[smp1]

Wow... really? There's no more direct way? Bringing the rpi microSD card to my PC for example?

I don't believe you can directly make those changes inside LibreELEC's read-only filesystem. I mean you will not be able to edit the xml files of the default Kodi skin. You should install a copy of the default skin to /storage/.kodi/addons so it would be possible to edit the xml file.

[tinpanalley]

Wow... really? There's no more direct way? Bringing the rpi microSD card to my PC for example?

I don't believe you can directly make those changes inside LibreELEC's read-only filesystem. I mean you will not be able to edit the xml files of the default Kodi skin. You should install a copy of the default skin to /storage/.kodi/addons so it would be possible to edit the xml file.

It's fine. If the longer way works I'll do it that way.
In any event now that I know how to delete unwanted skins, I can try as many as I want in the meantime.

[tinpanalley]

Are you using LibreELEC? If you do then copy the skin.estuary folder to your computer, make the changes to DialogSeekBar.xml, rename the skin.estuary folder to e.g. "skin.estuaryNEW", edit the addon.xml file (replace <addon id="skin.estuary" with <addon id="skin.estuaryNEW" and  name="Estuary" with name="Estuary NEW"). Then compress the skin.estuaryNEW folder to a .zip file and install that .zip file via Kodi GUI ("Install from zip file"...).

Ok, I followed the instructions, the file loaded fine.
Just one tiiiiiny detail is that now it only flashes the timeline while you're advancing or rewinding so it's hard to keep track of how far you're visually going. But I suppose that's tweakable.

[DarrenHill]

If you have SSH access then you may be able to do it that way.

SSH in, then stop kodi (systemctl stop kodi), edit your file (use nano or whatever editor you prefer) then restart kodi again (systemctl start kodi).

If you're on LibreElec the above should work. If you're on OSMC I think you have to replace kodi with mediacenter, but that's from a quick google search (I know the LE one works as I run LE on my Pi's, can't personally vouch for the OSMC one). Of course if you're on Raspbian or another "full" Linux then you can just do it directly when Kodi isn't running.

[tinpanalley]

If you have SSH access then you may be able to do it that way.

SSH in, then stop kodi (systemctl stop kodi), edit your file (use nano or whatever editor you prefer) then restart kodi again (systemctl start kodi).

If you're on LibreElec the above should work. If you're on OSMC I think you have to replace kodi with mediacenter, but that's from a quick google search (I know the LE one works as I run LE on my Pi's, can't personally vouch for the OSMC one). Of course if you're on Raspbian or another "full" Linux then you can just do it directly when Kodi isn't running.

I got in the other way. But I do have SSH access. When you say stop kodi, what do yo u mean? A Putty command? I'm not sure I understand how that command system works.

[DarrenHill]

It's connecting to the OS underneath Kodi. In LibreElec it's minimal and fairly locked down, but it is there.

When you boot up you'll notice you get two splash screens, firstly LibreElec then kodi. The first one is the OS's and the second is Kodi's after it loads. It's what the base part of LibreElec actually is (and as it's screen says) - "just enough OS for Kodi".

All those commands do are to stop and start kodi from the OS level login (the SSH connection). As kodi isn't running then there should be nothing to lock down or interfere with editing the files, presuming they're not in one of the read only bits of the file system.

[tinpanalley]

I was just revisiting this to do the same thing again on my new Rpi4 and Kodi install.
Despite reading through this thread I can't figure out how I managed to edit the xml files and successfully upload them because the system won't let me edit or upload xml files. The transfers or edits fail.
What do I have to do to be able to edit properly?

[popcornmix]

You can't edit files in /usr on LibreELEC - that is a read only part of filesystem.
However you can copy the files to a writable part of filesystem and edit them there.
See here.

[tinpanalley]

You can't edit files in /usr on LibreELEC - that is a read only part of filesystem.
However you can copy the files to a writable part of filesystem and edit them there.
See here.

Oh, I see, so you sort of edit in a "user edits" folder that is linked to the skin's main folder and your edits are read in place of defaults? Is that it?

[popcornmix]

In general the OS and kodi parts of libreelec are readonly.
But /storage is writeable and certain directories are used in preference to the system ones.
An addon (like estuary) in /storage/.kodi/addons will be used in preference to the system once,
so you can copy it there and edit it.

[tinpanalley]

In general the OS and kodi parts of libreelec are readonly.
But /storage is writeable and certain directories are used in preference to the system ones.
An addon (like estuary) in /storage/.kodi/addons will be used in preference to the system once,
so you can copy it there and edit it.

Ok, cool. So I copy the whole skin folder into storage and Kodi will read from there instead. Do I copy the WHOLE skin folder or just the parts I'm modifying?

[popcornmix]

Whole folder.

[tinpanalley]

Whole folder.

Worked perfectly. Thank you.
Gonna write myself a little notepad file to remember how to do it in the future. I imagine editing XML codes is better than using those plugins that let you remap remote buttons. I like the plugins but I feel like I have no control. I want to be able to remap things myself. Where would I find the xmls that would let me edit the seek times on the controller and mapping functions to specific buttons. I'd love to get subtitles on/off mapped to a specific F-button on my remote for example.

[popcornmix]

https://kodi.wiki/view/Keymap