Help a newbie?

TheLegendOfRaia · 24th April 2002, 21:31

Hey guys,

I started skinning a few days ago. And I was wondering if i could ask a few basic questions. I already read a few tuits, but they didn't help. I already have somethin basic running. I was wondering how you import the default playlist into your skin. i've tried every variation of the include statement that i've found in tuits, but nothing works. does it have something to do with the the default include statement being in skin-pieces.xml? also when i right click its crazy its one big bitmap not found error. Sorry to bother yall, its realy frustrating, it took me 3 hours yeaterday just to find out that my problems were all because WA3 needs 16 bit color depth to work (i converted a gif to a png) thanx have anice night

watussi · 25th April 2002, 10:51

Don't panik! And first of all: you don't bother anybody here in this forum. Welcome!

I cannot give you really a solution, because I don't have your skin, but I give you some clues to unravel your thinking about the <include/>-statement.

* Why there are so many XML-files?

In reality of the WA3 skinparser there exist just one XML-file named "skin.xml", inside the root-folder of your skin. That means if you include all files, which are excluded by the "Default"-skinmakers, you will get one big XML-file. Look at or download Default.xml . And that should be your basis if you think about the pathes (folder hierarchy on your hard disk) of your images and XML-files.

* If so, why is there that <include/>-tag?

It gives you the ability to take over parts of another skin in your skin, without to load the whole other "skin.xml" and also its bitmaps you don't want to have. Also you can group (excluded) parts of your skin.xml with the proper PNG-images in a folderstructure you want. Extremes are to put all the stuff you have in one folder on your hard disk or make for every datafile an unique one.

* Aha! There are 2 path structures. One for the include-tags and one for the folders, where you put your images in.

Yes, approximately. Computer scientists would scream out but they are no beginners. That's a good model for understanding.

* Including the "Default"-Playlist-part in my skin ?

If your XML-file strcture is still like those of the "Default"-skin and you have still the "skin-pieces.xml" exchange folowing line:

<include file="pledit.xml"/> with

<include file="../default/xml/pledit.xml"/> .

That means starting from your skin-root-folder: "back","/go_into_default-folder", "/then_go_in_xml-folder", "/reference_default_pledit.xml".

Another way is to just delete that line from your "skin-pieces.xml" - your skin will automatically load the default one.

Hopefully this will help you.
Watussi

-------------------------------------------------------------

P.S.: Hello to the native english speaking people. When do I write words together e.g. : rootfolder or root folder or root-folder? I have problems with it

.

J. Burnaway · 25th April 2002, 15:03

Watussi - rootfolder, root folder, root-folder: it's all good. If you have problems with it, then you must be pretty good at English, because I can say (without much fear of contradiction) that all of us "native" English speakers do too. English is a confusing language, but it's pretty flexible - and no one here is handing out grades!

Back to the subject of this thread: is there somewhere where I can find a list of the actions, names, whatever - such as action="play", that sort of thing? I realize that WA3 is pretty flexible, but there are some things that cannot be changed by the skinner, like "prev", "thinger", "songticker". Is there a list somewhere, or do you just have to study the default skin?

Gonzotek · 25th April 2002, 16:08

Actually, those things are mostly for the convience of the developers in creating the default skin....they *could* be overridden, although it could be hard work in some cases. And it's obviously more convienent to just reuse what they've already built for us

. You can get a partial list here:
http://www.bluemars.org/wa3skintutorial/

Also, be sure to check out NSDN for all of the officially supported documentation...it's spotty now, but it'll grow as Winamp3 gets finalized.

-=Gonzotek=-
p.s. Studying the default skin never hurt, on the other hand. Compare it to other "complete" skins, and you'll start to understand the things that have to be done on a skin-by-skin basis, and those that can be cut and pasted from one to the next.

watussi · 25th April 2002, 18:33

J. Burnaway :

Quote:

Is there a list somewhere, or do you just have to study the default skin?

click on the link you see beneath this message

P.S.: In my motherlanguage (german) are unfortunately strict rules for writing compounded words. And worse - recently parts of our grammar and spelling changed.

J. Burnaway · 25th April 2002, 19:35

Thanks for the help Gonzo and Watussi - perhaps I can now make it to the Maki before getting totally despondent! Fortunately there are many helpful people like yourselves out there willing to give advice.

TheLegendOfRaia · 26th April 2002, 01:17

Yeah,

Thanks very much guys, and Watussi, thanks for your warm welcome. I'll be seeing you all on the boards. I'm gonna get skinnin'! I was excluding the skin-elements.xml and just putting my include statements in the skin.xml that was probably my problem, we'll see! later guys!

