AVS › AVS Forum › Video Components › Home Theater Computers › Media Center Themer or Media Center Studio?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Media Center Themer or Media Center Studio? - Page 3

post #61 of 106
3/6/13 at 3:03pm
Is there any way to add a BuiltIn to a Custom?

I want to do something like this:
Code:
<Custom Title="Media">
        <MenuItem Name="Pictures">
            <Image>C:\Program Files (x86)\MediaBrowser\MediaBrowser\Application.png</Image>
            <ImageInactive>C:\Program Files (x86)\MediaBrowser\MediaBrowser\ApplicationInactive.png</ImageInactive>
            <AddItem Name="Pictures_PictureLibrary" Order="1"/>
        </MenuItem>
        <MenuItem Name="TV Shows">
            <Image>C:\Program Files (x86)\MediaBrowser\MediaBrowser\Application.png</Image>
            <ImageInactive>C:\Program Files (x86)\MediaBrowser\MediaBrowser\ApplicationInactive.png</ImageInactive>
            <Addin>MediaBrowser.MyAddIn, MediaBrowser,Culture=Neutral,Version=2.6.2.0,PublicKeyToken=59fc04479785fd64</Addin>
            <AddinContext>C:\ProgramData\MediaBrowser\StartupFolder\TV Shows.vf</AddinContext>
        </MenuItem>
        <MenuItem Name="Kids Movies">
            <Image>C:\Program Files (x86)\MediaBrowser\MediaBrowser\Application.png</Image>
            <ImageInactive>C:\Program Files (x86)\MediaBrowser\MediaBrowser\ApplicationInactive.png</ImageInactive>
            <Addin>MediaBrowser.MyAddIn, MediaBrowser,Culture=Neutral,Version=2.6.2.0,PublicKeyToken=59fc04479785fd64</Addin>
            <AddinContext>C:\ProgramData\MediaBrowser\StartupFolder\Kids.vf</AddinContext>        
        </MenuItem>
        <MenuItem Name="Movies">
            <Image>C:\Program Files (x86)\MediaBrowser\MediaBrowser\Application.png</Image>
            <ImageInactive>C:\Program Files (x86)\MediaBrowser\MediaBrowser\ApplicationInactive.png</ImageInactive>
            <Addin>MediaBrowser.MyAddIn, MediaBrowser,Culture=Neutral,Version=2.6.2.0,PublicKeyToken=59fc04479785fd64</Addin>
            <AddinContext>C:\ProgramData\MediaBrowser\StartupFolder\Movies.vf</AddinContext>
        </MenuItem>
    </Custom>

Note 'Pictures' above being a built-in reference. I know I can run ehshell again, but it causes ugly flashing.

Thanks,
xnappo
Reply
Reply

AVS Top Picks

post #62 of 106
3/6/13 at 3:33pm
I'm really glad this thread was revived so I saw it.

Did anyone ever get into the MCE Reset Toolbox? It seems to me like the Themer may be the way to go...
Reply
Reply
post #63 of 106
3/6/13 at 4:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by GrantMeThePower View Post

I'm really glad this thread was revived so I saw it.

Did anyone ever get into the MCE Reset Toolbox? It seems to me like the Themer may be the way to go...

I really like Themer - it is just so much less dangerous than modifying files.

For my own question Mikinho's advanced start menu seems to have been written just for what I want, but there are no instructions and it doesn't seem to work...

xnappo

PS There is a GUI for MCT - just google for it...
Reply
Reply
post #64 of 106
3/7/13 at 9:08am
I can try messing with that. However if I remember correctly you are not able to add built-in menus to your custom menu. I know you can move the built int items to other built in menus without any trouble, but then you cannot add add-ins to WMC menus. And I think it is the same with your custom menu, you can add multiple add-ins to the Custom Menu but you can't add WMC items to it.

Maybe someone can confirm before I am able to test...
Reply
Reply
post #65 of 106
3/7/13 at 9:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by xnappo View Post

Is there any way to add a BuiltIn to a Custom?

