General Help with my first Project

[LuciferVisuals]

Yep. Like I told you before: make a skin suite. So, Lucifer's Playground will be the suite (and the "main skin folder"), and in it you have various subdivisions aka individual skins (i.e. the subfolders of the main folder). All skins in the suite will share the same @Resources folder, meaning that it will be at the same folder level as the individual skins in the suite:

Code: Select all

Skins --- Lucifer's Playground -+- @Resources
                                |
                                +- Credits
                                |
                                +- Iris
                                |
                                +- ...
                                |
                               ...

You are a star.....

Actually I have been unsuccessfully playing with ways to do this, and kept overwriting the Main folder, Obviously there is no advantage to this at the moment (there are no resources for skins to share..... yet), but wanted it solved in principle before writing a lot of code, then find that would need rewriting.

I will have a quick play with that first before I actually start coding.

On that, I decided I might as well jump in at the deep end and go for it, rather that consume time on something purely experimental. That said, all the graphics etc will be basic (crap) initially... Unless I happen to have one done, as its still experimental, so I will focus on the structure and everything will hopefully be as it will in the final product... If it works LOL. So many ideas and variables in my head.

I did work out how I could, make each as a separate skin, then use the dreaded VBS and/or Batch files to put it where I wanted it using x-copy or robocopy without overwriting the main directory. But was hoping not to have to use that, but it was an "At least I know a working Solution" If all else fails.... But as usual you solved my problem, well subject to testing, but by now I have no reason to doubt you.

Thanks again for that.

As I have many unspoken variables bouncing around in my head, I may ask you some, "strange" questions that may "Look" irrelevant. But I hope you will trust me enough by now, to know that I would not waste your time (or mine), IF I did not think there was a point in asking them.... That said I am managing to find more stuff in the manual, and forum now.

I think at first it all looks like it may as well have been Chinese, and that was a bit off putting, now as I understand more in the first place, it makes it easier to find what I want, and get to the key parts.

Speak soon, I at least think this will result in something very cool, but time will tell.

Keith

[LuciferVisuals]

Yep. Like I told you before: make a skin suite.

Sorry, sounds perfect but I just tried and cannot find the "suite" option, probably obvious, but I can't see it.. Can you please tell me where it is?

Keith

[Yincognito]

Sorry, sounds perfect but I just tried and cannot find the "suite" option, probably obvious, but I can't see it.. Can you please tell me where it is?

There is no such option. The "skin" being a suite of individual "configs" depends on the folder structure (I guess you could replicate it from the Manage Rainmeter window, but I always prefer to do it just by creating folders and .ini files in the right place accordingly). The suite is basically the "root config".

[LuciferVisuals]

There is no such option. The "skin" being a suite of individual "configs" depends on the folder structure (I guess you could replicate it from the Manage Rainmeter window, but I always prefer to do it just by creating folders and .ini files in the right place accordingly). The suite is basically the "root config".

Ah, I had tried that and it kept over writing the existing files, I'll try again later, I must be doing something wrong.

And that has just killed the question I was going to ask. I better get this working before I go any further as it affects how I structure everything.

Thanks...... speak later

[LuciferVisuals]

Guess what? Remember a lifetime ago I mentioned I had to do a system Restore. and that deleted my .ini files? (I think it was you I told about it). Anyway, I knew I did not have this Illustro everyone keeps referring to, so just tried to find it to download it, discovered I should have it, and retrieved it from the rainmeter Backup.... This could of been useful LOL

But I will look at it now (for the first time) and see if it clarifies this putting things in a suit.

Keith

[LuciferVisuals]

So IF I create a new skin, with just one sub directory in it (say remote\ containing something say a remote control.ini). Then create a new sub directory say Stargate\ containing Stargate.ini, they will share the same resources folder. Now if I make a third project say flying-pigs\ and offer that later as a new skin, IT SHOULDNT OVERWRITE, whats already there ? it should just add a third sub directory Flying-pigs\ to the root, and add any new files to resources, in their respective folders?

So have I got that right? .....

Because I tried that (obviously without the guidelines or instructions) but I did, or tried to do exactly that, expecting it to work, it did not work for me.... It over wrote things (several times) .... But if it's supposed to work, then I obviously did some thing wrong so will get to the bottom of why it did not work before, and continue until it does work... (like finding the quote marks). I will persevere until I make it work

BTW If that is how it's supposed to work, should not take long to find out what I'm doing wrong, but that would bring me back to the question I was going to ask. If the third skin has a resource folder, the same as an existing resource folder, will it merge the two, or will it over write the existing one?

