$VAR - <value>

[byron]

Hey, I've been working on a port for Transparecy! 5.0.9 but can't do much without this feature. Is $VAR support in the works for future releases by chance ( I was actually hopeful that this was coinciding with the python update)? No matter either way, but if it isn't implemented there is little sense wasting a ton of time on porting current skins over as they all really abuse this feature I'm pretty sure.

[Dom DXecutioner]

That is not a python feature but rather part of the skinning engine and it's safe to say that it hasn't been ported to xbmc4xbox.

You can look at the xbmc commits and search for this feature, create a feature request and link to the commit; better yet, create a patch and a diff file to make it easier on BuZz... This may be a little involved.

[byron]

Here is where they started talking about it - but I couldn't pinpoint anything solid as far as where peih started implemeting it...

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=107734&page=4

Do you think between the limited number of dev's here, we could update the skinning engine? Not volunteering you but maybe you and I could go through and update the skinning engine together. Post #2 has all of the upgrades categorized by version (Dharma, Eden, Frodo etc...)

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=158812

I know BuZz has updated several features along the way, but I'm not sure where we stand as of now...Between Eden and Frodo possibly? As far as the skin var's go, I can't really seem to track down where the changes were made in the code (started happening around 9/30/11 it looks likes from the first link). I'm down for making a patch though...I like breaking stuff All things being equal, it would probably be way easier to update the source code than to port individual skins. Obviously things will still have to be omitted (like pvr etc...), but if the engine was more up to date a user would have way more options as far as skins go and the amount of time to mod them for this platform would be quite small in comparison to what it takes at this point.

[Dom DXecutioner]

Apologies but I don't have the time at the moment.

[byron]

@ BuZz...I'm getting ready to dig into this, here is the git link for everything that pieh changed when he implemented this into the code (eden beta?). Question for you about the first two changes that were made...

what files in our project are = to:

• project/VS2010Express/XBMC.vcxproj
• project/VS2010Express/XBMC.vcxproj.filters

[BuZz]

we have different project files. any new files could be manually added to our project file from visual studio. our project file is in the root of trunk. the project file is the least of the concern with porting it though - not looked at the patchset but it might rely on other stuff we dont have. it might not of course.

[byron]

any new files could be manually added to our project file from visual studio.

So does that mean that I can edit files in something other than visual studio and then just copy them into the proper directory (followed by "add new file/add existing file to project")? I'm very used to n++ and it would be nice to edit in that, add/replace the files and then just use visual studio as a compiler...anyway, after a quick first attempt the other night it looks promising (as far as being able to integrate) but I went through adding the code in kind of a hurry and couldn't get some of the files to compile. I'll give it a proper attempt sometime later today...

[byron]

Well after a couple of attempts I'm sorry to say this is beyond my skillset I'd post a diff if it had any relavance but I was only able to get one 1/8 necessary files to compile in visual studio. Gave it a shot and failed, but if there are any cpp coders out there that want to give it a go please do! I have opened a ticket for this but I realize it's probably not to high on the "to do" list (if even possible at this point).

[Dom DXecutioner]

FYI: thanks to the man, BuZz, $VAR is now supported in the latest nightly; though I have tested not.

[byron]

Thanks for the heads up, yea he sent me a link and I tried it...seems to work but it had an issue with log spamming so it was painfully slow. I'll try the new nightly and then dig in soon. Should be nice to get some more current skins in our repertoire eh?

++EDIT++
spgammin is not a word

[byron]

@ BuZz...after taking a bit more of an in depth view of transparency (which is what I'm currently trying to port and not very familiar with atm), all seems well so far I don't see the actual code $VAR[foobar] anywhere in the skin like before, but instead actual labels and all of the thumbs that were missing are now showing up. There are many errors in the log but none from this addition as far as I can tell (mostly pvr and live tv stuff). Just wanted to say thanks again for going ahead and adding this feature, nice work (probably took you like 20 minutes ). If I run into any issues I'll post here I guess...