xStreamed *updated 3/6/11* www

[dhcf23]

I gave this a quick look last night...I did have a couple issues, one of which I think you talk about the post above. From the movies screen the buttons did nothing. I did go in to the startup event and check that is was set properly and test it...after that they were working.

The next problem is after you select a movie and it takes you to the movie info screen nothing displayed on that page...even the items that were set up properly and showed on the other pages. Finally from that page if I hit enter it pops open the full screen movie page but nothing plays. I was not able to spend much time on it last night but those were the first couple things I noticed.

Thanks and keep up the good work. Are you planning a music section...I know you have music controlled by the zones so I'm curious what if anything you have in mind for the music section.

[Marbles_00]

DOH, you know what I did forget to tell you all (thanks dhcf23 for pointing out my stubbornness), I failed to mention that by default the screens are setup to display Zoom Player, MPC-HC or Milkdrop. So, what does this mean...

In the movie info screen, there is no button per say, the border around the information by default is the "button" selected upon entering the screen. If you click enter (or ok or action on the remote), it will then take you to a "blank" screen. This screen (if all setup right) will pop open the appropriate player (in this case zoom or MPC) and play the selected media. This all depends on how you setup your "File Types" under Setup. If you goto that blank screen, and open the Skin Editor, you will see it consists of three xMoveWindow setups. One for each of Zoom Player (TMainForm), MPC (MediaPlayerClassicW), and one for future use with music visuals (Milkdrop).

If you open Setup and goto the File Types tab, you can enter the following (if not already there).

If you use Zoomplayer (settings corrected now that I'm at home):
-add the location of Zoom player
-add the file extensions to play with zoom player. I use Zoom for all my DVD playback, as I like to use ffdshow with it to upscale the DVD's to 1920x1080 from the movies database, so I have the following extensions: ifo,ts (I have a couple of recored tv show in ts format).
-for switches is use the following: /DVD /Play %playlist%
what this does is setup Zoom for DVD playback, to automatically play, and the item loaded into the playlist (you movie selection)
- select the movies category
- check ON "Enable"

For MPC (settings corrected):
- add the location of MPC-HC
- add the file extensions. I use MPC-HC for all my HD playback, so my extensions are: mkv,m2ts,mov,avi,mpcpl (media player playlist file).
-switches: /play /fullscreen /close "%path%"
- select the movies category (if sharing the same one with DVD's)
-check ON "Enable"

NOTE: you can also goto the file called types.xml in the xlobby root directory, and make changes right at the xml level. This is where the "File Types" information is kept.

Also you will have to goto Setup/Misc tab and under AutoPlay, select dvd. Make sure under extensions that ifo is there. Then click on "Assign/Remove Event" and select dvdpopup. Again this can be modified by opening the mediatypes.xml file in the xlobby root directory.

I'm thinking I may in the very least add my xlobby.xml, mediatypes.xml and types.xml into future Main Module releases so in the very least, it gives you an example of how to setup those features.

Let me know how that works for you.

Now the real troublesome issue...and I can't think of why it happened, is that your not getting the info displayed on the information screen, even though it has been displayed on other screens. I can't right now think of why that would be.

*EDIT*
Tonight, when I get home, I will attach my mediatypes.xml, types.xml and xlobby.xml files to this post in order to help you. You may replace yours or copy/paste parts you may need into your files. Again these files reside in the Xlobby root directory where xlobby.exe is.

[Marbles_00]

The next problem is after you select a movie and it takes you to the movie info screen nothing displayed on that page...even the items that were set up properly and showed on the other pages.

Could you attach a screen capture of your movie listing screens (movies_list, movies_large, movies_small, or movies_coverflow screen) and then attach a screen capture of your movie info screen. I can't think of why things would show up in the one screen but not the other. They are all using the same database and tag information (example: catalog>movies>coverart).

[dhcf23]

Here are my screens for Movie List and Movie Info.

another issue I am having is if I keep the xReceive plug in in the plugins folder my CPU just clocks at 100% and the system is rendered useless. I have now removed that from the folder and things run much better.

I am still not able to get a movie to play though, the fullscreen page pops up but nothing plays, I even copied your file types set up with no luck. I use MPC for all my movies. If xlobby running with this skin and I manually open MPC it is moved to the window in xlobby, xlobby just won;t launch it for me.

