Request for generic menu items between skins (2 Viewers)

[rekenaar]

Re: Request for generic menu editor

If we can all agree on a standard settings file that would solve all problems wouldn't it? Every skinner would use the same settings file but still be able to make any specific menu in their choosen editor (plugin based or stand-alone).

Let's start with something that really could be implemented fast and give flexibility.

Yep, that would solve it

 

[rekenaar]

I have updated the first post with cul8er's latest idea.
If other designers (and users ) can PLEASE raise their voice.
I am really convinced that this can be VERY VERY useful. And of course easier for end users that want to try out different skins. No need to teach the wife new menu-items, etc...

 

[n4orcer]

I think the first step just as cul8er says is a very good start. I think that the suggestion you have is a great start, if we could agree on a format for the settings .xml file and start with that as we can always build and add functions to it later on and so on.

What ever is easy enough for the user and not that advanced for the skinners to add support for it has my vote. I'll see if I can come up with something aswell, but I think your example cul8er is a great start.

Edit: You can add Essence-1080p to the supporting list. We will make sure we are ready for this when it's released somewhere down the road..

/n4orcer

 

[catavolt]

AW: Request for generic menu items between skins

I will definitely participate in developing this xml. Rekenaar, you may delete the * from PureVisionHD

 

[n4orcer]

Hi,

I've been working a little bit with an application that can do two things.

1) Parse a folder (Skin folder) and build a list (WindowID - filename.xml) that you can use to select and build the below XML file trough the GUI.
2) Generate a basichome.xml from the file below or from what items you choose from the generated list of ids.

For the application to work the skin (it's basichome.xml) need to support the below file. The application should parse the generated file below and put the items/subitems in their correct spot that are defined in the basichome.xml.

Perhaps each skin also needs some kind of "layout.xml" that tells the application of how many "mainitems", "subitems" and if it supports the other items defined and so on in the basichome.xml so that it wont generate a non working basichome.xml file for a skin that does not use those items. I'm note quite sure how to do it the easiest way yet so i'm looking for ideas or help finishing it as i'm quite new to programing in C#, so if anybody feels like helping out, let me know.

So far the application can successfully parse a MP XML file and find if it's a valid plugin/window XML or just an "include" XML file so the first step is done. Later today I'm going to finish the parsing of a folder and list generation and hopefully in a week or two the whole application can be complete for usage.

If anybody have suggestions, ideas, programing aid or want to help out fleshing these ideas out let me know.

The Draft:

Spoiler

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<MenuSettings xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
<General>
<UseRss>Yes</UseRss>
<DefaultMenu>Movies</DefaultMenu>
</General>
<MenuItems>
<MenuItem Text="Music">
<Caption1>Listen To</Caption1>
<Caption2>Music</Caption2>
<Hyperlink>30</Hyperlink>
<Action>-</Action>
<FanartHandler>Music</FanartHandler>
<BackgroundImage>-</BackgroundImage>
<BackgroundFolder>-</BackgroundFolder>
</MenuItem>
<MenuItem Text="Movies">
<Caption1>Watch Your</Caption1>
<Caption2>Movies</Caption2>
<Hyperlink>96742</Hyperlink>
<Action>-</Action>
<FanartHandler>Movies</FanartHandler>
<BackgroundImage>-</BackgroundImage>
<BackgroundFolder>-</BackgroundFolder>
<SubMenuItems>
<SubMenuItem Text="Movies">
<Hyperlink>96742</Hyperlink>
<Action>-</Action>
<FanartHandler>Movies</FanartHandler>
<BackgroundImage>-</BackgroundImage>
<BackgroundFolder>-</BackgroundFolder>
</SubMenuItem>
<SubMenuItem Text="Online Videos">
<Hyperlink>4755</Hyperlink>
<Action>-</Action>
<FanartHandler>Movies</FanartHandler>
<BackgroundImage>-</BackgroundImage>
<BackgroundFolder>-</BackgroundFolder>
</SubMenuItem>
</SubMenuItems>
</MenuItem>
</MenuItems>
</MenuSettings>
</xml>

 

[catavolt]

AW: Request for generic menu items between skins

That sounds really good. If you have something to test (even if it is in a very early stage), please post it here so that we can see how and if it works for different skins, because the correct parsing is a vital step to later change the items.

 

[cul8er]

Hi,

Thanks for your effort but I thought we all agreed we would not make an application for this. We should agree on an xml file and every skinner that has an editor tool should support that settings file. For me the application is useless and nothing my skins will support, sorry.

best regards
cul8er

 

[n4orcer]

That sounds really good. If you have something to test (even if it is in a very early stage), please post it here so that we can see how and if it works for different skins, because the correct parsing is a vital step to later change the items.

Sure, i can upload an early version of it later today so you at least can try the parsing of XML files.

Hi,

Thanks for your effort but I thought we all agreed we would not make an application for this. We should agree on an xml file and every skinner that has an editor tool should support that settings file. For me the application is useless and nothing my skins will support, sorry.

best regards
cul8er

Hmmm, perhaps it was agreed. But I not see why the application would not work or why your own editor would not work if you just support the purposed XML file.

Basically to my understanding is that if I have the purposed XML file generated from your editor it should automatically work with the general one I am creating and any other editor that supports the XML file itself, that was my thought at least.

So the way I understood it is that my application have nothing to do with your editor and there should not be anything you need to do on your side to make it work as long as you support the purposed XML file it would be up to my editor to support generating basichome.xml trough some kind of "layout.xml" or whatever for your skin if that is a function that is going to be implemented.

I was just trying to make a unified tool for creating the structure of the purposed XML file. It's just a different way to generate and edit the file, the only difference is that I would want my general application to be able to generate a basichome.xml file for those skins that do not support the purposed XML file or at the very least be able to do most of the work so there is just basic editing left to do for the end user.

The tool itself should ignore or disregard anything that are skin specific and it really dont even need a skin to work. All it needs is a "WindowIDs.xml" that contain ID and Filename of the available plugins and then it can create one of the purposed XML files or you can load one previously saved one and modify it.

Perhaps I have misunderstood something? I do not want to step on anyones toes or anything like that, i just want to help out and make things easier.

 

[catavolt]

AW: Request for generic menu items between skins

Hi cul8er, if I understood n4rcer right his parser would just create the xml file we agreed upon earlier? I think this would be a good approach as first step - and we still can (and should!) work on the correct structure for that file to be used in a somehow "generic" menu editor later.

 

[n4orcer]

Re: AW: Request for generic menu items between skins

Hi cul8er, if I understood n4rcer right his parser would just create the xml file we agreed upon earlier? I think this would be a good approach as first step - and we still can (and should!) work on the correct structure for that file to be used in a generic menu editor later.

That is correct. I have probably written a bit to many words to make that clear.

It would be possible to create two XML files from it. The purposed XML file and a WindowsIDs.XML that is a file with all known/found plugins id's that it could find while parsing all XML files in a skin. This file could be used by other editors so we can have a "complete" list of known "ID - Plugin names" to choose from in editors.

I do not know how other editors do it, but it just thought that would be a nice addition anyway and it's a good learning project for me until I'll tackle Essence's Configuration Tool