Quinto Black CT - New Winamp Modern skin

[PeterK.]

Maybe on the download page ...

Actually, this is not a bad idea at all. A nice animated GIF would fit perfectly on that download page. I have to talk to winaero.

Some short messages besides that:

1) The 3D picture is getting better and better, I will soon finish that screenshot and include it to the About section:



2) For the upcoming About window I created something new. The entire window background will be transparent with no border/frame at all and as big as your desktop while the content section will be placed (automatically) in the middle of your desktop. The script file "grabs" your desktop's width and height and computes the middle lines through the viewport where the content background will be shown. In order to close the About window, just use the right mouse and click on About again.

[PeterK.]

As you probably remember I had some troubles with the snapping feature in my skin. Either it worked at the bottom or at the right edge of the MainPlayer. But never on both edges. I tried adding some new snappoints which did not help. In the end I used a line which I had found in the Modern Skin: layout.snapAdjust(). Being convinced that this will solve the problem I happily insert those lines in each script file for both: the equalizer and album drawer. The happiness did not last for long. As I already said it worked unstable. The "last resort" in that case was to detach the Album drawer from the MainPlayer. And this really did the trick!

By doing so I created a win-win situation for the skin. Because now we have not only a working snapping feature all over the skin but also a floating AlbumArt window with a new option. You may now rearrange the skin's components on your desktops by snapping one to each other. Click, click. Finished!

And this is how the standard AlbumArt window will look like once selected AlbumArt from the context menu:



You probably know two of the third options from the Modern Skin. These would be Refresh AlbumArt and Open Folder. The third one called Album Cover Size provides a list with some dimensions you can choose from in case your album art cover collection has the same size, say 500x500 pixel. No need to resize the entire window anymore, just choose the 500x500 option. In case there is a size you do not find in this list and which you would find useful, please let me know and I will add it.

The third remark for today relates to the button color option in the context menu. I had the problem that the MediaLibrary's buttons would not change their color since they "grab" the bitmap file placed in the elements.xml file and cannot be changed using a script modification. So I drew a line between the skin's buttons and MediaLibrary's wasabi buttons and made them dark for every color scheme.

This is the blue scheme:



And the dark one:



I do not think I am going to add anything new to the upcoming version (1.4), which should be finished by the end of the month.

[ariszlo]

I liked the albumart drawer but I understand that clicking the pieces together is of higher priority. And introducing the size option is a good idea.

And a minor note. Are the arrows on the media library scrollbar buttons intentionally different in style from the arrows on the playback buttons or just left-overs from an earlier version?

[ariszlo]

I had the problem that the MediaLibrary's buttons would not change their color since they "grab" the bitmap file placed in the elements.xml file and cannot be changed using a script modification.

I am not sure if this helps but have you checked the backgroundThemes.m script of the Friends 1.1F skin? It changes png's with color themes.

[PeterK.]

I liked the albumart drawer but I understand that clicking the pieces together is of higher priority...

I did like it too. But snapping feature is one of the basic features which every skin should provide.

... Are the arrows on the media library scrollbar buttons intentionally different in style from the arrows on the playback buttons or just left-overs from an earlier version?

Yep. The triangles on the scroll buttons have nothing in common with the set of PLAYBACK signs at the bottom of every container window. Intention. No left-overs.

By the way: I do hope you remember the thread I created about graphical glitches on high-resolution displays some months ago. The UP and DOWN arrows and the scroll buttons are bigger and look differently compared to the same MediaLibrary window on a standard viewport. Please have a look at this screenshot:



On the left: MediaLibrary on a 96dpi display. On the right: MediaLibrary on a 144dpi display. (150% scale on a FullHD laptop display)

I am not sure if this helps but have you checked the backgroundThemes.m script of the Friends 1.1F skin? It changes png's with color themes.

Yes Ariszló, I also gave such idea a short thought. Those buttons would change their background color according to the chosen color theme but this was never my intention. My intention was to keep the "two-colors-mode" (blue/dark gray) for the wasabi buttons AND playback buttons changeable with a hit on a toggle button/context menu entry.

[PeterK.]

I managed to create an Offline Lyrics window which will show song lyrics saved as *.html files.



Obviously, this approach is combined with some work on the user's side, because you will have to copy and paste the text lines into fresh created *.html files. But this is all. Once you have created the default.html file, the only work will be to google the lyrics and copy/paste them into the *.html file in the song's folder. I am planing to add a short tutorial on how to create the default file, which will be shown in the Lyrics window while playing a song with no attached lyrics file.

