BlueMCE2-X cleanup project

[Fatman_do]

While waiting for responses, I am playing with button ideas.

Does a transparent "Glass" button seem lost or does it look "Cleaner"?
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The second image is the actual button if you wish to try it out. The name is from the original MCE2 skin in the resources directory. For Advisor/BaseSkin users, you need to use this in the skin root directory.

Backup your original button first.

Maybe make the green one a glass button and the clear ones be unselected? That might make the screen too busy?

Here is a faded green (40%) transparent
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This is the Glass one with 'Blue' layout.
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[McBainUK]

My vote is #4 as the images are allready grouped on the wiki table - eg 'Navigation items', List items'.

BTW how is this naming convention, image/xml standard to be used. In my head a picture a AM like plugin able to swap and change between "image sets".

Oh and can you give me an example of a IconView_Selected image and an IconView_Music image? Isnt it just as easy to have a Music icon which is drawn over a Selected icon image? Bit confused :confused:

[Fatman_do]

My vote is #4 as the images are allready grouped on the wiki table - eg 'Navigation items', List items'.

Ok, 1 vote #3, 1 vote #4.

BTW how is this naming convention, image/xml standard to be used. In my head a picture a AM like plugin able to swap and change between "image sets".

Exactly. There will be a means needed to change out "Theme" related images.

Oh and can you give me an example of a IconView_Selected image and an IconView_Music image? Isnt it just as easy to have a Music icon which is drawn over a Selected icon image? Bit confused :confused:

IconView_Selected is the blue background.
IconView_Music is the music symbol.

It is in fact a Music Icon drawn over a Selected Icon. It is specified as IconView_Music so you know where it is used. I guess other plugins could use this image elsewhere besides an IconView list, but usually they use album art.
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[Fatman_do]

What is odd is that your "PictureList" element is located at 190,65 with the size of 500,390. That must be what is located at and scaled too then because its image isn't 535x415 by any means. It is much smaller. Sub must have scaling with that then or I am missing something.

Confirmed "... Library" plugins use scaling.

Code:

<CompositeImage name="Background" size="720,480">
  <DrawImage filename="..\background.jpg" loc="0,0" size="720,480"/>
  <DrawText text="Music Library" loc="5,5" size="160,120" textStyle="ScreenName" align="Left"/>
  <Element name="FileList" loc="200,60" size="[B][color=Red]400,300[/color][/B]"/>
  <Element name="InsetRect" loc="13,340" size="150,110"/>
</CompositeImage>

    <!-- background images -->
<CompositeImage name="ItemListBackground" size="[B]525,410[/B]">      
  <DrawRoundedRect loc="3,2" size="[B]515,400[/B]" radius="7" borderWidth="6" borderColor="LightGray" fillColor="Black"/>
  <Element name="NoItemsFound" loc="0,25" size="525,20"/>
</CompositeImage>

As you can see, the Element "FileList" is set for 400x300.
The "ItemListBackground" composite image is set for 525x410, with the xml border just smaller at 515x400.

This is the screen shot of that code.


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That is brilliant in a way. That image has a "defined" size, and is scaled according to the Element parameters.

[Fatman_do]

Alternate glass button. This one is more square, and more "smokey" looking. It works nicely with different backgrounds.

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Same deal with previous button, for you to test. It might be a touch too dark.

Last screenshots for the day.

I just am on a glass button kick right now. I suppose someone with decent graphics skills can come up with better alternatives.


(Edit, I think that one works best with centered text buttons.)

[MixMan]

I vote for number 2 - All images in a subfolder.....like BlueMCE2. With the exception for new images that the skin developer comes up with = Plugin Unique, that shall stay in the plugin skin directory. Otherwise the plugin skin is not "drag and drop" compatible.

I am not 100% satisfied with the image naming that I think should be more "grouped".
The rules for naming is most important, so image "themes" will be portable between different XML layouts and that the skinner will stick to them.
I also think that some images could be moved out from the Basic Core images and out to the Extended images, to have a minimal theme image set.

I'm awaiting Subs comments to all this.

[Fatman_do]

I vote for number 2 - All images in a subfolder.....like BlueMCE2. With the exception for new images that the skin developer comes up with = Plugin Unique, that shall stay in the plugin skin directory. Otherwise the plugin skin is not "drag and drop" compatible.

I am not 100% satisfied with the image naming that I think should be more "grouped".
The rules for naming is most important, so image "themes" will be portable between different XML layouts and that the skinner will stick to them.
I also think that some images could be moved out from the Basic Core images and out to the Extended images, to have a minimal theme image set.

I'm awaiting Subs comments to all this.

Ok, one vote#2
one vote #3 (but am not "firm" on)
one vote #4

When you mean Core and Extended, those all would still be still in one location, just the Extended ones are all "optional" correct?

What in the naming do you think isn't grouped well enough?

I don't mind #2 really. I could live with it. What advantages are in placing it in a directory vs. skin root? I guess that folder can be "dragged" from skin to skin, but those files are just as easy to drag from root to root. Less typing with skin root in the xml files.

"..\Background.jpg"

vs.

"..\xxxxx\Background.jpg"

What does anyone else think so far?

Even if you just play around with skinning, what do you think?

[McBainUK]

What advantages are in placing it in a directory vs. skin root?

Cleaner and clearer. And if you want to view all the skin images at a time, you can just thumbnail the folder.

[Fatman_do]

Cleaner and clearer. And if you want to view all the skin images at a time, you can just thumbnail the folder.

Ok, I am willing to abandon skin root as a consideration. Out voted and I can see the point.

So now the choice is:

All in one folder. (Like majority of image based skins now).
Sub-divided folder. (separating images more).

I suppose all in one is simpler, but maybe dividing it keeps the clutter down.

\Images\ (Theme related images)
\Images\Plugin\ (Utility images)

How about that.

[McBainUK]

My vote is for this:

All in one folder. (Like majority of image based skins now).

Also, I'd like to suggest "_res" as a contatining folder because:
* it appears at the top of the list in Windows due to the '_'.
* "images" could easily be a plugin name, need something more 'system like'.