Windows XP Media Center Edition SDK Page Layouts
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Page Layouts
Page layouts should be simple and clean, with a coherent visual hierarchy. Create a consistent design from page to page, aligning items to a grid. Readability should take precedence over decoration. Avoid including too many extraneous visual elements, and eliminate decorative elements that distract from the experience.
Normally your users will want to maintain their current media playing experience while they browse to your application. When the user opens your application while video or TV is playing, Media Center (unless otherwise instructed), will move the media playback into a small window at the lower left of the screen, called the shared viewport. When the shared viewport is visible, it will cover any content in the lower left corner of your page (width: 274 pixels; height: 192 pixels, based on a screen resolution of 1024 x 768), so it is important to plan your layout accordingly. Do not place important content such as focusable items in this space, and be sure to test your application with the shared viewport open.
You can use script to close the shared viewport, but it is best not to do this while content is playing unless it is absolutely necessary, as maintaining playback while browsing is an essential feature of the Media Center user experience. For more information on the shared viewport, see About the Shared and Custom Viewports.
The background for the shared viewport (that part of the 274 x 192 area not used by the actual media content) will be a flat RGB color, which you can assign using the MediaCenter.BGColor property. You cannot use a background image for this space; if you are using a background image for your page that shows a textured or blended surface, you should test it with the shared viewport open and be sure that the flat background color of the viewport blends seamlessly with your background image. You may have to adjust your background image to accommodate a flat, colored rectangle at the lower left.
See Also
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