ZoneSkin5 "ZS5" *Updated 13/6/09* www

[Marbles_00]

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http://www.xlobby.com/files/Marbles_00/ZS5/ZS5_menu.bmp
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ZoneSkin5 (ZS5):

Reason for the skin:
Well my system has expanded...so I had to modify ZoneSkin4 to accommodate. The changes were starting to get vast and so I decided to start creating a new skin.

Lot's of new things with this skin...new graphics, new event structure are to mention a couple.

Download executable below. Executable will install to program files/xlobby/skins/ZoneSkin5 by default. Also please read the included manual to aid in setting up the skin.

If you have any questions, please ask.

Marbles

http://www.xlobby.com/files/Marbles_00/ZS5/ZS5_r1_1.exe

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Thread updates:
22/11/08
-added some screen shots of album select and track select
-added a tip on displaying a playlist after copying a winamp playlist category from one screen to another.

29/11/08
-created main menu screen
-modified album select screen
-have been spending alot of time working on the command/event structure. This is getting a major overhaul
-modified my P3rvTalk device ini files
-added a tip on copy/paste xml data from one event to another

4/12/08
-added first tutorial on setting up the winamp instances required

4/1/09
-finishing up almost all the skin. Working out bugs. Just have to type up a manual.

5/2/09
-been working on the Zone Client screen examples. In this case it is the Living room zone where the MediaPVR machine resides. That Xlobby machine is using the AppleTV skin
-still working out all the kinks
-finishing up typing the manual, just have to add a few more screen shot and explain their useage

4/3/09
-didn't like how things were looking so I postponed release so I could do some re-skinning.

5/3/09
-more screen shots completed and added.

11/3/09
-expected release on 20/3/09

14/3/09
-manual completed.
-changed font style of the viewing screen. Went away from the typical Digiface font, and decided to try a font called wipeout fusion. It's pretty bold and new-age, and I think looks really cool.
-updated/added embedded button to playlist and track select.

21/3/09
-skin released as r1.

13/6/09
-skin released as r1.1.

[Marbles_00]

Added 5/02/09
Added some Zone Client Control screens. In particular the Main Menu, CD Player Controller and AM/FM Tuner Controller

Added 22/11/08
Here are a couple of screen shots. Very preliminary stuff.

The Album select screen has tabs across the top for alphabetical/numerical databases. My music directory structure is:
Music>
alpha/numeric>
artist>
album1
album2
albumX
singles

Buttons on bottom are not place entirely, they are for the most part a carry over from Zoneskin4

One thing I started to notice with my previous zoneskins was the inability to view what a winamp source had in its playlist when selecting albums for that source. So I added a current playlist view when at the Album select and Track select screens. The album/tracks lists are on the left, the track list on the right is the currently loaded playlist for that source. Again the buttons at the bottom have to be organized.

I also added the new main menu screen. Here the user can see the currently play tracks from every WINAMP source, and it will show which sources are open. The user can select that particular source for the zone they are in by clicking on the associated box (whoops sorry, I'm designing this on a system that doesn't have the P3rvTalk/KxD component, that is why the little symbols are showing instead of boxes).

Comments welcome.

Zone Client Main Menu - Most functions for controlling individual zones are on this screen. It also is customized to blend with Xlobby skin used in that particular zone (in this case, the AppleTV skin in the living room MediaPVR)

[Marbles_00]

Reserved for tutorials

*4/12/08*
This will be a quick tutorial in starting to setup the winamp instances for using in ZS5. Basically, I could direct you to the tutorial post in the ZoneSkin4 thread as setting up the instances are the same. So like in ZoneSkin4 I setup a directory called Sources. In this directory are sub-directories:

Main1
Main2
Main3
Main4
Upstairs1
Upstairs2
Upstairs3
Upstairs4
Floor Sync

The basic setup can be shown in the image below (please note, this is the one from ZoneSkin4, add Main4, and Upstairs4, and rename House to FloorSync):

I don't follow the way Xlobby defines the winamp instances. It defines each instance as a zone. I define them as sources and leave zoning to the KX DSP FXMix module and its output module.

From here you have to go into each winamp instance and define its output to a KX DSP input (drop-down window next to "Device") , as shown in the next image:


I've redefined the outputs to the KX DSP as the following for the main floor:

Input 0/1 - Main1
Input 4/5 - Main2
Input 6/7 - Main3
Input 8/9 - Main4

The defined the upstairs floor sources as this:

Input 0/1 - Upstairs1
Input 4/5 - Upstairs2
Input 6/7 - Upstairs3
Input 8/9 - Upstairs4

The floor sync instance, I defined its output to goto the motherboard sound cards input.

