XMBML Coding

This page will outline the logic behind XMB .xml configuration files.

Basic Structure

Every XMB .xml configuration file starts with this header:

Code Sample

And has at least one 'entry' which follows this format:

Code Sample

<View id=""> - this is so the entry can be identified from within the .xml by the PS3. The id must consist of UTF-8 characters and have no spaces. There must be no other entries with the same View id.

Within a entry there are two sub groups "<Attributes>" and "<Items>".

<Items> - the contents of this sub group dictates what exists on the XMB when this entry is used. There can be more than one entry.

<Attributes> - this provides additional information about the <Items> sub-entries. For each <Items> sub-entry there can(not all <Items> sub-entries requires attributes) be attributes assigned, each in its own table with an 'key' matching the <Items> sub-entry. The number of attribute sub-entries within a table varies depending on the <Items> sub-entry.

Creating XMB .xml Entries

<Items> sub-entries

When creating an XMB entries, you must tell the PS3 vsh.self and its modules what you want to do. And the first part of a <Items> sub-entry does just this by telling the PS3 what kind of entry this XMB entry is in the form of either "<Query class=""" or "<Item class=""". There are many acceptable values possible here but only 3 have more than one theoretical use:

• <Query class="type:x-xmb/folder-pixmap"
• <Item class="type:x-xmb/module-action"
• <Query class="type:x-xmb/xmlpackagefolder"

A table of the above types of <Items> sub-entries and what sections of a <Items> sub-entry they can/must use:

Entry Identification	"key=""" required ?	"attr=""" required ?	"src=""" required ?	Attributes Required ?	Remarks
<Query class="type:x-xmb/folder-pixmap"	Yes	Opt	Yes	Opt	Has many uses see here
<Item class="type:x-xmb/module-action"	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Uses a particular module to support the XMB item, see the Module-Action list
<Query class="type:x-xmb/xmlpackagefolder"	Yes	Opt	Yes	Yes	Used for installing package files

A table explaining the possible 'sections' to <Items> sub-entries and some acceptable uses of such:

<Items> sub-entry 'section'	Use	Example(s)	Remarks
key	Used to identify the sub-entry which can also be used link attributes(see below)	"gamedata"	-
attr	?	"gamedata"	generally the same value as 'key'
src	Used to link to other xml files or utilise a XMB database functions (see XMB database)	* Refer to another XMB entry inside the current xml file :"#seg_package_files". * Refer to another XMB entry inside another xml file :"xmb://localhost/dev_flash/vsh/resource/explore/xmb/category_game_tool2.xml#seg_package_files". * Utilise a XMB database function:"xcb://localhost/query?sort=+Game:Common.titleForSort&cond=AGL+Game:Game.titleId BC0000000 BCZZZZZZZ+OGL+Game:Game.titleId BL0000000 BLZZZZZZZ+OGL+Game:Game.titleId NP0000000 NPZZZZZZZ+OGL+Game:Game.titleId SC0000000 SCZZZZZZZ+An+Game:Game.titleId BLES01337+An+Game:Game.titleId BLES80608+An+Game:Game.titleId BLES80610+An+Game:Game.titleId BLES80611+An+Game:Game.titleId BLES80607+An+Game:Game.titleId NPXS00006+An+Game:Game.titleId BLES01059+An+Game:Game.category 2D+An+Game:Game.category BV+An+Game:Game.category GD+An+Game:Game.category HM+An+Game:Game.category SD+An+Game:Game.category VF+An+Game:Game.category WT"	XMB database function was taken from the XMBM+.

<Attributes>

A table of usable attributes and what <Items> sub-entries they can be used with:

