Problem: Updating a skin setting with #(skin.setstring()) when list control has focus (2 Viewers)

[Rob Hexenmeister]

Good evening,

I have a basic understanding of using skin.setstring and am able to set a skin property when a control gets focus. My problem is updating the setting when moving between items within a listcontrol. The code I have below only works when the listcontrol first gets focus, not when I move to a different list item within the control.

Can anyone suggest a different event (other than onfocus) or suggest a work-around for me? This is the problem code:

<control>
<description>group element</description>
<type>group</type>

<control>
<description>composite control</description>
<type>facadeview</type>
<id>50</id>

<control>
<description>listcontrol</description>
<type>listcontrol</type>
<onfocus>#(skin.setstring('keep.thumb',#selectedthumb))</onfocus>
.
.
.
<control>
.
.
etc

I am trying to pass the file location of the previously selected thumb when moving to a new window.

Many thanks
RH

 

[CyberSimian]

I ... am able to set a skin property when a control gets focus. My problem is updating the setting when moving between items within a listcontrol.

I think that the problem here is that a listcontrol is regarded as a single entity by the skin engine, even though it may contain multiple lines in a textual list, or multiple thumbnails in a thumbnail view. So onfocus is executed only when the listcontrol receives the focus, and not when the user moves between items in the list.

The variable #selectedthumb contains the identity of the current thumbnail, but can the value be inherited by the window that is displayed next? Does that variable still have a value when the next window is displayed, or is the variable reset to the null string? I don't know. You would need to experiment.

@catavolt is the acknowledged world expert on MP skins. He may have an idea of how you can achieve what you want.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK

 

[Rob Hexenmeister]

So onfocus is executed only when the listcontrol receives the focus, and not when the user moves between items in the list.

Sums up the problem I am having. Sorry if I wasn't clear.

No, #selectedthumb is not preserved on going to the next window. That's exactly what I am trying to solve. An example is moving from mytvrecordedtv.xml to mytvRecordedInfo. The variable changes from a screen grab thumbnail from the video file to a channel logo during transition between windows.

It's a shame there isn't an OnClose event for the window, because then I could save the variables I wanted on exiting the window. Maybe an idea for a future release to put this at the start of the window with the defines?

Any help from anyone that can assist in the meantime would be gratefully received,
Thanks

RH