Topic: possible to change folder icons in theater view depending on subtype? (Read 4706 times)

HTPC4ME · « **on:** March 25, 2011, 11:25:16 am »

im getting bored of the brown folders in theaterview everywhere, can we change the folder images by media subtype?
I'd like to make special folders for tv shows, movies, self help, home videos, recently imported, artists, directors, i'd also like to change the folders in my music as well. make dance,rock, jazz etc folders.

Thanks for any tips.

PS. I'd have no problem sharing these folder images with others if it's possible.

HTPC4ME · « **Reply #1 on:** March 25, 2011, 11:34:10 am »

for movies instead of using folders i was thinking like a fan out of cover arts, tv shows same thing, fan out of tv series's.

Would look sharp!

sunfire7 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 25, 2011, 11:38:21 am »

fantastic Idea!

rick.ca · « **Reply #3 on:** March 25, 2011, 07:10:28 pm »

Quote from: xtacbyme on March 25, 2011, 11:25:16 am

im getting bored of the brown folders in theaterview everywhere...

You're doing something wrong. I'm afraid I'm unable to tell you exactly what that is. It happens to me sometimes when I'm creating a new view. When it does, I can see the difference between the new view's configuration and my existing views, and fix it. Unfortunately, I'm unable to reproduce the condition, and I have no ugly brown folders in any of my views. It's just one of a number of things that are flaky about the Theatre View configuration.

Just a guess... It might have something to do with how the "Items to Show" are nested. This is how I understand the three available levels should be used:

Main menu: Audio, Images, Video, etc.
Sub menu: "Library Items" added to a particular main menu item. These appear on a second line under the selected main menu item. This can be confusing—this "library item" could be a view, or it may have other items nested below it...
Nested library items: These appear on the second roller once the parent item has been selected (i.e., within the view itself).

If categories have been selected for a library item (at level 2 if there are no nested items and otherwise level 3), then the view should show thumbnails for each category value—not folders. There are three styles available for displaying these—selected from within Theatre View (More>Toggle List Style). My almost universal preference it the one that shows a row of thumbnails for each category value, and rotates them if there are more than will fit. That works very nicely for showing the albums of an artist, the movies of a genre, the episodes of a series, etc.

Quote

I'd like to make special folders for tv shows, movies, self help, home videos, recently imported, artists, directors, i'd also like to change the folders in my music as well. make dance,rock, jazz etc folders.

Just to be clear, what I've attempted to describe it the "proper" why to configure views so they will use existing cover art to represent categories. The idea (which has been suggested by others) of representing categories with separate images representing each category value is a completely separate matter. Personally, I have difficulty imagining that to be of much practical use. Where am I going to get images to represent (in a meaningful way) every music genre and style, media type, movie genre, etc.?

HTPC4ME · « **Reply #4 on:** March 27, 2011, 03:39:28 pm »

Sorry for late reply Rick, I just back in front of a pc

Please see pics for the folders i would like to customize.
This first image you can see ive changed the ugly brown to a gloss black, but if i could use custom images for each folder that would be great

For this image below i made a view for never watched and recently imported and i would liek to make my own images for those as well.

rick.ca · « **Reply #5 on:** March 28, 2011, 03:30:18 am »

Now I can see getting folders is not as difficult as it seemed. Folders will appear if a "library item" is nested under an existing library item. In the view of the parent item, the child view is depicted as a folder. It may be overstating the case to suggest Theatre View was not intended to be used this way, but for most situations I think there are better alternatives. I would move all the items shown as folders in your screen shots up a level so they're menu items on the second roller instead of folders. That makes them more accessible and the views easier to navigate—without ugly folders. It's also possible to incorporate a criteria like "recently imported" into a another view as just another category...

HTPC4ME · « **Reply #6 on:** March 28, 2011, 05:44:05 am »

I'm not sure i'm understanding.
I Appreciate the screenshots and detailed info. please see what my theaterview looks like (below)

Also not seeing how this will fix the issue once someone goes to types, they see all those folders ( i'm liking where your going but not sure how to accomplish it.)
Thanks Rick

rick.ca · « **Reply #7 on:** March 28, 2011, 03:08:31 pm »

Like I said at the beginning, I sometimes accidentally create a view with folders (maybe like your "Types" view), but I don't recall how I do so or how I fix it. The attached shows my "Titles" view which would seem to have essentially the same purpose as your "Types." As you can see—no folders. All the child views are on the second roller.

The second screen shot shows the configuration for my "Titles" view. Note there's no Categories window under Details. Is that what your "Types" configuration looks like? If that doesn't help, all I can suggest is you play with the nesting of your views so the child views appear on the second roller instead of as folders. Then tell us the secret.

