new theme (kinda): retroTape

[Yotto]

The obvious solution to this is to not turn the status bar on. I think this actually isn't a problem with the theme so much as a problem with backwards compatibility to a time when the status bar was actually just a status bar.

It is the obvious solution, but this makes the (custom) status bar non-functional. I don't see the reason - from the designer's point of view- to put effort to do something that noone can use.

I'm *almost* positive that the "custom status bar" is actually an extremely misnamed "theme for your menus and file browser." At least, that's how it works by default for me. I also recall someone somewhere around here wanting to change the name from "custom status bar" to something a little more accurate.

More info is generally better, but my personal opinion is that the info "printed" on the cassette should not change unless absolutely necessary. To me, that means it's ONLY acceptable to allow changes between tracks and to scroll long lines.

It's a matter of taste, for sure. I was going to suggest a possible "placeholder change" between next track (bottom area) and the other (current) track info, bitrate, genre, year etc (tape area), but it also scrolls...
Well, I will wait for the next version- I don't forget the "promised" rounded tape! (Although it's from audio-i).
Thanks again.

Both of our "alpha" versions have the rounded tape already, and it looks very pretty indeed. I also created smooth tape gears that - if I may toot my own horn - look AWESOME, and we'll both be using those as well.

[pixelma]

I'm *almost* positive that the "custom status bar" is actually an extremely misnamed "theme for your menus and file browser." At least, that's how it works by default for me. I also recall someone somewhere around here wanting to change the name from "custom status bar" to something a little more accurate.

Well, yes. And it was renamed to "Base skin" - months ago - with the "custom" option removed from the status bar options. If I remember correctly the rename happened right before the 3.5 release.

Turning the status bar off globally is also a workaround and not a fix for me.

First, I would like to notice some problems with the theme wich I have installed in my H3xx.
When status bar is off, everything works fine. When status bar is on (actually "custom") its elements are visible in the .wps, confusing the outcome.

If the WPS is coded correctly and disables the status bar in its code the status bar should not show up in the while playing screen and I assume it is coded corectly. But it sounds a bit like the bug which hit targets with remotes for a while. They displayed the status bar in the main screen if the remote WPS didn't turn it off - and kostkoro is talking about an H300 and the theme was probably tested most on a Fuze (sim). This bug is also fixed for quite some time.

Both sounds to me like kostkoro is running an older build so I suggest updating to a current build.

[kostkoro]

...kostkoro is running an older build so I suggest updating to a current build.

 The build I'm running is official 3.5.1

And it was renamed to "Base skin" - months ago - with the "custom" option removed from the status bar options. If I remember correctly the rename happened right before the 3.5 release.

Turning the status bar off globally is also a workaround and not a fix for me.

I agree with the last notice, pixelma (workaround, not fix).
The status bar options are: off, top, bottom, custom. The theme file (.cfg) has a line: "statusbar: custom". With this setting the status bar option is automatically set to custom. I have noticed the settings about "base skin" and "remote base skin" but these include skins from themes that they have .sbs files plus a "Rockbox_none". I really did not know what to do with them.
I tried the last option, then the status bar is always off, even if I choose "status bar-- custom" or any other. If I set "base skin---retrotape" the problem of displaying in the .wps is still there.

If the WPS is coded correctly and disables the status bar in its code the status bar should not show up in the while playing screen and I assume it is coded corectly. But it sounds a bit like the bug which hit targets with remotes for a while. They displayed the status bar in the main screen if the remote WPS didn't turn it off - and kostkoro is talking about an H300 and the theme was probably tested most on a Fuze (sim). This bug is also fixed for quite some time.

I don't have a remote and the only way to disable the remote .rwps is to set "remote base skin" to "rockbox_none". I also remembered that the simulator crashes if I turn status bar off, while the theme (any theme) uses .sbs, but this may have to do with an out of date simulator. The DAP does not have a problem with such settings.

Both of our "alpha" versions have the rounded tape already, and it looks very pretty indeed. I also created smooth tape gears that - if I may toot my own horn - look AWESOME, and we'll both be using those as well.

I can't wait Yotto!

