Community skin project

[MixMan]

Here is the latest version of the document.

It is still unstructured. I have been trying to add facts.
It might be difficult to understand he "whole picture" the way the document is structured today.

The first step as I see it is to clearly define what minimum images a plugin should use in BlueMCE2 and Common text styles.
Next is to define simular "Standard" images.
This would be possible and realstic to get the programmers to agree upon....I think.
Being realistic and in touch what is out there today is a must.

[MixMan]

BTW. I have been thinking of the ThemePacks listview. Some themes uses the whole border as a frame (3 - I think), some uses the whole space (Mayhem3)
But it would be possible to change the border..... and increase the width of the list bars.
So...why did you shrink the listview in the Baseskin XMLs ?

[Fatman_do]

So...why did you shrink the listview in the Baseskin XMLs ?

I don't understand.

I didn't use BaseSkin's xml's, I "created" my own. I did compare yours to mine, but list elements had to be rearranged in my scheme.

[Old Dog]

Old Dog,

Would you mind, if you had time, to outline in more detail what you are thinking. I am not sure I have a grasp on all the specifics that you may have in mind. I have an abstract, but I don't want to assume I know the details. You can put in a post, it doesn't have to be anything formal. I like to print things out and run thru them and highlight things and make notations. I can do this easier off-line.

I'll try over the weekend.

Time to sharpen [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occam's_Razor]"Occam's Razor"[/url]

"KISS"

BTW, I used to write code in occam to run my pipe-lined multiple transputer, high speed, multi-parameter, data acquisition and analysis system (fun, fun, fun). It really is an elegant language. Too bad its obsolete.

[MixMan]

I don't understand.

I didn't use BaseSkin's xml's, I "created" my own. I did compare yours to mine, but list elements had to be rearranged in my scheme.

Aha... I thought you used the baseskin xmls and modified them for screenname and orher stuff. You wanted to learn skinning "the hard way".

[Old Dog]

The wikipedia link didn't work for me but here's a quote:

Occam's Razor: The explanation requiring the fewest assumptions is most likely to be correct. (William of Occam)

Charles "Tony" Hoar, the creator of QuickSort, was pretty much responsible for the development of the occam programming language. His spin on Occam's Razor is

Hoare's Law: Inside every large problem is a small problem struggling to get out. (Charles Hoare)

Then of course there is Keep It Simple, Stupid.

[MixMan]

I wanted to fin out what Reboot are talking about, so I downloaded the skins that are out there and tested them. I have some plugins on my system.
Now I know what he is talking about.....I would say no skin is fully skinned, not even with the core plugins. Plugin support is a disaster in most skins.
What are we all skin designer thinking of ?
Reinventing the wheel all the time?

I will support BlueMCE2 plugin skins and try to get them OK in the XMLs and look good for 3 design.

BlueMCE2
Mayhem3
CountourHC

After that it might be time to have a diskussion.
First I think we should get the most common skins to work, with the plugins.
I think an image based standard will emerge when fixing BlueMCE2 plugin skins.

Who is in on this ?

[reboot]

I guess what I'm trying to say is, Let's get all the plugin developers and skinners on the same page.
If you make a plugin, make the skin that goes with it to the Blue standard, so it works with the BaseSkin.xml
Make it work with any other skin, if you wish, but it should adhere to the standard.
If you make a skin, make it compatible with as many of the plugins that adhere to the plugin standard as possible.
I don't expect all skinners to support all plugins, only those that adhere to the Blue standard in BaseSkin.xml
The plugin designers may cry foul at this suggestion, but it seems the only way to get a consistent look and functionality.
One good example is the weather plugin. It mostly works with the default blue, although it's font sizes, colours, button placement, and other things may be slightly off, it works.
One bad example is the email plugin. Hard coded for it's own colours, placement, layout, and just about everything else. Maybe close to the Blue standard, but not good for anything else, and nobody can completely skin it to match a layout or button placement/look, etc.

If an image based standard is what we're going after, then the plugin designers have to get on board.
We need a BaseSkin.xml that uses standard button (and other) images in the resources folder. Hard coded button text content is fine, as the plugins usually need some custom text to function, but font size and colour should be xml based.

Ideally:
Remove as many skin.xml files from the individual sections as possible. Make them rely only on BaseSkin.xml
Download any plugin, and it uses BaseSkin.xml for the total look of the plugin.
Skinners need only change parameters in BaseSkin.xml and/or images in Resources, to create a completely new skin.

[Old Dog]

I wanted to fin out what Reboot are talking about, so I downloaded the skins that are out there and tested them. I have some plugins on my system.
Now I know what he is talking about.....I would say no skin is fully skinned, not even with the core plugins. Plugin support is a disaster in most skins.
What are we all skin designer thinking of ?
Reinventing the wheel all the time?

I will support BlueMCE2 plugin skins and try to get them OK in the XMLs and look good for 3 design.

BlueMCE2
Mayhem3
CountourHC

After that it might be time to have a diskussion.
First I think we should get the most common skins to work, with the plugins.
I think an image based standard will emerge when fixing BlueMCE2 plugin skins.

Who is in on this ?

I'm happy to hear that our understanding of the objective is growing more similar.

I think it would be better to have the discussion first.

[Old Dog]

Ideally:
Remove as many skin.xml files from the individual sections as possible. Make them rely only on BaseSkin.xml
Download any plugin, and it uses BaseSkin.xml for the total look of the plugin.
Skinners need only change parameters in BaseSkin.xml and/or images in Resources, to create a completely new skin.

Reboot,

I will take a closer look at the rest of your post later. For now, your "Ideally" section jumped out and begged me for comment.

Plug-ins usually produce screen output. The output may be grouped into one or more blocks of information. Each block requires sizing and placement on the screen. The size and location of each block of information should be controlled by the plug-in's skni.xml file.

If the plug-in produces screen output, it should have it's own skin.xml file.