Advanced User Customization

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Introduction

This document gives you a basic instruction on user customization you can do in My Movies for Windows Media Center.

The configuration for the general apperance of My Movies for Windows Media Center is placed in the Collection Management program, by choosing "Configure", "Options". If you however would like to customize the interface more than what can be choosed from these options, there is a an option to place user specific files in the directory:

"C:\ProgramData\My Movies\FileStorage\User Customization" ("C:\ProgramData" is a hidden directory).

Notice that all customization should be done on the server if you are running a multi-zone environment, and not on the individual clients. Should you be using Windows Home Server V1 as your back-end server, the directory for customization will be placed in the directory:

"D:\My Movies\FileStorage\User Customization" (The directory may have to be created).

The directory on Windows Home Server 2011 is the same as the one on client PC's.

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Genre, Category and Filter Images

By placing an image named with the name of the genre, category or filter, such as "Action.jpg" or "Action.png" within a folder named "Genres" for genres, "Categories" for categories and "Filters" or filters in the "User Customization" folder, this image will be displayed in the category list by default, such as:

"C:\ProgramData\My Movies\FileStorage\User Customization\Genres\Action.jpg" "C:\ProgramData\My Movies\FileStorage\User Customization\Categories\Kids.jpg"

or

"C:\ProgramData\My Movies\FileStorage\User Customization\Genres\Action.png" "C:\ProgramData\My Movies\FileStorage\User Customization\Categories\Kids.png"

The image can be in JPEG or PNG format, where the PNG format provides alpha transparency. The default size of the images is 200 x 200 pixels, and all other sizes will be resized to match this size.

The full list of Genres available within My Movies can be seen in the list added to the bottom of this document.

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Genre, Category and Filter Backdrops

As an addition to the Genre, Category and Filter images, you can also place a backdrop for each item in the same folder as the images, with the name of the genre, category or filter, with an added "-Backdrop" label, such as "Action-Backdrop.jpg". Example:

"C:\ProgramData\My Movies\FileStorage\User Customization\Genres\Action-Backdrop.jpg" "C:\ProgramData\My Movies\FileStorage\User Customization\Categories\Kids-Backdrop.jpg"

The backdrops can be in JPEG format only, since large images in PNG format would have a very large file size. The backdrops must be in 1920x1080 or 1280x720 pixels resolution.

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Cover Profiles

The covers in My Movies is by default plain images for DVD’s, and plain image with a Blu-ray and HD DVD top and bottom border to for Blu-ray or HD DVD’s.

Using cover profiles, the user can easily switch between this “Default” plain type, and other custom created profiles that are either included with the program, or can be downloaded and applied to your system. The cover profile “Plastic”, which is included with the program can be used as an example.

The used cover profile is selected in the Collection Management configuration, on the “Media Center Interface” tab, using the “Cover Style” drop-down. Notice that changing the cover profiles will give you an information box that covers must be re-generated, which is done automatically, but can take some time depending on the size of your collection. Once changed, a selected cover profile will automatically be applied to new titles, and to any change of titles in your collection.

Notice that since cover files is shared between the server and clients, the cover profile setting that applies to all clients connected to a server – if the cover profile is changed on one client, it is actually changed on the server, and applied to all clients connecting to the server. The setting is automatically read from the server, and does therefore not have to be set on all clients.

The main part of a cover profile is an XML document, containing information about a number of image files to be used for cover generation. The XML file should be placed like this, and “ProfileName.xml” should be replaced by a unique name describing your cover set. Start with a copy of the “Plastic.xml” file, and replace the entries with your own. If you plan to share your cover profile with other users, include an artist name, such as “Artist – Style.xml” as the profile name:

"C:\ProgramData\My Movies\FileStorage\User Customization\Cover Profiles\ProfileName.xml"

You then create a folder for your profile like this:

"C:\ProgramData\My Movies\FileStorage\User Customization\Cover Profiles\ProfileName"

Place all files required for the cover profile inside this directory, and reference this directory in the XML configuration.

On the top “CoverProfile” node, you must specify a size of your cover style, the size must be the same for DVD, Blu-ray and HD DVD – the height of the style must be 343 pixels, while the width is variable. The text margin specification determines the position of the overlay title text placed on covers if no cover is available.

