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Hi all Xperia owners,
As a owner of this hyped phone, it has comed to my greatest astonishment that the Panels cannot be "used" concurrently.
For example:
If I wished to activate the multimedia panel to listen to some MP3 while at the same time do FaceBook panel , there is no way this can happen.
Or, whats the point of just staring at the FM Radio panel when I could be viewing some photos in the photo album while having my favourite FM Station running in the background?
To further add salt to wound, Sony did not bother to put these programs to be executable from the native Windows/Program folder.
Am I missing a point here from Sony as in this multitasking windows environment, they have decided to make their Panel technology run serially? Or maybe i did miss out some important settings ?
I agree with your statement above, panels are not multitask-friendly. My guess is that it was an attempt from SE to make their winmo distro more stable, preventing these processes from overlapping each other and taking up memory. I've noticed that the video playback performance is better on the Sony media experience panel than coreplayer (go ahead flame me) although not as flexible. Something similar happens with the popular iPhone, if you've ever messed around with one you'll notice it's basically unitasking, one app at a time, the only apps you can multitask with are the ipod and phone, but rarely crashes.
Actually, I was thinking about this. I, like many people, thought that the panels would just sit there, with nine different apps running side by side. Obviously this isn't the case. Could it be that this is just the first stage in the panel interface, a kinda test run? What about the next Xperia? X2 or X5 or whatever it's gonna be. Maybe it'll deliver what most people expected from the panels...
I think you guys are missing the point of panels.
If that's the case, you don't need panels, you just need applications running concurrently.
zenkinz said:
I think you guys are missing the point of panels.
If that's the case, you don't need panels, you just need applications running concurrently.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I personally have found the SE media panel to be the most useful of all. For everything else that I don't demand high system priorities for, just run them as regular apps concurrently.
zenkinz, in your opinion, what's the point of panels? Please read my post above about what I think they are for (stability and performance).
if they were there would be much much less ram and cpu juice left
the arm cpu's are not as powerfull as computer cpu's
so believe me if they were you would suffer
wrong thread... edited out.
Which in actuality proves my point that the Panels are nothing more than fancy graphics or multiple "todays" screen.
Any WinMo/Symbian device today without Panels can definitely do Media browsing and FM Radio/Music and MORE without the slightest sign of sluggishness while Xperia with its powerful processor and available RAM lacks multitasking due to its much talked about "Panels"?
Strip its Panels and a slightly longer (but not wider) display , Xperia does not even come close to the Touch Pro with TF3D, G-Sensor, better sound and built quality
cmloo said:
Which in actuality proves my point that the Panels are nothing more than fancy graphics or multiple "todays" screen.
Any WinMo/Symbian device today without Panels can definitely do Media browsing and FM Radio/Music and MORE without the slightest sign of sluggishness while Xperia with its powerful processor and available RAM lacks multitasking due to its much talked about "Panels"?
Strip its Panels and a slightly longer (but not wider) display , Xperia does not even come close to the Touch Pro with TF3D, G-Sensor, better sound and built quality
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Xperia was designed by HTC based on SE's standards. What I did with mine was flash it with one of the cooked roms in the roms section which gave me the TF3D and it's pretty fast. I also added the panels, but for the sole reason of the SE media experience panel which I like for playing smoother video. In the end, it's all software, and it doesn't lack multitasking, only among panels. The rest is all good old winmo.
yeah, panels are a disapointment, the should let do some multitasking or at least run panels as an application (facebook one for example).
anyways, I think we currently have a "beta" rom in our xperias, since it's from august/08... maybe next mont we get a big update... let's hope...
this, or just a cooked rom without problems
The thing about Panels is that they allow you to change the look and feel of your device. On one hand i have a simple Today screen, on another i have the detailed today screen... then i have an SPB screen... and now we have Touch HD's TF3D as a panel too! Soon... we'll have more panels, like a home screen that allows you to navigate with ease (navigation panel). The main point is that regardless of the panel of your choice, you have access to all the windows mobile software along-side it.
