[FLASH SKIN] evZap! 1.2.1 (Updated: 29.04.12)

[safran64]

evZap! v1.2.1
the Schnickschnack skin

Updated: 29.04.12 - Please read installation instructions and FAQ below!
This skin is a mashup using the basic elements of Zappiti, evStreamed and NMJ (PCH-300 series).
With Zappiti being the main inspiring example I wanted to keep it clean and simple; i.e. only a few home menu icons, no people indexes, not too many video/media infos (all is modifiable, of course; see Eversion wiki and evZap manual below).
Since it makes heavy use of some fancy flash SWF elements and I couldn't test it with a really huge movie library, you could still call it experimental. Feel free to take single elements and test them in your preferred eskin.
If you notice any errors or unexpected/abnormal bahaviors, please report them.

The evZap package has been tested with
YAMJ r2999
Eversion v0.2.8.13 R0167
PCH A-210 with internal HDD

Download
Download evZap! v1.2.1 (.rar/34 MB)
Download Quickfix evZap! v1.2.1 (use if v1.2 is already installed!) (.rar/16 KB)
Changelog
It's not sufficient to overwrite existing images in the evZap media folder! Delete them and use those from v1.2.1
If you're running v1.1 and don't have any problems, there's no need to update (only minor changes and no speed improvements)!

Old versions:
Download evZap! v1.1 (not needed for v1.2.1)

Manual
For detailed instructions about the setup of evZap read the manual:
Download evZap! v1.2 manual (.pdf/2.7 MB)

Additional Icons (Updated: 15.05.12) Download Icon Add-On
This add-on contains additional home menu/genre icons (will be updated from time to time).

jluc2808's People Mod - LINK Screenshot
This mod adds extended people info and indexes.
Legion's Overlays Mod - LINK Screenshot
This mod contains additional Flash-based mediainfo overlays and adds extended people info and indexes.



Installation Updated: 29.04.12
I strongly recommend to make a backup copy of the current YAMJ Jukebox or start a new one for evZap! That will make it much easier to switch back if necessary.

Version Updates: If you've modified files in a previous evZap version, first check if they've changed and backup! - You can re-use your previous settings.xml.

Minimum requirements: YAMJ r2999, Eversion v0.2.8.13 R0167

• Setup YAMJ (Download YAMJ)
• Setup Eversion (Download Eversion)
• Make a backup copy of /skins/eversion/interface/eversion/images/splash.png – will be overwritten!
• Make a backup copy of dummy images in skins/eversion/eskins/resources – will be overwritten!
• Download evZap package and unrar the containing /eversion folder to YAMJ/skins
• Compare moviejukebox.properties.evzap, categories-default.xml and certification-default.xml with existing YAMJ files and make changes if needed.
Most of these settings are individual (Jukebox name, languages, certifications,...).
If you want to use an existing Jukebox, all artwork "overwrite" properties must be set "true" as the artwork has to be re-created for this skin.
In categories-default.xml DO NOT USE the "rename" fields (i.e. "rename"="category name")! Translations are done by Eversion!
• Make a backup copy of /skins/eversion/skin-user.properties (if existing) and rename the skin-user.properties.evzap to skin-user.properties (edit if needed)
• Perform new YAMJ scan.
• In /Jukebox/eversion/settings/ make a copy of esettings-default.xml and rename it to esettings.xml. Open esettings.xml and delete the following line with the version info at the bottom:

PHP Code:

<eversion>RXXX</eversion> 


Change at least the following values to enable the evZap skin:

PHP Code:

        <eskin>evZap</eskin>    
        <translation>en_zap.xml</translation> 


• In /Jukebox/evZap/ make a copy of settings-default.xml and rename it to settings.xml.
In settings.xml choose date language, certification type, preferred home menu, index/detail screens, cursor styles, etc. (see evZap manual)


Notes
• evZap uses a lot of images, so speed is not comparable to evStreamed! I e.g. always try to avoid running apps in the background (like pyLoad, etc.).
• Person indexes and data are not supported, yet (use jluc2808's People Mod or Legion's Overlays Mod)
• evZap makes heavy use of flash-based images since esp. plain SWFs are much smaller than PNGs, can be loaded faster and show no quality loss when being resized (vector-based). However, this also means that evZap is not as easily modifiable as other skins. Bearing this in mind, many images are stored in SWF and PNG format so that it is possible to replace SWF images in eskin files if wanted.
• In a few cases SWF files were renamed to "PNG"; i.e. PNGs not showing dimensions in explorer can only be opened with the flash player.

Known issues
• Often very long loading times when opening TV details, TV episode index or movie popup screen – and preloader doesn’t show up to confirm that you hit the button. Solution for now: be patient.
• Esp. videocodec and audiocodec flags can sometimes be unknown because of the current YAMJ development.
• It's likely that icons (companies, genres) are missing. Have a look into the folders if you can find appropiate images and rename them or create new ones.
• Translations only tested for German and English; French, Italian and Dutch can be chosen but are untested and not available for help windows (will be english).
• Certifications currently only available for USA, UK, Germany, France, Netherlands and Australia.
• SWF-based elements/images sometimes reload when using the "return" button.
• On help pages the remote control image of certain moddels doesn't show up (see FAQ).

FAQ
I can't see a dark overlay on the background in movie/TV detail screens, the text is barely readable.
- Was mjb.forceFanartOverwrite=true set before the YAMJ scan?
- Did you use the skin-user.properties.evzap from the package (rename to skin-user.properties)?
- Try a full new YAMJ scan from the scratch following the installation instructions in the manual.

