RE: xPLMediaNet - MVP Plan

["Tony Tofts" <tony@xxxxxxxxxx>]

> Basically this will have to stay in text format below the 2nd=20
> level since the sources need to be compatible with=20
> non-graphical devices. Though the mvp will support the=20
> jukebox mode sources in grpahical format as per the web interface

Ok, had some more thoughts on this.

The mvp skinning will be a bit more dynamic

They'll be the main menu (music.bmp, videos.bmp, pictures.bmp) obviously

Within music the mvp will look in it's skin folder and try to match at all
levels...=20

So if I was going to play "80's pop rock" shoutcast stream, for
example

When I select music it will look to see if I have skins for the main music
menu (if I do, then use these, else use text)

Then it looks to see how many streams.xml file I have, and looks for bmp of
the same name, if it finds them it uses these else uses text

Etc etc

In reality when it gets to the really dynamic stuff you can't use skins
(other than a background) as they'll be too many items for a screen (this
isn't a restriction in reality, only in praticality). But with something
like shoutcasts and queries you could skin them...

What I mean is the mvp skin folder (all of which is optional) will match
th=
e
menu structure, so you can skin as little or as much as you like (within
reason)

At any level you'll be able to specify a default background skin (for text
menus) and this skin will cascade from any level downwards. So you could
have a different background skin at each level.

The only downside to this is that, for speed - so it doesn't have to do a
directory check at every menu change, it will need to store somewhere the
list of available bitmaps where it can check them quickly....

2 options spring to mind, store the structures in memory or in a database
table (with a scanner for updating when you make a change)=20

Or given that the menu's will probably only get skinned to 2 to 3 levels
deep at most, should this just check in realtime (as movies/pictures will
need to do for folder located images anyway)?

Anyone got any opinions on this please?

Will probably have a crack at the mvp over the bank holiday, so it's a case
of speak your mind - or forever hold your peace!

Thanks
Tony