Hello everybody,
After searching without success a weather today plugin that meets my needs,
I decided to write a new application of my own, mainly because apart SPB Pocket weather (which shows very little information ie no moon data), no plugin allows to download data from a site of your choice.
I read all the documentation on MSND and from development forums, and I finally build the first version of the plugin, but I ran into a big problem.
Often the plugin disappear from today applet list, other times the plugin is not showed even if is active, and so on.
So, this is my help request: does anybody have a skeleton of a working today plugin? I really much appreciate some help!
Surely I will release my application on this forum, since I don't want to make money with it.
Thanks in advance!
There's a working today plugin in the sdk I think.
Also check here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnppcgen/html/ppc_yapi.asp
There could be many reasons why your plugin is disappearing:
You're not trying to set its height to 0 or less are you? I've found that causes itself and other plugins to bugger up if you do that.
It could be disappearing from the today plugin list because it's causing a crash on being parsed by the today options dialog. ensure you've implemented any options dialog correctly, or not at all.
How are you parsing the weather data? I've got to write my own plugin to do this at some point... Are you parsing xml or hardcoded html pages?
V
First of all, thanks vijay for your reply.
As for your questions:
1) yes, I initially set vertical height to zero, then on the first WM_TODAYCUSTOM_QUERYREFRESHCACHE or when I need to resize, I set the cyp member of TODAYLISTITEM to my desired height and return TRUE. Are you sure that this could be the cause? Every sample I found uses this technic.
2) I've implemented an options dialog, but not via the specific exported function, so in the registry I set the "Options" key to zero.
3) The idea behind the weather data is: I read an XML file with certain keywords, wich is created by an external exe that reads weather data from internet and create the XML file. I have written code that reads from accuweather.com, but everyone who has some programming experience can write his own and read from his favourite forecasts site. Basically you have to read an internet page and create an XML file with my specification, then the today plugin reads and show data.
Bye!
Sounds like a good implementation.
1) is correct, that's how to set the size. I meant that if you try to fix the size to 0 at some point after first refresh, it causes it to screw up. But if you're always > 0 no problem.
2) If you've set the options registry to 0 it shouldn't be a problem. Presumably the options button is disabled in the today options settings?
3) Sounds good, looking forward to seeing it.
Hmmm. I know some of my plugins randomly used to disappear after changing the settings etc. I think it's really just some loose code somewhere, but they're hard to debug. If you get desperate you can send a copy over and I'll try to look over it, but I think if you just fill in the blanks around the today plugin in the sdk, hopefully you should have a working model.
Oh, one thing that does come to mind:
"Painting problems with a PocketPC Today Screen plugin"
http://blogs.msdn.com/windowsmobile/archive/2004/10/06/238856.aspx
V
http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?t=21786&highlight=today+plugin
OK so since I got such a quick answer on my "spacer" question, I thought I'd try it again .
I have made a shortcut to the today setup in the settings. Only problem is that I need an icon for it. I saw in another post where someone created an exe file just for the icon basically. Could someone explain how to do that.
An alternative would be if I could use the icon from Start - settings - personal - today. But I have Icon Viewer as well as RViewer and can't find it anywhere.
I'd rather be able to use a custom icon, not only for this app but for others, but help on either would be greatly appreciated.
You want to use an icon dll.
Easiest way - download PHM Tools, find the icon dll, download Microangelo on your PC, use librarian, rip out the icons, make your own icons in studio, drop them into the now empty dll, and use that dll as your new icon dll.
In order to use the new icons, you need to know how to specify icon resources in shortcuts. Search against my user name for the word "completeness".
V
thanks VJ, I'll check it out when I get home tonight.
I also came across this while following a link from aximsite.
The Shortcut Editor was released on this forum first AFAIK
Have a search on our forum.
But have a read through my posts on creating custom shortcuts, it's very easy and will teach you the theory behind the practise.
I think you asked specifically about use of a DLL Icon library. Perhaps not... but it's a useful technique either way.
v
yeah VJ you're right. The aximsite link pointed me here to good ol XDA
Which PHM tool do I need? Is it the shortcuts app in PHM Plus?? I'm beginning to think I'm in over my head here.
TIA
I am looking for a resource to help me with custom theme development.
I would like an XSLT/API for the XML that defines themes -- I have been unable to find anything like this.
I do not know the tags I can use for each plug-in, their attributes or values.
Thanks
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http://www.blackjack2.com
If there is no known resource (i couldnt find anything on MSDN for the microsoft plugins) does anyone know how to:
1) Make the Missed Calls plugin label invisible, but still take up the the space on the screen? When i have no missed called the "Missed Calls" plugin collapses to a height of 0px, shifting everything up.
2) How can i set a specific plugin to have focus when going to the main screen - currently the top-most plug-in receives focus by default.
anyone have any ideas on this?
why dont get a homescreen that support it and read....this is the way i learned how to make homescreens.
I made it as simple as possible to change your prefered Contact Manager, my friend uses iContact, which seems quite popular here. As downloaded, the script is setup for iContact, but to change it all you have to do is edit the first 2 lines with a text editor.
Run the script and your Softkeys, and Links, all call up iContact, run again and it switches back to Office (Outlook) Mobile!
Does not support 3rd party software, such as SPB Mobile Shell, for SPB Mobile Shell support see this thread.
MortScript is requied, download it here.
I hope you find this useful!
To use:
1. Download and unpack the ZIP file.
2. Edit the first 2 lines in the MSCR file, notepad works fine for this.
set AltContactsName, "iContact"
set AltContactsPath, """\Program Files\iContact\iContact.exe"""
3. Copy to your device, and make a shortcut.
4. Click the shortcut and answer the "Yes or No" question.
5. Repeat step 4 to swap between the two contact managers!
Once again Great Scripting..
