[JDizzy]

I'm liking this skin and would like to add a couple tweaks to it.
Is it possible to change what is displayed on the Alt Home Screen?

At the moment, there are 3 rows displaying Custom, TV Episodes, and Most Played Albums.
Where are these rows defined (which xml files), and would it be difficult to change and having other things displayed?

I know that it is possible from the other Home screen through setup, but not for the Alt Home Screen.

One other thing, when moving around the Movies section, there is a black box that pops up behind the movie you are looking at that
displays the movies name. Where is that code located? I'd like to change it a little.
Thanks!

[Hitcher]

includes_home_alt.xml and a few of the View xmls.

[lukeashe]

Hi Hitcher,

Is it possible on the alt view to enable recently added movies and tv shows as one of the items on the home screen?

EDIT: I found that the normal screen can use the recently added plus Custom items

[x3mist]

Hitcher,
what changes are required in xml to make the main left vertical menu on Home ALT screen initially minimized or hidden (i.e. shrinked vertically) like on the Pictures view, so the menu items can only be accessed after push of left arrow button and that it shrinks back again when right arrow button pushed (to access 15 custom items on home alt screen). So basically I'm asking about the option to (auto)hide left menu on alt home screen (shown on demand). Also, on XBMC startup, currently the item having focus jumps randomly from the left menu (initial focus is usually on one of the menu items, marked green) to one of a custom items (probably to the last used one) - is there a way to always set focus (make selection) on predefined or last used custom item instead, so the main left menu would never have initial focus on startup? Thanks!

[jzplusplus]

Hitcher,
what changes are required in xml to make the main left vertical menu on Home ALT screen initially minimized or hidden (i.e. shrinked vertically) like on the Pictures view, so the menu items can only be accessed after push of left arrow button and that it shrinks back again when right arrow button pushed (to access 15 custom items on home alt screen)....

I just finished tweaking the skin to hide the side menu on the home screen. It works, but it's a little messy (I've never messed with XBMC skins before). I'll link my changes below. I'm not making any guarantees on whether it will work for you, I just changed it for my own use. For example, I removed the original home screen code entirely, because I don't know how my tweaks would affect it. If you notice something specific that's wrong, I can try to fix it.

Files that changed:
Custom_51_Main_Menu.xml - http://pastebin.com/gpsyHEPb
Home.xml - http://pastebin.com/THT7P41c
includes_home_alt.xml - http://pastebin.com/aTSLy3rF
includes.xml - http://pastebin.com/6rQrV59i

[x3mist]

I just finished tweaking the skin to hide the side menu on the home screen.

Wow, thanks a lot for the effort! It really hides side menu just as I wished!!!

I just replaced these 4 files directly. Few observations:

1. All the alt home screen icons are just white empty rectangles - is that because you renamed HomeList_1 -> Home_List_1 or what should be done?
2. What the diff ListItem.Thumb -> ListItem.Art(thumb)?
3. Can we have max 6 x 3 = 18 icons now instead of max 15 as before?
4. <include file="Variables.xml" /> - what was that?
5. what's <onclick>noop</onclick>?

[jzplusplus]

1. All the alt home screen icons are just white empty rectangles - is that because you renamed HomeList_1 -> Home_List_1 or what should be done?
2. What the diff ListItem.Thumb -> ListItem.Art(thumb)?
...
4. <include file="Variables.xml" /> - what was that?
5. what's <onclick>noop</onclick>?

I didn't change any of those things. Which version of XBMC and Xeebo are you starting with? I'm working from Frodo, Xeebo version 5.0.2. I can take a look at changing the old version too if you need it (and if you ask nicely).

The thumbnail issue might still apply though. I've just been setting custom Favorites shortcuts on the grid, so I'm not sure about how it acts with the usual "recently added" stuff.

3. Can we have max 6 x 3 = 18 icons now instead of max 15 as before?

I'll experiment with this when I get a chance. I'm hopeful that it can work.

[x3mist]

... version of XBMC and Xeebo are you starting with? I'm working from Frodo, Xeebo version 5.0.2...

That explained everything. I was on Eden. Upgraded to Frodo now.

The thumbnail issue might still apply though. I've just been setting custom Favorites shortcuts on the grid, so I'm not sure about how it acts with the usual "recently added" stuff.

I do almost the same, but usually by directly editing guisettings.xml

Can we have max 6 x 3 = 18 icons now instead of max 15 as before?

Yes, that actually works! Grid items 16...18 needed to be added manually by editing guisettings.xml, but maybe Hitcher or somebody else could expand Skin Setttings sections to make GUI work here. The entire setting might be named as Low profile (or Hidden) Home Screen Menu checkbox. That would enable the functionality AND in the same time switch the custom items grid from 5x3 to 6x3 mode.

jz++, I didn't find the need to change Custom_51_main_menu.xml - I got your aim but currently it doesn't work consistently - just try to go to Weather and you will see the panel with weather will be enabled when side menu expanded. Frankly speaking, there is need to rewrite the logic entirely, so if we have an item playing, there would be the good reason to hide weather info to make more space for the playing item text.
Also, I left default conditions in Home.xml as it seems more appropriate and does not break default Home view. Expanding from 15 to max 18 items was sure obvious. Take a look here, the zip file will be removed in 4 weeks, sorry, I don't see the attachment service in this forum!

EDIT: Here is the another link to the modded files in hope it would last better.