2006-07-09, 03:53 PM
Fatman_do Wrote:ThemePacks allow you to change the style (Horizontal, Vertical menus and such).
Is this something that can be done from within GBPVR.exe?
(Please realize that I am not up on ThemePacks.)
2006-07-09, 03:53 PM
Fatman_do Wrote:ThemePacks allow you to change the style (Horizontal, Vertical menus and such). Is this something that can be done from within GBPVR.exe? (Please realize that I am not up on ThemePacks.)
2006-07-09, 07:33 PM
Old Dog Wrote:Is this something that can be done from within GBPVR.exe? Yes, there is a plugin called ThemeManager that shows a preview, then once a theme is chosen, it closes GB-PVR and fires off a batch file that overwrites the Main Menu, panels, images, and task images. After a timed wait, GB-PVR is restarted. It works similar I guess in that regard to AM, but it is just a front end for the batch files. ThemeManager and AppearanceManager can compliment each other nicely. I use both methods. In Chameleon, a user can change themes using ThemeManager, then use Appearance Manager to change backgrounds and buttons, languages, and disable-enable task images, disable and enable panels. Right now, there are only two skins that support Themes, BaseSkin and Chameleon. There are much more graphic requirements for themes, but that is beyond the scope of a standard image based skin. A image based standard would make Mixman and my job easier in adding Theme (and AM) support. If anything gets resolved here, I will make changes accordingly. The only thing I would need to do is just change the names of the images used in the xml files.
Fatman_do
[SIZE="1"] HTPC: AMD XP+2500, 512MB DDR (400) ~ Capture Device: Hauppage PVR-150 Storage: 30GB OS & Recording, 160GB Post Processing & Archive Video Output: HD 32" TV via eVGA Geforce 6200le 256MB AGP DVI-HDMI cable out Audio Output: Turtle Beach Riviera S/PDIF Optic Output (Digital pass thru only) to Home Theater Receiver[/SIZE] [SIZE="2"] Moderator | Tutorials | Community Skin | CommunitySkin-SVN[/SIZE]
2006-07-09, 07:37 PM
So, are we all "talked out" on this and ready to try to come to a concensus?
Is it time to come up with a formal proposal that can be kicked around and torn apart?
Fatman_do
[SIZE="1"] HTPC: AMD XP+2500, 512MB DDR (400) ~ Capture Device: Hauppage PVR-150 Storage: 30GB OS & Recording, 160GB Post Processing & Archive Video Output: HD 32" TV via eVGA Geforce 6200le 256MB AGP DVI-HDMI cable out Audio Output: Turtle Beach Riviera S/PDIF Optic Output (Digital pass thru only) to Home Theater Receiver[/SIZE] [SIZE="2"] Moderator | Tutorials | Community Skin | CommunitySkin-SVN[/SIZE]
Fatman_do
The discussion have been pretty lame...no opinions except a couple of programmers said that they hate skinning. No comments from Sub, but I think he could go/acce an image base default skin, but he is waiting and see what happens. Most programmers makes Blue skins for their own purpose. Do skinners/programmers understand how the usage of Baseskin.xml can improve skinning ? Doubt it. Do anyone understand what the SKINROOT varaible can be used when installing Themes or Skin plugins? Doubt it. BlueMCE2 has separated XMLs and graphics BaseSkin has separated XMLs and graphics. BaseSkin uses Baseskin.xml feature more than any skin. Personally I think it doesn't matter if plugin skin uses BlueMCE2 or BaseSkin. The users have no clue how things work.....they just want it to be simple and working. I posted a merged BaseSkin and BlueMCE2 skin today. This means the BleuMCE2 now has BaseSkin features. You and I know how the Baseskin works.....but I don't think the plugin programmers or other skinners do that. Having all programmers make a BlueMCE2 skin is a good start. Specifying usage of the button composite images in the baseskin.xml is a next step. Using ButtonText and ButtonTextSelected is a next step. Using a TitleLogo in AllTitleLogos is a next step. New naming standard.....a lot of work with the ThemePacks....but OK, since I'm going to make a HD skin. A plugin skinning guideline as a document explaining things.....should be a good start. I started on that when I began with the Advisor themes. A cross reference grid of image and image name with CompositeImage name, BlueMCE2 name and BaseSkin name is a good start. Only you and I can do this...we have the whole picture.