Thanks,
xnappo

As far as I know, no there is no way to mix custom and built-in menus, so you will have to leave the Picture Library out of your custom Media menu. This is one of those cases where I would like someone to point out that I am wrong, I would like to do something similar as well. smile.gif You also might want to shoot Patchou an e-mail and see what he says about it. AFAIK the latest version of MCT came out last September, he may be getting close to releasing a new version.
Reply
Reply
post #66 of 106
3/7/13 at 9:38am
Okay, so I see everyone saying can't, but did anybody try? I'm no longer setup with WMC or MB frown.gif Except on the wife's laptop which I may be able to use and start trying this again tomorrow.

Specifically, notice the Custom Mediabrowser menu-item callouts that work in a custom strip
Code:
<MenuItem Name="Media Browser">
                <Image>C:\Program Files (x86)\MediaBrowser\MediaBrowser\Application.png</Image>
                <ImageInactive>C:\Program Files (x86)\MediaBrowser\MediaBrowser\ApplicationInactive.png</ImageInactive>
                <Addin>MediaBrowser.MyAddIn, MediaBrowser,Culture=Neutral,Version=2.6.1.0,PublicKeyToken=59fc04479785fd64</Addin>
                </MenuItem>

Has anyone even attempted nesting that within a builtin menu definition? I'll gladly be the first, but I can't right this moment. It would look like this
Code:
<StartMenu>
        <Builtin>
                <Movies>
                    <MenuItem Name="Media Browser">
                    <Image>C:\Program Files (x86)\MediaBrowser\MediaBrowser\Application.png</Image>
                    <ImageInactive>C:\Program Files (x86)\MediaBrowser\MediaBrowser\ApplicationInactive.png</ImageInactive>
                    <Addin>MediaBrowser.MyAddIn, MediaBrowser,Culture=Neutral,Version=2.6.1.0,PublicKeyToken=59fc04479785fd64</Addin>
                    </MenuItem>
                </Movies>
        </Builtin>
</StartMenu>


If that's not working, note the method JuanC2 selected as an answer to the community tracker thread http://community.mediabrowser.tv/permalinks/12575/help-with-how-to-add-media-center-menu-entries

It's a lot messier, but if you can get items added to the Addons menu then perhaps they can be called into the builtin sections. Registry first, MCT second

Still a big possibility that neither works frown.gif
Reply
Reply
post #67 of 106
3/7/13 at 9:46am
Quote:
I will give some of these a try. My end goal is to have a single horizontal menu biggrin.gif

frown.giffrown.gif

None of the above works. I think Mikinho is my only hope.

Can WMC Reset Toolbox do it?

xnappo
Edited by xnappo - 3/8/13 at 9:49am
Reply
Reply
post #68 of 106
3/9/13 at 9:13am
Well, I got it working, at least close enough for now.

I had an !IDEA! when I woke up this morning - 'hey - i wonder if there is a command line utility to send a keypress?'

Well, yes of course there is - WinSendKeys.

So:
Code:
                     <MenuItem Name="music">
                                <Image>C:\ProgramData\MediaBrowser\ImagesByName\movies.png</Image>
                                <Program>C:\ProgramData\Media Center Themer\WinSendKeys.exe</Program>
                                <ProgramArgs>-w "media" ^m</ProgramArgs>          
                                <AutoRestore>false</AutoRestore>    
                        </MenuItem>
                        <MenuItem Name="pictures">
                                <Image>C:\ProgramData\MediaBrowser\ImagesByName\movies.png</Image>
                                <Program>C:\ProgramData\Media Center Themer\WinSendKeys.exe</Program>
                                <ProgramArgs>-w "media" ^i</ProgramArgs>
                                <AutoRestore>false</AutoRestore>                    
                        </MenuItem>

It flickers to the desktop frown.giffrown.gif but I made my desktop black and hid all icons and the start menu, so it works PRETTY well.

I replaced the strings for 'Extras', 'Tasks' and 'Video' with "" so it looks like there is just a single horizontal strip but I can still get to the others if needed.

