Related
As it seems, M$ introduced a mod into new WM5.0 ROMs, so that a Battery Indicator is displayed at title bar instead of the tradicional clock.
It is also possible to configure the device to display the time/clock in all applications, but it doesn't happen while in Today screen.
In opposition to what happened with previous OS builds.
A Reg hack allowed and still allows to change the 'time', to 'date' or 'time&date'.
However with some combinations now, the icons overlap each other into the Title Bar...
Nobody seems to be happy with this new "feature", and likes to live with the alternative of having the time/clock displayed into a Today plug-in.
Also it seems no one succeded to hack and get rid of this. Any ideas?
It is in fact a very annoying indicator!!!
Who wants a Battery Indicator that means just one of three things: 'battery full'; 'battery half full' (or half empty); 'battery empty'...
And look bellow, how strange it could get...
Two battery indicators at the Title Bar (both from M$), and with different lookings...
lol
That's pretty funny, 2 battery meters in the taskbar, with no third party tool to do so? :>
I just wonder who came up with this stroke of genius... was it really Microsoft, or was it HTC, or was it iMate/Qtek (haven't seen any other branded ones yet..)?
Having the Time in the Today Item is one thing... it's a shame it takes up 2 lines, but I guess some people can live with that. Others, like me, think that's pretty messed up and would prefer a better solution ($100 is still available for the person to create said solution - search around the forums for the bounty thread).
But to automatically remove the clock from the expected location is just horrible ergonomics. Imagine having that in real life... you have a watch on your wrist, and wherever you are, you look at your wrist because you expect your watch with the time to be there. Now you get to the office, and there's one of those cheapo round wallclocks on the wall. You look at your wrist to check the time: hey, wtf - your watch is gone! But as soon as you step outside the door *ploink* your watch is back on your wrist. Ooookay.
The battery meter is an entirely different issue altogether. It's almost the lamest and least informative meter ever*, it takes up an icon in the task bar, and I guess it actually disappears when you switch to an app? What's the point? Battery meters like "Batti" are where it's at - MS/whoever should take a page out of their book and learn.
( * the lamest are actually those which are onlu applications. Start an application to check the battery level? double-you tee triple-ef. No offense to those who coded one )
And you thought that was funny!? Look at this!!! OMG LOL!!
HAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!!! OMG 3 Battery indicators!!! LMAO!!!!!
M$ ARE STUPID AS ****
lol
how'd you end up with -that- happening ?
You sure that extra bar that's obscuring your today items isn't a third party thing? I suppose it might be that tray_icons.exe (wrong name, technically - as it's the taskbar, not the tray) ?
ZeBoxx said:
lol
how'd you end up with -that- happening ?
You sure that extra bar that's obscuring your today items isn't a third party thing? I suppose it might be that tray_icons.exe (wrong name, technically - as it's the taskbar, not the tray) ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL...
This bar pops-up when you have more than one notification in queue to acknowledge, and you tap ballon at Title Bar.
In fact it is the combination of the two images I posted, with the events queued
Great work M$...
Waitting for the day we can get rid of the battery icon on the Title Bar.
[>_<]
I hope Qtek's ROM makers end up reading all these complaints about the iMate one (and their own earlier test one) and fixes it before they release theirs. I know a lot of people are anxious for push e-mail (and then go asking how to disable it because it runs up their bills.. *chuckle*) and A2DP (not included in iMate) and overall improvements, but this is one non-improvement I'll stick to an older ROM for
You are really right. it is a sh***.
Always they come with these fantastic ideas. i don't know nobody of the developpers saw all complains about the device in all forums discussing the good and the negative points.
i hope one will come with a batch correcting these mess.
FWIW the recently released Orange ROM does this too. It is very annoying indeed.
Has anyone discovered a way to disable this useless battery indicator on the Title Bar?
It would have been nicer too if they at least made the date, day, and time pug-in as one line, and not the date and day taking 2 lines.
wisbar advance 2 makes the time stay when on the today screen,
when i can i'll post a pic but i have
wisbar advance 2 + vga skin
pocket breeze, contact breeze, pocket weather and ilauncher all setup to use only the 1 today item,
clock stays all the time
and im pleased with the speed, its still just as fast even at rotating
more accurately.. last time I checked.. wisbar advance places its own clock there %)
Not quite the same, and means you do have to install another app which permanently takes over your task bar, etc. - which isn't all bad, wisbar advance is pretty sweet. still, I didn't find any particular need for it.. so if the battery meter can just be removed, that'd be preferable %)
I must be the only one who thinks this is quite useful then! But it assumes that you have the clock plugin on the Today screen, and don't like to waste space on an extra battery plugin.
