
Shock Skin Version 5.0 Transparent Release Notes     Release Date 10-10-07

Please Read Entire Document prior to using software. 
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Skin is for private use only! Any commerical use is prohibited unless approved by the author. Upon installing and using skin you agree not to use the software for advertising, selling, or other profiteering activities including, but not limited to, using the software to sell your hardware. You are free to modify, distribute or add to the code as long as it does not infringe upon the terms above. This skin is distributed as "open source" and all code shall remain open source if you choose to use it in any way.       
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Required Installation Procedure: ===these are relating to the skin itself and it is assumed you have a configured, working roadrunner install===

# This version requires registering the GDIpluswrapper.dll with your system. If you have not done this yet please head over to the scripts directory in the   skin and run REGISTER_GDI.bat. This will register the dll file necessary to take advantage of the transparent features. *Please note that the dll file cannot be moved to a different directory once its registered! If you want to put the dll elsewhere, do so first, then register it.* 

# To Use GDI+ you MUST make an entry in RR.ini that states:    fastmode=-1 

# Make sure you are using roadrunner.exe from 4-12-2007 or newer, older versions of RR do not support GDI. *this version of shock skin was built on the 9-9-2007 release of roadrunner*

# If you are running XPE place the 3 batch files included in the EWF-XPE folder directly on your c: drive to make the EWF menu work. *note* The EWF menu is   for embedded systems only. It serves no function unless you are running an embedded setup.

# Install fonts in the FONTS folder before loading. The DS Digial font is still required! YOu may omit the isocpuer font if you are not going to use it. 

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Changelog from version 4.0, new in 5.0

# The most significant change is the additon of the settings.txt file. This single file allows centralized global settings for the fonts, colors, sizes, button labels, and button functions throughout the entire skin. Please take a look at this file before launching the skin and make sure you have a font defined that is currently installed on your system. You can tweak sizes since all fonts are not kerned/sized the same. There are a lot of settings in this file and you can edit it and reload RR to see what changing settings does. You can also rename the menus and reorder the list and it will change on all menus.       

# Due to the global button functions the skin buttons operate differently than any previous version. A lot of the buttons have one function for click and an alternate function for hold. For instance click mp3 button for audio player, hold down mp3 button for browser, Click vid for video, hold for video browser. Click for nav, hold for full screen nav, click for web, hold for URL entry, etc. Also the exit menu is now accessed by holding down the < button in either menu.skin or menu_2.skin. If it does not suit your needs, this button behavior can be modified via the settings.txt file.    

# Background.skin has been removed and PicViewer.skin has replaced it. This allows a preview of the wall before you apply it. Please point Picspath in rr.ini to the shock 'backgrounds' directory.

# Due to some OSK bugs/issues surfacing my OSK code is 'on the operating table' right now and this release is being bundled with a modified DigitalFX OSK. This OSK has been modified from its original version to fit the 800x480 form factor and is tested and working with all available features. The original OSK can be found in the ORG-OSK directory.         

# GPS lables have been added to main menu.

# Search features have been added to the audio_player and audio_browser. Clicking the 'SEARCH' button will bring up the osk and allow you to enter a search keyword. By default the search feature in player mode automatically goes to the top of the list and then starts searching. 

# Folder and media icons that match the skin have been added. audio_browser has album art scroll preview now. set showicons=true in rr.ini to use these features.

# Compass code and related .jpegs are included in this release. You cannot see the compass unless you have a gps signal feeding data to RR! Also compass is not transparent yet which I am working on, going to see if guino will add .png support for the compass pictures. 

# Xport application has been included in the scripts folder. This allows you to virtually 'split' you GPS port so that RR and your nav software can use the same GPS signal.

# Playlist menu now reads from playlistpath=xxx directory defined in rr.ini   
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Helpful Notes:

# Split screen audio/GPS is still available by clicking the NAV button in audio_player.skin

# You can add any .jpg file to the 'background'  directory in this skin and use it. Best wallpaper resolution is 800x480 or 800x600 wallpapers. Background path is written to a file called skin.ini when you change it. Upon first launch you may notice no wallpaper as the skin.ini has the path from my system and you need to select a wallpaper for it update the path in skin.ini. Darker backgrounds work best with the lettering scheme. 

# Right now GPS menu supports External GPS mode only. You must set GPS mode to 'external' in RRconfig. Full screen GPS mode is launched by holding the 'NAV' in any menu. Full screen GPS code is now in the settings.txt file. You will need to modify this line in order to use an app besides iGuidance in full screen mode.

# A very nice spectrum analyzer is included with this release, it can be found in the 'visual' folder in the skin. Just drop the DLL file into your winamp/plugins directory. 

# The static bottom bar has different functions in certain menus but the same icons. The "X" on the bar is mute, the button with the 2 arrows is to toggle shuffle mode. 

# Audio Browser mode is launched from holding 'MP3' button while in any menu. Bottons on right handle playlist navigation.
 
# Video Browser mode is loaded when you hold 'VID' button in any menu. Play button loads the selected movie in browser mode. 

# The skin can be opened and modified with RRskineditor V0.3.024 

# Lastly, this skin was custom designed for my system and how I use my carPC. I know everyone uses their systems differently so If you would like to add menus, functions, etc. I have included the PSD files so you can add or change the menu's.
  



If you have any suggestions please let me know so I can implement them into version 6.0, Im going to focus mostly on the sat. menu since I am getting satalite radio soon. If you can help me at all drop me a line. 

Enjoy!

joe.shock@gmail.com

Paypal donations>   joe.shock@gmail.com




