ZoneSkin2 Release - FINAL UPDATE 11/1/07

[Marbles_00]

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http://www.xlobby.com/files/Marbles_00/01_Main1.jpg
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ZoneSkin 2:
Read more below and download:
http://www.xlobby.com/files/Marbles_00/ ... eSkin2.zip
Have fun
Marbles

Reason for the skin:
I’m setting up a dedicated music server for zoning and realized that there wasn’t a simple skin for the cause. So I decided to make one for myself. When I viewed a couple of post in the skin forum requesting a “zoning” skin, I decide to release it for all to use. After I started development, I decided to add weather and movie theater info for convenience and changed the graphics...hence going from ZoneSkin to ZoneSkin2.

This skin is no longer supported

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Thanks:
First, thanks for Steven for such a great program. Also I modified his brushedmetal.png for use in this skin (thanks for that too).

To Buddabing for releasing the now playing sequence and how to set it up. Works a charm. I also used the Digiface font from his Heavy Metal series skins.

To tswhite for his intheater script.

To PerfectHTPC for his shoutcast plugin

To the KX Driver team for a wonderful soundcard driver…does everything I need.

To all who have helped me understand xlobby and skinning better, there are so many of you.

The skin:
The skin and system on whole is based on the Creative Labs Audigy sound card and the KX Drivers, I want to make that clear from the start. In the system I also have the onboard audio, and another 2 channel audio card for a total of 5 dedicated zones and one “Party Zone”. The party zone drives the three stereo pairs of the Audigy at the same time. I don’t use Steven’s sync command as for my use, I don’t want two rooms included in the party zone, that being the bathroom and garage. Please view my sync event to fully understand how I have done the Party Zone. If your setup is not the same, and understandably most are not, then some extra manipulation of the events are required to suit you, but there is no reason this skin could not be modified to suit anyone’s zoning requirements. The skin was originally designed at 800x600, but the server is using 1024x768. It seems to work fine at either resolution.

If using KX Drivers like myself, a key to understand and be successful at “routing” a CL soundcard is to understand the KX DSP layout. View my post here to give some ideas.

To make this skin work for you, on top of the usual:

The main screen has a “Party” button that is setup to toggle between Party On and Party Off. When on, the Zone map and the control screen will indicate the zones that are included in the party zone. As mentioned above, this is utilizing an event structure different from Steven’s sync command and may need modification depending on your requirements.

The ZoneMap screen is a floorplan layout of my house. I did it in Visio and converted it to png. It can very easily be replaced for other floor plan styles. It has been setup to display up to 10 zones (including the party zone in my case). I tried to organize that screen in an easy to follow layout so others can redefine for their needs and even add more zones if required. To explain it as easily as possible, each zone has an invisible png overlay, when the mouse goes over the invisible overlay, it unhides the zone graphic, which inturn, unhides the zone status and coverart image. Clicking on any zone sets control to that zone using the zone set command/event.

The control screen is setup to show my 6 zones (5 dedicated and 1 party). As mentioned above when in party mode, the zones effected will be indicated. It may need to be modified to suit your requirements.

The volume overlay indicates amplifier volume control beneath Zone (winamp) and Master (system) volume. I’m currently designing and building a multi-channel gainclone amplifier where each stereo pair’s volume can be set from motorized pots…yeah I now I had a post about it about 6 months ago…I’ve been busy . I’m using the parallel port and girder commands to control the port. This can very easily be modified for controlling amplifiers with RS232, USB, or any other means that can be utilized with Girder. This is still a work in progress.

I’ve included alternate PPC screens in a folder named Alternate PPC within the ZoneSkin 2 directory. I’m tending towards a full display and using the PPC hardbuttons to navigate the different screens so I can keep the category displays as large and easily viewable as possible. If deciding to use these screens, I have included the buttons that navigate to the different screens off to the side so they can be used to help define the hardbuttons on the PPC. Follow Steven’s document here for details of how to do that. The Alternate PPC screens have the navigational buttons shown on the PPC screen, but the categories are displayed smaller. I'm undecided as to which way to go, and may even scrape what I have done for something different once I finally get my PPC (waiting for a Dell).

Finally I’ve included a Fonts directory with the required fonts for using with this skin. Please copy these to your Windows Font directory.

Weather maps are URL’s from theweathernetwork.com for my area, and can be changed to any URL within your particular area.

To install:
Assuming you have already installed CDEX and setup that correctly.
Download the skin here and unzip to the Xlobby\skins directory.
Copy fonts to Windows\fonts
If using intheater script, open the script file and define for your requirements.
First time run, enter Xlobby setup and select the Zoneskin 2 skin under the Skins tab
Xlobby will restart, run the setup again.
Define zones under the Basics tab
Define your location for Xweather in the Plugins\Xweather tab
Define CDEX location for the CDEX plugin
Define Shoutcast information for the Shoutcast plugin, following PerfectHTPC's instructions here
Define your location for theater information. Follow tswhite’s instructions here about the intheater script
If running the intheater script for the first time, navigate to that screen, and do a refresh and wait for it to be completed. Xlobby will need to be restarted in order for the database to display the first time.

