Yes, it is possible to achieve the desired effect using Spine's skin functionality. You can create a base skin for each shading variation (SkinA, SkinB) and then combine these with the existing skins (Skin1, Skin2, Skin3) at runtime. This way, you can dynamically switch between different shading variations without affecting which skins are shown.

Here’s how you can do it:

1. Create Base Skins for Shading Variations: Create SkinA and SkinB, which contain the shading variations for all the attachments in Skin1, Skin2, and Skin3.

2. Combine Skins at Runtime: Use the addSkin() method to combine the base skin (SkinA or SkinB) with the currently active skins (Skin1, Skin2, Skin3). This will allow you to apply the shading variation to the active skins.

Here is a basic example of how you can achieve this in code:

// Assuming you have a reference to your skeleton and skins
Skeleton skeleton = ...;
Skin skin1 = skeleton.data.findSkin("Skin1");
Skin skin2 = skeleton.data.findSkin("Skin2");
Skin skinA = skeleton.data.findSkin("SkinA");
Skin skinB = skeleton.data.findSkin("SkinB");

// Create a new skin to combine the active skins with the shading variation
Skin combinedSkin = new Skin("combinedSkin");

// Add the active skins
combinedSkin.addSkin(skin1);
combinedSkin.addSkin(skin2);

// Add the shading variation
combinedSkin.addSkin(skinA); // or skinB

// Set the combined skin to the skeleton
skeleton.setSkin(combinedSkin);
skeleton.setSlotsToSetupPose();

This approach allows you to dynamically switch between different shading variations while keeping the flexibility to toggle individual skins on or off.

For more detailed information, you can refer to the Spine Runtime Skins documentation and the Skins view in the Spine editor.

If we have 40 skins that can be toggled on and off. And 2 variations of each, how can we avoid creating a duplicate for each of those 40 skins. We understand how to combine these dynamically via code. We are trying to have 1 skin control the shade, and the others control the actual addons. Is that possible? Thanks!

sid Hmmm, I think it should be possible to do this the way Spinebot already answered, but I think it might be easier to set attachments at runtime instead of trying to do everything with skins.
If there is a slot named shading with attachments for shading, then you can switch which shading attachment is visible in that slot with the Skeleton setAttachment() method.
For example, if skin 1, 2, and 3 are applied and you want to add skin A, you must re-set a new skin that combines skins 1, 2, and 3 and skin A. This is a bit redundant if you only want to change the visible attachment for one slot. Skins are useful if you need to change attachments for many slots at once, but I think in your case you may not need to bother with skins.

paatz04

We understand how to combine these dynamically via code. We are trying to have 1 skin control the shade, and the others control the actual addons.

I am afraid I do not fully understand what this means. Skin combinations can only be changed via code. Things like making sure that when a particular skin is applied, certain other skins are applied as well, cannot be set within the spine editor, it has to be done via code.

However, as the set-attachment method was introduced above, there are many other ways to change the appearance of a skeleton at runtime in addition to skins. For example, it is possible to prepare and apply an animation to change the appearance. (This can be useful if you want to use a fade in to change the appearance).