Supacon
I have completed a substantial update to CONDENSED -- the multipurpose skin for ALL resolutions.
As always, CONDENSED is designed to be versatile and supports Video, VDJ scratching features, multiple rhythm views, a slimline internal mixer with 3-band EQs, hotcues with customizable labels, and much much more. But of course, the point of this thread is to talk about what is new and encourage people to try it out and offer their feedback.
The new skin uses some new features of VDJ 7, so unfortunately it is not backwards compatible with VDJ 6. If there are people out there who desperately want a VDJ6 compatible version of CONDENSED 1.7, please let me know.. but the impression I am getting is that the vast majority of users are upgrading to 1.7 anyways, since it is a great release (IMO).
Without further ado, here is what is new:
Deck Sampler Pannel
Some users have asked for sampler support, and it is now offered as a pannel that can be switched between effects and samples. It is pretty simple, offering volume and recording controls.
Battery Status Plugin Support
If you have ever neglected to plug in a DJ computer and not noticed until it is too late, this feature is a godsend. Thanks to SBDJ's new plugin, CONDENSED offers a detailed display of your battery status and power status. A plug icon displays if your computer is plugged in, and an icon will change to reflect your battery level. When you start getting low, the icon will blink and display the percentage of power remaining so you know about how much time you have before you need to find a power source.
SBDJ Battery Status can be downloaded here:
http://www.virtualdj.com/addons/12157/
MacOS and Windows Window Controls
VDJ7 now allows for skins to selectively support elements based on the user OS. For users running MacOS, I have made lovely window controls that look and work like the MacOS X Close, Minimize, and Zoom (FullScreen) buttons. Now Mac users can feel more at home in CONDENSED. The same controls as before are present for Windows users.
Customizable Beatjump Buttons
Condensed has always had beatjump buttons that let you skip 4 and 16 beats, or double those values when rightclicked. Because everyone has a different use for these sort of buttons, I have made these controls adjustable so that you can click on the small up/down arrows to adjust each of the beatjump button pairs from 1 beat up to 128 beats. You can also use them as a seek control if you need to quickly fast forward and rewind your songs to find a certain point.
Minor Bug Fixes
I have had a few users with minor problems such as glitches in the video windows for users of VDJ Home, and users of certain controllers. Such things have now been fixed.
I hope that this new version of CONDENSED brings some great new improvements that everyone likes. Please let me know what you think, or let me know if you find any problems with the new version.
[ Download CONDENSED v1.7 ]
As always, CONDENSED is designed to be versatile and supports Video, VDJ scratching features, multiple rhythm views, a slimline internal mixer with 3-band EQs, hotcues with customizable labels, and much much more. But of course, the point of this thread is to talk about what is new and encourage people to try it out and offer their feedback.
The new skin uses some new features of VDJ 7, so unfortunately it is not backwards compatible with VDJ 6. If there are people out there who desperately want a VDJ6 compatible version of CONDENSED 1.7, please let me know.. but the impression I am getting is that the vast majority of users are upgrading to 1.7 anyways, since it is a great release (IMO).
Without further ado, here is what is new:
Deck Sampler Pannel
Some users have asked for sampler support, and it is now offered as a pannel that can be switched between effects and samples. It is pretty simple, offering volume and recording controls.
Battery Status Plugin Support
If you have ever neglected to plug in a DJ computer and not noticed until it is too late, this feature is a godsend. Thanks to SBDJ's new plugin, CONDENSED offers a detailed display of your battery status and power status. A plug icon displays if your computer is plugged in, and an icon will change to reflect your battery level. When you start getting low, the icon will blink and display the percentage of power remaining so you know about how much time you have before you need to find a power source.
SBDJ Battery Status can be downloaded here:
http://www.virtualdj.com/addons/12157/
MacOS and Windows Window Controls
VDJ7 now allows for skins to selectively support elements based on the user OS. For users running MacOS, I have made lovely window controls that look and work like the MacOS X Close, Minimize, and Zoom (FullScreen) buttons. Now Mac users can feel more at home in CONDENSED. The same controls as before are present for Windows users.