Best Regards
MixMan [SIZE="1"] Antec Fusion case with Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-SH, AMD X2 4850e, 2GB RAM, AMD780G Onboard graphics. WinTV-PVR 150 MCE (With FM), Twinhan DVB-T, 750GB + 250GB HDD. Windows XP Pro SP3, MCE 2005 Remote, 29" 4:3 monitor and a 47" Philips 9603H LCD[/SIZE]
2006-07-09, 09:26 PM
Fatman_do Wrote:Yes, there is a plugin called ThemeManager that shows a preview, then once a theme is chosen, it closes GB-PVR and fires off a batch file that overwrites the Main Menu, panels, images, and task images. After a timed wait, GB-PVR is restarted. How well does this work with MPV's?
2006-07-09, 09:37 PM
As a result of this thread, I am looking into reskinning MCE for AM. So far I have Main, TV Guide, Search, and Recordings.
Here is a code snippet from Search\skin.xml... Code: [size=3] Notice that there is a single image file for the static graphics (se.png) whereas MCE uses at least three.
2006-07-09, 09:46 PM
Before deciding how you are going to do things, I suggest you clearly delineate what you are going to do.
2006-07-09, 10:53 PM
I havnt had much to say on the topic because I've been pretty busy with the new release, and I think that getting this right requires a decent amount thought. I have done some of that thinking, but not really enough to have formed strong opinions on the matter.
I'm writing something about this now, and will post comments in a few minutes.
2006-07-09, 11:04 PM
Up until now, I've pretty much mandated that plugin developers need to create a blue skin. This is because I saw exactly this situation arising - where it would be impossible to find a combination of skin and plugins that all work together. Always having a blue skin gave us that certainty that at least blue would always work.
Personally I have stuck with the blue skin being non-image based up until now because I'm useless at producing images in apps like Photoshop/Paintshop etc. I find it much easier describing what I want to see in XML terms. In this sense, using images can be an impediment for me each time I develop a new screen that requires new graphics. I really dont enjoy trying to create image files, and its a painfully slow experience. That said, I'm not adverse to switching to a image based skin, but you'd need to expect each time I end up creating a new popup etc, it'll probably endup as XML again, and one of you graphics wizards would need to give it the 'treatment'.
2006-07-09, 11:04 PM
For a bit of background on how I was working towards solving this same problem....
1/ Baseskin.xml was introduced for defining common elements - what buttons etc look like, fonts that would be used, standard colours etc. Specific plugins (for example, Video Library, Net Radio etc) would then all make sure they use these common names defined in baseskin.xml for it's own buttons etc. 2/ The skin helper was changed to fall back to default skin for things that werent defined in the current skin. All the built in screens in GB-PVR do this. I'm not sure about the plugins written by others, but I know several also support this. These changes took place about half a year ago. With these in place, a new skin, which changes the background image and the colours and the look of the buttons etc (much like theme packs), requires very little work. If you look at the attached green skin example (ugly), it is only five files, but is a complete GB-PVR skin, at least for every built-in screen. It could be only three files for a skin if I changed one minor thing in the main menu. I had been hoping that plugin developers would continue to produce the one mandatory skin file for their plugin, and that skin developers could then use the approach I've taken in that green skin example to produce skins that dont have to specifically define each and every plugin (unless they wanted to overide the default skinning for a specific plugin). The skin developer would be free to use XML or images when defining those common elements in their baseskin.xml The only short coming is I havnt taken it far enough by making the blue define more common stuff in the baseskin.xml, but I could have if I'd spent a little more time working on the blue skin. This standard skin is currently the 'blue' skin, but I'm not adverse to moving to some other default skin, which may have a slightly better layout, and has already defined or will define more things in the base skin.xml. Other new skins could then inherit most of stuff from the new standard skin, in pretty much the way I've shown this green skin example. Another change that might be worth making, is allow the baseskin.xml to define which skin should be the standard skin that missing elements are inheritted from, rather than assuming its always blue. This way you could have a series of skins based of sassari, or based on blue etc. Sort of a family of skins. This way only the few parent skins actually need to be actively maintained, and those derived skins pickup the changes for free. This Green skin is only meant to show the general idea, so its pretty crap really, but it was only about two minutes work. |
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