Thread: SypheR beta release (05-18-2010)

Installation

[Initial Installation]
- Unzip the file
- Copy to RR's "skin" folder
- REGISTER the skin plugin "RRSypheRExt.dll" under SypheR\plugins\RRSypheRExt by double-clicking "register.bat" (REQUIRED!)
- Install the fonts in SypheR\support\fonts

[Required Plugins]
- RRExtended by BlueZX3
- Overlay by El Camino
- Stopwatch by Enforcer

[Supported Plugins]
- GPSExec by guino
- RR Media v1.2.2 by BlueZX3
- TagEditorEx by El Camino
- TMS by RobbyBMW
- RRExtended by BlueZX3
- - Filemanager
- - Task Manager
- RRVehicleMaintenance by Sonicxtacy02
- RRGAS GPS Gas Price Finder by Enforcer
- RRGASNAV by ThunderStick
- ImageViewer (Skin Copy) <Will default to $picspath$ on skin startup

Features:

[Upper Tabs]
The LHS/RHS tabs are accessible throughout the skin and contain EXITMENU and SKIN/MIXER options.

Clicking the media info will take you directly to you currently playing media (audio, radio, etc.)

[Upper Main Menu Bar]
This skin uses a rotating "main" menu" controlled by the LHS and RHS arrow buttons to access the main functions of the skin. The upper menu bar options will change as you cycle thru your options. The upper menu bar is customizeable and you can assign a button's function by pressing and holding on your selected button. This will bring up a button setup prompt where you can select a predefined skin command or create/select a user defined command by selecting "Other."

Pressing and holding down the RHS arrow button will add an additional menu bar.

Pressing and holding down the LHS arrow button will remove the last menu bar.

Alternatively, you can also assign button functions thru the skin's "SETUP" function and selecting "Assign Buttons." This will allow for assigning multiple button functions for your use.

See post #4 for more details.

[Lower Indicator Bar]
The lower indicator bar is common throughout the skin.


Indicators from left to right:
- gpsexec.exe (requires RRExtended)
- gpsexec red light camera
- gpsexec speed camera
- gpsexec speedtrap (low, med, high confidence)
- online
- tms
- rrvm vehicle maintainence
- rrvm waypoint
- powermon battery level
- gps heading
- speedatt
- rrmedia.exe (requires RRExtended)
- winamp.exe (requires RRExtended)
- volume/mute
- cpu

[Supported Functions]
[Audio]
[- RR Media]
[- Audio Browser]
[Radio ]
[- HD Radio]
[- Analog Radio]
[Video ]
[- Built-in]
[GPS Navigation]
[- External GPS]
[Skin Browser]
[EWF]
[File Manager]
[Gamma]
[GPS Gas Price Finder]
[Launch]
[Picture Viewer - RR]
[Picture Viewer - Image Viewer]
[Plugin Manager]
[RRConfig.exe]
[Task Manager]
[TPMS]
[Vehicle Maintainence (RRVM)]
[GPSExec Warning Window]
[Custom User Commands]

Usage and Instructions
[General]
Volume is controlled thru the mixer line in the RHS upper tab. I did that to keep the layout clean, but do plan in integrating dedicated volume buttons in the skin.

It's currently the way it is because I've been using an RF remote to control basic functionality, which includes volume (easier to get at while driving).

Paths to the skin's required plugins can be set in the skin's "SETUP" menu.

Buttons with a little white "flag" denotes that the button has a press & hold feature assigned to it.

[Audio] -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Developed using Winamp v5.13

BlueZX3's RRMedia v1.2.2 and RR's audio browser are supported. It's one or the other, not both at the same time.

Clicking on the album art will bring up the music file details where you can also edit ID3 tag data thru the useage of EL CAMINO's tag editor.

[Browse by cover]
Included with the skin is a skin-based album cover browser both available through RRMedia (uses RRMedias album database) and the default audio browser (database must be built). I devised this system to keep my system light and "coverflow" type plugins tend to bog down my pico-itx.

If you'd like to use an alternate system for browsing by cover, simply do the following:
1. Open SypheR's ExecTBL.ini and edit the command "aBBAA" to load the appropriate browse by cover command.

[Ratings]
If you're not using RRMedia, the skin has a rating sytem plugin that is loosely based on Sonicxtacy02's old ratings plugin. I kept the playlist names (1-5 stars.m3u) to keep it compatible with RRMedia.

If you would like to use your own ratings system, simply do the following:
1. Open and edit "inc_ratings1.skin" executable and indicator codes for your purposes
2. Open SypheR's ExecTBL.ini and edit the command "ONSONGABCHK"
- This command is executed when a song starts.

[Radio] -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Both Analog and HD Radio is supported, but truth be told, I haven't used either a whole lot since I've using stream internet radio via shoutcast. I don't get a whole lot of radio stations in my area, at least, not in my car.

Radio does not use RR's default preset list. Instead, it is setup to more emulate a HU. Four bands (FM1&2 and AM1&2). Pressing and holding a preset will assign that station to that preset. Sation values are saved in skin.ini.

