[Jef555]

@arkryal

Thank you for the release date code.

@ Jef555

Currently, I don't believe that could be done without installing and running a script. PartyMode is a bit more complicated than just playing the standard playlist queue.

It's perhaps a XBMC issue, I will follow the following thread.
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=66399
I think it can be interesting.

Jeff

[Invincer]

Please provide Screenshots of the Wave visualization so that the ppl at the forum can futher assist U.

As for the fanart it is probably to do with the selecting the songs inside of the albums or not being in library view while playing songs, ..

So please read the post's from the 1st page as this issue as come up more than once.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

1#. I would like to suggest that from now on ppl read through the posts if their having a problem to see If it has been answered already - before posting an issue.

2#. A picture speaks a 1000 words, so please Screenshot the issue so ppl can clearly understand whats going on.

This is to hopefully help everyone, modders and users alike.

Ummm, actually I did read every page before posting... twice. Still tonight something isn't quite right on mine. I have tried reinstalling with the newest SVN XBMC, re-copy-paste the mod here, readjusting settings making sure allmusic was selected again, deleting the entire music library, reupdating the library, making sure fanart shows on them all, and it does. Then in library view, regardless of what I click where (q'ing songs from songs, from inside albums, anywhere and everywhere), the fanart shows up UNTIL I click tab, then the background simply changes to the default guitar. Have tried manual refresh on the info too. I have checked the code in the detailed reply from arkryal also, and all is how it should be on the xml file. It just won't show the fanart, only the default.

[arkryal]

Make sure you're not in party mode or playing from last.FM, those need fanart support from the client end still.

Sometimes it helps to list the possibilities and then try to narrow it down.

• User error installing the mod (always at the top of any list, we all miss minor details from time to time, no offense intended).
• You're in the wrong mode (last.FM / PartyMode / File mode)
• There's a problem with the mod.
• There's a problem with the fanart files
• There's a problem with the program (how it stores / accesses fanart)

I'm running that mod currently, so unless it has been altered in some way, it should be fine. To be certain, can you copy and paste the contents of the MusicVisualization.xml here in code brackets?

Now let's double check all settings again. The other steps are a pain, you'd be kicking your self if it was a simple oversight in the settings, so lets look again.

Are you installed to the right path (not user roaming)

Windows XP / Windows Vista / Windows 7 (x64 editions)

Code:

\\Program Files(x86)\XBMC\skins\Confluence\

Windows XP / Windows Vista /Windows 7 (X86 editions)

Code:

\\Program Files\XBMC\skins\Confluence\

Next, lets make sure it's not a problem with XBMC it's self (this is the most unlikely case, but easy to rule out). I'm running the Jan 9th build r26660. I can guarantee it works with that. It appears to work fine with the official stable release too. Try one of those.

Now try manual fanart downloads. Go to HT Backdrops and save a 1920x1080 fanart file for a band as "fanart.jpg" and put it in the artist folder.

While doing that, lets make sure you have the right folder structure.

Code:

Music Folder   <- Music shortcut icon goes here (optional)
   Artist One   <- fanart goes here
       Album 1  <- Album cover art goes here
       Album 2
       Album 3
   Artist Two
       Album 1
       Album 2
   Artist Three
       Album 1
       Album 2
       Album 3

Music fanart isn't handled the same as it is with movies ("moviename.avi" + "moviename -fanart.jpg") Proper folder structure and naming are vital. There should only be one fanart image in each folder.

Hope that helps.

[minimaxa]

running well now with the latest update. keeps getting better!

switched back to full visualization mode though, still like it better than the small window on the right.

would be cool if their was an option to first show the fan art image for 5 secs, then go into full visualization mode? sounds like a pain to code though?

cheers

[rob87]

And where i have to put my cdarts

[joebrady]

running well now with the latest update. keeps getting better!

switched back to full visualization mode though, still like it better than the small window on the right.

would be cool if their was an option to first show the fan art image for 5 secs, then go into full visualization mode? sounds like a pain to code though?

cheers

It is possible, I did this a few months ago with one of the versions of Aeon when Reaven first introduced CdArts. I basically just had the fanart showing on top of the visualization and also tied into the <songinfoduration> setting in advancedsettings.xml. (all other song info was always visible)

So whatever time you put into <songinfoduration>, (mine was 2 minutes) then the fanart would fade way at that time and show your visualization that was running underneath.