Why *.html file, you might ask? It has a "cosmetic" reason. Using a plain *.txt file we would end up with boring white background and black text, while the appearance of a *.html file can be endlessly altered. The default.html file will provide the same colors as used in my skin. Nevertheless, you are welcome to change the looks of those lyrics files to your liking (in case you have basic HTML skills).

[Victhor]

I love to see how you blend the skin engine to achieve features hugely demanded on the player itself. But honestly I don't think a manual approach is the best option in this case. Isn't it possible to read the lyrics tag directly from the file?
I'm afraid most users are too used to have that job done automatically.

Giving that you already got the html part solved, maybe a better approach (not entirely perfect) could be mixing it with the cPro Reader approach? Is not my code at all but I managed to implemented it separately in my Komodo X skin (in case you don't want to install cPro plugin).

The reader scripts gather automatically the artist and track fields and appends it to a search in any giving url (my best choice there is musixmatch). Some sites throw directly the lyric when using www.siteurl.com/%artist%+%tracktitle% and some just throw you the search results.

The inevitable downside is the impossibility to control the aesthetics..

[PeterK.]

Thank you for your comment, Victhor

Isn't it possible to read the lyrics tag directly from the file?

I do apologize in advance for my silly question but how do you insert text into a tag? I do remember there was a program called EvilTagger many years ago, which I never tried and which you cannot download nowadays anymore.

But even if you manage to save text within a *.mp3 file, I really doubt there is a simple command which would read and display the tag content.
Or is it?

I'm afraid most users are too used to have that job done automatically.

And I am afraid you are right but this is not the point here Vic. There was a time when I was using the LyricsPlug-In which works fine. But the fact that I was not able to save the text and have it available while being offline made me uninstall this feature. I wanted to get rid of that "being-online" dependence.

The other day, I installed the Azenis2 skin hoping to find an answer to an entirely different question. And noticed the read_me.txt file being displayed. So I thought to myself: if it is possible to display a text file, we should be able to do the same with *.html files. And the idea for an offline Lyrics window was born.

Yes, I am aware of the fact that the majority prefers the "automatic solution". I am not claiming to have created a Lyrics-PlugIn which can download lyrics off the internet. My modest solution gives the minority the opportunity to spend 15 minutes, create +/- 10 *.html files within a particular music folder and have the lyrics always available. If the user is not willing to spare the time and work and seeks the automatic solution it is fine with me!
The usage of such feature is not mandatory, it is an option, which I am offering. I just do not have the necessary C++ skills in order to make all Quinto fans happy. (but still trying! )

... maybe a better approach (not entirely perfect) could be mixing it with the cPro Reader approach?

I definitely will have a look at those files. Thanks for mentioning.

P.S. This Offline Lyrics window still needs "polishing" so it will not be included in the upcoming release end of the month. (v1.4)

[PeterK.]

I am also planning on moving Quinto's own components to its own (new) entry within the OPTIONS ITEMS in the context menu.

This would leave the MAIN ITEMS with just standard elements ...



... and gather all Quinto's components and features within one option line:

[Victhor]

..how do you insert text into a tag? I do remember there was a program called EvilTagger many years ago, which I never tried and which you cannot download nowadays anymore.

But even if you manage to save text within a *.mp3 file, I really doubt there is a simple command which would read and display the tag content.
Or is it?

I might have jumped on the gun on this.. I did some research and apparently, the lyric tag is not that common / standard, I have and old version of Tag & Rename which already supports it, but even if it is encoded on the file (like I have on a couple of mp3's) Winamp can't access it. I thought it would be accesible through the SC:TextObjects (http://forums.skinconsortium.com/ind...d&threadID=538) script, but it isn't.

So, end of the line here..

...But the fact that I was not able to save the text and have it available while being offline made me uninstall this feature. I wanted to get rid of that "being-online" dependence.

Yeah, it doesn't make sense for the player to look online everytime a song is played, it should at least save it locally and only perform an online search when needed.

[PeterK.]

Thank you for this technical clarification.

It would really suprise me if you presented here some kind of a "magical" lyrics tag, which we could easily save, read and display, because I do remember looking for an offline lyrics plug-in for a long time and not having found anything usable.

[Aminifu]

I am also planning on moving Quinto's own components to its own (new) entry within the OPTIONS ITEMS in the context menu.

This would leave the MAIN ITEMS with just standard elements ...

