[Skin] Rapier Clarity Mod (3.5.49)

[byron]

@ sealy...I'm not sure about album art and how that all works, it's not the easiest process to get locked up. I never get it right (I've been using music bee and that has seemed to help for tagging and album art). As far as the cd icons go, in this skin there is a folder where you SHOULD put them (I'm not sure if that's what you're doing or not). Path = Rapier/media/backdrops/artist_fanart/cd...there is a "read me" in there that tells you the way that you need to name the actual images. This is only for the spinning cd in vizualization though...not sure what else you are using them for (tried it out and it works, but it's spinning so it's kinda hard to see the disk ).

@ redneck...I went ahead and updated all of the "icon view" views throughout the skin, and also revamped Movies ListInfo2 (still have TvShows, Episodes, and Music ListInfo2 for that view). These take forever man, hope you like what I did with the icons...it was the best I could come up with.

[Redneck9]

Looks nice, thanks for the hard work. It does make them look larger, on my 30" 4:3 CRT probably adds an average of 1.75 square inches. The detail is now there so I'm not straining my vision.

[byron]

Thanks buddy, glad you liked what I did with IconView...

...probably adds an average of 1.75 square inches

17% bigger to be exact It looked really sweet @ 20% bigger, but I just couldn't squeeze the smaller icons into the frame with the info pane being visible (really took some thinking to figure out how to get both views under one control).

I am still working on ListInfo2 (it has 4 views to itself in Movies and 3 in TvShows/Episodes) Seemed like a fair place to start digging in...I also fixed the SortLetter on the side of the screen because there was something funky going on with that thing. There are several things I'll be going over shortly, so I'll keep posting ---

***NOTE***

I included ToDDs with this skin for a reason, and I HIGHLY recommend at least giving it a shot if you are navigating the libraries or want less lag in any view. I had forgotten to convert my thumbs when I installed my last build, and when I changed to .dds everything sped up! At least try it to see what I'm talking about (after using .dds in the video library I gained almost 3mb of RAM back from view to view). If you try it out, you have to have/create an AdvancedSettings.xml, and you have to put this code in there:

Code: Select all

   <advancedsettings>
         <useddsfanart>true</useddsfanart>
         <thumbsize>256</thumbsize>
         <fanartheight>512</fanartheight>
    </advancedsettings>

...there are instructions in the zip, and you can change the resolutions to what ever you want (I would keep them "as is" at first just to see what you gain in performance and then adjust if you want to)

[byron]

I fixed a lagging/stuttering issue with the "BottomInfoPane" that's been pissing me off since I started this project...took forever to track down and fix that thing. I'm guessing that probably doesn't even matter to more than 5 people, but whatever...To the few people that have responded to what I've done here THANK YOU!!! At least it matters to me/us. To anyone that hasn't tried it out yet...why not??? It's really starting to come together, and could use some feedback on bugs.

@ skatulski...Is there any way I could get you to add your program and script addons to a4x? I cant really do anything with the addons window that I made for this skin (there is no AddonsBrowser.xml), and it seems silly if it's just sitting there idle. It would be very easy to link every home window to some part of a4x (would be easier yet if System.HasAddon(id) existed because then a user wouldn't even have to install the plugin...), but the only things available are "videos" and "music" as of right now. Maybe I could link the home "addons" menu straight to the SVN repo or something?

Anyway, I plan on knocking out a few more of the Library views this weekend if anyone cares...I'll post the changes here and in the changelog that I added to the OP

[whufclee]

Really does look great mate and I'm looking forward to trying it out but in all honesty I haven't used my xbox in a few months, just haven't had the time to play with it. I'll send you my thoughts as soon as I get a bit of spare time

[byron]

@ whufclee...whenever you decide to try it, maybe it'll resurrect your xbox back to life looking forward to whatever you have to say whenever that might be bro

I Honestly don't even know how the hours disappear when messing with this stuff, but seriously it's crazy...I finished updating ListInfo2 views for the Video Library if anyone even actually uses that view or this skin (actually a pretty cool media view all in all). Also, I connected the home menu "add-ons" category directly to the SVN Repo Installer (gonna add a submenu shortly with buttons that link to other areas of SVN and also that link to a4x)

[whufclee]

Would it not be better to link to A4X rather than SVN Repo Installer? Apart from Dans plugins there's only about 5 addons that still work (out of hundreds). I imagine the next "stable" that buzz releases will see SVN Repo Installer dropped in favour of A4X anyway.

