Share My Creation Scope Timer - Beta

Hi,

Wondering whether someone would like to volunteer in beta-testing a simple application at his/her own risk. Primarily, I am concerned about the screen layout on various devices and would appreciate a few brief feedbacks from the B4A community.

The attached screen snap demonstrates the intended screen display.

Program description:
Requio Web Design Mobile (both, mobile and desktop okay)
Look for "Scope Timer" on the top page menu.

Program Help:
In the application's Settings/ Help menu

Download link on Market:
https://market.android.com/details?id=requio.com_nz177jp.scope_timer&feature=search_result

Cheers

 

[Uli]

The app looks fine on a htc desire hd so far.
How can I change the color?
It's a bit dark in that color.
Uli

 

[Uli]

Scope Timer

Now that I've read the help file things look different.
Sometimes it helps a lot to read hi
Toggle GPS does work
Geographical Longitude does work
Clock Format ok
Julian Date ok
Information ok
Help ok - aha darkness is intended and searchkey makes screen bright
I'm a slow reader.
Uli

 

[alfcen]

Thanks a lot for testing, Uli,
Never mind, manuals take a lot of time to compose, but hardly anybody reads them. That's the way it works
I do appreciate your kind feedback!

 

[Uli]

Toggle GPS does not really work.
It switches to the location screen but does not switch on gps
at least I don't see the gps icon in the upper task line.
Is that enough so far?
Uli

 

[Uli]

Scope Timer

A screenshot of the bright screen shows that
the analog clock is not complete.
Is that indend?
Uli

 

[Cableguy]

Toggle GPS does not really work.
It switches to the location screen but does not switch on gps
at least I don't see the gps icon in the upper task line.
Is that enough so far?
Uli

Due to SO restrictions, it is NOT possible to turn GPS ON by code, the next best thing is to open the gps settings so the user can turn it ON...

 

[alfcen]

Is that intended?

definitely not. I believe it is because I set the Rect for drawing the clocks to the width of the clock bitmaps which are larger than their container. It is now set to the width of the ImageView which contains the clocks. Both ways, it shows correct on a phone with scale=2, though.

The modified APK is attached hereto.

To Cableguy, thanks for your help, that's correct!

 

[Uli]

Scoper Timer

Great, you made it.
Now it looks quite well on the HTC Desire HD.
Uli

 

[alfcen]

That was thanks to your patience and screen shots, Uli.

Lesson learned, inspite of making all effort working with dip scaling you need both a scale=2 and scale=1.5 device for testing. The emulator is no option.

Herzlichen Dank, Uli

Robert

Used to live nearby Duesseldorf 15 years ago.

 

[DarkMann]

Hi Alfcen,

Trying it now on my Archos 101.

It only fills the top left-hand quarter of the screen.

My device is 1024x600 with magnification of 1.

Just one more device scale that needs to be accounted for I'm afraid.

As I am developing for my own purposes at the moment, I don't have this problem yet, but once you want to make things available to others with different devices it seems to be quite an issue.

Having tried lots of apps from various marketplaces over the last few weeks, it is a problem that many developers have not addressed.

Once I have an android phone as well (next month maybe), I'm sure I will have the same initial troubles.

David

 

[Uli]

one proposal

After a prechosen time, the screen of the device gets dark and the clocks
vanish.
Certainly one can solve that problem by generally prolonging
that time or switching it off.
But some programs (like Navigon) switch not off the screen.
In your case the sreen switch off is certainly unwanted?
Uli

 

[alfcen]

Hi DarkMann,

Thanks a lot for your feedback!

A 1024 x 600 device is missing in my wide collection consisting of one scale=2 phone(s) :BangHead:

Though just filling the top left quadrant of your huge screen, I trust that the clocks show up correctly dimensioned.

but once you want to make things available to others with different devices it seems to be quite an issue.

I am beginning to realize that in a painful way. For the time being, I will specifiy my apps for phones up to 640 x 960 pixels

Cheers from one island to the other,
Robert

 

[alfcen]

Hi Uli,

Yep, I didn't care about that. On the hand, the way it is, preserves valuable battery power and the screen lights up again as you tap on it. Even when the screen darkens as the phone switches to save mode, you should still be able to see something in total darkness, the typical working environment of serious astronomers.

However, this may be a nice user-selectable option.

Many thanks for your kind thoughts.

Robert

EDIT: In your phone settings, "Energy saving settings/Screen light on time" allows you to set the light-on interval individually. I still agree though, that this option should be accessible from the application (for user-friendliness).

 

[DarkMann]

Hi Robert,

Apart from only filling part of the screen it looks fine on the device. H:M:S and all hands show as expected.

The resolution issue is a difficult one. The Samsung Galaxy Tab is the same 1024 x 600 as my Archos, but a 7-inch screen as compared to my 10-inch one. Plus there are 1280x800 screens coming on the newer Tegra2 powered devices like the Motorola Zoom.

I am going to do some experimenting with different emulator resolutions to see where I get to.

David