OK it's finished.

It won't be everyone's cup of tea. I tested on desktop and laptop. My lady loves it and she's fussy. I won't be sexist and say it is girl oriented, but soft pastels generally are very pleasant. The blue wallpaper I created was nice but this is better because it focuses on Gaia which was the whole point.
I will have to go through every theme and add a Text file with resolution information and what scaled modules will work best with each resolution cross-over because one size doesn't fit all.
P.s. - yes that's a Leprechaun, Goblin and Elf on the SubMenu and I have since smudged the two images in the main menu - Gaia and the bg - so there is no seam now.
cheers

Just a tip or two. First off, I'd do the Walls in 8K or even 16K, but for now for inclusion with themes for uploading, reduce to 4K. Perhaps add a note to set Walls to fit screen - forget what the actual setting's called. 8K monitors/TVs are still not that common, so 4K should be fine. It will scale down well to lower resolutions in Windows.

Then, I'd do the other theme component GFX in 4K for now but for uploads reduce to standard HD 1280x720 or FHD at most, if they're large. They should scale up for even 4K well enough IME.

Hope this is useful.

Like the first Wall better. Theme is almost/kind of spooky somehow. Works nicely. But why have figures basically from Greek and Roman mythology, and then stick an Irish/Celtic figure, and two from Germanic/Norse/Anglo-Saxon mythology on the sub menus? Oh, and BTW, those pointy ears on the Elf (looking very much like Legolas in the movie abominations) are a Jackman & Co. invention. Tolkien's own illustrations of Elves and descriptions never had them. (Not sure about Goblins at the moment, my memory is a bit vague on them. Old age. )

Sounds sensible. I have been doing them in 1920x1080. so something like 3840x2160 ?
Yes I have been reducing the vectors substantially.

@Nexter

When I was in my 30s I found as many of us do, that the more we learn, the more there is to learn. Well on from that in possibly grumpy old man stage, I still love learning, but the line between learning and annoyance and frustration gets smaller.

What is bugging the crap out of me, is that my submenus seem to scale beautifully regardless of what resolution anyone has but my main menus I have to rescale in different environments. Honestly, it makes me realise I do not know jack - yet. I am obviously not doing the button V&H correctly. I'll get it but it is beginning to annoy the crap out of me. Perhaps there is no autoscaling at all or perhaps there is a one-size-fits- all setting I have not found yet? F-knows.

I think what I may need to do is create 3x folders - a 1920, 3100 and 5100 ultra-widescreen. Inside each a different *.wst file. That way it will work across the board with a simple instruction not to delete any of them and simply overwrite the main *.wst file depending on their resolution with the ranges each will work on. Seems convoluted but at least I know it will work. - A 400 Horizontal on 1920 becomes a skinny pile of crap on a 3120 I have to rescale it to 800. So yeah, I must be doing something wrong or who knows?

Yep, 3840x2160 is exactly standard 4K.

@BassdudeNZ - I know exactly what you mean re: learning etc. And things can get really infuriatingly frustrating. Smashing something can easily become very tempting. (Of course, I resist and desist.)
As for your main menu/sub-menu issue, I noticed from the start that you're using different dimensions (and GFX) etc. for each. Now therein, I think, lies the root of your problem. All menu GFX components are meant to have the same dimensions and same GFX. To be honest, I'm not even sure how you manage to achieve it at all in the first place. I can't reccall ever seeing that in anyone else's themes. Differential config files may well be your only option, unless somebody knows better? Jorge?

@ Nexter @Jorge

I believe I have worked it out.

I have a barebones O/S image that takes about 15mins to restore fresh and reinstalled it to be sure. In the higher resolutions all the Winstep themes suffer from the same shrinking problem.

It's no big deal. In higher resolutions the modules scale to resolution, the main menus do not. e.g. 100% module on a 1920 has to be shrunk not enlarged on a 4K resolution, main menu has to be enlarged, not shrunk - I thought it may have been the other way around but no. The modules are easy because there is a scaling in the submenu built into Winstep.
The menus - no scaling, has to be manual... Some themes are fine, about 7 of mine aren't which is on me.

I think this is heavily tied into what I was suggesting before about dragging-rescaling of menus. I have no idea how Jorge would auto-scale, but I have now tried on 3 substantially different resolutions - 2K, 4K and 8K.
The last two are not really cutting it in scaling for ANY theme by default if done in 1920 or lower as they become tiny in many themes. The main menu shrinking is not great in 4K and 8K. Some are acceptable but more of all themes not just mine, are not acceptable. I have this time around mainly done in Vectors so the scaling isn't a huge problem.

