Sidebar skins

[TomDixon77]

I don't suppose anyone else has been trying to create one? I can get the main tabs in the sidebar with no problem, but for some reason it totally kills the main menu, the specific background doesn't even show up.

If anyone's got any ideas I'd love to hear them.

[dooter7th]

please keep trying :-)

i miss sidebar skins

[scotty1974]

TomDixon you got anymore new ess logo packs made? there amazing would love to have them for most teams

[TomDixon77]

I've tried pretty much everything I can think of with no success. Unless someone knows different, I think sidebar skins may be no more.

[Barkermush]

I've tried pretty much everything I can think of with no success. Unless someone knows different, I think sidebar skins may be no more.

Such a shame.

I'll never forget the day I switched to Chris Rice's Turnstyle skin, such a beast of a Skin that brought Football Manager more to life.

[Wozzie]

I don't suppose anyone else has been trying to create one? I can get the main tabs in the sidebar with no problem, but for some reason it totally kills the main menu, the specific background doesn't even show up.

If anyone's got any ideas I'd love to hear them.

I'm not a skin maker. Done just a few panel tweaks to make my game more fitted to the way I play, but my first impression is connected with priorities. Sidebar comes in first (priority="1") than background doesn't show up (priority not set).

Probably, You've thought of it

[TomDixon77]

Right, this is the code that controls the middle section of the scrren (squad screen, etc.). This section of code works for the main menu.

          <!-- main area - contains sections/actions panel and content areas -->
         <container id="main" >
           <layout class="arrange_horizontal_attachment" alignment="middle, extend" gap="0" offset="0"/>
           <layout class="stick_to_sides_attachment" alignment="vertical" inset="0" layout_children="true"/>

           <!-- margin on each side of the content, gets hidden in full screen mode -->
           <container width="10">
             <!-- hide this panel in "navigation disabled" mode -->
             <attachment class="test_multiple_globals_attachment" default_value="true">
               <list id="get_properties">
                 <record get_property="FS  " test_mode="0" value="true" skip_if_null="true"/>
                 <record get_property="SBhd" test_mode="0" comparison_mode="1" value="true" skip_if_null="true"/>
               </list>
               <integer id="set_property" value="hidn"/>
             </attachment>
           </container>

           <!-- screen content area -->
           <container id="scca" auto_size="horizontal">
             <layout class="stick_to_sides_attachment" alignment="all" layout_children="true" inset="0"/>
           </container>

           <!-- margin on each side of the content, gets hidden in full screen mode -->
           <container width="10">
             <!-- hide this panel in "navigation disabled" mode -->
             <attachment class="test_multiple_globals_attachment" default_value="true">
               <list id="get_properties">
                 <record get_property="FS  " test_mode="0" value="true" skip_if_null="true"/>
                 <record get_property="SBhd" test_mode="0" comparison_mode="1" value="true" skip_if_null="true"/>
               </list>
               <integer id="set_property" value="hidn"/>
             </attachment>
           </container>			

         </container>

From the top, the outer container arranges the inner containers from the middle out (there are three child containers) and al the child containers will stick to the top and the bottom of the parent container.

The first and last child containers are 10 pixel spacers. These are hidden on the main menu (the attachment class in each container controls that).

The middle container is the main screen area and fills up whatever space is between the two outer containers.

Now, if I switch the last spacer for the sidebar, like so:

            <!-- margin on each side of the content, gets hidden in full screen mode -->
           <container width="10">
             <!-- hide this panel in "navigation disabled" mode -->
             <attachment class="test_multiple_globals_attachment" default_value="true">
               <list id="get_properties">
                 <record get_property="FS  " test_mode="0" value="true" skip_if_null="true"/>
                 <record get_property="SBhd" test_mode="0" comparison_mode="1" value="true" skip_if_null="true"/>
               </list>
               <integer id="set_property" value="hidn"/>
             </attachment>
           </container>