I think panels are a really powerful feature of the phone! And as far as multi-tasking is concerned... you can run media player or the more famous core player and write messages, etc. and work with your selected panel of choice without much lag. And this to me is very powerful. not taking into consideration the likes of iPhone, but going straight to Symbian... Symbian too is powerful, but i consider windows mobile to be further ahead. What you can do with symbian, you could do with a simple windows mobile phone without panels or TF3D or gadgets and so on...
In my opinion; Xperia delivers what it set out to do... a powerful experience. Sure there are lags at certain times... but overall it is the perfect windows mobile device!
Sure two panels don't run simultaneously... and it would be awesome if in a future update we do get something like that... but overall it works great!
rpereira said:
I personally have found the SE media panel to be the most useful of all. For everything else that I don't demand high system priorities for, just run them as regular apps concurrently.
zenkinz, in your opinion, what's the point of panels? Please read my post above about what I think they are for (stability and performance).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the point of panel is to offer different "theme" of Today screen based on your primary usage of your phone at that particular point in time.
It's always good to have quick access to your next appointment, or tasks, but really you probably only do that when you are in meeting, or while you are working. When you are at outside office hours, you probably be spending time listening to music, watching video, or just simply idling. You may get a new email notification, or have to reply an incoming sms, but after taking action for these sporadic events you will be back to the 'Today' screen that offers you the theme you are in..
That's why I came out with the idea of Car navigation panel, where I need not worry about fumbling with new email notification, or having to switch to media player to change albums, as I can always go back to 'Today' screen easily.
In anycase, that's just my view (or maybe how I like to think that way), because if it's meant to be a concurrent active desktops, you might be better off with just running the programs and using taskmanager to switch from process to process.
I'm very happy with the panels too
maybe the real questions is one of expectations
if people belived they were getting 9 pda's they could switch
between it would likely be an disappointment
but it's not likely to be the last with these pda phones
cmloo said:
Which in actuality proves my point that the Panels are nothing more than fancy graphics or multiple "todays" screen.
Any WinMo/Symbian device today without Panels can definitely do Media browsing and FM Radio/Music and MORE without the slightest sign of sluggishness while Xperia with its powerful processor and available RAM lacks multitasking due to its much talked about "Panels"?
Strip its Panels and a slightly longer (but not wider) display , Xperia does not even come close to the Touch Pro with TF3D, G-Sensor, better sound and built quality
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
to each his/her own.
I find Touch Pro no better than my Xperia. TF3D is just a flashy interface that offers limited function. The tabs acts like a panel, but there's so limited you can do within the tab (e.g. music player, stock quote or photo browser, they are just plug-in rather than full blown application)
TP is also nowhere near (imho) to Xperia in terms of performance (Xperia is so much responsive and fast), design (curvy body versus brick design) and keyboard ergonomic (many would disagree, I go for overall experience over total number of keys)
Just my own opinion only
Rudegar said:
I'm very happy with the panels too
maybe the real questions is one of expectations
if people belived they were getting 9 pda's they could switch
between it would likely be an disappointment
but it's not likely to be the last with these pda phones
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
agree, and also, it's one thing about providing 9 active panels with 1 glance (as some folks are frowing over lack of the capability), it's another being able to consume all the information offered by all the 9 panels at one go, not to mention the miniature fonts you have to handle ..
Makes sense. If i were depending on my navigator to show me the way while driving, it would really suck to get random notifications from other programs, so I think your panel idea will be quite useful.
I'm also sideing with the "Panels are good" guys.
I love the versatility that they give me, and am just patiently waiting to see what comes out of the Panel Development Competion, S.E. are supposed to be running.
I have had as many as 5 different UI's set up on different panels, as much to test them out, as to give me different screen "looks" when i felt like a change.
