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[xboxbox451]

(IMG:http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v662/ighyighy/myprograms/guide.jpg)

UPDATED 6.18.06

If you like keeping your game back-ups well organized in specific genre related directories, then you may find this customization appealing. This tutorial originally showed how to organize your game directories, though due to recent improvements to the "My Programs" section it was no longer compatible with current builds.

I have updated the tutorial, this time utilizing a ScrollButton control, so you can now have nine different directory buttons without the clutter of nine separate controls. Just like the old tutorial, I'm offering my  customized files for the Project Mayhem III skin as a download, in an attempt to make customizing your skin a bit easier, or you could review the files I customized and bookmarks to learn how to customize on your own.

You can also read up on creating your own Games bookmarks in the XBMC Online manual. By reading the manual you can accomplish nearly the same configuration. --> Link to XBMC Online Manual

REQUIREMENTS
XBMC Build 6/6/2006 or later
Project Mayhem III Skin
WinRAR extraction utility, Click for link to utility
.xml editing knowledge (not hard to do)  LINK TO .XML EDITING INSTRUCTIONS
XBMC as default dashboard (recommended) --> LINK to dash tutorial
Knowledgeable enough to re-organize your Games directory by adding sub-directories and moving games with your FTP client software.

!!WARNINGS!!
The customized “MyPrograms.xml” was tested with a 6/6/06 build of XBMC and will not work with an older build. Since XBMC is constantly evolving, this file may also not work on future builds, or need an adjustment.

If XBMC IS NOT set as your default dashboard, you will also need to edit your current dashboard directory paths setting to match the new games directory configuration explained within. If this is not done, you wont be able to navigate your Games directory with your default dash.

Make sure to keep an unmodified copy of XBMC to revert to in case of problems.

!!DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS IF YOU ARE UNCOMFORTABLE RE-ARRANGING YOUR GAMES DIRECTORY FOLDERS!!
!!WARNINGS!!

STEP 1 Re-Organize Your XBOX Games Directory
Write down your current folder configuration prior to reorganizing, in case this does not work so you can restore your directory to its original setup.

In order to use my customized “MyPrograms.xml” file, your Xbox "Games" directory needs to match the pre-configured bookmarks in order for XBMC to find your games. What needs to be done is fairly simple. Just make or rename existing sub-directories in your xbox Games directory to match the 6 sub-directory names listed below. Then organize your games by moving them into the appropriate sub-directories. The below listed sub-directories must be located in your “Games” directory.

You can make the "Games" directory on your E, F, or G, partition, or all three. Since Xbmc now supports multi-path boomarks, the pre-configured bookmarks are set to search all three partitions.

MAKE SURE THE 6 SUB-DIRECTORIES ARE NAMED EXACTLY AS SHOWN. YOU CAN COPY AND PASTE THE BELOW SUB-DIRECTORY NAMES LISTED BELOW TO ENSURE CORRECT SPELLING:


ActionAdventure
Favorites
FPS
RPG-Misc
SportsRacing
XboxArcade


Example Screenshot below of how your Games directory should look with the appropriate sub-directories:

(IMG:http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v662/ighyighy/myprograms/directory.jpg)

Now create an Applications directory. This directory should be named "Apps" (without the quotes). You can create this directory on your E, F, or G partition, or all three. This is a directory, so its created on the desired partition and not within another directory.


STEP 2 Bookmark Placement

Copy the below pre-configured  “My Programs” bookmarks into your XboxMediaCenter.xml file. If your familiar with adding bookmarks, then this will be easy.

First, FTP to your XBMC directory and open the “XboxMediaCenter.xml” file with your FTP clients edit function, then locate the “My Programs” bookmark section. This bookmark section will look similar to what you will copy below. Then erase the entire “MyPrograms” bookmark section. Next, copy the entire below listed “MyPrograms” bookmark section and paste it exactly where you removed the old. Be sure not to disturb any other existing code, and verify your bookmarks look exactly as shown in the code box below after pasting.

