KSP Scripting (Kontakt) :: Custom UI :: Switchable, Dynamic Wallpaper via set_skin_offset()

Modified April 2026 by YummyBeats | 2 Comments on KSP Scripting (Kontakt) :: Custom UI :: Switchable, Dynamic Wallpaper via set_skin_offset()

this tutorial is based on the Wallpaper and the Dynamic Wallpaper (via label element) tutorial. Actually once the initial wallpaper is set we can’t change it anymore but we can move the wallpaper image vertically via set_skin_offset(). So if we create a wallpaper sprite which is as double as high as our ui_size (in this case 2 x 608px) we can put 2 wallpapers into this one image file like shown on the left. The visible area is only from 0 pixel to 608 pixel.

We can now set a button for example which moves the background skin 608 pixel vertically to put the second wallpaper into the visible area. This short demo video shows how it works:

on init
  make_perfview
  set_ui_height_px(540)
  set_control_par_str($INST_WALLPAPER_ID,$CONTROL_PAR_PICTURE,"wallpaper")
  declare $count
  declare ui_button $switch_wp
  set_control_par_str(get_ui_id($switch_wp),$CONTROL_PAR_PICTURE,"btn_1")
  set_control_par_str(get_ui_id($switch_wp),$CONTROL_PAR_TEXT,"")
  set_control_par(get_ui_id($switch_wp),$CONTROL_PAR_WIDTH,40)
  set_control_par(get_ui_id($switch_wp),$CONTROL_PAR_HEIGHT,40)
  set_control_par(get_ui_id($switch_wp),$CONTROL_PAR_POS_X,296)
  set_control_par(get_ui_id($switch_wp),$CONTROL_PAR_POS_Y,430)
end on
 
on ui_control($switch_wp)
  if ($switch_wp=1)
    $count := 0
    {set_skin_offset(608)}
    while ($count<609)
      set_skin_offset($count)
      wait(1000) {set to zero to switch instantly or remove this whole while loop}
      inc($count)
    end while
  else
    set_skin_offset(0)
  end if
end on

Set Skin Offset vs Label element layer

You can also set a background wallpaper via label element. It’s up to you which method you prefer the most. Both have advantages and disadvantages.

With the label element it is much easier to design a background image. We can work with layer groups in our graphics tool. This way we can for example reposition elements for all our Kontakt menu screens at once. With set skin offset however we have to create a long image “tube”. which no longer allows us to rearrange elements at once.

The set_skin_offset method however is somewhat easier to handle when it comes to coding. It’s also less error prone. Also we can wallpaper the first 68px (where the Kontakt panel resides) which is not possible with the label element layer.