[obsidiancomm]

First, let me say how incredible this skin is. I'm just amazed at how it looks and works.

A few questions for you.

Is there a mechinism in play (or works) to allow custom shortcuts, where you can enter via keyboard the shortcut to run. Specifically, I want to enter my own ActivateWindow() command. I know I can set a favorite up, then use this as the command but would rather not have to use favorites.

If not (yet), then this next question could be a temporary fix for me so I don't have to use Favorites.

What file(s) would need to be edited to make a change to what ActivateWindow() command is called, for instance, when a user selects 'Movies'.

Currently, by default it is set to ActivateWindow(Videos, videodb:// <snip>

I'd like to change this (short term) to something like ActivateWindow(10025, "plugin://plugin.video.plexbmc/?url=<snip>", return)

Now, I'd like to preface this next question by saying we are in no way a skilled Kodi skinners. But.

As I posted before, having integrated Plex support is something we, and I am sure others would love. I realize you are busy with your "regular" job, as well as working all the kinks out of KOver. So I do not expect you (anytime in the future) to have the time to integrate other Addons into KOver. This is where myself, and my company can lend a hand.

Is it possible to dynamically add new items to the home view? If I send a call to KOver to refresh, will it look in a given directory for updated xml files and process any new ones? Basically, I'd like to be able to drop a new xml file into the shortcuts directory and KOver read this file or know of it existance. If that is not directly possible, while I hate as a rule to directly edit settings file of other software, this may be one of those times to break the rule. Can we edit a specific settings file that will tell KOver to use a certain xml file and add an option to the home view.

This would provide us a way to add the Plex logic a la how Amber does it to the main page. With this, of course we would have to create a new settings tab just for the PlexBMC settings (again, how Amber does it). Of course we'd check (via System.HasAddon(plugin.video.plexbmc) to ensure the Plex AddOn is actually configured.

Basically, we want to help. Like I said, having integrated support for Plex would be fantastic. Outside of that (and I am sure I will have a few other questions -- I'm not running KOver in our live enviornment, for one of the companies we do work for, just in my home for testing). But I am going to install it on one production HTPC (one of a resident who is a retired CS professor living in a community we support has volunteered himself to test anything and note any problems he has).

Thanks in advance, and GREAT WORK

[Jayz2K]

I think he didn't mean Home cycling fanart but the ability to choose a different image for each section on Home, like one different image background for Movies, Tv, Music, Settings ...etc.

I think this possible with script.SkinShortcuts. As far as I know, there's a built-in button to select your picture for each element of the menu. But I removed it because it made the designer background preview fail. Version 1.0.0. is going to reach the official repo with a lot of new features, I will take a closer look to that.

[Jayz2K]

First, let me say how incredible this skin is. I'm just amazed at how it looks and works.

A few questions for you.

Is there a mechinism in play (or works) to allow custom shortcuts, where you can enter via keyboard the shortcut to run. Specifically, I want to enter my own ActivateWindow() command. I know I can set a favorite up, then use this as the command but would rather not have to use favorites.

If not (yet), then this next question could be a temporary fix for me so I don't have to use Favorites.

What file(s) would need to be edited to make a change to what ActivateWindow() command is called, for instance, when a user selects 'Movies'.

Currently, by default it is set to ActivateWindow(Videos, videodb:// <snip>

I'd like to change this (short term) to something like ActivateWindow(10025, "plugin://plugin.video.plexbmc/?url=<snip>", return)

Now, I'd like to preface this next question by saying we are in no way a skilled Kodi skinners. But.

As I posted before, having integrated Plex support is something we, and I am sure others would love. I realize you are busy with your "regular" job, as well as working all the kinks out of KOver. So I do not expect you (anytime in the future) to have the time to integrate other Addons into KOver. This is where myself, and my company can lend a hand.

