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[Matt]

What would you like to see in Hairstyle in version 10?  Fire away.

[jwaters]

The biggest ones for me

1. add/remove/customize buttons
2. save different haristyle 'scenes' with the ability to launch a scene from an MCC command. (to use *Lobby terminology)


For Example:

I'd like to launch Hairstyle, and have a simplified menu of:

Photos
Music
Movies

It would also be great to call Hairstyle via mjextman to a specific screen.  If this was possible, I could build the above menu in MyHTPC and launch the appropriate hairstyle scene.

Oh... and a better name (I like HTPC Mode)

JW

[Monkeyboy]

I would personally like to see

1.Highlighting of the Current track in playing now
2.Custom Buttons
3.Be able to add/remove columns like you can in Mega-Me
4.Custom background images
5.Changeable fonts and colours
6.Option to switch to full screen visualistation after x seconds of no activity
7.Add/Remove details from TV Mode (like Current track etc..)

and probably some more that others will think of  
Keep up the good work
RK

[bjsolem]

I'd like to launch Hairstyle, and have a simplified menu of:

Photos
Music
Movies

I don't use hairstyle and the main reason is that it is too complicated.  If you are going to go into this view, it seems to me, that you are going to do one of a few things, look at photos, listen to music, watch a movie, maybe photos and music together.

the suggestion above is on the right track, modify the buttons to simply get to one of the things you want to do.  If I wanted to be able to get to every location in MC I would use Mega-Me.

The options should be limited and task oriented:

-Watch a movie
-View Photos
  -Start slideshow
  -Build Slideshow
  -View all
-Play Music
  -Select Smartlist/Playlist
  -Select Artist
  -Select Album

I'm just making these up, but it seems like a good place to start.

[bjsolem]

6.Option to switch to full screen visualistation after x seconds of no activity

That's a really good sugeestion, less clicking around....

[sraymond]

Might I suggest that someone post (and keep updated) a master list of these suggestions?  I remember doing something similar for video a while back...  I couldn't find it, but it seems that buckaroo integrated my list with his list in the thread http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?board=3;action=display;threadid=10890;start=msg68257#msg68257

With all the V10 suggestions, I've lost track of what ideas help me...

Scott-

[sraymond]

Hairstyle has been discussed extensively in the past...  the thread http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?board=3;action=display;threadid=9671;start=msg56778#msg56778 contains a search of relavent links - but they seem to be broken.  Perhaps this would make a good start.

Here are the first four that jump from my mind:

1.  Give us the ability to customize the interface from a content perspective, not just a presentation perspective.  I'm talking about adding as well as removing or moving.  **THIS IS A BIG INCREASE IN FUNCTIONALITY**

2.  Voice control.  See my thread http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?board=3;action=display;threadid=17245;start=msg118044#msg118044

3.  Send the Hairstyle to the video overlay so I can use it on my TV-out via theater-mode.

4.  A "Show All" on the right menu - as a way to short-circuit the navigation vice having to continue through the rest of the <All>s.  Yeah - I know that there's a "Show All" on the left column, but that's a lot of moving around that could be avoided with a "Show All" on the right.

Scott-

[jwaters]

1.  Give us the ability to customize the interface from a content perspective, not just a presentation perspective.  I'm talking about adding as well as removing or moving.  **THIS IS A BIG INCREASE IN FUNCTIONALITY**

I think ADDING custom content could come later - First, I just want the ability to remove unwanted buttons, and "jump" to a specific place.   So, I click "Photos" from MyHTPC and it launches Hairstyle as if I navigated to "Media Library-Photos"

[bennyd]

That eg The full screen track info is customisable via hairstyle, and when you switch back to mega-me, it will take another track info.

Simplified navigation (eg DVD playback, TV playback etc)

[jleerigby]

AHHHH...remembered one more thing:

8.  Dual-Monitor support.  I would love to be able to have Hairsttyle set to run on only my second monitor while leaving my PC Monitor free to be used as normal.  In a perfect world, I would have Hairstyle on the TV and still be able to use MC on the PC as I would normally; however, if it *had* to be minimized to the system tray instead, it would be a fine comprimize.

