INTERACT FORUM

Windows => Plug-in Development => Topic started by: Mr ChriZ on May 16, 2006, 06:29:36 am

Title: Make Display Disappear... (RESOLVED)
Post by: Mr ChriZ on May 16, 2006, 06:29:36 am
Continuing with the skinning theme....
is there anyway I can make the Display Disappear?
I'm still modding... I'm getting tempted to carry on till I complete an entire skin
but it's so much more difficult than Imagined!

I've hit a slight snag, I don't want to have a seperate "Display" Area.
I'm trying to make it disappear.  The closest I've got so far is to make it a single pixel,
but this results in a line, as you can see:

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/7974/disappear4ot.png

Problem solved, I just chose the closest colour and made the lne fit.... it's
far from perfect but it's hardly noticable now.
http://img127.imageshack.us/my.php?image=disappear23cd.png

I don't think theres enough flexability moving things around.
Especially the Menu bar.  Moving it up or down allows you to gain move the
play/stop buttons etc, but of course then you lose the menu bar as seen in
the pic above.  My only solotion at the moment is to move the menu bar  to
the bottom, which just feels weird.
I'd actually like to put the menu bar under the player controls.
or even better have it IE7/Windows Live Style
Title: Re: Make Display Disappear... (RESOLVED)
Post by: ferent on May 16, 2006, 03:26:05 pm
I like too much the skin, but I like the top menu too...
Itīs possible to do two version? One like that and another with blue buttons (Like WMP11)
Title: Re: Make Display Disappear... (RESOLVED)
Post by: Mr ChriZ on May 16, 2006, 03:39:14 pm
Funny you should mention the buttons...
I've been working on them...
(http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/2434/playcdr7hp.png)
I don't know where this is leading really.
Never really attempted this stuff before.

I'm running into difficulties though.
I can't get all the different versions of each button to line up,
I wonder how others have managed this....
Still playing... should be ready by Xmas :-)
(http://img506.imageshack.us/img506/3645/buttons6mv.png)
Title: Re: Make Display Disappear... (RESOLVED)
Post by: ferent on May 16, 2006, 03:50:06 pm
I'm running into difficulties though.
I can't get all the different versions of each button to line up,
I wonder how others have managed this....
Still playing... should be ready by Xmas :-)
I think another skins arenīt so difficult like that... Increible!!!

Quote
Still playing... should be ready by Xmas
Itīs a joke?
Title: Re: Make Display Disappear... (RESOLVED)
Post by: Mr ChriZ on May 16, 2006, 03:56:24 pm
Itīs a joke?

I hope so!  ;)
Title: Re: Make Display Disappear... (RESOLVED)
Post by: Mr ChriZ on May 17, 2006, 07:14:15 pm
http://img122.imageshack.us/my.php?image=more4nj.png

Today I'm reworked a few things.   I'm doing away with the purple
stuff, and going for a red crystal theme....
Still fighting space up in the top left hand corner. 
Leaving the more difficult icons for the moment, since
I'm having enough difficulties with the big ones...
Title: Re: Make Display Disappear... (RESOLVED)
Post by: Mr ChriZ on May 18, 2006, 06:09:22 pm
Tonight see's some new lines.
http://img516.imageshack.us/my.php?image=lines1zm.png

I think I'll sort the spacing out once I'm more sure that the graphics are staying
as they are.  Tomorrow I want to do the Maximise/Minimize buttons.
I'm not entirely happy with the play/stop button transparencys, I think I can
improve them.

Anyone feels like influencing the lack of design is welcome to do so  :)
Title: Re: Make Display Disappear... (RESOLVED)
Post by: ferent on May 18, 2006, 06:22:13 pm
Wow!! how can you center the top menu?
Title: Re: Make Display Disappear... (RESOLVED)
Post by: Mr ChriZ on May 18, 2006, 06:26:21 pm
Theres an alignment entry in the XML

<Entry Name="TopBar" Alignment="1">

Alignment 1 makes it center :-)

Title: Re: Make Display Disappear... (RESOLVED)
Post by: ferent on May 18, 2006, 06:52:00 pm
I think there are too much space between the previous, play, stop and next buttons.
If you make it nearest, maybe the song display will have more characters to show...
Title: Re: Make Display Disappear... (RESOLVED)
Post by: Doof on May 18, 2006, 07:30:51 pm
I really like how the Action Window just kind of blends in with the rest of the skin.

