QT4 Consolidation Thread - VLC's New Interface

[DGMurdockIII]

some of this is actally finally going to be commpleted

[vlc_fan-01]

some of this is actally finally going to be commpleted

Do you mean the filetype icons will be implemented? When expected?

[CloudStalker]

Wow. CloudStalker can't believe this thread is still alive, didn't it die like 4 months ago. Well anyway, CloudStalker should finish up those i-Cones he started.

Me thinks these are the most recent:

[vlc_fan-01]

Cloudstalker,

Why don't you incorporate a document paper as the bed of the icon design like this:

Therefor it better distinguishes VLC filetype icons as filetype icons associated with an application. Don't you think?

Or why not go for a classy look to add the extra punch to VLC's overall look.....what about a rounded square with the cone, text and maybe a picture of a 'clapper' or film strip for the icon design.
A rounded square like this [Picture PNG -256x256 by Deleket (Jojo Mendoza)]


Also what about a picture of a DISC for all cd,dvd,blu ray etc files which will show in the autoplay.

Or maybe a glossy rotated image with the cone and text but with the colour idea for each filetype, like this:
http://i41.tinypic.com/1zg5nyt.jpg

Just look at both KM Player and GOM player's filetype icons and see what I mean:
KM Player - http://i44.tinypic.com/1zv4zfk.png
KM Player's previous default (Arsene's Icon Packackage V2) - http://i43.tinypic.com/a2979g.png
GOM Player - http://i41.tinypic.com/9s3w9j.png

WMP 11 icons


..see what you could further do a mock up of (with keeping the cone and file ext text).

[CloudStalker]

Meh, I'll probably just give it up.

[vlc_fan-01]

Meh, I'll probably just give it up.

Why? Did I press you with too much ideas and tire - If so then vlc_fan-01 apologises if I did (see you got me writing in the third person now LOL).

Websites like DeviantArt have already got people out there that have made stuff like this. So the design side of this is the doddle part. It's probably actauIm sure I have seen people design whole icon packages for all filetypes for VLC and other media player's out there. Really beautiful and flamboyant designs that would sit gorgeously when lookin at the filetypes on your Windows desktop.

vlc suma, by Jonas Rask | What i like about these is the roundness and the thought to include a generic icon for other miscelaneous filetpyes (without it having to say 'generic')


I could even do some myself for every supported extension in that extension list and then post here on this forum. I could base it on the roundness of Suma above amongst including in the design three colour schemes which would group the three audio, video and other separately. I could do that and then let everyone decide if they like mine and what mistakes that are presentand; for me contributing properly to the devlopement of VLC

[vlc_fan-01]

So this is what VLC currently has in it's list (the one's marked with asterix ** currently don't exist within VLC):

Audio files:

A52
AAC
DTS
FLAC
M4A
M4P
MKA
MOD
MP1
MP2
MP3
OMA
OGA
SPX
WAV
WMA
XM


Video Files:

ASF
AVI
DIVX
DV
FLV
FLI **
FLC **
GXF
M1V
M2V
M2TS
M4V
MKV
MOV
MP2
MP4
MPEG
MPEG1
MPEG2
MPEG4
MPG
MTS
MXF
OGG
OGM
OGX
OGV
TRP **
TS
VOB
WMV
WVX **



Playlist Files:

ASX
B4S
M3U
PLS
VLC
XSPF


** Misc Files:

DAT **
PART **
BIN **
CUE **


======================

And this is all the file extensions that KM Player (version 2.9.4.1435) can add association with:


http://www.myupload.dk/showfile/24359744a3f.png

Ok based on the groups I think I can come up with something with the image editors and icon maker's that I have it might take some time But i still wanna try and see what I can create.

[CloudStalker]

Meh, I'll probably just give it up.

Why? Did I press you with too much ideas and tire - If so then vlc_fan-01 apologises if I did (see you got me writing in the third person now LOL).

Don't worry, it's nothing vlc_fan-0 said, CloudStalker's just lost interest in continuing the project at this time, he's wrapped up in other things right now.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Well, I don't think we should have 40+ icons.

Let's start with 4 (audio, video, subtitle, generic) and see what happens.

