ncoH/Avalon — Issue #47: Deliver the skin as MPEI package
Author: bodiroga
Created: 2011-10-27 00:18:06+00:00
State: open
Labels: enhancement

Hi Nico!

I suppose that you are going to reject this suggestion, but I feel that I have to "fight" for it as much as I can, so here it is.

In my opinion we should do several changes to the installation and update process of the skin as it is really nonstandard and not so userfriendly. This are the changes that I would do (some of them are made by me):

1) Build the skin installer using the MPEI format. C'mon guys, aren't we part of the awesome MediaPortal community? Why don't we use then the standard extension installer format? (I have build myself an Avalon.mpe1 file that it's working fine in my first tests, so this part is nearly completed)
2) Upload the Avalon.mpe1 and an update.xml file here in Git with the actual release information and change the download link in http://www.team-mediaportal.com/extensions/widescreen/avalon-skin to point to the .mpe1 file. (Easy to do)
3) Delete all the "skin update" related things from the AvalonConfig.dll file as they are going to be useless. (Uppsss... no C# skills, although I'm having a look at the source code)
4) Add the "Extensions" plugin to the installer. This way users could install newer versions of Avalon (and other plugins/skins) easily and in a standardized way (Done).
5) Change the "Update Available" button in homescreen and redirect it to "updates view" of Extension plugin. Really easy to do, done it myself, the only things that have to be done is change the hyperlink id of button to "801", the hyperlinkParameter tag to "view:updates", and the visibility tag to "!string.equals(#mpei.updates,null)". It's working great here although I'm having problems with the focus of the button due to the AvalonConfig program (I hate it :D:D:D)

Which are the benefits of this changes? Users will be able to install Avalon from MediaPortal Extension Installer and from inside MediaPortal with the Extensions plugin, easier way of delivering updates of the skin without having to use paths and 3rd party software, give a hand to damienh (ltfearme) with the Extensions plugin popularization, help the users updating their extensions with the home screen button,...

Sooooo... what's your opinion guys? Do you like the idea?

Many thanks for all your work and looking forward to hear your opinion ;)

Best regards,

Aitor