Umm, anything else...oh yeah, things that I have noticed and requested...hopefully Steven hasn't given up totally on Xlobby2 and he may try and impliment some of the requests.

If using full screens for thin client, zones don't highlight in the zonemap. This is rather unfortunate, and hopefully he can add this feature. If using a full screens in a fat client enviroment, this is not a problem.

New zones always take the next available zone space. This is most noticable when using fat clients. I'm hoping that Steven will change this and allow users to "lock" clients to specific zones.

I never thought of using this on a touchscreen, so anyone trying this... ! Let me know how it works. Feel free to modify it to your liking, and give me feedback to help me make it better. Any questions...don't ask (just joking )...ask away.

That should be it.

Some more screen shots:

Main Menu

Album Category

Control Screen

Volume Control Overlay

Shoutcast Overlay

Search Overlay

Current Weather

4 day Forcast

Weathermaps Category

Zonemap

Zonemap with Party ON

Control screen with Party ON


Okay...this was way too long of a post...time for bed...almost 3 in the morning. Night all.

**UPDATED - 11/1/07**
http://www.xlobby.com/files/Marbles_00/ ... eSkin2.zip

[mwigtkm]

I am totally going to have to give this skin a try this weekend. I just started moving everything to a new (old) server and do not have it completely up and running (my wife was naggy about some house projects that needed finishing grrrr...). Thanks for posting!!

[rika]

Great work. Well done!

Rika

[Marbles_00]

Thanks Rika.

**UPDATED – 13/10/06**

Please see first post to download the skin

Changes:

Changed the default state of the party toggle button to Party Off (oopps, sorry about that one).

Now Playing screen is more functional with this skin. Anyone that has used this app from Buddabing will understand that it is actually 24 screens that sequentially move’s from screen to screen. I’ve modified it so that every time the next playing box transitions (moves once every 4 Now Playing screens), now playing and next up information is displayed for individual zones (max 6 zones, but could be modified for more). Also control is temporarily set for the zone that is currently displayed. Set this up with the Xevent plugin and this could be a good screensaver.

Made the Zonemap more thin client, touchscreen friendly (I hope). I created a new event group called Touchscreen Zonemap, and linked the different zone graphics to each event. This did not hamper normal server/fat client operation, but now allows viewing zone status and image information when clicking on a room when using a thin client and not using 'mouse-over' state. Please note, I have not been able to get the party zone status and image to show up though (only in thin client mode), and the actual green room graphic for any zone does not show (again, only in thin client), but still it should be functional.

Any questions, please ask, but as always...have fun.

[Marbles_00]

**UPDATED - 23/10/06**

I initially had included two PPC screen variations that the end user could choose to use. Now I finally got myself my first PPC and after playing with the two varients, I finally chose my favorite....NEITHER OF THEM.

I went back to the drawing board and decided to redo the PPC screens. I think they now are better visually. I kinda incorporated a little from the two varients into them. Hope you enjoy. The only hardbutton I integrated is the "Home" button on my Dell Axim. I figure this would be a common button for most PPC (though the code will change). My next update will incorporate the nav buttons better.

Download link can be found in my initial post.

As usual, any questions, please ask.

[Marbles_00]

**UPDATED - 26/10/06**

Please view first post to download.

Something happened to the Now Playing screens in my last update. I lost the ability to view the different zones on screen transactions. As well, I lost the ability to set zone depending on what zone was displayed. This was corrected.

Added a new split button in the PPC main menu screen. Now the user can either exit the client, or they can pause all music in the zones, exit client, then put the server to sleep (standby).

Any questions please ask...otherwise...enjoy.

Later

[Marbles_00]

**UPDATE - 12/12/06 **

Please see first post for download link.

One of the most noticable changes was that I added functionality for an AM/FM tuner. To control it I added commands to send via IR by a USB-UIRT. This can be changed in the events to control capture card based FM tuner, or any type of tuner. The audio is broadcast via a shoutcast server.

One other noticable change is I had the shoutcast information open as an overlay, which now opens to a dedicated screen.

Added was funtionality to put the server to sleep at pre-determined times using the XSleep plugin.

Finally I fixed a bunch of additional bugs.

I hope everyone enjoys.

Happy Holidays no matter what you beleive in.

Peace.

[jcrack_corn]

Marbles....I've made some (what I think) useful changes to your skin....I though i could post about them here becaues I think others may find it useful....