[CloudStalker]

Well, I don't think we should have 40+ icons.

Let's start with 4 (audio, video, subtitle, generic) and see what happens.

Hmm, that might make things a little easier for the CloudStalker. Question: Do the cones have to have any text describing the file-type, like "Audio" for green cones and "Video" for blue or red cones?

Btw, the i-cones that I posted earlier weren't the most up to date, these are:





It's only a small difference but mainly me had tried softening them a bit to make them look more...blended.

[vlc_fan-01]

CloudStalker,

you should also post a link to the .ICO or otherwise icon library of .ICO to your creation.

I will post mine later probably in the week in FULL, please wait and we can compare....

[vlc_fan-01]

CloudStalker, your's are nice. The drop shadow on the text looks cool.

I found a Photoshop tut on how to create the document backgrounds (Mac style). The VLC cone was easy to find - just had to reapply a new drop shadow and then reloured each cone easy by way of adjusting the Hue. Rather than colouring the whole icon to a colour I decided to copy+paste the image into new layer and then drag that slightly downwards and then colour- which still gives that document image effect.

I am just trying to sort out the little problem of the 16x16 icon size under XP, I want the 16x16 size to zoom into the filetype text. I also need to see about file type text with four letters (e.g. MPEG). I could leave it at just the FIVE basic colours and don't add extension text but where's the fun in that when arranging media files in Windows; although still an improvement from what is currently. So between 66 - 70 icons in total for that extension list. All PNGs are available to convert to both Windows and Mac icons

here are two previews of what mine will look like:



So after final finish then hopefully for next version of VLC (or 1.0 final)


---
see the clarity of this KM Player icon when at 16x16, this is what I gots to do for my VLC icons at 16x16

[vlc_fan-01]

I know an old thread but I feel the icons are the last thing to complete before this thread get's neglected. I am still finishing the icons off they will look like the one's in the above mock up, no one has commented as yet on them.

Cloudstalker is much like myself in taking the time to draw mock-ups and collate ideas. Many of the stuff I seen in this thread eventually made it to VLC surprisingly like the detachable video interface (which I didn't like as a default).

I liked reading this comment also

I do like many things, but badly designed things I don't like. Blurring an image is not quite what I understand under making it blend into the interface. You have not yet so much experience, so I don't want to reproach you here But imagine your slider in the interface, you cannot blur the right end of the slider when its not full technically so it would look ugly on the right edge.
Compare:


Also the things you put into the interface have no consistent design, stars are pixelart, rest is images, some are taken from windows media player etc.
You have to take into account that VLC runs on many Systems with totally different visual styles. So VLC has to integrate itself best into all of them. It takes quite some work to figure out a compromise that pleases everybody.

Just some points you might think about

[3breadt]

When creating an icon you should always make one high resolution version (e.g. 256px) and then several low resolution versions (48/32/24/16) each as own documents in which you adapt the content to the reduced size. Thus you can avoid the downsizing blur that occurs when creating an icon just from one high res source file.

[vlc_fan-01]

Thanks aLtgLasS ok so that's how they do it.

I would also apreaicte if you posted any tutorials on how people really do it for application file type icons; I just can't find any.

Also recommend good icon editors also (I'm using Axialis)

[lopoz]

I've recently recreated an iconset in Illustrator for VLC (OS X). The icon design is based off of the work of someone I found on DeviantART (LeoNico), so I take no credit for that or the cone image (also by LeoNico). I didn't like the dark look of the original set, so I decided to make it in a light theme..

All the original work can be found here: http://leonico.deviantart.com/

As for my set:

Audio base:
Video base:
Subs base:
Generic:

As the icon is a vector image, anything can easily be added or removed (e.g. the gray stripe can be turned off, filetypes can be put in place of the "Audio"/"Video"/"Subtitle" placeholders)

Let me know what you think...

[edit] I've made these for personal use only, so, in case someone likes them/wants to use them, approval of the original creator (LeoNico) is definitely necessary before that could happen!