Some items/text in the home menu are missing.
- Did you use the "rename" function in categories-default.xml? Change it, so that "name"="rename"; eversion should do all translations.
- Icon does not exist for a certain category. Have a look in the folder /Jukebox/evZap/media/home if the home menu icon exists.

Some images are visible on the PC but not on the PCH (esp. on movie/TV detail screens).
- That's usally an upper/lower-case problem of the image file names.
- Check if the image files really have EXACTLY the same file name like those in the downloaded package. Overwriting the images doesn't change upper/lower-case!

The remote control image isn't shown on help pages.
- Sorry, that's an upper/lower-case bug.
- In the .../evZap/media/help folders rename all files named help_remote_a200.swf/help_remote_a300.swf/help_remote_c200.swf to help_remote_A200.swf/help_remote_A300.swf/help_remote_C200.swf.

Credits
special thanks go to

accident for Eversion development and support
Omertron for YAMJ development and support
HDLAND for Zappiti skin
gt-eins for GTspecial (Zappiti html) skin
pfp, rezurfer, Amoebiuss, Sysiphus for their work on eskins/xmlOverlays
jluc2808 for people mod
Legion445 for overlays mod

Useful links
YAMJ Wiki (properties, file naming, artwork, overlayXML,...)
http://code.google.com/p/moviejukebox/w/list
Dented boxes for anything about eversion
http://www.dentedboxes.com/doku.php
Networkedmediatank-Forum/YAMJ-Forum
http://www.networkedmediatank.com/forumd...php?fid=70

[excal]

Nice job... looks really good!

[LeXXoZ]

looks real nice, testing it right away

[geekuix]

very nice! a zappiti skin in flash!

[Legion455]

Safran64:

Really, Really Excellent work! Kudos to you!!

You've spent alot of time on this,... and it shows!!!!!

Thanks again!

[LeXXoZ]

I have a question regarding To Eversion and this skin.

Everything is working well now, but before i drop my own selfmade index i have a question.

I have 1 icon on my index, that is linking me to Uitzending Gemist website, this :

Is it possible, to lets say in eversion, create a custom Menu Entry in the home.config file that redirects towards this website ? (So it opens it)

what i added now to the home.config file is this :

Code:

<name>uzg</name>
        <action>SWITCH</action>
        <title>Uitz. Gemist</title>
        <originaltitle>uzg</originaltitle>
        <data>http://www.gemistvoornmt.nl/vandaag.aspx?wanneer=0</data>
        <feed>http://www.gemistvoornmt.nl/vandaag.aspx?wanneer=0</feed>
    </item>

The good part is, i made a icon for it, so it shows a nice entry in the main menu bar, BUT i cannot open the website. it gives me an error.
Is there a way to create a custom URL to this website in the menu ? or is it possible to create it as a app in the apps section and open it through the menu ?


thnx !

[accident]

I assume your on a player with gaya and you just want to exit eversion and load this url?

[LeXXoZ]

Situation i have now is :

A200 with a USB Drive -> NAS In the network with 2 x 2TB

In the PCH i installed LLINK to get the watched function to work.

I Mounted the NAS via start_app.sh so it mounts it around the original PCH network share options.

Installed the latest YAMJ with the EvZap! skin and everything works perfect.

BUT i used to have an old index.html file in the root of the USB drive, containing a few links.

one to startup the Jukebox, one to start the Uitzending Gemist website, Filebrowser, Settings and stuff.

I want to remove that index, and boot it directly into EvZap and just add that website link to the home menu bar from eversion

i dont have Gaya installed, what i just did was create a Webservice in the PCH with the above mentioned url.

Is there a way to create a link to that webservice or URL from eversion, that just opens the link ? if i do it now it gives me an error.

[accident]

You code should do that since your on an a200, the feed part you can skip it doesn't get used... Did it not work for you? I haven't tried it in 6-8 months so if it's broken it might need some attention.

But it has to exit to load that url, no way around this.

[LeXXoZ]

hmmm maybe its because i used the feed part

let me try it

[accident]

I just looked real quick also.. the ? in the url is breaking the api call to load it

[LeXXoZ]

Okay, i think the feed part was the problem

its working now, and i can open UZG from the menu

thanks for thinking with me

[noone]

Nice looking skin. Can't wait to try it out!

Very nice and clear documentation to go with this as well.

You spent some time on this and it certainly shows.

[noone]

In my opinion, the best skin on YAMJ to date. Very nice.

Questions-

1. Is there a way to get it to default to the 'New' menu item on the home page?

2. Is there a way to get black backgrounds on the part of the movie detail screen where the text and ratings and such are? The white lettering is washed out by most backgrounds I have noticed.

3. Why are some movies outlined with a white box rather than a blue box?


Thanks again for some really great work!

[Legion455]

trying to do away with teh eversion 'overlays' for frames and videosource ... and use xml_ovrerlays

yet can't seem to get it to work..

I;'m think that this is wrong..

mjb.overlay.dir=./resources/evZap

and should maybe ,.. be ....

mjb.overlay.dir=resources/evZap

but don't know about resources either....

ir ... in other words .... IM LOST!!!

yes, I followed the instructions in your EXCELLENT manual by the way.,

I was able to get rid of the eversion frame overlays ... in wallfull.eskin ....
now just need to get the YAMJ frames and Videosource working ...

any pointers or help greatly appreciated!!!

Also no overlay.properties exist ... but i'm thinking that having the info in skin.properties is just as good.