If someone want to take a stab at it, I'll share what hacked xml I have if it would help. (I don't have time now to get into it, although I'd like to help w/ this topic)

[arkryal]

It would be nice if this could be done without editing advancedsettings.xml. Now, each user must manually make the change, rather than just installing a configurable xml. If only skin xmls could run a read on an external file without a full installable script... Just a custom settings.ini type file defined by the xml. I know it's bad structure for the program and would lead to millions of sloppy, bug filled mods, but it would make life easier for tasks like this.

Given there are so many user preferences for this mod and everyone likes something a little different, I think the next logical step is to make it a complete plugin so that (if nothing else) an options screen could be added.

I'd be willing to help with that if anyone is interested. I'm a C programmer however, never had much need for python so I'd be limited in my knowledge. But I'm willing to make any images, buttons, backdrops, mock-ups etc at the direction of someone more experienced with python and XBMC scripting. As I get more free time and pick up the syntax a bit better, I can be more involved, but it's not something I'd jump into solo at this point. If you think you can help, let me know.

Here's a rough sketch of what I have in mind. I'll post the link instead of embedding it. It's just a concept, don't want people asking how they can get to that screen when it doesn't exist yet. See the image here.

[Invincer]

Code:

<window id="2006">
    <defaultcontrol>-</defaultcontrol>
    <allowoverlay>no</allowoverlay>
    <controls>

<!-- Fanart -->
    <control type="image">
        <description>visualisation background</description>
        <posx>0</posx>
        <posy>0</posy>
        <width>1280</width>
        <height>720</height>
        <colordiffuse>ffffffff</colordiffuse>
        <visible>Player.HasAudio</visible>
    
        <flipy>true</flipy>
        <texture fallback="DefaultFanart.jpg">$INFO[MusicPlayer.Property(Fanart_Image)]</texture>
    </control>

<!-- Visualization -->
    <control type="visualisation" id="2">
        <description>visualisation</description>
        <posx>1000</posx>
        <posy>215</posy>
        <width>200</width>
        <height>180</height>
    </control>

<!-- Overlay panel -->


        
    <control type="image">
        
        <description>black background shadow</description>
        
        <posx>1046</posx>
        
        <posy>0</posy>
        
        <width>234</width>
        
        <height>720</height>
        
        <texture>overlay2.png</texture>
    
        <visible>Visualisation.Enabled + Player.HasAudio</visible>

    </control>


<!-- Dark Mod code start -->


        
    <control type="image">
        
        <description>black background shadow</description>
        
        <posx>0</posx>
        
        <posy>0</posy>
        
        <width>1280</width>
        
        <height>720</height>
        
        <texture>overlay_opt.png</texture>
    
        <visible>Player.HasAudio</visible>

    </control>



<!-- Weather Conditions-->
    <control type="label">
            
        <posx>150</posx>
            
        <posy>90</posy>            
        <width>890</width>
            
        <height>16</height>

        <scroll>True</scroll>            
        <align>left</align>
            
        <aligny>-</aligny>
            
        <font>font12</font>
    
        <shadowcolor>FF000000</shadowcolor>        
        <label>[COLOR ffffcc33]$INFO[Weather.Conditions][/COLOR]</label>
            
        <animation effect="slide" start="0,0" end="0,-12" time="200" condition="Control.IsVisible(212)">Conditional</animation>
        
    </control>
    

<!-- Weather Location -->
    <control type="label">
            
        <posx>150</posx>
            
        <posy>108</posy>            
        <width>890</width>
            
        <height>16</height>

        <scroll>True</scroll>            
        <align>left</align>
            
        <aligny>-</aligny>
            
        <font>font12</font>
    
        <shadowcolor>FF000000</shadowcolor>        
        <label>[COLOR ffffcc33]$INFO[Weather.Location][/COLOR]</label>
            
        <animation effect="slide" start="0,0" end="0,-12" time="200" condition="Control.IsVisible(212)">Conditional</animation>
        
    </control>


<!-- Temperature -->
    <control type="label">
            
        <posx>150</posx>
            
        <posy>32</posy>        
        <width>890</width>
            
        <height>28</height>

        <scroll>True</scroll>            
        <align>left</align>
            
        <aligny>-</aligny>
            
        <font>font50caps_title</font>
    
        <shadowcolor>FF000000</shadowcolor>        
        <label>[COLOR ffffffff]$INFO[Weather.Temperature ][/COLOR]</label>
            