I installed mortscript, ran it, and it said iContact was my default, I whent back to my Today screen, pressed contacts, and it said it wasnt digitally signed, or something of the sort. So, now when I revert back, and try to change again, it wont even give me that message, it just automatically goes to Office Contact manager.
Could anyone please help me? I'm kinda new to all this..
---
Nevermind, I'm and idiot. I put the iContact folder in the device root. heh.
Also, would it be possible to change the Calendar if you change:
"set AltContactsName, "iContact"
set AltContactsPath, """\Program Files\iContact\iContact.exe"""
to
set AltCalendarName, "PROGRAM"
set AltCalendarPath, """\Program Files\PROGRAM\PROGRAM.exe"""
damnitryon said:
I installed mortscript, ran it, and it said iContact was my default, I whent back to my Today screen, pressed contacts, and it said it wasnt digitally signed, or something of the sort. So, now when I revert back, and try to change again, it wont even give me that message, it just automatically goes to Office Contact manager.
Could anyone please help me? I'm kinda new to all this..
---
Nevermind, I'm and idiot. I put the iContact folder in the device root. heh.
Also, would it be possible to change the Calendar if you change:
"set AltContactsName, "iContact"
set AltContactsPath, """\Program Files\iContact\iContact.exe"""
to
set AltCalendarName, "PROGRAM"
set AltCalendarPath, """\Program Files\PROGRAM\PROGRAM.exe"""
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad you figured out the iContact, was going to suggest checking your path, as far as calendar check the calendar thread and don't forget to double check your paths.
for those that are not working do a soft reset, this should be included in instructions
as the previous one. wonderful, thank you very much.
alterantively, another way to set icontact or any other contact program without any scripting is to just go and edit this registry key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shell\Rai\:MSCONTACTS
and edit key #1 to the path of your program. pm contacts edits this value to make their program the default. So for iContact, do the same thing. Make sure you back it up in case you would like to go back, but it's not that difficult tho.
edit: sorry didn't know this was a toggle manager where you siwtch between default and icontacts. in either case, the registry key may be good to know, lol
NguyenHuu said:
alterantively, another way to set icontact or any other contact program without any scripting is to just go and edit this registry key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shell\Rai\:MSCONTACTS
and edit key #1 to the path of your program. pm contacts edits this value to make their program the default. So for iContact, do the same thing. Make sure you back it up in case you would like to go back, but it's not that difficult tho.
edit: sorry didn't know this was a toggle manager where you siwtch between default and icontacts. in either case, the registry key may be good to know, lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats ok, this script just automates the registry entry your describing, but like you discovered, it allows quick swapping the items.
how can i get Softkeys.cab?
change contact application in diamond
How can I change the contact application on the Diamond screen ("All contcacts") to use iContact?
The script that was mentioned does not change the touchflo contacts soft button.
Is there a way to make this work for instance I'm sending an e-mail and click on add new recipient, then icontact will pop up instead of MS contacts? Even after a soft reboot, the mortscript did not seem to do this. Thanks!
alon24 said:
How can I change the contact application on the Diamond screen ("All contcacts") to use iContact?
The script that was mentioned does not change the touchflo contacts soft button.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When installing iContacts from Burt the softkey "all people" on my M2D was changed in my case automatically to iContacts.
nice job, thanks
catpaws said:
Is there a way to make this work for instance I'm sending an e-mail and click on add new recipient, then icontact will pop up instead of MS contacts? Even after a soft reboot, the mortscript did not seem to do this. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anyway to do this?
doesn't work on my omnia either
Hi guys. Anyone get this working on the Omnia? I've been playing around trying to get iContact to work, with no luck.
What I'd really like to do is get the Samsung Phonebook app to be used everywhere, i.e. when create new message/email etc. From messaging, when you add a recipient it brings up the normal contacts screen - cant seem to change this.
Cheers
Default contacts manager
Did anyone sort this prob. Open new email or sms message, click on the 'to' field and select contacts to open the contact manager of your choice rather than the awkqard default one ?
catpaws said:
Is there a way to make this work for instance I'm sending an e-mail and click on add new recipient, then icontact will pop up instead of MS contacts? Even after a soft reboot, the mortscript did not seem to do this. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd like to do this too...
any resolution for us Omnia users?
I see it's been a couple of months since the last post in the thread. Has anyone figured anything out for us Omnia users?
I manually edited my registry entries to reflect the install directory of iContacts, then powered the phone off completely. However, it doesn't seem to have made a change whatsoever.
Anything else need changing?
Using thekevster's M2D custom DC22 ROM, running WM 6.5
Robert
I know we can change the order of the tabs on the default windows today screen, but is it fully customizable yet? I want my text tab to take me to sms chat,my music tab to open s2p, and my favorites tab to open up opera or show my opera favorites not internet explorer cause i dont even use that. Is this possible using the registry??
partially possible
you can change the soft keys to whatever you want by editing the registry
here: \HKLM\Software\Microsoft\CHome\
like on the clock plugin my soft key is galarm for example
and on the text one you can replace the "compose" with say a link to pocketcm
all you have to do is change two registry entries in the corresponding folder in the registry one for the link text and one for the link to the program or even website which I did to launch custom bookmarks
it's surprisingly customizable
the only one I don't think you can change is the music
but next time you should really ask in Q and A
this isn't the place for questions
please refer to the Q&A section
thank you