[Marbles_00]

another issue I am having is if I keep the xReceive plug in in the plugins folder my CPU just clocks at 100% and the system is rendered useless. I have now removed that from the folder and things run much better.

The reason for that is because you have to change the IP address in the comp.ini file to the address of your machine. I thought I mentioned that during the info screen of the install, but I may have forgotten.

As for your movie listings and info, I'm wondering if the fields your using and moviestemplate is different. I say this because in the movie listings screen, down in the rating area, it shows the graphic of the movie certification, and not the rating. In that screen, it shouldn't show any certification graphic but under "Certification" it should state in text whether the movie is "G", "PG", "PG-13", "R", or any other ones you may have added.

I am still not able to get a movie to play though, the fullscreen page pops up but nothing plays, I even copied your file types set up with no luck. I use MPC for all my movies. If xlobby running with this skin and I manually open MPC it is moved to the window in xlobby, xlobby just won;t launch it for me.

Are you filling in the proper extensions for the files you want to play? If using my types.xml file, for sure you will have to do some modding to the extensions, as I'm only using MPC for primarily HD mkv playback (and other HD type files). You have to add ifo and/or any other extension to the list. Are your movies in DVD formate (Video_TS directory with the video_ts.ifo and vob files), or are they in avi format?

[Marbles_00]

Yeah, I have the movie 300 too, and looking at the movies listing screen, and comparing, I noticed that you either are not filling in the ANT parameters, or not filling them in correctly, or are using the parameters differently. I say this because if you filled out the parameters as I indicate in my help doc, then across the top, should be the following images (depending on what fields you fill in ANT):
Media Type (DVD, BLURAY), Audio, Resolution, Video Codec, Subtitles.

I can tell that you do have the image files in their proper location because of the "Restricted" image down by the rating spot. This indicates though that you are filling in the fields differently than how I have done it. Nothing wrong with how you are doing it, it just means that you will have to modify the moviestemplate.xml file to suit.

[dhcf23]

Marbles,

I definitely don't have all the movies database stuff set up like yours so I am expecting some of it to be missing or out of line. The things I was seeing on the other screens I ignored for that reason. The movies info screen though was a whole different story since it should have at least displayed the things I did have tagged properly. I now can see the cover, fanart, move name and plot....anything else tagged properly on the movie info screen but what I had to do in order for that to work was add a category to that screen named movies and point it to the movies database. I then set it to hidden. Now everything shows up. I had to do the same thing to the pause movie screen.

As for getting a movie to play from that screen I had to create a new play event. This one goes Execute (Movies) , go to screen (movies_fullscreen), wait, execute file (sendfocus to xlobby). The movies launches and plays this way, for whatever reason even when set it up this way and have it go to just fullscreen it still doesn't play on that screen. When focus is sent back to xlobby the mpc hc screen shows the border around it with all the menu options like this.

Is there a way for xlobby to have focus and this not show. We control things differently though so the way my set up works now is where I would want MPC to have focus, unless I change it up and control everything the same way you do. Maybe some of the issues I am facing have to do with not using the remote.


well, that is all I have for tonight, thanks again and keep up the good work.

Oh and thanks for reminding me to set the IP for the xreceive plugin...no more runaway CPU.

[Marbles_00]

I now can see the cover, fanart, move name and plot....anything else tagged properly on the movie info screen but what I had to do in order for that to work was add a category to that screen named movies and point it to the movies database. I then set it to hidden. Now everything shows up. I had to do the same thing to the pause movie screen.

That is very strange indeed. Not too sure why you would have to create a hidden category to display that stuff. I'll be mulling that one over for a while. I haven't done anything different from what I and others have done when calling on tags from a category/database.

When focus is sent back to xlobby the mpc hc screen shows the border around it with all the menu options like this.

If you want to take out the menu and scan displays from the MPC window, and only display the movie screen, just uncheck those options from the MPC/View dropdown. Close MPC and re-open, they should be gone (that's what I had to do if I recall). My only problem with MPC right now is that when not using fullscreen (which you don't have to with xMoveWindow), the mouse shows up, even if I use xHideMouse. Doesn't show when using Zoom...only with MPC.

