Jump to content
LaunchBox Community Forums

BarTop Theme


viking

Recommended Posts

BarTop Theme

View File

!! STILL IN BETA !!    Before delivering the final version, I wait to be able to align the items of the wheels. So this is a BETA version with non-definitive wheels, uploaded for debug. Please rate your bug in the forum thread. Thank you!


#01. Description:

BARTOP theme was created for the 4:3 screens of classic arcades cabinet. But it remains fully compatible with all screen ratios. 
In addition to this theme, I created and shared 3 large media sets especially designed for him. I invite you to use them to fully enjoy the experience.
This theme was tested on  4:3 | 16:9 | 16:10 | 21:9 screens. It works on all "out the box". (Only some minor issue on the 21:9)


#02. Features:

  • 5 custom platform view + 5 custom platform view.
  • Custom marquee for platform & Game view.
  • Design for used video in background.
  • Platform & Games views : no video deformation regardless of your screen ratio.  (work only with WMP video engine)
  • Custom icon set. (favorites, broken, ...)
  • Custom media set for ClearLogo + Banner + Platform Video.  (See below.)
  • Scanline effect plug on "background opacity" setting in BigBox.
  • Use auto config : No adjustments to be made. (Only the video engine)
  • Annotated XAML file for easy customization.

 

#03. Showcase:BETA version.jpgPict coming soon, after the release of the final version.

  • Platform view 1 = Design for classic EmuMovie gameplay video, with Hardware banner.
  • Platform view 2 = Design for classic EmuMovie gameplay video.
  • Platform view 3 = Designed specifically for my 4:3 video set.
  • Platform view 4 = Designed specifically for video set like official Cinematix set
  • Platform view 5 = Classic text view, with fanart and Hardware banner.
  • Game view 1 = Classic text view. Design for EmuMovie gameplay video.
  • Game view 2 = Vertical cover wheel. Design for EmuMovie gameplay video.
  • Game view 3 = Horizontal cover wheel. Design for EmuMovie gameplay video.
  • Game view 4 = Horizontal cover flow. Design for EmuMovie gameplay video.
  • Game view 4 = Horizontal game box. Design for EmuMovie gameplay video.

 

#04. Request :

  • LaunchBox Premium with BigBox - v.7.0 (beta) and superior.
  • Windows Media Player must be installed on your computer.

 

#05. How To Install :

  • Download the latest version of the theme.
  • Unzipped the "BarTop" folder into your :   .../LaunchBox / Themes.
  • Open BigBox, go to [Option> View] and select [BarTop] as theme.
  • In BigBox option, set the video engine on WMP.
  • Go back into main interface
  • Done !

 

#06. How to Setup :

HOW TO - CHANGING THE VIEW STYLE (platform & games pages)

  • In BigBox Option > Keyboard Mapper > Change View = assign a key.
  • Go back to main view and press this key.

HOW TO - USING SCANLINE EFFECT
In views where the scanline effect is implemented, it's set by the background opacity in BigBox option.

  • set on  0 : scanline off
  • set on 10 : scanline light
  • set on 90 : scanline strong
  • I suggest to set on 20.


#07. Specially designed custom media :
In addition, I shared a whole series of media specially designed for this theme. Of course, you can use any media your want.
I invite you to download them and follow the installation instructions on each of the pages listed below:

 

#08. Changelog :

v.0.9.2

  • add - Custom marquee view for Platform & Games.

v.0.9.1

  • fix - Platform views = The background video no longer have any distortion.
  • add - Games views = The background video no longer have any distortion.

v.0.9.0

  • Initial BETA release.

 


 

Edited by viking
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

List of things to fix or add: (you can make your request and remount your bug)

@Jason Carr Me again ... sorry to come back with my requests with all the work you already have for the v7. But I did some mokup and upload a BETA to make it clearer. I need you for the first 3 points. Thx !!!

 

  • add wheel items < left | center | right > alignement capacity.Theme_BarTop_WIP_031.jpg
  • add wheel items < up | center | down > alignement capacity.Theme_BarTop_WIP_033.jpg
  • add wheel items opacity capacity, selected or not, separately.Theme_BarTop_WIP_032.jpg
  • add custom marquee views, for platform and game.
  • ... (coming soon !)
Edited by viking
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Salut Vik,

Je sais pas si c'est un bug ou une mauvaise configuration de ma part mais j'ai les vidéos de plateforme qui ne s'affiche pas, par contre j'entend le son.

En visuel j'ai que les grosse flèches haut et bas.

Info :

Thème Bartop 9.01
Moteur video VLC
Dernière version LB
Vidéo plateforme : Plateform Video set 4:3 set
Ecran 16-9 1920x1080

Merci a toi

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Nyny77 : Damn you're right !! I use WMP for videos and it works very well. But with VLC, there are no more platform videos and the gameplay videos are zoomed! Someone has an idea?

[ Same in French : Arg ! J'utilise WMP pour les vidéos et il n'y a pas de problème. Mais avec VLC, effectivement, ça déconne complet. Les platform ne s'affiche pas et les games sont zommé. Quelqu'un a une idée ? ]

Here is the code I use for Platform page :


<transitions:TransitionPresenter TransitionSelector="{Binding ImageVideoTransitionSelector}" VerticalAlignment="Stretch" HorizontalAlignment="Right" Content="{Binding ImageVideoView}" IsContentVideo="true" />

This is the basic code of the PDF ... I don't understand :(

 

EDIT AFTER TEST : 

OK, These are the alignment commands that bug with VLC. Without it, it works. Very strange no? @Jason Carr did you have an idea?

