Shock Skin v 5.0 Released

blk02si · 10-11-2007, 12:29 AM

On time and on schedule I'm proud to release Shock Skin version 5.0

I think you will find the smoothest running, most configurable version of the shock skin series to date.

I would like to note that this skin will probably never be done as long as my carPC is running. With that being said here is a link to version 4 code.

There have been significant changes to the code as well as the operation of the skin and the best way to get started is to load the _READ_ME_ HERE It contains the changelog for version 5.0

This _READ_ME_.txt is also included with the download but I thought I would post the changes on a webpage so they could be examined before downloading.

Please let me know any changes you would like to see, any code you can contribute and/or if you need help. This Thread's purpose is dedicated to the shock skin 5.0 code and discussion.

With all that out of the way please point your browser to the Shock Skin 5.0 Download (8mb) Special Thanks to Guino, Sal R., crooper, treetop and enitalp for your help, support and code contributions that were merged with this robust and stable release.

Guino I was wondering if it is possible to add support for .png compass files? I want to convert the compass to transparent.

Edit, compass [heading label] transparency solved, thanks for the help Guino!

guino · 10-11-2007, 03:35 PM

Looks great!

treetop777 · 10-11-2007, 07:37 PM

Downloading...

crooper · 10-12-2007, 01:39 AM

What did you change?

I still like mine better....

blk02si · 10-12-2007, 10:47 AM

Almost all changes are 'under the hood' V5 has added support for global skin settings to change fonts, colors, sizes, etc and the ability to reorder or rename menus all from one settings file. There are a few graphic tweaks and some new features. You can read the changelog in the read_me, there is a link in the first post.

You should like yours better, you coded it

My next step really is to get the sat hardware and work on the sat menus some more.

v5.0 is not meant to be a completely new release. Its a "service pack" style release that is still based on the original ideas and code from v1.

treetop777 · 10-13-2007, 08:57 AM

Not much to say about this release, it's still super fast and stable as is previous versions. The new fonts are the best enhancement - much more legible.
Don't quite like the click-n-hold mainly because now it's guarantied to have smudges on the screen; where as before i could just tap with a finger nail, now i have to hold with the finger tip. No big deal tho', that can easily be changed.

The global color change is fascinating and showcase the incredible capabilities of RoadRunner. If there could be a "button" we could press that would switch between two "global" colors, then that would be fantastic.

Thanks for sharing, it will be interesting to see how you take SHOCK to the next level from here.

If you are up for a challenge for the next version..try to incorporate a calendar! (i'm being selfish of-course

); once you start using one in the car, chances are, you'll be hooked!

(iDrive's calendar is perfectly flawless)

blk02si · 10-13-2007, 09:33 PM

A calender is a great idea treetop! Such a simple idea, I will look into this and let you know.

I almost released this version with the new .png files I have been working on, they have a really smooth look to them but I decided to wait and put more work into them, but I can tell you the next version will most likely have the updated art.

Anyway just thought I would share a pic I took with my blackjack this morning while pulled over by the local law enforcement for having that GPS data spitting out 65 mph while traveling in a 45 zone. Cop was really cool and asked me about the PC and I did my best to talk my way out of the speeding, but in the end the P.O. and I agreed I deserved at least a 5 over ticket. Not bad, just got to waste a work day going to court to get the points under advisement and spending cash on what could have been XM hardware to keep the city/state happy and warrants to a minimum

A minor inconvenience yes, but I think its a wake up call because I have been driving very fast lately for no apparent reason. . . must be the adrenaline?

In any event drive safe out there guys and remember a brake torque gets you no where fast lol

GizmoQ · 10-13-2007, 10:45 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by blk02si

Almost all changes are 'under the hood' V5 has added support for global skin settings to change fonts, colors, sizes, etc and the ability to reorder or rename menus all from one settings file. There are a few graphic tweaks and some new features. You can read the changelog in the read_me, there is a link in the first post.

You should like yours better, you coded it

My next step really is to get the sat hardware and work on the sat menus some more.

I can help with the XM side of things if you like, did a little this morning until I realized I needed a program not in the car to do some global edits (i.e., changing all sat.skin references to XM) so mayb I'll take that on tomorrow.

Love this now that it has transparency. WoW, configurable colors, buttons, labels - EXCELLENT!!!!

Now for my critique:
1. The last button formerly known as "N/A" really should be an EXITMENU button for thos of us that use other front-ends/skins/just need to exit RR. In that regard, there is no exitmenu.skin or .pngs.

