yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] avellant:
Little more useless testing, this time about refresh rates.

I tested screen refreshing rate on different conditions and here's the results:

With simple skin ( Dark.xml ), no background bitmap, no Icons : about 50 - 55 fps

Same with icons: about 30 - 34 fps

Same without icons and with textShadowEffect: 29 - 32

Diamond skin, with background bitmap, no Icons: 43 - 47 fps

Same with icons: 27 - 32 fps ( quite good speed still )

Manila 2D skin ( default skin ), with background bitmap, no icons, text shadow effect : 23 -27 fps

Same with icons: 19 -21 fps

Same with icons and without textShadowEffect: 27 - 29 fps

Same without icons and without texShadowEffect: 37 - 41 fps

In conclusion:

background bitmap: -10 fps ( depends on complexity of bitmap )

icons: -(10 - 20) fps

shadowEffect: -(15 - 20) fps

My findinds:

Fps over 50 is really fast, and the list super responsive...

Fps about 30 is quite responsive, and fps over that doesn't really have any other advantages other than it looks little smoother.

Fps under 25 is starting to look little sluggish and responsiveness of the list suffers

So if you think it's not smooth enough you can modify skin file to make it faster :)
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] bigchrizzieboy:
direct link to category when opening?

Hello,

Great program, seen this growing from the early version and it seems to be better and better:cool:

Is it possible to open the program with a category.

I don't mean by editing the XML file (i understand that)

But by creating a seperate shortcut.

something like a LNK file with the following:

#89"\storage card\programs\touchlaunch\touchlaunch.exe" -CATEGORY

If not, is it possible for you to create?

There are many programs using this way to open "the program" with something else.
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] WildSioux:
OK, no problem! I do remember that this was developed for 3.5 and 2.0. But wasn't aware the minor bug fixes weren't being updated for 2.0. Sorry if I missed that in the first post.

I look forward to the next big release then!
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] wapvirus:
I have no icons showing in this version no text just blank backround ?
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] avellant:
Yes, it's possible to create. But there is some unanswered question. Like how should program behave if it's allready running on background.

That wasn't on the first post :D Don't be sad, if there's big changes I release both versions :) allthough I highly recommend switching to CF 3.5, because it's much faster.

On the side note, i have trying to optimize scrolling function, i did get to 60 fps with icons ( but no background ), by disabling icons transparency

which really eat lots of cpu cycles and buffering all the items, but speed improvent come with expense of memory consumption and won't

work with background bitmaps, so I think have to find another way.

If someone is interested about issue and would have answers, you can look up the source code of KlistControl, here:http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=333124

It's basicly same source that i use.
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] derekwilkinson:
The "Replace folderview.exe" function is not working. I am using an HTC Touch (Sprint) with the stock WM 6.1 ROM.
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] stutzedward:
Avellant, tested the v0.0.4b. Installed in phone and it runs well. No more skin changing problem. Thanks! :) *makes me a happy man again*
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] nuttsak:
What are the chances of making the app full screen? How about putting icons across the bottom for the groups instead of going through a menu. You could make it look similar to IContact. By making it full screen that would eliminate the soft keys but could put that menu in a drop down when you click on the top middle of the screen, similar to PocketCM. Just something I like to see and only a suggestion. Great App, use it every day!!!!!
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] digidigi123:
Hello, I use the NF 2.0 Version 4.1. It's posible with this version, to start with certain category? I use the settings.xml file from the 4.2 version, but it dosen't work!

Very nice app, thanks!
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] bigchrizzieboy:
Suggestion:

Maybe by going back to the start folder / category after a "x" time.
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] avellant:
Does it show any error messages?

Good changes :) but thiere are some work to do, my plan is getting rid of mainmenu completely, because it's making my source harder to read. I going to make separately option dialog, so it would for most part replace mainmenu... but it's far from finished. And about those icons on the bottom, I was planning that also before, but haven't got time to do it.

Sorry, but no. Read the changelog from the first post ;)

Good idea! will be done.

Last night i was testing caching the icons, and get startimes reduced to 5500 ms ( before 8500 ms ), of course the first start will take much more time. But it looks promising :)
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] Oakwood:
AZ Split

Great program! I like the Alphabet Grid. It would be nice to have the A-M on the left side and the N-Z on the right side with the programs in the center.
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] digidigi123:
Hello avellant,

hope you bring this option "+ability to start with certain category ( look in the settings.xml! )" into the NET CF 2.0 version very soon, for a better start time. After this, I will donate you work ;) ..... and once again nice app!
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] mlin:
This does not work for me either. I am using the same phone but a cooked rom. I get no error message. Thanks for this by the way. Absolutely beautiful!
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] avellant:
New Version 0.0.4.5! net2&3.5

I have done lot's of optimization in this version, mainly considering about start time. It should start much faster. But it's still a .net program :O

I added a Option Dialog which has all options that the program has, no need edit settings.xml ( except if you want change custom folder path. ) Option Dialog is not finished yet, I workin on skinning the context menu, for now it's lookin kind of stupid. But it's working.