Is it possible to dynamically add new items to the home view? If I send a call to KOver to refresh, will it look in a given directory for updated xml files and process any new ones? Basically, I'd like to be able to drop a new xml file into the shortcuts directory and KOver read this file or know of it existance. If that is not directly possible, while I hate as a rule to directly edit settings file of other software, this may be one of those times to break the rule. Can we edit a specific settings file that will tell KOver to use a certain xml file and add an option to the home view.

This would provide us a way to add the Plex logic a la how Amber does it to the main page. With this, of course we would have to create a new settings tab just for the PlexBMC settings (again, how Amber does it). Of course we'd check (via System.HasAddon(plugin.video.plexbmc) to ensure the Plex AddOn is actually configured.

Basically, we want to help. Like I said, having integrated support for Plex would be fantastic. Outside of that (and I am sure I will have a few other questions -- I'm not running KOver in our live enviornment, for one of the companies we do work for, just in my home for testing). But I am going to install it on one production HTPC (one of a resident who is a retired CS professor living in a community we support has volunteered himself to test anything and note any problems he has).

Thanks in advance, and GREAT WORK

Thanks,
I think your custom shortcuts are easily doable through script.SkinShortcuts. Have you tried to create / modify entry in Home menu or submenu ? Use the first icon of the 3 in the top right corner of the designer and create for exemple "Plex" (with add new) in the Video submenu (with no widget) and try your command as action :

ActivateWindow(10025, "plugin://plugin.video.plexbmc/?url=<snip>", return)

You will then see a Plex shortcut in the Video section. Just click it to execute the above command.

[TRiX]

Hi,
When i add my sources the last step is to select whats inside the source. This dialog seems to be behind everything else so i cant really see what im doing.
If i hit escape at that step it adds the source and i can edit it to select the contents.

Anyone else seen this?

Right, thanks for reporting. I made an intelligent dialog windows management to avoid to set individually the visible conditions. Already found one case like this I managed to solve (seems that some windows open/close the same time instead of one after another, it makes my code confused and miss the latest opened).

Sorry for my late response, and thank you for a fast fix! I can confirm it's working now.

[Jayz2K]

I've spent the evening playing around with the beta skin and there is only one word for it: Wow.

The time and effort that have gone into creating something that is as customisable as this is incredible, and I tip my hat to you. The only - and I really do mean the ONLY - thing missing are the recent changes to the Skin Shortcuts script (most notably the new - but-not-yet-on-the-repo - widgets and templates stuff (which I'll undoubtedly add myself because this is going to become my households new default skin, and will then PR if that's all right with you).

Other than that, this is not only amazingly customisable but a genuinely usable skin (which isn't a given, when so many aspects can be customised - it would have taken just one element that could have been customised that shouldn't be able to be, and the user would be able to create an unusable skin) that I think this is the most impressible Kodi-related thing I have ever seen.

To sum up, even with the risk of repeating myself: Wow!

@BobCratchett Tried to look at the new advanced features but feel a bit lost with it. Since you seem to know well how this script works, do you know a skin I can look at the code to start ?

I think most of the latest requests can be easily handled by the script, so it's maybe time to use the new features.

[BobCratchett]

I have a Conq fork (for Isengard) - https://github.com/Ignoble61/skin.conq - which uses the new widgets and a template to display them. Otherwise, Marcelveldts skin.titan - https://github.com/marcelveldt/skin.tita...skin.titan - likely has a more advanced integration of the new features. I'm also happy to answer any questions and, if there's anything still missing when I switch the household over to Jarvis (probably this coming week) I'll be adding it to a fork of your skin, and will happily PR it.

[Jayz2K]

I have a Conq fork (for Isengard) - https://github.com/Ignoble61/skin.conq - which uses the new widgets and a template to display them. Otherwise, Marcelveldts skin.titan - https://github.com/marcelveldt/skin.tita...skin.titan - likely has a more advanced integration of the new features. I'm also happy to answer any questions and, if there's anything still missing when I switch the household over to Jarvis (probably this coming week) I'll be adding it to a fork of your skin, and will happily PR it.

