Ok so I have redone the skin to be modular in nature and created a configuration utility.
Modules:- Cover Art - Width/Height and transparency configurable in the configuration utility (CU), set to maintain aspect ratio.
You can also launch the CU bu left clicking the image - Volume bar - Width can be 5 or 10px, height from 50 - 200px in 50px increments, foreground and background colors, all set
with the CU. There are volume set buttons that appear when you hover over the bar. The buttons change dynamically
based on the color, width, and height of the bar. The volume set buttons are based on a 2% increment hence the bar must be
set in increments of 50px. - Position/Progress Bar - Height can be 5 or 10px, width from 20-540px in 20px increments, foreground and background colors, all set
with the CU. There are jump buttons that appear when you hover over the bar. The buttons change dynamically based on the
color, width, and height of the bar. There are 20 buttons hence the required 20px per step width change. The jump back/fwd
options are 10 & 30 seconds, 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, & 30 minutes, and 1hr. - Rating Star - Color configurable in the CU,
- Playing Now info - Each line's color, size, font face, and style is configurable in the CU. To remove a line just set it's font size to 0
the lines below will automatically move up - Play Controls - The skin comes with 2 set of button which can be selected using the CU. To add more buttons create a new subfolder
in the Resources\Images\PlayControls folder and name them the same way as the included files. - Launcher - This skin is setup with links to the ReadMe file, RainBrowser, RainThemes, Configuration Utility, this post, and a Refresh
config button for when you are done making changes with the CU. The skin is hidden until you hover over it and resides in the center
of your screen (primary screen if you have a multi-monitor setup)
Future additions:- Tagging feature that is a hidden skin and only visible when you click a button. You will be able to make changes to the current playing file.
MC is directed to the file for tagging through the MCWS by it's FileKey so tagging any file other than the currently playing file would be near
impossible unless you know the key. I may be able to create some sort of translator to convert Name/Artist/Album to FileKey but it is a long shot. - Buttons to toggle Continuous and Shuffle state.
- Add to playlist
- Configurable links (LyricWikia or Last.fm for example)
- Anything else that is suggested and won't be overly difficult to implement
- Utility to backup UserVariables.inc so you can save multiple configurations
If you so desire you can uncheck the "Apply Theme" box in Rainstaller. If you choose that route I suggest that after installation you navigate to
C:\Users\*user*\AppData\Roaming\Rainmeter\Themes\FirstRun and open the Rainmeter.thm in a text editor. Copy all the contents of the file except
the entries under [Rainmeter] into Rainmeter.ini found in C:\Users\*user*\AppData\Roaming\Rainmeter After you have copy/pasted the contents if
you use the refresh all command from one of the several places it is available the Launcher will appear (well kinda see below)
You may be wondering why I have decided to load a theme so here is the explanation.
In order for the refresh command in the launcher to work properly the skins must have the group tag in rainmeter.ini
and the only way to ensure that is to load a theme or manually edit the rainmeter.ini.
By using either of thoes methods the refresh command will work correctly.
If you choose to load the theme on initial load only the Launcher is active, in order for it to appear you have to hover over it,
this is by design. The location will be centered in your primary monitor. I have configured the installer in this manor because there
are settings that are required. My suggestion would be to first click on the "ReadMe" link after reading that open the configuration
utility and make the required settings. Now you have the choice to either open "Themes"
and load the configuration seen in pic 1 below by selecting "RiverFront" from the themes menu or open RainBrowser
and add what ever you wish.
Download the rmskinJust a couple of layouts I threw together real quick.
notice that the "Track x of xx" line is removed by setting SizePN to 0
PS: I have reached a final name that I think is fitting when you consider what it is used for.