[floink]

just a quick point:

the new filemanager has all it's buttons on the context menu.

i'm not sure if users have figured this out or not!

oh? no i didn't. it isn't, from what i can tell, displayed in any way that there is a context menu to be accessed. i just used the quick keys on the remote. still i've just used it for a little time. a tab on the edge of the screen or something saying "menu" would at least give the user a clue. a tab that is stuck to the edge of the context menu when it's displayed. and ofcourse sliding or/and fading it in and out would be an "enhancment"

[jmarshall]

press white or title.

this will be moved throughout xbmc in time, and basically does what you are wanting.

i'm sure once it moves throughout xbmc it will catch on. i think perhaps mapping it to start globally would be best.

then we could have a note on the main screen perhaps.

cheers,
jonathan

[pin87a]

wow. i had no idea that the new file manager was using a popup context menu.
i guess i should probably add one to my skins so it actually works. :p

i agree with floink. there really should be something on the screen that indicates that the context menu is there.

also, i'm curious as to what exactly the new context menu is going to be used for in the rest of xbmc?
i think that using it to add more buttons to the already cluttered (in my opinion) ui would not be a good idea.
however, using it to "hide" rarely used buttons (view as, search, scan, sort by, imdb, etc...) to make room for more important ui items would be very nice.

here is a quick mockup (using project mayhem) of something i would like to see.
the "more" button would popup the context menu which would contain the view/sort/scan/etc.. options.

[jmarshall]

exactly. it will be used for new features (the new filemanager for example - try context menu from the shares folder) and will also (and more importantly) be used to get rid of buttons which aren't needed to be on the screen. the advantage of the context menu is it can popup without a button. ie it can be invoked using just a button press on the remote and/or controller. this is essential behaviour as we can then customize the context menu to the particular context we are in (such as user clicked whilst highlighting a video file -> video info should be on the context menu).

ps: there is a thread in the graphics design forum by me outlining the post 1.1 skin changes as they occur in cvs, to help you guys get up to date.

i think the next thing i'm gonna work on is consolidating some of the code for the filelisting screens (pictures, music, videos, files at least, and maybe programs) so that the context menu functions for adding/editting shares can be added everywhere in an efficient manner.

then i'll be consolidating the settings screens. what i have in mind is 1 screen only, with a "button scroller" on the left hand side with all the different sub-sections. the right hand side would then have the options for that particular category. this will be laid out internally by xbmc. all the skinner will need to do is specify the graphics/fonts etc. that they want to use, and perhaps to a small extent the sizes. plus i guess whether they want the button scroller on the left or on the right :p. xbmc would handle all the layout. this should cut the number of xml files in half.

after that, we can do the same for the mymusic + myvideo screens.

the button scroller can also then take the place of the buttons on the home page as well, and we'll add customisation via the context menu within xbmc itself.

how's that all sound? now all that has to be done is for the details to be nutted out. if we're in agreement over the settings screen in particular, i'll start a new thread in the development section for discussion regarding it's requirements from a skinners persective, and from a users perspective. once these are known, i and anyone else that wants to can work out what code will be needed and we can get it up and running.

thanks all for the great input so far. keep it coming!

cheers,
jonathan

[BritneysPAIRS]

id like to see a folder in skins for more than one color could just change background and a few other graphics and release one skin in about 5 or 6 colors..... dont really know how this would be handled but it would be great for me to support the moding community

cheers

also doing that to settings would be great cause i get greif for using other peoples setting page when i cant be arsed layout expanses of xmls that would kind of look the same if i did them myself

[onkel bouncy]

> the button scroller can also then take the place of the buttons on the home page as well ..

sounds good.
that's what i wanted month before.
http://www.xboxmediaplayer.de/cgi-bin....;t=3058

[jmarshall]

i'm currently cleaning up code in the video classes, and after i've finished that and cleared up the various patches i need to commit (there's a few! i'll get on to the button scroller thing. shouldn't take long to get something working.

obviously there is a fairly high chance that this will completely break old skins (instead of just semi-breaking them :p ). i'll try and keep old skins still working, but it may prove too much of a headache.

i'll post both here and in the post-v1.1 thread in the graphics design forum regarding the new controls tags etc. and how to best get it working. from there on we can fine tune it as necessary.

after the button scroller is in, i'll code up the new settings system - most of the work will be in getting a nice framework implemented to enable the system to be rearranged easily, plus to cut down on code duplication (it's all over the place at the moment).

for now, those of you who haven't got the context menu + filemanager done in your skins can get them working. the context menu will be used on the home page for the rearrangement of buttons by users.

i may also add a new (or change the current) select dialog window - one that auto-resizes to the number of items in the list, and more fits with the current dialog schema (for instance if there is only a few of options to choose between, there's no point having it take up a whole screen).

i look forward to your other ideas to make xbmc both more useable for the users, and from a skinners point of view as well.

cheers,
jonathan

[onkel bouncy]

cool.
that's what i've been waiting for.
:o

[floink]

sounds awesome jmarshall. are you gonna start separate threads on the different parts in the dev forum? i believe others with me have input on what kind of stuff we'd like to control in the button scroller.
i've been thinking about how it could work with my retro skin which doesn't use the regular 'flashy' skin style but rather an 'old machine' style where a scrolling button row doesn't really fit in maybe start of with with what controls-stuff you have in mind... from a skinner point of view?

[jmarshall]

discussion/requests can be posted below.

http://www.xboxmediaplayer.de/cgi-bin....417;r=1

let me know asap if there is a particular thing you are wanting.

cheers,
jonathan