Freewarepocketpc.net "Client"

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digitaldon37

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Freewarepocketpc.net "Client" - Rewritten & Released

2/3/09 update
I've rewritten the freewarepocketpc.net client - see attached source code. This is being released under the GNU General Public License.

XDA forum: [APP] Pocket Freeware (developer release) - xda-developers

Current version: D.19

Requires:Listview, fgControls libraries (filippo)

- - - -
Features
1. View applications by New, or by category (edit categories.txt file to customize what categories you want)
2. View application detail - if app was installed by "Pocket Freeware" it will have checkmark and show both installed date and latest available date.
3. Download & install
4. Pocket PC and PC versions

Future or still in development
1. View list of what has been installed from freewarepocketpc.net with this app (and check for updates!)
2. Landscape mode (not implemented due to my laziness and focus on features)
3. View listings on freewarepocketpc.net's shareware site
4. More robust downloading (working with site owner)
5. Save settings (currently hard coded, some you can change during run-time)
6. Clean-up details page (artistic, I am not)
7. Your feature here?

Instructions & hints
1. Checking an unchecked box in the details page will download and install the app
2. Clicking on the image in the details page will enlarge the image. Click on image again to minimize.
3. Little "X" in right hand corner of details page will close the details & return to listing
4. Double click (or press enter on dpad) to select application to view details. I may add the detail launch on the main page image in a future release
 

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  • app_details.JPG
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  • freeware19.sbp
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Last edited:
D

digitaldon37

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Last edited:
moster67

moster67

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Great app!!

I will continue keeping an eye on this one - it's a quick way to see if there are any "goodies" which I'd like to install and and I can do it directly from my device..

rgds,
moster67
 
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digitaldon37

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moster67 said:
Great app!!

I will continue keeping an eye on this one - it's a quick way to see if there are any "goodies" which I'd like to install and and I can do it directly from my device..

rgds,
moster67
Click to expand...

I've implemented a "more" button if there are additional pages of software. See main post.

UI isn't pretty - but program is functional now.
 
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N1c0_ds

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Not to break your bubble, but they already have pocketpcfreeware.mobi and it does the same job the full website does.

:sign0013:

EDIT: I'm still curious, you got an executable? In any way, I'd love you to come and help with Gecko as you have B4P skills. The source will be on CollabEdit at some point.
 
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D

digitaldon37

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N1c0_ds said:
Not to break your bubble, but they already have pocketpcfreeware.mobi and it does the same job the full website does.

:sign0013:

EDIT: I'm still curious, you got an executable? In any way, I'd love you to come and help with Gecko as you have B4P skills. The source will be on CollabEdit at some point.
Click to expand...


I think that their mobi site only supports a few categories, and they only provide an RSS for new titles. I wanted something that would let me browse all categories from my PDA. I have a working executable - screen shot is posted on my wiki: pocket_freeware [CampusBBS Wiki]

This was more of an exercise of parsing html and building a program around that though. It ended up being a dedicated RSS reader for that site, though without the RSS.
 
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N1c0_ds

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digitaldon37 said:
I think that their mobi site only supports a few categories, and they only provide an RSS for new titles. I wanted something that would let me browse all categories from my PDA. I have a working executable - screen shot is posted on my wiki: pocket_freeware [CampusBBS Wiki]

This was more of an exercise of parsing html and building a program around that though. It ended up being a dedicated RSS reader for that site, though without the RSS.
Click to expand...

Then well done! How do you parse your HTML by the way?
 
D

digitaldon37

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N1c0_ds said:
Then well done! How do you parse your HTML by the way?
Click to expand...

I use a variety of functions to step through the html.

B4X: 
Sub ParseXml(html, str1, str2)
   x=StrIndexOf(html,str1,0)
   y=StrIndexOf(html,str2,x+StrLength(str1))
   Return SubString(html, x+StrLength(str1), y-(x+StrLength(str1)))
End Sub

Sub ParseXml2(html, str1, str2, str3)

   x=StrIndexOf(html,str1,0)
   y=StrIndexOf(html,str2,x+StrLength(str1))
   z=StrIndexOf(html, str3, y+StrLength(str1))
   Return SubString(html, y+StrLength(str2), z-(y+StrLength(str2)))

End Sub

The first one works when there are unique Xml tags or strings, the second one works for strings that follow a specific string (ie "a unique string" and then a set of <p>, </p> tags)

For the program to read the pocketpcfreeware site, I use the first sub to find out where the categories start, then use that return value for the second sub to step through all of the available categories. (and all of these go into a "categories" array)
 
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digitaldon37

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Rewritten & Rereleased

Version D.12 has been posted on the main post - it is a new rewrite with the permission & help of the website owner.

Looking for testers, feedback & suggestions, & developers.

See XDA thread for more details...

*update*

1. Bug already reported: doesn't size up to 480x800. Might need help from Filippo (with his library) or another developer who has a VGA device.

*update#2* - I modified how control sizes are calculated and modified the "ChangeToVGA" routine to handle variations in the form height and width. Version D.13 uploaded to the main post.
 
