[DeltaMikeCharlie]

Would say that if icons are displayed, that there is little point in showing textural ratings as well.

That was the plan.  If the icon path is null, then only show the text, otherwise only show the icon.

[DeltaMikeCharlie]

With v22 “P” now open for development, I plan to refamiliarise myself with this item and then work towards finalising it.

https://github.com/xbmc/xbmc/pull/24096/

Is there any feedback regarding the location of the parental rating icons as shown in the mockup screens above?  (Look for the green rectangles.)

[ksooo]

Not sure the position of the icon in the info panels of the windows will work. If i remember correctly, the text box content containing the labels and plot will scroll if the plot is very long. You should check that then the text will not be behind the icon.

[DeltaMikeCharlie]

From my tests, the plot only appears to scroll when auto-scroll is enabled in the skin setting.  If you click on the plot, a separate window containing only the plot is displayed.

When auto-scroll is enabled, the plot text scrolls over the parental rating icon.

[DeltaMikeCharlie]

In the channel list and timer list, the plot scrolls behind the icon.

Perhaps 'Container(id).Scrolling' could be used to detect if the plot is scrolling and hide the rating icon. NO.

[ksooo]

> In the channel list and timer list, the plot scrolls behind the icon.

This problem needs to be solved. Most probably we need another place for the icon, outside the text box.

[DeltaMikeCharlie]

This problem needs to be solved. Most probably we need another place for the icon, outside the text box.

Agreed.  Do you have any suggested locations?

I think that the rating text or the rating icon should be in the same location so that the user always knows where to look.  This was one of the options that I tried, but I forget the location.

There is a wide border, so perhaps beside the top right of the plot text box or below the bottom right.

I think that I should also shrink the icon a little, it is currently almost 2 text lines high.

If the width of the plot box could be parametrised, it could be reduced if an icon is present so that the text scrolls past the icon and not in front or behind it.

It's a shame that images can't be placed inline with text within a skin.

[ksooo]

> Agreed.  Do you have any suggested locations?

Unfortunately, I'm neither a UX designer nor a skinner. Most probably, my suggestion would make it even worse. ;-) However, I would like to have the text and the icon closely together.

[DeltaMikeCharlie]

@ksooo - If the text and the icon are in the same fixed location somewhere outside the plot text box, (only 1 visible at any time), would you agree to removing the 'Rated:' description text?  "PG" instead of "Rated: PG".

My view is that most users will know how to read an EPG and know what fields to expect.  Those users concerned about parental ratings will recognise the text codes for their country/region.  Having the 'Rated:' description increases the space required.

Although I am not prepared to admit defeat just yet, perhaps Estuary is not the skin for parental rating icons.  Perhaps Estuary should just display the text and other skins with a more suitable layout can use the feature. :-(

[DeltaMikeCharlie]

As a work-around . . . .

Could it be safe to say that this is only a problem when auto-scroll is enabled in the skin?

If so, if auto-scroll is enabled, only ever show the text code.  If auto-scroll is disabled, then show the icon if present, otherwise show the text code.

[ksooo]

As a work-around . . . .

Could it be safe to say that this is only a problem when auto-scroll is enabled in the skin?

If so, if auto-scroll is enabled, only ever show the text code.  If auto-scroll is disabled, then show the icon if present, otherwise show the text code.

As we are not in a hurry (v22 dev cycle just started) I would prefer to have something that is not a workaround from the beginning.

[ksooo]

BTW, why do we need both the icon AND the textual representation? Wouldn't the text be enough?

[DeltaMikeCharlie]

BTW, why do we need both the icon AND the textual representation? Wouldn't the text be enough?

Some countries/regions use icons of different colours or designs to denote various parental ratings.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television...ing_system

Having the icon visible, if available, will help with recognition.

[DeltaMikeCharlie]

Currently, the text box can contain any of the following information:
 

• Channel Name
  
• Date
  
• Duration
  
• Recording Size
  
• Premiered
  
• Rating
  
• Expiration Date
  
• PVRInstanceName
  
• Genre
  
• ParentalRatingCode
  
• Writer
  
• Director
  
• Cast
  
• Plot
  

These are assembled into a single block of text and scrolled within the text box if required.

We could consider some fields to be mandatory and some to be optional.  In the case of a PVR entry, I would consider Channel Name, Date and Duration to be mandatory.

It would be possible to split the screen into multiple mandatory and optional sections. As follows:



The mandatory fields would be in fixed locations and sizes.  The option fields would be assembled into a single block of text and permitted to auto-scroll.

[ksooo]

For me, this sounds all too complicated. We want Estuary to be the simple and default skin, kind of reference implementation for skinners.

When it comes to redundancies, displaying the same information twice in one dialog/window I don’t see the value, really. Either we go with the textual representation or the icon. Which is better i don’t have a preference, only know the text is causing no design trouble, so tend to this.

For the info panel, afair optional vs. mandatory is already defined. Part above the text box is mandatory, everything in the textbook is optional.

For the info dialog, everything is inside the textbox, but the logic is the same as with the info panel.