MANUAL RESCALING NOTE: I say it's not big deal because my sub-themes all seem to be fine, it's the main menus only with the issue and I have a workaround. The Hi-Res edits seem to work across the board. Therefore, I only have to create two folders called "Hi-Res" and "Normal Res" the copy the files respectively. The normal will have a copy of the *.wst file and the Hi-Res has the one that works on 4K and 8K - and simply add a Resolution and module size note in text.

Bonjour BassdudeNZ...
Tout mon discours qui vas suivre n'est que mon avis personnel et n'engage que moi-même...
Vous ouvrez la boîte de Pandore, nous vivons dans un monde d'assistés. Cela part d'un bon sentiment de votre part de vouloir satisfaire tout le monde dans des résolutions différentes mais vous vous fourvoyez. La plupart des personnes qui téléchargent des thèmes ne comprennent rien aux fichiers de configurations et veulent du prêt à porté parfait immédiatement sans se casser la tête. Tenez-vous en à du fullHD 1920 x 1080 qui passe et reste correct en 2K. En 4K et 8k le thème se réduit à une peaux de chagrin, il faut tout modifier et agrandir que se soit le fond d'écran, le menu, sous menu, modules et demande un travail de titan. Pour un seul thème, il faut le refaire 3 fois, 1 pour chaque résolution. J'ai eu le même problème que vous, j'ai commencé avec la résolution phare de l'époque 1440 x 900, l'espace était trop petit et on avait du mal à intégrer tout les éléments sur le bureau. On est passé au 1920 x 1080, quel changement, la résolution idéale et parfaite pour winstep, plus d'espace sur le bureau et la satisfaction de pouvoir intégrer tout les éléments du thème plus d'autres comme Xion Player ou Winamp et quelques skins rainmeter. J'ai testé en 2K, le thème se réduit mais reste correct et ne subit pas de modification au niveau des pixels mais laisse beaucoup d'espace vide sur le bureau. Un thème 1920 x 1080 en 4K et 8K, c'est dégueulasse, les pixels se déforment et le thème se retrouve flouté au niveau des cadres (Menus, sou-menus, modules) et des ombres. Il faut faire un choix dés le départ, soit comme vous voulez faire, essayer de satisfaire tout le monde mais bon courage pour le travail et le temps passé, soit choisir une seule résolution, s'y tenir et prendre le temps de répondre aux questions et critiques de certains qui tournent dans d'autres résolutions ou les envoyer promener. Je lis les commentaires dans le forum et quand je vois parfois les questions posées à Jorge sur certains réglages qui se règlent en deux clics, je me dis mais quelles bandes de feignants et de crétins. Alors, je doute malgré les fichiers textes que vous comptez fournir avec le thème pour utiliser les différents fichiers .wst pour chaque résolution que certains soient capables de se rendre dans le dossier du thème et de faire le changement. Vous pouvez voir également et je l'ai constaté, la fonction de mise à l'échelle des modules est vraiment très bien mais pas complétement satisfaisante, à l'utilisation elle modifie le nombre de pixels du fichier original et change le rendu qui n'est pas toujours satisfaisant. Pour cela, je construis toujours mon module pour une échelle 100% évitant toute déformation et la restitution conforme au module crée.
Je vous rassure, le problème de résolution pour les thèmes n'est pas inhérent à Winstep, son concurrent Windowblinds se trouve dans la même situation, la même problématique mais sans modules.
Pour vous dire en toute sincérité, je ne suis pas fan de vos thèmes, ce n'est pas du tout ma tasse de thé, mais je salut tout votre travail, votre persévérance avec mon plus profond respect.
Moi, c'est fini, même si je continu à m'intérésser à l'évolution de winstep, l'acheter tout les ans et consulter le forum, je ne l'utilise plus et j'ai complétement arrêté de construire des thèmes par lassitude. Il faudra que l'envie revienne mais pas pour le moment.
Continuez, vous avez les tripes...
Cordialement...
Picco14.

Cher Picco14, Merci beaucoup pour votre perspicacité.

Je suis triste que vous ne fassiez plus de theming Winstep parce que vous êtes merveilleux à ce sujet.