My latest way is to use different panels as "software themes". Like, I can set up a multimedia panel with all my video, and audio players shortcutted into it. A navigation panel, with all my sat nav style apps set up .
etc. etc.
It can only get better, in my opinion.
I do think 50% of people are missing the potential of Panels, tho.
i dont mind the panels too much. however what i am unhappy about is that sony ericsson advertised the panels as being active. therefore theoretically you could press the xpanel button and the 9 panels shown would update in realtime. currently the panels are little more than shortcuts to some fancy apps or homescreens
msalmank said:
The thing about Panels is that they allow you to change the look and feel of your device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Couldn't agree more and I am satisfied w/ the panel too.
One important fact many people forget about is WM as of right now has a max limit of 32 processes (including background that run your phone). Some tricks can be done to workaround this issue but there's still a limit and the OS will close some of the non active processes if you reach that. It doesn't matter how fast your CPU or how many ram you got.
I'm coming to believe that the applications runing on Panels are just on top of another layer instead of running straight on top of the OS.
iPhone and BB have no problem filling the "desktop" with icons that are no more that a call to the program. Functionally they are more efficient to reach any where that even Touchflo 3D
What's the purpose to have a whole panel to run a program. That's stupid. for exmaple FM radio or FaceBook.
The Panels are not more that an ill conceived idea, with some BS marketing ideology behind them. All they did was destroy one one best smartphones ever built.
I'm just fed up with this wallpaper issue in Manila.
When I got my Touch HD I figured someone will figure out why exactly is the 800x400 screen reducing wallpaper image quality to some low-res sh*t.
But, it's been months now, and no one seems to be working on this, so what the heck - I've decided to post it here, in hope that someone will actually try to do something about it.
What really disappointed me was the fact that even the latest Manila 3 from Topaz and Rhodium still has the exact same issue. So, it seems obvious to me that guys from HTC have no intention of fixing this. Why? I don't know.
But I do know it's frustrating to have all those fancy graphics, all that big, high-res screen, and then be forced to stare at THAT all day long.
Since I've seen so many great things being done to improve Manila, such huge changes to the whole system, I reckon there must be a way to improve this as well.
p.s. If no one cares, just take this as a bunch of rambling from a visual kind of guy
Oh, and just to share my info so far:
- the wallpaper picture format has no impact (I have tried them all - jpg, png, gif, bmp, 8 bit, 16 bit, 32 bit etc.)
- wallpaper picture size has no impact (it will look just as bad if you use 640x480, 800x400 or 8000x4800 pixel)
- if you put 800x400 wallpaper, it will not be stretched in any way - it will fill up the screen exactly 100% full, so people reporting 640x440 photos having better quality when used as wallpapers were having a placebo effect.
- the default Manila wallpaper is crisp sharp - no trace of any quality degradation.
- all default Manila wallpapers are very simple looking, with small number of colors, and very short range of colors (mostly it's just shades of gray and black)
- TF3D obviously applies some kind of compression algorithm to any applied photo, increasing brightness and applying very, very, very agressive image compression.
I believe it is this compression that is the cause of the image degradation. If someone could find the registry key to turn it off, I assume the problem would be solved. I also have a feeling that this compression was pushed up so high in order to speed up TF3d.
I am attaching an enlarge example of this compression. Original wallpaper vs. how it looks on TF3D.
I have no idea if I should move this somewhere else..
so Rozenthal, is this meant to be a development thread?
Well, more of a "hacking" if you want. If an application would arise from this, it would sure be great, but tracking down the problem itself and finding a manual solution would be also very much appreciated.
I posted this into this forum because I figure here's where most of the people dealing with Manila graphics are hanging out.
Bla, fixing up my CFC patch for Manila to be able to load PNGs would possibly solve this. However I seem to recall something about the background always being shrunk to 512x512 max with the vertexes then stretched to fill the screen. Not completely sure on that, though.
And yes, QTC compression (used for Manila) is definitely lossy. It can be pretty decent though, depending on the editor you use.