[vlc_fan-01]

lopoz ,

I really like these icons, much more simplistic than mine. The admin didn't like 40+ icons for different file extensions but I'm sure he would love these. I know you said you made these for personal use BUT If these ones you made (with Permission) were to actually make it into VLC then could these small issues be addressed:

1. The "movie" could be better changed to "video" - Video and Audio go together. Also Video means any motion picture (from a short clip to a full length movie). So Video would be better text.

2. Like what I have dont with my icons, they should have some type of colour theme for each e.g. a narrow strip of blue for audio or even better to colour then Cone by simply playing with the Hue in an image editor etc. This is so they stand out when at smaller sizes - important!

3. Like my icons they should be a "Playlist" and "Generic" icons also, so in total 5 icons. The playlist is for playlist files like .pls,.asx etc and then the Generic is for any file extension that a user would assign to VLC. The Generic icon needs no text on it leaving bigger space for the VLC cone.

I am mainly talking from a Windows point of view, I know you Mac users have big size like 512x512

If you were to make a "Playlist" and a "Generic" icon and post the PNG to those on the thread then I could do points 1 and 2 and prepare it for Windows.

I would be interested to hear your responses

[lopoz]

The generic icon is no problem:
Also, the changing of the title from 'Movie' to 'Video' is done:

Playlist I have to come up with something to make it stand out from the other icons, so that'll take me some time..

About the color theme: I don't really think that that'll look very good.. I'll try to come up with something. I've looked at the icon files and the types are (easily) distinguishable up to 32 x 32 pixels..

I'll get back to you soon..

[edit] I was thinking that the gray stripe could be in different colors, depending on the filetype.. I'll get to work on it.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

I do like those ones. Do NOT WORRY about Mac.
I think there is the playlist one missing though.

And you should allow GPL licensing.

[lopoz]

I'm sorry j-b, but I don't know what, 'you should allow GPL licensing' means. Could you explain?
And what do you mean, not to worry about the mac? I've made these on a mac, and am currently using them too, so I'm not worried

Also, I'm working on ideas for the playlist one. I'm open to suggestions. I would like to keep it simple though, like the audio (waves) and the subtitle bars.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Well, VLC is GPL, so you have to accept that those icons will be under GPL.

[vlc_fan-01]

The generic icon is no problem
Also, the changing of the title from 'Movie' to 'Video' is done

Playlist I have to come up with something to make it stand out from the other icons, so that'll take me some time..

About the color theme: I don't really think that that'll look very good.. I'll try to come up with something. I've looked at the icon files and the types are (easily) distinguishable up to 32 x 32 pixels..

I'll get back to you soon..

[edit] I was thinking that the gray stripe could be in different colors, depending on the filetype.. I'll get to work on it.

Hi lapoz, thanks so much for replying and supporting this topic and with the "Generic" and "Playlist" icon approving. And thanks to j-b for the legal advice

OK, I await your Playlist icon design that you will post, can't wait

I like the diagonal grey strip. You disagreed with colouring the VLC cone which is fine I understand keep the original colour of the cone. Try to go for apropiate colours with good stand-out shades when considering colour theme idea for each 5 or whatever you think would look the nicest.

In my own play around (I was bored) the blue and text stretching made this look uglyso Im starting to doubt the colouring suggestion on your set - but the size increase is ok, don't you think? - I will let you decide

Paint.NET

[lopoz]

but the size increase is ok, don't you think?

I'm sorry, but I'm bound by the Apple Human Interface Guidelines, which I want to adhere to..
Plus, I think they look fine the way the are.. I did make the text a bit more dark, conforming to Mac OS style.

I think tomorrow I'll have some time to work on the playlist icon. Expect something in the evening (GMT)..

[vlc_fan-01]

Text darker, that is nicer. OK, I will wait for the upcoming Playlist icon.

"Apple Human Interface Guideline" - well Apple are second to none when in comes to graphical design presentations
http://developer.apple.com/documentatio ... Icons.html

Whatever minor critisisms, VLC is finally going to get some decent file type icons

===
EDIT] Oh yeah... It would also be nice if you could post some screenshots from your Mac on how the icons look on your desktop and in folders.

[lopoz]

Bit earlier than expected



First attempt at the playlist icon. Let me know what you think..

P.S. Will make some screens later.. Have been working on the playlist one for too long already

P.P.S. Here are the (near) final ones with the darker text: