HADesigner Screencasts: Creating the Minimo Skin

[tschak909]

I have started a new skin as a proof of concept: Minimo

http://www.localeconcept.com/private/minimo_sketch.png

This next series of screencasts expands on the original HADesigner Screencasts, which can be viewed here: http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=5059.0, and are a pre-requisite to this set of screencasts. So if you haven't, go watch them.

This set of screencasts show how to create a totally new skin with a new layout for LinuxMCE, from the ground up, in all variations.

The list of screencasts: (again, this post will be updated as they are posted.)

http://www.localeconcept.com/Skin-Screencasts/01_introduction_and_aesthetic.ogg
http://www.localeconcept.com/Skin-Screencasts/02_main_menu_first_pass.ogg
http://www.localeconcept.com/Skin-Screencasts/03_main_menu_notes_and_corrections.ogg
http://www.localeconcept.com/Skin-Screencasts/04_the_floorplan_buttons.ogg

I hope you all enjoy it, Let's see some new UI!
-Thom

[jondecker76]

This is some really great work Thom - this will definitely pave the way to having more UI options!

[tschak909]

In this second installment, we build the first bits of the Main Menu, showing off Arrays, and a small side-line into the relationship between existing designobjs and skins.

http://www.localeconcept.com/Skin-Screencasts/02_main_menu_first_pass.ogg

The visual results from this, are here:
http://www.localeconcept.com/private/minimo_first_test.png
http://www.localeconcept.com/private/minimo_on_n800.ogg

-Thom

[eNoodle]

thank you thom, your screencasts help to understand the DesignObj stuff more and more.

It is complex, and the HA Designer is a little bit buggy, nevertheless I now agree, that HA Designer is the way to do the Orbiter stuff. Keep up the good work.

[tschak909]

The Third installment deals with corrections in the second installment, particularly in reference to how arrays are built, and positioned. We also go into summary on using graphics without an equivalent name in the Basic skin, and creating elements with variable substitutions in it (the Clock).

http://www.localeconcept.com/Skin-Screencasts/03_main_menu_notes_and_corrections.ogg

Enjoy.
-Thom

[tschak909]

The fourth installment has been uploaded:

http://www.localeconcept.com/Skin-Screencasts/04_the_floorplan_buttons.ogg

In this screencast, I discuss the operation of the floorplan buttons, the use of the Show Floorplan and Set Floorplan commands, where to put them, and how they are used. A few other tidbits here and there.

-Thom

[tschak909]

come on, I've seen over 1000 views... is anyone attempting anything??


-Thom

[colinjones]

Sorry Thom, I haven't even looked at them yet! I am much more interested in the LMCE architecture and internal workings than the GUI at this point, and that is heavy going. But I promise I will watch them all soon...

[skeptic]

Timely post.  I actually posted a question in the users area which should have been posted here instead.  In short, WAF has prompted me to possibly give this a shot, but first I have some questions to see if what wifey wants is feasable, C&P from the other thread:

In addition to changing the look and feel of the UI, is it possible to slightly change some functionality?  As an example, can you create a UI where after you watch a video instead of it just exiting have it go to a menu where you can save and exit or delete the video?  How about the ability to go straight into TV shows which are treated slightly different from movies?  Or for an even bigger change, how about the ability to do a unique sort on titles, and for those titles with multiple files (multiple episodes of a TV series for example), have the multiple episodes show up in a separate slide out list or show on a separate screen if the main title is selected?

If these changes are possible, I'm going to give it a shot.  It's quite an undertaking for me, mainly the time commitment, but if I can make a UI that wifey likes it should also address a number of complaints I see from a lot of other people new to LMCE. 

[tschak909]

Many of these changes will need to be done in code as well as in Designer.

The simplest of which, the done button, can call MH Stop Media, in addition to going to another new screen.

Designer does have the ability to display arbitrary popups. The trick is going to be exposing the relevant information in the data grid generators in the Media Plugin.

-Thom

[skeptic]

Many of these changes will need to be done in code as well as in Designer.

The simplest of which, the done button, can call MH Stop Media, in addition to going to another new screen.

Sorry, I don't completely follow you, my lack of under the LMCE hood and terminology is showing (I'm going to watch the HA vids you made again, paying more attention this time)..  The single most important factor for me to try this or not is the ability to add the option to delete a video after it's finished playing instead of just exiting, would this be possible just with the current HA Designer?  Whether this means going back to the previous play/delete/etc. screen like you normally see when you play a video, a new separate screen, or even back to the main menu screen with a "delete <video you just played> button", doesn't really matter.  It sounds like this may not be possible, needing to press a button to bring up some other option.  If this is the case, how much programming are we talking about, how much interest is there in adding this kind of optional (HA configured) functionality without breaking existing stuff, and since I wouldn't want to attempt it would anyone be interested in adding this kind of code?

I haven't looked at events at all, but maybe there is a way to bring up such a screen based on some kind of "finished playing a video" event?  Just showing my ignorance and grasping at straws here.

Designer does have the ability to display arbitrary popups. The trick is going to be exposing the relevant information in the data grid generators in the Media Plugin.

-Thom

At least it's something to strive for. 

[rages]

Stupid question ...

What should I do this?

    *  Add a grant to allow your HADesigner box to access your Core, make up a username and password....

USE mysql;
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON pluto_main.* TO odbcuser@192.168.80.xxx IDENTIFIED BY 'odbcpassword';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

[tschak909]

You will need to open a shell and start mysql with:

Code:

mysql pluto_main -uroot

-Thom

[rages]

TNX

[Zaerc]

Or all in one convenient command to paste on the regular commandline:

Code:

mysql pluto_main -u root -e "GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON pluto_main.* TO odbcuser@192.168.80.xxx IDENTIFIED BY 'odbcpassword'; FLUSH PRIVILEGES;"