2. The exit button from radio and XM don't get me back to main if that's where I started.

3. Radio doesn't have a Radio art box so I just stuffed this near th end of the skin file: "J,660,110,114,53"

4. Speaking of art, it took me a minute to realize your skin doesn't use the MP3Art plugin or have art on the main.skin. I know art on the main adds clutter, but its a quick easy way to see where you've tuned vice reading the top header. And the DLL for MP3Art doesn't affect peerformance significantly.

5. Backgrounds: I brought this up in another thread and it seems the consensus was to put the backgrounds directory under RR path so all backgrounds could be shared by all transparent skins. Sonic also created a new variable "backgroundpath" for RR.ini that I believe was incorporated in the latest official release.

6. Could you rearrange your Weather skin buttons to RELOAD, TODAY/5DAY toggle, WEATHERPRESET1, WEATHERPRESET2, WEATHERPRESET3, WEATHERPRESET4, GPSWEATHER. It seems such a waste that the buttons are currently empty. If you need the code for weatherpresets, DigitalFX v2 a great example.

Again, this is a great, fast skin with lots of customization available. Good work.

blk02si · 10-14-2007, 09:38 AM

Thanks GizmoQ

The exit menu is launched by holding the back button in menu.skin or menu_2.skin

The backgrounds being defined in RR.ini variable was one thing I wanted to code in R5 but forgot to switch it over!! I will make sure this is proper and working in the next release. Shock skin is the only skin installed on my carPC and I overlook that most users have many skins installed.

The FM and XM menus exit correctly over here, I'm playing with the skin right now so not sure how that behavior is happening.

I appreciate the feedback and will be sure to take a look into expanding the weather menu, Treetop actually coded the version that is in the release but I like the idea of filling up the buttons with more functions. It just looks empty without them.

treetop777 · 10-14-2007, 10:26 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by blk02si

Thanks GizmoQ

The exit menu is launched by holding the back button in menu.skin or menu_2.skin

The backgrounds being defined in RR.ini variable was one thing I wanted to code in R5 but forgot to switch it over!! I will make sure this is proper and working in the next release. Shock skin is the only skin installed on my carPC and I overlook that most users have many skins installed.

The FM and XM menus exit correctly over here, I'm playing with the skin right now so not sure how that behavior is happening.

I appreciate the feedback and will be sure to take a look into expanding the weather menu, Treetop actually coded the version that is in the release but I like the idea of filling up the buttons with more functions. It just looks empty without them.

The backgrounds is something i've been keeping an eye on; i can tell you so far nobody has come-out with code using the background variable and a background.skin which do the same as the picviewer. I've been messing with it and the main problem is that the background you select within the skin won't change unless there is a exact copy of the BG folder within the skin - aside from the one referenced by the BG variable. In other words, if you have a BG folder in my documents > my pictures, you also have to have one (at least the same image) in the Shock folder for the BG to change..

I will work on the weather, in fact, that's the way i was trying to do it in the beginning.

GizmoQ · 10-14-2007, 11:58 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by treetop777

The backgrounds is something i've been keeping an eye on; i can tell you so far nobody has come-out with code using the background variable and a background.skin which do the same as the picviewer. I've been messing with it and the main problem is that the background you select within the skin won't change unless there is a exact copy of the BG folder within the skin - aside from the one referenced by the BG variable. In other words, if you have a BG folder in my documents > my pictures, you also have to have one (at least the same image) in the Shock folder for the BG to change..

I will work on the weather, in fact, that's the way i was trying to do it in the beginning.

You're right about th background.skin, but I have consolidated all my backgrounds under picspath. Here is my code that works even in SHOCK v5:

Code:

/Background Change Code
B,558,294,219,92,"SETVARBYCODE;LISTTEXT;LISTTEXT||SETVAR;background;$PICspath$backgrounds\$LISTTEXT$||SAVETOSKIN;background;$PICspath$backgrounds\$LISTTEXT$||RELOADSKIN||Load;PicViewer.skin",

I am going to try the backgroundpath later, but my code starts the background skin in picspath (my documents > my pictures) and I deleted the backgrounds folder from the skinpath.

treetop777 · 10-14-2007, 06:11 PM

With presets. Made for V4 (can work with any othe version of Shock). Read the readme.

blk02si · 10-16-2007, 08:35 PM

Thanks Treetop! Code works great. Getting to know the SETVAR command. Appreciated as always.

chevyn8 · 10-17-2007, 10:12 AM

Shock v5 works very nice. I like the settings.txt. Screenshot of the medialaunch skin...Included in the download of medialaunch. It uses settings.txt

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/rr-p...ve-letter.html

blk02si · 10-17-2007, 10:01 PM

Wow! Thats Awesome Chevyn8! I am going to take a look at your plugin, never realized it but that is a handy piece of software add in there. Can you post up your code? I am downloading it now but I see you already finished a skin for Shock. \