Already tried to look at Marcel's skin but seems that my already built menu create some issues and I'm not able to launch the parameters which avoids changes (even skin switching). Will try Conq I know pretty well as my base . Feel free to PR, I'm sure you will get this done far before I understand where to start with. I appreciate your interrest in improving KOver. Many thanks Bob

EDIT : I think I finally got it. Really much easier to understand with the Conq skin example. Will start to play with this and see what it can produce. The template stuff seems to reduce a lot the code and work similar to the $PARAM in includes I'm familiar with.

[BobCratchett]

My efforts may well prove unnecessary then Still, I've forked the code so I can have a proper look at how easy it would be to do, but have a couple of questions about the code if you don't mind:-

What is WidgetGenre used for? Looks to be set every time the widgets are focused, but I can't see where it's used

Any reason the pvr widget has (what looks like) the library.data.provider reload parameter? (pvr://channels/tv/1/;reload=$INFO[Window.Property(recommendedmovies)]&amp;limit=12)

How do you feel about a way to access the submenu when a widget is selected? If I'm not missing a way to access it (very possible ), it's something I'll add for my own uses, but if you've left it out on purpose I won't PR such

[Jayz2K]

My efforts may well prove unnecessary then Still, I've forked the code so I can have a proper look at how easy it would be to do, but have a couple of questions about the code if you don't mind:-

What is WidgetGenre used for? Looks to be set every time the widgets are focused, but I can't see where it's used

Any reason the pvr widget has (what looks like) the library.data.provider reload parameter? (pvr://channels/tv/1/;reload=$INFO[Window.Property(recommendedmovies)]&amp;limit=12)

How do you feel about a way to access the submenu when a widget is selected? If I'm not missing a way to access it (very possible ), it's something I'll add for my own uses, but if you've left it out on purpose I won't PR such

I made a modification and pushed it to git. Seems to work. Even if it doesn't change many things for the end user (except it seems faster to display), from a skinner point of view, it's more flexible and easier to add more entries. Can you let me know if this is what you had in mind ?

I think the WidgetGenre is no more needed. It was at a early stage used for category art, which has been replaced by Window(Home).Property(MenuCategory) check.

Regarding the reload parameters, I didn't try recently but when I started with the TV widget, it didn't show up without this. Even if (recommendedmovies) has absolutely nothing to do with PVR, reloading one entry of the library.data made TV widget to show at skin startup.

Accessing the submenu sounds good to me. Maybe the <onright> tag is reliable since it's not used (excepted for PVR which shows the next tv show) and <onleft> is used to go back main.

[BobCratchett]

That's the idea From there, it only takes some minor modifications to be able to use the new widget selection:-

Change home.xml line 757 to

Code:

<visible>!IsEmpty(Container(9000).ListItem.Property(widgetPath))</visible>

so that the blocs will display more generically (and as the widgets that don't want those blocks don't have a widgetPath property set)

Remove the <visible /> line from the template (between the <condition /> set for the template, and <skinshortcuts>visibility</skinshortcuts>, the template should already only be visible at the right times.)

Switch the skin shortcuts management dialog to 312 - and if skin.helper is installed, you can also remove the library data provider widgets from the overrides.xml, as that script makes them selectable by default.

And update the HomeWidgetTitle/HomeWidgetSubtitle/HomeWidgetPlot variables. (OK, that one takes a little more work )

I've done the first three, and am already able to view any of the widgets selectable with gui 312, albeit without labels/art

(Edit: Its worth noting both the templates/new widget stuff needs skinshortcuts 0.5.3 which is awaiting a request to be updated on the repo)

As regards the submenu, I went for ondown from the main menu, but onright from the widget sounds good too

And can I just congratulate you again on KOver - not only is it a great skin, but the code is clear enough that an amateur skinner like me can follow it without too much difficulty. Great stuff

[Jayz2K]

That's the idea From there, it only takes some minor modifications to be able to use the new widget selection:-

Change home.xml line 757 to

Code:

<visible>!IsEmpty(Container(9000).ListItem.Property(widgetPath))</visible>

so that the blocs will display more generically (and as the widgets that don't want those blocks don't have a widgetPath property set)

Remove the <visible /> line from the template (between the <condition /> set for the template, and <skinshortcuts>visibility</skinshortcuts>, the template should already only be visible at the right times.)

