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[boomboom]

Tonight is my first night experimenting with ActionScript.  With all of the power it has, it occurred to me that it may be possible to write your own skinning engine using ActionScript, duplicating the functionality of MXM's own skinner technology, or, say, UnleashX.

You could even use the same XML layout that UnleashX (or MXM) uses.  This way, you wouldn't even need a converter to use UnleashX skins...

ActionScript veterans, is ActionScripting mature/developed enough to handle all the functionality needed to produce your own "skinning" engine?

If so, we could simply create an ActionScript version of the MXM skinning engine, BJ could simply stop working on that part of MXM and focus more on ActionScripting?

[geniusalz]

I don't think the engine itself can be replaced by scripts (due to speed issues)

However, a 'preview skin' thing could be done using a script.  I guess scripting is good enough (except maybe fonts, which aren't supported right now)

And skin conversion can also be done, probably.

This post has been edited by geniusalz: Mar 4 2004, 05:43 AM

[Yuyu]

Yes, you could have the script search for the available skins on the HD... Then Have it display these skins in a list box I would think, and have a preview image of the skin shown maybe ??  Then when the skin is selected, it edits the pref.xml lines :

CODE

MXM Tivo

Then they just have to revoot, which the skin selector could do for them....

Just a thought, jotting it down here...

[boomboom]

You could even take it a step further, and instead of showing a preview image, you could parse the skin and show what it would actually look like.  Of course, geniusalz makes a good point in that we would need font support in ActionScripting to make this happen.

[Kthulu]

yes, font support is something i've wanted for a long-time but no one else seemed to...

here's an idea somewhat related to this thread...an actionscript skinner...in other words...

an actionscript that let's you develop skins right there on the screen.  of course you'd have to already have whatever graphics you wanted to use in your skin on the hard-drive, but you could use a 'pointer' to position things and see it exactly as it would look when the skin is loaded.

[flattspott]

It'd really be doable if if were used for just resourceless skins. Like Boxes and lines

[Kthulu]

well, i haven't really played with the new image control(s) but wouldn't open up the use of 'image' resources?

[boomboom]

Cool idea, Kthulu.  The potential of ActionScripting is emerging in a major way.  I guess this is the vision that BJ had while he was developing it, and I'm only just catching on right now.

Can you download binary files (ZIP, JPG, PNG) with the current WIP's HTTP client?  If so, I want to start on the Skin Downloader/installer, and tie it right to Allxboxskins.com...

[Kthulu]

theoretically, that is possible, but i believe i've read a post somewhere that WEBFETCH didn't like www.allxboxskins...i could have just dreamed that up tho...

[BenJeremy]

Binaries with WebFileFetch soon.... give me a little time. The current routine builds a big string, and it's Simple HTTP.

Tonight's release will be HTTP 1.x, and I'll get it working with full binary capability shortly. Expect a POST sometime in the near future as well.

[flattspott]

My point was this, to use extra images for an on Xbox Skinner they would have to be on your Xbox to begin with.  With just boxes, lines, etc you wouldn't have to worry about that.

[Kthulu]

true, but if you're making a skin that uses image resources, you've got have those images somewhere on hand anyway

[geniusalz]

I like this idea, and am willing to work on it.  If anyone starts on it, let me know.

[flattspott]

Or at least we could get a on Xbox Skin Editor. So you can tweak existing skins. Change the gadjet strings and the position of elements would be a good start..

[BenJeremy]

Well, the binaries WebFileFetch is in WIP 1191, so let me know how this works out for you guys.