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MusicBee & Add-Ons => Customizations => TheaterMode => Topic started by: Greb on November 17, 2012, 05:51:33 AM

Title: Compact Theater Mode III: A Musical Newspaper [UPDATED]
Post by: Greb on November 17, 2012, 05:51:33 AM
Instructions:

[1] Download and install the sizer app

It allows you to size any window to an exact size. This is NOT strictly necessary, you can resize the window manually, but getting a exact size is slightly annoying. So up to you.

http://www.brianapps.net/sizer/

[2] Download the zip file and extract in the TheaterMode.List folder.

http://filebeam.com/2b86ba74e96be6af84fa315c56a15266

The theater mode is calle 'Compact Player Desktop 1440x800'

[3] This time there's no fonts to install!!!   ;D

The theater mode uses the Georgia font, that is quite usual. In case you haven't it, you can use the 'TNR' version that uses the Times New Roman font.

[4] When using the Theater Mode..

... you should resize the window exactly to 1440x800. Use the Sizer app for it.

Updated with alternative version with progress bar and album year.

Credit for the Background: http://tatenokai.deviantart.com/art/Newspaper-Desktop-198008273

Images

(http://i49.tinypic.com/969jeo.jpg)

(http://i50.tinypic.com/j5h1zb.jpg)

(http://i46.tinypic.com/2w4e807.jpg)
Title: Re: Compact Player III: Musical News
Post by: Bee-liever on November 17, 2012, 06:37:12 AM
Love it!
So quirky!  :)
Title: Re: Compact Player III: Musical News [UPDATED]
Post by: Greb on November 17, 2012, 09:32:28 AM
Thanks!
Title: Re: Compact Player III: Musical News [UPDATED]
Post by: Iasc on November 17, 2012, 09:59:28 AM
very original. will give it a go
Title: Re: Compact Player III: Musical News [UPDATED]
Post by: redwing on November 17, 2012, 11:22:41 AM
Looks amazing! But the maximum resolution of my laptop (1280 x 800) shows some elements out of line (Sizer can't help it). Do you have a plan to support lower resolutions? Thanks for sharing this wonderful work, anyway!
Title: Re: Compact Player III: Musical News [UPDATED]
Post by: Greb on November 17, 2012, 12:18:16 PM
Looks amazing! But the maximum resolution of my laptop (1280 x 800) shows some elements out of line (Sizer can't help it). Do you have a plan to support lower resolutions? Thanks for sharing this wonderful work, anyway!

Didn't intend to support different resolutions. But anyway, it's not difficult to do. Just follow those steps:

1. Select a coefficient that defines de new resolution. For example, 0.75. Then the new resolution would be 1080x600 (1440x0.75=1080). It works in case you want a bigger resolution than the original one too.
2. Open the background image in some picture software and resize it using the selected percentage (in the former case, 75%).
3. Then open the theatermode xml file with Notepad. There you should multiply for this coefficient:
   - x and y
   - width
   - height
   - font size
For example, if x="400" then you should write x="300" (400x0.75=300).

That's all.  ;D
Title: Re: Compact Player III: Musical News [UPDATED]
Post by: redwing on November 17, 2012, 01:11:32 PM
Hmm.. I just tried what you suggested with 88%, but it's worse. Many elements look overlapped. It's trickier than I expected. Looks like I have to understand what each element refers to. Don't worry. It's fun!
Title: Re: Compact Player III: Musical News [UPDATED]
Post by: Greb on November 17, 2012, 01:15:51 PM
Hmm.. I just tried what you suggested with 88%, but it's worse. Many elements look overlapped. It's trickier than I expected. Looks like I have to understand what each element refers to. Don't worry. It's fun!

Can you upload it? I'll give a quick check to see what's wrong.
Title: Re: Compact Player III: Musical News [UPDATED]
Post by: redwing on November 17, 2012, 01:28:53 PM
Here you are. It's 1268 x 704.

(http://i.imgur.com/YevOi.jpg)
Title: Re: Compact Player III: Musical News [UPDATED]
Post by: lnminente on November 17, 2012, 01:39:48 PM
Very nice and original, and thanks for removing the cigarette :D
Title: Re: Compact Player III: Musical News [UPDATED]
Post by: Greb on November 17, 2012, 01:58:52 PM
Very nice and original, and thanks for removing the cigarette :D

I didn't!!! I supposed the original designer removed it but kept the former preview... I even hadn't notice it!!!  ;D

Here you are. It's 1268 x 704.

(http://i.imgur.com/YevOi.jpg)

I see the problem. You're using it full screen. This theater mode is supposed to work in windowed mode, and you have to resize window, with your changed mode, at 1268 x 704 (if you're using W7 it shows the new size besides the cursor the moment you resize it).
Title: Re: Compact Player III: Musical News [UPDATED]
Post by: redwing on November 17, 2012, 02:17:12 PM
Bingo! You are so good!

