For a number of layouts, we’re using multiple regions with layers (z-indexes). Doing this, we encounter some problems.
Layer 1 is a picture, layer 1 is the clock or the weather forecast. Most of the time, both are displayed. Sometimes however, these elements don’t show anymore. Restarting the player seems to solve the issue for a little while.
We have a screen which consists of an image (layer 1) and the clock and the forecast on layer 2, atop of the image. On the other part of the screen, we have a video playing. There is no overlap / overlay in the video part of the screen. Yet, the elements on layer 2 are never visible.
Our players are on Windows, version 1.7.5 - the server is on 1.7.3.
Thanks for your reply; that’s a sad thing to hear actually. Just makes me wonder, why do layers and z-indexes work some of the time? Can I somehow mimick the behaviour of layers? Are there any plans to support this in the near future?
The .net Player is a Windows forms application.
Anything that uses a browser for rendering (text, datasets, tickers etc) cannot therefore be composited so we cheat that by putting the background image in the background and align it correctly. If you then put that on top of another media item you’ll see background rather than what is underneath.
You can put some things on top of others - for example you can put images on top of text items - but it’s much simpler to say that overlapping regions aren’t supported on Windows so it’s clear to people what their expectations should be. For that reason the Windows player doesn’t support the z-index settings as far as I’m aware.
We do have plans for a new player. They’re being discussed here:
The logic to download content, set schedules, check files are complete etc etc are far too complex for something that runs in a browser alone. There’s also push messaging to handle, interaction with serial ports, HDMI-CEC, shell commands, all stuff that a browser can’t directly do.
I’m not sure what you mean by Microsoft browser licencing issue. If you were to run Xibo in a browser (if that existed), then the end user would need to licence Windows with Microsoft, and hence Internet Explorer. The project wouldn’t bear any of that burden.
The preview mode will accurately render what you would see in the Android Player, and what we hope to deliver in the next major version of the Windows Player, so I don’t believe it to be “useless”.
Hey I just want to say I’m moving to Android client hardware.
This will be for all of our player clients as the Android clients are very stable and predictable in their results.
Plus the hardware is very inexpensive and easy to stand up quickly.
There will never be news for overlapping. You have to pay for it. Use the paid Android version. That’s what they want. How do you think they’re going to support themselves? Anyway, I’d pay for it if we had access to a Windows version with all the things we need. Maybe you guys can do it. The Android version will never be used by the organization I work for because they have lots and lots of Windows machines not being used.
That categorically isn’t the case. We’ve explained why it isn’t possible with the architecture of the current Windows Player, and set out a plan to address that. Unfortunately authoring a new Player is a huge body of work.
I don’t think authoring a new player would be a good thing. I think actually improving it and adding overlay support for video would be great. I’d pay for it if you guys sell a different version.
The system on which the current player is built is incapable of supporting transparency - which is why a new player is required. That’s why this has dragged on for so long.
Thanks for your works, we are also waiting for this update, this would be very useful for me. I hope you would have enough time for the improvement.
Thanks…
