Skinning News

[Fatman_do]

Earlier in this thread I asked the question: In the standardized BaseSkin defined future, who is going to write the skin.xml files. While I did get a lot of response, I never did get a direct answer.

The correct answer is: The plug-in developer.

I replied when dealing with baseskin.xml (being developed by sub) this answer:

Once everything is defined decent enough in baseskin.xml, a plugin author can refresh his 'blue' skin.xml file with this new method.

BTW, the developers seem to have some strong opinions regarding skinning...

The changes that sub introduces will improve things and not change anything in regards to what they do now. They have to make skins 'Blue' compatible, and I would imaginge they will maximize the new features that will be introduced IF they are so inclined.

Skinners will rewrite the skin.xml files.

For their own respective skins only. If they wish to. A new skin could easily be just a few files with no plugins included.

We will probably end up with a more elegant skin (BlueMCE), a low info bandwith version (Flat Blue High Visibility), one for the MVP (ContourHC) and one to work around overscan (Plain Jane) and a bunch that are just plain creative (XMedia A thru Z).

Its good that the standardized BaseSkin is going to make things easier for skinners because there's going to be a lot of skinning going on!


P.S. Don't forget HD.

Custom skins will always be around. There will be alot of major skin rewritting of these custom skins to adapt to the new features of IF they want to maximize the features of the new baseskin.xml file. Old skins that do not get updated will still work as they always had before. Nothing new will change how they had done things. New plugins (with skins written to the new method ) may not work so well, but chances are they wouldn't anyway. The beauty of it is, a new baseskin.xml can be dropped into those older skins and that would be all that is needed to give it more life.

(Edit before posting if you can beleive it: I started typing this way before sub posted, so sorry if I repeat what he says or take this beyond that.)

[Old Dog]

I replied when dealing with baseskin.xml (being developed by sub) this answer:





The changes that sub introduces will improve things and not change anything in regards to what they do now. They have to make skins 'Blue' compatible, and I would imaginge they will maximize the new features that will be introduced IF they are so inclined.



For their own respective skins only. If they wish to. A new skin could easily be just a few files with no plugins included.



Custom skins will always be around. There will be alot of major skin rewritting of these custom skins to adapt to the new features of IF they want to maximize the features of the new baseskin.xml file. Old skins that do not get updated will still work as they always had before. Nothing new will change how they had done things. New plugins (with skins written to the new method ) may not work so well, but chances are they wouldn't anyway. The beauty of it is, a new baseskin.xml can be dropped into those older skins and that would be all that is needed to give it more life.

(Edit before posting if you can beleive it: I started typing this way before sub posted, so sorry if I repeat what he says or take this beyond that.)

I concur.

Best Regards,
Old Dog

[reboot]

HTF did you get all those pics to actually show?

Advanced reply.
Upload the pics using the normal method.
Click the paper clip, insert given pic into text message. It will then appear.

[Old Dog]

You have decided.

The 4:3 skin that has the most viewable, usable, convenient and practicable screen layout for the core TV Guide is Contour HC?

As a result, I have started re-skinning Plain Jane's TV Guide to incorporate features from ContourHC.

What do think, is this on the right track?
[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]

This is Plain Jane's Mayhem version...
[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]

Personally, I really like the Mayhem version.

Best Regards,
Old Dog

[Fatman_do]

You might need to do something with the contour se.png where the green text is.

What does the text look like with a green background underneath it?

[Old Dog]

Good point, I take a shot.

[Old Dog]

What do you think?
[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]

Best Regards,
Old Dog

[Fatman_do]

What do you think?
[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]

Best Regards,
Old Dog

Its visible enough on my laptop LCD screen.

I don't know how well it comes across on a Standard Definition TV with composite video connections.

[Old Dog]

Its visible enough on my laptop LCD screen.

I don't know how well it comes across on a Standard Definition TV with composite video connections.

Its kind of ok. Enough that I'll wait for more more in-use feedback.

Thanks,
Old Dog

[Old Dog]

I have started re-skinning XGuide to improve usability just as I did with the core TV Guide recently.

Here is a screen shot of XGuide on Plain Jane's SoBe skin...
[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]

Enjoy!
Old Dog