[Implemented] GUI extra graphics for selected device

[Blackosx]

Could you please explain to me the purpose for 2 files - device_chameleon.png and device_chameleon_0.png?

The two files chameleon.png and chameleon_o.png don't have any use other than something for fun. I just made them when I was doing the others as you might want to rename them your fat32 device for example, as who's to say what the device icons should look like on your system? 

[Blackosx]

And here's another variation of a theme using the glass ball device icons, Blackosx_GlassTrippy.  Here you can see the Ubuntu device icon is selected.



The aim of this theme and the previous one posted is to get some feedback as to how they're working and to try and gain some acceptance for users to see if they want this to be carried further. I can then proceed and look at adding these (and more) to the theme park.


Note: the compiled modified boot file which is required for using this theme is at the bottom of the first post.
To use these new files, you will need a build of Chameleon RC5 r254 onwards.

[Blackosx]

Hi smith@@

No problem with timings for coming back, you enjoy your holiday

But I have just added this mod to the source code from valv's branch on the SVN and it works fine.  The error you are getting is because you must have missed something when adding this mod in to valv's code, that's why I pointed you to gui.h. The changes for my branch can be seen on the SVN here and you can download a diff by clicking the link at the bottom right corner of that page.

But to help you, here is a compiled version of AnVAL4 with this rollover mod included.

[nesnfsn]

Out of curiosity, is there any way within Chameleon to recognize differences between ext3, ext4 and other formats for linux partitions? Between Windows XP, Vista and 7? Tiger, Leopard and Snow Leopard?

If so, then we could have different icons loaded on the main bootloader menu for: Ubuntu and Suse; XP, Vista and 7: Tiger, Leopard and Snow Leopard.

Just a thought. Would love to configure some of your glass (look like pretty little marbles to me) icons for different versions of linux, MS, and OS X so that visually I would immediately recognize which partition option led to which version of an OS.

[Azimutz]

smith@@,
confirming what Blackosx posted.. no problems here merging the patch on valv's branch.
Just do it again on a clean checkout; something is messed up on the one you have.
Nice holidays to you

Blackosx,
so far so good! Didn't found any problems with the code.
About the themes, i like the transparency on the background images; it helps with white fonts and the device icons transparency
Besides the huge amount of resizing and theme.plist editing that some themes require (not only yours!),
my only problem is with resizing fonts... is there any guide around that covers it?

[Blackosx]

Out of curiosity, is there any way within Chameleon to recognize differences between ext3, ext4 and other formats for linux partitions? Between Windows XP, Vista and 7? Tiger, Leopard and Snow Leopard?

Hi nesnfsn

If you search this forum you will find there are many posts with this same common question and there are also answers dotted around to why it's not straightforward.

Nawcom released a patch to recognise different flavours of BSD and that short thread will give you an insight in the problem recognising different linux distros. And for Chameleon recognising different versions of Windows I think would require code to enable it to read NTFS partitions and look deeper at the filesystem, but with the limited amount of bytes available for the bootloader and all this just for a device icon in the GUI is a bit of a non-starter. More recently I've seen this post by generalmilk who tried to achieve it too. But for more answers, you will have to search this forum.

Hope that's some help to you.

[Blackosx]

so far so good! Didn't found any problems with the code.
About the themes, i like the transparency on the background images; it helps with white fonts and the device icons transparency
Besides the huge amount of resizing and theme.plist editing that some themes require (not only yours!),
my only problem is with resizing fonts... is there any guide around that covers it?

Hi Azimutz

Thanks again for your feedback and it's good to hear there doesn't seem to be any problems with this code. Maybe it needs a wider audience for testing?

But yes, I agree that some of the more complicated themes can require some time to get just right on each users display, especially when it's not an everyday thing for most users. That's why the default theme of Chameleon is good as it should fit most displays without intervention. Soon, I hope to get round to releasing a couple of themes with device icons that just float on the screen without having a background/logo frame and also I need to put together some extra images for the default theme to allow it to benefit from this mod.