Keith

[Yincognito]

So IF I create a new skin, with just one sub directory in it (say remote\ containing something say a remote control.ini). Then create a new sub directory say Stargate\ containing Stargate.ini, they will share the same resources folder. Now if I make a third project say flying-pigs\ and offer that later as a new skin, IT SHOULDNT OVERWRITE, whats already there ? it should just add a third sub directory Flying-pigs\ to the root, and add any new files to resources, in their respective folders?

If you're offering the 3rd (flying pigs) as a different skin / .rmskin, then it won't overwrite anything (except earlier versions of the flying pigs, if you set it so), but won't share resources or main / parent folder with the first two since it will be installed in its own folder. However, if you're offering it as the same skin and version (aka the main skin, but containing only the additional resources and the 3rd .ini in its subfolder) AND untick "Advanced/Backup Skins", it will just "add" what's new (the 3rd "subskin") to the mix (the other 2 "subskins") and keep the resource sharing while only overwriting what it already exists:

Main Skin_1.0.0_Part_1_2.rmskin

Main Skin_1.0.0_Part_3.rmskin

I replicated the "remote" + "stargate" and the "flying pigs" skin scenario above. The drawback is that there can't be 2 Main Skin folders in the skins folder at the same time (one for the former skins, one for the latter skin), so I moved one of them to a different partition in order to package each "part" separately.

Or, you can try using Step 3: Advanced -> Merge Skins from that entry in the manual. If you do, check the note there, in case you want to use Variables Files too.

If the third skin has a resource folder, the same as an existing resource folder, will it merge the two, or will it over write the existing one?

See the above.

[LuciferVisuals]

See the above.

Was about to actually start coding, thank you I will look into all this first, so many variables in my head, I think (hope) they will clarify as soon as I actually start coding this. I have spent a long time thinking about this, and it's not quite there, but very soon I will make a start on it.

Hopefully still today.

One thing I'm still trying to work out (but it will work either way, just needs coding slightly differently) is in the eventuality that (excuse terminology, if wrong, but been reading other stuff related to the idea). If the skin (say sub project A) "calls" a file insert (@include) variable as I understand it that will not over write stuff that's already there in the base code (say a user inserted variable with the same name). I'm Sure that's right. Normally in RM code it appears that If I gave an instruction to use variable-A then followed it with another instruction to do the same thing using Variable-B, it would obey the second request ignoring the first (I have made that mistake earlier, cant remember when) But sure you know what I mean.

So if @inc1 had a variable not previously "detailed?" or specified in the skin base code it would insert it.. All good so far.
If @inc 2 likewise had different not previously "detailed?" or specified it would insert that.. All good so far.

What IF.... for example unintentionally @inc3 contained a variable not previously "detailed?" or specified in the base code of the skin, But detailed to be inserted inserted by @inc1 or @inc2?

Would it not insert it because one of the other calls did it first, or would the last one i.e. inc 3 be used and the previous instruction ignored? or another outcome?

I'm bearing in mind how complex this "might" end up, the idea being to give the end user maximum flexibility, and so potentially this affects the order in which @includes are called, in the base code, in case it an unpredictable "conflicting" @include is called.

Keith

I promise once I start coding I wont bother you for a while until I have some kind of rough draft to look at

[LuciferVisuals]

See the above.

Excellent example thank you, I had read everything you referred to several times, (I struggle absorbing info that way, as previously mentioned), An While this isn't exactly crystal clear..... Yet. It's enough for the moment to start coding and I will play with it some more to ensure the same can be done with mine. On the page referred to the hyperlink variables, doesn't work. I tried to follow it
as I will be using "A LOT" of variables, in fact I wouldn't be surprised if eventually the entire skin is made up almost entirely of @includes and Variables

That said I don't think this will be a problem, I just thought I would tell you in case you wanted to test it, and if it doesn't work for you either, report it.

Personally I'll try it again later.

Keith

[LuciferVisuals]

Hi, we might lose contact for a bit. I just lost my C: drive something like "NDTL is missing" from a millisecond look at the error message, I uses SSD to back up the c: drive but the same result, I know they are ok. This isnt RM related, so not asking you to help.

Its probably related to a VPN, which somehow has installed itself on my router according to netflix, I tried to remove it from the PC, and the result is atm that the PC will no longer accept a boot drive.....

Obcviously this needs sorting b4 I can do anything else

K