Text in Themes?

[loondawg]

Is there a way to include a text file for use in a theme? I've been hunting around and can't find any examples.

 

What I'm looking for is a way I can add a small text file to a theme to have some text displayed. I would picture it working like videos in that I would add code like the following to designate the position and size.

 

     <Text w="480"
           h="360"
           x="100"
           y="425"

           font="arial.ttf"

           fontsize=6
           r="0"
           below="no"
           time="1"
           delay="0.5"
           type="grow"
           start="none"/>
 

And then it would either use a file named system.txt or a fixed name of a text file included in the theme.

 

I'd love to be able to use this include text notes that displayed on the main menu as I'm setting up the system and then use it to give some basics about each system when they're done. I've been doing this using artwork but it is nightmare to maintain the art. If I could simply include a text file, it would be a huge improvement. Can this be done?

[ninja2bceen]

Each theme has to have an added layer yes. Take forever but it's possible

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[loondawg]

Wow! Thanks for the fast answer. I don't understand what you mean by added layers though. I'm more than happy to do the work to maintain it. I just need to know how to begin. Can you explain what you mean by added layers or point to some documentation that may help to explain it?

 

I've got plenty of coding experience. I'm just really new to hyperspin and the terminology used.

[dark13]

Is it possible to have a text layer in hyperspin? As far as I know the only text layer available can just show title, manufacturer and year.

 

@loondawg

 

I took a different approach using photoshop batching, a .csv file created in openoffice is fed to photoshop and it creates the images as .psd, another batch convert them in .png and the final step is made into flash with a .jsfl script to convert .png to .swf (smooth flag in flash helps improving graphic when HS runs in 16:9). The advantage is... well, the .csv has all the data, to change layout you only need to create a new layout, assign variables and rebatch, it' all automatized. on the FTP in upload here/dark13 you can find "infopanel tutorial.zip", a raw videotutorial explaining the whole thing.

 

Here's the final result

 

TBH I was thinking also to another approach... in flash you can create a .swf that changes frames when a button is pressed, so a fullscreen artwork on artwork4 can be created. The only problem is code has eventlistner and BBB told me this kind of code might cause memory leaking, so it should be tested. Here's a quick example, first frame in empty, a shape with garbage text appear when Y is pressed, it disappear when spacebar is pressed.

 

test dialogbox.zip

[loondawg]

@ dark13

 

That's a really impressive front-end. I'm still using Hyperspin. But maybe now that I've switched to Rocketlauncer and Retroarch, it's time to take a look at using Kodi instead.

 

And I'll take a look at your tutorial. I very much appreciate your response. It gives me a lot of ideas (and a hell of a lot of work too probably ;-)

[dark13]

Yeah, that's HyperSpin, I'm just converting Aeon Nox 4 theme to hyperspin Now it has also clock and weather (made in flash)

 

 

the problem with kodi/xbmc... well, it's RCB. I'm running my HTPC on my old p4 1gb 9800gtx+ and actually hyperspin with that skin is faster than xbmc gotham with aeon nox 4 (on my htpc I don't have animated dialog and i'm using low res boxarts). RCB takes AGES to load a full mame list on weak hardware...

[ninja2bceen]

Go to hypertheme and make ur theme or go to media>main menu> theme. U can add layers of whatever as long as you have artwork1,2,or 3 available.

Dark has essentially replaced the ui because he thought like u but then some. He's doing a great job. He is still working on it, ask him how long though

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