Focus - Alpha 6c released - Printable Version

Focus - Alpha 6c released - Printable Version

+- XBMC Community Forum (http://forum.xbmc.org)
+-- Forum: Help and Support (/forumdisplay.php?fid=33)
+--- Forum: Skin Help and Support (/forumdisplay.php?fid=67)
+---- Forum: reFocus (/forumdisplay.php?fid=72)
+---- Thread: Focus - Alpha 6c released (/showthread.php?tid=40101)

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

- Stunts38 - 2008-11-24 21:20

Ahhh ok, will the bar become transparent once an item on it is highlighted? i ask this because i am really loving the transparent bar in the current Focus as it just doesnt interfere with the background image. imho by the way, as i think you are doing great work. Nod

- Jeroen - 2008-11-24 22:54

No, the bar doesn't become transparent. The idea is to kind of have the main part of the screen, so the area where the backgrounds and file lists are, to be elevated a bit so to speak and have the page indicators and other info (like scanning dialogs and player controls) inside the top and bottom bars (although the bottom bar would be smaller in the other screens).
I know it sounds a bit vague, but then again I'm only experimenting really. I just have to see where this leads to. The main problem with the transparency is readability, and this takes care of it a bit.

- paul - 2008-11-28 20:25

Just installed this skin and my first impression is great work,
Much more responsive than most other skins i will switch to this skin when i replace my rather old 4/3 tv in the mean time i am using it on my pc Big Grin

Keep up the good work

- Jeroen - 2008-11-29 17:27

Thanks Paul Smile

The possible changes I posted about earlier will remain what they were, concepts. I'm not going to go through with those.

Instead however, Focus will be getting an overhaul as I want to take it in a different direction. The structure and thoughts behind it will remain as they have been but the general look and feel will be getting quite a lot of changes.

These changes will be done because of issues with the current design that have been bugging me for a while. They are mostly usability issues like readability. As I, ultimately, put function over form something needed to be done about these issues. As a result the look will be changing quite a lot but readability will be greatly improved.
So far I'm really liking the new direction I am taking Focus in, but I suspect it won't be for everyone. I know this is pretty vague again, but it should become clear over the coming period.

- rwparris2 - 2008-11-29 20:50

Jeroen Wrote:These changes will be done because of issues with the current design that have been bugging me for a while. They are mostly usability issues like readability.

I always thought FOCUS had excellent readability when compared to some of the more popular skins, like aeon or mediastream.

Ah well, I'll always look forward to your work as Focus is a great skin that I use all the time

- Jeroen - 2008-11-29 21:33

Yes with the default background or other more minimal backgrounds with not to much contrast the readability is pretty good. However when using custom backgrounds with more contrast like fanart images it isn't good enough to my liking. Especially in lists the subtle shade behind the text just isn't enough to keep things readable enough in some cases.
That's also the reason that fanart will be shifted more to the dedicated fanart viewtype while the emphasis in other viewtypes will really be about the readability. Fanart will be possible in those views, but more subtle. Much more. As a side effect the fanart viewtype will make the fanart actually come out better. All in all the new direction will give focus a more uniform look.

- paul - 2008-11-29 23:04

Jeroen Wrote:Yes with the default background or other more minimal backgrounds with not to much contrast the readability is pretty good. However when using custom backgrounds with more contrast like fanart images it isn't good enough to my liking. Especially in lists the subtle shade behind the text just isn't enough to keep things readable enough in some cases.
That's also the reason that fanart will be shifted more to the dedicated fanart viewtype while the emphasis in other viewtypes will really be about the readability. Fanart will be possible in those views, but more subtle. Much more. As a side effect the fanart viewtype will make the fanart actually come out better. All in all the new direction will give focus a more uniform look.

