getmusicbee.com

MusicBee & Add-Ons => Customizations => Skins => Topic started by: Clarence on January 15, 2020, 09:52:25 PM

Title: old-B / new-B
Post by: Clarence on January 15, 2020, 09:52:25 PM: In a post on one of my previous threads, someone mentioned 'retro' players and posted some pictures of some excellent vintage players.

That got me thinking...what could a retro MusicBee player look like? (old-B)...and that got me thinking...how might it have evolved to fit in today? (new-B)

So here goes nothing...

old-B:
(http://i.imgur.com/4QLfgS9.png) (https://imgur.com/4QLfgS9)
(http://i.imgur.com/szE2X4dl.png) (https://imgur.com/szE2X4d)
(http://i.imgur.com/y5aPEt5l.png) (https://imgur.com/y5aPEt5)

new-B:
(http://i.imgur.com/GeV9pxx.png) (https://imgur.com/GeV9pxx)
(http://i.imgur.com/P4H0PHGl.png) (https://imgur.com/P4H0PHG)
(http://i.imgur.com/k8LUNaUl.png) (https://imgur.com/k8LUNaU)

Download:
old-B (http://www.mediafire.com/file/qqcacv4w691o29k/old-B.xmlc/file)
new-B (http://www.mediafire.com/file/e0un8y92goylzgb/new-B.xmlc/file)

(Modified: 16 Jan 2020 - minor tweaks to display size of track position timer and background colour of mini player to aid readability)

(To give it a little more vintage flavour, you'll see that the player display text used in the Music Explorer screenshots is the DS-Digital font, set at 13px Bold Italic. This is available to download from most font sites including dafont.com)

I hope you enjoy the skins.
Title: Re: old-B / new-B
Post by: boroda on January 16, 2020, 06:36:58 AM: great skins!
Title: Re: old-B / new-B
Post by: hiccup on January 16, 2020, 08:26:40 AM: Fantastic, you're the king of buttons ;-)
To get retro-correct, I think it's more WinAmp-retro than MusicBee-retro though
This (https://getmusicbee.com/forum/index.php?topic=6811.msg39223#msg39223) is a bit more what old-school MusicBee looks like.

I spotted two small flaws.
For the mini player in narrow layout the text in the panel is very difficult to read.
The TrackPosition gets placed slightly outside the display when using larger fonts. (e.g. Segoe UI 14)
(in case you are not aware, you can set a fixed font size for trackposition)
That might also solve that the wavebar for very loud tracks can sometimes slightly overlap or touch the trackposition.

Great additions to MB's skin repertoire!
Title: Re: old-B / new-B
Post by: foxj on January 16, 2020, 11:31:06 AM: I really like this skin i have some ideas they may overlap what hiccup has already written here (https://drive.google.com/open?id=1REmQ10OZUdBmZOhHc8C36VHn280-1s8a)
Title: Re: old-B / new-B
Post by: Clarence on January 16, 2020, 12:57:54 PM: Thanks everyone for the comments.

Quote from: hiccup on January 16, 2020, 08:26:40 AM
Fantastic, you're the king of buttons ;-)
To get retro-correct, I think it's more WinAmp-retro than MusicBee-retro though...
That's no surprise as when I started, my first musicplayer was Winamp. I mean, there wasn't much alternative around in those days. Actually, that's not true, my first music player was a hand-wind Parlaphone and it had a large speaker trumpet...but I'm showing my age there.

Quote from: hiccup on January 16, 2020, 08:26:40 AM
The TrackPosition gets placed slightly outside the display when using larger fonts. (e.g. Segoe UI 14)
(in case you are not aware, you can set a fixed font size for trackposition)
A valid criticism and no, I wasn't aware that a fixed font size for trackposition could be set. I am now, thanks - I've tried it and it works well to prevent the overlap.

Quote from: hiccup on January 16, 2020, 08:26:40 AM
For the mini player in narrow layout the text in the panel is very difficult to read.
Again, a valid point, but one that I believe is outside my control. The main player text needs to be dark so it can be used with an LCD style font if required. Changing fg attributes for mini player works (I have already done that), but only seems to have an impact on the wide and large picture mode. Narrow player seems to be drawing it's attribute from the PlayerFlat section and is therefore showing dark. Your suggestions/input would, as always, be extremely welcome.

Whilst on this point...
As you know, I only started skinning here about a month ago. I have struggled to find a comprehensive list of <elements> and parameters other than those covered in some old, but excellent, skinning guides and the occasionally posted update of elements. Much of everything else has come from looking at old .xml files to see what was going on and how it worked.

Is there a definitive list? It would definately help me and presumably other new skinners.
Title: Re: old-B / new-B
Post by: hiccup on January 16, 2020, 04:13:17 PM: You are correct that you cannot set fg separately for the miniplayer because that is (currently) shared with the main player panel.
(you could post a wish for dedicated elements for it)

But you could change the background colour: <element id="PlayerFlat.Background" bg="168,193,227"
That one is also shared between the mini player and the main player panel, but since you are using a bitmap skin, it's value is irrelevant for the main player.

-

The most actual and complete list of elements is probably my Sample Skin.
I try to keep that one updated when new elements are introduced, and prune the elements that I am (close to) certain about they don't function anymore.
A complicating factor is that there are elements that will not show up whatever colour you set for them, but if you then just remove them from your skin file, suddenly strange things happen.

(Former member redwing used to do good work in posting and gathering new skinning elements that you can find here:
https://getmusicbee.com/forum/index.php?topic=24935.0
But regrettably he chose to disappear a while back, taking (and deleting) some useful contributions with him.)

-

In the past I created a (ridiculous complex to create t.b.h.) Excel tool. You could use it to load two different skin.xml files in it, and it would then show all differences.
The idea is that it has a 'master skin' xml included, and you could match that against your own skin to see what is missing from your skin.

