOT, we can easily get around this obstacle on page 4.
Overwriting a File
Overwriting a file means we will take one file of the same name and extension and replace it with another file with the same name and extension.
Simply, we will just save over a file that is already on our computer. When we overwrite a file, Windows will pop up a dialog box asking us if we truly wish to replace the file. So if we select Yes to Replace, we have successfully overwritten a file.
This is the Confirm File Replace window.
Here you select Yes to replace a file.
Replacing a File at a specific Folder
1. Extract (and select Yes to Replace) themes.box at:
C:\Program Files\AIM6\services\imApp\ver6_9_17_2\theme
The first step is telling us to extract a file called themes.box into that folder highlighted in grey. To do this you can simply copy and paste the folder path. The folder path in the first step starts with C:\ and ends with theme. FIRST open up your zip file with the 7 zip program.
Highlight one file with your mouse.
Use your mouse and click themes.box once! The themes.box should be the only file highlighted. Click EXTRACT, now you can copy and paste the folder path as highlighted above in grey. The windows should look somewhat similar to this.
The extract dialog box above shows 1 file named themes.box
This file will copy to the folder highlighted in grey.
If everything went smoothly you should receive the “Confirm File Replace” dialog box and you must select “Yes to Replace“.
Extracting a Folder at a Specific Location
Lets take a look at the third step, even though we skipped step 2, you should apply your knowledge of the first step and use it on the second step.
3. Extract “bumpxseries” folders at:
C:\Program Files\AIM6\services\imApp\ver6_9_17_2\theme
This is telling us to extract a folder within the zip file called bumpxseries to the folder that is highlighted in grey above. This method works the exact same way as the previous step. You will click bumpxseries and click Extract, copy and paste the specific folder and click OK.. It should look similar to this screenshot below:
Your extract dialog box should look similar to this.
If you get an error message head to page 4!
19 Comments to “How to Extract Files and Install A Skin”
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the ‘read me’ file won’t show up for me!
The readme file is gone in the bumpxseries.zip . But you can use this as a guide for the upcoming skins later this year.
it really helped me in extracting and overwriting!!!!!
i need help.i am really good at computers but i couldnt get this one.can you help me please?
Huh that stuff is really confussing.
ok i did everything and HOW DO I CHANGE IT THE AIM its the same COLOR!!!!! i really wanted it.
Keep in Mind that these instructions are outdated, but they do show you how to extract a file. You can use this as a guide on how to do it, but you will have to not use the examples listed on this page as the directories will be wrong. So for the main part, follow the instructions that were given in the skins section and not this page. You can change skins by clicking on the Color Wheel after you sign onto Aim 6.5
Thanks! This worked with the Mac theme and i lerv it! (^.^)
kk im lost ur missing steps…i need more detailed.. cause im lost on where do u ut in da file? where is da file.. idk
Information is old, just a general guide on what you can do.
What the Fuck.. i understand up till step 5 other then that this shit seems point less
The readme file is gone, can I still install this?
Is there anyway you can explain this to me? It’s hard for me to understand the whole thing
Just like above, you basically download a file, unzip it using WINZIP or Windows Compressed File Extractor. The instructions on where to put each file is actually on the skin’s page and not this page. All your basically learning from here is how to extract a file. And how to move these files to specific folders. Since each skin has different instructions it’s kind of unnecessary to show each step for each skin.
Just realize that most other websites won’t give you a step by step on how to extract. Its something that you need to know if you surf the internet.
Ok so I did the overwrite thing for the red skin where you extract it all and I still don’t have the colors. What do I do now?
i used the original long ago and it went perfectly. Now it seems hes just half assed it. The instructions are outdated which usually wouldnt be a problem but the file doesnt include the readme anymore so now your reading his backwards instructions. Aim has most the colors, think we’ll live
Comparing any particular site including WordPress themes, javascript files, and whatever package that comes in a zip file, these sites do not give you instructions on how to open an FTP, how to extract a file, how to click a folder to reach a particular directory.
Most of them say, “extract whatever file at this folder and you are good to go.”
When it came to writing instructions with these skins, it seems people with very little computer knowledge were attempting to install a skin when even they could not tell the difference between the functions of Internet Explorer and Windows Explorer.
The Installation instructions went through several changes until I could find one that included a short 3 step process. This would be easily understood by those who know zip files, and confuse anyone who did not know them.
So for the most part if you are fine with the skins included in AIM continue to use them. I don’t recommend attempting to install skins if you have little to no computer knowledge since you can easily mess things up.
–July 28th
Anyways, the instructions were rewritten from scratch to include support for Aim 6.9 skins. I should hear no more complaints regarding how to do this or how to do that. This tutorial covers almost every topic and issue you can come across while attempting to install a skin. I will count the Downloads to Complaints ratio to see if this new tutorial is effective.
OK, So a few years back there was this website created called youtube. make a instructional video and post it their. please.
Then you might want to youtube search how to extract a zip file..