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Mr_Gee

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digitaldon37 said:
1. Bug already reported: doesn't size up to 480x800. Might need help from Filippo (with his library) or another developer who has a VGA device.
Click to expand...

I have a VGA device, let me know if you need anything tested
(but 480x800 is WVGA)

I dl'ed the PC version from XDA but I'm getting an error message
on first start (attached, (fixed so removed image))
I need to dive into the sbp file to see why...

-=edit=-
I thought it might have to do with the proxy server, but i just added it and I'm getting the same error..
then I saw you have 2 functions one for the text, and one for the info..
so added the proxy and it worked.. well sort of

Now I get an error that the index is out of range..
the "list_software.xml" has been created but there is no data in there:
B4X: 
<br />
<b>Warning</b>:  mysql_connect() [<a href='function.mysql-connect'>function.mysql-connect</a>]: Lost connection to MySQL server during query in <b>/var/www/vhosts/freewarepocketpc.net/httpdocs/users/libs/Core/DB/DBClass_Mysql.php</b> on line <b>53</b><br />
<br />
<b>Fatal error</b>:  Could not connect to DB:  in <b>/var/www/vhosts/freewarepocketpc.net/httpdocs/users/libs/Core/DB/DBClass_Mysql.php</b> on line <b>24</b><br />

-=edit 2=-
everything seems to be working for some reason... you please ignore the above

I did notice a type-o in the categories "themes" is spelled wrong and if used results in an empty table
 
Last edited:
D

digitaldon37

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Mr_Gee said:
I have a VGA device, let me know if you need anything tested
(but 480x800 is WVGA)

I dl'ed the PC version from XDA but I'm getting an error message
on first start (attached, (fixed so removed image))
I need to dive into the sbp file to see why...

-=edit=-
I thought it might have to do with the proxy server, but i just added it and I'm getting the same error..
then I saw you have 2 functions one for the text, and one for the info..
so added the proxy and it worked.. well sort of

Now I get an error that the index is out of range..
the "list_software.xml" has been created but there is no data in there:
B4X: 
<br />
<b>Warning</b>:  mysql_connect() [<a href='function.mysql-connect'>function.mysql-connect</a>]: Lost connection to MySQL server during query in <b>/var/www/vhosts/freewarepocketpc.net/httpdocs/users/libs/Core/DB/DBClass_Mysql.php</b> on line <b>53</b><br />
<br />
<b>Fatal error</b>:  Could not connect to DB:  in <b>/var/www/vhosts/freewarepocketpc.net/httpdocs/users/libs/Core/DB/DBClass_Mysql.php</b> on line <b>24</b><br />

-=edit 2=-
everything seems to be working for some reason... you please ignore the above

I did notice a type-o in the categories "themes" is spelled wrong and if used results in an empty table
Click to expand...

I fixed the "themes" spelling and made a couple of more fixes, uploaded as version .14 to the main post..

The freewarepocketpc.net site owner asked me not to post the executable over at XDA, so I pulled that. I'm not sure if this is going anywhere now unless there is another software site that wants a front-end application for users to browse and install apps.

Here is another similar project: [UPDATED 23/12/2008 v. 1.5.3] Pocket Program manager - xda-developers
 
D

digitaldon37

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Mr_Gee said:
Why??
because he might be missing out on banner clicks?

...pff....
Click to expand...

I'm note sure if that is the reason for delaying this release but we have discussed how to add in some type of advertising in a future release. My suggestion was to do it as part of the download process. I understand the need to pay for bandwidth and storage, so I don't have a problem with that.

This could be easily adapted to another site (since it works with xml) which is why I'm releasing the source code on B4PPC
 
D

Deleted member 103

Guest
Hi digitaldon37,

very good application, I have unfortunately very peered noticed. I have a couple of changes as: Sort, images in the Listview...

Listview.dll version v1.072 and fgControls.dll version v1.0792 are required.

Ciao,
Filippo
 
D

digitaldon37

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Filippo said:
Hi digitaldon37,

very good application, I have unfortunately very peered noticed. I have a couple of changes as: Sort, images in the Listview...

Listview.dll version v1.072 and fgControls.dll version v1.0792 are required.

Ciao,
Filippo
Click to expand...

I like the changes. The lines aren't alternating colors now though. Is there a way to fix this?
 
M

Mr_Gee

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digitaldon37 said:
I'm note sure if that is the reason for delaying this release but we have discussed how to add in some type of advertising in a future release. My suggestion was to do it as part of the download process. I understand the need to pay for bandwidth and storage, so I don't have a problem with that.
Click to expand...
Me nether, I understand that bandwidth costs money, but I also think that
the customer should be put first. if there is an application that is beneficial for the user the owner should be supportive and find a way to make it work
e.g. showing adds during download (great idea btw)
I'd even go with a minimum time that the ad(s) will be shown...
 
D

Deleted member 103

Guest
Hallo digitaldon37,

I like the changes. The lines aren't alternating colors now though. Is there a way to fix this?
Click to expand...
no!

But I can offer you this.
 

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