My wife watches movies on the tv using Windows Media Player while I work on the PC (I usually run the movie in a little window)...I would love to be ble to do this with MC instead...plus have access to the music and photos.

I use HS like this now.  If you are running XP you can set your second monitor to be in Extended Desktop mode. Then right click the display area in MC and Configure display to Monitor 2.  You can now use MC in mega-me on your PC with HS or Full Screen Vis on your PC.

[jleerigby]

I posted my hairstyle requests in the Turning the tables thread:

Top priority for me would have to be improvements to hairstyle.  I want to be able to add my own buttons for the different ways of playing tracks.  I want to be able to navigate easier with my remote.  Currently if I'm several levels into a view scheme and want to go somewhere like 'set up' I have to hit left arrow or back lots of times to get back to the main menu.  I want to be able to go to the main menu, go to the media library (where I last left it) or go to PN quickly from anywhere.


I'd love to use thumbnails view in hairstyle but it's too slow.  I'd like to see thumnbail caching as in mega-me.

[Jaguu]

I agree with everything that has been said before plus

- quicker reaction to remote controls (could be a remote control problem)

- some sort of client/server implementation, Hairstyle being an independent frontend to the MC database

- display not only on tv screens, but also on minute pda's or pocket pc's

- different display for different zones

- gentle return to the calling menu position at the end of a slide show (instead of a black screen or fallback to mega-me)

- just one or two clicks to start an action

First step: Simplify, Second step: Customization

[gpvillamil]

1) Change behaviour so that MC stays in Hairstyle (TV Mode) or Full Screen mode until explicitly exited. A user shouldn't be aware that Windows is lurking underneath.

2) Assign a function to the number keys, so that you can use numeric pad or remote control number keys. I'm thinking that in every screen you should number the menu items for direct access and/or assign temporary numbers for things like songs, pictures etc. so if you see an item on the screen you can just press its number.

3) Much clearer display of what is playing now, in every screen. A little panel at the top or bottom of the screen showing this, and after a few seconds of inactivity, switch to a Full Screen track info or visualization.

[ama_mmmc]

Make Hairstyle an interface in the remote server area if people want it, or use it as is depending on their needs.  

I do not really see the two current options that use the standard remote server as viable options.  Net Remote takes too much work, and I have not heard a thing about Glissando in over a year.

[tjobbins]

Hairstyle should be skinnable and thus completely customisable.  The skin interface should be one easily usable by end-users, not just developers.  Ideally there would be a 'Builder' that would allow me to drag&drop objects to where I want them to be, and define the succession of pages.  Failing that, some kind of markup or script language.

I am thinking along the lines of the designer for the Philips Pronto remote control - where you can position graphics on screen, and control which function they perform.  In the MC world, this would mean I could create my own graphic (or use a supplied one) for 'Audio', then configure that this goes to an Audio page, on which I configure there are buttons for Album View or Artist View, which I configure to give lists of the respective items, etc.  

I believe that giving the user complete control like this would remove a large number of future feature requests - this is something I feel strongly about for the whole of Media Center.  Spend time opening up customisation to the user (as I've mentioned in the general v10 features thread, re macros/scripting/complete control of toolbars), and they can build the MC they want, and post their customisations for other users.  Then J River can concentrate on upgrading the core functionality and features, and let the users mould them as they see fit.

[Chris Shaw]

I'd like to be able to switch what the Return key does, preferably by remote. Sometimes, I'm browsing for a particular track and I just want to play it. Sometimes, I'm building an evening's playlist, so I want to "Add to Playing Now". Sometimes, someone's requested a particular track and I want to cue it up next but without screwing the rest of the evening's listening, so I want "Add to Playing Now as Next to Play". At the moment, there's no way to differentiate these in Hairstyle. Some kind of switchable "Browse mode" which could be changed from Girder would be perfect.

[BullishDad]

I would like to use Hairstyle so that I can read it while sitting 8-10 feet away from the monitor, in my optimal stereo location, and use a remote.

