[Skin] Rapier Clarity Mod (3.5.49)

[byron]

- MAJOR UPDATE (custom submenus) -

Mind wrecking...wracking...whatever...this addition was quite large! I wasted quite a bit of time on the animations and on "Skin Settings." I don't even know where to begin with trying to explain the amount of frustration, anger, wasted time, neglect of my family...all for the stupid idea of my own egotistical endeavor to learn something new, but... I am quite certain that you will enjoy what I have come up with I'm not going to go into detail...but you're definitely going to want to download this and check it out. 49 Sub-menu additions possible with sweet animations (all able to be added just by browsing for them) and I even decided to make it easy for the noobs:

You can simply add your sources right from the sub-menu...they can be favourites, plugins or scripts! Quick note though, adding this plethora of strings to my skin really made a hit on the stable version of xbmc4xbox. It still works, but the stable just doesn't handle the strings so well. I ended up doing the remainder of my addition on r31727 and man is that thing fast! Stable or nightly, either way...this skin (or any skin on xbmcxbox) will work better if you compress your images into .dds IMO ---

@ jan...sorry I didn't include the search in my skin yet...but I did UPDATE a bunch of problems that this addition exposed so please check out what I've done

@ Sealy...thanks for the kind words again, hopefully you will enjoy what I've done this time (I really made this skin a LOT sweeter)

@ 5l1p...The problem with the OSD was my fault for meddling in things that I didn't understand at the time...It is fixed now and the issue with the missing icon is resolved for the time being. FYI those icons are for subtitles and you need the script to actually be able to use them, also the included .xml for viewing the script in this skin has not been touched so that's just one more thing I need to go over. No, I'm not going to mess with the Big icon view, but I can make the ring around it blue if you like...and it would also be very easy to make the actual images transparent in skin settings. Glad you like the weather addition, I really like the feeling that it brings to the experience in the "background." As for the list2 view...that really shouldn't be to difficult, just need some time on that because right now I'm really burnt out after this addition...

Enjoy custom sub-menus, and as always any feedback is much appreciated ---

[cifa]

sounds awesome work byron...well done. I know the pain of development - but your efforts are much appreciated.
I will download soon & test but up to my eyes in other stuff.
still I'd like to say thanks

[whufclee]

+1, looking forward to trying this out... however it might not be physically possible until next week now. Thanks for all your hard work.

[5l1p]

Thanks. Really good update byron! The integration of addons4xbox shortcuts is particularly good.

Regarding the big icons I was referring to the white box backgrounds behind the icons, I find them a bit over powering in relation to the skin. These however are not visible in the small icon view which I am currently using but would prefer to use the big icon view for the larger image. If you could give the option to turn them off this would be lovely! I’m unsure if you thought I was asking about the blue highlight selector, which to me is fine.

I have found a couple of cosmetic issues, I will post these at a later date when you have recouped!

Thanks again, I look forward to anything else you have in store for us.

[byron]

@ cifa...yea, once you really get involved with an idea it totally just consumes your entire mind (at least that's how I get when expressing ideas no matter what "medium" I'm working with). Check it out if you like, I would appreciate your thoughts and thank you for the nice comments.

@ whufclee...I think you'll like what I've come up with. It's simple and efficient. Any thoughts or further suggestions are welcome, looking forward to what you might have to say when you get a chance to check out the sub-menu addition.

@ 5l1p...I changed the "Big Icon" ring to the same blue color as the other icon items and it looks pretty sweet that way. Thanks for the idea, and don't hold back on the other cosmetic suggestions. Actually, you're one of the few people that's brought inconsistencies to my attention that need correcting so by all means tell me what you're noticing.