Soooo hungover right now, I really want to try this skin out but it means getting up off the sofa. Hopefully I'll get the energy to do it soon!

[byron]

yea, I think you're right...I went ahead and changed it back to the way that it was (linked to a4x). I wasted so many hours writing a script tonight trying to install a4x from the passion repo (if it wasn't already installed), but I don't think it's possible to launch an install from a home menu button.

Soooo hungover right now, I really want to try this skin out but it means getting up off the sofa

must have been a good nite!

[sealeysonic]

Just keep up the great work.....the more i use this skin the more i like it.....soo clean and good looking....Ive deleted my other skins apart from Confluence

[byron]

TY! TY! TY! It's nice to know that someone else feels the same...appreciated!!! I'm gonna keep pushing on, don't worry. Next on my agenda is to make the "Set Content" dialog into a fullscreen project (shouldn't take too long). I'm sick of straining my eyes on that thing and its "wonderful" layout...something along the lines of what I did with PluginSettings and its previously cutoff and restrictive arrangement. BTW, I just updated that file (PluginSettings) + MusicFiles (MySongs.xml)...fixed a couple of bugs there. Anyway, do me a favor and set your box to debug sometime and watch the RAM...it's actually pretty impressive if you keep an eye on it (it really never gets alarmingly low no matter what I do). I'm curious if you've been keeping current with the things I've been updating, as I've changed quite a bit since I originally posted this skin (linked a changelog to the OP). Did you ever get the cd1 str8? Keep me posted on bugs and I'll try to work them out...thanks again. The whole goal here is to go mainline for as long as possible with some style until the xbox expires

[byron]

[Kozz]

So I finally dusted off the xbox to test those addons and got around to installing this skin, I have not thoroughly tried every view or setting but its really nice and fast I love it, by far my new favorite. I use a 27" CRT tv in the bedroom and I can read everything comfortably so its great for me, I might even put it on my Frodo htpc thats attached to the same tv and use this instead of Aeon Nox that I currently use to make it easier to read. Don't know why the xbmc.org team expects everyone to replace our old tv's with HD, the least they could do it include larger fonts in the default confluence skin.

I'll give this a go throughout the week and let you know if I find any bugs or have a suggestion how to improve upon it

Cheers

[Xphazer]

MediaSource.jpg

Wa-Wa-Wee-Wa! That's some really nice work.

[cifa]

@ byron,

had a brief look & its great. I really like it. you are doing great things with this skin!!
one thing for me was this. I still use the RSS reader as I have news & footy news coming through....when the screen blank downs its really hard (nearly impossible) to read. any suggestions?

anyway - great job

[byron]

@ kozz...Thanks for finally trying it out! I'm glad you like it...pretty hard not to As far as frodo...I'm not sure how that might work out, but you could let me know. I'm kinda curious if it would even work as far as the way I have it set up (I wanna release it upstream anyway, but not yet cuz I'm still working many things out). As far as bugs go, keep in mind that I "started" messing with this skin around the release of xbmc4xbox 3.2, but quickly realized that several things changed quite rapidly with BuZz's dev...I started looking forward to stable 3.3! I remember seeing somewhere that you're using the stable release so keep in mind several things are gonna be outta-whack with that build (recently added doesn't work, and a few "grouplists" wont show up + some other things). Having said that...keep me posted if you notice anything else that rubs ya wrong if you're still even using the skin.

@ xphazer...nice of you to say, tyvm!!!

