yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Windows Mobile Software Development] longice:
Guys,

I appreciate all the comments regarding wanted features. But keep in mind our focus: This app must be light weight! With tons of extra features, it will get slower... So, lets focus on getting a sweet looking and finger friendly - but fast - app up and running first.

Since it's all open source, each and every one is free to create their own version of this. There, you can add whatever feature you'd like. But I think we should have a basic app that is without most of the extra features.

BTW, great work on v 0.1.1!! Gonna try it out now :D
[Windows Mobile Software Development] kly:
Yep .. this was just an answer to a question in one of the previous posts ... never said we're going to use this ;-)
[Windows Mobile Software Development] _4saken_:
tried out the last version and also got the out of memory message.

I have allot of contacts. so I guess the error is not fixed yet....
[Windows Mobile Software Development] odyssey96:
How many contacts do you have out of curiosity?

To scale the contact images at real time can hit performance hard... is it ok to swear on these forums? :D

I have a couple of ideas I shall try when I get home. I was looking at using a list collection for messages to use linq commands in 3.5 for selecting only messages within the viewport rather than foreach iteration through a array but it seems as though the latter is more efficient. I have marked the drawing methods unsafe as well - I have heard marking them unsafe will provide a slight speed boost?

I am overriding OnPaint event and drawing all of the following

1. Contact string

2. Message preview string

3. Contact Bitmap (which is scaled when the message is instantiated to a new bitmap)

to a bitmap acting as a buffer which is then drawn to the form's graphics handle (i.e. implementing double bufferring). It has to be done otherwise there will be flickering. I can remove the creation of the contact bitmap and scale the contact image during the redraw methods, this most likely will remove the out of memory messages.

To avoid the out of memory issue, the Contact Bitmap can be referenced and scaled during runtime, therefore removing the x amount of bitmaps created for the demo. Remember, in the real world this can act as a good test as there is always the possibility of having at least one message from one contact.

Anyone else have any other ideas about drawing? Perhaps I need to look at BitBlt if its supported!
[Windows Mobile Software Development] [germany]merlot:
How height is the space you're reserving for one message? I've a similar problem in my application. I tried to create a bitmap with 10000px height with the result "OutOfMemory"-exception. I tried a little bit with different heights and found out that the maximum height is at 5000px but than everything is really slow. The solution is to create only these messages that are visible. I can't help you out because I hadn't any time to find a working solution (my work is devouring me :eek:).

Please check your PMs, I wrote you a message and need an answer.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] utak3r:
The whole idea is great :) but:

You really mean 1-2MB app for sms is small and lite?.... :eek:

If we want to have a small and fast reacting app, it shouldn't be greater than 1MB max. Messaging API itself is heavy, so there's no way to make it even more heavy... that's my 2 cents :)

Side note:

I think it's a good idea of keeping in hand all the organization, this way it won't sink ;) and it won't last long to complete first stage. Keep going.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] mike21pr:
this looks like a job for A_C!!!!
[Windows Mobile Software Development] odyssey96:
10000px?? Im glad your phone never exploded! :D

Each contact bitmap is 60x60px, the scaled contact picture is drawn to this and this is only displayed if within the view port, therefore a 60x60 image is currently drawn up to 9 times (given that even if a pixel of a message is viewable, it must all be drawn).
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ace10134:
Dude, the notifications ARE finger friendly. And what's not good is what VitoSMS does, because it consumes your entire screen. Anyways, building a new notification structure (like VitoSMS) will take lots of RAM.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] kuroro:
looking forward to it

thx for the idea
[Windows Mobile Software Development] chrisque1:
Demo work great in my Blackstone! Some ratio issues in some contacs.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] d4nii:
EPIC idea!! +1
[Windows Mobile Software Development] _4saken_:
i have 231 contact. that's not really that much. I know people who have allot more...
[Windows Mobile Software Development] kly:
Yep, I do.

The second demo doesn't give me an error though.

How much RAM do you have (left) ?

I'm on a Touch Diamond 2 and the second demo runs smoothly and doesn't consume lots of memory (less than 1%).
[Windows Mobile Software Development] longice:
You're welcome to try getting him to do anything... I've tried, no success;) And, I think the app will be better if we all work together!
[Windows Mobile Software Development] longice:
Well, as I've said like a thousand times, I'm no programmer. I'm just trying to point out some requirements for the app, without limiting the features to much. The app can be fast although it's 2mb. And as long as it's fast, it doesn't matter whether it's 1 or 2 mb:) But of course - the smaller the better!
[Windows Mobile Software Development] odyssey96:
Oh, I am going to remove the old demo tonight my fault. _4Saken_, I really hope you downloaded the old demo by mistake, as last night I was really restructing code to pull every last bit of speed out of drawing scaled images at runtime, and the result is.... ok I guess :D