This kind of "middle" version, i didn't get all the things that i was planning to do working for this version.

Are you using .NET2 version? If it doesn't throw any errors, it should work :) The function doesn't replace start menus "Programs" link.

sorry about delay. I just released new version also in net cf 2.0, i hope it has functions you needed :) I will be most gratuful if you take the honour of being the first doner :D
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] sjaak21:
Looks like you left out a number of skins in the 4.5 version..
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] digidigi123:
All works like a charme, donation is on the way :)
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] ytsejam_:
i really hope to get some PNG transparencies (and double hope on alpha transparencies) on the next versions..

nice work on this version though.. keep it up..

request option: Auto Minimize/Hide after inactivity..

also, a follow up on my previous request about the accidental double tapping of a previously selected item (wherein, if you try to stop a scroll by tapping the screen, and your finger accidentally/incidentally lands on a previously selected/highlighted item, TouchLaunch will assume that it is a double tap selection and will immediately launch the selected shortcut - even if your only intention is to stop the scroll and not to launch the program).. please see to it because it gets really annoying sometimes trying to be careful not to hit a highlighted item accidentally.

what i suggested (and resuggest) is for TouchLaunch to unselect/unhighlight any previously selected items when a scroll is initiated..
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] javichampi:
:( I have a problem with an spanish rom, my "Start Menu" folder is called "Menú Inicio", and when I edit settings.xml an error ocurred, the problem is the "ú" character I think, but if I type "Menu Inicio" the directory doesn't exist. What can I do?:confused:
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] avellant:
The old skins should work on new version.

Thank You! :)

I haven't got png tranparencies implemented yet because CF doesn't support it... so i have to make some kind of implementation of my own.

about auto minimize/hide function.. if closeafterlaunch option is enabled it's minimizes program after it looses focus.

I will improve scrolling/selected function.. I know it's annoying. It's on top of my to do list.

What version do you have? It should not been an issue since 0.0.3.
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] javichampi:
I download it from softonic, but not appears the program version, only the date(20th october)...so it ins't the latest version...humm. Tomorrow I'll try the 0.0.4.5 :D But when I try to open the modified settings.xml on internet explorer I have an error too...:confused:
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] stutzedward:
HI Avellant,

Great job, lotsa customization but the error of "close TL on action - exit" is back. Same error saying:

Error Reading Catergory File: Favorites.
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] mlin:
thanks again for this! 4.5 addressed a lot of issues and it runs very smooth for me. I have noticed a bug when trying to use the background image. the program closes as it cannot find image located in '\windows\stwater... I am not sure why it is looking in this path,but perhaps it will be an easy fix.

Also, what is the purpose of replace foldreview.exe ?it works now but doesn't seem to have any utility.
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] doudouweb:
Hi,

first of all: Great application!

Do you now how to port it to the i900?

I use this soft on my samsung omnia but the application is almost half of the screen, I'd like to have it on full screen...

If someone has an idea, that would be great! :)

thanks

doudouweb
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] ancola66:
Version 4.5 practically no change in the speed load. You feel it more quickly because it removed the option key take exit Close and it's always running background :D. That spend ram 1.45M:(
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] chuckbert:
you just have to edit the desired skin-xml and change the height value to 348!

and don´t forget to stretch the desired picture or use one that is 240*400 pixels.

that´s all!

regards

chuckbert
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] doudouweb:
cool! :D

thanks for your quick answer, I'll give it a try tonight!!

Edit:

Tested and approuved :)

thanks again
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] u710391:
spelling

there is in uk english, not in us english
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] mlin:
is there any way to save the favorites list? every time I restart the program my favorites are gone and I have to set the list again.
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] avellant:
It seems that the bug slipped in because i change settings saving dramatically.. I fix that in bug fix release.. soon:)

Do you have QVGA display?

replace folderview.exe function it's intented to help replacing "All program" link in TF3D...

The option is there still ( allthough it's not working, it's crashes the program ). But still it's much faster to start even cold start, because it caches the icons!

