Freebox Jukebox

E-Touch Skins => Skin Support => Topic started by: mfacer on June 10, 2008, 09:03:29 AM

Title: transparent backgrounds
Post by: mfacer on June 10, 2008, 09:03:29 AM
hi guys,

I want to create a new "screen" for the track listing. When you select an album, I'd like a CD case to appear over the top of the album views. (for the track listing). The trouble is, I cannot select a PNG or GIF image as a background. Is this possible?

(example)

(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n122/mfacer/page_top10.jpg)

my plan was to replace the "track_listing.jpg" with a transparent background - but i cannot select it in the browser window.
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: Barcrest on June 10, 2008, 09:42:25 AM
Yes this was something i added support for. All you need to do is click on the background of the tracklist window in the skintool and reduce it's size. Then drag it to where you want it probably the center. I too used a CD case image and it actually looked quite cool.

Hope that made sense to you.
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: mfacer on June 10, 2008, 10:39:38 AM
awesome, I'll give that a go! Cheers :)
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: mfacer on June 10, 2008, 11:04:42 AM
if I change the size from 1024x768 to 1x1, it shrinks the whole screen. How can I just change the background image? I click the background and it applies to the whole "screen".

Not sure what I'm doing wrong!
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: Barcrest on June 10, 2008, 11:32:49 AM
Yes you need to shrink the whole track listing screen down. Then you will be able to see the album screen behind it. Don't forget you need to leave room for the add album, donload etc buttons if you want them to be availble in your skin. If not then shrink it down to about 400x700 and change the background image to be the open CD case and just show the cover and the track list and up and down buttons... If you are still stuck and want me to set it up for you to then play with just mail me the skin and i'll do it and mail it back.
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: mfacer on June 10, 2008, 11:35:32 AM
aah yes I see what you mean, sorry - me being stupid!! will give it a try and let you know! cheers! :)
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: Barcrest on June 10, 2008, 12:07:18 PM
Don't forget we love screenshots...  ;)
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: mfacer on June 10, 2008, 12:46:14 PM
i'll post some up shortly!

I've made some changes to the track list, reducing the size as u suggested. However, when I run the jukebox now, I get the following error

"Runtime error 340. Control array element '12' doesn't exist".

any ideas??
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: Barcrest on June 10, 2008, 01:54:41 PM
Yes, sounds like you have set too many tracks to show. Reduce it down and see what happens... You should be able to show more but try lowering it to 11 or 10.
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: mfacer on June 10, 2008, 04:02:30 PM
I ended up uninstalling and reinstalling which seemed to solve it! Started again on the skin as I think I'd made a right mess. Here's a screen shot of "so far"...

(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n122/mfacer/shot1.jpg)

just need to tidy up the now playing and volume parts ... then it's on to the other screens!!
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: squirrellydw on June 10, 2008, 07:30:48 PM
look really nice man, let me know if you need any help with the graphics
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: Barcrest on June 10, 2008, 07:35:30 PM
Looks to me like you are going for a look simular to silverjuke.... I do like it though ;)
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: mfacer on June 10, 2008, 09:30:48 PM
not used or seen silverjuke before! I saw a video on youtube using your software and it looked mint. I'm basing it a little on that and I've been using AlbumPlayer for over a year, so a little on that too!

some updated screenshots for your visual pleasure  ;)

(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n122/mfacer/shot2.jpg)

(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n122/mfacer/shot3.jpg)

and a snazzy "add or dont add" screen for the queue...

(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n122/mfacer/shot4.jpg)
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: squirrellydw on June 11, 2008, 12:07:44 AM
I like it a lot, maybe even more than mine.  You will be releasing this for everyone to use right?  I think you know a little more about graphic design then me also, you using PS?
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: Barcrest on June 11, 2008, 12:19:04 AM
Thumbs look good, it's really coming together nicely dude.
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: mfacer on June 11, 2008, 08:01:54 AM
thanks for the comments! :) Yeah I'll be releasing it and yes, it's made in PS. I saved most things as PSD files too so people can change the text easily.

