Cabbie v2 SBS

[JdGordon]

It appears that we want a default sbs, but some people objected that it has to show all information the current classic statusbar shows, especially in the recording screen where the classic one shows a lot of extra information.

We are currently in limbo, but I would assume that when this is ready to be accepted in svn (if thats the ultimate plan), then ignore the recording and FM screens completely for now.
I very much want both of those screens completly skinnable soon which means that while the cabbie theme will need to support them, it doesnt need to do it in the same sbs as the lists.. (i.e it can just use a totally seperate skin file for it)

[Llorean]

A poll won't show "if it is needed" in any useful way. Anyone who votes "simple" may not even use the recording features at all, so you're getting a lot of votes "against" it from people who don't have the same stake in it.

Meanwhile the way you've phrased the poll is extremely dumb. Try "Should the status bar contain all the information it did before, or should it intentionally leave things out?" with options "Full and useful" and "intentionally limited." Or maybe something actually neutrally phrased.

Intentionally trying to skew the results by how you write the poll isn't going to make anyone believe you have any real interest in seeing the right thing is done.

[AlexP]

I've edited the options to try and make it less obviously biased.

[Llorean]

I do agree that if we're going to have different skins for different screens, the WPS SBS doesn't need to display recording-specific information (or information only significantly important to recorders).

I do assume that the list SBS displayed will depend on which (between WPS, FM, and Rec) screen you've most recently been in, by that point?

[JdGordon]

I'm not entirely sure that having any recoding information in the SBS is useful (other than the recording state). Remeber.. they are only in the inbuilt bar because the first targets had tiny displays and that was a way to get more info in the available area.

IMO cabbie (if it continues to be the shipped default) must have:
1) WPS (obviously)
2) SBS with the same style and posision of the status icons that are in the WPS, then based on the screen, add more info that makes sense and room allows (i.e AA on some targets)
(when its implemented)
3) rec skin - probably disabling the SBS in here
4) fm skin - and here

[Llorean]

Many of the current targets still have tiny displays (or large fonts relative to their display, which equates to the same thing). For example, c200, Clip, and H100 all don't have a terribly large amount of screen real estate for information.

I would assume a recording screen skin more or less would be an SBS since you need to see recording information while manipulating a menu, in most cases?

[JdGordon]

I would assume a recording screen skin more or less would be an SBS since you need to see recording information while manipulating a menu, in most cases?

Do you though? it seems to me that all those settings are set and forget (or load a .cfg and forget)... why would you be going through the menus needing to know which is set to what?

[Llorean]

If you look at the recording screen as it has been, it already has a few options you can adjust realtime during recordings. Having them "on hand" in case you need to adjust them can be handy - the longer it takes you to get to them the more of your recording has been screwed up.

[JdGordon]

I dont think you can actually change any of the settings that are in the inbuilt bar without going into the menus. The live settings are displayed in the list area.

The rec skin already needs a %Vi setup (for the list area), so the best thing to do might even be to set things up so the active SBS can be changed to the rec skin (seen as there is actually no difference between skins). So until you actually leave the rec subsystems (go into a plugin, go to a music screen...) the rec skin will always be used...
Not entirely sure of a clean way to do this though... need to think about it for a while. That is I tihnk a better experivence for themers than lumping the entire rec sbs in with the regular one.

[Llorean]

I think that's more or less what I was saying too (though poorly, since I don't have a grasp on how all the new terms yet are to be used).

[kugel.]

I think it it's out of question that we don't want to replace something that shows useful information for something that shows less just because of a bit eye candy.
It shouldn't be too much work to add a bit of encoder type and bitrate to that bar (and recording state of course), even if in simple text form, is it?

[JdGordon]

its not being removed.... the ability to display it is still there, its entirely up to the themer to do it though

[pixelma]

I think you could add the recording specific info into the space taken by the repeat and shuffle mode icons. While recording you don't need to know the status of those but it's handy to know: encoder type (mp3 (for this bitrate as well), wavpack, wave or aiff), sample frequency, and mono/stereo setting. In my opinion those are not "set and forget" type settings if you are recording from different sources and/or in different environment.

I don't record very often but I'd like to see those in the statusbar area... noticed while working on an sbs for my own theme. Whether this is achieved by separate record skin or through the theme's "global" sbs doesn't matter much here - only so far as the latter is already possible now. The only downside is that targets which share the same display specification with recording targets but don't have recording will get recording screen bitmaps too but won't use them (the only example coming to my mind currently is the OndioSP).


One wish for the greyscale or even monochrome ports in case you get around to it - please use the existing graphics and don't just scale your new ones down automatically. I even volunteer to make greyscale and monochrome graphics for the new bitmaps when I have some time over Christmas.

P.S.: Are there new playback status icons for FM and FM muted too?

[kugel.]

its not being removed.... the ability to display it is still there, its entirely up to the themer to do it though

The default sbs would not be up to the themer.

[moonscapex]

I think you could add the recording specific info into the space taken by the repeat and shuffle mode icons.

Very good idea, I think this is how I'll do it.

One wish for the greyscale or even monochrome ports in case you get around to it - please use the existing graphics and don't just scale your new ones down automatically. I even volunteer to make greyscale and monochrome graphics for the new bitmaps when I have some time over Christmas.

P.S.: Are there new playback status icons for FM and FM muted too?

If I need help, ill ask you.  And the FM radio uses the PLAY and PAUSE icons.

Sorry for the bias on the poll.