The cover profile contains a “Under” and “Over” image for each of the three types, DVD, Blu-ray and HD DVD, which as the name indicates is placed under and over the actual cover image. You can use the max size and position parameters determine how the cover itself will be placed and scaled. It is recommended to keep the 1.43 (313 / 291 pixels) aspect ratio for DVD’s, and the 1.235 (299 / 242) aspect ratio for Blu-ray and HD DVD, to ensure the covers to not appear stretched.

Along with a cover profile, the artist can optionally include a set of overlay icons that matches the style of the cover profile – if included; these icons will overrule any setting applied in configuration. If not included, be sure that your cover profile looks correct with all of the included overlay icon styles available within the program.

The overlay icons must be provided as PNG files with optional alpha transparency, named as follows:

"InDriveDVD.png", "InDriveBD.png", "InDriveHD.png", "SeriesBoxSet.png", "Watched.png", "NotWatched.png", "PartlyWatched.png", "Online.png", "Offline.png", "InChanger.png", "New.png", "LentOut.png", "BluRay3D.png", "Dimention_720.png", "Dimention_1080.png".

Similar, the icons on the list views change be customized by providing PNG files with optionally alpha transparencym named as follows (4.01 required):

"WatchedList.png", "NotWatchedList.png", "PartlyWatchedList.png".

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External Players

My Movies External Player feature holds configuration for many external players by default. The configuration for the default known players can be found in the directory:

"C:\Program Files\Binnerup Consult\My Movies for Windows Media Center\ExternalPlayers.xml" or "C:\Program Files (x86)\Binnerup Consult\My Movies for Windows Media Center\ExternalPlayers.xml"

This file should not be edited, since it will be replaced each time the program is updated.

Instead, create a copy of the "ExternalPlayers.xml" in the directory:

"C:\ProgramData\My Movies\FileStorage\User Customization\ExternalPlayers.xml"

If you are not familiar with editing XML files and their structures, you should not try to customize external players.

It is recommended that you remove the configuration for players that are already in the file, that you do not need to change settings for. By doing this, you ensure that the latest configuration for these players are always distributed with My Movies.

If a player is configured with the same name both in the user configuration XML file as well as the default XML file, the information in the user configuration XML file will be used.

You can create a new player by copying an "ExternalPlayer" element and change the various settings such as ProcessName, Parameters Location, and the type of media the player can play. It is very important that the ProcessName is set to the exact name of the executeable, as it is used to monitor when the player closes.

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Event Handlers

My Movies Event Handlers allows you to create a custom .NET Framework 2.0 DLL Class Library to receive various events occurring in My Movies.

This can be used to dim lights, control curtains or similar when playback is started.

The folder “C:\ProgramData\My Movies\FileStorage\Event Handlers” contains Visual Studio 2008 templates for C# or VB.NET in a zip file, as well as an “Event Handler Interface.dll” file that any event handler inherits.

Copy the zip file(s) to the “Visual Studio 2008\Templates\ProjectTemplates” folder in your documents section, and you will now be able to create a new project based on the template.

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Input Switchers

My Movies Input Switchers allows you to create a custom .NET Framework 2.0 DLL Class Library to switch inputs on a receiver when used with an RS-232 based changer, such as the Sony BDP-CX7000ES.

The input switcher can be used two switch between PC and changer video outputs when playback starts or stops.

The folder “C:\ProgramData\My Movies\FileStorage\Input Switchers” contains Visual Studio 2008 templates for C# or VB.NET in a zip file, as well as an “Input Switcher Interface.dll” file that any event handler inherits.

Copy the zip file(s) to the “Visual Studio 2008\Templates\ProjectTemplates” folder in your documents section, and you will now be able to create a new project based on the template.

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Upcoming Options

It is planned to allow more configuration for various items in the interface within this directory. You can always check for the latest options in our documentation section.

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Genre List

Accessories
Action
Adult
Adventure
Animation
Anime
Children
Classic
Comedy
Crime
Documentary
Drama
Family
Fantasy
Film-Noir
Foreign
Game Show
Home and Garden
Horror
Martial Arts
Mini-Series
Music
Musical
Mystery
News
Reality
Romance
Science-Fiction
Short
Soap
Special Interest
Sports
Suspense/Thriller
Talk Show
Television
War
Western
Other