           <!-- screen content area -->
           <container id="scca" auto_size="horizontal">
             <layout class="stick_to_sides_attachment" alignment="all" layout_children="true" inset="0"/>
           </container>

		<container width="170" id="sect" file="sections">
			<layout class="stick_to_sides_attachment" alignment="all" layout_children="true" inset="0"/>

			<attachment class="test_multiple_globals_attachment" default_value="true">
				<list id="get_properties">
					<record get_property="FS  " test_mode="0" value="true" skip_if_null="true"/>
					<record get_property="SBhd" test_mode="0" comparison_mode="1" value="true" skip_if_null="true"/>
				</list>

				<integer id="set_property" value="hidn"/>
			</attachment>				
		</container>

         </container>

We get nothing on the main menu or, if I take the hiding code out, the sidebar on its own (which then doesn't want to work).

[Wozzie]

Everything looks just fine. I've come across similar case and only solution I've found (and which only partly worked) was to implement the code from the "sections" into main file.

[TomDixon77]

Well, it looks like I won't be able to do this, so let's have a look at what you could have won (This is very WIP)

[TwinsFan86]

That's a bummer, because it would've been excellent to have this

[Maystor]

It's quite strange that we had sidebar when the aspect ratio of most screens was 4:3/5:4 and now that every laptop and every monitor you can buy is widescreen, and very often lacking in vertical resolution, SI decide to remove sidebar completely and use a bunch of tabs/buttons that take up vertical space. At least horizontal space is used now, without completely empty areas and all, but still a sidebar would be much more useful than any of the additional information that is currently displayed.

[Brick_Tamland]

It's quite strange that we had sidebar when the aspect ratio of most screens was 4:3/5:4 and now that every laptop and every monitor you can buy is widescreen, and very often lacking in vertical resolution, SI decide to remove sidebar completely and use a bunch of tabs/buttons that take up vertical space. At least horizontal space is used now, without completely empty areas and all, but still a sidebar would be much more useful than any of the additional information that is currently displayed.

Well said. I wish SI would would pay attention to this statement.

[eaglesofse25]

Well, it looks like I won't be able to do this, so let's have a look at what you could have won (This is very WIP)

How come you have images of it if you can't do it?

[TomDixon77]

Because whilst it works once you've loaded a game, if you try to start the game with it loaded, you get a blank screen (I mentioned it in the first post)

[martyyyyy]

Please keep trying Tom! I don't play Fm13 because it has no sidebar anymore. The old skins are much better..

I would pay 10 dollars if you could get it to work

[Coop]

I haven't played FM in several months due to the lack of a skin with a tree menu. I hope the next version is easier for skin-makers to create these skins.

[TomDixon77]

After becoming curious as to why the intro screen background shifted to the right when I hit one of the buttons (new game, etc.) as I play at very high res (2560x1440) and it turns out that it was that image that was causing the intro screen to go blank when there's a sidebar. I don't know if I can definitely make it work, but sidebar skins may be possible after all (I've also lost the skin that I used for the screenshots in this thread, so I'm going to have to start from scratch)

[TomDixon77]

Actually, spoke too soon, they're still borked. Sorry.

[TomDixon77]

I don't suppose there's any chance of an official time of death on sidebar skins (or official miracle reprieve?) I'd rather not waste my time trying to create one if it's actually impossible.

[radestock]

I can't imagine it's impossible. It'd be a pain ill admit but you could presumably code a full width and height intro panel from scratch that's independent of the main containers (something in front). The sidebar then shouldn't affect it.

[TomDixon77]

I can't imagine it's impossible. It'd be a pain ill admit but you could presumably code a full width and height intro panel from scratch that's independent of the main containers (something in front). The sidebar then shouldn't affect it.

Okay, that looks like it's working. Now, does anyone know the id of the intro screen, so I can hide the new panel once you leave it?

Although, you can't get into the preferences from the main menu for some reason.

