# <a name="TWiki_Skins"> TWiki Skins </a>

Skins are customized [[TWikiTemplates]] files. You can use skins to change the look of a %WIKITOOLNAME% topic, for example the layout of the header and footer. Note that the renderd text between header and footer does **_not_** change. You can also use skins to define an alternate view, ex: a view optimized for printing.

Skin files are located in the <code>**twiki/template**</code> directory and are name with this syntax: <code>**&lt;scriptname&gt;.&lt;skin&gt;.tmpl**</code>. For example, the <code>**print**</code> skin for the <code>**view**</code> template is <code>**view<font>.print</font>.tmpl**</code> (red color added for clarification).

A skin can be activated in two ways:

* Define the SKIN preference variable in [[TWiki/TWikiPreferences]], one of the [[WebPreferences]], or a user preference. Ex:
  * `Set SKIN = print`
* Add `?skin=name` to the URL, for this example:
  * %SCRIPTURL%/view%SCRIPTSUFFIX%/%WEB%/%TOPIC%?skin=print (for the print view skin)
  * %SCRIPTURL%/view%SCRIPTSUFFIX%/%WEB%/%TOPIC%?skin=plain (for the plain view skin that has no header and footer)

The <code>**?skin=name**</code> URL parameter overrides the SKIN preference value.

-- [[PeterThoeny]] - 14 Jul 2001 <br />