**NOTE**

What I did with the sub-menus completely slowed down Stable 3.2.1, so I fixed that issue (it now works really well on both stable and developmental builds) and I added a separate download specifically for the stable version. Everything is still current ATM, but there are different files needed to make it run smoother. If you're using 3.2.1 dowload "Stable 3.2.1" and if you're using a DEV version download "Current"

[Enos]

Thank you so much byron for updating and adding new stuff to this great skin.I really cant wait to try this out. I was wondering if you would consider adding a sub menu under movies for ''Recently Added" The people I live with have an old school CRT in the livinroom and just recently I gave them an xbox with xbmc ready. They love it! But they have a hard time figuring whats what. I just want an easy way for them to see what movies are new instead of looking through the entire library. Thank you so much once again.

[cam80]

Thx Byron for this excellent skin. Looks awesome.

[byron]

- MAJOR UPDATE ( custom home categories ) -

Okay, so this is pretty sweet:

start by navigating to skin settings, and go here...

which leads here where you set up your new button...

click path to select a favourite....

choose your favourite and then set the button's focus/no-focus image...

exit out and you should be good to go

navi label.jpg (8.14 KiB) Viewed 4826 times

Several things to mention. First of all, as much as I would love to take credit for this idea I cannot. This is one of several things that scarfa had done in Rapier 4.0, and I'm just trying to update my mod for us as these are nice features to have. The code to make it work is similar, and I completely revamped the look and style of things to match what I did with the submenus. Hopefully you'll dig it...

The process works perfectly, but it might be a bit confusing for a couple of reasons...mostly the focus and no focus items for the button. Default is set to CUSTOM 1, CUSTOM 2, etc...with a total of eight items. When you change the name to one of the included items you must select an item from the panel or it will be blank on the home screen (couldn't really find a way around it, so if you enter the panel just be sure to select one or go back to the "fall back" folder and choose the right custom button from that panel). I've spent a good deal of time in photoshop trying to duplicate scarfa's style for the labels and I've got it close enough to where it's pretty hard to tell the difference. Having said that, if anyone would like custom labels let me know and I'll "whip em up" as fast as I can.

Also worth mentioning, the background is customizable along with the ability to add a custom icon if you like. I didn't include any special backgrounds (just the original defaults for the skin, but if you want to add your own backgrounds place them in Rapier Clarity Mod/backgrounds and you will have access to them from the interface in skin settings. As for Icons, you're on your own there. Place them wherever you want and the file browser will open for you to navigate to it when you click on path.

Check it out and let me know what you think, any feedback is appreciated. Next on my "to do" list is integrating Dom's content.search.py script for this skin ---

@ Enos...no problem, and welcome to the forum. Sorry for such a late reply, I tend to get wrapped up in things.

I was wondering if you would consider adding a sub menu under movies for ''Recently Added"

There already is submenu for movies, and it has recently added as the first item. However there is no limit on how many items it will show atm so if you would like to do a bit of coding I can tell you how to change it so that it shows only the last 10 or 15 items added. Also, if you are using a dev. build, you can turn on recently added movies in skin settings and it will show you the last 5 added items on the home screen when you are in the movies category.

@ cam80...very nice of you to say, and welcome to the forum.

[Strelki]

Thanks for your skin.
I have try your skin, but my xbmc is in french language and with your skin I have not "é", "è" ect the problem come maybe about fonts use or you can say me what I can do for fix its or I am obliged use xbmc4xbox in english.
And I have not see if programs (games, emulators) have a view fanart too, sorry I have fly over the skin.

[byron]

@ Strelki...Unzip and place this fonts folder in Rapier Clarity Mod/ and overwrite the folder that is already there via ftp. Language exposes the worst problem I've encountered while working on this skin and I am constantly updating strings as I move through the labels. Thanks for trying, let me know if I can help with anything else...

[byron]

-

[xman]

Cool, thanks Byron, I'll give your skin a go.

[skatulskijean]

Welcome Back Byron !

Nice to see your here again i think i have not tested your Last Skin Version But i will it do !
Was a little Bit bussy with creating my own addons for xbmc4xbox and main xbmc!

Have you tested my last xbmc4xbox addons (since not all on the repo )
momently i like my CannaPowerXBMC4XBOX addon for main-xbmc and xbmc4xbox!


Have a nice Day !!!!


