Switch Theme 3.0 (UPDATED 08/12/18)

thelostsoul

@lilbud I just tested this on my 4:3 CRT (pc monitor) at 640*480 resolution. It is missing the image on main page for Mame2003 and I think Game & Watch. Also when clicking a system, the text on top right is overlapping a little with its parts.

I currently use the previous Switch Light theme and it works perfectly. Text is perfect for this, way better than all other themes and every system image is on place. In fact, I don't have almost nothing to complain about it and tried the new one for curiosity. Just wanted say that.

DarishZone

Lilbud, here's all system missing i found:

X68000
Collections
Game and Watch
Mame-Libretro
Ports

Theme needs vram set to 100mb on Pi3B, even this still taxing to me. Would be better if optimized for default value.
Keep on working on it mate, it's a great theme.

lilbud

@thelostsoul I made it a point on the github that 4:3 hasn't been tested. Could you send a picture of what you mean?

lilbud

@darishzone I'm not even sure where I would begin with optimizing for default vram.

I am working on redoing the code and redoing some images. For example, the button prompts are entirely redone in vector and can be added on top. Therefore, the backgrounds don't have to be big 720p images. They can be shrunken down.

I am also combining the two themes. Making it easier on me to change code and add new systems.

EctoOne

@lilbud Can't you just do something like I did on my Flatline theme for the background? Using a 1x1 pixel as background color and for the lines and then add your icons/text on top of that. Maybe you need a better image that can be stretched for the lines to make it look more smoothly though.
But with that method it would also be simple to change colors.

lilbud

@ectoone That is the plan. I'm either going to use a 1x1 image and tile it to the background and add the lines separately. Or I will make the background with the lines and make it really small and have it scale up.

EctoOne

@lilbud I was never a fan of upscaling images so I never tried it on any of my themes. And like I said, using individual images makes it way easier to switch colors. If you would use an image which has lines already, it would be less flexible in my opinion.
Yet, using my method might look to rough so I'm sure you will find something that you like.

lilbud

Anyone have an idea why this is happening?

So I am using a 1x1 image for the background and coloring it. That works on the basic/detailed/video views. But for some reason, it won't work on the system view

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lilbud

@darishzone said in Switch Theme 2.0:

Theme needs vram set to 100mb on Pi3B, even this still taxing to me. Would be better if optimized for default value.

So I am in the middle of rewriting the theme. I'm testing the VRAM and trying to optimize it. I went all the way down to a 20mb VRAM limit and the theme fully works.

mitu

@lilbud The VRAM limit might be hit with a large collection of ROMs - from loading the boxart or marquees - and it could not be related to the theme. Since your theme seems to support both type of images, reaching the VRAM limit could happen with detailed (i.e. high-res) marquee and covers.

lilbud

@mitu Well setting the VRAM limit to 20 was only to see how little the theme can get away with.

Will there be someone who needs a vram limit of 20? maybe.

It is a lot lighter than the original version, which wouldn't work with anything lower than 80mb.

EctoOne

@lilbud said in Switch Theme 2.0:

Anyone have an idea why this is happening?

So I am using a 1x1 image for the background and coloring it. That works on the basic/detailed/video views. But for some reason, it won't work on the system view

I asked this 2 month ago: https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/18087/logotext-help-in-theme/31
You must define an individual background for system view and use ` extra="true".

lilbud

@ectoone Yeah, I figured that out during the delicate process of throwing everything at a wall and seeing what sticked.

And I tried everything. Different images, zindex of -1000, size, adding the background code to every view individually, etc.

EctoOne

@lilbud for some weird reason <image type="background">is not supported on system view as the themes.md states. I don't know why though.
What I ended up doing was to not not use it at all and defined my own with <image type="bg" extra="true"> and an zindex of 1 for all view types.

lilbud

I updated the original post to announce what is effectively Version 3.0. Changelog and pictures are there as well.

thelostsoul

@lilbud Thank you for making it 4:3 conform!
I couldn't post any image, because I deleted the theme and installing it was a pain (all custom theme installs are a pain for me). I don't want go much into detail here, as it has nothing to do with the topic. As soon as I can, I will test your new version. Can't await it, looks promising!

DarishZone

@mitu said in Switch Theme 3.0 (UPDATED 08/12/18):

@lilbud The VRAM limit might be hit with a large collection of ROMs - from loading the boxart or marquees - and it could not be related to the theme. Since your theme seems to support both type of images, reaching the VRAM limit could happen with detailed (i.e. high-res) marquee and covers.

Right, i'm not considering this actually, i have a lot of roms, not marquees but good quality boxarts. Although the theme runs better with 100 mb, but still lagging to me.
This is my feedback on my full loaded setting, result may vary to others.
I will test the revised version when will be available!

mitu

@darishzone said in Switch Theme 3.0 (UPDATED 08/12/18):

Right, i'm not considering this actually, i have a lot of roms, not marquees but good quality boxarts. Although the theme runs better with 100 mb, but still lagging to me.

What about other themes (or the default one - Carbon) ? Do they perform better/worse ?

DarishZone

@mitu said in Switch Theme 3.0 (UPDATED 08/12/18):

@darishzone said in Switch Theme 3.0 (UPDATED 08/12/18):

Right, i'm not considering this actually, i have a lot of roms, not marquees but good quality boxarts. Although the theme runs better with 100 mb, but still lagging to me.

What about other themes (or the default one - Carbon) ? Do they perform better/worse ?

I have Carbon, Art-Book and Eudora also, they works perfect, still delay a bit on launching game, but i am sure this is related to my setting.

cyperghost

@lilbud

Some bugs in release... the three auto_systems should be renames auto-systems the same with customcollections.jpg should be custom-collections.jpg

Thx nice theme! Use this as standard now!

Btw: Can you change the auto generated system names, too?
Because system all games would better look with caps All Games

Edit:
I'm missing the "On Screen Help" in main menu.
In system menu it's working

Edit2:
Symbols.svg (PSX) view are working, but not the XBOX one.
Don't have the ambition to fix this on my own :D
As I say to my boss: I just do things that I'm gonna paid for

Edit3:
As I said above it's a nice clean theme with a very clear font! +1