Carwings - Page 3

GizmoQ · 10-15-2008, 12:50 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by fixerofallthing

I just did a "clean" install from the new installer and added this skin and you are right it does not work unless you have
backgroundpath=C:\Program Files\Road Runner\skins\Carwings_V2_Transparent\backgrounds
in your rr.ini

background is specified but not backgroundpath is not. This skin uses the backgroundpath command. I believe DFX uses the background command though, so they can be set to different directories without any problem. After I added that to my rr.ini the image preview worked fine. Thanks for pointing it out and I will add it to the instructions in the first post.

Same issue here. My backgrounds are in C:\Documents and Settings\USER\My Documents\My Pictures\Backgrounds. And without going into the .skin and exectbl.ini files, it can't be used in Carwings. My RR.ini points backgroundpath to it but Carwings isn't using it.

Also I looked all through my RR.ini and all paths listed end in a "\", however, when I did modify the .skin file to use backgroundpath, I found that the skin.ini had one slash too many before the picturefilename, i.e., "...backgrounds\\sunset.jpg"

For your next update, can you remove the "backgroundfolder" variable and remove the added slash from the background variable,
they're not needed.

EDIT: This skin looks great with the full transparency, just my 2 cents.

brandensin · 10-15-2008, 01:05 PM

gizmoq,

i followed fixero's suggestion, it works..
just add,
backgroundpath=C:\Program Files\Road Runner\skins\Carwings_V2_Transparent\backgrounds\

to ur rr.ini

GizmoQ · 10-15-2008, 02:43 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by brandensin

gizmoq,

i followed fixero's suggestion, it works..
just add,
backgroundpath=C:\Program Files\Road Runner\skins\Carwings_V2_Transparent\backgrounds\

to ur rr.ini

That's not the point. RR has a setting for where you as an end user want to keep your background pictures. I have over 300. I know most skinners want their skins to work right out of the box, but for those of us that use multiple skins and want to keep from duplicating files (if I left all the backgrounds for all the skins I use with their respective skins I'd have thousands of duplicates all over the place - WHY!) Same goes for add-ins and plugins, especially in those skins with installer programs.

I realize skinners want to get betas out fast, but documentation is part of programming (the worst part I know) and it seems all the threads on standardization are for not. I haven't released any of my skins for just this reason (and I probably couldn't stand the criticism

or keep up with the change requests). I usually just sit back and if I like a skin I mod it to my liking without comment. But lately all this catering to the Newbies and programming in a vacuum just got to me and I apologize. I remember the debacle we had with two or three sources doing different things and I don't blame Guino for never releasing the source again, but now we face skins that don't play well with others and that's just as bad. Here's a perfect example: every skin installer that registers coverflow breaks every other skins ability to use it (and I know that's a coverflow issue, but the skinner did it to us).

:RANT MODE OFF:

I'll just shut up and mod the skin to my liking.

fixerofallthing · 10-15-2008, 03:10 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by GizmoQ

That's not the point. RR has a setting for where you as an end user want to keep your background pictures. I have over 300. I know most skinners want their skins to work right out of the box, but for those of us that use multiple skins and want to keep from duplicating files (if I left all the backgrounds for all the skins I use with their respective skins I'd have thousands of duplicates all over the place - WHY!) Same goes for add-ins and plugins, especially in those skins with installer programs.

I realize skinners want to get betas out fast, but documentation is part of programming (the worst part I know) and it seems all the threads on standardization are for not. I haven't released any of my skins for just this reason (and I probably couldn't stand the criticism

or keep up with the change requests). I usually just sit back and if I like a skin I mod it to my liking without comment. But lately all this catering to the Newbies and programming in a vacuum just got to me and I apologize. I remember the debacle we had with two or three sources doing different things and I don't blame Guino for never releasing the source again, but now we face skins that don't play well with others and that's just as bad. Here's a perfect example: every skin installer that registers coverflow breaks every other skins ability to use it (and I know that's a coverflow issue, but the skinner did it to us).

:RANT MODE OFF:

I'll just shut up and mod the skin to my liking.

I totally understand and I think RR should use a default location for background images. I have no problem changing to a "standard" location if we can decide on one. The path I used is inside the skin folder because the new installer does not come with background images and I did not want to do an instaler so I just made it drop in and play. Maybe I will do an installer and get a consensus of where we want our images to reside and problem solved.