The text has to be fairly large, maybe only 10 tracks can fit on the screen, plus navigation buttons.  A combination of the Album Art and large text for the track title would be nice.

In the current version, the words "Playing Now" should be replaced with the track title, and the highlighted track should stand out better from the rest.  Also, I've noticed that when I go from Mega-me to Hairstyle, the currently playing track is not shown if I have moved deep down the playlist.  The Album Art covers should display starting with the current track in the playlist, not starting from the first track in the playlist.

[slikvik]

I'd like to be able to switch what the Return key does, preferably by remote. Sometimes, I'm browsing for a particular track and I just want to play it. Sometimes, I'm building an evening's playlist, so I want to "Add to Playing Now". Sometimes, someone's requested a particular track and I want to cue it up next but without screwing the rest of the evening's listening, so I want "Add to Playing Now as Next to Play". At the moment, there's no way to differentiate these in Hairstyle. Some kind of switchable "Browse mode" which could be changed from Girder would be perfect.

Can I just say this is one of the single most important omissions from both MegaMe and Hairstyle and I've been requesting it for months. Quite simply there are too many situations where I don't want an entire list of music to be played just because I double clicked and sometimes I don't want to add files to playing now because I want to start fresh. I've mentioned this on a previous thread but in both Mega and Hairstyle there should be buttons and keys that - PLAY ALL, PLAY ONE or ADD TO PLAYING NOW.

Thanks

vic

[nila]

Would like hairstyle to be a full only ever seen GUI for a system.

This would mean I should be able to:

• Have plugin modules for it so that other features can be added by users etc.
• Rip CD's in hairstyle mode.
• Chose where to send the tracks we are selecting so we can send them to the CD Burner as well as playing now and burn the CD fully from within hairstyle mode.
• Control the layout (buttons, etc) like in myHTPC.

More control over text size with ability of buttons to 'stretch' to fit text in them.

• Be able to define which columns show for 'list' mode.
• Jukebox mode with cover and track listing together.
• More control over behavior of media types on selection (jump to full screen IF VIDEO, dont jump on audio, jump on images, etc).

[JC]

Thanks for starting this thread...here are a couple of things I'd like to see:
...
7.  Support for Flash:  I am sure this is a longshot, but think of what slick interfaces could be created if Flash were an option...they would scale to any size and always look crisp and clean.  Plus, they would be zippy.
...

I have to completely agree here. If Flash were supported for the "entire" interface, pretty much all the requests in this list become possible. Things such as Nila's case statements for media type, to media specific modes (for those that don't watch TV, for example).

The possibilities are grand. I envision flash developers (of which there are plenty) creating elaborate interfaces with an extensive *.ini file allowing individual users to configure the startup mode, which functions are available or not, etc ... I'm not familiar with remote configuration (as I don't use one currently with my PC), but Flash provides the ability to map computer keys to any function, so if PC remotes merely emulate computer keys ... voila, everyone has their number key functionality along with all the other remote configuration requests I've seen.

Basically, it comes down to providing access to all the program elements and let the users come up with the interfaces. I'm certain that during the beta process several wonderful interfaces will surface that can be packaged with the product at launch.

Offload a little bit of programming work to the hard-core fans

[slikvik]

Hi,

Part of the problem is that you have some key functions overlapping. This may sound like a good idea, but it just gets people lost.

What I mean by this is that the left cursor moves you over to the MENU, left again takes you back through the MENU, left again takes you through back through the MUSIC LIST.

Likewise the right cursor moves you to the MUSIC LIST, right again drills you further down but left will just take you back to the MENU.

This is wrong (sorry) and should go like this:

Cursors ONLY move between the buttons that are available on screen (no drilling or scrolling down a list.)

Enter ONLY activates the button that is currently selected.

Space Bar tags a button (sorry but you NEED an extra key)

Buttons are added to take you  UP (drill), NEXTPAGE (list), LASTPAGE (list)

Right Mouse click toggles full screen vis and hairstyle.

I've done a simple diagram here:

http://www.fmdplus.com/hairstyle.gif

Basically this is similar to how Showshifter works and it works VERY well as a remote controllable front end. (not a patch on MC9 in every other catagory though.)

