Skinning Reference

[Ericwiz]

Guys,

Can anyone tell me what the objects in the skin.xml files are based on?

What I'd love to see is a reference so I know what attributes are available.

[reven]

pretty much the attributes you see are the only ones you are allowed, and must follow (ie delete one, the feature wont work). except for in the <compositeimage> tags. you're allowed to use <DrawRect><DrawString><DrawImage> (i think thats it, my names might be wrong aswell). everything else you pretty much have to follow to the letter, especially in plugins, sub skins his stuff pretty well, but a lot of plugins out there dont.

[KingArgyle]

Question for the GUI developers, I haven't taken a look at the skinning XML files yet, but was thinking of creating an XSD for these files, so that you know the XML file is valid and conforms to the values and datatypes you guys are expecting. Also, could document which attributes and elements are option and which ones are required.

My question is are all the elements being used in there standard or are there plugin specific elements that have been added by each plugin developer?

[ejk]

Personally, I would love to have something like this.

I've only had a little bit of time trying to Update the BlueTask skin (with little success), but part of the issue that makes it so frustrating is that the PC where GB-PVR is installed is only attached to the TV, and running at 640x480. Trying to do coding work sitting on the couch squinting to see a 640x480 display, trying to manage multiple text editor windows (all with the same "skin.xml" file name) is pratically impossible.

I tried copying the files over to my laptop, but the copying, editing, copying back, relaunching to test process was pretty slow as well.

I'd love to have something I can run on my laptop (which doesn't have a tuner card) that would allow me to do Skin development, and then I could just copy the entire skin directory over to the PVR for deployment.

Hmm... Will GB-PVR work at all if there is no tuner card installed? Just for Skin Testing purposes?

[KingArgyle]

You should be able to do skin development without needing to have a tuner installed on your system. Just copy the configuration you have on your HTPC machine over to your laptop, and launch GBPVR from there. You just won't be able to actually record, but you should still be able to schedule programs, view the guide, and other plugins.

My development machine doesn't have a Tuner card and I've used it to develope several GBPVR utility applications.

[Ericwiz]

Quote[/b] (reven @ Jan. 18 2005,09:24)]pretty much the attributes you see are the only ones you are allowed, and must follow (ie delete one, the feature wont work).  except for in the <compositeimage> tags.

I've run into this already as I've been trying to modify skins.
So I guess you are saying we can't add SpecialElements or composite images that are not already part of the plugin.

Ok, well, what about what attributes are available for the different objects...
For instance Color. This seems to be able to be a named color, a hex value or some fade ability with horizontal?
Um... can drawrounedrect have a transparency value?

I guess any information any of you gurus can impart would be helpful...

[ejk]

Quote[/b] (KingArgyle @ Jan. 18 2005,10:10)]You should be able to do skin development without needing to have a tuner installed on your system. Just copy the configuration you have on your HTPC machine over to your laptop, and launch GBPVR from there. You just won't be able to actually record, but you should still be able to schedule programs, view the guide, and other plugins.

My development machine doesn't have a Tuner card and I've used it to develope several GBPVR utility applications.

Thanks for the tip.

Can I just copy my GBPVR directory and launch the exe, or should I go through a independant install, then overwrite the config file?

[KingArgyle]

Install, and then copy the directory over.

[reven]

Quote[/b] (Ericwiz @ Jan. 19 2005,04:12)]

Quote[/b] (reven @ Jan. 18 2005,09:24)]pretty much the attributes you see are the only ones you are allowed, and must follow (ie delete one, the feature wont work).  except for in the <compositeimage> tags.

I've run into this already as I've been trying to modify skins.
So I guess you are saying we can't add SpecialElements or composite images that are not already part of the plugin.

Ok, well, what about what attributes are available for the different objects...
For instance Color. This seems to be able to be a named color, a hex value or some fade ability with horizontal?
Um... can drawrounedrect have a transparency value?

I guess any information any of you gurus can impart would be helpful...

most of the colors can have hex values, but in some cases this causes gbpvr to crap out (i dont know why this is happening, it just does, sub might know). im pretty sure in most cases you cant have the horizontal fade look, only in the tv guide i think this is possible. im not sure about the transparent roundedrect, but just give it a try, it might work, ive never tried this.

and no you cant add specialelemnts or composite images that arent already there, the plugins will only look for things that its coded to look for.

[Ericwiz]

Thanks reven that's a big help.