Chainfire said:
Bla, fixing up my CFC patch for Manila to be able to load PNGs would possibly solve this. However I seem to recall something about the background always being shrunk to 512x512 max with the vertexes then stretched to fill the screen. Not completely sure on that, though.
And yes, QTC compression (used for Manila) is definitely lossy. It can be pretty decent though, depending on the editor you use.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Chainfire, you must be reading my mind! I was just now reading that thread of yours where you used CFC to resize images for QVG and was going to write to you
I believe that information you provided in that thread MUST be somehow linked to this problem. I have only skimmed through your thread, but from what I understand there is in fact a compression algorithm involved in all Manila graphic files?
About the 512x512 - I can almost certainly say that this is not the case in Touch HD. The images you use for wallpaper do not get scaled in any way if they're in 800x400 resolution. They stay the same (this was the first thing I tested). However, they do seem to go through some sort of compression that causes any kind of graphic to look bad.
So, you're saying there's a way to manually compress with better results? But what then? How do we apply the custom-compressed image? I'm guessing it would be necessary to first find out which file is the default Manilla wallpaper, and then replace the new one with that? Would that work? Can this somehow be automatized?
I know it's a lot of questions, and it's late, but any help would be appreciated, especially because I feel that this might be the closest we got to solving this damn problem.
Cheers!
Have you tried interlacing your .pngs? I realized that interlacing my images for manilla 2D themes helped. I was also under the impression that HTC has some special compression going on with their images, but while saving my images in photoshop, I save them in .png and select interlace option in the end. Try it.
Here's what's up:
1. When you save images for your pocket PC, they DO have to be in a loss less format, such as .png... This goes for Homescreen backgrounds as well, so when you save a picture off your phone camera, it'll be pixelation by default because they're usually in .jpeg format.
2. When you save images in Photoshop, in a format like .png. Save them as Interlaced images, or they'll come out crappy on the device.
3. If you are using the color overlay feature in Photoshop to, say, change the color of the image, There will be pixelation if there are any gradients in the picture. Most of the images in the Manilla 2D theme files have gradients, so almost all of them result in pixelation. What you have to do for those is: Zoom in and use the Blur tool (Smart Blur filter on larger images.) to smooth out the pixelation!
Hope this works for other people, and if someone can contribute anything else, it would also be appreciated.
The screen is 800x480 isn't it?
yes it is 800*480
makes me feel bad that it looks like that on such a beautiful device.
its obviously unacceptable that HTC playes like that.
i dont understand whats their big problem to give us some drivers that would solve this annoying issue
Here, try this file out. Make a backup copy of yours unless its cooked in rom, that way you can delete this if necessary. It makes a difference for me. In this section of script, I changed the values to 200, 200 and it was reeeeeally crappy. I did that when I was checking effect. Originally it was 512, 512. In this one, I made it 800, 800.
I think it also makes bg's better if you make them square(in my case 640x640), especially if your using the new landscape manila. I know on touch pro, the rotation works better with bg's that don't have to be stretched.
BackgroundAsyncImageFactoryLoader = AsyncImageFactoryLoader()
BackgroundAsyncImageFactoryLoader.Priority = TaskPriority_BelowNormal
BackgroundAsyncImageFactoryLoader.Quality = 100
BackgroundAsyncImageFactoryLoader.OnComplete:connect(BackgroundImageResized)
BackgroundAsyncImageFactoryLoader:ResizeImage(machineStatus.HomeBackgroundPath.Value, CachedImagePath, EncoderType_JPEG, 800, 800, true, false)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does anyone know what the true, false is at the end of that line?
Re Wallpaper Resolution
I'm sorry but the Wallpaper you have as an original is of such poor quality that no phones resolution could correct it. I have a Touch HD myself and have made many Themes for all different phone resolutions and now for my new phone as well and have never had trouble getting what I expected and I use all of the graphic formats ie: .png .jpg etc.