On the Volume overlay you have all of your amplifier zone volume controls (essentially useless to everyone but you!)....I modified the overlay screen to rename your Amp zones for my zones, then for each volume up/ volume down button:

ENTER EVENT: setzone xxxxxxxx
CLICK EVENT: Volume up/down

so now it has for instance

LIVING AREA < >
Keeping Area < >
Porch < >


and rolling over the up or down arrow sets the zone to living area and a click adjust the volumes


this allows VERY FAST (instant) changing of zones/volumes......can post a pic if needed (i know you understand marbles).....

Thank you very much for your skin, after spending the last 20 hours learning this stuff, I really appreciate the beautiful graphics you have created. I thouroughly plan to gank it for my own personal use! (lol)

[Marbles_00]

I so glad that you got it working for your use. Hopefully it wasn't 20 hours to solely learn how my skin works.

I like your idea for modifying the volume control to work in your instance. Pretty indeed.

The main reason that I wanted volume control at the amplifier level was since I was using an instance of winamp to drive three zones for my partyzone, I'd loose the ability to control the volume in an individual zone. More to the point, my partyzone will cover the livingroom, familyroom and backyard. Well come 11:00 at night, due to noise restraints where I live, the music to the backyard would either a) have to be turned down, or b) muted or turned off completely. I figured I'd control the volume at the amp to do this, without effecting the other rooms. So from there, I figured, if I was going to do that with one zone...spend the time to design the circuit, I may as well do it for all the zones.

As I've openly have stated, change what you'd like to get it working for you, no problems. If you want, I can even host your changes. Just send the skin in a .zip file to my gmail account, and I will host it. Could call it ZoneSkin2_JCC mod or something like that .

Quick question, are you using it in a touchscreen enviroment? I'd like to get feed back from users that do. I don't have a touchscreen, but I tried to keep them in mind when designing it up.

Thanks for the support.

[jcrack_corn]

funny you mention that....this is a 100% touchscreen environment (except for the living room).....basically running on dell axims.....your stock PPC screens are perfect...so far I havent found a reason to change anything in them!

I will also be throwing some touch-screen tablet pc's here and there, but they will use the main xlobby skins....so thats a non issue.

I have found that the font is a little small on the main screens (at sitting distance on a sony 42inch lcd, using PC input (ie, super sharp pic)) so I plan on bumping things to maybe 18 or 20 point....(wife acceptance factor)....

and nah, 20 hours ago I had no idea what an event was.....now i have a whole subfolder in your skin for all my custom events, lol.....

thanks man...

Quick question, are you using it in a touchscreen enviroment? I'd like to get feed back from users that do. I don't have a touchscreen, but I tried to keep them in mind when designing it up.

Thanks for the support.

[Marbles_00]

**UPDATED 11/1/07**

Rebuilt system around SATA drive and installed WinXP Pro. Everything was working fine except for Xweather was not giving me %outlook% info. It was giving me back some weird error. I got tired of messing with it so a changed over to Xoapweather.

Also finished off ppcalphabet screen for filtering. Not the best, but it is functional.

I dropped XSleep and decided to use XEvent. Created an event that upon entering main screen, will initialize countdown and at 3:00am the system will go into sleep (standby) mode. Also after a 1/2 hour of inactivity, it will jump to the Nowplaying screen and act as a screensaver.

If you have any questions, please let me know...otherwise, have fun.

[scottw]

Also after a 1/2 hour of inactivity, it will jump to the Nowplaying screen and act as a screensaver.

Looks great Marbles!!!!

The inactivity, is it computer activity or Xlobby activity? Meaning when does it start counting down the 1/2 hour?
If I understand you correctly you can be playing music and if you don't do anything with XL for a half hour it will jump to the Now Playing screen, so it must not use the PC's activity since music is playing, right?

If so this would be a great addition to my setup. I have heard you mention this before but I think I did not understand it

Thanks,

[Marbles_00]

Scott, you got me. I'm just using the inactivity command of the XEvent plugin to call on the nowplaying "screensaver" variable. I'll have to check to see how that is and get back to you. All I've done right now is set it up, and in a half hour, I've gone back to find the nowplaying screens showing. I can't recall, if I have done that while playing music or not .

I should also add that with XEvent, once the event is triggered, it automatically recycles and starts over again without having to be re-triggered. What I mean by this is once I have started this event to do a timed shutdown/goto screensaver mode, it automatically cycles again so it will always shutdown at 3:00am and it will always go to the screensaver mode after 1/2 hour of inactivity (to whatever type of inactivity it is supposed to be ).

[scottw]

No problem. Thanks for checking

[malaguita23]

Hello Marbles_00

First I must tell you that you did an amazing skin. You don't know how it helped me with my project. But there's something I'm looking for but can't achieve. Could you send me or publish a guide about how to add zones to your skin. I could make some changes in your skin, but I really need to have 12 zones and 3 partyzones. Is this possible?

Thanks