However, it would be nice to have the option. If no one comes up with a reg hack, it might be possible to hack the system to force it show only the clock I guess.
V
Carnivor said:
wisbar advance 2 makes the time stay when on the today screen,
when i can i'll post a pic but i have
wisbar advance 2 + vga skin
pocket breeze, contact breeze, pocket weather and ilauncher all setup to use only the 1 today item,
clock stays all the time
and im pleased with the speed, its still just as fast even at rotating
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How much memory does Wisbar take? Can we install this to the SD card or better yet, the Ext ROM?
You might want to check out the recently released WisBar lite. No skinning engine built in for faster operation. I've never tried it though.
V
vijay555 said:
I must be the only one who thinks this is quite useful then!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
*gasp*
et tu, vijay?
vijay555 said:
But it assumes that you have the clock plugin on the Today screen
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
mistake #1
vijay555 said:
and don't like to waste space on an extra battery plugin
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
mistake #2.1. In my case icon wastes more space than 2px high indicator line. *pats Batti*.
mistake #2.2. Assumes that you don't already -have- a battery indicator. /me points at the dozens of battery indicators out there. Say yours of choice is a taskbar icon as well. Except it's cooler (more features.. whatever). Now you have two - but you can't get rid of the built-in one. Yay!
vijay555 said:
However, it would be nice to have the option.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
mistake #3
vijay555 said:
If no one comes up with a reg hack, it might be possible to hack the system to force it show only the clock I guess.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
request #1 as soon as this ROM popped up - get rid of the da*n battery icon
request #2 and restore the clock %)
I do suppose it's some silly registry thing, or just a file that you need to remove, or if need be some file that you need to hack about.
vijay555 said:
You might want to check out the recently released WisBar lite. No skinning engine built in for faster operation. I've never tried it though.
V
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just checked out Wisbar Lite http://www.lakeridgesoftware.com/products.php?prod=WisBar+Lite as you and Carnivor mentioned, it does take care of the time issue on the today screen. I am afraid to try it though, for I am running Small Menu and Magic Button at the same time, their combination is absolutely perfect in the Universal.
Me too - I use smallmenu with VJOkButt. I wouldn't use Wisbar just to replace the clock.
V
have the same problem, defies the whole purpose of having the date/time if it overlaps.
no way around it?
I just upgraded the ROM on my JAMin and its the same, battery meter on the top right hand corner in place of the clock.
Have we found a solution to this battery icon problem yet? I've not been able to find one.
Cheers,
Steve.
I'll keep it short: I'm a young Qtek9000 enthousiast and make a living programming regular Windows-applications. In my spare time I'm looking into programming for WM5 and liking it. I'm working on a small/lightweight Bluetooth (Bluejack/snarf) progam, but what kind of program or utility do you miss? By no means do I want to make another SPB Pocket Plus or Resco File Explorer, but what 'small' program/utility do you want?
In advance thanks for your effort.
Cheers
Emmerman
hmm, maybe an SIP changer.
i really need an app that will toggle through 2 selected SIPs, which i'll assign a keyboard button to.
the only need is the SIP switcher itself, the button mapping will be used conviniently through PQz.
thanx for the effort
task manager, that sits in the top toolbar (where start menu and clock are). tap it, and the bubble thing appears with all the running programs.
Call blocker is what I miss. There is one on the internet, but when I try it, it says "beta expired". Any help?
Yahoo Messenger... the msngr in yahoo go sucks.... and agile is charging already..
Akula_dude said:
task manager, that sits in the top toolbar (where start menu and clock are). tap it, and the bubble thing appears with all the running programs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That sounds like Vbar (free & good).
Gotta say, even if it isn't a small project, a decent multi-client IM app has to be the rarest of all WM5 compatible apps. Everything out there is pretty much garbage, except Agile which has decided you can only "rent" their app.
ZX Spectrum emulator. And I miss it a lot!
I've always been a user of SPB Pocket Plus, but it's a but clums to change the icons for the meters, and colour of the text on the meters often clashed with the background.
Are there any alternatives that can display meters for battery and storage, as well as custom shortcuts, or shortcuts to things in the programs menu?
I've had a go with SBSH's iLauncher, and I didn't like it. Any others?