        <animation effect="slide" start="0,0" end="0,-12" time="200" condition="Control.IsVisible(212)">Conditional</animation>
        
    </control>
    

<!-- Weather Image -->
    <control type="image">
            <description>weather picture</description>
            <posx>7</posx>
            <posy>35</posy>
            <width>130</width>
            <height>130</height>
            <texture>$INFO[Weather.Conditions]</texture>
            <visible>Weather.IsFetched</visible>
    </control>  


<!-- RSS -->

    <control type="rss" id="2">

             <description>RSS control</description>
        <posx>330</posx>
        <posy>10</posy>
        <width>670</width>
        <visible>true</visible>
        <font>font14</font><!--font14-->
        <textcolor>grey</textcolor>
        <headlinecolor>FFFFFFFF</headlinecolor>
        <titlecolor>ffffcc33</titlecolor>
        <urlset>1</urlset>

    </control>
  
          

<!-- Record Animation -->
    <control type="image">
            <description>Record</description>
        <animation effect="slide" start="-118" end="0" time="900" tween="cubic" easing="out" delay="1000">WindowOpen</animation>
        <animation type="WindowClose">
            <effect type="slide" start="0" end="-114" time="800" tween="cubic" easing="in" delay="0"/>
            <effect type="fade" start="100" end="0" time="1300"/>
            <condition type="!Player.Playing"/>
            </animation>
        <animation effect="rotate" end="-360" center="auto" time="1818" loop="true" reversible="false" condition="!Player.Paused">Conditional</animation>
        <width>275</width>
        <height>250</height>
        <posx>160</posx>
        <posy>400</posy>
        <texture fallback="cd/record.png">backdrops/artist_fanart/cd/$INFO[MusicPlayer.Artist]-$INFO[MusicPlayer.Album].png</texture>
        <aspectratio align="bottom">keep</aspectratio>
        <visible>!IntegerGreaterThan(MusicPlayer.Year,1984)</visible>
    </control>

<!-- Record Shine -->
    <control type="image">
        <description>Record Shine</description>
        <animation effect="slide" start="-118" end="0" time="900" tween="cubic" easing="out" delay="1000">WindowOpen</animation>
        <animation type="WindowClose">
            <effect type="slide" start="0" end="-114" time="800" tween="cubic" easing="in" delay="0"/>
            <effect type="fade" start="100" end="0" time="1300"/>
            <condition type="!Player.Playing"/>
        </animation>
        <posx>160</posx>
        <posy>400</posy>
        <width>275</width>
        <height>250</height>
        <texture>cd/shine.png</texture>
        <aspectratio align="bottom">keep</aspectratio>
        <visible>!IntegerGreaterThan(MusicPlayer.Year,1984)</visible>
    </control>

this one has really kicked my butt, everything appears like it should work to give me the fanart on the background, but defaults to guitar. I included some pics to show the album artwork is fine, the fanart on the artist page is fine, the fanart.jpg in in the proper folder (originaly had artist as folder name and all of that artists songs just under that, hate using extra folders for albums, but as you can see, tried it here the recommended way). Included the code too...

I don't use last.fm or party mode (tried it in library starting from artist, album, song, and straight up library)

installing the mod was copying files downloaded and putting them into the proper folder in 720...

windows 7 32bit, using proper default directory

Tried the camelot release, the relase from the 9th, and the most recent release.

I just don't understand it, according to everything, it should be working...

[joebrady]

It would be nice if this could be done without editing advancedsettings.xml. Now, each user must manually make the change, rather than just installing a configurable xml.

The user would only have to change that if they wanted a different time than the default 10 seconds.

[dfmos]

I just don't understand it, according to everything, it should be working...

Try my mod on the first post on the 1st page and see does this bug still happen for you, This
Will easily find out if its the mod, or it ur computers at fault

Replace all files... with the ones in the zip

I'll post the link instead of embedding it. It's just a concept, don't want people asking how they can get to that screen when it doesn't exist yet. See the image here.

I dont think we really need that yet, as I personally would like to See what Jezz_x can come up with design/layout wise for the Fanart MusicVisualisation, as I was hoping the interest in the mod would encourage Jezz_x to incorporate it in his original Skin.