For WVGA the Backgrounds actually need to be 480 x 696 for portrait and 800 x 366 for Landscape, what has not been taken into account is the size of the top and bottom bars which are both 52 pixcels adding up to 104 pixcels this needs to be subtracted from the overall size.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=492857&highlight=touchflo+vista
stickfigure said:
Have you tried interlacing your .pngs? I realized that interlacing my images for manilla 2D themes helped. I was also under the impression that HTC has some special compression going on with their images, but while saving my images in photoshop, I save them in .png and select interlace option in the end. Try it.
Here's what's up:
1. When you save images for your pocket PC, they DO have to be in a loss less format, such as .png... This goes for Homescreen backgrounds as well, so when you save a picture off your phone camera, it'll be pixelation by default because they're usually in .jpeg format.
2. When you save images in Photoshop, in a format like .png. Save them as Interlaced images, or they'll come out crappy on the device.
3. If you are using the color overlay feature in Photoshop to, say, change the color of the image, There will be pixelation if there are any gradients in the picture. Most of the images in the Manilla 2D theme files have gradients, so almost all of them result in pixelation. What you have to do for those is: Zoom in and use the Blur tool (Smart Blur filter on larger images.) to smooth out the pixelation!
Hope this works for other people, and if someone can contribute anything else, it would also be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course I tried. I tried interlacing both PNG and GIF's, I also tried different color depths, and all supported picture formats. It had no impact.
The thing is images don't look crappy on the device - when you view them in Album application, they look excellent. Actually, they look better then on my 30" Apple cinema screen, because HD has such huge pixel density.
However, when you apply these images to act as wallpapers on Home screen, they drop in quality and sharpness so much that it degrades the whole device appearance. And this is very annoying
grzegorz10 said:
I'm sorry but the Wallpaper you have as an original is of such poor quality that no phones resolution could correct it. I have a Touch HD myself and have made many Themes for all different phone resolutions and now for my new phone as well and have never had trouble getting what I expected and I use all of the graphic formats ie: .png .jpg etc.
For WVGA the Backgrounds actually need to be 480 x 696 for portrait and 800 x 366 for Landscape, what has not been taken into account is the size of the top and bottom bars which are both 52 pixcels adding up to 104 pixcels this needs to be subtracted from the overall size.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=492857&highlight=touchflo+vista
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The image I attached is 600% blown up version, that's not full size wallpaper.
And it doesn't matter what kind of quality of image I use - the images always appear much less sharp and with reduced quality when applied to home screen wallpaper.
Also, I don't think you're right about 480x696. That is the "visible" area of the screen, but homescreen wallpaper will always be used in 100% if the width is 480 or height 800. It might get cropped tough, can't say that for sure.
But, for example lets say you want to use image that is 800x800 in original resolution. When you set it as wallpaper, it will not be resized to fit 696 height, but rather it will be cropped on the sides, and the top and bottom bars will cover the top areas of the image. But there will be no scaling involved. This can be easily tested simply by overlaying the original image over the captured image of the device.
showaco said:
Here, try this file out. Make a backup copy of yours unless its cooked in rom, that way you can delete this if necessary. It makes a difference for me. In this section of script, I changed the values to 200, 200 and it was reeeeeally crappy. I did that when I was checking effect. Originally it was 512, 512. In this one, I made it 800, 800.
I think it also makes bg's better if you make them square(in my case 640x640), especially if your using the new landscape manila. I know on touch pro, the rotation works better with bg's that don't have to be stretched.
Does anyone know what the true, false is at the end of that line?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey, thanks! I have tested this, using 640x640 images, as well as 800x480, and 800x800. I can't say if it's a placebo effect, but the image does look slightly better.
Could I ask you to make a few versions of this file with parameters that can be substracted by 512? Because if I remember correctly, Manila likes those 512 numbers. So, if you would be so kind to make 1024x1024, 1536x1536, and 2048x2048.
