[jjd-uk]

Ok I've worked to convert my xml into doing it properly.

My commits are at https://github.com/jjd-uk/xbmc/tree/settings1

I've hit a couple of what are probably minor snags that are beyond me to take any further for the moment, so I've had to retain one of the hacks for the moment.

Problems:

I changed Services to Network, to provide consistency I added a Network window following the method I'd used for the other new Windows I created (Device, Media, Library), however when I specify new window name for the section in https://github.com/jjd-uk/xbmc/blob/sett...ttings.xml as follows:

Code:

<section id="network" label="14203" help="36319">

when I open the Network section in the GUI it doesn't see the categories.[/quote]

If I change it to

Code:

<section id="services" label="14203" help="36319">

it works.

The other issue is that I've moved Audio Output to a new Section/Window called Device, this shows up there fine however the despite the Audio Output section having been removed from the System section in settings.xml it is still showing under System in the GUI, I guess there must be something hard coded somewhere

However it compiles fine and I've been able to point jenkins at my branch to produce builds.

Windows Build

http://mirrors.xbmc.org/test-builds/win3...tings1.exe

OSX Build

http://mirrors.xbmc.org/test-builds/osx/...x86_64.dmg

Android Build

x86: http://mirrors.xbmc.org/test-builds/andr...s1-x86.apk
ARM: http://mirrors.xbmc.org/test-builds/andr...bi-v7a.apk

Note I've not yet done the platform specific setting.xml's yet that provide the individual platform overrides of the defaults.

[jjd-uk]

The main section layout is now:

• Device (new) - for all settings related to the device hardware you are running Kodi on, at the top as normalyl the 1st things I change on a clean build are video & audio output.
  
• Media (new) - for all playback & other actions for media items
  
• Library (new) - for how you media is shown/displayed and organised, including file lists as these are now mostly Music/Video Library nodes, one definition of Library I found "A collection of films, recorded music, etc., organized systematically"
  
• TV (unchanged)
  
• Addons (unchanged)
  
• Network (Services renamed & changed) - this is renamed from Services which I never like as Services tells me nothing, most phone & other devices I've used but any connection services under a Network category. In line with this I've moved Internet Access here so everything for connections to & from Kodi are in one place.
  
• System (changed) - this is now the area for personalising Kodi for your system, logging and other none hardware settings.
  

Potential Controversial Decisions

• I've removed Appearance since there is not much under here and moved the Skin/Region stuff to to System.
  
  
• I've removed Weather from appearing under settings in the GUI but they remain in settings.xml, as Weather is now provided by addons I feel this should be separated from core settings, so access to the settings is done purely within the Weather window.
  

[Montellese]

I changed Services to Network, to provide consistency I added a Network window following the method I'd used for the other new Windows I created (Device, Media, Library), however when I specify new window name for the section in https://github.com/jjd-uk/xbmc/blob/sett...ttings.xml as follows:

Code:

<section id="network" label="14203" help="36319">

when I open the Network section in the GUI it doesn't see the categories.

If I change it to

Code:

<section id="services" label="14203" help="36319">

it works.

That's most likely because the sections are also hardcoded in the code because every section has it's own WindowID so that skins can call/open it directly and will therefore require changes to core.

The other issue is that I've moved Audio Output to a new Section/Window called Device, this shows up there fine however the despite the Audio Output section having been removed from the System section in settings.xml it is still showing under System in the GUI, I guess there must be something hard coded somewhere

There shouldn't be anything hardcoded about categories so this seems odd.

• Network (Services renamed & changed) - this is renamed from Services which I never like as Services tells me nothing, most phone & other devices I've used but any connection services under a Network category. In line with this I've moved Internet Access here so everything for connections to & from Kodi are in one place.
  

This is basically how it was a few years ago but a lot of people (including myself) didn't like that and changed it from Network to Services (yes the name could be better) and moved the whole internet proxy category into system settings because it doesn't fit together with the rest of the settings in that section.

• I've removed Weather from appearing under settings in the GUI but they remain in settings.xml, as Weather is now provided by addons I feel this should be separated from core settings, so access to the settings is done purely within the Weather window.
  

Where can I choose the default/active weather addon? Does the weather window support that and the possibility to install/choose a different addon?

[jjd-uk]

I created new WindowID's here https://github.com/jjd-uk/xbmc/commit/10...71c35ccab0 and the newly defined WindowID's work for Devices, Media & Library sections, just not Network.

Weather can be completely configured from within the Weather window, all I've done is remove is the Weather section from the Confluence GUI, the settings are still there in the settings.xml so it's for skins to make the choice, see https://github.com/jjd-uk/xbmc/commit/47...fb7916af0e

Since it can be fully configured going via the Weather window I felt we could drop it from the Settings area as it doesn't seem to fit there with everything else for me, epecially since it's provided via add-ons so no longer part of core. However I've real no issue with restoring it to under Settings if that's felt best, I did partly because I knew it would create discussion to see what's the right way to access these settings.

[Montellese]

As long as it can be configured from the weather window that's fine with me.

[jjd-uk]

It's probably best to see these changes in person hence me getting these builds done in time for Devcon, I'll be sure to load a build onto my laptop so I can give anyone a demo who hasn't got time to install a build to check it out for themselves.