I am working on now opening a message, i was thinking of having the background dim out (like when you scroll tabs in touchflo) and have a window open up with the conversation...
[Windows Mobile Software Development] longice:
That's a great idea, ody'! Looking forward to your next release:)
[Windows Mobile Software Development] TeDeV:
thank you. i haven't worked on this for 2 weeks now, kinda busy at work.

personally i don't care if the app is 1mb or 10mb, as long as i do my job. which means have the application open in 1-2 secs, and send a new message to a person in top 10 sec.

this is the most important thing. not how small the size of the exe will be....

ody is ahead of me, and i will keep it like that :) i like his work until now on this (if he is going to include some of my ui preferences :)).

i will propably focus my free time on the "Prj: PC Movies" as i really want this to work. (love my movies :))

ody, can u share me some knownledge on how to do the scrolling smooth?
[Windows Mobile Software Development] mr_deimos:
If you want to keep the background visible, then a little blur would improve the visibility. I'm just not sure how fast (or slow that would be). The worst-case scenario - doing a per-pixel blur would surely kill the speed, especially on VGA devices, but isn't windows able to scale pictures up with some bilinear filtering a bit faster than per-pixel operations? Then taking a a screenshot, shrinking it (say to 50%, or even to 25%) with linear interpolation, and then enlarging it back to original size should create an acceptable blur effect. And fading in the blurred picture over the original should look almost like a gradual blurring (much faster than calculating different blur for each frame).

Here's a mockup of how would it look lkie if you took a screenshot, scalled it down to 25% with linear interpolation, scalled it back to original size (also with linear interpolation), decreased the picture brightness to about 40% and faded it in onto the original picture in 10 frames (10%transparency step)

(click it)

It's made with the gimp, but as long as you can scale an image with smoothing, it should look almost the same on the actual pda.

Of course that's just eyecandy, in my opinion functionality should come before anything like this ;)
[Windows Mobile Software Development] Sean D.:
Has this been suggested?

I'm sure it's been brought up, but can an option, or button to either cancel, or suspend sending a message be added somehow?

I mean... have you ever been sending an SMS to someone only to realize that you just sent it to the wrong person? :eek:

yeah, it sucks! So the possibility to stop/suspend/cancel a message would be GREAT! :cool:
[Windows Mobile Software Development] Sean D.:
Oh WOW!!! :eek:

This app has the potential of becoming the best thing since the PPC, Period!
[Windows Mobile Software Development] dickenz:
Two points in response to that one:

1) We already have the Topaz/Rhodium notifications which work well and manage to be finger friendly.

2) There is only one problem I forsee with this notification, ***I think*** we'd either need to build and entirely separate notification for SMS/MMS (Like Vito's) or we'd need to do a whole other new app to repalce the current WinMo notification system (Like Topaz/Rhodium). I'm no programmer but I am not sure if we'll be able to only replace the SMS notification / add features to it.

I am again, unsure but I think once a message has begun transmitting it cannot be canceled.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ace10134:
2. Well, I've seen buttons implemented into the standard Windows Mobile notifications (actual buttons on the notification, not just softkeys), so it seems like it would be possible to just put a text box on it too. I think it can be done with the WinMo notification system. Maybe I'm wrong though.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] michd43:
Odyssey96, I lovin the mock up. It's clean and simple. Here's idea, you should create a separate app for the contacts using your design for the sms app. So we have a clean look for both the sms and contacts. Just my 2 cents
[Windows Mobile Software Development] dancer_69:
This supposed to work and on qvga devices? Because this is how appears on screen:
[Windows Mobile Software Development] medman:
Good Addition

Is there a way to add call sender and use a number in the received message like in Nokia phones, it will make it easier to call a sender that is not in the contact list and is not needed to be
[Windows Mobile Software Development] xTERRORIZERx:
I got the same problem here on my elfin
[Windows Mobile Software Development] thatruth132:
coming along nicely
[Windows Mobile Software Development] atmt:
Support!

Thanks for this great thread! Since I got my Omnia I'm searching for a good, finger friendly sms application. I hate threaded sms so Vito Chat is useless... No comments about default messaging application because it's just too old, too ugly and too unfriendly. Skinning will not help this application. Nothing will help.

So I'll donate any new app with pleasure, especially the one which looks like Slide2Send. You can add my 20$ to your donation list.

