Multitouch - How can I use it?

[VanKurt]

Hey guys!
Since the new HTC HD2 (Leo) is about to launch:

How can I use it's multitouch capability? Preferably with C#?
As far as I know the Windows Mobile SDK supports only the good old "Mouse_Down/Up/Move" events.

Is there anything I missed? Actually there must be, since HTC is using multitouch on their Sense UI (which is just an App, like everything else, right?).

Any ideas?

[VanKurt]

Hey, come on!
No ideas? Nothing?

I thought there were so many uber-developers in this froum :D

[bedoig]

To my knowledge, the HD2's multitouch was homemade by HTC. It is not natively supported by Windows Mobile/C#/etc. Unlike Samsung, I don't think HTC has ever published an SDK or made any of their APIs available to outside developers.

[VanKurt]

But as far as I know the HD2 apps (like Opera Browser or Google Maps) work with multitouch as well. Were they adapted by HTC?

It would be too bad having a multitouch phone but not beeing able to program for it :confused:

[bedoig]

Were they adapted by HTC?

From what I've read, yes. I haven't used an HD2 personally though ;)

It's kinda funny (or sad) that virtually every cool feature of the HD2 (capacitive screen, multitouch, etc) was made possible by HTC and not by Microsoft. OEMs and developers shouldn't have to waste their time writing touchscreen interfaces and sensor APIs, but that's the reality of Windows Mobile for the time being. WM7 had better be a huge leap forward.

[VanKurt]

OK, so we know that there's no official way to do this.
But maybe one can somehow get to those data otherwise?

I guess we'll have to wait until the HD2 is officially released to find out...

[FloatingFatMan]

OEMs and developers shouldn't have to waste their time writing touchscreen interfaces and sensor APIs, but that's the reality of Windows Mobile for the time being. WM7 had better be a huge leap forward.

In their defense, Microsoft HAVE provided API's for WM for camera's, GPS chips and accelerometers. It's not their fault if the OEM's choose not to use them.

[FloatingFatMan]

OK, so we know that there's no official way to do this.
But maybe one can somehow get to those data otherwise?

I guess we'll have to wait until the HD2 is officially released to find out...


HTC's grav sensor API was soon reverse engineered, so I would expect this one to be too.

[bedoig]

In their defense, Microsoft HAVE provided API's for WM for camera's, GPS chips and accelerometers. It's not their fault if the OEM's choose not to use them.

I wasn't aware that anything was available for accelerometers. Was that a recent addition? WM6.x?

HTC's grav sensor API was soon reverse engineered, so I would expect this one to be too.

I was thinking the same thing. The problem is still one of consistency between devices though. We need WM7 to lay a consistent groundwork for every feature that we now consider standard on a smartphone. Maybe that requires MS tightening restrictions on OEMs who choose to use Windows Mobile.

[ifiwasperfect]

hold on am i missing something?.

you basically asking can you use multi touch on a phone such as diamond/touchpro 2?

multitouch capability depends on the actual hardware, with screens such as capacitive.

the HTC hero has a multi touch SCREEN...you can put the sense UI on resistive screens such as the GI, majic and so on.

do a google search on the difference between resistive and capacitive

[VanKurt]

Erm, no!
I asked specifically for the HTC HD2, which has a capacitive screen. So Multitouch should work very well on that device. :D

The only thing missing will be the API for it...
But we'll see about that ;) (HD2 will be released any day now, I hope)

[l3v5y]

Multitouch is an HTC API...

I've got some way to working out how to use it, though I kinda need to have a device before I can do anything for real!

[tomekwl3]

I know, that WM doesn't support multitouch. It'll be avaible in WM 7.

[VanKurt]

OK, now that the HD2 is out:
Did anyone play around with multitouch yet? Is there a way to use it in our own applications? :confused:

[scilor]

I played a little around with .Net, but havn't found any multitouch way...

[VanKurt]

Multitouch isn't part of .NET. HTC use there own library for this.
The hope is that someone will make it usable for development (like it happened with the G-Sensor)...

[scilor]

I thought about that HTC sends a Special-Mouse Click -> Mouse Scroll, so I can catch it, but this wasn't the case :(

[quato79]

There is an application called Zoomer,that enables almost all aplications that are installed to support Multitouch function on HD2,google for it.

[scilor]

That isn't a solution ;) Zoomer just sets Registry entrys for using a Zoom, which just magnifiers the Window Of an App, without the ability for the App itself to draw this magnified space in high quality...

[l3v5y]

That isn't a solution ;) Zoomer just sets Registry entrys for using a Zoom, which just magnifiers the Window Of an App, without the ability for the App itself to draw this magnified space in high quality...

I'm currently working on the alternative, that sends the window messages to zoom in/zoom out, but you then need to handle them.

I think I've found what messages it is, and need to work out what exactly is getting sent, but that hopefully shouldn't take long...

[scilor]

Good luck, I have found nothing yet :D

[l3v5y]

Good luck, I have found nothing yet :D

I have :)

http://wmpoweruser.com/?p=10863

[l3v5y]

Posted some how to here (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=5042917&postcount=1).

[VanKurt]

Ay, great :D
If it wasn't for that bad cold that keeps my mind all wuzzy I'd translate that to .NET right away ;)

[scilor]

I did it already in .net ;)

http://scilor.ac-host.net/hd2-leo-real-multitouch.html

[VanKurt]

Hey, cool :)
Is there some source code available? I can only find the demo on your website...