Regards

Vic

[DWAnderson]

The biggest ones for me

1. add/remove/customize buttons
2. save different haristyle 'scenes' with the ability to launch a scene from an MCC command. (to use *Lobby terminology)


For Example:

I'd like to launch Hairstyle, and have a simplified menu of:

Photos
Music
Movies

It would also be great to call Hairstyle via mjextman to a specific screen.  If this was possible, I could build the above menu in MyHTPC and launch the appropriate hairstyle scene.

Oh... and a better name (I like HTPC Mode)

JW

I agree with this completely!

[Uwe]

Touch-Screen Support:
-all functions a reachable by left mouse-click (no right clicks, no wheels)
-big buttons


Uwe

[nila]

REALLY like that screenshot of slik's. Not sure if it's too much info for what can be displayed but I like the ability to jump around places easily no matter how deep into a view.


Also - the 'back' button should ALWAYS be showing - right now if we scroll down it disappears.


I think Hairstyle needs to be thought of as html layers - any of them can be made visible and jumped to at any time and the rest are all still there - to go back to ANY other layer you just need to hide the layer your viewing while it still keeps the same content and you can see the other layer. Bring back that layer again and it's in the exact same place with the same info etc.

Right now it's designed to be too much of a tree we navigate up and down.

From ANY screen we should be able to bring up the config menu and change settings then close this screen just like we now can do with playing now.

DEFINITELY agree that space needs to ALWAYS just select the items so we can select any level item we want - not just files.

[JimH]

Hairstyle should be skinnable and thus completely customisable.  The skin interface should be one easily usable by end-users, not just developers.  Ideally there would be a 'Builder' that would allow me to drag&drop objects to where I want them to be, and define the succession of pages.  Failing that, some kind of markup or script language.

Please take a look at the main.xml file in the MC/Fullskins/[skin] directory.  

[Matt]

The latest build of MC 10 has a much faster Hairstyle.

It also allows you to play a selection by hitting the "Play" button on your remote. (spacebar also)  Add the new "Pause" command to your remote in MC if you want to be able to pause from inside Hairstyle.

In one of the coming builds there'll be updated navigation that should require less in-and-outs in most cases.

Stay tuned...

[sraymond]

The latest build of MC 10 has a much faster Hairstyle.

It also allows you to play a selection by hitting the "Play" button on your remote. (spacebar also)  Add the new "Pause" command to your remote in MC if you want to be able to pause from inside Hairstyle.

In one of the coming builds there'll be updated navigation that should require less in-and-outs in most cases.

Stay tuned...

Yikes...  10.0.13 doesn't like MJFS 1.5.  Will it take long to document the new MJFS 1.6?

Scott-

[AussieBill]

I'm trying to customize Hairstyle and I have searched all over the place for docs on the MJFS main.xml file used to control Hairstyle, currently MJFS 1.6.

Can anybody point to the DTD or any other info? In particular I am trying to adjust the text font.

Thanks

[sraymond]

I don't think there's a DTD or XML Schema available.  If you look at some 1.5 skins, you'll find it heavily commented with explanations.

I think we just need to wait a bit for some documentation on the 1.6 skins.

Scott-

[JustinChase]

Posted by: JimH  Posted on: December 09, 2003, 01:26:35 PM  
Please take a look at the main.xml file in the MC/Fullskins/[skin] directory.  

Sorry, I'm not sure what you mean here.  Where do I find this.  I'm sure I won't know what to do with it.  But I love to learn new things, and this sounds promising.

[JaWe]

One new thing I would like to see in hairstyle:

It should follow the rules you have definded for view schemes; If you have selected list style Album Thumbnails, hairstyle shoud also display Album Thumbnails and if you have selected Details, it should display list.

And other thing:
There should be option in "Edit View Scheme": Do not show in hairstyle mode. I have many view schemes that aren't useful in hairstyle so it would be good to be able to NOT display those schemes in hs

[JustinChase]

Nevermind, I found it.

Where would I start looking to learn more about what to do with it?

