Front-row (pdm Skin Mod) Options

[djdafreund]

Hopefully you can ad the new "Enable Auto-scroll" function in the skin settings. Such a nice feature they could have added too!!!

[Sharpe]

Hopefully you can ad the new "Enable Auto-scroll" function in the skin settings. Such a nice feature they could have added too!!!

heh - great minds think alike.....been messing with that - I've put some support for that feature into the plot views. (Still finalising what I'm going to do with it though).

I'm still not totally down with the 5 icons though - I've done it and tried it - and I think it makes the screen look too crowded personally - again I'll have a play around with it.

[djdafreund]

Ah, that's cool. I still like the 3 icons also. No biggie. Thanks for working on adding the autoscroll. Can;t wait to see someof the new stuff your working on.

[djdafreund]

Also, could you please add 'Plugin Settings' compatiblity stuff to the skin? I know currently PM3 is the 1st proper one to support it. Thats why it will just go back to the icons when trying that selection, and PM3, it actually brings up the settings window, it has to be added to the skin to work right.

[Sharpe]

Done - I think.....again it's something I don't really use.

[uli666]

Hey Sharpe! Thanks for the new update!
I really like to have scripts and file manager in the home screen.
Just a couple of things that could be tweaked (as usual imho):

- little bug: when going left from the settings icon (on the standard home screen) it jumps to the Apps icon instead of going on one of the new "scripts/file manager/weather" icons.

- the skin setting page needs to be a little arranged... now that contains so many options it can become a bit confusing, especially for a not so experienced user.
First of all I suggest you to chose if you want to use the "hide" or the "visibility" formula, but not both of them. If you chose to let people hide some icons from home screen, then by default you show them all and then the user can highlight the ones he wants to hide. If you prefer the other way around you put only the minimum icons by default and then you let the user decide which extra icons to add highlighting "visibility" options.
Personally I would choose this second option and I'd suggest you something like that:

Settings -> Skin Settings -> Home options

- Enable Weather Information
- Enable RSS Feeds
-------------------------------------------------------
- Show Settings
- Show TV Shows
- Show File Manager
- Show Scripts Control
- Show Weather Control
-------------------------------------------------------
- Video Library Mode Toggle
- Alt Home Screen Layout Toggle
- Multiple Custom Alt Home Wallpapers Toggle
- Single Default Alt Home Wallpaper Toggle

Like that I think it would be easier to understand even for first time users.
Moreover for the "toggles" I would rather make them "active" when they are highlighted (now it's the other way around).

- I don't like very much the icon for the File Manager...

That's all for now!

Thanks for everything!

Uli666

[Sharpe]

- little bug: when going left from the settings icon (on the standard home screen) it jumps to the Apps icon instead of going on one of the new "scripts/file manager/weather" icons.

Thanks for that spot - fixed it.

- the skin setting page needs to be a little arranged...

Yeah you're right it was getting a bit unorganised - I've altered it sort of on your suggested lines - cheers.

- I don't like very much the icon for the File Manager...

Yeah it was just something I put in as a place holder really - I've made another one which "fits" a bit better I think - a simple NAS drive image.

Anyway I guess people can always download the skin.builder.rar and put whatever icons they like in it.

[djdafreund]

Done - I think.....again it's something I don't really use.

Thanks again for adding that as well. Oh man, you should try it out some time. It's pretty cool. For example, the Movie Theater plugin one allows a lot of configuration without having to edit the file now. I have a couple videos i found ('Coming Soon Featurette', and a "XBMC Presents" universal studios looking format someone made) that by setting the plugin options, Now when you select a movie (which same view you normally use) it shows 'coming soon' video, then a random movie trailer (also limted to rating of movie you selected, using plugin option currently there), then another trailer (or 2 more, you select the # in plugin options), then the 'XBMC Presents' video i d/l'ed, then the main selected movie. All those options are in plugin settings now, thanks to those guys. Works perfect in my theater setup when people come over, or my nephew (IE- Won't show SaW 4 trailers if a rated G/PG movie was selected, because of the rating option in plugin settings."
Check it out, definitely has it's usefulness. Just wanted to point out the advantages in case you haven't messed out around them in that aspect. And the new Joox released plugin also has 'Save video's/Folder selection' options and then some. Thanks again for such an incredible usefull skin. I turned at least 8 peoples xbox systems over to using Front-Row exclusively (Ok, 3 of those are mine).

I do have to agree with Uli666 about maybe reorganizing the skin settings now, with so many options, and please don't DARE think of removing some as the workaround. LOL

One more small request, possibly make 'Games' icon removable? (Dare i say? Haha. I also read the xbmc team rarely plays games ever as well.) So i guess i'm not the only one anymore. Funny, it goes to show how useful xbmc REALLY is now.)

[uli666]

Thanks for that spot - fixed it.
Yeah you're right it was getting a bit unorganised - I've altered it sort of on your suggested lines - cheers.
Yeah it was just something I put in as a place holder really - I've made another one which "fits" a bit better I think - a simple NAS drive image.

Thanks dude!
You are really the best!!!

Unfortunately the little bug is still there, I'm sorry...
Since you are working on the navigation... would be possible that when you go back from one section (movies, music, etc.) to the home screen, hitting "back" or "menu", the selected icon would be the one of the section you are leaving? For example if I'm on the music section and I hit "menu" I go back to the home screen with the music icon selected (now it always go on the "movies" one).

Yes, now the home settings screen looks more clear, well done!

The new File manager icon fits really way better. Very nice!

Uli666

P.S. Thanks djda for explaining the Plugin stuff... I didn't knew that. Cool!

[Sharpe]

Unfortunately the little bug is still there, I'm sorry...

Damn that's annoying - I must have forgotton to copy over the fixed home.xml - it should be right now.

Since you are working on the navigation... would be possible that when you go back from one section (movies, music, etc.) to the home screen, hitting "back" or "menu", the selected icon would be the one of the section you are leaving? For example if I'm on the music section and I hit "menu" I go back to the home screen with the music icon selected (now it always go on the "movies" one).

Right I think I get what you mean - never really considered that I suppose - I've slapped a <controlgroup> around the main home controls and that seems to have sorted that out. Let me know if it's what you meant.


djdafreund - those plugins sound really good. I can see why they're so popular - it's a really cool way to integrate scripts like that.

[djdafreund]

Looks great!!!

This post has been edited by djdafreund: Nov 19 2007, 07:20 AM

[uli666]

Damn that's annoying - I must have forgotton to copy over the fixed home.xml - it should be right now.

Right I think I get what you mean - never really considered that I suppose - I've slapped a <controlgroup> around the main home controls and that seems to have sorted that out. Let me know if it's what you meant.

Yes my friend! That's exactly what I meant! And even the bug is gone. Great work you did (as usual)!

*thumbs up*

Uli666

[Nezahaulcoyote]

Happy thanksgiving everyone. I hope everone has a good time today. Smoke up!

[lwessman]

I have a couple videos i found ('Coming Soon Featurette', and a "XBMC Presents" universal studios looking format someone made)

Off topic: but where can I download these? Could you post them somewhere or maby upload to a public torrent site?

[djdafreund]

yeah,i can do that when i get home.ill post a separate thread, and post a link to you in a pm.