Any Skype experts out there?

[mudskipper]

Oh yes - that was your solution. Great minds and all that...

[Platypus]

Great minds and all that...

Quite so

[mudskipper]

Sorry Gentile - maybe I'm missing the point, but...


The button code is:

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://download.skype.com/share/skypebuttons/js/skypeCheck.js"></script>
<a href="skype:mudskipper?call"><img src="http://mystatus.skype.com/bigclassic/mudskipper" style="border: none;" width="182" height="44" alt="My status" /></a>

Surely all you need to do is replace the image with an image from a server that you control and job's a good un? What else do you need to do?

[mudskipper]

Sorry Gentile - maybe I'm missing the point, but...


The button code is:

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://download.skype.com/share/skypebuttons/js/skypeCheck.js"></script>
<a href="skype:mudskipper?call"><img src="http://mystatus.skype.com/bigclassic/mudskipper" style="border: none;" width="182" height="44" alt="My status" /></a>

Surely all you need to do is replace the image with an image from a server that you control and job's a good un? What else do you need to do?

OK - I've read the whole thread properly now....

What is it you need to do that can't be done by serving a different image?

[Platypus]

OK - I've read the whole thread properly now....

What is it you need to do that can't be done by serving a different image?

ya know, upon re-re-reading, I agree.

The 'client side' issue is solved because the image is fetched by the blog HTML which you must have some control over because you added the
Skype Status thing already. You make a small change to that HTML to fetch an image from elsewhere. Otherwise, all the guff that checks for Skype being installed is still there (that's the Skype js piece just before the anchor tag, n'est pas?)

It's the 'elsewhere' that checks the Skype status and returns the correct image. No issue with cross-domain what-not.

If you have no 'elsewhere' (which would be surprising for a dev like you not to have some hosting somewhere) then fair enough, you're stuck.

[Gentile]

Sorry Gentile - maybe I'm missing the point, but...


The button code is:

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://download.skype.com/share/skypebuttons/js/skypeCheck.js"></script>
<a href="skype:mudskipper?call"><img src="http://mystatus.skype.com/bigclassic/mudskipper" style="border: none;" width="182" height="44" alt="My status" /></a>

Surely all you need to do is replace the image with an image from a server that you control and job's a good un? What else do you need to do?

It's explained in some detail here. Changing the image associated with the button isn't enough: you also need to be able to contextually-control what the button actually does.

[Platypus]

It's explained in some detail here. Changing the image associated with the button isn't enough: you also need to be able to contextually-control what the button actually does.

Yeah, the bit of PHP I posted does that. It check's your skype status and posts the correct image.

EDIT, ok, see what you mean, the button doesn't just change the image depending on your status, it does other stuff too, is what you're saying. But I think it's the js above the button that offers to install skype etc for you. With IMG= it can only be an image that gets served. The "action" part, the skype:call part is the same regardless of your status.

[Gentile]

Yeah, the bit of PHP I posted does that. It check's your skype status and posts the correct image.

EDIT, ok, see what you mean, the button doesn't just change the image depending on your status, it does other stuff too, is what you're saying. But I think it's the js above the button that offers to install skype etc for you. With IMG= it can only be an image that gets served. The "action" part, the skype:call part is the same regardless of your status.

That's what I'm getting at: unless the clientside script has access to the actual status, there's some stuff that it simply can't know how to do.

It's not just installing Skype, there's the other stuff mentioned in the OP too: such as changing the photograph to a context-specific image, and changing the actual function of the button contextually. I also had ideas that the button itself could be absolutely placed, depending on the context; e.g., the speech bubble appearing to come from out of frame when the "I'm Away" status is in effect, etc.

Finally, even the existing Skype script isn't too clever when it comes to simple stuff like showing a message box when you're on "Do Not Disturb". It does actually allow visitors to attempt to initiate a Skype call, even if by virtue of your status that action is destined to fail. I felt it'd be more appropriate if it just popped up a message saying "Sorry, not available right now" when the status indicates that would be the appropriate course of action.

[mudskipper]

Yeah, the bit of PHP I posted does that. It check's your skype status and posts the correct image.

EDIT, ok, see what you mean, the button doesn't just change the image depending on your status, it does other stuff too, is what you're saying. But I think it's the js above the button that offers to install skype etc for you. With IMG= it can only be an image that gets served. The "action" part, the skype:call part is the same regardless of your status.

+1

[mudskipper]

That's what I'm getting at: unless the clientside script has access to the actual status, there's some stuff that it simply can't know how to do.

It's not just installing Skype, there's the other stuff mentioned in the OP too: such as changing the photograph to a context-specific image, and changing the actual function of the button contextually. I also had ideas that the button itself could be absolutely placed, depending on the context; e.g., the speech bubble appearing to come from out of frame when the "I'm Away" status is in effect, etc.

Finally, even the existing Skype script isn't too clever when it comes to simple stuff like showing a message box when you're on "Do Not Disturb". It does actually allow visitors to attempt to initiate a Skype call, even if by virtue of your status that action is destined to fail. I felt it'd be more appropriate if it just popped up a message saying "Sorry, not available right now" when the status indicates that would be the appropriate course of action.

Ah, OK. Yep, you'll need the status for that stuff. Good luck with the JSON solution - will look out for the final result.