These are the controls that work with WMP and not with VLC:


VerticalAlignment="Stretch" HorizontalAlignment="Right"

I'll try to find a way, but in the meantime, uses the WMP engine for everything to work. =)

Edited by viking
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Jason Carr A BIG thank you for all your work. For these video alignment, it works with WMP. So no real worries here.

By the way, I allow myself to raise you on the other points listed above (3 post up). Really sorry to insist so much ... But I'm excited to deliver the final version of my theme! :$

 

EDIT : 

update with BETA v.0.9.2. Add custom marquee view for platform & games.

I tried to stay sober and elegant. I hope you will like it. I still have to test them on very panoramic screens.

Edited by viking
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 years later...

@viking

Hi Viking, I really liked your theme so I'm attempting to use it on my cabinet/CRT. I'm having the same problem as the other user in this thread in regards to using VLC and experiencing the videos zoomed in. I'm fine with not using VLC, but when I switch to Windows Media Player in the options it says its not recommended and that I may have compatibility issues. When I select it to test, I only will hear audio for the preview videos but cannot view them. Have you been able to figure out the cause of VLC not working correctly or have any suggestions of how I can successfully convert to Windows Media Player? Thanks for any help!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi @jtb1987 !
Hum, strange problem. I dont remember a zoom problem in platform video. Can you share a screenshot?

I recommend VLC because Jason found a memory leak with Windows Media Player. Leak from microsoft, so there is nothing he can do about it. But if WMP works well for you, that's perfect!
The preview in the Plaform Video download tool has a problem with 4K videos. I can't do much about it. Maybe HD test?

There is no need to convert anything. All videos are in the .MP4 (H264) standard format.
If your system is struggling with the "4K" version, I suggest you try the "HD" version.

 

Sorry, I thought I was on the COLORFUL topic ^^ !!

I recommend VLC because Jason found a memory leak with Windows Media Player. Leak from microsoft, so there is nothing he can do about it. But if WMP works well for you, that's perfect!
But the problem is, it's a very old theme. We would have to recreate it from scratch.
Sorry =/

Edited by viking
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, viking said:

Hi @jtb1987 !
Hum, strange problem. I dont remember a zoom problem in platform video. Can you share a screenshot?

I recommend VLC because Jason found a memory leak with Windows Media Player. Leak from microsoft, so there is nothing he can do about it. But if WMP works well for you, that's perfect!
The preview in the Plaform Video download tool has a problem with 4K videos. I can't do much about it. Maybe HD test?

There is no need to convert anything. All videos are in the .MP4 (H264) standard format.
If your system is struggling with the "4K" version, I suggest you try the "HD" version.

 

Sorry, I thought I was on the COLORFUL topic ^^ !!

I recommend VLC because Jason found a memory leak with Windows Media Player. Leak from microsoft, so there is nothing he can do about it. But if WMP works well for you, that's perfect!
But the problem is, it's a very old theme. We would have to recreate it from scratch.
Sorry =/

Hi thanks for the reply -

Understand it's an older theme, I'm having trouble trying to sort/group by 4:3 themes only and was happy to find yours.

I only was trying to change it to WMP as per the posts above in this thread were indicating that with WMP, the video didn't "Zoom" in and it sounded like the theme was supposedly working well with WMP but not VLC because of some uknown video alignment issue. But when I tried WMP, I can't get it to play videos at all. Anyways, thanks for the help

Damn you're right !! I use WMP for videos and it works very well. But with VLC, there are no more platform videos and the gameplay videos are zoomed! Someone has an idea?

[ Same in French : Arg ! J'utilise WMP pour les vidéos et il n'y a pas de problème. Mais avec VLC, effectivement, ça déconne complet. Les platform ne s'affiche pas et les games sont zommé. Quelqu'un a une idée ? ]

Here is the code I use for Platform page :

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It must be an old piece of code. This theme deserves to be rewritten from scratch!

In French : Ben écoute, ce doit être un vieux bout de code qui déconne. C'est très étrange quand même ! Surtout les vidéo de GamePlay ! Si WMP fonctionne bien chez toi, ne cherche pas forcement plus loin, tout le monde n'a pas le bug de fuite de mémoire. Chez moi, sur mon Bartop 4:3, j'utilise ce thème sans aucun problème depuis tout ce temps !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Nice, theme, if you go for a rewrite, I would make a request in it if you don't mind. The option to remove the scanline filter on the videos. Can't find the option to do so and if I remove the scanline.png, it starts giving error messages.

Edit: Nevermind, just found the option on this page, lol.  Thank you either way, good theme.

Edited by Fugus
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also, slight update.

I couldn't find "Background Opacity" as an option, asked in the noobs sections to be told it wasn't an option that you must have meant "Background Fade", I set that to zero but still didn't seem to impact it for me, so edited the xml files to remove it and worked fine.

Still the best BigBox theme for my viewing style. Like my menus on the left hand side with clear and readable text and prefer just to have the Box Art and the movie playing because no body I really know bothers to read the descriptions of the games.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...