Modern Skins Wacky behavior

[m7csat]

Ok, I've got a few Modern skins installed on Winamp 5.111 and there seems to be two problems with every one of them (except the default one that comes with the player.)

1) If I'm playing Winamp and try to go to the Media Library, I get the error: Could not load script and then a path that points to Local Settings\Temp\WASA298.tmp\scripts/standardframe.maki

2) If I have a skin in window shade mode and I switch it to full screen mode, it comes back all messed up (mostly pink with only a few buttons and no main screen showing)

I'm running Windows 2K SP4 and the only plug-in that is installed is in_flac.dll (the one with the libaray support - Published on Dec 23, 2004 by Michael Facquet). The install of Winamp is somewhere between lite and full. I only have the modern skin and library support in the general purpose plugins and the visulazation plugin is not installed. No DSP/Effects either.

[m7csat]

Should I have posted this in bug reports? Also, I'd like to know if anyone else is having a simliar problem. Finally, I'd like to know if there is something I should change in my configuration . . .

I just need some help, please!

BTW, I just upgraded to 5.112, so I'll let you know if that changes anything.

[JonnyMac]

If you continue to have troubles after updating Winamp, please post further system specs including a Hijack This log. Download links for HjT and instructions for posting a log are in the systems specs link. Are you on a Limited Multi-User profile/account? Are you using some type of a temp file cleaner utility?

[m7csat]

Yes, actually, I do. IE Privacy Keeper. I've now set it to clean up after Winamp closes instead of after either Firefox or IE closes. My two questions for you areL 1) Why are the temporary files even necessary? 2) Is there someplace else to put them?

[ujay]

At a guess

1) Most 3rd party skins will be stored in compressed form and Winamp needs somewhere to decompress them, the system temp folder is used by most applications as a convienent place to do this, Winamp should clear it's entries on exit. This is most likely the cause of your problem if something else is clearing the temp folder before Winamp has finished with it.

2)As a work around you could try the following :

The idea here is to pre-decompress the skin and let Winamp use it in this form.

While Winamp is running with a 3rd party skin go to your system temp and find the relevent WASxxxx.tmp folder.
Copy to ...\Winamp\Skins and rename to something more appropriate.
Disable(or move) the original compressed version.
Winamp should now be able to use the uncompressed version without recourse to the system temp folder.

UJ

[JonnyMac]

Skins are zipped (compressed) files of the individual skin components (windows, buttons, elements, script files, etc.). For Winamp to make use of a skin, it has to unzip the skin in to the temporary folder. The default classic skin is built in to the Winamp core (Winamp.exe) and the modern default skin is already uncompressed in a subfolder of the Winamp\Skins folder. Therefore, Winamp does not have to unzip the default classic & modern default skins. AFAIK, there is no way to change the temp folder.

Aside from the above, the Media Library (Now Playing [AKA MiniBrowser], Media Info in Local Views & the Station Info window/browser) uses the MSIE shell. Also the annoying video sidecar also uses the MSIE shell. Because the ML and vid. side car uses the MSIE shell, there will also be "Winamp" entries in the Temp Internet Files and Cookies folder.

[edit]
Way too late. UJ posted as I was typing. If you want to use UJ's workaround it would be easier to rename the WAL or WSZ extension to ZIP. Then unzip the skin to a respectively/correspondingly named folder. If you can not see the three letter extention (.dll)...

Configuring Windows To Show Extensions

[/edit]

[ujay]

Much neater JM

Your method also ensures that all files have been decompressed. I think my way will only operate on the window components that have actually been in use up to that time.

UJ

[JonnyMac]

AFAIK, Winamp unzips the entire skin pack to the temp folder. However, I have not tested that for modern skins.

[m7csat]

Well, it seems so far that unzipping a skin into its own directory within the skin directory does not create an entry in the TEMP directory. Thank you for all your help!

[ShyShy]

You now have to place a sacrifice at the Golden Llama's altar.

Ok, I'll behave now... *goes back to her corner in GD*