One thing I've done slightly wrong was to move buttons I didnt want off the edge of the area. I guess if you change the resolution of the whole skin to something bigger you could fetch them back though!!

Hopefully I'll have it finished for today and will get a release out sometime soon for people to try!
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: Barcrest on June 11, 2008, 12:25:43 PM
Sweet dude... Yeah to grab the buttons back it's just a res change and drag them back.
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: squirrellydw on June 11, 2008, 02:19:09 PM
I have all my files saved as psds also.  If you want them I could zip them up for you or you could ask kizer for access to the server.
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: kizer on June 12, 2008, 04:05:37 AM
Yes just ask me and your golden. PM me that is as long as Barcrest has no design issues with your skin since he has the ultimate say and I'll gladly host it for others. ;)

As long as I can use it too.  ;D
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: kizer on June 12, 2008, 06:47:49 PM
I was just playing around with transparent today and it gives the black and blue skin a new life. Didn't think I'd like it at first, but its really cool.
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: eist1 on June 12, 2008, 07:40:22 PM
Kizer,

Check this out for a background with the BnB skin, makes it look pretty cool:

(http://www.iamkizer.net/freeboxjukebox/files/skins/V4skins/Tom's%20Files/trans_lightning.jpg)

If you're interested in the background image here it is 1024x768 and 800x600

1024x768: http://www.iamkizer.net/freeboxjukebox/files/skins/V4skins/Tom's%20Files/bluelightning_1024x768.jpg (http://www.iamkizer.net/freeboxjukebox/files/skins/V4skins/Tom's%20Files/bluelightning_1024x768.jpg)

800x600: http://www.iamkizer.net/freeboxjukebox/files/skins/V4skins/Tom's%20Files/bluelightning_800x600.jpg (http://www.iamkizer.net/freeboxjukebox/files/skins/V4skins/Tom's%20Files/bluelightning_800x600.jpg)

Gives it a new look

Just a note though, it seems Freebox is not saving the enable transparency, because when exiting and going back into the jukebox, transparency is no longer enabled.
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: squirrellydw on June 12, 2008, 07:56:51 PM
that does look pretty cool, did you make that background?  also is there away to adjust the transparency?
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: eist1 on June 12, 2008, 07:58:14 PM
No, I found it on the web and resized it, yes the transparency is completely adjustable, with a slider bar to make it more or less transparent.
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: Barcrest on June 13, 2008, 12:10:54 AM
Saving the transparency will be in the next beta... Did anyone test it with a fullscreen desktop winamp vis yet?
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: eist1 on June 13, 2008, 01:04:21 AM
Barry,

Since you found a way to remove the icons off the desktop, would there be anyway to have freebox look in a folder in the freebox directory for an image file, and what ever image it finds it uses that in full screen mode in the background? That way it would be easier than having to have your desktop as the image in the background. Just a thought
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: Barcrest on June 13, 2008, 02:58:03 AM
I could do it by setting that image to the wallpaper. The image could be in the skin folder in a sub folder called wallpaper. The only problem i see would be changing the wallpaper back afterwards because i am not sure how to get the info for the currently displayed wallpaper and store that to replace it on exit... I think people might get upset replacing thier wallpaper if i can't switch it back.
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: Lave Laar on June 13, 2008, 10:00:32 AM
You can read that information from the registry.
Look in "HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop\Wallpaper" and "HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop\OriginalWallpaper"
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: Barcrest on June 13, 2008, 12:17:37 PM
Cheers buddy, i'll look at that.
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: kizer on June 13, 2008, 06:47:09 PM
Thanks I'll take a run with those this weekend. My wife shook her head and said its not needed, but bah, she didn't like playing random songs either, but now thats all she does. ;)

Quote from: eist1 on June 12, 2008, 07:40:22 PM
Kizer,

Check this out for a background with the BnB skin, makes it look pretty cool:

(http://www.iamkizer.net/freeboxjukebox/files/skins/V4skins/Tom's%20Files/trans_lightning.jpg)

