Topic: The Mxm Version (Read 42 times)

BenJeremy · « **on:** September 23, 2003, 01:55:00 PM »

Thursday night, latest, barring showstoppers.

Ces2k3 · « **Reply #1 on:** September 23, 2003, 05:21:00 PM »

how whould i upgrade ,just changing the default.xbe ? and do i have to reconfigure the mxm and the menu?

BenJeremy · « **Reply #2 on:** September 23, 2003, 05:24:00 PM »

QUOTE (Ces2k3 @ Sep 23 2003, 09:21 PM)

how whould i upgrade ,just changing the default.xbe ? and do i have to reconfigure the mxm and the menu?

Just replacing the default.xbe is all you have to do.

MXM is mostly backwards compatible.

Ces2k3 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 23, 2003, 06:42:00 PM »

so how can i use all this new stuff like actions menus ect?

BenJeremy · « **Reply #4 on:** September 23, 2003, 07:06:00 PM »

QUOTE (Ces2k3 @ Sep 23 2003, 10:42 PM)

so how can i use all this new stuff like actions menus ect?

Well, most of it's documented in the pinned thread "MXM Version 0.9n.4" under the 0.9n.5 feature list (First post is edited)

I haven't fully prepared a guide yet, but hopefully somebody will be willing to help me on that count.

Basically, instead of an <Exe> entry, you use an <Action> entry instead in the menu item.

The downside to ActionScript is that it suspends all other "multimedia" activity - music, sound and video pauses while it executes. BASIC programs, when that's integrated, will not do that..

Ces2k3 · « **Reply #5 on:** September 23, 2003, 07:19:00 PM »

so i have to change all the exe to action? what u recomend a noob mxm user to do ?

BenJeremy · « **Reply #6 on:** September 23, 2003, 07:30:00 PM »

QUOTE (dman7 @ Sep 23 2003, 11:21 PM)

QUOTE (BenJeremy @ Sep 24 2003, 04:06 AM)

The downside to ActionScript is that it suspends all other "multimedia" activity - music, sound and video pauses while it executes. BASIC programs, when that's integrated, will not do that..

Doesn't that mean that music and game previews will pause in the dashboard when you choose an option off of the menu?

-dman

Yes, it will pause everything. When I integrate the BASIC language into MXM, I'll have a means set up to handle the execution and screen output that allows things to be "pumped" - that is, continues the rendering.

For now, the emphasis was on getting ActionScripting working to the point that fairly sophisticated install scripts or other interactive scripts could be implemented.

Most menu items will simply launch an XBE, instead of using ActionScripts.

BenJeremy · « **Reply #7 on:** September 23, 2003, 07:32:00 PM »

QUOTE (Ces2k3 @ Sep 23 2003, 11:19 PM)

so i have to change all the exe to action? what u recomend a noob mxm user to do ?

To launch an executable using ActionScript, you'd remove the <Exe> item, and replace it with

<Action>Exec E:\SomePath\default.xbe</Action>

That line will begin the lanching of an application (yes, even the loading screen will come up when it launches)

BenJeremy · « **Reply #8 on:** September 24, 2003, 05:43:00 AM »

QUOTE (yourwishismine @ Sep 24 2003, 09:38 AM)

Well of course if someone doesn't like the 'short comings' of the new version... you can just keep using the 'old' version and just wait to the next new version comes out... How long for the BASIC BJ.

Well, definitely by "O" - but maybe as soon as 0.9n.6 (but rudimentary, not as all-encompassing as I envision, yet)

flattspott · « **Reply #9 on:** September 24, 2003, 04:39:00 PM »

One way the average user can use ActionScripts would be to combine menu items into one Script. For eaxmple, in my menu.xml I have a submenu at the top for Favorite apps (The ones I use most often) like XBMP, DVDX and XCommander. With an ActionScript you could have the Favorites apps be selectable depending on which button you press. Sorta helps clean up your menu entries.

BenJeremy · « **Reply #10 on:** September 24, 2003, 04:47:00 PM »

QUOTE (KAC @ Sep 24 2003, 08:21 PM)

BJ, could you help me understand what this new scripting can be used for? I mean, what is the purpose? To be able to launch an application by hitting a predefined button in the XML? I tried reading all those threads with the script discussion but it may as well be French to me. I guess I'm trying to understand the application, not the method. Most of us non-programmers would probably appreciate a couple of examples.

The new scripting language is like the old DOS Batch language... it will let a scripter do management things, like copy files, format hard drives, create directories, as well as interactively query users for responses.

The immediate use will be to provide installation scripts, for a slicker version of Slayer's Install disk, for example, powered by MXM. I've already built into MXM a script that will recognize a system that has no formatted partitions, and offer to prepare the new disk for usage.

Other uses might be, installation of games from DVD to hard disk, or removal of installed games. With the addition of XML and file handling functions, it may be used to set up configurations as well.

At the moment, the buttons/input are not configurable, but that will also soon change, and yes, you will also be able to tie actionscripts into those buttons. I've built in user-definable context menus already, though I won't be defining anything for this version (I'll let scripters develop those - they can implement the commands through the MXM.xml file).

The idea is to provide users with a means of doing more powerful things with the dashboard, to give it complete management capability over the system.

DeVante · « **Reply #11 on:** September 25, 2003, 08:00:00 AM »

QUOTE (flattspott @ Sep 25 2003, 01:39 AM)

One way the average user can use ActionScripts would be to combine menu items into one Script. For eaxmple, in my menu.xml I have a submenu at the top for Favorite apps (The ones I use most often) like XBMP, DVDX and XCommander. With an ActionScript you could have the Favorites apps be selectable depending on which button you press. Sorta helps clean up your menu entries.

Wow, this sounds really useful.

Can you give us an example of your script?

Author Topic: The Mxm Version (Read 42 times)