Switch the skin shortcuts management dialog to 312 - and if skin.helper is installed, you can also remove the library data provider widgets from the overrides.xml, as that script makes them selectable by default.

And update the HomeWidgetTitle/HomeWidgetSubtitle/HomeWidgetPlot variables. (OK, that one takes a little more work )

I've done the first three, and am already able to view any of the widgets selectable with gui 312, albeit without labels/art

(Edit: Its worth noting both the templates/new widget stuff needs skinshortcuts 0.5.3 which is awaiting a request to be updated on the repo)

As regards the submenu, I went for ondown from the main menu, but onright from the widget sounds good too

Ok, gave it a quick shot. I got it work too. It's interresting but t's not something I could have found by myself. This requires some advanced knowledge of both scripts. Will get deeper into this tomorrow to try to correct the missing infos. Also the 312 button requires to be added as a hidden one (to allow my sendlick). I failed to open the select dialog at first tries because 309 doesn't need to be there. Sounds also interresting for window background management.

And can I just congratulate you again on KOver - not only is it a great skin, but the code is clear enough that an amateur skinner like me can follow it without too much difficulty. Great stuff

Thanks. Conq is made this way, and it helped me a lot. I wanted to also keep this "Clear view" in mine. It's really convenient when I need to modify something.

[Jayz2K]

Well I got things to work and changed the conditions in $VARS to fix the missing info. It offers a large amount of selectable widgets, which is really nice. However, the latest version of script.skinshortcuts is going to hit the official repo, that's fine, but I don't know when skin.helper will. I would like KOver to get in too and I can't place skin.helper as a requirement in the addon.xml for now. I would like to know if there is a kind of "fallback" trick to use common widgets if skin.helper is not installed ?

EDIT : I finally kept the default entries in overrides.xml and the 309 button id. So when skin.helper is not installed, I can still with condition sendlick to 309 instead of 312. It activâtes 312 when skin.helper is found. Did you planned to keep the 309 id ? Because I don't find it anymore in the readme.

[BobCratchett]

309 is officially deprecated but, based on history with the skinshortcuts script, it'll be a good long time before it actually can be removed, let alone will be (I don't believe anyone who contributes to that script wants to break any skin that relies on any feature of it whether deprecated or not.)

The 'fallback' trick would be to use a condition in the <widget /> elements in the overrides:-

Code:

<widget label="Recent episodes" type="episodes" target="video" path="plugin://service.library.data.provider?type=recentepisodes&amp;reload=$INFO[Window.Property(recentepisodes)]" condition="!System.HasAddon(script.skin.helper.service)">RecentEpisodes</widget>

which will only show the widget if the skin helper service isn't installed. That's also a potentially useful way to do it, as I believe (without double-checking the code to ensure that the condition isn't parsed when setting default widgets to menu items) you can still use the classic <widgetdefault />'s, rather than switching to the (slightly more complex) <widgetnodedefault />.

Thanks again for your time on this I feel bad that you're doing it when it's a feature I'm so keen on, and I genuinely am happy to contribute actual code when I have the time.

[Jayz2K]

The 'fallback' trick would be to use a condition in the <widget /> elements in the overrides

Hehe, of course ! Missed the condition tag. Great this Can be used in widget tag !

I feel bad that you're doing it when it's a feature I'm so keen on

Please don't, your advices are really helpful and I want to understand how it works in detail to be able to maintain it later . That's something I planned to do.

Mind if we continue our technical discussion in private to not confuse thread readers ? Seems that you disabled PM that's why I started here . Feel free to contact me via mail [email protected].

[Toki]

@Jayz2K

Wow! I'm impressed
just installed the views a while ago and been playing around and have to tell you "Bravo!"