Customizable Beatjump Buttons
Condensed has always had beatjump buttons that let you skip 4 and 16 beats, or double those values when rightclicked. Because everyone has a different use for these sort of buttons, I have made these controls adjustable so that you can click on the small up/down arrows to adjust each of the beatjump button pairs from 1 beat up to 128 beats. You can also use them as a seek control if you need to quickly fast forward and rewind your songs to find a certain point.
Minor Bug Fixes
I have had a few users with minor problems such as glitches in the video windows for users of VDJ Home, and users of certain controllers. Such things have now been fixed.
I hope that this new version of CONDENSED brings some great new improvements that everyone likes. Please let me know what you think, or let me know if you find any problems with the new version.
[ Download CONDENSED v1.7 ]
Posted Sat 08 Jan 11 @ 2:02 pm
djrxmx
Supacon,
I was hoping for your inspiration to do a new skin for VDJ 7 Pro, and now you have, and I can't wait to check it out.
Thanks man! Your series of this skin is the best of them all!
Cheers.
DJ Rxmx
I was hoping for your inspiration to do a new skin for VDJ 7 Pro, and now you have, and I can't wait to check it out.
Thanks man! Your series of this skin is the best of them all!
Cheers.
DJ Rxmx
Posted Tue 11 Jan 11 @ 5:07 pm
Simon Bailey
Supacon...I get an "Install error: 5" when trying to install 1.7.
Posted Tue 11 Jan 11 @ 6:11 pm
djrxmx
djrxmx wrote :
Supacon,
I was hoping for your inspiration to do a new skin for VDJ 7 Pro, and now you have, and I can't wait to check it out.
I was hoping for your inspiration to do a new skin for VDJ 7 Pro, and now you have, and I can't wait to check it out.
...So far so good. Like the new skin update. No issues thus far.
DJ Rxmx
Posted Tue 11 Jan 11 @ 6:55 pm
Supacon
Simon Bailey wrote :
Supacon...I get an "Install error: 5" when trying to install 1.7.
Wow... never heard of that. Perhaps the file didn't finish downloading or was corrupted.
I wonder if you can just download the zip file without using the installer and then just copy it into your My Documents/VirtualDJ/Skins folder.
Posted Tue 11 Jan 11 @ 7:05 pm
Simon Bailey
Supacon...got the DL and i worked fine...very nice skin :)
Posted Wed 12 Jan 11 @ 5:51 am
ewitles
THANK YOU!
Now, is there a way I can toggle between sample/effects via the DAC-3?
And what about multi deck?
Thanks again!!!
Now, is there a way I can toggle between sample/effects via the DAC-3?
And what about multi deck?
Thanks again!!!
Posted Wed 12 Jan 11 @ 1:03 pm
Supacon
No multideck support yet in CONDENSED. I have been considering how I would do such a skin, but to actually keep it "condensed" and leave lots of browser room for small screen computers would be a challenge. It would truly have to be a completely different skin, and I figure that I might as well redesign everything to take advantage of my slightly upgraded Photoshop chops while I'm at it.
In other words, it's a big project for me -- don't expect anything soon :S
But as for toggling samples/effects, you should be able to do that by using a variable toggle with a bit of VDJScript and assign it to a button.
The code above works, although there is the slight problem that if you use the mouse, then use the button, you may have to hit the button twice for the variable to be toggled. You could fix this by modifying the skin a little to set the variable properly when you click the pannel button if you find this to be a problem.
In other words, it's a big project for me -- don't expect anything soon :S
But as for toggling samples/effects, you should be able to do that by using a variable toggle with a bit of VDJScript and assign it to a button.
