[teus]

For the sake of simplicity, I'm running Kodi on Windows. I'm trying to create a new viewtype for Estuary, which fails miserably. I looked up plenty of information but the new viewtype doesn't even show up. 
Instead I tried editing View_502_FanArt.xml in the skin.estuary folder and I removed the part "ListItem.IsCollection + String.IsEmpty(ListItem.PlotOutline) + String.IsEmpty(ListItem.Plot)" to see if I can make any changes at all. I have the program folder kodi\addons\skin.estuary where I  make this change and nothing happens. In my user folder C:\Users\name\AppData\Roaming\Kodi\userdata\addon_data\ I can copypaste the skin.estuary folder with my modified files, and this also makes no difference at all.
I have a keybinding for ReloadSkin(), and I restart Kodi, and still I can't see anything changed.

What is going on?
This is a nightmare.

[teus]

I just erased skin.estuary in both the program directory as my C:\Users\name\AppData\Roaming\Kodi\userdata\addon_data\ directory. Kodi just keeps running fine. I can start it up, switch to Estouchy skin, then change back Estuary skin

[Karellen]

@teus

Post a Debug Log and we can check if you are editing in the correct location. Sounds like you are not.

[scott967]

Think it's pretty clear you aren't editing the right folder tree.

The main skin/GUI windows provide media containers.  Media containers have id numbers assigned them which become known as "views".  Historically views were numbered 50-59, with 50 being a default, but currently AFAIK, any id number can be used, when they are listed in the media window xml <views> element.  Kodi keeps track of the current in-use view per media container.

scott s.
.

[teus]

yeah, I checked my logs. I'm editing the right files in the right location.
2022-11-27 15:21:02.814 T:26376    INFO <general>: Loading skin includes from C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Kodi\addons\skin.estuary\xml\includes.xml

if I remove a viewtype I created and included, it shows:
2022-11-27 15:29:28.909 T:7580     INFO <general>: Error loading include file C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Kodi\addons\skin.estuary\xml\View_504_abc123.xml: Failed to open file (row: 0, col: 0)

[teus]

If I remove View_502_FanArt, kodi throws an error in the logs and the viewtype is still available to use. Kodi doesn't copy back the file from anywhere.
I now have View_502_FanArt.xml removed from both my Kodi installation directory and my profile, yet it keeps working.

2022-11-27 15:34:07.833 T:22344    INFO <general>: special://xbmc/ is mapped to: D:\kodi
2022-11-27 15:34:07.833 T:22344    INFO <general>: special://xbmcbin/ is mapped to: D:\kodi
2022-11-27 15:34:07.833 T:22344    INFO <general>: special://xbmcbinaddons/ is mapped to: D:\kodi/addons
2022-11-27 15:34:07.833 T:22344    INFO <general>: special://masterprofile/ is mapped to: C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Kodi\userdata
2022-11-27 15:34:07.833 T:22344    INFO <general>: special://home/ is mapped to: C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Kodi\
2022-11-27 15:34:07.833 T:22344    INFO <general>: special://temp/ is mapped to: C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Kodi\cache
2022-11-27 15:34:07.834 T:22344    INFO <general>: special://logpath/ is mapped to: C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Kodi\
2022-11-27 15:34:07.834 T:22344    INFO <general>: The executable running is: D:\kodi\kodi.exe

[Hitcher]

Even after a skin refresh or Kodi restart?

[jjd-uk]

You may need to make sure all references to the view type 502 have been removed, for example:

https://github.com/xbmc/xbmc/blob/master...Nav.xml#L5
https://github.com/xbmc/xbmc/blob/master...av.xml#L19

[teus]

well, at this point I'm just trying to break the configuration

Even after a skin refresh or Kodi restart?

yes, indeed

I guess I'm removing Kodi and all saved configuration, then sift for any remaining traces and try a clean install in the default path

[jjd-uk]

When modding a skin it's best to make it your own unique skin addon by modifiying the addon properties.

So for example:

1. Change folder name e.g. skin.estuarymod
2. Change the addon.xml properties so Kodi identifies it as a seperate skin and does not confuse it with the included original Estuary skin.

for example change https://github.com/xbmc/xbmc/blob/master...don.xml#L2 to

xml:
<addon id="skin.estuarymod" version="3.0.10" name="Estuary Mod" provider-name="phil65, Ichabod Fletchman">

where id should match the folder name
and name is the name shown in the GUI

[teus]

well, at this point I'm just trying to break the configuration

Even after a skin refresh or Kodi restart?

yes, indeed

I guess I'm removing Kodi and all saved configuration, then sift for any remaining traces and try a clean install in the default path

alright, thanks a lot. now it seems to work.
it worked when I had the cloned folder in the Program Files Kodi folder, then I had to enable the skin. which tweaks go into the Program Files folder, and which go in the userdata folder?

[scott967]

Your entire skin mod should go into your user %appdata% addons.  Userdata addon_data will be generated when you switch to the skin in Kodi.

scott s,
.

[teus]

Your entire skin mod should go into your user %appdata% addons.  Userdata addon_data will be generated when you switch to the skin in Kodi.

scott s,
.

great. thanks!