Then these additional setting and switchs could be added to skin settings, instead of an add-on or plugin script, etc.

[arkryal]

Okay, we're actually making progress. I feel better about my self, the code is right and you actually managed to find a slower image host than the one I use

Edit: dfmos is right. Try his mod first. The original doesn't have all the other stuff that might cause an issue, his original version is the cleanest of all posted so far. Since you can render fanart from within XBMC that rules out pretty much everything but the code. You're running the same version of everything I am, So I don't see how there's such a difference, but if his renders it in the visualization view, the issue is with my version of the code.

What we know so far:
• The mod renders the default, but not the artist specific art. So the code draws it on the screen properly, but XBMC can't find the art and is falling back to the default.
• Music Fanart loads in other views properly, so the fanart exists, XBMC finds it in these other views.

Line 16

Code:

<texture fallback="DefaultFanart.jpg">$INFO[MusicPlayer.Property(Fanart_Image)]</texture>

Change that to this:

Code:

<texture>$INFO[MusicPlayer.Property(Fanart_Image)]</texture>

Now you should get a black background if the image isn't found. That tells us the guitar image isn't being drawn by something else.

Now change it to this:

Code:

<texture fallback="Fanart.jpg">$INFO[MusicPlayer.Property(Fanart_Image)]</texture>

and copy your fanart for that artist into \\XBMC\Skins\Confluence\media\ and make sure it's named "Fanart.jpg"

That image will now show up for all songs, in place of the guitar. That means the image is rendering in that screen properly. If it doesn't, there's something wrong with the images you're using. This is extremely unlikely, since they display in other modes fine, but at minimum, you've excluded one more possibility and proven the images will render properly when called from within the MusicVisuilization.xml file.

[Invincer]

Thanks for trying to help guys, there has to be some reason it isn't working...

I tried reinstalling the first version by dfmos; same problem it shows the default view, the one with all of the albums.

I also tried replacing the code on line 16 arkryal suggested, and as suspected, the first change gave me a black screen, the second change gave me the fanart put in the media folder by default, so it displays, just not catching it based on what is playng..

[rob87]

Works fine but i dont understand how to add the cdart instead of standart cd image.

[arkryal]

Works fine but i don't understand how to add the CD art instead of standard CD image.

I don't use that, but lets look at the code and figure it out.

Code:

<texture fallback="cd/default.png">backdrops/artist_fanart/cd/$INFO[MusicPlayer.Artist]-$INFO[MusicPlayer.Album].png</texture>

"cd/default.png" is the default or fallback image to load in the absence of other artwork. Changing that will make the new art the standard for all CDs. I assume you want the unique image of each CD, so we'll keep looking.

"backdrops/artist_fanart/cd/$INFO[MusicPlayer.Artist]-$INFO[MusicPlayer.Album].png"

That says the script should first look in a folder called "backdrops/artist_fanart/cd" inside the skin/media directory. You may need to create those folders.

There it looks for a PNG image named "Artist-Album.png" where artist and album would obviously be changed to whatever text you have under each heading in the track's ID3 tag. Look at the info in XBMC and make sure you name your file exactly as it's listed (case included).

For example, we'll use the song "Rainbow in the dark" by Ronnie James Dio, off the Holy Diver album.

Go to (or if need be create) the directory "C:\Program Files (x86)\XBMC\skin\Confluence\media\backdrops\artist_fanart\cd"
Now paste the CD art into that folder and rename it: "Dio-Holy Diver.png" Now it should display instead of the default for songs on that album.

Possible hang-ups:
• If you use the CD+Vinyl mod, you'll have to change the code for albums before 1985.
• If you use the latest CD art I've posted, you must edit the visibility settings to remove the lighting effects or they will overlay the new art and it won't look good. The original version by dfmos works great for this by default since it uses no lighting overlays.
• Be sure your images are PNG files (NOT jpeg) and are transparency enabled. If you have a square image for a CD with a white background, you'll see the corners spinning too and it'll look pretty bad. Good art in = great output. The garbage CD scans you find in most torrents will look terrible. You'll have to search for CD art manually, as there's no one resource for them all, and the scraper (to my knowledge) doesn't grab that art.

[rob87]

Great, thank you!!

looks very nice