[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] Kona_Mtbkr:
Project Status

11-10-2007: Proof of concept app in C# is completed, and the four finger control functions are working! One major issue, is how to get back into the cube when biotouch is still running, but no cube app is in the foreground (like after you launch and close an app). So far, I can only get the startup animation when I start biotouch from scratch ... so the downswipe action runs the close animation, and then closes biotouch. It really seems like I should be able to call something to get a running instance of biotouch to re-execute the startup animation ... but I'll be darned if I can find it as of yet.

I'd like to get some input from users of an actual Elf or Touch Dual device. Ideally, someone who can run a process viewer app to see the processes behind the screen ... and even better if they have a tool like Remote Spy that comes with Visual Studio 2005. I think it would help me ... because right now I'm just guessing at what should be happening.

I need to figure out what pieces need to be in startup for my app to work. Basically, I've written my own version of BioLauncher ... which doesn't require biotouch to be running at all (it starts it on an upswipe). But so far, removing the ns script call from startup (bio.lnk) didn't seem to allow the biotouch animations to run. Need to do more research in this area. Everything works fine if I use my normal Touchflo Alpha install ... use the hardware button to loop through things (pre-loads all the cube apps probably), and then use my new app mapped to FTouchFlo. If none of this makes any sense to you ... read "How the TouchFLO Cube works" in Post #4.

11-10-2007 (after some sleep): I posted a message over on the Elf forum asking for some information about the behavior of the cube in certain situations. We'll see if I get any help. If anyone reading this knows of anyone with an Elf or Touch Dual (are they out?) ... then send them over to that forum, or check it out yourself and borrow their device for a bit :)

11-11-2007: I actually got an answer from the Elf forum :) techmonkie is indicating that biotouch doesn't really terminate on cube close, thereby indicating that there *has* to be a way to trigger the startup animation from a running biotouch instance. I was really starting to suspect that this was the case ... but this was the evidence I needed. Figuring this out will solve my startup woes ... and that should complete the interactivity with the cube. At that point ... I may consider a controlled alpha release, just to confirm that things are working as design on other devices. We'll have to see how things go. I'm going to refocus my investigation on triggering the open animation from a running biotouch ... but I may need some detailed analysis from an Elf ... we'll see.

11-11-2007 (update): Did I mention how much sleep this thing is causing me to lose?! Anyways, OK ... must have been the inspiration of knowing how it was actually working on an HTC Touch device, because with the info in techmonkie's response, and a little more digging into the assembly code of touch.dll to confirm, I've got the startup issues sorted out. In fact, biotouch.exe does indeed remain memory resident. There is a way to get the startup anim to run ... although I swear I tried this before, and it didn't work. The open and close animations even do a little screen fade-in. It's working quite well for me in fact! This is so sweet ... I went and downloaded a few other animations from the Elf Cube customization thread ... just to see then animate in my new fully-functional cube!

There's a few cleanup things to do for tomorrow ... and then it's on to sorting out the correct startup sequence. I'm still considering the controlled alpha release. Right now, you need to add it on top of a working cube ... which may not be bad for those that have working cubes!

11-12-2007: I had this thought earlier today ... I never really want a RL or LR swipe to bring up the cube and spin it, if the cube wasn't open before. You don't really know what page you'll land on ... unless you know where you left off last. I'm not exactly sure of the Elf's behavior on this point ... but I decided to add the ability for my cube interface to execute cube functions when the cube is open, or execute other apps if the cube is not open. For instance, I can have a RL swipe spin the cube when the cube is open, but the same gesture will launch Total Commander when I'm on the home screen :) I think it's pretty cool ... retains the cube interaction abilities, and still retains the "quick launch" nature of FTouchFlo gestures! Doesn't appear to slow it down much ... I'm hoping the C++ version is better anyways.

11-16-2007 (Announcement): New Announcements ... see Post #3 below.

11-20-2007: Hints, Bugs, & Issues section updated to include at least a start (prompted after yet another post about missing contacts tab in HTC Home :). Development work on fixing the screen lock bug continues.

11-21-2007: Version 1.1 is under way with a few new commands available. Detect for screen lock and rotation seems to be working, and I'm hoping to fix a few of the other bugs. Also, use of link files for <App_2> parameter now work!

11-24-2007: Version 1.1 development continues. I removed the error message when using the openSpin<Direction> command and running in landscape mode. Also, I think I've fixed the "rainbow effect". Finally, I've adding another new command option: lock, which will execute the standard device lock. So some of the new commands are: minimizeAll, lock, lock-home, and somehow I'm going to work in a command to lock and suspend. Tossing around the idea of allowing screen rotation through gestures as well. So I think bugs 1 & 2, & possibly 3 are fixed, and issues 1 & 2 are adressed. A release is probably due, maybe by the end of this weekend.

11-25-2007: Version 1.1 seems complete. I've added screen rotation as well ... so the final list of new options is: lock (sub options of "home" and "suspend"), rotateDisplay (left and right), minimizeAll. I'll try to package it up in a new archive by tomorrow, after a bit more testing.

12-05-2007: Remaining issues still seem mostly centered around some devices having issues with QuickDial. I've gotten my hands on some new versions of the required apps, and am currently evaluating them. For the most part ... it looks promising that these will extend our cube functionality!