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[jmone]

For MC Version 13.0.91 Onwards Only - Using the new Theater View "Roller" System

I've just done a quick merge of the existing Blue Too TheaterView skin with the Obsidian roller setup to create Blue Roller (Beta) to see what you think:
1) It's Blue not Black
2) It keeps the same graphics as Blue Too for the different areas
3) It keeps the same sort of Blue Too Front Screen
4) It keeps the breadcrumb and time on all pages
5) It uses the new roller setup of all sub pages

Things I've noticed but not sure how to fix or if I like the look of yet...
1) Vertical Menu on the front page
2) Why the Search Graphic does not appear on its sub page
3) When navigating the button turns green immediatly but the outline box moves over more slowly

Anyway see what you think....

To install just download from http://www.megaupload.com/?d=4H9NCLNA , and unpack the RAR to the "C:\Program Files\J River\Media Center 13\FullSkins" directory for now.

Thanks
Nathan

[Matt]

I like it!  I'm glad to see you've got it working with rollers.


The list draws the item background like it always has, including the selected vs unselected states.

If you provide a new selection image, it draw it on top of the selected item and animates it.

It might look better if you make both the list backgrounds look the same (or similar) and then use the new floating selection.  We may be able to figure out how to allow the floating selection to go under the items instead of over them if it would help.


I don't think the breadcrumbs at the top right add very much, but I know some people really want them always around.


(p.s. is that art you own the rights to, or is it from another program like Meedio?)

[jmone]

LanceD made the original Blue Too skin and unless I'm very much mistaken the art is from the Blue Too Skin over at "Team Media Portal".  As Media Portal is Open Source I have no idea who has the rights to it but is certainly is not me!

[Matt]

Where I was going with the rights question was, what would be involved in including the skin with the player?  Do you know who to ask for permission?

[jmone]

Where I was going with the rights question was, what would be involved in including the skin with the player?  Do you know who to ask for permission?

Thought as much...I have no idea who the right person is but here is the contact page http://www.team-mediaportal.com/about_mediaportal.html .

[rpalmer68]

Thanks Nathan,

I've been a long time user of Blue Too, so will give this one a go, although the black is growing on me I must say!

Cheers
Richard

[bennyd]

Cool, I always used Blue Too as well, now Blue Roller is my default.

thanks

[raym]

The original art for the MediaPortal "BlueTwo" skin was created by "Samsonite" (forum member?) who is credited for many things including website design as well as other MP skins and graphics.

[lalittle]

Do you have a "zip" version of this, or could you point me to a free RAR unpacking program?  I've always really liked the blue-too Theater View skin, so I'm interested in this.

Thanks,

Larry

[gappie]

Do you have a "zip" version of this, or could you point me to a free RAR unpacking program?  I've always really liked the blue-too Theater View skin, so I'm interested in this.

Thanks,

Larry

im using this for rar etc... http://www.zipgenius.com/

 
gab

[glynor]

If you can't find the user to ask (and they might very well say yes if you do... I would)...

What if we just made our own art, using Blue Too as a strong influence, but starting from scratch and enough different that it'd be its own art.  As long as you capture the flavor, you could probably to a very good job and maybe even make it a bit better.

[glynor]

PS. Zipgenius is awesome.  No need for any other compression application, really.  That guy really deserves a cookie.

[raym]

One thing I've found after playing with the new skin a bit is that the <BUTTONS> section doesn't seem to have any effect. For instance, I'm trying to change the text colour for the roller(s) with "TextColor" and "SelectedTextColor" but to no avail. Is <BUTTONS> the right place to be attempting this?

[mabes]

I just downloaded it and all I get is a blank blue screen?

[Matt]

You will need build 91 from the top of this board to try this skin.

[lalittle]

im using this for rar etc... http://www.zipgenius.com/

 
gab

Thanks for the link.

Larry

[raym]

One thing I've found after playing with the new skin a bit is that the <BUTTONS> section doesn't seem to have any effect. For instance, I'm trying to change the text colour for the roller(s) with "TextColor" and "SelectedTextColor" but to no avail. Is <BUTTONS> the right place to be attempting this?

Another thing I can't get to work is when I try to add "rolling" images to the main menu like this:

<Item Bitmap="..\Shared\Pictures\[Location].png" Location="*" Rect="LocationPicture\0,0,100,100" Alpha="35" Alignment="1" Style="1" Background="1" />

Any ideas?

Thanks.

EDIT: One more, changing the list colours doesn't have any effect on text under thumbs.

[mabes]

You will need build 91 from the top of this board to try this skin.

OK. Installing that doesn't change any settings? Of course I will make sure my libray is backed up.

[jmone]

OK. Installing that doesn't change any settings? Of course I will make sure my libray is backed up.

Just check the notes, there have been some versions where some settings did change but not offen.  You should be fine to just install.

PS - Put some pics in the first post of what the Blue Roller looks like

[lalittle]

I like the fact that the breadcrumb path is always shown, but even with a path of moderate length, the text become so small it becomes effectively unusable.  Not to beat a dead horse, but the whole concept of "hiding" the breadcrumb path is really a problem in my opinion.  Is there any way to keep this info displaying on the 2nd roller line at all times other than when the control menu is displayed?  It seems a shame to waste this space in favor of a part-time blank line.

