[the_bo]

@"chrissix" 
@koldtoft 

I will just post one quick tutorial here incase anyone else needs it. If you need any other info can PM me.

Map a key/button to refresh skin changes

1. Close kodi and navigate to folder .kodi/userdata/keymaps
2. Next double click on the keyboard.xml or gen.xml file.
3. Add your key you want to map to like the following. I used f5 key but you can choose any key instead just replace f5.

Note: Kodi uses a list of default keyboard keys for kodi controls. Make sure the key you choose doesn't clash with any of the default control keys. See here Keyboard_controls (wiki)

Code:

<keymap>
   <global>
       <keyboard>
           <f5>XBMC.ReloadSkin()</f5>
       </keyboard>
    </global>
</keymap>

Note for remotes 
If you are using a remote instead of a keyboard you need an extra step.

1. You need to install the keymap editor addon in the kodi repo and run it and map something (can be anything) to the button you want to use to get the right key id.
2. Save changes in keymap editor.
3. Open the gen.xml file in .kodi/userdata/keymaps. There should be a line with the command you saved in keymap editor and a key ID and a bunch of numbers like <key id=“61531”> where the id is your button id.
4. So replace the f5 line above to something like

Code:

<keymap>
   <global>
       <keyboard>
           <key id=“61531”>XBMC.ReloadSkin()</key>
       </keyboard>
    </global>
</keymap>

5. Save your xml file. Restart kodi. Now when you are working on the skin, press the button and after a few seconds the skin will reload with changes.

Hope this helps  

Any issues can PM me