@ cifa...I'm not quite sure what you mean:

..when the screen blank downs its really hard (nearly impossible) to read.

I don't ever use the Rss, but after turning it on I think I can see what you're saying...it's just not readable. I changed the font and the color to make it bolder and more legible, but I'm not sure if that's what you meant or not:

Hopefully you will update the 720p from the OP and check it out...as far as my suggestions, I really don't care because I don't use the Rss feed. But since you do, it would be nice to get some more feedback from you since you care about that feature. I tried to make the font color changeable from the skin settings, but it's difficult for that control because it has several labels inside of one control...just try it out real quick if you wouldn't mind and let me know if what I did is more to your liking (maybe others using this skin would benefit from your opinion).

I really like it. you are doing great things with this skin!!

Thanks, I really appreciate that...ONE of the main goals is to give us a skin that is less "RAM intensive" all while putting my spin on it, yet keeping it's integrity at the same time. So thanks again for posting that ---

As far as what I've done recently...I completely revamped the entire process of adding a media source:

I really wanted to create a "Media settings area!" These dialogs all tie into one process, so I wanted to make them into a "settings" sort of category (illusion). It's big at first, but the layout is virtually the same as before and so are the controls...just takes a bit of getting used to the size IMHO because all of the xbmc skins that I've used cram those little "Add Media Source" dialog boxes down your throat

[cifa]

BIG improvement on the colour of the RSS ticker when the screen dimmed - thanks for that

couple of things:

1. in the skin settings there is x2 dialogs that are the same (do not dim the screen when dialog visible or something like that). Its in general & media. Is that necessary??
2. Is their a dialog for DVD's when inserted? I played a DVD last night for my young lad (was set to auto run) but when you reboot the DVD is still in the drive but how can you play it again (I had to eject the disc for him - then it autoplays).

btw I am running 3.3 (dev build)

cheers

[byron]

@ cifa...So I had problems finding that at first too, but it's on the shutdown menu (click right thumbstick). Also as it's obviously a little confusing, I was thinking of making one of the icons in the corner into a play button (don't really know if there's a point of having an eject or power-off button up there...). As for the screen dimming, I'm not sure about that (I'll have to have a look at the code when I get a minute), but it might be there specifically to dim the screen while media is playing or visible. If that's not the case, then yea it's not necessary and I'll remove one of them. Glad you approve of the rss, but I still think it would be neat to add color customization to it if I can figure out a clean way of doing it.

Thanks for the feedback, keep using it if you like the skin and let me know if anything else jumps out at you ---

[cifa]

well spotted on the DVD - def not kid or wife proof. lol
An icon around the main screen would be a good idea as I too am not convinced about the eject button up there...but its no deal breaker
tbh I never used the screen dimming in the settings - but it caught my eye - I don't think that's there in Confluence lite.
The skin is on my lads XBOX now - I'll keep testing it when times allows and report any issues back.

CHeers

[byron]

After playing with the code I found that the screen dimming options are specifically for dimming the screen when "certain" dialogs are visible (i.e. ShutdownMenu, LibrarySearch, SortMethods etc..). There is a need in this skin to have both regular dimming, and media (library) dimming. However, a user shouldn't necessarily be able to switch it on/off. I'm going to get rid of those options, but they effect several windows and it isn't exactly a "fix" to just remove the radio buttons from skin settings (simply taking it off the menu created several issues...). However, removing those options added RAM, so I'll certainly be taking care of that asap for nothing other than added speed and RAM.

Very soon to come:

--> PROGRAMS sub-menu with links to add-ons, games and emus...
--> replacement of the eject button with a play button on the TopBar (served no purpose in my opinion)

Nothing too exciting, but trying to move forward. Also fixed a couple of things so check the changelog and update if you want to ---

* EDIT *
I definitely got rid of the screen dimming options, and also downsized includes to pretty much nothing...this skin is fast as hell

[byron]

--> Added PROGRAMS sub-menu bar ("add-ons" does link to a4x, but the link is empty for now...)