[jjd-uk]

• Network (Services renamed & changed) - this is renamed from Services which I never like as Services tells me nothing, most phone & other devices I've used but any connection services under a Network category. In line with this I've moved Internet Access here so everything for connections to & from Kodi are in one place.
  

This is basically how it was a few years ago but a lot of people (including myself) didn't like that and changed it from Network to Services (yes the name could be better) and moved the whole internet proxy category into system settings because it doesn't fit together with the rest of the settings in that section.

My view was that this section should contain anything concerning connecting to & from Kodi via it's network connection, so I felt Internet Access is something associated with connecting to the internet from Kodi, but this was something I was somewhat split on myself on what the right way to go way. So again no issue in changing if it's felt I've gone the wrong path here if some general consensus can be arrived at.

[Piers]

I'm liking how this is turning out and has evolved - I look forward to doing more testing and offering feedback via IRC (saw your ping earlier, sorry for delayed response).

[jjd-uk]

As long as it can be configured from the weather window that's fine with me.

Looks like I messed up somewhere, I guess when I tested this I didn't use a clean build with no prior Weather settings, as I just tried with a clean build and I can't get the home window Weather item to show, I guess something is needed in the settings options for 1st run, so I'll reinstate the Weather item to Settings.

[ronie]

in confluence, the weather menu item won't show up if you have not selected a weather addon:
https://github.com/xbmc/xbmc/blob/master...e.xml#L931

if you want to get rid of the weather item on the settings screen,
you'll need to change that visible condition so user can at least get to the weather window in order to set stuff up.

[jjd-uk]

Thanks for pointer, but I guess we'll just have to live with it in the main Settings area since I guess not everyone will want a Weather home menu item, then again it's possible to hide with the skin settings home menu options. Will need to discuss with people over the weekend as I'm really unsure what the best way forward is with Weather, easy option is to just leave it as it was.

[FernetMenta]

The main section layout is now:

• Device (new) - for all settings related to the device hardware you are running Kodi on, at the top as normalyl the 1st things I change on a clean build are video & audio output.
  
• Media (new) - for all playback & other actions for media items
  
• Library (new) - for how you media is shown/displayed and organised, including file lists as these are now mostly Music/Video Library nodes, one definition of Library I found "A collection of films, recorded music, etc., organized systematically"
  
• TV (unchanged)
  
• Addons (unchanged)
  
• Network (Services renamed & changed) - this is renamed from Services which I never like as Services tells me nothing, most phone & other devices I've used but any connection services under a Network category. In line with this I've moved Internet Access here so everything for connections to & from Kodi are in one place.
  
• System (changed) - this is now the area for personalising Kodi for your system, logging and other none hardware settings.
  

Potential Controversial Decisions

• I've removed Appearance since there is not much under here and moved the Skin/Region stuff to to System.
  
  
• I've removed Weather from appearing under settings in the GUI but they remain in settings.xml, as Weather is now provided by addons I feel this should be separated from core settings, so access to the settings is done purely within the Weather window.
  

IMO "Device" and "System" is confusing. I have never called my laptop a device because this term is already taken: audio or video components are devices.

[Piers]

The main section layout is now:

• Device (new) - for all settings related to the device hardware you are running Kodi on, at the top as normalyl the 1st things I change on a clean build are video & audio output.
  
• Media (new) - for all playback & other actions for media items
  
• Library (new) - for how you media is shown/displayed and organised, including file lists as these are now mostly Music/Video Library nodes, one definition of Library I found "A collection of films, recorded music, etc., organized systematically"
  
• TV (unchanged)
  
• Addons (unchanged)
  
• Network (Services renamed & changed) - this is renamed from Services which I never like as Services tells me nothing, most phone & other devices I've used but any connection services under a Network category. In line with this I've moved Internet Access here so everything for connections to & from Kodi are in one place.
  
• System (changed) - this is now the area for personalising Kodi for your system, logging and other none hardware settings.
  

Potential Controversial Decisions

• I've removed Appearance since there is not much under here and moved the Skin/Region stuff to to System.
  
  
• I've removed Weather from appearing under settings in the GUI but they remain in settings.xml, as Weather is now provided by addons I feel this should be separated from core settings, so access to the settings is done purely within the Weather window.
  

IMO "Device" and "System" is confusing. I have never called my laptop a device because this term is already taken: audio or video components are devices.

But 'Device' does make sense for Android platforms, and 'System' makes sense to configure further Kodi settings... although I would change the name 'System' to something else...

[FernetMenta]

Are you saying Kodi is going to be Android only with the new settings. Hopefully not. The terms need to make sense on all platforms.

[jjd-uk]

IMO "Device" and "System" is confusing. I have never called my laptop a device because this term is already taken: audio or video components are devices.

I wanted to split out video and audio output from System into a more obviously named section, as I felt there were a bit hidden where they are. So I started out with just the video and audio options in a Display & Audio section but then expended it to cover all hardware related stuff and changed the section name to try and reflect this. Up to now I've been trying to get a structure that I think works, so while I've given some thought to the namings I'm more than happy to listen to different suggestions.