--Deck 1 Effects/Samples Pannel Toggle
toggle $effectsample1 & var $effectsample1 ? skin_pannel "effects1" on : skin_pannel "samples1" on
--Deck 2 Effects/Samples Pannel Toggle
toggle $effectsample2 & var $effectsample2 ? skin_pannel "effects2" on : skin_pannel "samples2" on
The code above works, although there is the slight problem that if you use the mouse, then use the button, you may have to hit the button twice for the variable to be toggled. You could fix this by modifying the skin a little to set the variable properly when you click the pannel button if you find this to be a problem.
set $effectsample1 0 & skin_pannel "effects1" on
set $effectsample1 1 & skin_pannel "samples1" on
Posted Sun 16 Jan 11 @ 4:51 am
lutzkaraoke
I would like to thank Supacon very much for the condensed skin! With this I am able to have so much information on the screen on my 1024x768 Notebook, and there are all controls available, much better in my eyes as the default skins. Even videomixing is no problem, as I don't have to switch between any views. For me, two decks are enough, more decks are more confusing, so what for?
If there were a donation possibility, I surely would donate for it ;-)
If there were a donation possibility, I surely would donate for it ;-)
Posted Sat 16 Apr 11 @ 10:50 am
Supacon
Thanks for the compliments! I'm glad that you are enjoying Condensed :)
Posted Sat 16 Apr 11 @ 2:03 pm
AudioDelite
this is nice
Posted Mon 18 Apr 11 @ 6:49 pm
dj-e-lectric
Okay, I didn't think it was possible to out do Video Vision, but this one comes really close. Here are a couple changes i would like to see and then make the switch from video vision and then send it to it's well earned spot in the skin hall of fame!
1. On key shift can you make it go in .25 increments instead of a full one?
2. You need to bring back the "Video Take" buttons!!!!! Maybe make it a bit slower (about 8 beats on a 128 beat song). Maybe instead of adding the actual buttons just set it so it crossfades when you click in the video preview window for each deck?
3. How about instead of the "loop in out and 1/2 x2 buttons and skip beats buttons" we have an optional overlay that makes the preview window bigger?
4. 8 cues instead of 4.
4. make the pitch increment in .1 steps rather than .4 steps
5. an option with 4 decks and a smaller browser area would be really sweat.
6. bug fix - when you change the "pitch range" it doesn't give the 12% option it skips right from 10 to 20.
maybe the 2 deck version would look something like this (second row of cues would be 5-8 instead of two rows of 1-4)
1. On key shift can you make it go in .25 increments instead of a full one?
2. You need to bring back the "Video Take" buttons!!!!! Maybe make it a bit slower (about 8 beats on a 128 beat song). Maybe instead of adding the actual buttons just set it so it crossfades when you click in the video preview window for each deck?
3. How about instead of the "loop in out and 1/2 x2 buttons and skip beats buttons" we have an optional overlay that makes the preview window bigger?
4. 8 cues instead of 4.
4. make the pitch increment in .1 steps rather than .4 steps
5. an option with 4 decks and a smaller browser area would be really sweat.
6. bug fix - when you change the "pitch range" it doesn't give the 12% option it skips right from 10 to 20.
maybe the 2 deck version would look something like this (second row of cues would be 5-8 instead of two rows of 1-4)
Posted Mon 25 Apr 11 @ 11:28 am
Supacon
Thanks for your feedback DJ E-lectric. I'll comment inline.
Currently you can right-click to adjust by a half semitone, but this would be easy for you to change yourself in the XML. Look for "key_move +0.5" and change it to "key_move +0.25"
I don't think I can see a good reason to use quarter-semitone adjustments as a standard... anyone else have an opinion on this? It's an easy change to make, though.
This is a good idea. I think that this is easy enough to do, although I'm not sure how to make it apparent that the function is there in the design of the skin. (A tooltip would be the only evidence, I suppose). I'll probably add this when I next make a revision.
This could be a good idea, but I'd have to find a place to put the pannel toggle. I'm not sure where I'd have room, without making something smaller. Maybe I could repurpose the "Exit Loop" buttons/indicators for that.
If I did this, I'd keep the correct 16:9 aspect ratio, which means I'd have some extra space to the left of the previews. I could probably relocate one of the loop buttons (and a pannel toggle button to go back) here.