(http://i.imgur.com/DIARl.jpg) (http://imgur.com/DIARl)

Thanks a lot!
One more question. I am using multiple artists in Artist field and the first artist in Album Artist field. So I replaced artist field in your xml file with album artist, and it works fine. The only one I cannot replace is "ArtistInfo" element. It just reads multiple artists with semicolon as artist. Any ideas?

Edit: and "ArtistPicture" too.
Title: Re: Compact Player III: Musical News [UPDATED]
Post by: paq on November 17, 2012, 03:41:24 PM
Fantastic idea!

Maybe it would cool if you turned one of those black horizontal lines into the progress bar? Like the one just above "Page 1" :) Another idea would be to have "Page 1" display the track number.
Title: Re: Compact Player III: Musical News [UPDATED]
Post by: Greb on November 18, 2012, 03:11:30 AM
Bingo! You are so good!

(http://i.imgur.com/DIARl.jpg) (http://imgur.com/DIARl)

Thanks a lot!
One more question. I am using multiple artists in Artist field and the first artist in Album Artist field. So I replaced artist field in your xml file with album artist, and it works fine. The only one I cannot replace is "ArtistInfo" element. It just reads multiple artists with semicolon as artist. Any ideas?

Edit: and "ArtistPicture" too.

Good question. It's hardcoded, son I can do nothing. But I'm raise it in the music wishlist forum. I'm doing a 'classical edition' version and it would be much better if composer and performer could appear both of them. Though I don't know very well how to use space...

(http://i49.tinypic.com/ztyads.jpg)
Title: Re: Compact Player III: Musical News [UPDATED]
Post by: Greb on November 18, 2012, 03:21:46 AM
Fantastic idea!

Maybe it would cool if you turned one of those black horizontal lines into the progress bar? Like the one just above "Page 1" :) Another idea would be to have "Page 1" display the track number.

Don't think so... for me, it would break the 'newspaper' feeling. But feel free to make your own version (and even post it)  ;D
Title: Re: Compact Player III: Musical News [UPDATED]
Post by: redwing on November 18, 2012, 03:29:49 AM
Thanks! FYI I have no problem in displaying last.fm bio page on Now Playing panel with multiple artists. I can even choose what artist to display (composer in composer field can be also chosen as artist). It seems only theater mode does not support it.

The second screenshot looks great! Maybe you could put album tracks list (text wrap) under "Information"? BTW I noticed a typo in "released album" in you xml file. Thanks again for your wonderful work!
Title: Re: Compact Player III: Musical News [UPDATED]
Post by: SimonBRT on November 18, 2012, 08:04:37 AM
really creative. nice!
Title: Re: Compact Player III: Musical News [UPDATED]
Post by: Roadrunner on November 18, 2012, 04:18:15 PM
Again, one more great idea and well implemented!

Of course it would even be better for this kind of skins, when the XML could contain a tag to open the whole player in the predefined size (and back after leaving this theater mode) or at least for not scaling the background image... (I suppose that cannot be done at the moment without Stevens help?)
Title: Re: Compact Player III: Musical News [UPDATED]
Post by: Steven on November 18, 2012, 05:29:06 PM
yes i plan to do that probably in the next couple of days
Title: Re: Compact Theater Mode III: A Musical Newspaper [UPDATED]
Post by: Greb on November 19, 2012, 08:19:01 AM
Thanks!
Title: Re: Compact Player III: Musical News [UPDATED]
Post by: izakpolman on December 09, 2012, 08:55:57 AM
Looks amazing! But the maximum resolution of my laptop (1280 x 800) shows some elements out of line (Sizer can't help it). Do you have a plan to support lower resolutions? Thanks for sharing this wonderful work, anyway!

Didn't intend to support different resolutions. But anyway, it's not difficult to do. Just follow those steps:

1. Select a coefficient that defines de new resolution. For example, 0.75. Then the new resolution would be 1080x600 (1440x0.75=1080). It works in case you want a bigger resolution than the original one too.
2. Open the background image in some picture software and resize it using the selected percentage (in the former case, 75%).
3. Then open the theatermode xml file with Notepad. There you should multiply for this coefficient:
   - x and y
   - width
   - height
   - font size
For example, if x="400" then you should write x="300" (400x0.75=300).

That's all.  ;D


Thank you Greb.  I came across this message and suddenly understand how to make a new resolution with Notepad. You are not only creative but a good teacher as well  :D
Title: Re: Compact Player III: Musical News [UPDATED]
Post by: Greb on December 10, 2012, 07:50:08 AM
Thank you Greb.  I came across this message and suddenly understand how to make a new resolution with Notepad. You are not only creative but a good teacher as well  :D

Thanks, dude.