CommunitySkin 4 Open development thread.

[steeb]

Splendid answer,

I suppose the reason I questioned was that the skin plugin has never worked 100% for me but I just tweak. What scared me was that the Dev's seemed to be getting v excited advancing without addressing some previous issues.

BUT that is my fault for not speaking up with my user issues, love the skin!

Cheers

Steeb

[McBainUK]

I suppose the reason I questioned was that the skin plugin has never worked 100% for me but I just tweak...BUT that is my fault for not speaking up with my user issues

Now's a good time

[Ted the Penguin]

Some popups have lists elements to them. Ted the Penguin requested (as this is what sassari does).

no, I requested it because I have black selectors in my skin, so the look and feel didn't really match, since the buttons are red... but I nitpick


I don't think that using masks for buttons will require changes anywhere other than baseskin.xml

[steeb]

Now's a good time

From McBain

Cheers McBain, you are right.

As per previous post one installer with Comm Skin files and the plugin would seem to make sense to me.

What I do appreciate is that I can run the skin plugin on my server to set changes as I want and then disable it in config so that it doesn't appear on the menu which seems to confuse my wife. Also then that it doesn't appear on my MVP's which can't make changes anyway.

I think my main issue has been with missing graphics as I go through the possible options with the plugin.

No access to my server at the moment as watching good film on TV and not in mood to climb into loft (actually bit of a lie I could remoted in) but do remember that for instance I've changed the screensaver with the plugin and it had made no difference.

As per previous post not a problem for me as I just tweak it within GBPVR but for new users......?

Cheers

Steeb

[ACTCMS]

I would quite like it if the Skin Plugin was extended to support switching between any of the currently installed skins. I'm a Blue-Retro-SHV man myself (small TVs), but I often play about on the laptop, and it would be nice to switch in and out of CS without having to go in and out of Config.

[Fatman_do]

no, I requested it because I have black selectors in my skin, so the look and feel didn't really match, since the buttons are red... but I nitpick

"Ted requested"...."Popup selectors"...."Sassari", sounds like I had it about right. :p

I don't think that using masks for buttons will require changes anywhere other than baseskin.xml

Then that can be done as a theme easily enough without much chaos.

The skinplugin aspect of it seems like a bit of work (actual plugin and groundwork\organization\ect.) The trouble with the masks shape vs background images seems like a potential point of aggravation.

Then the user having to choose:
a mask for normal buttons+color
a mask for selected & selected inactive buttons+color
+The same thing for list selectors.
+The same thing for poup selectors (if added).

There must be an option for having a blank button and/or selector images, with no visible mask for themes that want a clean look for unselected items.

Is all that extra work worth it?

[Fatman_do]

I would quite like it if the Skin Plugin was extended to support switching between any of the currently installed skins. I'm a Blue-Retro-SHV man myself (small TVs), but I often play about on the laptop, and it would be nice to switch in and out of CS without having to go in and out of Config.

Edit: Confirmed
Any skin that conforms to the image naming and location conventions can use it to swap images provided the skin has the skinplugin folder with proper skin.xml file (Themes, menus, TV Guides and baseskin.xml file may cause problems.)

Then you could place SkinX specific menus, themes, baseskin.xmls ect. in clearly labeled plugin resources folders.

[Fatman_do]

This software is provided 'as-is', without any express or implied warranty. In no event will the authors and contributors be held liable for any damages arising from the use of this skin or installer.

Permission is granted to anyone to use this skin for any purpose granted under the GB-PVR license. Permission is also granted to alter it and redistribute it freely, subject to the following restrictions:

1. The origin of this skin must not be misrepresented; you must not claim that you wrote the original skin.
2. Custom variations and derivites but must be distributed without charge.

I am going to change the verbage a little, but the point of it being open to borrow from will still be there.

Probably going to change item 1 to:

1. The origin of any derived skin must not be misrepresented; you must credit the CommunitySkin as a source or framework.

[McBainUK]

it would be nice to switch in and out of CS without having to go in and out of Config.

You can chose the currently active skin from the GB-PVR settings menu.

[Fatman_do]

New look on the wiki.

http://gbpvr.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Skin/CommunitySkin

I have updated the plugin compatibility section to have a slot for xml downloads of 4:3 versions and 16x9 versions.
I probably won't release a full-on HD version (someone else can). This will provide a means to getting HD versions of specific screens.

So far, I have only added the 16x9 version of MusicLibrary2, which is the only 16x9 xml I have created for CS3.

I also trimmed up the installer for these mini-downloads. Tonight or tomorrow I will add the ML2 4:3 skin so you can play with them back and forth.