Text off or just me? (1 Viewer)

TE5LA

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September 16, 2009
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I really admire this skin. It looks like someone put a great deal of work into it. I just started working on skins, so I'm not a pro by any means, but it seems to me that this skin (and many others) has issues with the text. I'm running 1920 x 1080 and with other skins, I thought it might be because they were designed for lower resolutions. This one is supposed to be for 1080, so I don't know why it's so far off.

In the main menu and most of the skin, the text is off the highlight bar. In other places, like movie info, the text overlaps with other text. A lot of text has to scroll, which I generally don't prefer. Does this skin look like this to others?

So I decided, since this is such a nice skin, to modify it a bit and "fix" some font issues. I'll display some screenshot examples later when I'm home, but I wanted to know how everyone else feels. Would you be interested in a modification of this skin when I'm finished?

If the original devs would care to help me a bit with certain questions, that would be great, since I'm pretty new to XML files.
 

aj1405

Portal Pro
September 30, 2007
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This doesn't sound right. The fonts should be aligned correctly.

Overlapping issues might occur if there's not a length restriction on the control (skin error which should be fixed). Please post where you have overlapping and we'll correct them.

Most places you cannot choose if you want static and scrolling text. It's coded in MediaPortal.

Posts some screenshots and I'll have a look at them.

BTW: This is how the Home screen should look like
Untitled-1.jpg
 

TE5LA

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September 16, 2009
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This doesn't sound right. The fonts should be aligned correctly.

Overlapping issues might occur if there's not a length restriction on the control (skin error which should be fixed). Please post where you have overlapping and we'll correct them.

Posts some screenshots and I'll have a look at them.

BTW: This is how the Home screen should look like

No, mine is all different. I have a 32" Sharp Aquos running 1920 x 1080. Here's a couple of screens. Some are even worse than the second one here. And I mean overlapping of text above/below each other, not a line length restriction (see pic 2). I wonder if our line frequencies would have anything to do with this? Aren't you on 50 cycles over there?

Still, nice skin. I'd like to use it as a base for one of my own if that's okay.

B&W1080_1.jpg

B&W1080_2.jpg

Most places you cannot choose if you want static and scrolling text. It's coded in MediaPortal.
How do you mean? Like in what areas?

I want to have menu images for selections that have none. Someone said there isn't any file that specifies the graphic files in the menu, but I know that can't be. There has to code somewhere that calls the PNG files by name.

I am having trouble finding the location for the watched/unwatched and episode counts in MP-TV Series.

And more, if I may pick your brain: If I modify the Moving Pictures and MP TV Series XML files and their packages were reinstalled, wouldn't that overwrite the ones I'd modified? I'm not clear as to how these plugins can match people's skin themes unless there is a separate file used to design them. Is it that the movingpictures.xml file and the like are part of the skin and not the plugin? Hope you know what I'm asking.
 

aj1405

Portal Pro
September 30, 2007
443
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No, mine is all different. I have a 32" Sharp Aquos running 1920 x 1080. Here's a couple of screens. Some are even worse than the second one here. And I mean overlapping of text above/below each other, not a line length restriction (see pic 2). I wonder if our line frequencies would have anything to do with this? Aren't you on 50 cycles over there?

50 hz vs 60 hz shouldn't have anything to do with the screen geometry.
It's only how fast the screen updates the picture.

Have you changed the screen DPI in windows?

Still, nice skin. I'd like to use it as a base for one of my own if that's okay.

That's okay as long as you state that it's based on "Black & White 1080" and you provide a link to the B&W forum.

How do you mean? Like in what areas?

For exampel:
The title (in the list) in your movieview if it's longer than the selection box.
The movie plot

I want to have menu images for selections that have none. Someone said there isn't any file that specifies the graphic files in the menu, but I know that can't be. There has to code somewhere that calls the PNG files by name.

The PNG filename is coded in the different plugins. Some plugins does not have a hover file defined.

I am having trouble finding the location for the watched/unwatched and episode counts in MP-TV Series.

Have a look at TVSeries.xml:

Watched: Line 1402 - 1446
Count: Line 1448 - 1529

And more, if I may pick your brain: If I modify the Moving Pictures and MP TV Series XML files and their packages were reinstalled, wouldn't that overwrite the ones I'd modified? I'm not clear as to how these plugins can match people's skin themes unless there is a separate file used to design them. Is it that the movingpictures.xml file and the like are part of the skin and not the plugin? Hope you know what I'm asking.

The skin file for a plugin is located in the respective skin folder. Each different skin could have a different file for a plugin. The plugin has coded a filename that it’s looking for in the skin folder.

For example Moving Pictures.

If you’re using Blue 3:
Skin\Blue3\movingpictures.xml

If you’re using Black & White 1080:
Skin\Black & White 1080\movingpictures.xml

Also the skin file needs to contain the correct ID.

For example Moving Pictures.

<id>96742</id>

The plugin developers have the possibility to embed skin files for different skins in their installation package, but usually they just add the Blue3 skin file.
 

