1) Download ExtensionManager from the link in my signature if you haven';t already.
2) Run it and select Create new extensions by typing 4
3) You'll be taken to the manifest editor, first thing you'll have to do is to tell it you're making a theme by typing the command "theme" (no command will include the quotes)
4) Put all of your theme images (named correctly!) into one folder (with no subfolders), then type the command "images" followed by a space and drag that folder onto the window. This will import all of your images into the projects folder when you save the manifest later.
5) You can add colors and tints with the "clr" and "tnt" commands.
6) These are all the remaining theme commands:
clr add [name] Adds the color field for name. Automatically selected.
clr del [name] Deletes the color field for name.
clr sel [name] Select name for editing.
clr r [red] Set the red value for the selected color.
clr g [green] Set the green value for the selected color.
clr b [blue] Set the blue value for the selected color.
clr a [alpha] Set the alpha value for the selected color. (Leave blank to remove.)
tnt add [name] Adds the tint field for name. Automatically selected.
tnt del [name] Deletes the tint field for name.
tnt sel [name] Select name for editing.
tnt r [red] Set the red value for the selected tint.
tnt g [green] Set the green value for the selected tint.
tnt b [blue] Set the blue value for the selected tint.
prop bgalign [side] Set ntp_background_align property. Takes top, left, right, or bottom.

For a list of possible names for colours and tints, see here.

The []'s indicated that value is to be replaced, do not type the []'s.

7) Once satisfied, you can use the "name", "desc", and "ver" commands to set your name, description, and version, respectively.

8) And finally (for the manifest editor), use the "save" command to save it and "quit" to quit.

9) Once your theme is completed, you won't really have anymore files to make (unless you haven't made the images yet, and were just importing the default files). And can pack it right away! So you should be back at the main menu now. Enter 5 to pack your project.

10) A list of all your projects will come up, if you don't have any others, your theme will be 2. Either way, enter the corresponding number, and you will be notified that you have to close Chrome to continue. It will close it for you if you say yes (if you don't have Chrome open, say yes anyway, and ignore the complaint of no chrome process found.) An alert from Chrome will pop up telling you the files were created. Pay it no mind (so long as it says successful), as ExtensionManaer will sort your files for you.

11) Your .crx will be in the same folder as ExtensionManager now so that you can upload it. It will ask if you want to install it, do so if you want (It's always good to test it out!), and don't forget to take a screenshot to upload with it and share with us. :]

Ask any questions you may have!

Also, if it doesn't seem to pack or do something when it should, one of the files it's affecting may be in use, so just close anything that's using it and try again.

Incredible Waha! for the patience & time you invest here, thanks a million !!!!

4) Put all of your theme images (named correctly!) into one folder (with no subfolders), then type the command "images" followed by a space and drag that folder onto the window. This will import all of your images into the projects folder when you save the manifest later.

how can i do that without dragging a folder onto the cmd window? found out this doesnt work in windows vista =(

Originally Posted by pcki11

how can i do that without dragging a folder onto the cmd window? found out this doesnt work in windows vista =(

You can view the address bar on that folder, then copy the address, and right-click the window then hit paste.
I would hope THAT at least works on Vista.

this just adds this address to the manifest.json, instead of adding the images.

Originally Posted by pcki11

this just adds this address to the manifest.json, instead of adding the images.

Was it something akin to this?

Code:

      "images": {
          // C:\Documents and Settings\User...Google\Chrome\Application\Images
      }

If so that's really strange, and probably a Vista bug that I'll look at in the morning.
By look at I mean do my best without actually having Vista.
Either way, just post your manifest and that'll help.

i think im onto something here. my username in vista is typed in cyrillic letters. and even that im creating the extension on drive d, extension manager is trying to save the files to the chrome folder in local settings. maybe the cyrillic font is the problem?.. anyway, why would extension manager try to save the files there?..

If you are using Vista, Command Prompt does not support drag and drop. This feature was removed only for that OS to ''reduce the command window's dealings with the dragged data object''. (You can read more here)

You can download and install a free program called Send to toys that adds a 'Command Prompt' under the 'Send to' menu when you right-click a file, which does basically the same thing as dragging and dropping.

If you are using 2000, XP, or 7, then dragging and dropping should work.

Once again Vista is the worst OS ever

Originally Posted by pcki11

i think im onto something here. my username in vista is typed in cyrillic letters. and even that im creating the extension on drive d, extension manager is trying to save the files to the chrome folder in local settings. maybe the cyrillic font is the problem?.. anyway, why would extension manager try to save the files there?..

It saves all your projects there next to the extensions folder, because from an organization stand point, it makes sense to me.
I'd think the only think your username might affect is the variable apploc8 but I'm really not sure. It very well may be the issue as Windows has never been that great at inherent unicode support.
So~ I don't know how I'd fix this. :/ You can try to change the path locations in the batch file to somewhere else, and just never use the "Run Chrome ..." commands.
I'll see what I can find about unicode in batch tomorrow.

Originally Posted by Luc VN

Once again Vista is the worst OS ever

Agreed.