As for resizing fonts, there is no easy method other than manually editing it an image app, as the red pixel which serves as a separator has to remain a single pixel RGB(255:0:0). The easiest option would be to use Cizko's wonderful FontMaker to make a new font specifcially for the theme on your display. You won't get any of the fancy bevels, grads etc. that I might add to the fonts for my themes but I don't think that really matters too much.

[Blackosx]

I found a problem where the normal device image was still being drawn as well as the rollover image. I noticed it when making a change to the default Chameleon theme where the rollover devices are bigger than the normal ones..

I have fixed to problem and updated the branch and will post the new boot file on the front page of this thread. Note, I have also added Conti's fix for a potential deadbeef error due to an invalid specified screen resolution, posted as an issue by Al Schar on the SVN (thanks Conti).

Thanks so much black and azimutz for post and for help. I will follow your advice soon, probably i messed some code. Thanks;)

You're welcome smith@@, if you try it again then use the updated code now

[smith@@]

Hi, resolve. I've completely forgot to add in gui.h these:

134   int initGUI();
135   void drawBackground();

    I've add also all new code from rev 180 and all work perfectly.


Edit..

[Blackosx]

Hi smith@@. Thanks for reporting back you have solved your problem.. Well done

And just to show I am not resting on this, here's another mockup of a theme idea I have in progress..

[Azimutz]

smith@@, you probably deleted those when you were adding the patch without noticing, because they are present on the code glad to help, even if it was just a confirmation...


Blackosx...
Well, it seems i was wrong, there was something to fix on the code. Tested and working properly now!

About font resizing, that's all i needed to read.. a little insight on the "problem". I had figured that if there was any known guide it would be already posted. Will not forget Cizko's app, already checked it out. For now i just use another font that i know to be working fine on my resolution.

Regarding feedback, it's my pleasure! I really needed to take a look at how themes work so, this was a good motivation with the added bonus of also playing with code. By the way, did i mention the good job you've been doing organizing all this themes related stuff, here on the forum?! yeah, pretty helpful!! i'm sure i'll be Thanking you more in the future.

And that last mokup is just wonderful!!

[Blackosx]

Thanks for the kind words Azimuth
And as you liked the last mock up I did, here's how the theme is coming along...

EDIT: Here's the finished theme



Note: the compiled modified boot file which is required for using this theme is at the bottom of the first post.
To use these new files, you will need a build of Chameleon RC5 r254 onwards.

[Azimutz]

Blackosx,
Switch installed and fully resized/configured/tested:
- resized all png's to fit resolution 85% --> 1440x900
- resized device png's plus 85%; they fit better this way
- moved menu a bit up and left
- moved infobox a bit up and resized to 200
- and moved boot prompt to the top of the screen/centered, for a change

I like the packages you made for these latest themes, with the rtfd ReadMe; forgive me if you used them before on your themes, i've been a very small consumer of themes. Just one thing seems missing to me; a picture that gives us some idea of the Menu, Info boxes and Boot prompt placement, so we can keep faithful to the original author idea when resizing.
Aaah.. and change this

What's extra files are used?

to this

What extra files are used?

on the ReadMe

Keep the inspiration flowing...

[Blackosx]

Thanks for being chief tester Azimuth
I'll correct the text in the ReadMe and have made a note about having an image to show the placement of the theme's elements. The ReadMe I am supplying is new for me, and I thought it would prove useful at least as an introduction to the theme and to how to use it.

As I only use one screen size, it's interesting to hear exactly what you need to do to make a theme fit your display. When you moved the menu and infobox, was that because they were off the screen or just for your personal preference?

Cheers

[Blackosx]

There's no introduction needed for this one..
I have revised it slightly by using the rollover images to show a larger version of the device icon to indicate it's selected.



Note: Like the other theme's I have posted here, this uses a blank device_selection graphic so it won't work correctly on a standard Chameleon build, only on a modified Chameleon. However, the device_selection graphic can still be used if required.

Note: the compiled modified boot file which is required for using this theme is at the bottom of the first post.
To use these new files, you will need a build of Chameleon RC5 r254 onwards.