Hello all,
I have uploaded version 3.4.15 of Amber to the Amber for Matrix repo. As previously stated, all new functionality will be coded for Matrix, and Leia will only receive bug fixes. I am splitting the announcement of this new version in two posts, so as not to exceed the number of images allowed in a single post.
The highlights of this version are:
1. Implementation of Bottom Shortcuts. Thank you to @
jdig4240 for asking for this feature. Bottom shortcuts are a row of shortcuts that you can add to each meanu item. The shortcuts function as the "Custom" shelves, in which you can add to them anything that can be added as a menu/sbumenu item. When enabled and configured, they look something like this:
The bottom shortcuts are only available for the horizontal menu, and as you can see the main menu is positioned higher to make room for the shortcuts. The shelves will resize and reposition automatically when bottom shortcuts are enabled. The same goes for the now Playing information.
You enable them globally first, using a new setting that can be found here:
As you can see from the above screenshot, you can also enable having a dark background behind the shortcuts, to make the text more readable. You can notice this dark background in the first screenshot in this post.
Then, in the menu configuration dialog, you activate that you want to show bottom shortcuts for a menu item, like so:
When you do, you can then select the "Customize Bottom Shortcuts" option to configure what will appear in the bottom shortcuts for that menu item. You configure the bottom shortcuts just like you configure the menu/submenu:
The end result is shown in the first screenshot.
A couple of things to keep in mind:
a. You will now be able to configure only 4 Custom shelves per menu item, as the fifth is taken over by the bottom shortcuts.
b. You need to choose the icon fo each shortcut. If you choose an addon as a bottom shortcut (and not a section within an addon), Amber does not automatically add the addon icon as the icon for the shortcut. I need to see if this is even possible. If you choose a section within an addon, Kodi will usually assign the addon icon or the section icon (like the Netflix - My List in the example) as the shortcut icon.
2. Colored Media Flags. Amber now supports colored media flags. These flags will appear in the media views, OSD, info dialogs and search select dialogs. You can enable them with a new setting that can be found here:
And they look like this:
Big thanks to @Mr. V for allowing me to use the colored flags from Madnox, and to @
Input1963 for asking for this feature.
3. Option to show the Video Info Dialog from the Video OSD. There is a new setting in Amber that enables showing the full video info dialog from the video OSD, when you press the "i" button in the OSD (not the "i" key, but the actual button in the OSD). You can find the new setting here:
As you can see from the above, you can also choose to pause the playing video while the info dialog is active.
When you select the "i" button on the osd while the setting is enabled,
you get the same video info dialog as you would in the media views or shelves:
Some notes on this info dialog:
a. There is no Play/Browse button, as you are already playing a video.
b. You cannot change art from this info dialog.
c. This only works for library items (media that is in your Kodi video database)
d. You need the addon
service.library.data.provider for this to work. This addon is in the Kodi Matrix repo. If you currently do not have it installed, you can do so from the "Manage Dependencies" section of the Amber settings.
The other couple of important highlights from this version will be shown in the next post.
Regards,
Bart