Thanks
Scottland said:
I've always been a user of SPB Pocket Plus, but it's a but clums to change the icons for the meters, and colour of the text on the meters often clashed with the background.
Are there any alternatives that can display meters for battery and storage, as well as custom shortcuts, or shortcuts to things in the programs menu?
I've had a go with SBSH's iLauncher, and I didn't like it. Any others?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use O2 plus 2.3 it will work on any Hermes WM5 or WM6, it has a small memory footprint and even though the picture of my screen does not show it you can have all that you asked displayed. Cab file below.
^^ I second, it is a good and elegant app. However if you want to go for an even MORE minimalistic approach then I would suggest PBar. It is a great app as well. Tiny footprint and it can do everything you are asking for. Albeit the memory would be in number form rather than using up precious screen real estate as a bar.
Latest version is 1.3 however most people are using 1.2 still. Do a search and you will find it. I see no reason why to repost as it has been repost a number of times already.
boz said:
I use O2 plus 2.3 it will work on any Hermes WM5 or WM6, it has a small memory footprint and even though the picture of my screen does not show it you can have all that you asked displayed. Cab file below.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That seems to be pretty good. Any way to change the "i" icon, either to a different on, or get rid of it?
Thanks
Scottland said:
That seems to be pretty good. Any way to change the "i" icon, either to a different on, or get rid of it?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here is a newer screenshot, the 'I' is there to tap on to set which meters you want to display.
boz said:
Here is a newer screenshot, the 'I' is there to tap on to set which meters you want to display.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's a bit fugly though
Check our the lastest Resco Apps - Explorer 2007 with today plugin addon.
http://www.resco.net/pocketpc/explorer/screenshots.asp
Or you can go all out and go with Wisbar Advance 2 and Wisbar Advance Desktop
I can't remember which app shows a tiny battery line' meter above the title bar. I liked it and would like to have it again.
Maybe SPB which I have not re-installed after last upgrade?
Prerna said:
I can't remember which app shows a tiny battery line' meter above the title bar. I liked it and would like to have it again.
Maybe SPB which I have not re-installed after last upgrade?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i use one called Batti, it sounds like what you are discribing - very neat!
boz said:
Here is a newer screenshot, the 'I' is there to tap on to set which meters you want to display.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Boz, in the screen shot it looks like you have been able to change the hot keys, is there a particular program you use to do this?
asdfbrolga3 said:
i use one called Batti, it sounds like what you are discribing - very neat!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's right, thanks! I had found it in between, and I really like it!
The default thickness is too high, and it's easy to change it from the settings (I put mine at 3, instead of 6)
(edit) Quickmenu in english is out !
Hola amigos, since I don't use wisbar anymore I'd love to find such a launcher.
I want cascaded, direct access to the (initially submenu) programs list
I don't need to have recent apps or settings (builtin start menu already does the job quite well).
Cubes are useless to me (too slow, uncomplete lists, don't use the contacts fav. page)
Do you know something like that, or is it still to develop ?
Would you like it as well ?
And at last, does someone know how to make a shortcut that launch builtin start menu ?
Thanks for reading !
SmallMenu seems to be the perfect candidate for you. the start menu that SmallMenu uses is customizable, so you can take out the Recent Programs and Settings as you wish, as well as adding other items such as Running Tasks or Task Management Tools, among other things.
or WisBar Lite.
Thanks for your answers, I just tried both of them:
Wisbar lite is too slow at scrolling application list and can't directly display programs (one need to open the programs submenu).
SmallMenu is really cool. It's uglish, but it does its job well.
I may write another launcher to fit exactly what I need with a better look.
Meanwhile, thank you for the hint !
So, what you want is a pretty SmallMenu? How pretty you want it to be? I mean.. er.. care for a photoshopped of what you are having in mind?
Ok, I just played a bit more with SmallMenu & it's almost perfect.
Actually, I'm member of the Ban-The-Stylus association
Above all I want bigger buttons (I should have mentionned it before), for easy thumb operation.
Also a better look would be nice.
So I need a bigger font (that looks better), separators between each row and a gradient background for each row as well.
The ability to have running tasks displayed in a submenu is also great, and so would be the closing icon if it was, once more, bigger.
Or much better, if we could close the application with tap 'n hold !
I'd be glad to purchase if that wishlist is fulfilled, the problem is, I can't even find a Contact link on their homepage, while the development seems active. Weird.
Do you have an idea how to contact them ?
