Skin for portrait touchscreen?

[jon]

Hi all. New here.

I'm struggling with using MB with a Windows tablet I just got for use exclusively as a music player.

I'm using the tablet in portrait orientation, and trying to get by without a keyboard or mouse (just the touchscreen).

Has anyone created a skin with this sort of usage in mind?

What's needed most is a main player panel that's functional with much less width than a regular computer screen. The width is 800 pixels crammed into about 4½ inches. In all the skins I've tried the volume slider, time readouts and EQ/Lastfm/Repeat/Shuffle buttons crowd out the name of the playing track. Ugh. I'd like to have just the transport controls, track name and progress bar - maybe put those other controls elsewhere.

I'm managing to deal with the other issues of touchscreen by using a font with a lot of leading built into it, so you can select from a list with a fingertip.

Your thoughts much appreciated.

[Bee-liever]

Not a skin, but would my Mini Player TheaterMode (http://getmusicbee.com/forum/index.php?topic=12374.0) be close to what you need?
It's fixed size, but if it's suitable, I could make it scale to your slightly larger screen.

[hiccup]

I'm using the tablet in portrait orientation, and trying to get by without a keyboard or mouse (just the touchscreen).
Has anyone created a skin with this sort of usage in mind?
What's needed most is a main player panel that's functional with much less width than a regular computer screen. The width is 800 pixels crammed into about 4½ inches. In all the skins I've tried the volume slider, time readouts and EQ/Lastfm/Repeat/Shuffle buttons crowd out the name of the playing track. Ugh. I'd like to have just the transport controls, track name and progress bar - maybe put those other controls elsewhere.

Hi Jon,

I recently happened to have bought a tablet myself (slightly higher resolution though), and looking at your question, I might perhaps see if I could change one of my own skins to such a portrait mode purpose.
I myself mostly use 'Jistme the Nightbee' on that tablet. If that is one you like, it could be a likely candidate to adjust to such a purpose.

[jon]

Not a skin, but would my Mini Player TheaterMode (http://getmusicbee.com/forum/index.php?topic=12374.0) be close to what you need?
It's fixed size, but if it's suitable, I could make it scale to your slightly larger screen.

Those are nice widgets! A 'now playing' screen is important to me. But I'm taking care of that with a Rainmeter skin that I developed when I was using WinAmp. I'm quite pleased with how I've got Rainmeter integrating with MusicBee. Maybe I'll start a thread about that...

[jon]

Hi Jon,

I recently happened to have bought a tablet myself (slightly higher resolution though), and looking at your question, I might perhaps see if I could change one of my own skins to such a portrait mode purpose.
I myself mostly use 'Jistme the Nightbee' on that tablet. If that is one you like, it could be a likely candidate to adjust to such a purpose.

Right now I'm using 'Calabaza Nocturna', which is pretty similar. I'd be happy if I could just loose all the buttons on the right except Shuffle (which I like to have without an Auto-DJ setting), and just show elapsed time (without total time). That would allow a decent amount of width for the track name. And it would be good if the transport and shuffle buttons didn't get too tiny when the screen is narrow. And maybe loose the volume slider? A small slider is not very fingertip-friendly, and I'm adjusting volume elsewhere.

I haven't waded into skin editing yet. Are these sort of changes difficult?

[hiccup]

What to call difficult...

To give you some idea, I myself have no programming skills or talent whatsoever, and yet learned to create and publish a few.
You will need to be familiar or comfortable with xml (e.g. use Notepad++) and some graphic editing (Photoshop or Paint.NET etc.)
Then it's a matter of rearranging, sizing, and perhaps designing elements, and understanding the relative positions of, and dependencies between these elements.

If you want to edit an existing so called 'bitmapped' skin (with the extension .xmlc), you need to also have the source files of that skin. It will differ from skin to skin if they are available.

Good luck!

[Alumni]

Has anyone created a skin with this sort of usage in mind?

Here's my attempt, give it a try and let me know how it works for you;

https://app.box.com/s/r6a3lpqfk8uhw8f3r32fuuxfbpnh2pu7

[hiccup]

Here's my attempt, give it a try and let me know how it works for you;
https://app.box.com/s/r6a3lpqfk8uhw8f3r32fuuxfbpnh2pu7

Hey Alumni,

I tried your skin on my tablet (125% display setting), and one thing I noticed was when I used the player controls, I seem accidentally have activated the auto-dj mode.
I am guessing the repeat and shuffle buttons (while invisible) are located somewhere behind, or very near the control buttons, and still working?
 

[Alumni]

Hey Alumni,

I tried your skin on my tablet (125% display setting), and one thing I noticed was when I used the player controls, I seem accidentally have activated the auto-dj mode.
I am guessing the repeat and shuffle buttons (while invisible) are located somewhere behind, or very near the control buttons, and still working?

Oh, I was afraid of that. I'd hoped since they were located out of bounds they couldn't be activated anymore.

Edit: I've updated the skin, do you mind trying it again? (same link)

[hiccup]

I tried replicating it in portrati mode, but couldn't.
But, trying it again in landscape, I couldn't replicate it either.

To be honest, what might have happened (but I am not completely sure though), after experimenting with some errors with another skin, I perhaps had accidentally turned it on there. And when I switched to your skin, and a song started, I noticed the message 'Auto-DJ has been started' right above the player controls at the same time I was pressing some player controls.
So, perhaps this issue might not have been there to begin with.
I installed the new version of your skin, and will let you know when something awkward happens with that one. But it looks fine right now.

And on a personal note, I would prefer having the repeat/shuffle buttons available. They may be small in my opinion, perhaps below or above other elements (especially in portrait there's plenty room for that)
But I can understand why you removed them, as it seems to be the wish of the OP here.

[jon]

Here's my attempt, give it a try and let me know how it works for you;

https://app.box.com/s/r6a3lpqfk8uhw8f3r32fuuxfbpnh2pu7

This is great! Pretty much exactly what I was looking for!

Any chance of getting your source files?

And on a personal note, I would prefer having the repeat/shuffle buttons available. They may be small in my opinion, perhaps below or above other elements (especially in portrait there's plenty room for that)
But I can understand why you removed them, as it seems to be the wish of the OP here.

I guess I wasn't clear in my original post. I agree that it would be best to keep the shuffle & repeat buttons.