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Borders for Windows Media Player

A border is similar to a skin, but instead of replacing the user interface for the compact mode of Windows Media Player, a border is embedded in the Now Playing pane of the full mode Windows Media Player.

By using the Windows Media Download file format (WMD), you can include content with a border, paving the way to multimedia applications.

A sample WMD file that includes a border and embedded content is included in the samples directory of this SDK.

Creating a Border

A border is created the same way as a skin. The only difference is that the skin is embedded inside the Now Playing pane. This means that the skin size cannot be calculated and that all skin elements must be relative. If the end user resizes Windows Media Player, portions of the border may be clipped off and not seen.

Loading a Border

A border is loaded when a Windows Media metafile that uses the SKIN element is loaded. The HREF attribute of the SKIN element must reference a skin. A typical SKIN element would look like this:

<SKIN href="myborder.wmz">

For more information, see SKIN Element.

Including Content with a Border

You can include content with a border by using the Windows Media Download file format (WMD). Follow these steps:

  1. Create the border. Take care to create it in such a way that resizing will not ruin the composition of the border. For example, do not include a background file; make the background transparent so that a visualization could run behind it.
  2. Compress the skin contents (art, JScript files, WMS text file) into a WMZ file.
  3. Create a Windows Media Metafile (ASX) that references the compressed border file (WMZ). The metafile can include playlist information with metadata for art and URLs for specific content.
  4. Assemble the content (WMA, WMV, and so on).
  5. Compress the compressed border, metafile, and content into one file and give it a .wmd file extension.

Using a Border

After you have created the Windows Media Download file, all that the end user has to do is double-click on it. The file will be downloaded to the end user's computer. The files inside the package will be unpacked, the playlist will be added to the playlists, the border will appear in the Now Playing pane of the full mode Windows Media Player, and the first item on the new playlist will begin playing.

Border Samples

To see a sample of a complete working border, click the Start button, then point to Programs, then Windows Media, and then click Windows Media Player SDK samples. You must first install the Windows Media Player SDK to use the samples. If you have not already installed it, click the following link:

Install Windows Media Player SDK

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