It's should save categories if you close the program completely, don't minimize it.
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] javichampi:
OK, newer version works great, sorry. Great program!!!
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] ytsejam_:
hi avellant.. i've been researching on some methods to topple the .net CF deficiencies regarding alpha blending and i've stumbled upon these blog entries.. i don't know much about programming and i don't know if you have already seen these articles.. and if these are easy or hard to implement, maintain and integrate to the TouchLaunch code, i don't know.. but it's worth the shot anyway.. these methods claim to utilize 8-bit PNG alpha transparency blending on the .netCF..

http://blogs.msdn.com/chrislorton/archive/2006/04/07/570649.aspx

http://johan.andersson.net/blog/2007/10/solution-for-transparent-images-on.html

http://blog.opennetcf.com/afeinman/default,date,2006-02-03.aspx - last part of first post..

hope these works.. but if you already know/seen these articles.. then just disregard my post.. hehe.. :D

sorry for being too pushy about the enhanced icons and/or PNG (8-bit alpha) transparencies.. it's just that I can no longer stand those nasty jagged 32x32 256 color icons that have plagued windows mobile ever since WM2002.. just by looking at those icons makes me feel that i'm still stuck in 2002 with a Windows ME PC and a HTC Wallaby..

and that's the main reason i keep looking for a perfect replacement for the default Start>programs launcher/menu WM has..

well, aside from the occasional nightmare of seeing jaggies and/or white pixels surrounding my icons, Touch Launch seems to be on top of the list as of now..
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] benthere06:
Installation issues

i am new to this thread. I have both a sprint touch diamond and a pro that i just got last week. the program looks really cool but i am having difficulty installing.

I Tried to install version 0.45: version 2.0 and 3.5 and zip version. I can't any to work on either phone. Versions 2.0 in both the zip and cab installs but the screen is 1/4 the size. And when i try to install 3.5 it gives me the error "an unexpected error has in occurred in touchlaunch.exe. This app requires a newer version of the Microsoft .net compact framework...I tried on both phones and no luck. Any thoughts?
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] FatBoyExtraordinaire:
Yeah none of the versions since v. 3 have worked for me. Too bad too, because it looks like the new versions have some pretty sweet features.
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] avellant:
Sorry about, it seems the new versions have lefted without vga skins!

I'm suprised to know that diamonds has the old 2.0 framework packed.

I'm going to include at least one VGA skin in the next release. It's hard for me to test TouchLaunch on VGA because only way to do this through emulator.

I like you attitude! because you provided me for some info, not like "make this happen, i don't know how, just do it" :D

I tried to implement usercontrol from the second link a while ago, but somehow failed miserably :)

I think we'll see soon png tranparency in touchlaunch. Propably not in next version, because it's quite ready, so i don't want to mess up the source by implementing something that i'm not sure is working.

If you want to help me more in this issue, you could send me or post here some png icon packs, which i can test.
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] frederikk:
For the skin, i took and old one from the 0.4.2b pack... diamondvga.xml..it looks ok. I installed the 3.5 version, but i got a lot of erros when closing the apps.. a lot of messages about "not finding the favorites category"...

I like the app, but with the 0.4.5 I got lot of problems...

What could be great, would be to have bigger icons :) perhaps a grid, 2 columns for example, have you thought about that ? :)

Ciao

Fred
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] benthere06:
2.0 framework

Thank for the reply. How do i check what version of .net framework i have on my mobile device. Can i update it to 3.5. will it hurt anything?
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] avellant:
New version 0.0.4.6

Hi everybody!

Just posted new version. And it's NET2.0.
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] frederikk:
Will test it tomorrow !!! Looks cool :)

Have you included the big icons ? 48x48 i think, or only the 32x32 ?

Ciao

Fred
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] spupuz:
i got this error!!

An unexpected error has occurred in TouchLaunch.exe.

Select Quit and then restart this program, or select Details for more information.

An error message cannot be displayed because an optional resource assembly containing it cannot be found

TouchLaunch.exe

DirectoryNotFoundException

An error message cannot be displayed because an optional resource assembly containing it cannot be found

at System.IO.__Error.WinIOError()

at System.IO.Directory.InternalGetFileDirectoryNames()

at System.IO.DirectoryInfo.GetDirectories()

at Filetools.FileList`1.BuildList()

at Filetools.FileList`1.BuildList()

at Filetools.FileList`1.BuildList()

at TouchLaunch.mainForm.readPrograms()

at TouchLaunch.mainForm..ctor()

at TouchLaunch.Program.Main()
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] flaxjef:
Like it a lot thanks mate
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] NotLutzik:
Gets better and better with every version! I still prefer mort buttons :(
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] character:
I just wanted to tell you that this is a real good one you are making ... some have problems in .nercf though I really hope this one can be fixed

read something here

http://blogs.msdn.com/martijnh/arch...essages-on-the-net-compact-framework-3-5.aspx

really hope it can be fixed soon ... and if ever Want to ask permission if ever I can include this on my future rom release? because I think it is a really good one you are making here
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] FatBoyExtraordinaire:
This is the same error message I have been getting since V.3. I'm using a Wing by the way.
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] onlinespending:
settings?