EDIT: OK, I finally found the solution. It's the "Remote status bar" option which has to be set to off. The main "Status bar" is set to "Custom" (which the theme.cfg does anyway) and the whole theme, .wps, menu etc. is fully functional: Nothing from the menu mixes with the .wps any more! The manual has only a basic reference about that setting.
So, pixelma is right about the bug concerning players with remote.
Thanks for leading my thought to the right path!

[audio-i]

Here is the updated retroTape 320x240 version, that requires Rockbox release 3.6, possible only thanks to the way that the skin buffer usage is handled now, and other great Rockbox improvements.

So here is the list of the main changes (besides the more refined and accurate cassette wheels done by Yotto - many thanks for those!):

• New “inlay card” (menus) that shows MUCH bigger album art, so that just by pressing “menu”, bigger AA can be seen anytime.
• Small graphical changes like battery % and volume dB in bold, and thicker peakmeter bars.
• An also small but nice detail (especially when releasing the pause), the head mechanism retreats when it’s not playing.
• Touch areas where defined for the Cowon D2 (also many thanks to peaceful1 for all his ideas and testing)
• And of course, the promised biggest change, the “rounded tape” and the wheels spinning in the correct direction.

(the first image is the old version for comparison)

   


I will be also updating the 220x176 and the Gigabeat versions in a couple days (I hope)

Note: at the time I'm uploading this theme (and others), the theme site does not use release 3.6 as the stable release to check themes, it still uses 3.5, but this and the other themes I'm updating will work with Rockbox release 3.6

[Edit] I just included another small detail which makes possible to see the charging progress on the power indicator (very roughly, but nice). When I first considered it, I had decided not to because I wanted to minimize any "unreal" graphics, but Yotto showed me it'd be a good idea... so thanks again

[cougarten]

hi, thanks for the great theme!
a few suggestions:

• regarding the touch-screen mappings I'd suggest this:
  
  I know it disturbs the "realism" a bit, but it would support blind and finger operation for the most common tasks (next/prev, play/pause and maybe volume)
• I could very well live without the percentage on the battery meter
• could the volume knob turn a bit further? (down to right (via left and top))
• maybe you want to fade the counter digits just a bit to make them more realistic?
• the edges of the "wheels" or whatever spins would look better with a little anti aliasing / smoothing
• a clock was nice, but I'd rather replace the HDD instead of the peak meter (guess I'll do that myself if you don't :)

pfew :) thank you!

[audio-i]

Wow a lot of suggested changes

a few suggestions:

• maybe you want to fade the counter digits just a bit to make them more realistic?

That'd be great, but it's not possible (it would be possible with something like what was done for the clock time tags, allowing conditional custom images displaying, but this is something completely different anyway)

• could the volume knob turn a bit further? (down to right (via left and top))

That would require twice the images used and I don't think the skin buffer would hold that, even with the recent optimization

• I could very well live without the percentage on the battery meter
• a clock was nice, but I'd rather replace the HDD instead of the peak meter (guess I'll do that myself if you don't

Like you said, those are easy changes that you can customize for yourself

• regarding the touch-screen mappings I'd suggest this:
  ...I know it disturbs the "realism" a bit, but it would support blind and finger operation for the most common tasks (next/prev, play/pause and maybe volume)
  

I don't have a D2, but since your suggestions do not correspond completely to the WPS image, wouldn't it be better for your purposes to use 3x3 grid mode instead of absolute point?

• the edges of the "wheels" or whatever spins would look better with a little anti aliasing / smoothing

Done and uploaded to the themesite and the 3.6 site a.k.a oldsite. It's a small change but hopefully good enough.

------
On a side note, there was a problem updating the theme to the oldsite, the confirmation link sent by mail was like "http://themes.rockbox.orgoldsite/www/verifyETC..." instead of "http://themes.rockbox.org/oldsite/www/verifyETC..." and therefore didn't work as it was sent

[Edit] The new version for the Gigabeat has been updated to the "3.6 oldsite". I eliminated the deck view in the menus, mainly because animations do not work smooth enough in SBS, so I included much bigger album art instead.

[Edit 2] The new Gigabeat version is now also available for current builds.