I do like the simplicity of this skin and the fact it's so easy to read the text,
My only gripe is the fact it's not optimized for 4:3 display's which causes some text to overlap.
I look forward to seeing what you come up with next and hope it does not lose it's simplicity and end up looking like a clone of aeon Wink

- Bram77 - 2008-12-01 14:47

I finaly have internet again and have updated to Focus Alpha6. I guess because it's a HD skin now the fonts are bigger, which looks absolutely great for my 82cm widescreen PAL CRT TV. The only downsides are that the top buttons in the home screen are overlapping and that text in some screens is overlapping. If you'd ask me the skin should only have to be slightly modified for use on a 16:0 PAL TV. Great job Jeroen!

errors in xbmc.log - azido - 2008-12-06 01:19

hey there,

first of all: is it possible i saw your name in other skinning projects too? sounds real familiar to me.

now:

i've installed latest focus and run a fresh install of the latest svn from yesterday on windows xp. when starting up xbmc, i cannot see any mouse pointer onscreen (though mouse is functional) and some additional screen flickering comes up as soon as there is another window opened on my desktop. when switching to fullscreen there is no more flickering.

here's some log info from xbmc:

Quote:00:12:17 T:1724 M:2732515328 NOTICE: load default skin:[Focus]
00:12:17 T:3780 M:2732298240 ERROR: Detection of DVD-ROM media failed.
00:12:17 T:1724 M:2730643456 ERROR: Skin includes must start with the <includes> tag
00:12:17 T:1724 M:2730618880 ERROR: Skin includes must start with the <includes> tag
00:12:17 T:1724 M:2730442752 WARNING: file doesnt have <fontset> with name 'Arial', defaulting to first fontset
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726096896 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: home-start-column
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726088704 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: zoomout
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726088704 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: home-start-column
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726088704 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: zoomout
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726088704 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: home-start-column
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726084608 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: zoomout
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726084608 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: home-start-column
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726084608 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: zoomout
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726080512 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: select
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726076416 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: select
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726072320 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: home-start-column
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726068224 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: home-start-column
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726064128 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: home-start-column
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726060032 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: home-start-column
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726060032 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: select
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726060032 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: select
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726060032 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: home-start-column
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726055936 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: home-start-column
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726051840 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: home-start-column
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726047744 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: home-start-column
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726047744 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: select
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726043648 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: select
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726043648 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: home-start-column
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726043648 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: zoomout
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726043648 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: home-start-column
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726039552 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: zoomout
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726039552 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: home-start-column
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726035456 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: zoomout
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726035456 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: home-start-column
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726035456 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: zoomout
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726035456 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: select
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726035456 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: select
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726035456 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: home-start-column
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726031360 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: zoomout
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726031360 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: home-start-column
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726027264 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: zoomout
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726027264 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: home-start-column
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726027264 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: zoomout
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726027264 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: home-start-column
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726027264 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: zoomout
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726027264 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: select
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726023168 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: select
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726023168 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: home-start-column
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726019072 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: zoomout
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726019072 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: home-start-column
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726019072 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: zoomout
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726019072 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: home-start-column
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726014976 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: zoomout
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726014976 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: home-start-column
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726014976 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: zoomout
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726014976 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: select
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726010880 WARNING: Skin has invalid include: select
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2726318080 ERROR: unable to load:C:\Programme\XBMC\skin\Focus\720p\Pointer.xml, Line 0
Failed to open file
00:12:18 T:1724 M:2725990400 ERROR: unable to load:C:\Programme\XBMC\skin\Focus\720p\DialogMuteBug.xml, Line 0
Failed to open file
00:12:19 T:1724 M:2716180480 NOTICE: initialize done
00:12:19 T:1724 M:2716180480 NOTICE: Running the application...

any idea what's messy?

cheers
azido

plot info in movie fanart mode? - azido - 2008-12-06 03:01

me again,

shouldn't there

be the movie plot in the lower part of the screen? i can see it if i use the context menu and select film information, but it's not displayed in fanart view like it does when browsing tv-show episodes in fanart view..

and yes, wherever i can select at skin specific settings, "No Plot Info in Fanart View" is deselected.

finally, speaking of overlaying text, here are some other screens i captured for you:

1. tv-shows (fanart view) with more than 1 season

2. tv-show information screen with much info for the plot (yes, scrollbars enabled)

3. music database - title information screen

(seems the font is too big to fit the buttons)

all screens made on 1280x720 resolution for xbmc.. hope this helps you removing the issues, since this is a really nice skin.

cheers
azido