I assume it is used to customize the look/feel of 'Hairstyle' in some way.  I would like to learn how to customize this and maybe work on doing some skinning/customizing for this view to make it more user friendly.

Scott said

Yikes...  10.0.13 doesn't like MJFS 1.5.  Will it take long to document the new MJFS 1.6?

Where can I find info about this?

[sraymond]

Scott said

Yikes...  10.0.13 doesn't like MJFS 1.5.  Will it take long to document the new MJFS 1.6?

Where can I find info about this?

If you look at the main.xml file in the directory "C:\Program Files\J River\Media Center\FullSkins\Hairstyle", you'll see JRiver's latest Hairstyle skin.  As of v10.0.13, the MJFS changed to 1.6.  If you look at older skins, you'll see an MJFS of 1.5.  The 1.5 skins from JRiver (i.e. the main.xml) are well commented.

Scott-

[JustinChase]

Sorry to sound like such a nOOb, but what exactly is MJFS 1.5/6?  Is it a programming language, an XML helper, a database?  How do I use it to design/customize Hairstyle Theater View?

Is there someplace I can go to to learn more?

Thanks Scott

[sraymond]

Sorry to sound like such a nOOb, but what exactly is MJFS 1.5/6?  Is it a programming language, an XML helper, a database?  How do I use it to design/customize Hairstyle Theater View?

Is there someplace I can go to to learn more?

Thanks Scott

Sorry...  I should have been more specific.

The "hairstyle" layout is described in a file called main.xml.  There are other files in a hairstyle directiory (each "hairstyle" is in its own directory under Fullskins) for graphics, sounds, etc.  But most of the customization comes from the main.xml file.  The XML file must follow a certain schema - and this schema (while nowhere officially documented) is given a sort of version.  MJFS 1.5 seems to have been replaced with MJFS 1.6.  This means that for now, old hairstyle skins (conforming to the 1.5 version) don't work with v10.0.13 (which requires the 1.6 version).

For now, I'd recommend you wait until the 1.6 version is documented.  Then, it's really a simple matter to modify an existing hairstyle skin to suit your needs.  Yeah, you need to be a bit of an artist (which lets me out!), but it's nowhere's near as complicated as a mega- or mini-me skin.

Scott-

[JustinChase]

Cool, thanks for the explanation.

How might I find out when the new MJFS 1.6 gets documented?  And, how can I learn (in the meantime) how to use the documentation to create skins?

Thanks again.

[AussieBill]

I was mainly curious about changing the fonts.

I noticed in one of the hairstyle "skins" someone submitted, that (at least in the screenshot image) it had different fonts, looked like comic sans or something.

Matt, Jim?

[sraymond]

I was mainly curious about changing the fonts.

I noticed in one of the hairstyle "skins" someone submitted, that (at least in the screenshot image) it had different fonts, looked like comic sans or something.

Matt, Jim?

I don't think this is currently configurable.  Maybe it was a visualization within the hairstyle.

Why not wait a few weeks and see how hairstyle settles out?

Scott-

[nila]

I'd LOVE it if when a new cd is put in the computer, (audio) MC can come up with a 'hairstyle mode' prompt asking us if we want to rip it or play it.

Again with Photo cd's - ask if we want to view the photos or copy them to the computer.

Same with video cd's (especially cd's with just an .avi file on them) - ask if we want to play them or copy them to the hard drive.


That'd REALLY help make MC the only GUI we ever need to see for HTPC's and make the whole process a LOT simpler and smoother.

There is no right or wrong as to whether a user wants to play or copy a cd each time, sometimes they want to do both so if we can control all this in hairstyle u'll have a killer program.

[JustinChase]

I would like it if the pictures were not stretched to fill the entire thumbnail, it makes most of my pictures look 'wierd' in the thumbnail preview window.

[sraymond]

I would like it if the pictures were not stretched to fill the entire thumbnail, it makes most of my pictures look 'wierd' in the thumbnail preview window.

Yup.  They need to be letterboxed, assuming they need to all be the same siize.