Still a work in progress...



xnappo

[EDIT] frown.gif doesn't work on extenders tho...
Edited by xnappo - 3/9/13 at 10:05am
Reply
Reply
post #69 of 106
3/11/13 at 10:18am
Actually, that last idea is not bad at all... smile.gif

As for adding built-in menus to a new custom menu bar, it's still not possible directly with Media Center Themer, the main reason being that I stopped working on as MCT was working well enough for me on my Media Center computers wink.gif. I know, that's not fair.

So, I'll try to find some time to work on it this week and I'll let you know. While I'm at it, any other request?
Reply
Reply
post #70 of 106
3/11/13 at 10:27am
I am looking forward to giving the next version a try. Cleaning up the menus, getting the default movie library replaced with Media Browser, etc. only adds to WAF.
Reply
Reply
post #71 of 106
3/11/13 at 11:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Patchou View Post

Actually, that last idea is not bad at all... smile.gif

As for adding built-in menus to a new custom menu bar, it's still not possible directly with Media Center Themer, the main reason being that I stopped working on as MCT was working well enough for me on my Media Center computers wink.gif. I know, that's not fair.

So, I'll try to find some time to work on it this week and I'll let you know. While I'm at it, any other request?
Ability to mix custom and builtin menus
Ability to add more than one custom menu
Removal of maximum number of items in a custom menu (not sure if that is possible with MC)

That would make it about perfect, IMO.
Reply
Reply
post #72 of 106
3/11/13 at 11:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by WylieKylie View Post

Ability to mix custom and builtin menus
Ability to add more than one custom menu
Removal of maximum number of items in a custom menu (not sure if that is possible with MC)

That would make it about perfect, IMO.

Patchou - thanks so much for your time.

For the 'keypress' thing - I think if there were a dll that could send keypresses instead of a exe it would work on extenders and also not flicker back to the desktop - of course you may have a much more elegant way to accomplish mixing menu types.

In addition to the above, I would like to be able to:
- Have custom backdrops in 'RecordedTV/Music/Videos' etc.
- Be able to define rectangles with different transparency levels - like be able to put an alpha-blend box around the menu strip in my image above.

Of course I understand you are working within the limitations of WMC, so not sure what is/is not possible.

Thanks again,
xnappo
Reply
Reply
post #73 of 106
3/11/13 at 12:16pm
I should have posted this in this thread. I'll copy and paste from my other post. But, first, Patchou..thank you so much for your awesome program. It is really great!!! I almost have it exactly how I want it.

I have one last issue I'm trying to solve.

Look at the attached image. You see how the unselected game (Witcher 2) has a blue cast to it? I want to make it off white like the rest of the theme. I just don't know what the correct XML code is to do that. Does anyone know?

Thank you so much!!!



PS- I tried the colorize instruction for Rcdata yesterday and it didn't work. I think it may have not been working because there is already a lot of resources instructions for the different theme elements, rather than just a global instruction. Whenever I added:

|Rcdata Colorize="rgb(0,180,0)">
|/Rcdata

to the "resources" part of the XML, it crashed the them (WMC booted up regularly).

Could I have two resources sections, or would that mess it up?
Reply
Reply
post #74 of 106
3/11/13 at 12:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by GrantMeThePower View Post

I should have posted this in this thread. I'll copy and paste from my other post. But, first, Patchou..thank you so much for your awesome program. It is really great!!! I almost have it exactly how I want it.

I have one last issue I'm trying to solve.

Look at the attached image. You see how the unselected game (Witcher 2) has a blue cast to it? I want to make it off white like the rest of the theme. I just don't know what the correct XML code is to do that. Does anyone know?

PS- I tried the colorize instruction for Rcdata yesterday and it didn't work. I think it may have not been working because there is already a lot of resources instructions for the different theme elements, rather than just a global instruction. Whenever I added:

|Rcdata Colorize="rgb(0,180,0)">
|/Rcdata

to the "resources" part of the XML, it crashed the them (WMC booted up regularly).

Could I have two resources sections, or would that mess it up?

Did you try modifying the "NOFOCUS" png?