This is an excellent idea! I hope all new (and updated) 3rd party skins and plug-ins adopt this idea.

It is more convenient to have all the associated context menu commands/options in one place. It should also help solve the long standing problems caused when 3rd party components attempt to intersperse commands/options between the standard Winamp commands/options on the Winamp context menus. I had to stop using a popular lyrics plug-in (MiniLyrics) along with the other 3rd party plug-ins I depend on, because of this.

I'm not sure, but adding entries to the larger Winamp context menus may cause problems because there appears to be limited room to add additional entries.

While it's not an issue with your skin (that I have seen), I have also been frustrated when 3rd party components use the same keyboard shortcuts used by standard Winamp functions. I realize this requires extra diligence by 3rd party developers because the core Winamp and it's official plug-ins use so many keyboard shortcuts. An option to allow reassignment of shortcuts would solve this problem, but sometimes such an option is not provided.

[PeterK.]

This is an excellent idea!

Happy to hear that!

It is more convenient to have all the associated context menu commands/options in one place.

And you also have influence on the sort order.

I'm not sure, but adding entries to the larger Winamp context menus may cause problems because there appears to be limited room to add additional entries.

I have never tried it but I really doubt there is a limitation in the MAIN ITEMS menu. Imagine you created a new awesome Plug-In and Winamp throws an error message saying "Sorry, I am full!"

...use the same keyboard shortcuts used by standard Winamp functions. An option to allow reassignment of shortcuts would solve this problem, but sometimes such an option is not provided.

And probably will never be, Aminifu. Even If I had the list with all Winamp keyboard shortcuts, I would never know those ones from other Plug-Ins.

The "How to Create an Offline Lyrics File" tutorial is finished and I would like to know whether this step-by-step text is clear and understandable.

01. Go to your desktop and create a new text file
02. Name the file "default_lyrics.txt"
03. Open the text file. Copy and paste the following lines:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body style="background-color:#28282E;">
<h3 style="color:#AAAAAA;font-family:monospace;margin:20px">Insert song name in here</h3>
<pre style="color:#AAAAAA;font-family:monospace;margin:20px">
Insert song lyrics in here
</pre>
</body>
</html>

04. Save the file. This will be your default file. Do not delete it!
05. Copy the file and paste it into a music folder of your choice
06. Rename the text file

Example:
Sting - The Last Ship.mp3 => Sting - The Last Ship.txt

08. Find song lyrics on the Internet
09. Open the text file
10. Delete "Insert song name in here" and type the song name
11. Delete "Insert song lyrics in here" and paste the copied lyrics
12. Save the file
13. Change the file extension from .txt to .html

Example:
Sting - The Last Ship.txt => Sting - The Last Ship.html

14. Play the song

If you see the lyrics in the Lyrics window - enjoy!
If you don't, please try again

This text will appear when a song is played with no attached html file. I also added the frame-switch button to the Lyrics window. (NoFrame or StandardFrame).

I totally forgot that we already have a nice ART button on the MainPlayer, which is assigned to the new, floating ALBUM COVER window. Hence I will remove it from the OPTIONS context menu. Another new difficulty arose while testing the ALBUM COVER window. The ART button, which is a toggle button and provides four states: normal, hover, pressed and active cannot be synchronized with the x-close button on the window. At least I would not know how to do it right now.

You can open for example the PLAYLIST EDITOR, close it by hitting the close button and the PL button on the MainPlayer will change its state from active to normal. Automatically. This behavior no longer works in combination with a custom toggle button and a container window. And this is the reason why there will be no x-close button on that particular window. Please use the ART button in order to open and close the ART COVER window.

[PeterK.]

I added text-align:center to the default html file so we will see the text lines in the middle of the Lyrics window which looks a little more lyrics-text-like.

And this is the text file which will appear if there is no attached lyrics file to the music file being played:



This time I had to use a plain text file. And this is why:

1) It is not possible to add a html file to a skin.
2) If I create a normal <layer> and add <text> lines to it, the user will not be able to select and copy the important lines from the tutorial.

Please remember: You can increase/decrease the font size in the Lyrics window by holding the CTRL key and scrolling your mouse wheel up and down.

[PeterK.]

Today I have two questions:

1) where is the difference between button.onLeftClick() and button.onLeftClickDown(int x,int y)?

2) does someone know how to use the command guiObject.onMouseOver(int x,int y) properly? I tried to show a <layer> while the mouse pointer was over a button but nothing happened.

By the way: someone likes Quinto.