Author Topic: Different skins depending on time of day  (Read 2455 times)

Adson

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I normally use two different skins: A light one for daylight and a dark one for the night.


Wouldn't it be a nice feature to have the option to set two different skins depending on the time of day?

I see that this could be a problem because MB has to be restarted to change the skin. Instead I imagine it would be easier to have this feature for a new started MB only.
So when I start MB in the evening it would load the dark skin and when I start it in the morning it would load the lighter one.

Maybe it's only nonsense and nobody else would use such a feature, but I think it could be useful.


Mayibongwe

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+10

A couple of skins we've seen on this forum have arrived in pairs (or more) to cater for different moods or times of the day.
But due to the factors below, users don't end up getting the most out of skins that come in sets:

- trouble of having to manually switch between skins multiple times a day.
- and (in my case) having to choose a different custom background image (Music Explorer) whenever I switch skins.

So basically what Adson said: in the evening or night time, I want MusicBee to open up in this skin and during the day (say 7am to 6pm), I want it to open in this one.
Favourite song at the moment:   Decode by Paramore

hiccup

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While I fully understand and support the desire and the idea behind this, I do see some challenges.
Would this mean that MusicBee should be aware of sunrise and sunset moments for all timezones?
And then when for a user in a specific timezone, 'day' changes into 'night' at a specific moment, should MusicBee stop playing (if it is) and restart using another skin?
Or should it only check the 'time of day' when starting MusicBee, and ignore it when day changes into night?

For now, my suggestion would be to begin with having the option for a user to define two skins that can simply be toggled between.
So, a user can set a light skin to be 'skin 1', and set a dark skin to be 'skin 2'.
And have a shortcut to easily toggle between them.
Either by key combination or by using a toolbar icon. (e.g. ☯ )

Mayibongwe

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Would this mean that MusicBee should be aware of sunrise and sunset moments for all timezones?
No, I would think MusicBee offering users the option to set the time duration themselves would be best.
I would expect that on startup, MB would look at my system clock and then compare it to whatever time I had set from whichever settings panel MB would allow me, in order to know which skin to load (mockup screenshot to follow).

And then when for a user in a specific timezone, 'day' changes into 'night' at a specific moment, should MusicBee stop playing (if it is) and restart using another skin?
Or should it only check the 'time of day' when starting MusicBee, and ignore it when day changes into night?
Yes. As Adson suggested, MusicBee should only look at changing the skin on startup. If the program is already running, it should stick to whatever skin its already using.

For now, my suggestion would be to begin with having the option for a user to define two skins that can simply be toggled between.
So, a user can set a light skin to be 'skin 1', and set a dark skin to be 'skin 2'.
And have a shortcut to easily toggle between them.
Either by key combination or by using a toolbar icon. (e.g. ☯ )
I'll be incorporating this suggestion in my mockup. Please standby for that.
Favourite song at the moment:   Decode by Paramore

Mayibongwe

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Back here to visualize what I had in mind when I supported this wish:
The idea is that clicking on view > skins > timed (refer to image on the left) should pop up a panel like the one on the right where a user can define the necessary details.



hiccup, I thought more about your suggestion and I think having a shortcut or toolbar icon that would act as a toggle still wouldn't completely fulfill the desires aimed here since:

1. these methods would still require some form of (frequent) manual input from the user.
2. the biggest downside of all imo would be that I still have to see the light skin at midnight before I can then tell MusicBee to show me the dark skin instead.

I appreciate that these methods would indeed pave way for less clicks, but I had sort of hoped for an automated process instead - if it can be done that is.
Favourite song at the moment:   Decode by Paramore

Bee-liever

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I currently use AutoDarkMode to change my desktop/themes at sunrise/sunset.
If Steven was to add a command line parameter to specify what skin to use when starting, a custom script can be added to that app to do all the work of keeping track of times and whether to change skins if MB is already running.
MusicBee and my library - Making bee-utiful music together

Mayibongwe

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If a full-on MusicBee integrated solution will be out of the question, then I'll be more than happy to settle for Bee-liever's suggestion above.
To which if implemented (additional command line parameter) would probably require a writeup in the Tips and Tricks section of the forum.
I have no experience nor any knowledge whatsoever in scripting.
So I would be one of the many (not the right word to use for a 5 year old wish with only 4 supporters) users who would appreciate the writeup for this workaround.
Last Edit: June 26, 2022, 05:17:34 PM by Mayibongwe
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Steven

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Support for time of day skins has been done and included in the next v3.5 update

The Incredible Boom Boom

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...oh wow!
How does it work or is it self-explanatory from the menu?

Mayibongwe

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Freaking awesome! Thanks a mil Steven.
Looking forward to the next update :D
Favourite song at the moment:   Decode by Paramore


Mayibongwe

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Fantastic! Thanks once again. Although if I could trouble you one more time with regards to this...

Can we also get the means to somehow tell MusicBee what custom background (music explorer) to use when loading a skin?
I always make skin-specific custom backgrounds for my frequently used skins. It'd be great if those could get automatically applied too.

The setting doesn't have to be in the UI.
I was thinking MB could look up an image in the skins folder named after the skin and ending in 'musicexplorer'. (e.g oblivion_musicexplorer.png)
At the moment, this is the "problem" I'm faced with - the custom background showing up there isn't suited for the currently loaded skin.
Favourite song at the moment:   Decode by Paramore

The Incredible Boom Boom

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Can we also get the means to somehow tell MusicBee what custom background (music explorer) to use when loading a skin?
I always make skin-specific custom backgrounds for my frequently used skins. It'd be great if those could get automatically applied too.

The setting doesn't have to be in the UI.
I was thinking MB could look up an image in the skins folder named after the skin and ending in 'musicexplorer'. (e.g oblivion_musicexplorer.png)
At the moment, this is the "problem" I'm faced with - the custom background showing up there isn't suited for the currently loaded skin.

I dunno if this needs to be moved to a new thread, but I would also +1 this.

Mayibongwe

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Oh yeah, Boom Boom is right. That new request belongs in a new thread as the wish for this topic has already been fulfilled.
Sorry about that. Can a moderator please move this for me? Thanks.
Favourite song at the moment:   Decode by Paramore

mcflai

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https://getmusicbee.com/patches/MusicBee35_Patched.zip

Wow, today i was searching for this feature and boom.. and you released it this week.  :-[

Many thanks for the effort developing this great player!