TheLegendOfRaia · 26th April 2002, 02:09

Hey yall,

Thanks for all you help again, I got it working!!! I don't know why i had to do this and no one else did but i had to go up two dirs in my include statements (in skin-pieses.xml) for example...
<include file="../../default/xml/eq.xml"/>
<include file="../../default/xml/pledit.xml"/>
etc.. i guess it makes sence to go up two dirs. i read that it is relative to your skin.xml file, oh well
anyways i hope this helps someone else whos having trouble with the same thing i was! take care

24th April 2002, 21:31	#1
TheLegendOfRaia Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Changes in three week intervals Posts: 3	Help a newbie? Hey guys, I started skinning a few days ago. And I was wondering if i could ask a few basic questions. I already read a few tuits, but they didn't help. I already have somethin basic running. I was wondering how you import the default playlist into your skin. i've tried every variation of the include statement that i've found in tuits, but nothing works. does it have something to do with the the default include statement being in skin-pieces.xml? also when i right click its crazy its one big bitmap not found error. Sorry to bother yall, its realy frustrating, it took me 3 hours yeaterday just to find out that my problems were all because WA3 needs 16 bit color depth to work (i converted a gif to a png) thanx have anice night

25th April 2002, 16:08	#4
Gonzotek Gunslinger Join Date: May 2000 Location: Terminus Posts: 4,693	Actually, those things are mostly for the convience of the developers in creating the default skin....they could be overridden, although it could be hard work in some cases. And it's obviously more convienent to just reuse what they've already built for us . You can get a partial list here: http://www.bluemars.org/wa3skintutorial/ Also, be sure to check out NSDN for all of the officially supported documentation...it's spotty now, but it'll grow as Winamp3 gets finalized. -=Gonzotek=- p.s. Studying the default skin never hurt, on the other hand. Compare it to other "complete" skins, and you'll start to understand the things that have to be done on a skin-by-skin basis, and those that can be cut and pasted from one to the next. I was away for a while. But I'm feeling much better now.

26th April 2002, 01:17	#7
TheLegendOfRaia Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Changes in three week intervals Posts: 3	thanx Yeah, Thanks very much guys, and Watussi, thanks for your warm welcome. I'll be seeing you all on the boards. I'm gonna get skinnin'! I was excluding the skin-elements.xml and just putting my include statements in the skin.xml that was probably my problem, we'll see! later guys!

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

25th April 2002, 10:51	#2
watussi Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Berlin Posts: 51	Don't panik! And first of all: you don't bother anybody here in this forum. Welcome! I cannot give you really a solution, because I don't have your skin, but I give you some clues to unravel your thinking about the <include/>-statement. * Why there are so many XML-files? In reality of the WA3 skinparser there exist just one XML-file named "skin.xml", inside the root-folder of your skin. That means if you include all files, which are excluded by the "Default"-skinmakers, you will get one big XML-file. Look at or download Default.xml . And that should be your basis if you think about the pathes (folder hierarchy on your hard disk) of your images and XML-files. * If so, why is there that <include/>-tag? It gives you the ability to take over parts of another skin in your skin, without to load the whole other "skin.xml" and also its bitmaps you don't want to have. Also you can group (excluded) parts of your skin.xml with the proper PNG-images in a folderstructure you want. Extremes are to put all the stuff you have in one folder on your hard disk or make for every datafile an unique one. * Aha! There are 2 path structures. One for the include-tags and one for the folders, where you put your images in. Yes, approximately. Computer scientists would scream out but they are no beginners. That's a good model for understanding. * Including the "Default"-Playlist-part in my skin ? If your XML-file strcture is still like those of the "Default"-skin and you have still the "skin-pieces.xml" exchange folowing line: <include file="pledit.xml"/> with <include file="../default/xml/pledit.xml"/> . That means starting from your skin-root-folder: "back","/go_into_default-folder", "/then_go_in_xml-folder", "/reference_default_pledit.xml". Another way is to just delete that line from your "skin-pieces.xml" - your skin will automatically load the default one. Hopefully this will help you. Watussi ------------------------------------------------------------- P.S.: Hello to the native english speaking people. When do I write words together e.g. : rootfolder or root folder or root-folder? I have problems with it .

25th April 2002, 15:03	#3
J. Burnaway Forum King Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: California, USA Posts: 2,537	Watussi - rootfolder, root folder, root-folder: it's all good. If you have problems with it, then you must be pretty good at English, because I can say (without much fear of contradiction) that all of us "native" English speakers do too. English is a confusing language, but it's pretty flexible - and no one here is handing out grades! Back to the subject of this thread: is there somewhere where I can find a list of the actions, names, whatever - such as action="play", that sort of thing? I realize that WA3 is pretty flexible, but there are some things that cannot be changed by the skinner, like "prev", "thinger", "songticker". Is there a list somewhere, or do you just have to study the default skin?

25th April 2002, 19:35	#6
J. Burnaway Forum King Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: California, USA Posts: 2,537	Thanks for the help Gonzo and Watussi - perhaps I can now make it to the Maki before getting totally despondent! Fortunately there are many helpful people like yourselves out there willing to give advice.

26th April 2002, 02:09	#8
TheLegendOfRaia Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Changes in three week intervals Posts: 3	Hey yall, Thanks for all you help again, I got it working!!! I don't know why i had to do this and no one else did but i had to go up two dirs in my include statements (in skin-pieses.xml) for example... <include file="../../default/xml/eq.xml"/> <include file="../../default/xml/pledit.xml"/> etc.. i guess it makes sence to go up two dirs. i read that it is relative to your skin.xml file, oh well anyways i hope this helps someone else whos having trouble with the same thing i was! take care