I would be glad to test them to see if there are any further improvements over this issue.
Ok, I tested everything again with a different wallpaper, so there's no more question whether the source file is good quality.
I think this image is suitable, because it has a lot of small details, but also large areas with soft transitions, so we can see the effect of compression on both the detail and the textures.
I also tested 696 file, and as I said earlier - it has absolutely no positive effect to image quality.
I have also noticed that in fact even the HTC Album applies some sort of image compression, but it's much much less visible! You can notice the effect of this on the dark area transitions. However, it's barely noticable when viewed on the device.
Perhaps if someone who knows where the HTC Album Manila files are, maybe it would be possible to compare them with the files that control compression in Home screen? Perhaps it would be enough just to copy the settings for HTC Album? Just an idea...
I'm attaching the files, they speak for themselves.
ok i've search in the registry with:
compress
quality
jpg
wallpaper
desktop
but nothing
BadCluster said:
ok i've search in the registry with:
compress
quality
jpg
wallpaper
desktop
but nothing
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So did I Same results.
I don't think it's that simple anymore. We probably need to combine 2 things: the edited Manila file to support graphics up to 800 pixels, a way to easily compress a photo with ATC compression and then make Manila use it.
OK, I think I finally figured out some stuff. First of all, we knew from before that wallpaper image for landscape was made out of 2 bitmaps.
However, it seems that this is the same case with the portrait wallpaper as well.
Digging through Manila graphic files I've found that indeed the maximum image size is 512x512pixels. So, in order to get the 480x696 pixel needed to cover the whole visible screen area, guys from HTC simply used 2 images, each with 512x512 resolution, but first actually covering 480x512 area, and the second 480x184.
Together, as you can see, they make 480x696.
But, what happens when you load 800x400 pixel image?
Most likely that the image first gets cropped to 480x696 dimensions, and after that top part (480x512) is put into one file, and the bottom part (480x184) is put into a separate file. They both get compressed with that ugly algorithm and that's why we end up with crappy looking wallpaper photos.
Files involved are:
LANDSCAPE:
29cff4fe_bglevel0_landscape_left.png
058acf31_bglevel0_landscape_right.png
PORTRAIT:
70083a29_bg_level0.png
77feee1d_bg_level0_bottom.png
Now, it's clear that Manila indeed does support full resolution, but because the wallpaper is being split into 2 parts and compressed, we have poor image quality. What brings us back to my first idea - is there a way to disable this compression, or increase the quality of the compressed photo by somehow forcing the compression algorithm to produce higher quality images?
Another way would be to use a Manila editor, cut the images into 2 manually, update old Manila default wallpaper files and always use the default background.
This is of course major pain in the a$$ to do each time you want to simply change a wallpaper.
Oh and by the way, for the record, I just manually updated these Manila graphic files, overwrote the old ones and I'm looking at my full-resolution wallpaper right now.
So, this obviously can be done. The question is can it be automatized?
this is a tricky subject.. well i've always edited the 4 manila files to create my wallpapers on my Raphael.. well i also tried background for all tab but that's kinda buggy in the prosess of when i change from portrait to landscape.. well it's like the background for all tab app kinda takes the image i want as background and overlap the 4 manila files that has to be edited manually to make a great background,... well anyway i'm stuck with the same thoughts as this thread states... it's not so fun to always have to edit those manila files to create a good background and so forth...
Hello to all!!
It has been a while since I possess telephones under Windows mobile and also, since I navigate it fabulous forum!
When I discovered this forum, I was really very satisfied to have purchased my first one HTC because I had the impression to be a member of a big family!!!!
I thank all the active persons and all the developers on this forum which allowed me to return my phone different from the others and to pull the best!!!
But today, I have to say that I am a little disappointed … I have purchase since a few months a HTC HD Mini because this phone is in my opinion, the best compromise between power, technology, size and still under Windows mobile 6.5.
The HD2 pleased me a lot, but too big for my use … Thus this small phone was really the one that I waited!
