[Robotica]

Thnx again. Great work and hopefully Universal's repo buys you some time to finish graphics.

Another bug:
Option "show weather info" in skin settings, Home window. This toggle has no impact.

[axbmcuser]

I'll look into it. Since i didn't touch any of the Skin-Settings .xml-files functionality-wise, i don't know how it could happen - but i'll see. Thanks for reporting!

Just to be sure (since i don't use any weather functionality)

This option surely uses a common Weather addon, if it's installed, right? Which one do you have installed? (Never tried one)

[axbmcuser]

Just reworked all OSD-buttons for 1080p. New version this weekend.

[axbmcuser]

Helix + Isengard versions updated. Changelog:

2.7.51
- Reworked all OSD-Buttons (now 1080p optimized)
- Reworked main menu icons TV and Radio
- Reworked Header Icons for different Sections (Movies, TV-Shows, Files ...) (now they are matching the main menu icons)
- Minor fixes and improvements

[axbmcuser]

Does anyone even use this Skin on KODI Helix 14.x anymore? Or all upgraded to KODI Isengard 15.x ?

Making all changes multiple times, looking at Jarvis ahead, is not the nicest thing to do.

[axbmcuser]

Just pushed an update with reworked Subtitle-Download-Dialog.

2.7.58
- Reworked Favorites-Sidebar
- Minor improvements and optimizations (including):
Subtitle Download Dialog

2.7.57
- Added option to hide main menu item "TV-Radio"
- Minor improvements and optimizations (including):
Subtitle Download Dialog

[Robotica]

Nice work again!

Some more ramblings, maybe you like them:
1> musicOSD: Cluttered with 3 icons for vizualisation (on the right of OSD) while not giving direct access to current playlist. It could have 1 icon for vizs with a submenu like subtitles have and maybe also 1 icon for direct playlist access.
2> And when playing music (or video) you can press "m" to call player controls. This window isn't alligned and as far as I'm concerned there is no need for yet another player control OSD. The default one offers the same functionality.
3> I also would like to suggest to look at e.g. Rapier shutdown menu. It's much more descriptive than current.
4> Openelec settings could be implemented conditionally.
5> This happens when entering settings.

Code:

15:12:43 T:440   ERROR: CImageLoader::DoWork - Direct texture file loading failed for special://skin/backgrounds/settings.jpg

6> The weather window left sidebar, has player controls. Those are redundant (already removed in other windows).

[axbmcuser]

Thanks again, for the new feedback.

1) Yeah, i don't like these many visualization OSD buttons, too. Since i don't use music in KODI i did not mind that much. Still, i will look into grouping the 3 buttons (like the subtitle menu). Maybe i'll wait until Jarvis, so i don't have to change it twice. After that there would be space for a Playlist button, which really makes sense for music.

2) Until a few weeks ago i did not even know that Confluence has this so called "MiniPlayer" (activated by keyboard key "m") and i don't know who likes to use it. Since it doesn't hurt anyone i think it's okay to leave it in there for now? I mean, there won't be any gains in performance by removing it. Still, will keep it in mind.

3) Since i don't like installing large Skins on my productive system that much i don't know how the Rapier-Shutdown-menu looks. Do you have a screenshot?

4) Already fixed for next version

5) Already fixed for next version

6) Just installed a weather addons since i don't use it usually. The typical sidebar has player controls. As far as i can see, we have this sidebar player-controls in every sidebar. It's "confluence standard"? Still, i agree that these redundant player controls in Confluence are conceptually not ideal.

[Robotica]

1> Aha, jarvis already fixed that than.
2> I think it simply can be deprecated if 'm' is remapped to OSD.
3> Screenshot
.....
6> True, It's a leftover of the old days (even before first osd's in XBMC so when only <2> was available). So it's redundant (like <2>) since you always can access the same controls via main OSD using remote, touch and mouse. Heck, it's even default nowadays without a proper cleanup of the old way.
7> Option "show weather info" in skin settings, Home window. This toggle has no impact.
8> On home.xml the search field leaves some unused space once it is selected.
9> all those home widget I can control (i.e. scroll) with touch but not with mouse.

[axbmcuser]

1) I don't think Jarvis fixes the Vis-Buttons. But when i wait for jarvis i only have to do this not that modification once, since the Confluence-base changes again in some ways in Jarvis.

2) Yes. So i'll leave it as is for now. In a way i find this MiniPlayer a bit amusing. Haha. ) Maybe there are people out there using it. I know zero.

3) Thanks!

6) Although we know it's a bit redundant, since Confluence still uses the sidebar as a basic element, would it really be a benefit to remove the player controls from the sidebar?

7) Just tested with the OpenWeatherMap Extended addon installed. Works for me as usual (Confluence). The Kodi Logo in the top left is replaced by a mini weather info. Did not change any code regarding this from the Confluence base.

8) Will check! Did not change any code against the Confluence base. I don't really like the global search plugin - same thing with the "recently added" display features for the homescreen. Would love to throw these features out, but since they are optional - someone may use it.

9) Does this "mouse-usage-situation" differ from Original Confluence for you?
Mouse support is kind of wonky anyway (KODI Confluence stock) - again same as 8.) - i only left mouse support in the skin because it's optional and some ppl may still use it.


More to come. Thanks again!

