Kodi Community Forum - A few newbie questions on XBMC & Advanced Launcher

Have a few questions about XBMC and Advanced Launcher. I'm running Win8 Pro on an Intel G3220 CPU.

XBMC:
1. When I'm running XBMC, is there a way to minimize it so I can do things on Win8's desktop and then maximize XBMC again? Or do I aways have to exit XBMC by going to the (Home screen > Power Icon > Exit) before I can do anything on Win8's desktop?

ADVANCED LAUNCHER:
2. I installed Advanced Launcher in xbmc's "PROGRAMS" tab. I installed Advanced Launcher with command line parameters that open Windows Media Center in Pictures mode to run slideshows. It takes a bunch of clicks to open Media Center's Slideshows as follows:

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When I go to (Programs > Advanced Launcher), it opens a screen as follows:
..
Default
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Then I have to click "Default" which opens another screen which displays:
..
Media Center Slideshows
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Then I click "Media Center Slideshows" and WMC opens to the slideshows page.
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Is there a way to setup XBMC so I can initiate "Media Center Slideshows" with the minimum number of clicks? Maybe at least get rid of the screen that displays (.. & Default).

Thanks for any help,
Skylark

I do alt+tab occasionally while xbmc is running without any issues

No idea about the issue about advanced launcher as I don't use it.
But why not use xbmc for slideshows

(2013-10-07, 02:20)Yurij Wrote: [ -> ]I do alt+tab occasionally while xbmc is running without any issues

Tried it and alt+tab works great. Thanks.

Quote:No idea about the issue about advanced launcher as I don't use it.
But why not use xbmc for slideshows

After much research, the only way I could find to run slideshows with music using XBMC is:

Navigate to MUSIC > Files > Click on folder name > Click on first song to start playback.
Navigate to PICTURES > Click folder name > Right click on first song > Click "Start slideshow here".

But this is too much for my wife to do since she's not a computer person. In Windows Media Center I can select CREATE SLIDESHOWS and it allows me to choose:

A name for the slideshow
The pictures for the slideshow
The songs for the slideshow
Click "CREATE" and it creates the slideshow without any rendering.

Then to play different slideshows, my wife just has to open Media Center, press the up/down arrows on the remote control to select a slideshow, and click the PLAY button on the remote. The slideshow plays with pictures and music.

Thanks much,
Skylark

(2013-10-07, 00:06)Skylark Wrote: [ -> ]ADVANCED LAUNCHER:
..... snip .....
Is there a way to setup XBMC so I can initiate "Media Center Slideshows" with the minimum number of clicks?

Figured out a way to do it. Just put the "Media Center Slideshows" link in XBMC's shortcut. Can launch it very easily from there.

Skylark

better option than Alt+tab, is the "\" button which is located right above the enter key on a regular keyboard. (also has the "|" button on it) this will put xbmc into windowed mode which can then be resized/moved. See this guide of the keyboard shortcuts

PS, if you use a program like Min2Tray, you can set xbmc to always be on top of windows I find this useful while listening to my pandora addon and studying and keeping xbmc small in a corner. (only works for windows...only windows needs it tho)

(2013-10-07, 18:40)digitaltomj Wrote: [ -> ]better option than Alt+tab, is the "\" button which is located right above the enter key on a regular keyboard. (also has the "|" button on it) this will put xbmc into windowed mode which can then be resized/moved. See this guide of the keyboard shortcuts

..... snipped image to save bandwidth .....

PS, if you use a program like Min2Tray, you can set xbmc to always be on top of windows I find this useful while listening to my pandora addon and studying and keeping xbmc small in a corner. (only works for windows...only windows needs it tho)

Thanks a lot for taking the time to post the image of keyboard shortcuts. The "\" and Min2Tray tips will come in very handy.

Thanks much,
Skylark