Why am I disappointed? Simply because the screen of this phone has a HVGA resolution screen (320x480) and because this one is not current. Everything the magnificent developments which are realized today continues to support the resolution QVGA / WQVGA / VGA / WVGA but not the HVGA.
I find it very it's a pity. Today, I have the impression to be thrown rejected by this HTC community simply because I possess a telephone which is slightly different from the others. And nevertheless, as I said it higher, it is a HTC, he possesses characteristics to envy nothing to the others and he turns under Windows mobiles 6.5. His only defect (if we can say that it is a defect) is the resolution of its screen.
Sirs developers, you who often put your efforts in the service of the others by carrying your applications in various resolutions, could think to us? We who are not competent to develop but who we who support you and we who as want you to pull the maximum of their Windows mobile phone???
Thanks to all by advance !!
Sorry for my English…. It is a resverso translation
You just speak right out of my heart!!!
Devs, please think of us!
In my perspective, I think the hardest part of creating a program, is that he run according to the expected result. The hardest part is to encode the program algorithm.
Then, adapt the same program at different screen sizes is much less difficult! Especially when that program is already adapted to a resolution of 240x320 (QVGA) and a resolution of 480x640 (VGA). From there, I think adapting this program to the resolution of 320x480 (HVGA) is no longer a question of difficulty, but just a question of willingness.
Please gentlemen developers and programmers, think of us when you create your great applications!
Maybe it is true that we are not likely to have a HD Mini, but the fact remains that it's a great phone, branded HTC and running Windows Mobile 6.5.
I do not want to offend anyone, I just want to share my sentiment.
Kind regards, JBS68
Sorry for my English…. It is a google translation
please think of us!
TT_TT
Helle to all !!
Just a small message to promote the subject!
Unless a moderator wants to stick it?
Yes, it can be done, but it can be an awful lot of extra work. If you are going to try and develop an application that will run on as many different platforms as possible, this will have to be done at design time before you have written a single line of code. Trying to retro fit this to an app you have already created, can almost involve a complete rewrite.
Firstly, if you do not have such a device to hand, on which to test the program, you will have to get Visual Studio to create a device with the correct screen size for the emulator to run. HVGA is not one of the stock emulator images. Having created it, when you start it up under the emulator, even Windows Mobile gets a bit confused, see the attached image HVGA. It tries to centre the WM 5.0 stock wallpaper in the screen area, leaving the pale blue gap visible at the top and bottom.
Running the 6.5.3 images as 320x480 makes them virtually unusable, as the Titanium user interface completely screws up; see the second image HVGA65. The 6.5.3 Windows icon 'Start' button does nothing when pressed, you are completely stuck, because you cannot get control panel to run in order to turn the Titanium stuff off.
At least you can test programs against WinMo 5.0 on 320x480.
In the list of applications in my signature below, 5x5 will run perfectly on a HVGA device. Originally, users of Samsung Omnias (240x400) just got a blank screen. The program was originally hard coded to deal with standard QVGA screens in landscape or portrait. Ooooops! Large parts of the program had to be rewritten. It is now designed to dynamically scale the grid to 90% of the shortest side of the client area, and centre itself accordingly. It will now run on any sized screen, even those that have not been released yet! It was a lot of work to make it do this.
Sudoku player will work, but it does not resize, it just positions itself in the middle of the screen. To get this to scale to full size as per 5x5 would involve an enormous amount of work. The drawing would have to be made dynamic as would the font(s) used by the program. It currently gets away with just using the system font, yes let's hear it, lazy programming. It only just fits on a square 240x240 screen.
Siglog is just an app that fills text areas with data; its main purpose is to display and log data; the UI is not that important. It is not optimised for any screen layout, and will just appear in the top left 240x320 area of the screen.