Thanks,

Larry

[mabes]

revisiting TV after a long time,what is a roller and breadcrumb.  Also how do you create View Schemes in TV,and finally, anyway to program up, down, left,right and select on a Harmony remote

Also a problem. When I go to Home/Playing Now, it shows my entire library, not PN.

[JimH]

revisiting TV after a long time,what is a roller and breadcrumb. 

Use the Obsidian skin in build 91 to see rollers.  Breadcrumbs are the locations like Music/Genre/Classical.

[rpalmer68]

Also how do you create View Schemes in TV..

View schemes for TV have been moved away from the tree and are now under Tools\Options\TheaterView.

You can Edit the views and add new ones etc under there.

Currently there is no way of moving/copying an existing view from the tree into TV, you have to create it again from scratch.

Richard

[jmone]

I like the fact that the breadcrumb path is always shown, but even with a path of moderate length, the text become so small it becomes effectively unusable.  Not to beat a dead horse, but the whole concept of "hiding" the breadcrumb path is really a problem in my opinion.  Is there any way to keep this info displaying on the 2nd roller line at all times other than when the control menu is displayed?  It seems a shame to waste this space in favor of a part-time blank line.

Thanks,

Larry

Hi Larry - the position and length of the "Location" bread crumb in in the "TEXT" section of "MAIN.XML" and can be made longer or moved to the lower line easily (but I don't know about making it come and go).  You can have a play with the values under "Rect=" below to see what works for you...eg but making 72 a smaller number you will increase the length.  I choose the current length simply as it worked for me OK.  If you get a better combo let me know.

Thanks
Nathan

Code: [Select]

<Item Text="[Location]" Location="***" TextColor="6699CC" Rect="72,1,96,4" Capitalization="0" Alignment="1" Alpha="100"/>
<Item Text="[Time]" Location="***" TextColor="6699CC" Rect="90,4,96,7" Capitalization="0" Alignment="1" Alpha="100"/>


[JimH]

PLEASE don't abbreviate Theater View as TV.

[gappie]

PLEASE don't abbreviate Theater View as TV.

no just type t h v without the spaces and mc takes care of it... see: thv 

 
gab

[Mike Noe]

View schemes for TV have been moved away from the tree and are now under Tools\Options\TheaterView.

You can Edit the views and add new ones etc under there.

Currently there is no way of moving/copying an existing view from the tree into TV, you have to create it again from scratch.

Richard

Okay, I'm losing it.  I don't see an option here to Add/Edit View Schemes for Theatre View.

[gappie]

Okay, I'm losing it.  I don't see an option here to Add/Edit View Schemes for Theatre View.

when you go to options>Theater View you have a list with what Theater View is showing. playing now, audio etc.. click on one ofe these and choose edit at the right side?

you see those?

 
gab

edit: ofcourse thv must be enabled under options>general>advanced>features..

[lalittle]

Hi Larry - the position and length of the "Location" bread crumb in in the "TEXT" section of "MAIN.XML" and can be made longer or moved to the lower line easily (but I don't know about making it come and go).  You can have a play with the values under "Rect=" below to see what works for you...eg but making 72 a smaller number you will increase the length.  I choose the current length simply as it worked for me OK.  If you get a better combo let me know.

I really don't know much about editing xml files -- I have to do a LOT of very clumsy trial and error experiments -- so things get complicated rather quickly for me, and this sort of thing can take a lot of extra time compared to people who are more familiar with this.

I still think that the most elegant solution (by far) would simply be to make the breadcrumb path appear by default where it does in the new Obsidian skin, but have it always visible unless using the "Play All/Controls" menu, which would temporarity replace it.  I honestly think that most people would prefer this.  I don't have the slightest idea how this would be accomplished in the xml file -- that's simply way beyond my "trial and error" capabilities.

Thanks again for all your help with this.

Larry

[lalittle]

no just type t h v without the spaces and mc takes care of it... see: Theater View 

 
gab

Wow -- that's a neat trick (and something I NEVER would have thought to try.)  I'll have to stop using "Theater View" for my abbreviation.  How did you know about this?  What other ones are there?

Thanks,

Larry

Update:  Hey -- my "T V i e w" just changed to "Theater View" as well.  I never noticed that before.

[Mike Noe]

when you go to options>Theater View you have a list with what Theater View is showing. playing now, audio etc.. click on one ofe these and choose edit at the right side?

you see those?

 
gab

edit: ofcourse Theater View must be enabled under options>general>advanced>features..

Yes, I'm an avid THV user, but I don't see anything.  This is weird, seems like I remember seeing it in the early 13 betas.

[JimH]

Wow -- that's a neat trick (and something I NEVER would have thought to try.)  I'll have to stop using "Theater View" for my abbreviation.  How did you know about this?  What other ones are there?

Thanks,

Larry

Update:  Hey -- my "T V i e w" just changed to "Theater View" as well.  I never noticed that before.

Careful, Larry.  We could turn you into Susan.

[lalittle]

Careful, Larry.  We could turn you into Susan.

No... not THAT!

(Wait... who's Susan?)