[azido]

Gotcha, I really like the menus (more options by pressing down) but, is there a way I can make library mode default? If not, is it possible to add it to the skin options?

hmm.. you didn't get him. "move down" always uses library menus, enter always uses file mode. this is part of the main concept of this skin.

[rwparris2]

Gotcha, I really like the menus (more options by pressing down) but, is there a way I can make library mode default? If not, is it possible to add it to the skin options?

You can edit the xml (i think probably home.xml, jereon will know for sure)

[quake101]

hmm.. you didn't get him. "move down" always uses library menus, enter always uses file mode. this is part of the main concept of this skin.

hmmm.... I understood him just fine. I'm just trying to make the skin more "wife" proof. (Press the button normal or using the down button would open up in library mode.)

[Jeroen]

Gotcha, I really like the menus (more options by pressing down) but, is there a way I can make library mode default? If not, is it possible to add it to the skin options?

You can edit the xml (i think probably home.xml, jereon will know for sure)

Yes you can edit the main menu buttons in home.xml. There's a section right at the top commented as main menu.

Fore example the video button:

PHP Code:

<control type="button" id="1">
    <width>120</width>
    <label>3</label>
    <onleft>6</onleft>
    <onright>2</onright>
    <onup>6</onup>
    <ondown>1100</ondown>
    <onclick>ActivateWindow(MyVideoFiles)</onclick>
    <include>menubarButton</include>
</control> 


You can edit the location by editing the <onclick> line. Examples of the locations can be found here: http://wiki.xbmc.org/?title=Opening_Windows_and_Dialogs

[quake101]

ahhh, thank you! ;D

[azido]

hmmm.... I understood him just fine. I'm just trying to make the skin more "wife" proof.

hehe.. funny we always try to make those girl's life easier by getting ourselves into more complicated actions

[quake101]

Any update on the plot info while using the fanart view? I don't mean to pry about this but it's currently my only problem with the skin.

I also have an idea for a feature. Currently the skin allows you to change the background which is great but, what if the skin pulled a random background from a folder? (set in the skin options) I have a nice collection of background and I would find it useful if the skin just randomly used one from my collection. Again, this is just an idea.

[XBMCG33K]

Any new updates?

[Jeroen]

Any update on the plot info while using the fanart view? I don't mean to pry about this but it's currently my only problem with the skin.

Yeah sorry about that, I've been busy lately so I haven't really had the opportunity yet. I promise you I'll look into it this week.

I also have an idea for a feature. Currently the skin allows you to change the background which is great but, what if the skin pulled a random background from a folder? (set in the skin options) I have a nice collection of background and I would find it useful if the skin just randomly used one from my collection. Again, this is just an idea.

I doubt I'll implement this. Actually I want to get rid of the "background noise" in favor of clarity. I would like this if there was a chance to pick a random background every hour or so. But the only way possible in xbmc right now makes the background change with every screen change. I find it to disturbing. There will be random backgrounds on the homescreen though.

Any new updates?

Not yet I'm afraid. A lot has been done since the last release but it's definitely not ready for release yet. In fact, so much has changed that I am in doubt whether to release a new version under the Focus name. The main goals for focus have not been changed but it barely resembles previous versions. So maybe I will release it as a new skin, I'm not sure yet. Currently development is very much searching for the right format, so what I have at the moment may even change more.

[Bram77]

Will you make Focus ready for PAL before switching to a new project? This would be nice in case you'd allow someone else to continue the Focus development. You've made a great/solid base for modifications....if it's finished. Focus in it's current form is fantastic but if it's not finished a bit harder to continue. Not that I'm applying for the job (no time, and not enough design skills ), but I do hope more skins according to your idea of usability will follow.

[rwparris2]

I doubt I'll implement this. Actually I want to get rid of the "background noise" in favor of clarity. I would like this if there was a chance to pick a random background every hour or so. But the only way possible in xbmc right now makes the background change with every screen change. I find it to disturbing. There will be random backgrounds on the homescreen though.

I'm no skinner but I'm pretty sure you can do a time based conditional...

I have to say a different image for every hour or every few hours would be awesome. I also dislike the constantly changing images but I do like the variance it provides.

[quake101]

Yeah sorry about that, I've been busy lately so I haven't really had the opportunity yet. I promise you I'll look into it this week.

Thank you! I have tried to fix this myself but with my limited XBMC skining knowledge, I was unsuccessful. I will be looking forward to your fix.

I doubt I'll implement this. Actually I want to get rid of the "background noise" in favor of clarity. I would like this if there was a chance to pick a random background every hour or so. But the only way possible in xbmc right now makes the background change with every screen change. I find it to disturbing. There will be random backgrounds on the homescreen though.

Random backgrounds on the homescreen would be enough for me. Now that I think about it, I think I like that idea better then random backgrounds though out the skin.

A lot has been done since the last release but it's definitely not ready for release yet. In fact, so much has changed that I am in doubt whether to release a new version under the Focus name. The main goals for focus have not been changed but it barely resembles previous versions. So maybe I will release it as a new skin, I'm not sure yet. Currently development is very much searching for the right format, so what I have at the moment may even change more.

If I may ask, please keep the Focus skin the way it is currently with updates/fixes. If your current development barely resembles the current skin please release it as a new skin. Anyways, just my 0.02

Thanks again for your hard work.

[quake101]

I'm no skinner but I'm pretty sure you can do a time based conditional...

I have to say a different image for every hour or every few hours would be awesome. I also dislike the constantly changing images but I do like the variance it provides.

I also agree with this. My idea:

Random backgrounds on the home screen, changes every xx amount of time (maybe this can be user selected time.)

[Jeroen]

Will you make Focus ready for PAL before switching to a new project?

I would like to. Actually originally the plan was to really replace Focus with what I am working on currently. But then I used the current Focus again the other day and I felt I wanted to keep the current Focus too So basically I want to do both But then available time becomes quite an issue
I have to think about what's going to happen really.

I'm no skinner but I'm pretty sure you can do a time based conditional...

Until now the cycling backgrounds used a multiimage control which uses a folder of images and changes the image at a specified interval. But that time is specified in milliseconds and when you navigate to a different screen it will always change at that moment.
The only other option that I know of is a condition based on the time of day. So then you could display a specific image at a specific time of the day. I don't think you can then make it pick a random image though.

Random backgrounds on the homescreen would be enough for me. Now that I think about it, I think I like that idea better then random backgrounds though out the skin.

The problem with backgrounds though, specifically on the homescreen, is the readability of the menus though. If you have a rather bright background image the text of the submenus becomes very hard to read. That was one of the reasons I started the "new" skin, which uses a totally different menusystem. Any other menusystem I tried on the current skin which did not have this problem seemed out of place in terms of looks.

If I may ask, please keep the Focus skin the way it is currently with updates/fixes. If your current development barely resembles the current skin please release it as a new skin. Anyways, just my 0.02

Thanks again for your hard work.

I think that's the way it's going to be yes.

[o_dog]

is it jsut me that experience sluggish performance in fileview on this? The cpu usage rushes up and it performs sluggish as hell. Dunno what's causing it but it's really annoying. Love the skin but can't use it because of this. Saw an eariler post about the same thing but no real response to it.