Some improvements

[downe]

This is a great program, but a few things for me would be perfect...

When I look on filmography of some actor, and click on movie which I don't have, program automatically adds that movie in the list in the left window... I don't understand why it does that, is that a bug, or how to detain that?

Also, today with big monitors, and big resolutions, for me is important to have possibility to increase font size in right window, not only in left window....

Also I like screenshots in my database, but it's very tiring every time to double click on some screenshot, for me it's better to have option for single left mouse click to display screenshots.... And would be nice to have possibility to zoom window with screenshot...

best regards

[rick.ca]

The link behaviour is configurable at Preferences - Miscellaneous.

Font sizes and all aspects of the movie and people information panels are completely configurable in the skins.

Double-clicking is tiring? That's sad...

Single clicks are already used to switch between posters and I kind of like it. I plan to implement a full featured viewer in the next major release.

[buah]

First, I want to thank for the support for big monitors and high resolutions!

When I look on filmography of some actor, and click on movie which I don't have, program automatically adds that movie in the list in the left window... I don't understand why it does that, is that a bug, or how to detain that?

The proper question for oneself here would be IMHO, what does one want by clicking on a movie link the one doesn't have?


The third question is already considered by nostra in a way to add next/previous image button while previewing all images, not only screenshots.

Cheers

[downe]

Ok, thank you for the answers, I didn't know that most of these things is already implemented...

And "a full featured viewer" would be fantastic

[mgpw4me@yahoo.com]

Relative font sizes in the skins (ie. <font><size>+1</size></font>) would be cool.  TOOLS->PREFERENCES->APPEARANCES would seem a logical place to set a default font size for skins.

As far as that goes, having (say) 5 font settings (1-5, with 3 being default), a skin coder could do something like:
<font id=1/> and user settings (color / boldness / italics / underline / typeface) could be taken from the the appearance dialog.  Naming the numeric sequence (small, link, link_visited, normal, subtitle, title) instead of numbering would clarify for the user, what exactly they were changing.

This logic could be extended to globally configure <section> colors, speed buttons, rating images and other such things (skin background image, PVD info pane background image), separator images, which columns to display in filmographies, selection of an external viewer for images...it goes on and on...an option to display an image with a link...set sizes for screenshots and posters.

The only drawback I can think of is when a user likes the whole appearance of a skin, but doesn't have the APPEARANCE settings to accommodate this.  This would require the setting of defaults in the skin that could be overridden by the appearance settings (ie. "use skin defaults" | "user skin settings"), or an external file that is included with a skin and loaded automatically by PVD.  Now that PVD scripting supports files, it may be possible to write a script that does inline conversions and rewrites the skin....hmmm...might have to try that...

[rick.ca]

Some interesting ideas, but I have reservations. Skins are difficult enough to create without having to accommodate dynamic attributes. Normally, even the choice of font size has to be in balance with column widths and other layout considerations. Font colours have to go with background colours. Some of the same considerations could be applied while changing "appearance settings," but because finding alternate combinations of settings that "work" would probably require the settings be saved—by skin. If that's not complicated enough, then what about the user who is not familiar with skinning, and assumes any combination of appearance settings should work?

There is a viable alternative to this. A well constructed and documented skin is not difficult to modify to reflect preferences in font's, colours, etc. Different variations of the same skin can simply be saved as separate skins. Perhaps the biggest problem with the idea of appearance settings is most users would want and expect them to work. The sad truth is that modifying the skin, as intimidating as that may seem, is the only thing that always works. Providing appearance settings would only make it less likely users will make the effort to do so.

[buah]

If that's not complicated enough, then what about the user who is not familiar with skinning,

I agree. I torture myself to put (display) year in brackets, yet...

[mgpw4me@yahoo.com]

All that's needed to ensure a font is visible is to not allow fonts to have the same color(s) as sections.  There are lots of ways to set a 'minimal difference' that would ensure good visibility...or more likely a message box warning about the intended color change.  To my knowledge, this isn't implemented in PVD itself, and I haven't seen many support queries about displaying black fonts on a black background.  It's sort of obvious hard to miss seeing the difference.

