New Zealand
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- #191
Haha 
Sorry for the slow reply. I didn't know where to begin when I started so you'll be OK as long as you've got plenty of spare time!
OK, here's what I would recommend:
First choose whichever skin you like the most (but want to tweak...)
1. Make a backup copy of the skin folder for obvious reasons.
2. Graphics:
a) Remember to delete the cache folder if you change any graphics otherwise your changes won't be shown when you reload MP.
b) If you want to change a graphic head to the MEDIA folder and sub folders. Personally I hate the Titan overlay so rather than change every XML file to get rid of it I saved a blank PNG file with the same name (think outside the square). If you're changing a lot of graphics files I recommend using PNG Gauntlet, a free programme which will trim down the file size without compromising the quality - probably not so important now but it was when I was skinning (due to the average HTPC processing capability)
3. Fonts:
Look at the "Fonts.xml" file if you want to make any changes there.
4. Layout
Open the xml file you want to tweak and look at the "controls"eg.:
<control>
<id>0</id>
<type>image</type>
<posX>60</posX>
<posY>34</posY>
<width>68</width>
<height>60</height>
<texture>icon_movies.png</texture>
<visible>control.isvisible(50)|control.isvisible(51)</visible>
<animation effect="fade" time="250">WindowOpen</animation>
<animation effect="fade" time="250">WindowClose</animation>
</control>
This is positioning the image (<type>), setting it's height, calling the image (icon_movies.png) & saying when it will be visible (play around with that, it's a bit confusing at first) & finally the animation effect is saying what sort of animation it is(fade), when it happens (eg. WindowOpen) and how long it takes. Play around with a single XML file for a while and you'll get the idea.
5. Notes:
a) Some things that you see on the screen are defined in other XML files that are "called" (I'm not an IT guy so hopefully that's the right term!) such as:
<import>common.time.xml</import>
<import>movingpictures.hiddenmenu.xml</import>
...so if you want to change how the time looks for example go and change the common.time.xml file. Or if you don't want the time (or weather etc) showing delete that line.
b) You can make notes to yourself in the skin like this, which is pretty handy (the "<!--" things are what stops the note destroying your good work):
<!--
This file should contain the facade view and all gui elements that should remain on screen during all ormultiple view modes.
-->
c) Once you (kind of) know what you're doing install all of the other skins available! If you see something you like (even if you want to tweak it) look at how it's implemented and then modify it for your own skin. There are lots of great skinners around who really know what they're doing! (I would never claim that - too much beer was involved in my skinning process) so "look & learn", I reckon that's how I learnt the most.
Hopefully that's enough to get you started. I've got to go and crack another beer now
Bleazle
Sorry for the slow reply. I didn't know where to begin when I started so you'll be OK as long as you've got plenty of spare time!OK, here's what I would recommend:
First choose whichever skin you like the most (but want to tweak...)
1. Make a backup copy of the skin folder for obvious reasons.
2. Graphics:
a) Remember to delete the cache folder if you change any graphics otherwise your changes won't be shown when you reload MP.
b) If you want to change a graphic head to the MEDIA folder and sub folders. Personally I hate the Titan overlay so rather than change every XML file to get rid of it I saved a blank PNG file with the same name (think outside the square
). If you're changing a lot of graphics files I recommend using PNG Gauntlet, a free programme which will trim down the file size without compromising the quality - probably not so important now but it was when I was skinning (due to the average HTPC processing capability)3. Fonts:
Look at the "Fonts.xml" file if you want to make any changes there.
4. Layout
Open the xml file you want to tweak and look at the "controls"eg.:
<control>
<id>0</id>
<type>image</type>
<posX>60</posX>
<posY>34</posY>
<width>68</width>
<height>60</height>
<texture>icon_movies.png</texture>
<visible>control.isvisible(50)|control.isvisible(51)</visible>
<animation effect="fade" time="250">WindowOpen</animation>
<animation effect="fade" time="250">WindowClose</animation>
</control>
This is positioning the image (<type>), setting it's height, calling the image (icon_movies.png) & saying when it will be visible (play around with that, it's a bit confusing at first) & finally the animation effect is saying what sort of animation it is(fade), when it happens (eg. WindowOpen) and how long it takes. Play around with a single XML file for a while and you'll get the idea.
5. Notes:
a) Some things that you see on the screen are defined in other XML files that are "called" (I'm not an IT guy so hopefully that's the right term!
) such as: <import>common.time.xml</import>
<import>movingpictures.hiddenmenu.xml</import>
...so if you want to change how the time looks for example go and change the common.time.xml file. Or if you don't want the time (or weather etc) showing delete that line.
b) You can make notes to yourself in the skin like this, which is pretty handy (the "<!--" things are what stops the note destroying your good work):
<!--
This file should contain the facade view and all gui elements that should remain on screen during all ormultiple view modes.
-->
c) Once you (kind of) know what you're doing install all of the other skins available! If you see something you like (even if you want to tweak it) look at how it's implemented and then modify it for your own skin. There are lots of great skinners around who really know what they're doing! (I would never claim that - too much beer was involved in my skinning process
) so "look & learn", I reckon that's how I learnt the most.Hopefully that's enough to get you started. I've got to go and crack another beer now
Bleazle