Maybe some of the issues I am facing have to do with not using the remote.

Check the xRemote file (within Setup/Plugins) and verify that under fullscreen there are still mappings for some of the different events. If so, then if using girder, try out the .gml file for the Panny remote that I use. Even though your buttons may not all be the same, things like navigation, play, pause, stop, etc. are pretty universal. You should be able to get up and running pretty quick then...but yeah, without the remote, it is pretty difficult to control the video players.

Taking a little break from designing the next modules (most likely a settings module). Have a big project I'm undertaking and will be putting all efforts into that. But I will continue to support what is out there right now.

[mememe]

If you are having trouble launching in fullscreen then in MPC-HC's options page set "launch files in fullscreen" on the playback>fullscreen tab.

On older versions it is on the player tab (very top of list).

To get rid of the borders when in windowed mode, just press "1" and it will remove them completely. The option change is persistent, even if the player is closed, until you change it back by hitting "2" or "3" (3 has the full borders you are showing).

@Marbles
It is showing the mouse cursor because it is actually reverting to a window on the obscured desktop. You would have to hid it within windows itself. The easy solution is to use a mouse to pull the cursor to the far edge of the screen where it will disappear from view, but that would have to be done each time the computer is started. If it is a dedicated HTPC you could always create a blank cursor and set it through control panel>mouse (win 7 path). I don't know of any way to outright disable the mouse cursor since Windows expects that you will have one to actually use the OS in most cases.

[Marbles_00]

The easy solution is to use a mouse to pull the cursor to the far edge of the screen where it will disappear from view, but that would have to be done each time the computer is started.

Yep, that's what I'm doing right now. But I suppose that when/if I ever get the HTPC to a level that I'm happy with it, one could disconnect the mouse. If I recall, if WinXP doesn't detect a mouse on start, than it defaults to no mouse attached and doesn't display the cursor. Win7 could be a whole different kettle of fish.

If it is a dedicated HTPC you could always create a blank cursor and set it through control panel>mouse

Actually, that is a really smart idea. You know, that's why I like it here...all the smart people are here to help out.
Thanks for the suggestion.

[Marbles_00]

But where do you find your fanart?

One of the best sites:
http://www.themoviedb.org/

Well....besides xlobby.com

Just a quick update. Almost done my big side project. It was installing a flat screen on the wall. Hidden cables...remote IR control (still waiting for that equipment, but the holes are roughed in). Running the equipment mounted in my basement to the TV via CAT5e and required baluns. Really happy for myself that I didn't destroy the house during the install.

Looking forward to seeing this skin on that screen. Anyways, I should be back and skinning some more in the near future

[Marbles_00]

and for the weather, how xlobby chooses the good icon?

good icon- I don't quite understand what your asking, but when you copy over the plugins from the xStreamed/plugins directory to the main plugins directory, it should copy over the /images sub-directory as well. If you wish to use the xweather original images (or you have your own), either backup the xlobby\plugins\xweather\images directory before copying over the contents of the xStreamed\plugins, or go through the skin plugins directory and copy over what you want to use.

Just note, the plugins I use and include with the skin are all verified to work with the last available free lobby on a WinXP Pro machine. I have also got it all mostly running on a Win7 Home Premium laptop as well (with Xlobby residing in the Program Files directory)

[Marbles_00]

I know there's a translation feature, but I've never used it.

[Marbles_00]

how can I do a custom search by descending date?

I haven't done anything yet on custom searches (not really a feature I use alot). Currently selecting the "Recently Added Movies" sorts the movie list by the Ant Catalog item number. It will also sort via genre, year and movie certification. Yeah, even though it is not a feature I use...I will have to add custom searches (actor, director, movie titles, etc.) in at some point . There's a couple more modules I want to get out to make the skin "more complete", then I'll start to fine tune it with those extra features that others appreciate so much.

[Marbles_00]

how can I do a custom search by descending date?

Jumpman,

I've been thinking a little about this. Do you want to descend by the movie year, or the date that the movie was added to the database? If by movie year, then a sort order event can be defined and initiated by an extra addition to the Movie Main menu list (where listed "All Movies", "Recent Added Movies", "Genre", "Certification", and "Year"). The first two listed on that screen are sortorder events, the last three are filter events by genre, certification and movie year respectively.