If you have any issues here, let me know.

[GPS] -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Only external gps apps are supported at this time. Although the skin's setup does have an option for "iGuidance V3.0," an IG specific skin has not be created for it. I meant to, but didn't get around to it.

Thundersticks Gasnav plugin is supported in the Enforcers RRGAS gas pricefinder plugin function

[Video/DVD] -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Only the built-in player is supported. While there is a DVD selectable function avaiable, there is no skin file to support it at the moment. I never got around to making one since I don't use DVDs in the car.

[Skin Browser] -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Under this function you will find the options for skin browsing, background images (from $backgroundpath$ in rr.ini) and the framework for theme'ing. Themes have not been implemented yet and is currently disabled.

[Pictures] -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Two options for viewing pictures are included with the skin.

RR's native picture view and the app Imageviewer.

The imageviewer application is a skin copy and the default folder location will be defaulted to $picspath$ defined in rr.ini when the skin starts up.

[RRConfig] -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is simply a shortcut to start RRconfig.

[Button Assignment] -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are two ways to assign buttons in the upper button menu bar in SypheR.

Method 1:
Press and hold the button you want to configure.

Method 2:
Go to "SETUP" and select "Assign Buttons."

[Creating/Assigning User Defined Functions]
The intent of this design feature was to make it "easy" to create/extend the skins function. The process is as follows:

1. Copy new skin files into SypheR.
2. Edit ExecTBL.ini and add related commands
3. Create button

To create the button, do the following:
1. Select a button to assign or go to "SETUP" > "Assign Buttons" and select a button
2. Scoll down to "Other"
3. Click "SELECT"
4. Select "New.."
5. Enter command for button to execute (i.e. AUDIO)
- This is the command that was added to ExecTbl that calls the "main" skin of the new function you just added
6. Enter command label. (i.e. AUDIO)
- This is the text you will see in front of the button
7. Enter a short description (i.e. Audio, GPS Navigation, Reload RR, etc.)
- This is what you will see in the list next time you want to assign this function to a button
- User defined functions are retained to be used again and again.
8. Enter detailed description (Optional)
- This is the information displayed about your new function when clicking the "i" button.
9. Select "SAVE"

You will also be prompted to upload a custom icon if you choose.

Once the button is created, it is available and can be re-used and/or editted. No more editting main skin files to add new functions. =)

If you declined to upload an icon, but decided to add it later, simply edit the button, and save. This will bring up the icon prompt again.

[Adding New Menus]
There are two ways to add new menus.

Method 1:
Press and hold the RHS button.

Method 2:
1. Go to "SETUP" and select "Assign Buttons."
2. Assigning a button in any button row will make add that row count into the menu bar.
- i.e. If your current menu count is 3 and you assigning a new button function in row 7, your total menu count will become 7.

Theoretically, you can have an infinite amount of button functions accessible through this menu system, at least, as many variables RR can handle.

Currently, this number is maxed at at 10.

If you need more than 10, do the following:
1. Open skin.ini
2. Change "xmenu" to desired number. NOTE: IT HAS TO BE A MULTIPLE OF 5 (i.e. 5, 10, 15, 20, etc.) Any other value will cause errors, cause the skin to crash, etc.
3. Save and restart RR

[Deleting Menus]
Press and hold the LHS button

NOTE: Deleting a menu bar will remove all assigned functions from that menu bar.
- i.e. If you delete a menu and then add it back again, the buttons will be blank.

[TPMS] -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you have Robby's TMS plugin, you customize the car image by simply editting the following image files:

ind_tmscar_2OFF.png
ind_tmscar_3ON.png

...with your images.

[GPSExec] -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Included in the skin are custom GPSExec commands that provide warnings on:

1. Red Light Cameras (cmd: GPSEXECWARNRCAM)
2. Speed Cameras (cmd: GPSEXECWARNSCAM)
3. Speed Traps
a. Low Confidence (cmd: GPSEXECWARNSTLW)
b. Medium Confidence (cmd: GPSEXECWARNSTMD)
c. High Confidence (cmd: GPSEXECWARNSTHG)

If you config gpsexec.ini to execute any of the above commands when a designated location is reached, you will be alerted with an alarm and flashing indicator and/or pop-up warning.

The warning options are configureable under "SETUP" > "GPS Exec"

[Skin Editor] -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lastly, don't expect this to open in skin editor. Because of the skin's construction, SE is just not equipped to handle my way of skin coding. There's a reason it's called "SypheR," as in the play on word to encode. Not because I don't want you to figure it out (I know some of you will), but for me to make global changes easily using a series of templates.

I can bank on the fact that the layout is consistent, and changes/updates made to to the skin will be applied globally w/in the skin.

There's a method to my madness.

Known Issues:

None.

(reserved3)

(reserved)

Nice Sal , just proves you can't keep a good skin down , they just get reborn

Thanks. I know that this won't be for everyone, but it works for me.

being waiting for this one... thanks Sal.