Editing a skin: a few very basic questions (1 Viewer)

[miked]

Hi there

I am attempting to create a custom skin, based on existing skins. However, when I update the skin's graphics, the changes are not being reflected on the screen. Here is what I have done:

1. Installed the F5 refresh DLL
2. Installed the MCE skin
3. Made a new folder, called "test" and copied everything from the MCE skin folder into it.
4. put MP in window mode, and not always on top.
5. Set MP to use the skin called "test"
6. made a very big change to background.png, saved it, and hit F5 to reload the skin.

At this point I expected the change I made to background.png to be reflected in the UI, but it is not. Is there some other step I have to do to graphics to make the changes actually show up?

...Mike

 

[Boilermaker]

After making any changes to the graphics, you'll have to exit MP, erase the files in the skin's directory (not the Media directory) starting with packed (i.e. packedgfx2.bxml, packedgfx20.png, etc.) Restart MP and you should see the changes.

 

[miked]

Thanks Boilermaker, that did the trick.

Next, is there a way to see what xml files are used on a given screen? For example: I want to remove the big honkin "start" on the background of the home page, and the time and date as well, but I can't find how to do either.

Maybe a hierarchical breakdown of each screen's use of xml files, graphics and fonts? Dunno.

...Mike

 

[Boilermaker]

Maybe a hierarchical breakdown of each screen's use of xml files, graphics and fonts? Dunno.

The unfortunate byproduct of going to a new skin engine is that there is little interest in putting together this type of documentation. Its a large project that would become instantly outdated if/when the new skin engine arrives.

For example: I want to remove the big honkin "start" on the background of the home page, and the time and date as well, but I can't find how to do either.

This varies depending on what skin you started with... for example, in some skins the "start" isn't an image but text and some skins don't have it at all. Most controls have a description tag that can help figure out what it does. But skinning is mostly about trial and error. If you aren't sure what a control does, you can always change its x or y position refresh and see what moves.

There are also lots of good skinners around; if you post a question it will get an answer. You said in your original post you installed the mce skin...i thought the original was way out of date. Are you working with mce1280x720?

 

[miked]

I'm getting the hang of the xml file breakdown I think...is there a set of files that have to be deleted/refreshed to make the xml file reload? I made a few changes to BasicHome.xml but they are not showing up.

I know these questions are basic, and I really appreciate the basic help.

...Mike

ETA: Yes, your MCE 1280x720. Once I get my skin working, I'll change it to 1366x768, which is the res of my screen.

New skin engine eh? So I'll have to basically do this all over again...sigh

 

[Psycho Reptile]

...is there a set of files that have to be deleted/refreshed to make the xml file reload?

As long as you physically save (ctrl S) the changes in the xml file before hitting F5, everything should work. Oh and make sure the MyRefresh.dll file is in the "/plugins/process" folder.

Good luck, have fun

 

[Boilermaker]

I made a few changes to BasicHome.xml but they are not showing up.

What were you trying to change?...almost everything in my BasicHome screen is grouped, so changing the x and y pos for a control isn't quite as simple as in other places (if that was what you were changing).

[EDIT..or i could just read my private messages...]

One other suggestion, if you are going to eventually go with 1366x768, you might as well do it sooner rather than later. Not that it's really likely, but you could get your skin working in one resolution, convert it and find you don't like it as much in the new resolution. When you are ready to do so, i can walk you thru it pretty quickly since you are starting with one of my skins.

 

[miked]

I figured it out. It seems to be using myHome.xml and not basicHome.xml, so it's all good.

In fact, I've almost finished making the mods I wanted to make I have limited requirements (basically, the home screen and the pictures screen) so once I figured out how it all worked it was pretty straightforward.

When i get ambitious again, I'll try for the 1366x768 thing, but it scales now so it's not that big of a deal

Thanks again!

...Mike

 

[quiller]

I've found that exiting and restarting MP is quite annoying, so I'm in the practice of renaming the graphics files until I find what I want. Normally I add numbers at the end, adding one for each iteration, and then remove those numbers in the filename and XML once everything is finalized.