Hi Forum,
I'm currently learning to skin also and have come up wtih similar problems. I think I can explain though why your getting this error. Basically you have to understand WHAT the xml file is for, and why it's needed. The XML file isn't just something you can copy from the sample blue and grey skins into your skin and expect it to work every time. It will work most of the time, until you start adding funky tokens to your HTML.
So basically this error is because you are missing a setting in the XML file like Deven said earlier. I'll give a quick overview of what I THINK the file is about :->
<Objects>
<Object>
<Token>[TREEVIEW]</Token> //The toekn in your HTML file that you used and want to add a setting to
<Settings>
<Setting>
<Name>RootOnly</Name> //The name of the setting
<Value>False</Value> //The Value
</Setting>
</Settings>
</Object>
</Objects>
You can also set some of these things in your style, which is why it seems so confusing. It's confusing because you're changing things before understanding the thing your changing(I do it all the time :->).
So a Token can take its settings from the XML file, or the CSS style, or both, or none.
Deven solved it one say, in the XML file, Adam Jones solved it using the level="root" option in his ASPX file which is another method completly and shouildn't be used by a novice yet :->
There is a website I found that lists all the tokens and thier attributes at http://www.thinkofdesign.com/resources/reference.html
So...Thats my two cents. I'm still a newbie
josh Martin
watch my progress at : www.martinwebhosting.com