You'd need to add the appropriate image twice in your resources folder
Code:
<Resource Id="DEFAULT.WMC.IMAGE.NAME.NOFOCUS.PNG">
<Replace File="THEME\Resources\Ehres\Images\DEFAULT.WMC.IMAGE.NAME.NOFOCUS.PNG" />
</Resource>

and
Code:
<Resource Id="DEFAULT.WMC.IMAGE.NAME.PNG">
<Replace File="THEME\Resources\Ehres\Images\DEFAULT.WMC.IMAGE.NAME.PNG" />
</Resource>
Reply
Reply
post #75 of 106
3/11/13 at 1:05pm
Ok, so the png file I made for the menu item is just called "Witcher2.png". I saved it in with the rest of the images for the theme. To make the menu item, i did:
Code:
<MenuItem Name="Witcher 2" HideToolbar="true">
<Image>"WhateverTheFilePathis\witcher2.png</Image>

I'm not sure which file i'm replacing.
Reply
Reply
post #76 of 106
3/11/13 at 1:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by GrantMeThePower View Post

I'm not sure which file i'm replacing.

I'm not either, but if you take a stroll through the logged resources folder with "thumbnail view" turned on you should be able to see the image your looking for. If not, a PM or e-mail to Cyril might be required
Reply
Reply
post #77 of 106
3/11/13 at 1:23pm
Ok thank you!
Reply
Reply
post #78 of 106
3/11/13 at 5:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by GrantMeThePower View Post

Ok thank you!

+1 - I was trying to figure that out too.

xnappo
Reply
Reply
post #79 of 106
3/12/13 at 7:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by GrantMeThePower View Post

Ok, so the png file I made for the menu item is just called "Witcher2.png". I saved it in with the rest of the images for the theme. To make the menu item, i did:
Code:
<MenuItem Name="Witcher 2" HideToolbar="true">
<Image>"WhateverTheFilePathis\witcher2.png</Image>

I'm not sure which file i'm replacing.
The problem with the "no focus" pictures is that they are small and somewhat transparent, they are going to be hard to see in the logged resources folder even when you view large or extra large thumbnails. Be patient and look very closely through that folder (you may even need to sort by, and open every small .png file) and you should find it. You also might want to do some searching in the log file, start by searching for everything with "focus" and see if you find anything that you think may be what you are looking for.
Reply
Reply
post #80 of 106
3/14/13 at 5:44pm
It appears that I need to use the ImageInactive tag, but it isn't working for some reason. It just stays blue. I even created a second picture, added it to the them, and put the right shortcut in. I'm at a total loss!
Reply
Reply
post #81 of 106
3/14/13 at 5:58pm
Here's the code for my games menu....
Code:
<Custom Title="Games"> 
                        <MenuItem Name="Crysis 3"> 
                                <Image>C:\ProgramData\Media Center Themer\Theme\crysis3.png</Image>
                                <ImageInactive>C:\ProgramData\Media Center Themer\Theme\Crysis3NoFocus.png</ImageInactive>
                                <Program>C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Crysis 3\bin32\Crysis3.exe</Program> 
                                <PlayingDirective>stop</PlayingDirective> 
                                        <AutoRestore>false</AutoRestore>
                        </MenuItem>
                        <MenuItem Name="Max Payne 3"> 
                                <Image>C:\ProgramData\Media Center Themer\Theme\maxpayne3.png</Image> 
                                <ImageInactive>C:\ProgramData\Media Center Themer\Theme\MaxPayne3NoFocus.png</ImageInactive>
                                <Program>steam://rungameid/204100</Program> 
                                <PlayingDirective>stop</PlayingDirective> 
                                        <AutoRestore>false</AutoRestore>
                        </MenuItem>
                        <MenuItem Name="Witcher 2"> 
                        <Image>C:\ProgramData\Media Center Themer\Theme\witcher2.png</Image> 
                        <ImageInactive>C:\ProgramData\Media Center Themer\Theme\witcher2NoFocus.png</ImageInactive>
                        <Program>E:\Program Files (x86)\The Witcher 2\bin\witcher2.exe</Program> 
                        <PlayingDirective>stop</PlayingDirective> 
                                        <AutoRestore>false</AutoRestore>
                        </MenuItem>
                </Custom>
Reply
Reply
post #82 of 106
3/14/13 at 7:59pm
The blue hue in the inactive image for the custom menu has been one thing I wish I could figure out as well. All my other menus were fixed by the colorize but the custom menu still has the blue hue to the inactive images. No matter what I change the inactive image too it doesn't even look like it honors it and has nothing to do with the blue hue. I have tried looking through the resources that were used but never was able to find what was causing the overlay... Hopefully with enough people looking at it someone will be able to come up with something. Or maybe Patchou can add a keyword to fix that in a new release he is hopefully working on!