Not sure if this has been asked before, but can something like this be made to browse through the settings of the phone in a nice clean skinnable menu? thx.
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] chuckbert:
settings!

wow, that would be just awesome!

is it possible?

regards

chuckbert
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] ytsejam_:
hi avellant.. i've uploaded some PNGs for testing.. these are based on the Android UI icons.. which, most, i've just scoundrelled from screenshots and the emulator and some others are from KDE and GNOME icon sets which (to me) blends in with the Android Icon style (though perspective does not always match)..

i'll be making my own Android Style Icons for other apps, and will be sharing them as well, if time permits (since i'm busy now making icons and UI graphics for my brother's company)..

to all.. i've also included an Android Touch Launch Theme to go with the icons.. it uses a Thin Segoe variant font so if you still don't have this font, don't forget to put the content of segoeThin.zip to the \windows\fonts folder for the text not to look bloated.

to alll regarding settings, you can always create your own shortcuts to different Settings applet via path within the .lnk file.. you can refer to this thread for the how to..

to avellant tanks for the comment.. and thank you for looking into the links.. hope transparencies won't give you a big headache.. :D

that done, i would like to make another suggestion/request if possible.. the Option to choose between double tap or single tap to launch a shortcut.. since tap and hold is already implemented (for context menu and categorizing), a single tap to just highlight but not launch, is redundant, unless it is preffered by the user.

as a bug report. i know the options page is still in it's premature stage, i would just like to bring to attention the second level drop down menus (to list the available skins and iconpacks). when the list goes beyond 8 items, the contents on the bottom of the list, say items 9, 10 and 11, can not be accessed).. hope you can look into this also..

that's all.. thanks again..
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] avellant:
So you have 320x320 screen? I think it might got something to do with that, I planning to redesign whole skinning engine, something simpler. So skins would not be depended on screen resolution. And it's ok you to include in on your ROM :D

It's reads first \Windows\Start Menu subdirectories, then \Windows\Start Menu\Programs directory then first it's subdirectory or if you don't have subdirs in programs the new is Settings folder... What's structure of your \Windows\Start Menu?
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] avellant:
Thanks! Today i have playing with png tranparency, and it's working :D

but there's also bad news, it's slow to draw tranparent images, fps drops as low as 9 ( on my elf, 200Mhz), with load like on that screenshot... so I did make two different transparency modes: Real and Simulated.

Real tranparency is flawless images, but low fps.

Simulated tranparency is basicly that png's are drawed tranparency on blackbase, saved on memory and on paint it just don't draw any background pixel. So there aren't any alphalevels. Icon edges can look little raw ( look the second screenshot ), depended on icon and background image, but it's much much faster!
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] avellant:
Settings

Settings category would nice addition to touchlaunch. One way to doing it is to create shortcuts for every setting and then copy all the links on the custom folder( by default it's /Program Files/TouchLaunch/custom, but you can modify it in settings.xml ). after that create file and name it Settings.Write on every shortcuts name in separate lines. Copy Settings file to categories folder and voila, it's should be working :)

After that zip all .lnk's and Settings file and post it to this forum :D

more info about making those shortcuts:

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=289005

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=340974
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] spupuz:
i do have:

\windows\start menu

\Office

\Programs

\Settings

and under programs

i have many directories with inside the links to the programs
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] medatom:
Thanks for making such a wonderful program. Its low on mem and resources.

However i ran this on AT&T tilt and i get this message everytime i try to launch it.

TouchLaunch.exe

FileNotFoundException

An error message cannot be displayed because an optional resource assembly containing it cannot be found

at System.IO.__Error.WinIOError()

at System.IO.FileStream..ctor()

at System.IO.FileStream..ctor()

at System.Drawing.Bitmap..ctor()

at TouchLaunch.mainForm.skinSetup()

at TouchLaunch.mainForm..ctor()

at TouchLaunch.Program.Main()

Would you please have a look into this?

Thanks
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] limsang:
Many Many Thank...U
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] FatBoyExtraordinaire:
Could it be because I am trying to use it on my storage card? My start menu path is how you described.
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] frederikk:
Hi, again, nice prog. But still getting errors when closing it :

Touchlaunch exception :

Error reading category files: Favourites

But i don't have anything in the categories.. using all programs only.

Do I make something wrong ?

Ciao

Fred

Edit : don't know... but deleted all the files from the category folder, and no problem... perhaps there was a problem with the file : read only ? All the files were empty ( 0 bytes ).
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] avellant:
New version 0.0.4.7!

Check it out.
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] bluemetalaxe:
"and thanks someone for the Icons"

I am the one that made all the Icons, cost me only some months ;)

But feel free to use it, if you need different or better, look at my signature.

Good application man.
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] avellant:
Hah :D Sorry, i just found some icons in some forum and wasn't sure who the original author was. Thank you for your work! I'll add you on credit list :)
[Windows Mobile Development and Hacking General] spupuz:
keep crashing