[ehernandexx]

Hi everyone, I’m very interested on skinning for Kodi and I was reading some stuff from the skinning manual to see how can I get started and I even read some codes since I am kinda new to this (I only code html, css and a bit of js too), but I would like to know in better detail what do I need to do when building a skin from scratch. As a beginner I know that this is not an easy task and that it is something that requires motivation and time, since I want to create a skin that replicates the Tivo Experience 4 interface (aka Hydra, see references below) instead of asking anyone else to do it lol. I hope it is not too much to ask, but I would like to leave some questions here too

• Do I need a program where I can test the skin, or do I have to use Kodi for that too? I already have SublimeText to write code
  
• And can I use my own designs as .png for textures? And how do I add them to the code?
  

Hydra design references
https://tivoidp.tivo.com/tivoCommunitySu...nformation
https://explore.tivo.com/content/dam/tiv...nce_VG.pdf

[Klojum]

You can find a start for Kodi skin development here: https://kodi.wiki/view/Skinning
Some of it may look a bit dusty, but the basics are still applicable.

Using your own design for textures should be fine, just note that some companies are not overly happy when their 'user experience' on TV is being copied out in the open, and might even result in a takedown request. Example: SkyTV.

[ehernandexx]

Thanks for the info

Yeah... I know and I'm well aware of that, this is a skin that I will only use for my own and I know that it might be difficult to share it here or somewhere else because of what you said. But I'll give it a try and see if I can get somewhere with this, since it's going to be a long process to build it

[scott967]

The hard part (which isn't in the skinning manual) is developing your over-all UX look and feel.  Of course there are many examples out there like Google material design / leanback, apple, roku, etc.  But I highly recommend you start from the get-go by using resources that are open source / have licenses that are compatible with Kodi concept.  That can be tough in assembling icons and background images but in the long run, why go though a lot of work that is only really available to you?

scott s.
.

[the_other_guy]

(I only code html, css and a bit of js too), but I would like to know in better detail what do I need to do when building a skin from scratch.

• Do I need a program where I can test the skin, or do I have to use Kodi for that too? I already have SublimeText to write code
  
• And can I use my own designs as .png for textures? And how do I add them to the code?
  

xml is a cross of html
you may be better off using a ready made skin https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=356021 this is just the default estuary skin
1. notepad++ get xml tools add on
Do I need a program where I can test the skin, or do I have to use Kodi for that too? you use kodi
you need to add a keymap.xml f5 to reload

xml:


<keymap>

   <global>

       <keyboard>

           <F5>ReloadSkin()</F5>

           <F7>Notification(Testing 123,Hello world)</F7>

           <F8>Skin.ToggleDebug()</F8>

       </keyboard>

   </global>

</keymap>

And can I use my own designs as .png for textures? And how do I add them to the code? TextureTool
you can add images in media folder and link to them