The fact that skins are designed to be displayed at a specific resolution is a failing in the skin system.  Fixed sizes (pixels or point sizes) means simply that if I have a different monitor setting from the skin designer, the skin doesn't display as it was designed.  It may well be that there is text overflow when fonts are resized, but then, why can't the skin scroll as a web browser does when this occurs?  Vertical scrolling is already implemented, so that's half-way home.  Besides, my eyes aren't getting better as I get older, and it would be much more convenient to set the font sizes once in one place than do global string replaces in a skin file.  People are more intimidated changing programs than changing selection boxes.  The number of script update requests is proof enough that there is an intimidation factor.

Actually, with more thought, all that's needed to display a skin in a web browser is an XSL file (not exactly true...the xml from PVD isn't really browser compliant...but it's easy enough to fix).  This means that a proper XSL file would allow the creation / editing of skins via an external app, which would probably be even better (if more people were familiar with such programs).  Similarly xml files could be displayed via a custom xsl file that would provide <href> links around fonts and sections, allowing users in an HTA to set fonts / colors in real time without changing the original file...until they were ready to do so (not exactly trivial programming, but not rocket science either).

[mgpw4me@yahoo.com]

I agree. I torture myself to put (display) year in brackets, yet...

You mean like in this skin?
PVD VinT_1680p

[buah]

Exactly mgp. But, it looks pretty ugly while it seems that there were unnecessary extra spaces after opening, and before closing bracket. Don't you think so?

[mgpw4me@yahoo.com]

Now you know why I don't use brackets <grin>.

SPACE="0" is your friend...not sure if it goes on the column, label or caption, but it will eliminate the spacing issue.

[rick.ca]

The fact that skins are designed to be displayed at a specific resolution is a failing in the skin system...

Perhaps is should be a browser system, perhaps it should not—I don't know. But it isn't. And I doubt we can expect the skinning system to be replaced any time soon.

But, it looks pretty ugly while it seems that there were unnecessary extra spaces after opening, and before closing bracket.

In the same vane... The system was not designed to do what the skinner was trying to make it do. Unless the ugly result is what you want—then it worked perfectly. I don't understand the need to make something do something it wasn't intended to do, and then complain about the results. There's lots of other ways to display the same information effectively.

I think a concatenate function would be the appropriate tool for this situation—and might otherwise be very useful—but no one has asked for it. Until now.

[mgpw4me@yahoo.com]

I think a concatenate function would be the appropriate tool for this situation

And I want "explode"  .  Not really.

[buah]

mgp,

Indeed, space was my friend. So as you, I'd dare to say.

The system was not designed to do what the skinner was trying to make it do.

In order to reply on this one, I need to be clarified what "system" is in the matter.

I think a concatenate function would be the appropriate tool for this situation—and might otherwise be very useful—but no one has asked for it. Until now.

Well, concatenating is one of my favorite functions. So obvious, so logic, so natural as adding is, for instance. But, it is so, while in Excel. Since don't know anything about xml, except common sense, now you know why I didn't use the function - haven't seen it in any xml. And, I'm always open minded for further illuminations, and the three of you are my main illuminates.

So, shoot, you know you never spend more than two bullets on me.

[rick.ca]

So, shoot, you know you never spend more than two bullets on me.

Since mgp is here, I think it would be more fitting to say, "I don't want to talk to you no more, you empty headed animal food trough wiper. I fart in your general direction."

[mgpw4me@yahoo.com]

Time to:

Welease Woger the wobbah !!!

[buah]

Wow, please don't overrate my knowledge of English. I'm confused again! Did I offend you rick? Or, am I in the middle of something else?

Whatever I wrote on this topic was meant to be affirmative on you guys.

[mgpw4me@yahoo.com]

Wow, please don't overrate my knowledge of English. I'm confused again! Did I offend you rick? Or, am I in the middle of something else?

Whatever I wrote on this topic was meant to be affirmative on you guys.

English humor is a weird beast.  Rick was quoting a line from "Monty Python & the Holy Grail"...similar to my signature in the sense my signature isn't intended to offend.

[rick.ca]

Did I offend you rick?

No. Nor do I expect you to understand why Woger was not a pick-pocket.

[buah]

I went postal for a moment, that's for sure.