I haven't looked at it for a while, but I think you should be able to find it doing a forum/google search.
If you are interested in it, I could take a fresh look at it and check it and update it with some more recently added elements.
Title: Re: old-B / new-B
Post by: Clarence on January 16, 2020, 06:56:02 PM: Thanks for your input hiccup!

I had already considered reducing the background colour but was hoping to maintain consistency of colour throughout.

I've now changed the background for miniplayer only and put the fixed font size for TrackPosition. The download links in the first post will pick up the changed files.
I'll not bother with a wishlist request for this but I'll bear this limitation in mind for the next one ;)

Your Sample Skin has already become my go-to reference. Please keep that up to date...it's a godsend!
I've already copied the elements/settings into a document in just general format e.g. <element id="InlineMenu.ParentItem.Highlight" bg="x,x,x" fg="x,x,x" bdr="x,x,x" /> and <element id="UseArtworkBorders">true/false</element> so I can pull it up on screen while I'm working and was trying to find time to trawl through the posts on the Developers Skins forum to see if there are any changes.

I was hoping the result would come out something like the abandoned skinning guides, but it seems that if you've already incorporated recent changes into your latest Sample Skin I could cut one of those stages out. But don't tell the wife or I won't be able to use that as an excuse and she has a list of 'little jobs' that I've managed to avoid for some time now!
Title: Re: old-B / new-B
Post by: hiccup on January 16, 2020, 07:09:36 PM: That's great. And it's nice to get feedback from other members that suffer from some similar non-productive and time-wasting hobbies ;-)

Quote from: Clarence on January 16, 2020, 06:56:02 PM
But don't tell the wife or I won't be able to use that as an excuse and she has a list of 'little jobs' that I've managed to avoid for some time now!

Tell the wife that you have received serious complaints (and some threats maybe?) from other forum members that are very important and will take lots of time to fix:

When volume is set at 100%, your skin currently indicates it is somewhere at 96.82%.
So, what the hell? Is MusicBee not outputting bit-perfect when using your skin? Who is gonna fix this? When?

(https://i.imgur.com/Ey63qWx.png)

No sleep for you!
Title: Re: old-B / new-B
Post by: hiccup on January 16, 2020, 07:16:55 PM: Quote from: Clarence on January 16, 2020, 06:56:02 PM
I'll not bother with a wishlist request for this but I'll bear this limitation in mind for the next one ;)

Ah well, then allow me to do it. What is the worst that could happen?
Title: Re: old-B / new-B
Post by: hiccup on January 16, 2020, 07:53:00 PM: Quote from: Clarence on January 16, 2020, 12:57:54 PM
That's no surprise as when I started, my first musicplayer was Winamp. I mean, there wasn't much alternative around in those days

This all brings me back to memory-lane too.

Being under hypnosis I can now pinpoint exactly what triggered my interest (slight obsession perhaps) for skins on music players some 150 years ago.

It's this WinAmp skin. I loved it, and now that I see it again, I still love it.
It's like coming home. Is that sad or what? ;-)

(https://i.imgur.com/rAfs49R.png)
Title: Re: old-B / new-B
Post by: phred on January 16, 2020, 08:15:51 PM: Love those meters!

If you want simplistic and basic, give VU Meter a try ... http://www.vuplayer.com/vuplayer.php
(http://i.imgur.com/xn9mOeMl.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/xn9mOeM.jpg)
Title: Re: old-B / new-B
Post by: Clarence on January 16, 2020, 08:26:21 PM: Errrrm....Excuse me guys....the Winamp Appreciation Society only meets on a Sunday and it's in the room three doors down the corridor!

Still....nothing beats a bit of Lama!

And who said nostalgia was a thing of the past, huh?
Title: Re: old-B / new-B
Post by: hiccup on January 16, 2020, 08:29:49 PM: Quote from: Clarence on January 16, 2020, 08:26:21 PM
Errrrm....Excuse me guys....the Winamp Appreciation Society only meets on a Sunday and it's in the room three doors down the corridor!

Sincere apologies for hacking and diverting your topic Clarence.

VU fetishists, please continue here:
https://getmusicbee.com/forum/index.php?topic=23394.0
Title: Re: old-B / new-B
Post by: phred on January 16, 2020, 08:36:46 PM: Quote from: hiccup on January 16, 2020, 08:29:49 PM
Sincere apologies for hacking and diverting your topic Clarence.
Yes, me too.

Now please excuse me as I have an appointment three doors down the corridor. I know it's only Thursday, but I want to make sure I get there early so I can get a seat.
Title: Re: old-B / new-B
Post by: Clarence on January 16, 2020, 08:43:45 PM: Quote from: phred on January 16, 2020, 08:36:46 PM
Quote from: hiccup on January 16, 2020, 08:29:49 PM
Sincere apologies for hacking and diverting your topic Clarence.
Yes, me too.

Now please excuse me as I have an appointment three doors down the corridor. I know it's only Thursday, but I want to make sure I get there early so I can get a seat.

No problem phred. I'll pop along to the room in a while. Save me a seat next to that 150 year old fella who was here just now...and mines a cofee, white with sugar but don't put any sugar in his one...he can't take the excitement.
Title: Re: old-B / new-B
Post by: hiccup on January 16, 2020, 08:59:14 PM: These skins are really great.
Title: Re: old-B / new-B
Post by: Bee-liever on January 17, 2020, 09:48:06 PM: Very nice Clarence!
Especially like the glass look in old-B.
Title: Re: old-B / new-B
Post by: Clarence on January 18, 2020, 11:23:39 AM: Thanks for comment Bee-liever...appreciated.