Small menu is great and all. But isnt there any program out there that can cascade the start menu and dosent give you all the extra stuff thats in small menu and wisebar lite?
I just want a program that cascades the start menu. no task manger, no soft reset, no battery meter and so on....
KidGixxer said:
Small menu is great and all. But isnt there any program out there that can cascade the start menu and dosent give you all the extra stuff thats in small menu ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can disable them. I don't think your concern is about 20/30kb storage space ?
I've been using SmallMenuPlus for a few months and find it too useful to be without. Organize your programs into like directories and it's too easy.
With it being an execute file you can link it to a hard button, cube, shortcut or even a FTouchFlo launch swipe
Now I have no use for the default WM Start bar except to get into Settings (SmallMenu seems to forget where this is on every S/R).
I have no problem navigating and selecting with my thumb, although slightly larger icons wouldn't be rejected.
Taping the small icon in the top left corner can be hit-and-miss sometimes so I made my own larger one and select it with the 'Use external skin for start button' option. This way I can't miss it but still leave a little room to get the default Start bar if I need to. Make your icon 25 high and any width, mine is 42x25.
No one is aware how to contact Small Menu authors ?
Do we get an email address to contact them when we register ?
I'd like to see if they can do something about my requests before I register.... but no forum, no contact form, no email, too bad
alternatively you could try psw indibar 2.7.0 for cascading menus, (have tried the lot and to me, this one's the keeper), and it tops up by giving ram and or battery meters on the top bar, or anywhere you want.
Customization is a pain in the beginning, but once done you;ll be happy
www.apoxsoft.com
lastnikita said:
No one is aware how to contact Small Menu authors ?
Do we get an email address to contact them when we register ?
I'd like to see if they can do something about my requests before I register.... but no forum, no contact form, no email, too bad
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try [email protected]
how about "quick menu"... a totally free cascading menu supporting today themes without handicaping the original today menu....the only problem is...only simplified chinese version is available....
http://www.yonsm.net/read.php?358&page=6
note: the latest version is 2.7 which was released on 22/10
by the way, this is his email address: [email protected] egg on him to release an english version if you like quick menu as i do^^
Thanks a lot for both suggestion and contact link, I'll give them a try later tonight !
I have sent a mail to that guy. His other software is in english so I think we have a chance.
iiiox said:
how about "quick menu"... a totally free cascading menu supporting today themes without handicaping the original today menu....the only problem is...only simplified chinese version is available....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm giving up on trying it, too lazy ^^
Does it support font customization (size) ?
Lastnikita,
This is something I am very interested in, if that gives you any motivation.
I too used to use Wisbar but it was far too hit and miss for my liking. Sometimes it would load in, sometimes not. It all depended on teh theme in use at the time as it was sensitive to some, not sensitive to others. In the end I pulled it.
Will keep a watching brief on this thread to see how you get on.
Cheers
WB
iiiox said:
how about "quick menu"... a totally free cascading menu supporting today themes without handicaping the original today menu....the only problem is...only simplified chinese version is available....
http://www.yonsm.net/read.php?358&page=6
note: the latest version is 2.7 which was released on 22/10
by the way, this is his email address: [email protected] egg on him to release an english version if you like quick menu as i do^^
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh yea this program rocks. I searched around for QuickMenu 2.6. from what i found out, he is working on an english version but having problems.
wacky.banana said:
I too used to use Wisbar but it was far too hit and miss for my liking. Sometimes it would load in, sometimes not. It all depended on teh theme in use at the time as it was sensitive to some, not sensitive to others. In the end I pulled it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not to sound like a commercial but if plain old vanilla cascading start menu is what you want then why not use WA3 with the default theme which looks pretty much like the WM6 default and disable all the bells and whistles?
I've never heard of a case where the default theme wouldn't load -- it was usually the fancy aftermarket themes that added all of the extra graphics and sounds that caused the loading problems.
can't you just use wm5newmenu?
Hi, I'm in need of a working "enlarged start menu"-application on my SE X1. The thing is that I really much need it to be freeware, and I suppose that "XDA-Team Enlarged Start Menu" isn't (correct?). I'm thinking about developing the application myself, but I would like to know if anyone here has any information about where to start? Is is just a matter of changing some registry keys? XML-files? Thankful for all the help i can get!
as far as i understand, the XDA Enlarged Start Menu is just taken from one of the other HTC devices and is not "payware" or anything like that.
if anyone was developing an enlarged Start Menu, i'd love to see a kinda fullscreen version, this would make it much easier to navigate. kinda in the style of iContact or the latest volume control taken from Diamond. i don't really se why the start menu needs to be only a percentage of the screen size anyway, just seems like bad design, they've made it look like the Start Menu on a Windows Desktop PC so that we all know it's Windows, but have not actually thought about the interface being user friendly for a handheld device. for drunk people with fat fingers. like me.
