[blaxwan]

MySkype: a new Skype plugin for MediaPortal
(by BlaXwan aka Fabio Di Niro)

Dear all, here is the result of my last 2 weeks efforts.
It is a Window Plugin for MediaPortal that lets you control Skype.
It is all self-contained and you don't need to download or install nothing else. You'll need just MediaPortal (>= v. 2.3.0), Skype (v. >= 3.6) and, of course, this plugin.
At this first release it can:
- show and set skype status
- show the contacts and the call history (up to the last 100 calls)
- place new voice calls
- answer new incoming calls with a bottomright menu
- if a call arrives during the playback of some media it may put in pause the media and resume then it after the call


DOWNLOAD:
For installing it I would recommend to use the MPInstaller package "MySkype.mpi" (attached to this post).
Probably I will update just the version in the SVN so, please, check if the SVN version of the MySkype.mpi is more recent than the one attached to this post (which is 7 of January 2008).
You can download the whole project (source, skin and MPI) from the MediaPortal contributor plugin SVN repository at:
https://mp-plugins.svn.sourceforge.n...lugins/MySkype

or just navigate it at:

http://mediaportal.svn.sourceforge.n...ugins/MySkype/


INSTALLATION:
Start the MediaPortal Configuration tool, go in Plugins, go in MPI and install the plugin using the MySkype.mpi file.
Then, in General section you need to set to MediaPortal to not start in fullscreen mode.
Say ok and exit MediaPortal Configuration tool.
Then launch MediaPortal and wait for the first Skype prompt that asks if you want to allow MediaPortal to access Skype itself. Choose "Yes" in a permanent way.
Then Skype will say that an external program is asking it to stay in silent mode, and it will ask you the confirmation for that. Select "Don't ask me again" and click OK to allow MediaPortal to access Skype and put it in silent mode permanently.
The plugin will take out Skype from silent mode when MediaPortal will be shut down (no damages to your Skype ).
After the authorization is done, you can configure your MediaPortal to start in fullscreen again (if you like so).
All done, just use it!

I'll attach the MPInstller to this post so you can quickly start to use and test it!


USE:
At the startup the plugin will ask a lot of data to Skype so if you start MediaPortal and then jump quickly to MySkype, you will have to wait some seconds in order to be able to navigate through the contacts or the call history, that's because they are still being populating with contacts and old calls. Don't worry and give it some seconds of your time.

With the Status button you can choose which Skype status you want to be in.

With the History button you can look at the call history. It starts with MissedCalls as default, then you can click on ReceivedCalls button or CallsDone button to show the other lists.

In the Settings panel you may choose to be notified or not about incoming calls and if you choose yes, you can decide if you want the plugin to put in pause any media was playing when the incoming call arrived. Last option in the setting is whether to show or not the contacts that are currently offline. The settings are saved every time you click the "Back" button on the Settings page, so they will not be saved if you jump out of the page in other ways.


FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS
- Video calls: yes, I started to code this plugin mainly for this reason, lately I knew that there are no ways to get the video out of the Skype window. Probably they will implement something later on. So, as soon as Skype will release such function I'll implement in the plugin. I assure that this is my first interest! )
- Contacts in groups: next improvement will be the possibility to use and view the contacts grouped in the groups defined in Skype. Later (if you think that it may be useful) there could be the possibility to manage the contact groups from the plugin itself.
- Avatars: another function that probably (also if you think that may be useful) I'll implement is the possibility to view the Skype icon image (avatar) for each contact in the view as icon list of the plugin
- Everything that you may suggest (if reasonable!).


FEEDBACKS, BUGS, and other
The plugin seems very stable at the moment but, of course I can discover problem in cases that I didn't tested.
If you find any problem please let me know posting to this thread and specifying the exact simptoms and causes so I can try to reproduce the error condition and debug it.
As well, if you think that there are functions that really needs to be implemented let me know in this thread as well.


I hope you'll enjoy it!
Have a nice day,

BlaXwan

[losttown]

The plugin is perfect. Thank you!, But we use Foofaraw1610 skin. Is there a possibility of the tool in the SKIN adapt?

[Spragleknas]

Hi, and welcome to the forums
Good news - and great first post! I don't have time to try this yet, but hopefully I'll find some time soon.

[stig]

thank you

[martyyn]

Hi Blaxwan,

Does your plugin have any features Testerboys existing Skyple plugin doesnt have ?

http://www.team-mediaportal.com/file...ype4MPUpdated/

Ive been using it for a while and its one of the most useful plugins there are (especially when my wife calls the Netherlands a couple of times a week!)

Cheers
Martyn

[blaxwan]

Thank you all guys for your answers and your welcome!

This is really the warmest welcome I got in a forum!



..::.Losttown.::..: there are a lot of skins, I don't think I'll provide file for all of them!
Actually I'm running just BlueTwo, lately if I'll try something else pherhaps I'll do the porting for it.


..::.Martyyn.::..: to be honest, the reason why I started to code this plugin is because I found just the early maniac's version, unfortunately I didn't found the great improvement that TesterBoy did . So, the answer to your question is no, MySkype lacks some features that Skype4MP-Updated has like SkypeOut and chat.

I spoke with TesterBoy and we agreed that two plugin doing the same stuff are useless, so we're deciding to combine our efforts tryin' to keep the best of both code and possibly move further so, stay tuned!

Thanks again,
Fabio

[waydm]

Hi Blaxwan,
sorry for my english.
The plugin is perfect. Thank you! But problem with non-english username in MySkype (See screenshots).
Thanks you!

[Tainted]

I cant wait for video support. Then this will give me the media centre I have been waiting for.

[Chodid]

Heyho, thank you for thisgreat Plugin, it was exactly what I was looking for.
But one thing, would it be possible to display the names that were given to the contacts in skype instead of their self-chosen Nicknames?
I too, am looking forward to a Video solution, would it not work to automatically minimize MP and put the Video to fullscreen when a VideoCall is started?

Best regards
Chodid

[Edit] Just thought of one more thing, would it be possible to implement different languages? I dont mind it being in english, but since everything else in my MP is in german I'd prefer it all to be the same language. If you need help with translations, I could help with spanish and german.

[Energizer]

Thanks!
my small fix skin
Viaccess for Free Forums

{
strButtonText = PluginName();
strButtonImage = "";
strButtonImageFocus = "";
strPictureImage = "hover_MySkype.png";
return true;
}