Suggestion: Try recreating Types\Years from scratch...

Select "Video."
Add a Library item, and name it "Types2".
Select "Types2" and Add a Library item. Name it "Years2." If necessary, nest it under "Types2."
Configure "Years2" (add [Year] to Categories, or whatever).

If that works (i.e., shows "Years" as a child view instead of a folder), move the other items under "Types" to "Types2."

HTPC4ME · « **Reply #8 on:** March 30, 2011, 08:09:45 pm »

Sorry Rick, I Been Away, Work Has Been Crazy!

still no go

rick.ca · « **Reply #9 on:** March 30, 2011, 08:27:54 pm »

Quote from: xtacbyme on March 30, 2011, 08:09:45 pm

still no go

Please provide screen shots of your configuration—one with the types2 node selected and one with Years2 selected.

HTPC4ME · « **Reply #10 on:** March 30, 2011, 08:33:28 pm »

Types2

Years2

Thanks Rick

rick.ca · « **Reply #11 on:** March 31, 2011, 12:24:56 am »

Your "Types2" is a view, which is why the "Years2" view nested under it appears as a folder. It should look like the attached screen shot. That's what I get when I select the root item "Video" and Add...Library item. If that doesn't work for you, try Add...Root library item and nest it under "Video."

HTPC4ME · « **Reply #12 on:** March 31, 2011, 12:36:38 am »

will you send me a screen shot of your theaterview from the config pic you uploaded please

rick.ca · « **Reply #13 on:** March 31, 2011, 12:53:11 am »

Quote from: xtacbyme on March 31, 2011, 12:36:38 am

will you send me a screen shot of your theaterview from the config pic you uploaded please

HTPC4ME · « **Reply #14 on:** March 31, 2011, 01:02:23 am »

so sorry, im a visual learner.

may i ask one more favor..
can i see what the theater view screen looks like right before this one that you sent me?

I'd appreciate it

HTPC4ME · « **Reply #15 on:** March 31, 2011, 01:30:29 pm »

i understand now, what you are doing. so basically you have a REALLY LONG second row, and have no sub categories. like i do.
correct?

rick.ca · « **Reply #16 on:** March 31, 2011, 03:49:02 pm »

Quote

i understand now, what you are doing. so basically you have a REALLY LONG second row, and have no sub categories. like i do.
correct?

Not really. I use many views of different designs, all according to the needs of the information being displayed. Some use many categories, others use none. None use folders because I find them awkward (compared to the alternative of using the second roller) and ugly.

Hopefully, the attached screen shots are visual enough for you. The first is my main group of movie views. There are other groups for Credits, simple "flat-style" views (i.e., one for Genre, one for Years, one for Ratings, etc.), smartlists, etc. The second illustrates the categories used in my main movie view, "Available" (meaning movies available but not yet viewed).

sunfire7 · « **Reply #17 on:** April 28, 2011, 01:35:52 am »

Rick, since you are experimented on Theatre View, do you know if this can be achieved? (see screens).

default now:

after:

My idea is to change the default folders like the original message of this thread.

HTPC4ME · « **Reply #18 on:** April 28, 2011, 02:49:28 am »

sunfire7 - is that a photoshop edit? Thats what i want to be able to do! and then also change the folder once inside as well... I've still yet to get this issue resolved. all my folders are still the same.

rick.ca · « **Reply #19 on:** April 28, 2011, 05:33:08 am »

Quote from: sunfire7 on April 28, 2011, 01:35:52 am

Rick, since you are experimented on Theatre View, do you know if this can be achieved? (see screens).

No. But they're nothing more than a pointless annoyance. The views are easier to navigate to if placed on the second roller. And then there are no ugly folders.

sunfire7 · « **Reply #20 on:** April 28, 2011, 11:34:24 am »

Quote from: xtacbyme on April 28, 2011, 02:49:28 am

sunfire7 - is that a photoshop edit? Thats what i want to be able to do! and then also change the folder once inside as well... I've still yet to get this issue resolved. all my folders are still the same.

Yes it is a mockup!

Quote from: rick.ca on April 28, 2011, 05:33:08 am

No. But they're nothing more than a pointless annoyance. The views are easier to navigate to if placed on the second roller. And then there are no ugly folders.

Ok Rick I will try it and see how it goes, even so would be cool to be able to custom the icons used maybe with the xml or directly in the view's config

INTERACT FORUM

Author Topic: possible to change folder icons in theater view depending on subtype? (Read 4706 times)