Scott-

[dkan24]

I just downloaded MC10 to give Hairstyle a try.  The 2 main problems that I have with it have not been resolved (yet).

1. Show me which song is playing now, along with what is in the playing now queue.

2. If I want to play an album, why do I have to drill down to the songs, and then go back to play?  I should just be able to hit play on the album, and have it go.

Great work otherwise!  It is starting to look a lot better, although I miss the Brushed Metal skin I was using for it.  

[knickelfarz]

I would like to be able to select from more screen resolutions, mainly for support of 19:9 plasma/LCD TVs and beamers, like:

720x480, 848x480, 854x480, 1024x512, 1280x720, 1280x768.

Some of these resolutions are already supported by graphics cards with TV-Out and Mini-ITX boards. Most plasma/LCD TVs and beamers offer VGA-In...

[dkan24]

oops - my apologies.  I installed MC10 on my PC, not my HTPC with remote.  I did not realize that hitting play on a group did in fact play that group.  Great job there!  

Also, playing now does show the queue.  

I still want to see the actual file playing along with time, without going to full screen.  

Great work guys!  It is very close!

[Matt]

I would like to be able to select from more screen resolutions, mainly for support of 19:9 plasma/LCD TVs and beamers, like:

720x480, 848x480, 854x480, 1024x512, 1280x720, 1280x768.

We list any resolution the selected monitor supports at the same frequency you're currently running.  Do those 19:9 resolutions require a different frequency (Hz) or something?

[knickelfarz]

... support of 19:9 plasma/LCD TVs and beamers, like:
720x480, 848x480, 854x480, 1024x512, 1280x720, 1280x768.

We list any resolution the selected monitor supports at the same frequency you're currently running.  Do those 19:9 resolutions require a different frequency (Hz) or something?

Ah, great news! I just fiddle around with hairstyles and already thought these resolutions are somehow fixed... I think in this case it's a problem with the VIA screen tool... there seem to be conflicts between the resolutions that are selected in that tool and the resolutions that are set by the OS... I think I'll get it to work if I can find the right order to set the settings... Thanks, Matt  

[sraymond]

2. If I want to play an album, why do I have to drill down to the songs, and then go back to play?  I should just be able to hit play on the album, and have it go.

Isn't this already available?  When I navigate to an album, hitting the space bar plays the selected album.

Yeah...  it's a little funky, because clicking on the play button adds everything (not just the highlighted).  But space works.  I imagine this will be straightened out a bit - otherwise it gets a bit confusing with the remote control.

Scott-

[Matt]

Isn't this already available?  When I navigate to an album, hitting the space bar plays the selected album.

Yeah...  it's a little funky, because clicking on the play button adds everything (not just the highlighted).  But space works.  I imagine this will be straightened out a bit - otherwise it gets a bit confusing with the remote control.

The play button on your remote plays whatever is selected.  To use the "Play" button in the button list on the left with custom selections on the right (instead of everything) you need to use "Start Selection."

[Jaguu]

I think Hairstyle View should be locked. That means no way to fall back to Mega-Me. This always happens at the end of a slide show. Instead of returning gracefully to the menu position I started the slide show it always falls back to Mega-Me so that I need to restart Hairstyle view.

This is a very erratic behaviour, especially if you want to setup Hairstyle view for TV and let it remain there.

As I already suggested, Hairstyle should be kind of an independent front end to the rest of MC that could even be started from its own icon with an independent line command.  

[NoCodeUK]

LOL I was just about to suggest the very same thing.  Also we have the auto hide mode where HS switches to FS when a video starts but when you press stop or the video finishes it does not switch back and you end up with a blank screen.  if you double click it returns to MEGA ME.

Also could autohide be configurable in some way, either by file type or with some kind of override switch.  When watching video I would always want it to switch to fullscreen (watching video in the PP is a not good for my eyes ) but not necessarily for audio.

Another thing that would be good would be a permenant playing now status bar independent of the pip either in a new status bar along the bottom or in the one above.

Finally I don't think the full screen control bars should ever up when navigating Hairstyle.  At the moment they seem to randomly appear on occasion...

Adam