Common Images Plugins Skins & Community Skin Project

[MixMan]

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[Fatman_do]

I meant those that are in the baseskin.xml eg

<!-- These texts are found in baseskin.xml -->
ListText
ListtextSelected
HintText

Move as little text as possible to the baseskin.xml, otherwise the plugins will be very dependant on your baseskin.xml

The concept is to also control "common texts" in one location like we are doing with images. If all listview text, all iconview text, ect. is controlled in one place, that promotes a unified look with the text among all plugins also.

The plugin skin swill not be so easy to use for other skinners. For an unexprienced skinner it would cause questions.

Actually I believe it will make it easier once I move more to the baseskin.xml. All they need to do is use the baseskin.xml file from here as a starter (once it is finished) and then those texts can be changed in one place and that would affect many plugins instead of having to edit every plugin individually.

(The baseskin.xml file as it is now is going to be changed after the next release of blue)

I thinkt this is looking really good now. I have replaced most plugin skins in the Advisor skin now with these Common image based.

Are you gonna drop Chameleon now ?

Chameleon is soon to be obsolete anyway. I am not going to have time to go back through it to make changes to the new system.

[MixMan]

I agree but not not in all aspects, but these texts in baseskin.xml should be clearly defined on the CommonImage page, text definitions included in the skin.xml file and tagged out. Otherwise there will be some detective work for everyone that wants to use the skin files.

I dont have ListTextSelected in the ThemePacks baseskin.xml, so I will change all plugin skins for the Advisor skin. I will not change all my XMLs, just because you think its best to have as much as possible in the baseskin.xml (too much work)
It is easier to redo the skin xmls.

Also for skins with other resolutions eg Sassari, it will not work to have some Common text in the baseskin.xml

Just made a header for Plugin Common Text Definitions....on the Wiki

[Fatman_do]

Also for skins with other resolutions eg Sassari, it will not work to have some Common text in the baseskin.xml

None of these xml files will work with Widescreen or HD skins anyway.

HD skins have an additional problem since not all plugins can be rescaled. If they could, then those skins can use the same idea of placing as much common text in the baseskin.xml file as possible.

To handle dual resolutions, you would need to do like you are doing in the themepacks and have HD textstyles defined in the baseskin.xml files, with HD textstyles used in the high resolution plugin xml files.

Should we lay the groundwork for that also? (after everything is ironed out in SD)

[McBainUK]

A plan?

1. Finish all plugin skins.
2. Add images to the SkinPlugin folder so the user can swap and change between lots of images. I have permission from most of the skin desingers to use their images.
3. Release the skin for public use.
4. Tweak plugin skins - with GBPVR user's help.
4. Look into the latest version of GBPVR and define CommonTextstyles, just like we have done with the CommonImages. Move these to baseskin.xml

Thoughts?

[MixMan]

The whole idea with the BlueMCE2 cleanup project from my side was to:

1. Create a new CommonImage skin that is compatible with the BlueMCE2 skins that the plugin developer makes.

2. Create naming naming and design rules for coherent plugin skin looks.

3. Have the plugin developers to abandon BlueMCE2 skin for CommonImages skin.

4. Create CommonImage plugin skin files so that all skin developers can use them by "drag and drop" the skin files into their skins.

5. Make it possible for an end user to just drop a plugin skin file into an image based skin. Just like it is possible with Blue today.

6. Have Sub support the CommonImage naming in a new Image based skin, by having a _CommonImages folder and including some images into the Blue skin

7. Have the Community to create mages for a new "Default" skin that Sub ships with his GBPVR installation.

8. The plugin skins should be "out of the box" compatible with any skin, from plugin developer directly to the end user, without any involvemnent from a skinner.

The only text definitions that are "Common" today are, ScreenName and ButtonText.
Moving Text definitions into the baseskin.xml at this point will ruin many of this goals and we have just created a new "incompatible" skin that needs skinners to work.
We should make it possible to eliminate ourselfts. We always have the option to tweak plugin skins for our skins.

So at this stage I strongly disagree with you Fatman_do about moving text and definitions into the baseskin.xml for plugins.
I really would like to have plugin developers to support the CommonImages skins at this stage.

We are at point no 2 now

[McBainUK]

I don't understand 3&4 :confused:

------------
Has sub ever said he would drop xml skins and switch to images?

[MixMan]

I don't understand 3&4 :confused:

------------
Has sub ever said he would drop xml skins and switch to images?

Does this clarify it?

3. Have the plugin developers to abandon BlueMCE2 skin for CommonImages skin.

4. Create CommonImage plugin skin files so that all skin developers can use them by "drag and drop" the skin files into their skins.

8. The plugin skins should be "out of the box" compatible with any skin, from plugin developer directly to the end user, without any involvemnent from a skinner.
Just like the Blue plugin skins.

Sub has not said anything....so far. Having Sub supporting this is also important to get the plugin developers to embrace the CommonImage idea.

[McBainUK]

Does this clarify it?

Well no, in fact. You've just copied and pasted from your previous post !?

The way I understand it you want plugin developers to make a commonimage xml skin file, which is a good idea but in practice, some may not. They are only obliged to make a 'Blue' xml skin file.

8. The plugin skins should be "out of the box" compatible with any skin, from plugin developer directly to the end user, without any involvemnent from a skinner.

What is all this "drag and drop between skins". What are the different skins? Different xmls using the CommonImages? If so that means more skin files to update when plugins/GBPVR get updated. Which is the base problem this whole skin project was started to avoid. (rememer the too many plugins, too many skins... thread?)

[MixMan]

Having Sub to support the CommonImages is very important.
This should claify your question.

The plugin skins that I have made should be able to drop into any skin with a _CommonImage folder and work directly regardless och CommonImage button defintions.

6. Have Sub support the CommonImage naming in a new Image based skin, by having a _CommonImages folder and including some images into the Blue skin.
Having a background.jpg in the skin root for Blue compatiblity is probably a must.