Man, you really need 8? I thought VideoVision was overkill with seven. If I did this, I'd have to scratch the cuename display area, which is one of my favorite features, and then the hotcue buttons would get a bit smaller. This might still be acceptable on larger monitors, but it would be harder to click them on 800x600 (which I actually support, for some reason). If I did this, I'd make it a pannel, meaning that I'd need to figure out where to put yet another pannel button.
This isn't a bad idea, though.
I'm wondering if you meant "rather than .04" -- I feel that the pitch adjustment is already almost excessively fine with the DEC/INC buttons (if that's what you meant). The percentage of change is actually .03 on click, and .1 on rightclick (so you can get what you asked for by simply right clicking the buttons already). Again, you could easily tweak this by looking for "pitch -0.03%" in the XML.
Well, it would certainly cause ME to sweat! ;) It would be a substantial rework of the skin, and honestly, if I were going to undertake that (which I've considered in the past), I would create a whole new skin, and it would be tons of work. I would like to do it, but it's not a priority for me anytime in the near future, unfortunately.
Not a bug, I just didn't think I needed another pitch range there. I could add that back in if that's a common one (which I can imagine it is).
This one would be easy to fix yourself in the XML by looking for "pitch_range '6,8,10,25,98'+1" and adding in the other ranges you want to the list. (Or removing ones you don't want).
dj-e-lectric wrote :
1. On key shift can you make it go in .25 increments instead of a full one?
Currently you can right-click to adjust by a half semitone, but this would be easy for you to change yourself in the XML. Look for "key_move +0.5" and change it to "key_move +0.25"
I don't think I can see a good reason to use quarter-semitone adjustments as a standard... anyone else have an opinion on this? It's an easy change to make, though.
dj-e-lectric wrote :
2. You need to bring back the "Video Take" buttons!!!!! Maybe make it a bit slower (about 8 beats on a 128 beat song). Maybe instead of adding the actual buttons just set it so it crossfades when you click in the video preview window for each deck?
This is a good idea. I think that this is easy enough to do, although I'm not sure how to make it apparent that the function is there in the design of the skin. (A tooltip would be the only evidence, I suppose). I'll probably add this when I next make a revision.
dj-e-lectric wrote :
3. How about instead of the "loop in out and 1/2 x2 buttons and skip beats buttons" we have an optional overlay that makes the preview window bigger?
This could be a good idea, but I'd have to find a place to put the pannel toggle. I'm not sure where I'd have room, without making something smaller. Maybe I could repurpose the "Exit Loop" buttons/indicators for that.
If I did this, I'd keep the correct 16:9 aspect ratio, which means I'd have some extra space to the left of the previews. I could probably relocate one of the loop buttons (and a pannel toggle button to go back) here.
dj-e-lectric wrote :
4. 8 cues instead of 4.
Man, you really need 8? I thought VideoVision was overkill with seven. If I did this, I'd have to scratch the cuename display area, which is one of my favorite features, and then the hotcue buttons would get a bit smaller. This might still be acceptable on larger monitors, but it would be harder to click them on 800x600 (which I actually support, for some reason). If I did this, I'd make it a pannel, meaning that I'd need to figure out where to put yet another pannel button.
This isn't a bad idea, though.
dj-e-lectric wrote :
4. make the pitch increment in .1 steps rather than .4 steps
I'm wondering if you meant "rather than .04" -- I feel that the pitch adjustment is already almost excessively fine with the DEC/INC buttons (if that's what you meant). The percentage of change is actually .03 on click, and .1 on rightclick (so you can get what you asked for by simply right clicking the buttons already). Again, you could easily tweak this by looking for "pitch -0.03%" in the XML.
dj-e-lectric wrote :
5. an option with 4 decks and a smaller browser area would be really sweat.
Well, it would certainly cause ME to sweat! ;) It would be a substantial rework of the skin, and honestly, if I were going to undertake that (which I've considered in the past), I would create a whole new skin, and it would be tons of work. I would like to do it, but it's not a priority for me anytime in the near future, unfortunately.
dj-e-lectric wrote :
6. bug fix - when you change the "pitch range" it doesn't give the 12% option it skips right from 10 to 20.