CODE

    
        Favorites
        
            AllGames
            E:\Games\XboxArcade\
            F:\Games\XboxArcade\
            G:\Games\XboxArcade\
            E:\Games\Favorites\
            F:\Games\Favorites\
            G:\Games\Favorites\
            E:\Games\ActionAdventure\
            F:\Games\ActionAdventure\
            G:\Games\ActionAdventure\
            E:\Games\FPS\
            F:\Games\FPS\
            G:\Games\FPS\
            E:\Games\SportsRacing\
            F:\Games\SportsRacing\
            G:\Games\SportsRacing\
            E:\Games\RPG-Misc\
            F:\Games\RPG-Misc\
            G:\Games\RPG-Misc\
        
        
            Applications
            E:\Apps\
            F:\Apps\
            G:\Apps\
        
        
            XboxArcade
            E:\Games\XboxArcade\
            F:\Games\XboxArcade\
            G:\Games\XboxArcade\
        
        
            Favorites
            E:\Games\Favorites\
            F:\Games\Favorites\
            G:\Games\Favorites\
        
        
            ActionAdventure
            E:\Games\ActionAdventure\
            F:\Games\ActionAdventure\
            G:\Games\ActionAdventure\
        
        
            FPS
            E:\Games\FPS\
            F:\Games\FPS\
            G:\Games\FPS\
        
        
            SportsRacing
            E:\Games\SportsRacing\
            F:\Games\SportsRacing\
            G:\Games\SportsRacing\
        
        
            RPG-Misc
            E:\Games\RPG-Misc\
            F:\Games\RPG-Misc\
            G:\Games\RPG-Misc\
        
        
            DVD-Game
            D:\
        
    

STEP 3 Download and extract Package.rar and transfer customized files to XBMC

Right-Click and "Save Target As" on this link to download Package.rar--> Link

This file contains all the customized files necessary to implement this customization. Extract the contents of "Package.rar" using the WinRAR utility. After extraction you'll find the following files and folders. Descriptions and transfer instructions listed below:

• "ButtonImages" folder --> This folder contains images the Games buttonscroller displays. These images must be transfered to the "media" folder locataed in the Project Mayhem III skin folder. You can locate the "media" folder by following the path listed below:
  
  XBMC/skin/Project Mayhem III/media
  
  Transfer the images only to the media folder. Do not transfer the folder in which the images reside.

• "MyPrograms.xml" file --> This file must be transfered to the "PAL" folder located in the Project Mayhem III skin folder. You can locate the "PAL" folder by following the path listed below:
  
  XBMC/skin/Project Mayhem III/PAL
  
  This file, upon transfering will overwrite the existing "MyPrograms.xml" file. You might want to backup the existing "MyPrograms.xml" file prior to transfering the new one.

• "bookmarks.txt" file --> If you copied the bookmarks from Step 2, then you could disregard this text file. This text file has exactly the same bookmarks listed in step 2. I just added in case one wants to install this offline.

• "RSSFeedsOption" folder --> This folder contains a "RssFeeds.xml" file thats pre-configured to replace the default RSS stream with an Xbox games related RSS feed that can be activated via the hidden seetings button scroller. To see how to install this file and activate the feed, view the "Instruction.txt" file located in the same folder.

That should do it. Restart your xbox and enter "My Programs" to ensure all is functioning properly. View the screenshot at the beginning of the post to see how the scrollbutton operates. You'll notice that as you first enter your newly created directories that it may take longer than usual to display. Once XBMC builds its thumbnail database it will load faster.




ADDITIONAL NOTES
If the Date, Time, and Temparature does not display like the screenshot at the top of this post you probably need to change the Region setting in XBMC. To do so, click the "Settings" button on the home page, then click "Appearance". The "Look & Feel" menu will display, select "Region" from the menu and change it to USA.

If you want to make your own images for the buttonscroller, you can do so by creating an image in .png format, and size it to 150 pixels wide by 81 pixels high. Then save your image as the same name of the image file you intend to replace. For instace, if you want to replace the FPS image, name your file fps.png and transfer it to the Project Mayem III media folder so it can overwrite the existing image file.

You can set XBMC to boot right into your “My Programs” window, thereby making navigation even quicker. Of course you can still get back to the Home Page by pressing the “Back” button on the controller.

To activate this option select "settings" on the XBMC home page, then select "Appearance". From within the "Look and Feel" menu, look for the "Startup Window" button and change the current value to "My Programs". Once this option is set, XBMC will then boot right into “My Programs”.



TROUBLESHOOT
If upon rebooting, your screen stays black or the emergency FTP starts, its possible you may have improperly copied the bookmarks to your  XboxMediaCenter.xml file. If you can access your xbox via the emergency FTP then re-copy your original XboxMediaCenter.xml file back to your XBMC directory to see if that resolves the problem. If you cannot access your xbox via the emergency FTP, then you'll need to create a boot disc to regain access. Heres a link to a tutorial that explains how to create a boot disc --> Boot disc tutorial link.