If you're interested in the background image here it is 1024x768 and 800x600

1024x768: http://www.iamkizer.net/freeboxjukebox/files/skins/V4skins/Tom's%20Files/bluelightning_1024x768.jpg (http://www.iamkizer.net/freeboxjukebox/files/skins/V4skins/Tom's%20Files/bluelightning_1024x768.jpg)

800x600: http://www.iamkizer.net/freeboxjukebox/files/skins/V4skins/Tom's%20Files/bluelightning_800x600.jpg (http://www.iamkizer.net/freeboxjukebox/files/skins/V4skins/Tom's%20Files/bluelightning_800x600.jpg)

Gives it a new look

Just a note though, it seems Freebox is not saving the enable transparency, because when exiting and going back into the jukebox, transparency is no longer enabled.
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: craiglincs on June 18, 2008, 07:17:46 PM
Loving this skin, very clean and minimalistic!......... cant wait to try it out!!!!

Quote from: mfacer on June 10, 2008, 09:30:48 PM
not used or seen silverjuke before! I saw a video on youtube using your software and it looked mint. I'm basing it a little on that and I've been using AlbumPlayer for over a year, so a little on that too!
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: mfacer on June 18, 2008, 08:08:18 PM
cheers - got ur PM earlier... I'll probably do some more development in the next few days and will post a copy of the skin to try!
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: craiglincs on June 19, 2008, 04:53:51 PM
awesome, nice one!

nice to see another brit on here too!
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: Barcrest on June 19, 2008, 06:47:34 PM
How funny i didn't realise he was in the UK...
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: mfacer on June 20, 2008, 11:40:12 AM
aye, sunny Manchester! ;D
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: Barcrest on June 20, 2008, 11:54:54 AM
Heading up your way tomorrow... Well Blackpool but it's not far. Hows the work on the skin coming along?

NOTE: Click on one of the database selection tabs on the album screen. Say MUSIC. then click the ALIGN X button to line up the KARAOKE and VIDEOS buttons. They seem to be off by a pixel or 2.
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: mfacer on June 20, 2008, 12:03:53 PM
cool cheers!

I'm working on the skin at the moment - just changing a few things. Will hopefully release it later today for some testing! :)

have fun in Blackpool!
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: craiglincs on June 20, 2008, 01:40:30 PM
wooooot, looking forward to seeing the skin in action, just installing a projector for the 2nd screen of the jukebox for my videos, will send some pics when all is completed!
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: Barcrest on June 20, 2008, 02:41:19 PM
Quote from: craiglincs on June 20, 2008, 01:40:30 PM
wooooot, looking forward to seeing the skin in action, just installing a projector for the 2nd screen of the jukebox for my videos, will send some pics when all is completed!

You so need to do this. When i had the projector hooked up to my juke videos were all i played. If i wasn't in the room i left it on random play on teh videos and it was just like MTV when they used to play music. It's great you can select tracks without interrupting the video as well...
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: squirrellydw on June 20, 2008, 02:58:07 PM
Quote from: Barcrest on June 20, 2008, 02:41:19 PM
You so need to do this. When i had the projector hooked up to my juke videos were all i played. If i wasn't in the room i left it on random play on teh videos and it was just like MTV when they used to play music. It's great you can select tracks without interrupting the video as well...

I remember the 80's  ;D
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: Barcrest on June 20, 2008, 03:24:21 PM
Quote from: squirrellydw on June 20, 2008, 02:58:07 PM
Quote from: Barcrest on June 20, 2008, 02:41:19 PM
You so need to do this. When i had the projector hooked up to my juke videos were all i played. If i wasn't in the room i left it on random play on teh videos and it was just like MTV when they used to play music. It's great you can select tracks without interrupting the video as well...

I remember the 80's  ;D

The Buggles - Video Killed The Radio Star

The first Video to play on MTV.... ;D
Title: Re: transparent backgrounds
Post by: craiglincs on June 20, 2008, 04:11:28 PM
haha yes, the boss has just invested in a yamaha top of the range amp, with video and audio inputs, infocus in78 projector along with a 100" screen to go with it, running through some huuuuge monitor audio speakers!!!!..... looking forward to getting this all up and running!