[Robotica]

1> Also that stupid recording button is there unconditional and should be on the other side. Besides playlist access, "Next song" could enhance experience further. It's done in most skins and mini-player also shows it ;-)
6> It's simply a leftover (no proper cleanup) in transition from mini-player to OSD's. Making a GUI simpler without losing functionality always pays of.
7> I guess it's a problem on my end then.
8> I noticed you didn't like to use scripts ;-) In think script.extendedinfo can be very usefull for all remote users when using auto-completion in dialogkeyboard.xml.
9> It's bad UX-design; it suggests I can click and scroll it but it doesn't work with mouse. It work with touch (swiping but not pressing those buttons; See example) and maybe it also works with remote and keyboard.... Happens also in stock Confluence.
10> As for the sub-menu's: You centered them from the middle which is great for all icons in the middle. But the icons on the far left (the 3 video-related) and right (pictures and settings) icons cause pain to navigate. Aligning them left and right with top menu icons could make it look nicer.
11> Skin settings could use <label2> for description texts to describe the options. Like all other settings...
12> RSS-feed scroll box could be a little smaller to not interfere with favorites and power icons (home.xml).
12.1> Maybe make RSS icon orange to make it more recognizable?
13> When I add addon shortcuts (below main menu), they are mirrored under the icon right through addon description. This make description less readable.
14> The search container on the right above the menu... When selected the container is bigger. For cleanliness I would suggest removing all text. A simple click on the glass will do
14.1> And once playing music (or video) in background mode, player controls push this searchbox to the left. I would keep it on the right for uniformity. .Or why not put along Favorites and Exit icons at the bottom?
15> Widgets on home.xml: All have different dimensions. Because of that, video's even has 5 of them compared to 4 for TV shows and music. Unifying this could make things look nicer.
16> Slide menus on the left loose focus (with mouse) when navigating over headers (the blue ones; "view options", "misc options").

Thnx for your responses...

Ps. I wouldn't maintain a Helix version of your skin. And does it really pays off to start working from jarvis Confluence? Or adapt those changes to your Isengard Zeitgeist?

[Robotica]

And I am curious what you think about this:
All icons in home.xml have that square look once selected. Same is for the submenu's. Inverting all icons (so all outlining is highlighted instead the complete container) would make things look a lot cleaner once a icon is active. So when "Favorites" is active the star becomes blue instead of the square around it. Similar, when navigating to pictures the camera would become blue instead of the square around it.

Thinking further, same concept would also look great on text (like the library views, context menu, OSD, slide-in screens)

Navigating would be so much more tranquil.

Sorry to bother you with all this ;-)
But I really like your skin and I tried giving you all my first time use experience feedback.

[axbmcuser]

Thanks! More comments later on. Little busy this weekend.

I'm quite happy with the TV/Radio-changes and semi-transparent WallView background. Had to change the Wall items a bit so it does not look bad as before when i first tested semi-transparent WallView backgrounds.

[axbmcuser]

Some more updates online, as one might have noticed.

Changes include reworked home screen widgets/addons. I don't really use them, but now they are smaller and optimized, so they are less bulky and sucky, visually. :-)

Edit: Comments still coming at another time.

[axbmcuser]

1> I agree with such OSD optimizations. Maybe i'll execute some of them from time to time.
First i would love to see the (i suppose) core bug fixed, that only the VideoOSD shows the "already recording - you can stop the recording by pressing this button" button. In all other OSD and also on home screen this functionality doesn't work, even when you fix the code according to the VideoOSD (where it works).

6> I looked at the player controls within the sidebar and although i almost never use them, i think the KODI guys still left them in there by purpose. I also don't think they are really needed for remote-control using ppl... Will see.

8> I took a look at the script and seems nice and all, keeping in mind staying close to Confluence, i don't want to use added external features like that because i think there are enough basic things that should be reworked before adding new "external" stuff. For example, the movie/episode information dialog could be further optimized in it's basic existence before extending it with online or other features.

9> "It's bad UX-design;" Yeah. Somehow i agree. Still TBH, i don't think a serious media player should not be operated by mouse, so i don't indend to invest that much of a time fixing mouse UX design bugs which are basically a part of KODI i consider "legacy support" (no offense towards mouse guys)

10> I understand what you getting at. I tried some variations some time ago and ended up keeping things as is conceptionally, which is okay for non-mouse for now i think.

11> I agree. If i was in charge of original Confluence i would think about fine-tuning/adding such small things, but for my fork i won't add such descriptions, since there are more important things to invest the time on.

12> I agree. I'll look at cutting the RSS feed before hitting the buttons.

12.1> I'll try and check.

13> Already changed in reworked widgets section

14> Visually i like it the way it is (sub menu base is also a bit longer than the actual items) and consider the global search script "legacy support" for now. Maybe i'll recheck at a later time.
14.1>

15> reworked widgets section

16> I know this bug but had no time to take a look since (you already know now) i consider mouse legacy support. Still, i could'nt believe this bug is in stock Confluence - if it's not that hard to fix, i'll check.


And does it really pays off to start working from jarvis Confluence? Or adapt those changes to your Isengard Zeitgeist?
> I good some good compare tools for files, but i think i'll have to use the Jarvis base and re-integrate my changes. Both ways are nasty work sometimes, but well. I can't go back to stock Confluence now.

Rapier like shutdown menu texts
> Looks like the strings Confluence uses are from KODI core and besides my few new Skin Settings which are just plain english for now, i intend not to make and add new language strings which replace original KODI/Confluence strings. If they should change, the should in KODI itself, so Confluence also uses them.

All icons in home.xml have that square look once selected. Same is for the submenu's. Inverting all icons (so all outlining is highlighted instead the complete container) would make things look a lot cleaner once a icon is active. So when "Favorites" is active the star becomes blue instead of the square around it. Similar, when navigating to pictures the camera would become blue instead of the square around it.

Thinking further, same concept would also look great on text (like the library views, context menu, OSD, slide-in screens)

Navigating would be so much more tranquil.

This is somehow how the main menu items were when i started working on the Skin. I did not like it. I wanted the main menu items to have a large filled area like it is now and still like it. Maybe i'll recheck at a later time.

Greets to the (good) feeback guy.

btw: new version online.