Attribute	Use	Used by type:x-xmb/folder-pixmap	Used by type:x-xmb/module-action	Used by type:x-xmb/xmlpackagefolder	Example(s)
icon_rsc	displays a .rco referable image as XMB icon. Cannot be used at the same time as 'icon'.	Yes	Yes	Yes	"tex_album_icon"
icon	displays a .png image from an absolute path as XMB icon. Cannot be used at the same time as 'icon_rsc'.	Yes	Yes	Yes	"/dev_hdd0/game/XMBMANPLS/USRDIR/IMAGES/filemanager.png"
icon_notation	tells the XMB how to treat the icon (transparency etc.) by refering to the relevant .rco. Can in some cases override 'icon' or 'icon_rsc'	Yes	Yes	Yes	"WNT_XmbItemSavePS3"
title_rsc	displays XMB main title text referred from relevant .rco. Cannot be used at the same time as 'title'.	Yes	Yes	Yes	"msg_tool_app_home_ps3_game"
title	displays XMB main title from plain text input. Cannot be used at the same time as 'title_rsc'.	Yes	Yes	Yes	"Debug Settings"
info_rsc	displays XMB title information from relevant .rco. This is shown below the 'title' or 'title_rsc' entry ins a smaller font. Cannot be used at the same time as 'info'.	Yes	Yes	Yes	"item_tex_cam_icon"
info	displays XMB title information from plain text input. This is shown below the 'title' or 'title_rsc' entry ins a smaller font. Cannot be used at the same time as 'info_rsc'.	Yes	Yes	Yes	"This is a cool plain text info string"
child	tells the PS3 what action should be taken when the XMB item is selected.	Yes	No	Yes	"segment"
ingame	tells the PS3 if the item can be accessed ingame.	Yes	No	Yes	"enable"/"disable"
str_noitem	displays information from relevant .rco when no data/XMB items are found from then search function of the current XMB item.	Yes	No	No	"msg_error_no_gamedata"
seg_xil	displays dynamic online contents from xil.xml files from path: dev_hdd0/tmp/explore/xil/	Yes	No	No	"xil://localhost/list?t=video"
module_name	the name of the module to be used from this list	No	Yes	No	"webbrowser_plugin"/"explore_plugin"
module_action	what the module is commanded to use. The example commands are in respect the above modules	No	Yes	No	"http://m.facebook.com"/"NotifyErrorNoExecute"
bar_action	?	No	Yes	No	"none"
lbl_half	?	No	Yes	No	"1"
focus_detect	tells the PS3 to focus on the item if it is activated/utilised (like inserting a PS3 game disc). Of course the vsh.self has the final say on whether it is used (turning off auto boot)	Yes	Yes	Yes	"enable"
focus_priority	tells the PS3 the order in which the XMB items are loaded. This is use more by XMB items on the root of the XMB.	Yes	Yes	Yes	any integer

Worked Examples

An XMB item tree

For this we will make a XMB item which will act as a folder opening up into 3 other XMB items.

1/ First create the root XMB item which acts as a folder

Code Sample

Important Notes:

• I've used "<Query class="type:x-xmb/folder-pixmap"" for <Items> sub-entry type as it is good for displaying menus.
• The 'key' in the <Items> sub-entry (xmb_folder) is the same as the table key in Attibutes, so those attributes are assigned to the xmb_folder <Items> sub-entry.
• the 'src' is pointing to 'XMB_Folder_1_items' - the another XMB .xml entry in the current .xml
• the icon is from a .rco file and is a basic folder icon, like what the 'Game Data' XMB item uses
• 'title' and 'info' are in plain text
• 'child' is set as 'segment' so the XMB knows this item will subdivide into other XMB items

In order to create a working XMB sub menu the root xmb item (in this "XMB_Folder_1") must have its 'src' linking to a contents linker(its the best way to think about it) and not directly linking to XMB items in the sub menu.( If you do not do this when you select your root XMB item to display a sub menu, the 'output' or 'action' of the XMB items of the sub menu will be shown rather than the actual XMB items):

Code Sample

Important Notes:

• This has no attributes as it simply acts as a contents container/linker

Now to create the XMB .xml entry which holds the sub menu items:

Code Sample

Important Notes:

• These are dummy items, they do not 'go anywhere' or perform any function. They will just print the str_noitem message when clicked because they have no function
• notice how the keys from the <Items> sub entries match the Table keys from the <Attributes> sub entries
• The <Attributes> and the <Items> sub entries do not have to be in the same order to work, they just have to have their 'key' in common

A Web-Site link

This type of entry could be placed on the root of the XMB category, or in an XMB Item Tree. This is also an application of the 'module-action' function. Example:

Code Sample

• Important Notes:
  • The 'Attributes' for this Web-Link follow, follows the Attribute rules for a 'module-action' entry.
  • The 'webbrowser_plugin' module has been used to handle the, request in the 'module_action' pair key, which is a web address
  • The 'key' and 'attr' in the Items sub-entry are the same as the table key in the 'Attributes' sub-entry.
  • Remember that the icon_rsc string will search the rco file(used by the module running the category which this web link is on) for the icon 'dev_wiki_icon'. Whereas the title and info strings will just print the contents of the string.