[radestock]

Intro screen is 2 iirc so this should still work

<attachment class="test_global_attachment" get_property="scid" set_property="hidn" skip_if_false="true" value="2"/>

Not sure why the prefs screen won't show.

[TomDixon77]

Intro screen is 2 iirc so this should still work

<attachment class="test_global_attachment" get_property="scid" set_property="hidn" skip_if_false="true" value="2"/>

Not sure why the prefs screen won't show.

I think that's the opposite of what I'm after.

[radestock]

add in

mode="1" 

and it should do the opposite

[TomDixon77]

Nice one, I was trying to find something that did the reverse, but wasn't having any luck

[TomDixon77]

Bugger, that's not working either. I've even tried adding it to the individual elements on the new panel.

[Gee_Simpson]

Will be watching this thread with intent to see if you can manage to implement this for FM 2014.

Fingers Crossed, and Good Luck!

[TomDixon77]

One thing that does worry me is that when the sidebar is implemented, the sections bar (the one with player values, make a bid button, etc.) disappears, but doesn't appear at the bottom of the sidebar.

[TomDixon77]

I might (might) have got this working

[Gee_Simpson]

I might (might) have got this working

Oooh!

[TomDixon77]

The intro screen still acts a bit weirdly.

[scotty1974]

TomDixon could you pm me a copy of the skin so far, ill see if I can do something to help please

[TomDixon77]

It's not really a skin at this point, just a few modified panels to test things out.

[scotty1974]

Well can I get a look see if I can help modify please

[TomDixon77]

Right, I've got rid of one bit of weirdness (the tutorials menu always showed on the second level menus, even if you didn't press that) by getting rid of the tutorials button. It still seems to react very slowly to stuff, but it works. Now to find out if there's anything else that doesn't work.

[Wozzie]

Tom have You switched to FM14 or still working on FM13?

[scotty1974]

Right, I've got rid of one bit of weirdness (the tutorials menu always showed on the second level menus, even if you didn't press that) by getting rid of the tutorials button. It still seems to react very slowly to stuff, but it works. Now to find out if there's anything else that doesn't work.

Send me a copy to my pm ill see if theres anything i can do to help

[radestock]

Without trying to be harsh, Tom is a skilled skinner with years of experience and just today you started a thread asking about making player pictures bigger. What he's doing is waaaay beyond that.

[scotty1974]

lol i know how to make them bigger, i only asked if anyone had one as i didnt have resource archiver downloaded, if thats ok with you

[TomDixon77]

Tom have You switched to FM14 or still working on FM13?

FM14.

Thanks for the offer Scotty, but I'm okay for now. If I get stuck with anything, I'll post up in here, so the maximum number of people can help.

[scotty1974]

Not a problem Tom, Good luck

[TomDixon77]

The only problem I've got at the minute is the actions (the bit with 'Transfer', 'Add To Shortlist' etc. on) don't appear anywhere.

[TomDixon77]

I can't shake the feeling that even if I finish this, it's going to be very, very flaky.

[dave byrd]

Please, please stick with it Tom. I can't tell you how happy I'd be if we could play FM14 with a sidebar skin.

[TomDixon77]

Now I get a black screen after the intro when I start the game with the skin loaded, I can get to the intro screen with no problems from within the game, though. Grrrrrr.

[hr.geisler]

We must get sidebars back !!! The game is worth nothing without

[flogside]

We must get sidebars back !!! The game is worth nothing without

Slight over reaction i think mate bbut yes it would be good to have a sidebar skin again, like the 2007 version skin you did Tom i think? Best skin this game ever had!

[gmbrann]

The filter function is heavily damaged in the beta. Is it possible to restore this so filters wont go away during team-selection?

[TomDixon77]

Now, interestingly, I can make the FMC actions buttons appear at the bottom of the sidebar (though they're horizontally aligned, and look wrong). Now, if only I could find a way to turn them into a tree menu...

[TomDixon77]

oooooooooh