Noob confused about home and basic home screen behavior (1 Viewer)

[Flappers]

Sorry if this is a FAQ. I did not really find an answer in the forum or the wiki. I'am complete new to MP.... therefore

I've used myHTCP and later on meedio/TVcental (i'am from germany ). I've decided to switch to mp for various reasons.

At the moment i run tests with the faboulos XFace theme. I've found out, that i have a "Home Screen" and a "Basic Home Screen". I wonder why? The Home Screen is completly different from the "Basic" one. But i like the "Basic" much better. Here are my questions....

a.) Whats that home and home basic confusion thing about menu structures compared to meedio for example?

b.) Why does MP have two diffent homes anyway?

c.) how can i insert/change own menu and submenu entries?

d.) how can i change the menu entries in the "basic home" screen of Xface? There are completely different from the "home" screen" and i see "english language entries" that do not appear anywhere in the config tool.

Hope someone is so kind to enlight me regardless if this as a dump number of questions....

 

[Spragleknas]

I'll try to have a go:
- Basic homescreen: "Static" - created by author and meant to be used "as is"
- Home screen: "Dynamic" - plugins can be added and removed in setup, and divided into:
-- home: here you have mos commonly used, like TV, series etc.
-- plugins: things you seldom use - like tetris etc.

I think this answers a - at leas partially (?)

b) Don't know really. Just a part of MP evolution? BHS was added last.

c) In HS: in setup -> plugins -> rightclic - select home or my plugins.
d) In BHS: learn how to modify XML's

Regarding English: Normally this can also be altered/added in XML

HTH

 

[Flappers]

Thanks for your answers.

It seams, that this part of MP is not so well designed compared to Meedio (sorry). The menustructure and the configuration (e.g. Submenu's/SuSubMenus) are not easy configurable nor possible.

I hoped that it could be more easy (via Setup Tool ) to modify this structure. Especaliy with the call/run of external Programms.

Is there any chance of predefining Menu-Entries to call a modul with a fixed View? As far as i understood, each view can be defined in the related plugin (e.g. mymusic) and the view can only be called via the views menu.

learn how to modify XML's

I'am coming from meedio...

Anyway i will try further thank you again.

 

[Furetto]

b.) Why does MP have two diffent homes anyway?

As far as I remember, this originates with the Nonafo skin, made by Mofux. Maybe he'll correct me if I am wrong. It was a skin that was very unlike the BlueTwo clones. I guess Mofux got tired of the limitations of the standard Home menu and thus made a plugin for the Basic Home.

When Nonafo was released, it came with a small executable in which you would select which plugins/menu entries should appear in the basic home menu.

You can still download Nonafo. To get an idea of what it looked like, check out this screenshot in the Dead Skin List.

 

[Flappers]

Nice skin, looks like it was inspired by the HDTV theme for meedio by kelmk

I've investigated that confusing home screen questions further. It's not so easy as it should be to extend the menus So i understand that some guys were going other ways... to bad.

Anyway i think i have to deal with it. The other functions of MP are very interesting and i keep on trying to move my attempts (MP+XFace) into production (Livingroom )

 

[Furetto]

Meedio and MP developers obviously had different centers of attention during developing. I am glad you did not start with "It was much better in meedio" But let's not start that discussion again.

It is indeed currently not possible to go very far in modifying the Menu Structure. I am a big fan of the Monochrome skin, as this does add some submenus through extra plugins. Like a Watch and a Listen menu. If you are planning on creating personalised menus, this skin is your best starting point in my opinion.

I see at this moment two ways of customising menu/submenu configuration.

The first is using Monochrome Extra plugins and modifying them to your wishes. You'll need to do some xml editing.

The second is to use even more xml and play with visibility tags like first introduced in the Spinsafe skin. I once made an attempt at this myself in the thread about skin mods. Have a look at the code in the attachment of post 3.

 

[Spragleknas]

I've made my own BHS (just for kicks) which includes only plugins I need. It is not hard at all. If you want to have a go, I suggest you try to modify the BHS for Monochrome or Electric Lead and use it for Xface.

 

[Flappers]

Thanks for your support! I'll give it a try as far as i'am at that point. BTW: it is better solved in meedio , but it does not make sense to mind that... anyone seams to know it anyway

again, for you suggestions. I'll be back Promise.

 

[Spragleknas]

Most MP limitations are most likely gone in MPII One of the many reasons to start all over.

 

[Flappers]

Next Version is always the better

I take MPI and fight though the configuration. I'am a misery beared meedio/TVc user... and i see that i have good support here to make it