J'apprécie aussi votre honnêteté et il devrait y en avoir plus. Vous avez raison, notre monde a changé et seulement une partie de celui-ci est pour le mieux. Je crois aussi que nous ne devrions pas être trop influencés par ce que les gens aiment, où nous en arrivons à un stade où nous cessons de créer ce que nous aimons.

Picco14, vous, ainsi que plusieurs autres qui étaient très bons aussi ont arrêté de faire des peaux et c'est triste. Je pense que nous devons tous aller de l'avant. Il viendra un moment à mon âge, vers la fin de ma vie, où je m'arrêterai probablement aussi. Pour l'instant, je trouve que c'est une façon amusante d'occuper mon temps parce que je suis à la retraite. J'apprécie vos thèmes, ils sont magnifiquement faits et je vous remercie de m'avoir contacté

P.S. - Je m'excuse que mon français ne soit pas très bon. Je le comprends mieux que je ne peux le dire ou l'écrire. Parce que vous avez pris le temps de m'écrire, par respect pour vous et votre travail, j'ai essayé d'être courtois et de répondre dans votre langue maternelle. J'ai dû aller chez Google Translator pour certains donc j'espère que cela n'a pas détruit votre belle langue.

OK

Have pretty much got it understood - as well as I can.

I did the theme on 1920x1080 as Picco14 suggested...

Here are both without editing a single pass.
1920x1080 and 3840x2160 - it surprisingly works in 8K (5120), though the main menu is a tad small.

Should work on most if not all I believe. Makes fixing what I have done way easier as I am confident I have learned the "safe" dimension settings.

1920x1080 pixels:


3840x2160 pixels: (modules scaled down to 70%)



EDIT:

Here's the final more in line with the theme now I know how to sort all of my menus - finished.
ONTO fixing up all the others... that will take a little time...

Well, that seems to work out alright.

Your 8K refers to widescreen of course, which isn't the same as standard (16:9 ratio) 8K which is 7680x4320. Widescreen hasn't yet seen much adoption here.

Oh, one thing though. The aurora lights are too hazy really. Having seen the real thing, they're fairly clearly defined, saturated colours.

I know and you are right about haziness we get Aurora's here in the Southern Hemisphere though they tend to be the red/purple ones.

I tried that - too bright in the greens for my taste, but only my taste. So that's on me for blurring it

What i cannot for the life of me work out is why the submenus auto-scale and do not change regardless of resolution but the main menu does not scale?? Look at the main and subs in the first two images. The higher you go the skinnier the main menu gets but the submenus remain the same in all resolutions?!?!?

Many laptops come with 3800+ resolutions so that is my crash test bunny.

Argh! Just lost my whole reply here! Well thank you very much TOR!

While green is the predominant colour of the aurora borealis, others are also sometimes seen, notably red and also purple. It all depends on what elements are hit in the atmosphere. It may well be different for the aurora australensis due to slightly different composition of the upper atmosphere, I'd guess.

I'm afraid I haven't a clue re: your problem with the main menu not scaling while the subs are. However, I now recall that I used different main and sub a few times in the past myself - old age and failing memory! Of course, a case of theme and sub-theme, silly me! Had a lot of issues with them, so in the end gave up on that idea.

A lot of new laptops do come with 4K, sure. However, I'd guess that there are more older laptops in actual use than new ones. In my own case, I have three laptops (they all were free, due to being surplus elsewhere), one with Full HD, one with 1900x600, and one with something just a touch above HD. Two have 16GB RAM, and one 32. The latter an i7 quad 6th or 7th gen, I don't remember, the others an i5 dual and the last an i5 quad. All do what I need them to do or even want, and do it fast enough too. So - even if I had the bread - why would I want to shell out 1,000K+ on a new one? (I also have a fairly beefy newer AMD-based desktop + 38in. 4K monitor, and also a real ancient desktop with the original 64-bit dual core, the AMD Athlon 64 X2, and with Linux onboard that's still quite nifty actually! ) So anyway, bear in mind that not every laptop utser uses a new one. (Nor for that matter, every desktop user has the latest and greatest and a 4K monitor. )

Thanks Nexter there's a lot of really useful information there.
Picco14 also suggested that the odds on anyone paying attention to a separate set of files for each resolution might be quite small.


The more feedback from you all the more logical it seems to be that I only give a warning like "This will will work well on resolutions from..." and/or - "This will not work on resolutions above..."


Them nobody can say I did not tell them.