Another issue I seem to encounter is the menu resetting to the original order. I have certain menu items hidden and others reordered, and it seems like at certain times the menu items will become visible and they will revert to their original order. All the colors and other customization seem to keep, it is just the menu items and the order. I haven't been able to track down what action cause it to occur, mainly because it almost always happen while my wife is using it and she doesn't seem to notice the difference in order... I think i have read on other forum in the past of people experiencing the same thing. Maybe if a new version is release that will be something that can be fixed. I am guessing if Patchou is happy with the current build it must not happen for his machine so it might be harder to track down and fix. It is an easy programmable fix on the remote to just restarting WMC when I power off the TV but it would be nice to not have to do that.

Is anyone else experiencing anything like that or is it just me?
Reply
Reply
post #83 of 106
3/15/13 at 6:54am

Maybe I can be of some help. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out why some of the tiles insisted on keeping the blue hue no matter what. 

 

Finally I found that some of them are not simply images which can be replaced by MCT. I went through it seems every single image in the logged resouces directory but the tiles were still blue.

 

Turns out that some tiles are combinations of a transparent pattern (found among the logged resources but I did not spot them because they are not bluish) and a color specification. The latter is the parameter you need to change. 

 

I did this by adding a command in the MCT XML file that tells Media Center to use a custom color specification MCML file rather than the standard one:

 

 

<Html>
<Resource Id="COLORS.MCML">
<Replace File="C:\ProgramData\Media Center Themer\Theme\NEW_COLORS.mcml"/>
</Resource>
</Html>

 

With this I could set every tile to the exact color I wanted.

 

Here is a link to a zip of my complete MCT directory, it is a complete theme so you should be able to reverse engineer my color settings to get them the way you want.

Reply
Reply
post #84 of 106
3/15/13 at 8:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by politby View Post

Maybe I can be of some help. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out why some of the tiles insisted on keeping the blue hue no matter what. 

Finally I found that some of them are not simply images which can be replaced by MCT. I went through it seems every single image in the logged resouces directory but the tiles were still blue.

Turns out that some tiles are combinations of a transparent pattern (found among the logged resources but I did not spot them because they are not bluish) and a color specification. The latter is the parameter you need to change. 

I did this by adding a command in the MCT XML file that tells Media Center to use a custom color specification MCML file rather than the standard one:








With this I could set every tile to the exact color I wanted.

Here is a link to a zip of my complete MCT directory, it is a complete theme so you should be able to reverse engineer my color settings to get them the way you want.

WOW!!!

Thank you smile.gif That is so perfect. I can't wait to get home to try this. I'm sure that is what is going on! Thank you! smile.gif
Reply
Reply
post #85 of 106
3/15/13 at 8:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bellj949 View Post

The blue hue in the inactive image for the custom menu has been one thing I wish I could figure out as well.

Another issue I seem to encounter is the menu resetting to the original order. I have certain menu items hidden and others reordered, and it seems like at certain times the menu items will become visible and they will revert to their original order. All the colors and other customization seem to keep, it is just the menu items and the order. I haven't been able to track down what action cause it to occur, mainly because it almost always happen while my wife is using it and she doesn't seem to notice the difference in order... I think i have read on other forum in the past of people experiencing the same thing. Maybe if a new version is release that will be something that can be fixed. I am guessing if Patchou is happy with the current build it must not happen for his machine so it might be harder to track down and fix. It is an easy programmable fix on the remote to just restarting WMC when I power off the TV but it would be nice to not have to do that.

Is anyone else experiencing anything like that or is it just me?