Not a bug, I just didn't think I needed another pitch range there. I could add that back in if that's a common one (which I can imagine it is).
This one would be easy to fix yourself in the XML by looking for "pitch_range '6,8,10,25,98'+1" and adding in the other ranges you want to the list. (Or removing ones you don't want).
Posted Thu 28 Apr 11 @ 12:46 am
dj-e-lectric
Supacon wrote :
Thanks for your feedback DJ E-lectric. I'll comment inline.
Probably right on this one...I'll leave it as is
The "take buttons" were one of the best features of video vision, a tool tip would be fine and maybe just in the description of revisions when you post it...for those uf us that use it once it is there we will never forget.
That will work for me
Maybe a compromise of 6, ther is only a few songs I do more than 6 but I do use 6 on a lot of the house/dance stuff.
Okay, maybe I had something set wrong but it was only 3 or 4 clicks between beats...I'll play with this one.
Just thought it would be nice to take advantage of this feature, but no sweat I can't get V7 to work properly anyway yet.
Not a bug, I just didn't think I needed another pitch range there. I could add that back in if that's a common one (which I can imagine it is).
This one would be easy to fix yourself in the XML by looking for "pitch_range '6,8,10,25,98'+1" and adding in the other ranges you want to the list. (Or removing ones you don't want).
dj-e-lectric wrote :
1. On key shift can you make it go in .25 increments instead of a full one?
Currently you can right-click to adjust by a half semitone, but this would be easy for you to change yourself in the XML. Look for "key_move +0.5" and change it to "key_move +0.25"
I don't think I can see a good reason to use quarter-semitone adjustments as a standard... anyone else have an opinion on this? It's an easy change to make, though.
Currently you can right-click to adjust by a half semitone, but this would be easy for you to change yourself in the XML. Look for "key_move +0.5" and change it to "key_move +0.25"
I don't think I can see a good reason to use quarter-semitone adjustments as a standard... anyone else have an opinion on this? It's an easy change to make, though.
Probably right on this one...I'll leave it as is
dj-e-lectric wrote :
2. You need to bring back the "Video Take" buttons!!!!! Maybe make it a bit slower (about 8 beats on a 128 beat song). Maybe instead of adding the actual buttons just set it so it crossfades when you click in the video preview window for each deck?
This is a good idea. I think that this is easy enough to do, although I'm not sure how to make it apparent that the function is there in the design of the skin. (A tooltip would be the only evidence, I suppose). I'll probably add this when I next make a revision.
This is a good idea. I think that this is easy enough to do, although I'm not sure how to make it apparent that the function is there in the design of the skin. (A tooltip would be the only evidence, I suppose). I'll probably add this when I next make a revision.
The "take buttons" were one of the best features of video vision, a tool tip would be fine and maybe just in the description of revisions when you post it...for those uf us that use it once it is there we will never forget.
dj-e-lectric wrote :
3. How about instead of the "loop in out and 1/2 x2 buttons and skip beats buttons" we have an optional overlay that makes the preview window bigger?
This could be a good idea, but I'd have to find a place to put the pannel toggle. I'm not sure where I'd have room, without making something smaller. Maybe I could repurpose the "Exit Loop" buttons/indicators for that. If I did this, I'd keep the correct 16:9 aspect ratio, which means I'd have some extra space to the left of the previews. I could probably relocate one of the loop buttons (and a pannel toggle button to go back) here.
This could be a good idea, but I'd have to find a place to put the pannel toggle. I'm not sure where I'd have room, without making something smaller. Maybe I could repurpose the "Exit Loop" buttons/indicators for that. If I did this, I'd keep the correct 16:9 aspect ratio, which means I'd have some extra space to the left of the previews. I could probably relocate one of the loop buttons (and a pannel toggle button to go back) here.
That will work for me
dj-e-lectric wrote :
4. 8 cues instead of 4.
