Release Gaze - A skin for Helix
#1
I've been working on this for quite a while, and it's finally reached a stage where I'm happy to show it to others.

Gaze started life as a modification to the fabulous Transparency! (and still contains several textures from it) at the request of others in the house to remove some of the information they didn't feel was needed on screen. As time went on, more and more requests were made until it came to the point where the skin bore little resemblance to the original, so I began the task of turning it into a complete skin in its own right.

The aim of Gaze is simple - to allow the user to select what to watch from their library in a highly visual way. To that end, as many complex textures and information have been removed from views as possible. It also promotes library views over file views, though provides quick access for those times its needed. All of this with clear navigation and common interface elements.

watch gallery


Gotham Version

Last Gotham compatible version - Download .zip from ge.tt - v0.2.7

Helix Version

Important - requires service.auto.ui.colors, available here. All other dependancies will automatically install when using "Install from zip file"

http://ge.tt/2x3pHs22/v/0?c - v0.5.0

With huge thanks to Ronie for Transparency!, family and friends for getting it to this stage and the XBMC developers who, as we all know, rock.
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#2
Screen examples look good.
I have it installed in Gotham
But ... Nothing works, very small letters, no images and buttons it is less than alpha.
Good luck still very much to do. Btw I have installed on a MacBook pro.
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#3
(2013-11-16, 11:54)sling Wrote: Screen examples look good.
I have it installed in Gotham
But ... Nothing works, very small letters, no images and buttons it is less than alpha.
Good luck still very much to do. Btw I have installed on a MacBook pro.

Thanks for taking the time to try it Smile

When you say very small letters you mean the text is too small to read on your screen? If so, can I ask what size screen and from what distance?

No images/buttons - are you not seeing any of the skins textures? If so, I've probably packaged it incorrectly. If not, I'll look into it!
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#4
@Unfledged
I have some screen shots. You can download them here. http://sdrv.ms/17AAAQx
I've tested it on a Macbook 1440x900
I always test skins on my laptop before I install them on my HTPC (mac mini with OpenElec)
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#5
Thanks for those.

There's two problems showing there. Firstly, a lot of the strings for the skin don't look like they've loaded. I realised this was a possibility last night, actually, and have already fixed this on Git. (I'll upload an updated zip when I get chance)

Second, you're not running a recent nightly build. There's a new way to position controls for Gotham using <left>, <top> tags rather than the classic <posx> and <posy>. Because the build you're running doesn't support them, XBMC is just placing all controls into the top left corner instead of where they should be.
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#6
I have now install the latest Gotham. And make a new screen shot (screen 8) this one looks good.
I hope to hear when you place a new update on Git.
Good luck with the development I keep following
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#7
That looks much better!

I've now uploaded the updated zip (linked in OP) with the fix for strings not loading.

If you're interested in the updates on Git you can watch the repository via github.com - otherwise I'll post in this thread when I - intermittently - build a new zip.
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#8
New version uploaded - v0.1.2

- Custom shortcuts now managed by script.skinshortcuts (manual installation needed)
- List view now default
- Fix Flow view mouse control
- Descriptions in views now center vertically unless needing to scroll
- PVR appearance improvements
- Performance improvements
- Numerous minor interface tweaks and fixes
- Updates for latest changes to Gotham skinning engine

Download zip
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#9
Is this that skin has been abandoned? The idea is great, it works great on gotham!
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#10
I still maintain it for me and my families use but, since it's where I primarily test my skin shortcuts script, it's broken 90% of the time and as such hasn't been updated on git for a long time.
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#11
this is sad! IT is great!
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#12
You are far too kind Smile I'll see what I can do about updating the git over the weekend just for you. Might as well have the latest changes out there.
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#13
Well, I think the community could have the pleasure of using your skin. It is unique, no skin like her now. And very light and fast. On my little Open Elec , it must be done well! Thank you very muchWink
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#14
Don't worry, I'm not going to start bumping this skins thread (though I may bump it once more as explained below,) but...

As Reynald expressed an interest in this skin, I've been working on fixing everything I've broken over the last few months, so am providing what is essentially a final Gotham version of the skin here.

As time has gone by, the skin has kept its fundamental objectives, which is to say it is still a skin which provides access to media in a highly visual way, whilst forgoing as many textures and as much extraneous information as possible. Though it offers a very customisable menu, it isn't a skin for those who want a huge amount of customisation or want to know every detail of every item in their library. Over time, the design has become flatter than the original skin images (as seems to be the norm these days), and has increasingly moved towards a one-window-only system (though this isn't complete yet), rather than having overlaying dialogs - and if I get time I'll update the OP images (now done).

The next move for the skin will be to move it to Helix when upcoming updates to the PVR section are pulled into XBMC, at which point I hope to have completed the one-window-only changes and I'll look to get it into the dev repo (and may bump this thread again.) Of course, all feedback and suggestions are welcome, as long as they fit into the - I'll admit seemingly unusual for XBMC skins - aims of this skin.

Edit: Just to be clear, if you are not installing this skin via "Install from zip" option within XBMC (and I haven't tested the zip to confirm this works) you MUST first install script.skinshortcuts, which itself relies on script.module.unidecode. Without these, you may end up with a non-functioning system,
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#15
Once I read the instructions in the first post and realised I needed script.skinshortcuts it appears very nice. I like it.

Unfortunately the family gets angry if I change the skin on the 'production' machines as they are easily lost...
If I have helped you or increased your knowledge, click the 'thumbs up' button to give thanks :) (People with less than 20 posts won't see the "thumbs up" button.)
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Gaze - A skin for Helix2