Dr J said:
if anyone was developing an enlarged Start Menu, i'd love to see a kinda fullscreen version, this would make it much easier to navigate. kinda in the style of iContact or the latest volume control taken from Diamond. i don't really se why the start menu needs to be only a percentage of the screen size anyway, just seems like bad design, they've made it look like the Start Menu on a Windows Desktop PC so that we all know it's Windows, but have not actually thought about the interface being user friendly for a handheld device. for drunk people with fat fingers. like me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes man, I absolutely agree !!! It´s funny, I never really thought about start menu, but now when I read your suggestion it just seems really crazy how much possibilities for improvement there are.
I thought about a completely customizable start menu, fullscreen.
Maybe with a kind of plugin system, volume / vib toggle, backlight strength slider, power off+soft-reset buttons....*sigh* THAT would be cool !
regards,
Martin
What about Touch Launcher http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=433862
It´s a normal app, but I was talking about a REAL replacement. It should hide when I tap "Start" again, and, as I said, it should be really customizable.
To all devs out there: Is anyone interested in coding such an app ? I think this is desperatly needed to make WM a bit more usable, although there are already tons of good software out there.
regards,
Martin
m.schmidler said:
It´s a normal app, but I was talking about a REAL replacement. It should hide when I tap "Start" again, and, as I said, it should be really customizable.
To all devs out there: Is anyone interested in coding such an app ? I think this is desperatly needed to make WM a bit more usable, although there are already tons of good software out there.
regards,
Martin
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did u try Quickmenu 2.7?
Mikulec said:
Did u try Quickmenu 2.7?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hmmm, main thing i want is fullscreen. that one seems nice feature-wise, but it's not what i'm after.
devs, do any of you know how they changed the size of the Start Menu from the old style to the new enlarged one?
if we know how to do this then maybe we can hack the existing app to at least lengthen right across the width of the screen... or if it was hacked with a config we could pick how many items we wanted...
this could be a great project for the coders!
Mikulec said:
Did u try Quickmenu 2.7?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, quickmenu is _almost_ perfect. If it only was more finger-friendly. Being able to scroll trough menus like in icontact and all so many other apps would be great for it, but at least having twice as big menu entries would be enough in most cases. It has all the features needed, it just mimicks the original start menu a bit too much
Touch menu from touch commander suite is exactly what you want,and it has and application menu enlarged. Unfortunaly its not freeware.
Here is little something about system fonts:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms901091.aspx
By changing some registry values you can change size of start menu (including font size etc.) and popup menu as well.
Andreal said:
Here is little something about system fonts:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms901091.aspx
By changing some registry values you can change size of start menu (including font size etc.) and popup menu as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ohh thankyou! But, using PHM Regedit I've tried changing the Ht-value for BarFnt, which didn't do anything. Perhaps you have some pointers to what I should try?
nelshh said:
Ohh thankyou! But, using PHM Regedit I've tried changing the Ht-value for BarFnt, which didn't do anything. Perhaps you have some pointers to what I should try?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
BarFnt values are for menu bars (for example: bottom bar in total commander).
Code:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\GWE\Menu\PopFnt
is for popup menu (screen 1 shows Ht value of 1200)
Truly, I don't know how to change start menu font size via registry.
If you want to have full screen menu try mort buttons
can you launch mort buttons by tapping Start on the screen?
maybe by editing the registry ?
If anyone can duplicate the Touch Commander one it would be perfect. I have touchcommander but do not use it anymore, unfortunately you have to install the whole program to be able to use the Large menu option.
The great thing about it is it enlarges menus in all programs.
Sorry for bringing up an older thread, but I think this is still unsolved!
I also would like to have a fullscreen start menu. I tried quickmenu 2.8,but it just isnt what Im looking for. For me it would be fine if clicking on the start menu would bring up a dialog like when you click startmenu -- programs.
Hope that someone has an idea!
QUICKMENU 2.8 for me too... ^_^
I'd only add that scroll movement and ability to customize the start icon (it already does this, but only with one icon).