At some stage I might improve Sudoku Player and Siglog so that they have totally dynamic displays, but I have to ask myself, is it really going to be worth all the effort involved?
stephj said:
Yes, it can be done, but it can be an awful lot of extra work. If you are going to try and develop an application that will run on as many different platforms as possible, this will have to be done at design time before you have wriiten a single line of code. Trying to retro fit this to an app you have already created, can almost involve a complete rewrite.
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To begin, thank you for taking the time to read and answer my thread !
I must say that I too am a bit of development. Of course, not at the level of what you do, but I trained alone and I develop professional visual basic macros (especially for Excel)...
On the first point, I completely agree with you, if the resolution was not taken into account at the begin, it is often difficult to integrate in the future without having to write everything.
For the second point, I did not that you need an emulator for other resolutions, and looking at the pictures, I understand that it is not easy to exploit these emulators!
Now, I'm not asking that all applications be re written to make them work on my phone, but when you develop new applications, consider this resolution (if possible!)
I see that there are applications that are developed with the interface SENSE. And although those can easily be adapted (I think).
Another example, when an application interface is based on a skin with areas for displaying datas (example, with a XML file format) could also adapt more easily.
In conclusion, thank you for taking the time to reply to this topic and thank you for trying to take into account this resolution in your developments.
Of course, you may also make use, it is my pleasure to test your beta applications and to return you feed-back about them !
For the latter point, it depends: do you want a maximum of community HTC uses your applications? So the answer is yes ....
Anyway, thank you for everything, cordially, JBS68
Windows phone 8 new pretty face
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25DKXGKblOw&feature=player_embedded
here u can find the whole video:
http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Windows-Phone/Summit
I did a quick post about the new start screen on my website. Would love it if people could check it out.
http://geekshavelanded.com/windows-phone-8/
i LOVE the new Startcreen <3
Tile colour variations and folders
I watched the video and it didn't go into the options of..
Folders on start screen
nor
Changing colours of each tile
Both these features I would think are a must to keep up with the although shabby highly effective widgets and folders on ICS 4.0.
If I wan't to visually separate work and play on my windows phone, I would think that having a colour code would be the best visual differentiator. Also, if I wanted to place small sized toggles on the start screen which turned gps on and off, torch on off, 3G on off then I would want to have a specific colour set for those buttons so I could find them in even my most dizzy states of mind. Plus, think of the cool patterns you could make... Is anyone thinking 'Ziggy' from Quantum Leap?
Also, with 100 00 apps and growing, unnecessary crowding could be overcome by placing similar apps into customizable folders (which share the live tile display). I know its a legacy term but I still use an 'Accessories' folder on my SGS3 to place things like calculator, voice recorder etc. just the same as Windows 95.
I've heard rumors / requests but I haven't seen anything definitive from MSFT yet, so have I missed something?
I think it's a very different concept, those tiles.. But i still find it confusing.... I'm that kind of person who is obsessed with organization, tagging things and putting them into specific categories, I don't think I'd be OK with a lot of random things mixed in my home screen... But maybe it's just a matter of getting used to it, and probably this UI is more friendly for smartphone beginners.
I am as well. I have my tiles categorised by their purpose. Personally I think being able to resize the tiles as I please will make this easier to do...
nice
win98 said:
here u can find the whole video:
http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Windows-Phone/Summit
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Thanks., was look for this ...
Okay, so I recently played my friends PlayStation 3. And on its main menu, it had a "wave" style. I think it look fantastic.
And I can only imagine how it would look like on the start screen (hopefully similar to an Android type live wallpaper). I don't know if its even possible. But would be something I can definitely pay for.
Just an idea. :highfive:
It was present before in Desktop with Windows Vista by applying DreamScene, but it cost huge performance hog and battery consumption. Was later removed in Windows 7. Although the start screen wallpaper has already been hacked, maybe there's even a slim possibility that it might work. Then again, maybe not.
This is one of the things i hope to see on windows, a live wallpaper like android, maybe disabled for portable devices, but would be beautiful for desktop pc's.