Regards Jan

[Strelki]

@ Strelki...Unzip and place this fonts folder in Rapier Clarity Mod/ and overwrite the folder that is already there via ftp. Language exposes the worst problem I've encountered while working on this skin and I am constantly updating strings as I move through the labels. Thanks for trying, let me know if I can help with anything else...

Very sorry byron, I come very late! Thank you for your fonts, I have try! it's good but just a little problem in meteo and in the up of screen
I have take screenshot because for explain in english I am not good:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/59 ... 000lc.png/
You can see, it doesn't write METEO but M T O. And with other it's same problem in the up if word have accent.
I have search and the problem it's not yoru skin, It's french language ^^, Today I have change string.xml in my language folder in xbmc4xbox 3.2.1.
<string id="3">Vidéos</string>
<string id="5">Paramètres</string>
<string id="8">Météo</string>
And I have put :
<string id="3">Videos</string>
<string id="5">Parametres</string>
<string id="8">Meteo</string>

And now its good!
Thanks again for your help and your skin

[byron]

- NEW FEATURE (global search) -

Sorry to take so long to update, but this wasn't an easy one...especially with "Language" on my mind for this skin. I wanted to take care of that before I updated, but at that point...I may have never updated

click the icon and it's pretty much on auto-pilot after that:

AFAIK Dom wrote the search script (thanks Dom), and I based visually what I did in large part off of xbs's confluence lite code (thanks xbs).

I am currently making language my priority at this point, but am struggling because every time I try a new font (with more language support) almost every list in my skin goes to hell...it's quite frustrating really. I fixed a couple of label bugs and a couple of other minor things as well (check the change log), and very soon this skin will be more efficient in a "multilingual manor."

[skatulskijean]

Nice Update !!!


Thanks Byron!


Regards Jan

[michael8t6]

Just downloaded and tested this out, this skin is really nice! Smooth as well Cheers for this.

[byron]

Gratitude! There are still many things in store for improvement (media views and language especially), but as a whole it's running pretty nice atm...if you're new to xbmc4xbox, the add-ons window should make it easy for you to get plugins, modules, etc. I've just about gotten half way through repositioning the 3000 labels (give or take) with multilingual fonts and in the process have addressed several bugs and fixed a couple of other things. I've got a couple more ideas on how to get some more RAM back, and also how to make library views smoother/faster. An update is on the way soon, feedback is welcome, and thanks for trying it out.

[byron]

- MAJOR UPDATE (multilingual fonts) -

Well, actually it might not be too "major" for someone that speaks English...but for those of you that don't I've laid the groundwork to make my skin legible in other languages (entirely). Only problem is that I have many labels in the skin strings that need translating, so those labels will only be in English until other brave souls decide to translate...having said that:

Here is the language folder

Many other bugs have been addressed since my last update, too many to go into detail about...notably I've repositioned VideoScan and MusicScan to the bottom of the screen to resolve issues with overlapping of the BreadCrumb panels. In changing fonts, there are some noticeable differences for those who have been using this skin, but I can assure you it doesn't take long to get acclimated.

Redneck9 has recently pointed a problem out to me with video streams dropping. That's not good, but I'm not experiencing the same issue so I had no idea that was happening. PLEASE, if something isn't working tell me (post a debug log perhaps) and I will do my best to resolve the issue. Also if you would like something about this skin to change it never hurts to ask as I'm open for Ideas...and next I'm onto knocking out the media views.

One last thing...since our one gracious developer (Thanks BuZz) is on the verge of releasing a new stable version of our program, I did not and will not be updating my skin for the previous stable version. It just simply can't handle all of this new stuff ---


++EDIT++

For anyone that's tried the update so far, I am aware that I made a mistake on a few labels and I'll be updating sometime tonight...apologies.

Code: Select all

<label>[UPPERCASE]Some String Number[/UPPERCASE]</label>

Not exactly sure why but in xbmc you can see the brackets (only noticed on Music/Video OSD so far), anyone know why? Regardless, I'll go through and correct them asap...

[Strelki]

Thanks byron! I download and I translate in french