[sirnoname]

Hello,

I try to use the XBMC as a simple game startup selector. On the computer I will use there is no other multimedia content installed and wished.
It shall start not with the multimedia Content Menu but with a available game list which can be started like the game explorer of windows but with own content from a txt list and some submenues that can start games with parameter to reach a special racing track or level (some games does support this).
I ask now for information where I have to start with development?
Is this change of the start menu etc. possible with a addon, skinns or do I have to change the source?

Best regards,
SirNoName

[jmarshall]

Assuming that "Programs" in XBMC has what you need, it's just a matter of setting the startup window to that. You could then go and disable all other menus just by making sure it can't exit that window I guess.

[sirnoname]

Hello jmarshall,

I tried "programms" and also some plugins like the advanced launcher but did not get behind it.
Also I did not get into changing the main menu. Where can I do edit the menu structure? In a script file?
The idea is very easy, each program get a background image and you should step through like the current video-music-program bar.
However, I need to change the bar, another program has a database of the current installed games and will download from google pictures.
The part that is missing is how to mod the xbmc to only show easy all the games after startup.
The other program can output script files that may be used by xbmc.

Can you lead me into the right direction?

best regards,
SirNoName

[da-anda]

The main menu is currently hardcoded in the skin files. There are plans to make it configurable form within XBMC after the upcoming new XBMC release. So for now you have to edit the skins home.xml to change the menu on the home screen (the exact location of the menu might depend on the skin you're using).

I can't help code wise, but in general it sounds like as if the best option for you might be to write a little python addon that's providing your games library in a VFS structure and then directly "boot" into the addon (I think the startup window is configurable somewhere). So probably have a look at related addons, use them as a basis and extend them with the logic you need (reading available games from the txt file and change context menu options).

So all in all your project can be realized by just skin changes and a custom addon - no source code changes needed as far as I can tell (no XBMC dev myself)

[sirnoname]

Hardcoded is ok, because my program can update xml files before xbmc starts and restore the originals after it is finished.
How you work with this big xml files? Do you use a special XML program?
Where is the main menu in home.xml

[da-anda]

I'm no skinner, but from a quick look it seems the menu starts at line 887 of home.xml in latest confluence version (nightly). For more skinning questions please check our wiki to get some basics or our skinning subforum.

[sirnoname]

The documents in the wiki have nothing to do with XBMC.
For example there is a document to change the main menu.
Try to find the "My Pictures normal push button" button. Nothing there.

[da-anda]

The page you're referring to also mentions that this document is outdated AND "This tutorial will show you how to change the main menu on the Home Screen of the Project Mayhem 3 skin". So the references mentioned there apply to the home.xml of this particular skin.

Just have a look for a collection of items with <onclick> events simmilar to this: "<onclick>ActivateWindow(MyPictures)</onclick>" - if those items have click events for video, movies, music, programs etc (so all the items that are in the main menu) then you're probably at the right spot.

Please ask further skinning related questions in our skinning forums (development most likely) because they can give you better help then me - I have no clue of skinning actually.