Make and use themes with WinterBoard

Section 21: Removing the gradient graphic from wallpaper images

Attention

If you have not read the two prerequisite tutorials: Using YummyFTP and OpenSSH to create themes, and Understanding a theme's directory structure, then you should prior to performing any of the instructions in the following tutorial.

I am updating all WinterBoard tutorials to reflect the differences in creating graphics for the iPhone 4, and iPhone 3G / 3G S. It's important you pay attention to file names (they are different, the iPhone 4 uses an @2x designator just before the .png extension, and dimensions (iPhone 4 graphics are generally double in size from their iPhone 3G / 3G S counterparts). When creating iPhone 4 graphics you should refer to the original graphic on the iPhone 4 or in its firmware file to verify your image is the correct size.

A reader wrote me to tell me how his friend Josh Appel discovered a gradient image that degrades pictures used as wallpaper images and found a way to remove it.

If you use the Settings application on the iPhone to customize your wallpaper with images from your photo library you'll notice a heavy gradient placed on the lower half of the image. Here's the before and after. Pretty dramatic difference isn't it?

If you use WinterBoard to add custom wallpaper images, then this gradient won't affect you.

Step 1.

Create the folders: No gradient/Folders/SpringBoardUI.framework/   Create the file WallpaperGradientPortraitFull@2x.png for the iPhone 4 (1 by 960), or WallpaperGradientPortraitFull.png for the iPhone 3G / 3G S (1 by 480). Place your images into the SpringBoardUI.framework folder.




Place your No gradient folder into your iPhone's Themes folder.

Step 2.

Test out your new theme.