[APP][May 5 2009] Mobile Shell 3 Toggler - Easily switch between MS3 and Today!

[thx1200]

Overview
From the creator of TouchFlo Detacher comes Mobile Shell 3 Toggler! This is a sister app (at least in spirit) to TFD.

MS3T allows you to quickly and easily switch between the classic Today screen and SPB Mobile Shell 3 by using shortcuts which can be assigned to hardware buttons, links in MS3 itself, etc.

Tip Jar
Like this app? Want more like it or quicker updates? Tip a buck (or Euro or Pound or whatever) or two to help the author out! Click here to make a safe donation via PayPal.

CodePlex
Mobile Shell 3 Toggler is hosted on CodePlex: http://ms3t.codeplex.com/

Current features
MS3T adds the following links into the Mobile Shell folder in your Programs folder.

[Close Spb Mobile Shell] - Kill the MobileShell.exe process
[Hide Spb Mobile Shell] - Show the classic Today screen
[Show Spb Mobile Shell] - Show Mobile Shell 3
[Toggle Spb Mobile Shell] - Show Today if MS3 is visible; Show MS3 if Today is visible
[SmartToggle Spb Mobile Shell] - Similar to Toggle, but it will only toggle if you are already on the Now or Today screen. If you are in another app, it returns to the Now or Today screen. That's what makes it smart. :-)

Limitations
- If you try to assign SmartToggle to the HTC Home button (using AE Button Plus, for example) on your HTC device, it will only work as a regular Toggle. The reason is that the home button always returns to the Today screen (or Now screen) BEFORE AE is able to tell SmartToggle to run. So, SmartToggle sees that you are currently on the Today screen and will toggle accordingly. The same problem will probably also exist with any other similar type of button on other manufacturer's devices.
- On MS3 version 3.5, MS3T may not work when combined with Second Today to give you MS3, TF3D, and Today simultaneously.

How it Works
I wanted to briefly explain how MS3T works for anybody else interested in extending this idea in other (hopefully free) apps. :-)

Mobile Shell 3 has a window using the class SpbNow_MainWindow. This window is a part of the MobileShell.exe process. If you send a particular message to this window, it will tell Mobile Shell 3 to hide or show. This is how the links inside MS3 and the "Spb Home" link on the Today screen work. I imagine there are probably many other messages that may control some pretty cool things, but I haven't explored too deeply. I was only interested in the show/hide messages. I discovered this by using DotFred's Task Manager and analyzing all the window messages going to the various windows owned by MobileShell.exe. I noticed two non-standard messages whenever I showed or hid MS3. Then I sent those messages from my app and, voila! It worked! MS3T was born. :-) Interesting side note: the window that all the MS3 graphics are drawn onto has the window class "Manila" just like TouchFlo. That probably would get confusing if you are running both at the same time. lol. :-)

Action, Message, WPARAM, LPARAM:
Hide MS3, 0x82BC, 1, 0
Show MS3, 0x8258, 1, 0

Another message, 0xC005, seems to happen very regularly when using MS3. I think it might be "refresh screen" but I'm not sure. WPARAM and LPARAM are both 0 in this case.

AFTER UPGRADING MOBILE SHELL VERSION
If you upgrade Mobile Shell 3 to a newer version (for example, from 3.0.1 to 3.5), you should reinstall Mobile Shell 3 Toggler. The reason is that MS3T installs its shortcuts into the Mobile Shell 3 folder and the upgrade can mess them up.

History
V1 - Initial release

Download
Download the latest version at CodePlex: http://mst.codeplex.com/Release/ProjectReleases.aspx

Requirements
Windows Mobile 6.1
Spb Mobile Shell 3, 3.0.1, or 3.5

[thx1200]

[Post is reserved]

[the0ne]

Wonderfull app , thanks for sharing it with us

Have added a little something to the Tip Jar

[abumhmmd1]

THANKs
what about W5 , any chance to work in it ??

[thx1200]

Originally Posted by abumhmmd1 THANKs what about W5 , any chance to work in it ??

Do you mean WM5? give it a try. I wasn't sure because I developed the app in Studio 2008 and targetted my device (WM6.1) but if it works, let me know and I'll update the top post.

[thx1200]

Added an explanation of how MS3T works to the top post. I'm hoping this might inspire others to dig into MS3's window messages and find some other cool things we can do with it.

[MaxLaw843]

Since the Palm Treo Pro (running WM 6.1) was made by HTC, I never know whether or not the software here on this site will work on it. Will it?

[gil@spoontools.com]

Of course it will!
Why do you think it shouldn't work?

The important thing is usually the OS, not the exact device (unless it's something specific like TouchFlo3D which you probably don't have...)

(I want a Treo Pro as well... )

[dragonfly1113]

Where do you go to assign the hardware key for this program?

[MaxLaw843]

Originally Posted by gil@spoontools.com Of course it will! Why do you think it shouldn't work? The important thing is usually the OS, not the exact device (unless it's something specific like TouchFlo3D which you probably don't have...) (I want a Treo Pro as well... )

Why would I think it would not work? I don't know why some of the software wants me to pick between QVGA or some other resolution. At times, the 320 x 320 is a problem, as the software is too big (or too small) for the screen.

I am soooooooo glad that I found Mobile Shell (and really like their version 3), as I moved from a Palm OS to WM---ycch! Like my Treo Pro (unlocked GSM on T-mobile network), so you can't have it Until they come out with the Palm Pre in an unlocked GSM with the WebOS. Yummmm...... Then we can talk!