My next tutorial will be setting up the KX DSP. So stay tuned.

[Marbles_00]

Reserved for tips.

Tip:
22/11/08
When copying a playlist category over from one screen to another, you will notice that the playlist doesn't display. This is because the playlist category is a unique beast in that the user doesn't actually ask for the playlist under the Category>Database tab. In order to display the playlist, you must goto the actual screen's .xml file. Open it in a text editor and scroll down to the category section you indicate for your playlist. Somewhere you will most likely see "<database/>" (minus the quotes). Change that line to "<database>playlist</database>, and voila, you will see your playlist on display.

29/11/08
I find when skinning, sometimes it gets pretty monotonous in the skin editor to copy commands from one event to another. Take for example my ZoneSkins. When selecting one source to another source, the same commands are being done, only a couple of variables change. Dragging and dropping and inserting commands from event to event at times can be a cruel. I find that opening that eventgroup in a text editor like Textpad and copy/paste whole events then changing just the variables to be so much easier and time-saving. Take for example the image below:

Now in order to create BackyardMusic2 from BackyardMusic1 is to select each event individually from 1and then add the event to 2. During this time, you have to make sure you select event 2 before changing a variable or you will change the variable in event 1.

Now you can do this easily in Textpad by opening the eventgroup. Below is the xml text of BackyardMusic1:

Select everything between the <commands></commands>, copy and paste it between BackyardMusic2, making sure it starts with <event> and ends with </event>, and you have the a properly formatted <name></name>. Then just change the required text, save and then see how it looks in Xlobby.

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

haha marb thats a dirty way to increase post count... wonder what forum rules state about triple posting

EDIT: just teasing ofcourse, curious to see which new heights u will take zoning this time.

[Marbles_00]

haha marb thats a dirty way to increase post count... wonder what forum rules state about triple posting

Actually it will only increase my post count by 3. That is if I use that space now and just edit/update those posts with current tutorials, skin info, and current pictures, the post count won't increase anymore.

I got the idea from Grooby. His latest V3 skin thread, he has a bunch of placements as well.

[Marbles_00]

Close to release. Been a long time coming, with holidays and all, but I have mostly finished off integrating it into my own system, and I'm working out some of the kinks. I also have to type up a manual. Provided, I don't find anything too out of the ordinary, I will be releasing this skin very soon.

[Marbles_00]

I apologize about not releasing this skin. I've been really busy with work/family and other projects (BES), so completing this went on the back burner. I also started to not like the layout of the skin, and the graphics, to me, are getting dated. So I decided to start giving it an overhaul...graphic wise. Below is the new intended look. Please comment and let me know what you think.



Once I get going, the other screens should skin pretty quick. Will flatten out the ZS5 logo...doesn't look right with the drop shadow behind it.

[Marbles_00]

Music Album Selection/Current Playlist for particular source (NOTE: violet button indicates the current database selected, the blue button indicates the button that the mouse is hovering over):


Shoutcast screen:


Playlist screen:


External Tuner Control screen:


External CD Player Control screen:


Current Weather screen:


Still some work to do on overlays, and fix some buttons up (red indicators in the Tuner/CD player screens, and blue triangle direction buttons have all got to go), but things are coming along nicely.

[BaddaBing]

Great work Marbles, you truley are the "Zone King"
Maybe we could collborate on a skin some time.

[Marbles_00]

Thanks for the compliment Baddabing.

Maybe we could collborate on a skin some time.

Oooo, that's a very interesting proposition...I wonder what we could come up with ...me got's me think'n cap on now

[Marbles_00]

Just a quick update.

Cleaning up some things in the skin...added embedded playlist and track adding features as discussed elsewhere on the forums. I'm also cleaning up the manual to include for installing. If all goes according to plan, I'm looking to release the skin on 20/3/09, or during that weekend (1 1/2 weeks from now).

[Marbles_00]

Decided to try out a new font called wipeout fusion (will include with skin). Looks pretty cool.

[wesblack]

Nice work.....! Your efforts on the forum are always appreciated.





Wes Black \ Calrad

[Marbles_00]

Thanks Wes. Would never have been possible without a great piece of software first and foremost, great skinners to learn from, great plugins (and their developers), and a great bunch of individuals here to help guide the way when needed.