[kostkoro]

Hi there.
I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but I can't make the theme to work. I tested it in the simulator for iriver H3xx (downloaded from http://rasher.dk/rockbox/simulator-3.6/). I also tested it on the H3xx itself, I had already installed rockbox 3.6. I suppose the correct version of the theme for 3.6 is http://themes.rockbox.org/oldsite/www/index.php , right?
In both tests the wps doesn't load and the menu does not display correctly - no "NOW: track info etc", no date/time. Instead there is the default status bar on top. The previous version suitable for rockbox 3.5.1 used to work fine.
The message from the simulator is this:

ERR: Failed parsing on line 14 : ERR: Invalid parameter list for token 3: "No to
ken"
Skin buffer usage: 280/407680
ERR: Failed parsing on line 12 : ERR: Invalid parameter list for token 1: "No to
ken"
Skin buffer usage: 78128/407680

Below there are screens from the wps and the menu.


So for now, I went back to 3.5.1. But I feel it's a pitty, I like the updated theme so much! Can someone help please, (audio-i maybe?)

[audio-i]

So for now, I went back to 3.5.1. But I feel it's a pitty, I like the updated theme so much! Can someone help please, (audio-i maybe?)

Actually, the 220x176 versions (current builds and 3.6) are both the initial ones, I haven't uploaded the new 220x176 versions yet (rounded tape etc), only the 320x240 and the Gigabeat versions have been updated. I hope I will be able to finish the new versions and have them uploaded within the next couple days, I'll post back.

[JdGordon]

This theme is awesome

I'm fixing up touch regions for all skins now so could you consider wasting less space in the sbs at the top and put buttons there instead for the d2? please?

Also any chance you could modify the wps for a fms also? just about all walkmans had a radio back in the day

[audio-i]

I'm fixing up touch regions for all skins now so could you consider wasting less space in the sbs at the top and put buttons there instead for the d2? please?

Also any chance you could modify the wps for a fms also? just about all walkmans had a radio back in the day

I don't have a D2 (not a radio user) so what I can figure out at this moment is kind of vague, but when there's more free time and the Southafrica World Cup allows it   I'll surely give it a try  


I just uploaded the 220x176 updated version (very similar to the ipod video version), both to the current builds site and the 3.6 site

[kostkoro]

Thanks a lot audio-i, it is fantastic, much more than I could imagine, though I only tested it in the simulator for H3xx. I'm sure it will look the same in my player, too!
By the way, it was the old theme site that confused me (before you update the theme), indicating that the theme (for iRiver H3xx) "works with 3.6". But now, with the update, everything is OK.

[vash]

• Small graphical changes like battery % and volume dB in bold.

Great tnx for the issues, I've been asking you for!

• An also small but nice detail (especially when releasing the pause), the head mechanism retreats when it’s not playing.

Huh! Quite tricky :-]

• And of course, the promised biggest change, the “rounded tape” and the wheels spinning in the correct direction.

Awesome!

[Edit] I just included another small detail which makes possible to see the charging progress on the power indicator (very roughly, but nice). When I first considered it, I had decided not to because I wanted to minimize any "unreal" graphics, but Yotto showed me it'd be a good idea... so thanks again

Nice!

a clock was nice, but I'd rather replace the HDD instead of the peak meter

good idea! is this small HHD "logo" stands for anything specific in the theme?

[audio-i]

is this small HHD "logo" stands for anything specific in the theme?

It's the virtual led, hard disk activity (or memory access activity)

[vash]

In the WPS file, replace

Code: [Select]

# Peak Meter
%V|261|184|51|17|1|6699b9|72abce|
%pm

with

Code: [Select]

# Peak Meter replaced with time
%V|257|184|56|12|1|6699b9|72abce|
%ac%cl:%cM%cp

I'd really appreciate, if u write same stuff for replacing counter with a clock, so I could change it in my wps. Big tnx.

[audio-i]

I'd really appreciate, if u write same stuff for replacing counter with a clock, so I could change it in my wps. Big tnx.

That's actually a very easy change  , you'd just have to change the current track time tag for the clock time tags in the retroTape.wps file, find the comment "Song Time" there. For more information about the tags you might want to use see http://www.rockbox.org/wiki/CustomWPS