I gotta say, though, that I really liked the purple better than the red. I hate red. Whoever invented it should be flogged.
Title: Re: Make Display Disappear... (RESOLVED)
Post by: ferent on May 18, 2006, 07:58:13 pm
This topic maybe to be in "Third Party Plug-ins, Programs, and Skins" isnīt?
Title: Re: Make Display Disappear... (RESOLVED)
Post by: Mr ChriZ on May 19, 2006, 04:36:25 am
I really like how the Action Window just kind of blends in with the rest of the skin.

I gotta say, though, that I really liked the purple better than the red. I hate red. Whoever invented it should be flogged.

ROFL.  All my mates said purple didn't look good, so I thought I'd
try red.  I'll make different coloured versions in the end I think!
Title: Re: Make Display Disappear... (RESOLVED)
Post by: Mr ChriZ on May 19, 2006, 04:37:25 am
I think there are too much space between the previous, play, stop and next buttons.
If you make it nearest, maybe the song display will have more characters to show...

That is the plan, it's just a pain aligning everything up, so i'm
leaving that till last.

http://img511.imageshack.us/my.php?image=precision8wh.png
Title: Re: Make Display Disappear... (RESOLVED)
Post by: ferent on May 19, 2006, 04:50:57 am
That is the plan, it's just a pain aligning everything up, so i'm
leaving that till last.
I understand!! Thanks for the reply
Title: Re: Make Display Disappear... (RESOLVED)
Post by: Mr ChriZ on June 08, 2006, 12:35:57 pm
Done a bit more.
I've redone the trackbar, still not to certain about this.  I was trying
to make a reflective surface. 
I've also made a new Search bar.
I spent ages trying to make something that was Concave rather than
convex, and failed miserably... this maybe a temporary measure and may get reworked again at some later date.
http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/7922/bitmore1ns.png

Next I intend to make some buttons for Volume/Random/DSP.
Title: Re: Make Display Disappear... (RESOLVED)
Post by: ferent on July 08, 2006, 07:02:43 am
Whatīs about this skin?
Title: Re: Make Display Disappear... (RESOLVED)
Post by: Mr ChriZ on July 08, 2006, 10:14:41 am
(http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/7926/continuousoff2bu.jpg)
Still working on it!  :)
I've redone the playing buttons so that they are
now all aligned.  I've also made everything
more rounded and less pixely.

Currently redoing the buttons like DSP Studio/Shuffle etc.
Aiming to have the skin ready for testing in around a month.
Title: Attack of the blue splodges
Post by: Mr ChriZ on July 08, 2006, 03:20:30 pm
http://img490.imageshack.us/img490/893/attackofthebluesplodges9zk.png
Title: Re: Make Display Disappear... (RESOLVED)
Post by: Beatnik62 on August 12, 2006, 08:00:08 am

Any progress with your skin ?

Title: Re: Intention Skin
Post by: Mr ChriZ on August 14, 2006, 09:03:47 am
Hi Beatnik.
I'm working hard to try and get the Intention skin out
by Friday.  I'm heading to Africa on Sunday and will be away
for 6 weeks, returning in October.
I don't think I'm going to get the skin as finished as I would like
it to be, and I think there will be a few smaller graphics
which will still remain from the Thunderstorm skin, but I'll do my best.

I didn't realise just how much work and time goes into these things,
and it really makes me even more in awe of your skins Beatnik they're awesome!

I'm calling it the Intention skin because it was and is my Intention
to finish it before I go!  I'm sick of looking at the thing already however  :)

Screenshot here (http://img151.imageshack.us/my.php?image=intentionskinrt6.png)
Title: Re: Make Display Disappear... (RESOLVED)
Post by: ferent on August 14, 2006, 03:07:15 pm
Wow, congratulations!!

Has it effects in the buttons like the new MC12 skin?
Title: Re: Make Display Disappear... (RESOLVED)
Post by: Mr ChriZ on August 14, 2006, 03:12:56 pm
Wow, congratulations!!

Has it effects in the buttons like the new MC12 skin?

OH YES!  :)
Media Center does this itself by fading from one graphic to another,
so it's a case of just choosing good things to fade between.
Obviously however to get these effects MC12 will be required.

Title: Re: Make Display Disappear... (RESOLVED)
Post by: ferent on August 14, 2006, 04:02:15 pm
Grrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeat!!!

Another point to Media Center!! (I think the animation was made with Flash :-) )
Title: Re: Make Display Disappear... (RESOLVED)
Post by: Mr ChriZ on December 26, 2006, 06:09:53 am
Ready before Xmas
Itīs a joke?

Guess my joke turned into reality!  :)
Anyhow should have a beta version up by the end of the week.

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/7760/greatintentionsyx0.png

Just tidying up a few odds and ends now.  :)

Edit 08/09/2007
Screenshot prior to Beta 2 Release
http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/5774/shinyintentions2zx1.png