If images do not display properly or other functions do not work quite right, you can delete your "0face008" folder to see if that improves functionality. To delete the "0face008" folder, navigate to your E:\ partition and you'll find a "0face008" folder in the UDATA and TDATA directories. DELETE THE "0face008" FOLDER ONLY.

Note that by deleting your "0face008" some saved settings such as network settings will be erased, and you will need to reconfigure them. You may want to write these setting down prior to deleting your "0face008" folder.


Good luck.

Thanks to the XBMC Crew  &  Chokemaniac for creating and excellent application (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

This post has been edited by JayDee: Jun 19 2006, 09:01 AM

[Silentscream__]

Nice tut, il be trying this out later.  

[JayDee]

Will be added to the pinned as soon as i get home from work

EDIT: Added

[JayDee]

Post updated as per request in pm

[whiteblazer01]

QUOTE(xboxbox451 @ Jun 4 2005, 02:17 AM)

How did you get your hard drive info, temp, ip address, and weather to show up like that?  I WANT IT TOO!    

Lol, thanks!

Paul

[xboxbox451]

^ Below is a link to another tutorial, which I have a section added that explains how to add infolabels to display the information you request.

Click this to link to the tutorial --> LINK, scroll down the first post till you come to the section titled "INFOLABEL/FADELABEL CONTROL TO DISPLAY SYSTEM STATS", that part of the tut will give you an idea how to add that to your page. Also, as a part of that tutorial there are modified home.xml files you can downolad and add to your xbmc PAL folder that already have the code added to display that information on your home page if your using the latest xbmc build and the Project mayhem III skin. I suggest you read through the tut if you want to know how to add the file.

Theres also a section in the XBMC online manual that explains how to use infolabels --> Manual link.

[whiteblazer01]

Thanks xboxboxboxbox451, I've been reading those links, and its great!!   I'm going to try and add more RSS feeds.  

I'm going to look into changing the background pictures, but if you have a link (or can easily explain), I would appreciate that.  

Thanks again!!  

[xboxbox451]

UPDATED 6.18.06

Due to the recent improvements to Xbmc, this tutorial was rendered incompatible with newer builds. I have since updated the tutorial, and the steps explained are available for use with Xbmc builds compiled on or after 6/6/06. However, keep in mind this tuorial may not be compatible with future builds, so if you should experience a problem please post it within this thread.

If your familiar with this tutorial, you'll notice I added a scroll button rather than the various buttons as in the last tutorial. I put together a video to show an example of how this scroll button operates. --> Video Demo Link

If you should experience a problem with this tutorial, please post within this thread.

[slumberpod77]

nice work

[B0SSH0GG]

That's how I used to do it, but there's a much simpler, less risky way, put all games in relevant folders, run xbmc, go to games, predd B to go to the front directory, move right on the d pad, press WHITE>Add Source>Browse to the folder you want ie F\games\racing, press ok, name it if you like and press ok again. Do the same for all other game folders.

This also works for pictures, movies and music.

[xboxbox451]

QUOTE(B0SSH0GG @ Jun 21 2006, 10:48 AM)

That's how I used to do it, but there's a much simpler, less risky way, put all games in relevant folders, run xbmc, go to games, predd B to go to the front directory, move right on the d pad, press WHITE>Add Source>Browse to the folder you want ie F\games\racing, press ok, name it if you like and press ok again. Do the same for all other game folders.

This also works for pictures, movies and music.

I'm rather curious why you would even have to "Add Source"?  With the improvements made to "My Programs", just by having sub-directories in your "Games" Folder, they'll all automatically appear in the thumbnail panel. Which is what I think I'll explain at the beginning of the tut, should someone rather browse by the thumbnail panel.

[B0SSH0GG]

QUOTE(xboxbox451 @ Jun 21 2006, 03:55 PM)

I'm rather curious why you would even have to "Add Source"?  With the improvements made to "My Programs", just by having sub-directories in your "Games" Folder, they'll all automatically appear in the thumbnail panel. Which is what I think I'll explain at the beginning of the tut, should someone rather browse by the thumbnail panel.

Good point actually, never realised it did it itself this time lol! The way i described puts them onto the very first menu along with the dvd drive, programs and apps though.
Tell you what i miss, the folder depth setting, sometimes it's nice to have them all in one list. Without having to move them from their folders.