TE5LA

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September 16, 2009
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The only DPI setting I changed was the icon size in Vista, but that shouldn't matter. Just for kicks, I tried it at all settings and it didn't make a difference.

Thanks for your precise answers and I'll give you "thanks".

Actually, I just noticed that the pic in your example is not 1920 x 1080, but 1928 x 1134. Did you resize after making the screen shot? That would be a different aspect ratio.
 

aj1405

Portal Pro
September 30, 2007
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Just tested the DPI setting myself and it did change the text size here either.

Try replacing the fonts.xml in the B&W folder.
I've also attached the font that B&W uses.
 

Attachments

  • fonts.xml
    30.6 KB
  • framd.zip
    30.6 KB

TE5LA

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September 16, 2009
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Just tested the DPI setting myself and it did change the text size here either.

Try replacing the fonts.xml in the B&W folder.
I've also attached the font that B&W uses.
I'm assuming you meant "didn't".

I'll try the files. What about that resolution thing?

I replaced the fonts.xml, no difference. I already had the font but reinstalled the one here anyway. Still no difference.

Are you sure you didn't design it in the odd resolution of your screen shot?

The skin file for a plugin is located in the respective skin folder. Each different skin could have a different file for a plugin. The plugin has coded a filename that it’s looking for in the skin folder.

Does this mean that if I have something in my menu that isn't a standard item nor a plug-in, that there's no way to link a graphic to it?

Using your skin, I also want to have only one item in the myHome.xml menu visible at a time and want to move it to a certain X/Y location. I can't seem to do this in that file. Are the parameters in another file? How does MP know which item in a menu is actually selected? When I reduced the menu to one item, it was showing one at a time but was apparently "focused" on an invisible one. My HTPC case has a display and always shows the proper one, though the MP screen doesn't.

Have a look at TVSeries.xml:

Watched: Line 1402 - 1446
Count: Line 1448 - 1529

I've tried altering the <posX>565</posX> values there and their positions don't change (cleared the cache).
 

aj1405

Portal Pro
September 30, 2007
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I'm assuming you meant "didn't".

I'll try the files. What about that resolution thing?

I replaced the fonts.xml, no difference. I already had the font but reinstalled the one here anyway. Still no difference.

Are you sure you didn't design it in the odd resolution of your screen shot?

Yes I meant “didn’t”.

The skin is designed for 1920*1080 resolution. The reason my screenshot isn’t 1:1 is that it’s in window mode.

I also use the skin at home on a 4:3 1280*1024 screen and it’s still not as off as yours.

Do you have the same problem with Blue3?

Does this mean that if I have something in my menu that isn't a standard item nor a plug-in, that there's no way to link a graphic to it?

I’m not sure if I understand what you want to do. You want to create a new item in the home menu which doesn’t link to a plugin?

Using your skin, I also want to have only one item in the myHome.xml menu visible at a time and want to move it to a certain X/Y location. I can't seem to do this in that file. Are the parameters in another file?

No, all parameters regarding the home menu is in the myHome.xml file.
As a side note; the plugin menu are in a separate file: myHomePlugIns.xml

How does MP know which item in a menu is actually selected? When I reduced the menu to one item, it was showing one at a time but was apparently "focused" on an invisible one. My HTPC case has a display and always shows the proper one, though the MP screen doesn't.

Tried to change <numberOfButtons>1</numberOfButtons> as a test and it seems like MediaPortal doesn’t like this at all. Both the hover graphics and the link are off, or as you wrote “focused on an invisible one”.

I've tried altering the <posX>565</posX> values there and their positions don't change (cleared the cache).

I'm sorry but I gave you some wrong information; watched starts at line 1264

Watched: Line 1264 - 1446
Count: Line 1448 - 1529
 

TE5LA

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September 16, 2009
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Do you have the same problem with Blue3?
I'll check that.

I’m not sure if I understand what you want to do. You want to create a new item in the home menu which doesn’t link to a plugin?
No, I have a Hulu.com link in my menu that launches the Hulu desktop through a program launching plug-in. I'd like a graphic for Hulu in the menu.


No, all parameters regarding the home menu is in the myHome.xml file.
There doesn't seem to be many parameters for that, just font, button height, and X/Y position.

As a side note; the plugin menu are in a separate file: myHomePlugIns.xml
Knew that one, thanks.

Tried to change <numberOfButtons>1</numberOfButtons> as a test and it seems like MediaPortal doesn’t like this at all. Both the hover graphics and the link are off, or as you wrote “focused on an invisible one”.
Yes, odd. I wonder how that menu works. Coded in the mediaportal.exe?
 

aj1405

Portal Pro
September 30, 2007
443
302
Home Country
Norway Norway
No, I have a Hulu.com link in my menu that launches the Hulu desktop through a program launching plug-in. I'd like a graphic for Hulu in the menu.

If you cannot select a hover image in the program launching plug-in you’re out of luck. Contact the plugin developer and ask for this functionality.

Yes, odd. I wonder how that menu works. Coded in the mediaportal.exe?

Yes, it’s a MediaPortal "bug".
 

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