Man, you really need 8? I thought VideoVision was overkill with seven. If I did this, I'd have to scratch the cuename display area, which is one of my favorite features, and then the hotcue buttons would get a bit smaller. This might still be acceptable on larger monitors, but it would be harder to click them on 800x600 (which I actually support, for some reason). If I did this, I'd make it a pannel, meaning that I'd need to figure out where to put yet another pannel button. This isn't a bad idea, though.
Man, you really need 8? I thought VideoVision was overkill with seven. If I did this, I'd have to scratch the cuename display area, which is one of my favorite features, and then the hotcue buttons would get a bit smaller. This might still be acceptable on larger monitors, but it would be harder to click them on 800x600 (which I actually support, for some reason). If I did this, I'd make it a pannel, meaning that I'd need to figure out where to put yet another pannel button. This isn't a bad idea, though.
Maybe a compromise of 6, ther is only a few songs I do more than 6 but I do use 6 on a lot of the house/dance stuff.
dj-e-lectric wrote :
4. make the pitch increment in .1 steps rather than .4 steps
I'm wondering if you meant "rather than .04" -- I feel that the pitch adjustment is already almost excessively fine with the DEC/INC buttons (if that's what you meant). The percentage of change is actually .03 on click, and .1 on rightclick (so you can get what you asked for by simply right clicking the buttons already). Again, you could easily tweak this by looking for "pitch -0.03%" in the XML.
I'm wondering if you meant "rather than .04" -- I feel that the pitch adjustment is already almost excessively fine with the DEC/INC buttons (if that's what you meant). The percentage of change is actually .03 on click, and .1 on rightclick (so you can get what you asked for by simply right clicking the buttons already). Again, you could easily tweak this by looking for "pitch -0.03%" in the XML.
Okay, maybe I had something set wrong but it was only 3 or 4 clicks between beats...I'll play with this one.
dj-e-lectric wrote :
5. an option with 4 decks and a smaller browser area would be really sweat.
Well, it would certainly cause ME to sweat! ;) It would be a substantial rework of the skin, and honestly, if I were going to undertake that (which I've considered in the past), I would create a whole new skin, and it would be tons of work. I would like to do it, but it's not a priority for me anytime in the near future, unfortunately.
Well, it would certainly cause ME to sweat! ;) It would be a substantial rework of the skin, and honestly, if I were going to undertake that (which I've considered in the past), I would create a whole new skin, and it would be tons of work. I would like to do it, but it's not a priority for me anytime in the near future, unfortunately.
Just thought it would be nice to take advantage of this feature, but no sweat I can't get V7 to work properly anyway yet.
dj-e-lectric wrote :
6. bug fix - when you change the "pitch range" it doesn't give the 12% option it skips right from 10 to 20.
Not a bug, I just didn't think I needed another pitch range there. I could add that back in if that's a common one (which I can imagine it is).
This one would be easy to fix yourself in the XML by looking for "pitch_range '6,8,10,25,98'+1" and adding in the other ranges you want to the list. (Or removing ones you don't want).
Okay, I'll fix this myself.
Keep up the great work!
Sorry guys, can't quite get the multiple quote thing right.
Posted Thu 28 Apr 11 @ 1:34 am
cnymike
I'm getting the error "VirtualDJ not found" when I attempt to run the Mac installer for Condensed 1.7. Any idea why this is happening or how I can get this installed?
Posted Sun 01 May 11 @ 5:59 pm
situhao
Thanks for the compliments!
Posted Sat 21 May 11 @ 6:33 am
lutzkaraoke
I like the condensed skins very much. But I now mentioned that effects section is not updated while using a controller. Therefore, I cannot see, what the current effect is :-(
Posted Thu 26 Apr 12 @ 12:13 pm
ewitles
LOVE this skin still. Any chance to make it 8 friendly?
Posted Tue 27 May 14 @ 1:45 pm
thetracker510
I'm afraid that he isnt skinning of djing anymore as he posted elsewhere in the forums....:(
Posted Tue 27 May 14 @ 3:10 pm
ewitles
:( could anyone else pick up on it or at least a 'convert 7 skin to 8 for dummies'?
Posted Tue 27 May 14 @ 7:53 pm