Not just you. It has happened to me a couple times. That being said, I'm usually fiddling with things and I always sort of assumed that once everything was set and running right that it would stop happening.

Hopefully the blue hue stuff will be fixed by politby's suggestions...but I dont know if we're going to be able to figure out the other one.
Reply
Reply
post #86 of 106
3/15/13 at 8:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by politby View Post

Maybe I can be of some help. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out why some of the tiles insisted on keeping the blue hue no matter what. 

Finally I found that some of them are not simply images which can be replaced by MCT. I went through it seems every single image in the logged resouces directory but the tiles were still blue.

Turns out that some tiles are combinations of a transparent pattern (found among the logged resources but I did not spot them because they are not bluish) and a color specification. The latter is the parameter you need to change. 

I did this by adding a command in the MCT XML file that tells Media Center to use a custom color specification MCML file rather than the standard one:








With this I could set every tile to the exact color I wanted.

Here is a link to a zip of my complete MCT directory, it is a complete theme so you should be able to reverse engineer my color settings to get them the way you want.

Thanks! Yeah I remember looking through the resources and never could find the one that causes the overlay... Nice to know I wasn't the only one that was struggling with that. I'll have to try the mcml file and see how it goes.

Thanks again!
Reply
Reply
post #87 of 106
3/15/13 at 8:35am
For those of you who have Photoshop and would like to modify Media Center icons/images to your own color scheme, the "Match Color" command is very useful. smile.gif

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Reply
Reply
post #88 of 106
3/15/13 at 9:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by politby View Post

Maybe I can be of some help. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out why some of the tiles insisted on keeping the blue hue no matter what. 

Finally I found that some of them are not simply images which can be replaced by MCT. I went through it seems every single image in the logged resouces directory but the tiles were still blue.

Turns out that some tiles are combinations of a transparent pattern (found among the logged resources but I did not spot them because they are not bluish) and a color specification. The latter is the parameter you need to change. 

I did this by adding a command in the MCT XML file that tells Media Center to use a custom color specification MCML file rather than the standard one:








With this I could set every tile to the exact color I wanted.

Here is a link to a zip of my complete MCT directory, it is a complete theme so you should be able to reverse engineer my color settings to get them the way you want.

So looking at your NEW_COLORS.MCML versus the default COLORS.MCML file it looks like the only changes are for the following keywords:
GalleryItemFill
GalleryItemFillFocus
GaleryFolderFill
GaleryFolderFillFocus

are those keyword the ones that control the blue hue?

Also it looks like the default keywords have 4 values (Color="255, 46, 135, 176" for example). Based on other keywords such as White20Percent, White40Percent, White60Percent, White80Percent; where the only number that changes is the first number, I would assume the first number is the transparency value and then last three are what makes the colors. In yours you only have 3 values and not 4. Does that cause any issues with your colors?
Reply
Reply
post #89 of 106
3/15/13 at 10:50am
I just tried it....but it didnt work frown.gif Not sure what is going on

EDIT- Looking at my log I also get this " Old XML structure detected. Please update to the latest version using the latest schema"
Any idea what that is?
Edited by GrantMeThePower - 3/15/13 at 11:03am
Reply
Reply
post #90 of 106
3/15/13 at 11:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bellj949 View Post

So looking at your NEW_COLORS.MCML versus the default COLORS.MCML file it looks like the only changes are for the following keywords:
GalleryItemFill
GalleryItemFillFocus
GaleryFolderFill
GaleryFolderFillFocus

are those keyword the ones that control the blue hue?

Also it looks like the default keywords have 4 values (Color="255, 46, 135, 176" for example). Based on other keywords such as White20Percent, White40Percent, White60Percent, White80Percent; where the only number that changes is the first number, I would assume the first number is the transparency value and then last three are what makes the colors. In yours you only have 3 values and not 4. Does that cause any issues with your colors?

I found the same thing...but when I changed the RGB values for those items, I did not see the results change in WMC. I'm not sure this is the fix we need.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Home Theater Computers

AVS Top Picks

AVS › AVS Forum › Video Components › Home Theater Computers › Media Center Themer or Media Center Studio?