[APP][22.05.2011][(W)VGA]ActionScreen Landscape support v0.6[Developers please help]

Hello

I liked the idea of an ActionScreen ever since I met with this program for a first time (it was on a Sense 2.1 stock ROM so it was really handy). ActionScreen is a simple application which shows the user a screen with 12 (sometimes more) shortcuts which can start/toggle frequently used programs or functions.

But as I am a Rhodium owner, I always had problem with Landscape orientation. The Smaberg's ActionScreen was showing only 2 rows of icons in Landscape or wasn't showing at all. So with the encouragement by Jackos I started to develop my own application based very much on the original idea of the 12-icon ActionScreen from Smaberg. As I am definitely not a programmer I started to learn Basic4PPC for a starter. Then, after I discovered how many environment restrictions it gives I switched to C#.

What I present here is a version which has full Landscape support (the app will run without problems in Landscape and will change it's layout properly even if there will be an orientation change while program is shown).

* NEW * - The whole app has been rewritten from scratch. Also changed to the C# + NetCF. This has not solved all of my memory problems but allowed me to improve on many other fields. The details are in the change log in post #2.

* NEW 2* - I added a VGA version of my ActionScreen. Special thanks to xOverkill who encouraged me to start working on VGA and then provided a great help with testing on Raphael.

With this version you can easily customise each link function by changing command and parameter in:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Skrobel\ActionScreen\LinkXX]
where "XX" is a number of the icon starting with 00 to 11.

You can change the icons as well (all the graphic files are stored in program folder). From v0.5 you can also change the colors of the background (at the moment only solid colours are supported) and the label texts.

And last but not least you can change the text of the labels under each icon in the same place in registry. This can come in handy when you want to change the language for instance.

There is a small readme.txt file attached to this post where I put a brief description of the settings/configuration possiblilities.

DOWNLOADS ARE IN POST #2

Unfortunately some problems have been solve and some not:
- I have problems to effectively dispose the resources upon program minimization. The C# or NetCF uses Garbage Collector for all the disposed controls/images, so the app memory does not decrease when it's minimized (and is about 1300 kB). I can't find a way to do it better
- the WinCE and WinMo environment doesn't support a "minimize form" event. So I used a little trick to override native Windows.Forms.Hide with SW_MINIMIZE imported from coredll.dll. Buuut this doesnt really minimize the app, but only get the window behind all other windows, but in front of Titanium or TodayScreen. That's why I suggest using this app ONLY on Sense/TF3D enabled ROMs or otherwice you will se my app instead of the TodayScreen
- Because of the above my app is visible also during system startup until Sense/TF3D is fully loaded
Actually I found a solution for SW_MINIMIZE (it was easier than I thought). So for now my only concern is to make the app less memory consuming and possible yet faster.


Soooo, if any of you guys could help me to improve the app (especially the memory management) I can share all my current experience as well as the source code. HELP PLEASE

Enjoy! Any feedback is welcome. I will try to improve as soon as my programming knowledge raises Or of course when someone agrees to help me

# CHANGE LOG:
22.05.2011 - v0.6
+ Added version for VGA resolution
+ Minor bugfixes concerning exceptions and image handling.
+ Added a new setting "ShowOnHTCKeyboard" enabling ActionScreen to show up when the hardware keyboard is open (refer to readme for more information)
- still high memory usage when idle (currently approx. 1300 kB) - looking for a better way to dispose resources during minimize

10.05.2011 - v0.5
+ Rewritten from scratch once again to avoid unnecessary code
+ much faster to load/unload/appear/disappear
+ AppToDate support (thanks for the tips Jackos)
+ Both landscape modes support (right- and left-handed). The app will now follow the GUI
+ Added "splash screen" during first load for eye-friendliness before system boots completely
+ Added possibility to change background and text colors (although not very comfortable at the moment)
+ Changed the settings location in registry to a more proper place. Therefore you need to uninstall the previous version manually before installing v0.5
- still high memory usage when idle (currently approx. 1250 kB) - looking for a better way to dispose resources during minimize

13.02.2011 - v0.3 - quick bugfix version
+ Fixed SW_MINIMIZE so that app minimizes instead of going to back
+ support for non-Sense interfaces (Today Screen and Titanium tested)
+ the app starts almost unnoticeably during system startup
- still high memory usage when idle (currently approx. 1300 kB) - looking for a better way to dispose resources during minimize

13.02.2011 - v0.2
+ Whole application rewritten from scratch in C# + NET CF 3.5
+ commands, parameters, paths to the images are now stored in registry
look into: [HKLM\SOFTWARE\HTC\Biotouch\ActionScreen]
+ also item names are now stored in registry for easy language changing
+ the app is loaded in the memory during system startup and it's maximised upon calling
- high memory usage when idle (currently approx. 1300 kB) - looking for a better way to dispose resources during minimize
- uneffective SW_MINIMIZE method
- only TF3D/Sense 2.1/Sense 2.5 compatible - it's not compatible with Titanium/Today screen
- the app is visible during system startup until Sense/TF3D is fully loaded - the SW_MINIMIZE issue

17.11.2010 - v0.1 - initial release
- Written in Basic4PPC
+ Landscape support
- Due to several reasons the app doesn't stay in memory, it's launched on each call
- no localization
- no configurations possible, the commands are hardcoded into the application


# DOWNLOADS:

For technical reasons you have to uninstall previous ActionScreen versions manually before installing v0.5. Sorry for the inconvenience.
OK, I present three versions with one tiny difference:

- Skrobel ActionScreen v*.* - it's a standard version starting when holding the PowerButton for 3 secs.
- Skrobel ActionScreen v*.*_softkey - the app is linked additionally to the left homescreen softkey in Sense (2.1 and 2.5) as showed on the last screenshot
- Skrobel ActionScreen v*.*_softkey_only - especially for p50kombi here goes a third version with only the SoftKey link and no PowerButton action

- Skrobel_AS_Blue_Icons - a set of blue "Pressed" icons for the ActionScreen. Special thanks to MrRusch for a permission to use his work which I found here.

The files are attached to this post. Enjoy

Hi Skrobel,

the landscape support is a very good idea. And since i use the HD2 and the TP2 i have missed this on my HD2. But the HD2 can handle landscape with a manila tweak well. Also in combination with the CHT Suite.

We, the CHTA beta team, can help you with a layout for CHT default and for the simplicity quicklinks. That's my personal favor style.