GizmoQ · 10-15-2008, 03:32 PM

I hope you didn't take my rant the wrong way. I'm not telling you or anyone else how to skin for RR. Its just that standards are being agreed upon by some and maybe they're not distributed or explained to the masses (Stickyed or FAQ). And if they were known, skinners would have to add documentation, for example, that says "there is a directory of backgrounds as a sub directory of this skin that should be copied to your backgroundpath directory, if you don't have one already step1,step2,step3,... is how to create one". Maybe the standards should have boilerplate for skinners to add to their documentation. I don't know. I think I start a new thread on this and try not to get banned.

:Back to your regularly scheduled programming:

Enforcer · 10-15-2008, 03:35 PM

Well Itried to make a Standardisation of plugins but got pi5sed with a certain element not bothering to take that into consideration so I have given up.

I have long been an advocate for a standard place for backgrounds folder in the root of RoadRunner as opposed to individual skins.

Also for plugins as well.

But hey, why bother?

EL CAMINO · 10-15-2008, 03:45 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Enforcer

I have long been an advocate for a standard place for backgrounds folder in the root of RoadRunner as opposed to individual skins.Also for plugins as well.

agreed

Quote: Originally Posted by Enforcer

But hey, why bother?

AGREED

Valheru · 10-15-2008, 03:49 PM

I'll second that motion ... or in this case third that motion ...

an alternative solution is to implement something like TEKNIK T/3 does (shameless plug) ... On skin start it will load a default BG pic if not exists AND you can change the path for your BG folder from inside the actual skin ... not setting INI variable by hand ... so you just browse to your BG folder.

blk02si · 10-15-2008, 03:52 PM

Eveyone knows that a global variable can be declared in rr.ini that maps the background directory, right!?

As long as the skinners follow suit all skins will have a common background share, thats how my system is setup anyway. Guino implimented this back when the first GDI+ RR was released.

MGD · 10-15-2008, 04:00 PM

If all skinners would use the $BACKGROUNDPATH$ in theire skin, you can have your backgrounds where ever you want. All you have to do is to specify it in rr.ini.
backgroundpath=where ever

Valheru · 10-15-2008, 04:17 PM

but that's it you use the BACKGROUNDPATH method ofr BG's. Personally I have never got that method to consistantly display EVERY image in my BG's folder .. the PICSVIEWER skin does ...

edit : all my BG images are std 800x600 jpg files.

MGD · 10-15-2008, 04:47 PM

You might want to check the image attributes. It is impossible to show one and not the other unless it is hidden.

fixerofallthing · 10-15-2008, 05:08 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by GizmoQ

I hope you didn't take my rant the wrong way. I'm not telling you or anyone else how to skin for RR. Its just that standards are being agreed upon by some and maybe they're not distributed or explained to the masses (Stickyed or FAQ). And if they were known, skinners would have to add documentation, for example, that says "there is a directory of backgrounds as a sub directory of this skin that should be copied to your backgroundpath directory, if you don't have one already step1,step2,step3,... is how to create one". Maybe the standards should have boilerplate for skinners to add to their documentation. I don't know. I think I start a new thread on this and try not to get banned.

:Back to your regularly scheduled programming:

I did not take it the wrong way. I AGREE! We just need to al get on the same page.

fixerofallthing · 10-15-2008, 05:12 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by MGD

If all skinners would use the $BACKGROUNDPATH$ in theire skin, you can have your backgrounds where ever you want. All you have to do is to specify it in rr.ini.
backgroundpath=where ever

I agree this is the best way to handle it. That is why I did mine this way. Maybe we can add the creation of a backgroung folder in the RR installer and put a default image there so all will work out of the box. It would not add too much to the installer size.

Am I wrong or is RRconfig not handling backgroundpath correctly. I see where background is eet but not the former. Maybe it is my version but I did an install with the latest official version and I had to manually add it.

GizmoQ · 10-15-2008, 06:46 PM

Keep in mind also that the way the skinner codes the save routine also needs to account for "backgroundpath" definitions that may not necessarily be in the skinpath or rrpath. I had to edit both the background.skin and exectbl.ini cause the SD,,,,, and SAVETOSKIN commands thinks my backgrounds are in the skinpath.

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