Regards and good luck!
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ace10134:
Well this is going to be threaded, but the developer might make a non-threaded SMS option.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] atmt:
Oh! I hope he will:) Thanks! I missed this information. For some people it makes no sense to use threaded view coz they don't use text messages for conversation. It will be much more flexible app with threaded/non-threaded option. Please think about it!
[Windows Mobile Software Development] DatDereX1:
this app sounds hella sweet
[Windows Mobile Software Development] josh_boyd90:
I check this thread everyday for updates lol. im stoaked for this app
[Windows Mobile Software Development] TeDeV:
actually i was playing a bit with the manilla sms app, and i must say that it is pretty good and nice. htc's work is good enough. i just don't like the microsoft new sms page, and the all messages thing. the threaded messages are pretty nice from htc.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] k1sr:
Hi Odyssey,

Not sure if anyone else picked this up, but it seems to have an issues (at least on VGA devices)

If I scroll to the very last contact, the ap 'pulls back' and hides the last two contacts... I assume this because it thinks there's more screen at the bottom (as would be with a WVGA screen)...

Everything else looks perfect.

Cheers
[Windows Mobile Software Development] abdul.rafay7:
is there any application there in this thread

...?
[Windows Mobile Software Development] odyssey96:
Yeah this behaviour would sound correct, I do not have a VGA device to test on, however later today hopefully i will be posting 0.1.2 for testing, once that is done i will add the ability to customise in 0.1.3. The specific setting you would want would be message region end, you can lower that and tweak to the best setting.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] SmS4SYR:
I have a suggestion

If you can display SMSC of incoming SMSs
[Windows Mobile Software Development] odyssey96:
OK, I am sorry to say I ran into a few problems which took a lot of my time to sort out, no one would have ever found the scrolling issues out unless they only had <9 contacts :D

Not only that I realised to continue development I would have to restructure my code significantly. So unfortunately, no conversation view but now there is an example folder view (I wonder who will find out how to get back to the folder view first??)

0.1.2 http://www.mediafire.com/file/mmfyzhyhmwh/S2S SMS v0.1.2 .rar

Please note, only default contact images are displayed in this version, I had to reorganise the way I store messages and realised in a non-threaded scenario there would be duplicate contact images created and stored unnecessarily. Im trying to put things right before it grows and becomes a nightmare to manage later!

dickenz, please do not take offence at the different mail icons, i put the header background there but i do not have pds or whatever that is, i just copied the preview images top grab the header and buffed it up a little in paint shop pro. i think this icon set is nice. regardless anyway, if not the next revision, the one after will allow users to customise region sizes and default images, text sizes and so forth...
[Windows Mobile Software Development] dickenz:
None taken odyssey :).

I don't mind if you don't use the original icons I included in the mockups. I only borrowed them from another site quickly for the mockups anyhow.

PS: The PSDs are in this thread. Just open up the thread attachments and then download "Slide2Send PSDs VGA.zip" - Might make some stuff easier for you! Don't forget I'm constantly checking this and XDA so if you need anything at all just PM me.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] k1sr:
Hit some errors... Hope they're helpful...

Images 01, 02 and 03 are one lot, the rest is another...

Wish I could do it as text not images, but it's all I've got...

I like the swipe to get to the folders, although it tends to creep a little if you're not swiping through the inbox perfectly vertical...

I think it would be good if you could slide back the other way to get back to the inbox - it just seems more intuative...

People will probably have another go at me for being a trekkie, but if sliding the other direction on a contact took you create a new message for that contact, I think it would fit into the theme really well...

Personally, I like the inbox and sent icons - they're very clean...!
[Windows Mobile Software Development] odyssey96:
Sorry k1sr, im not too sure what you mean.... Images 1,2,3 in which view? Dont suppose you would be so kind enough to post a screenshot?? :D

Would really help me out!

He he, sorry I downloaded the zip file but I do know what PSD is :D

They are obviously an image format but I do not know what application it is, is it Photoshop by any chance? If so, I do not have it! :D
[Windows Mobile Software Development] k1sr:
Hi Odyssey,

You must have missed my edit - really having trouble uploading them...

For some reason my PC just doesn't want to do the job...

I'll try again later, but no promises when it will actually happen...

Cheers
[Windows Mobile Software Development] _4saken_:
nice one. this version seems to be running ok. I like the swipe gesture to return! would be cool if the swiping would work both ways and if there is nothing to swipe to it bounces back a little bit. the same thing you have in the contacts when scrolling to the top or bottom. but I can pull the contacts out of th screen. this feels kind of strange. would be good if they would only pull back a bit and then bounce back right away. the scrolling of the contacts itself feels very unnatural. it's hard to discribe what exactly is wrong there. I would suggest looking at the new contacts application in tf3d2 for reference. the scrolling there is just perfect.

also the starting of the app took quite a while for me. I guess it's related to my 230 contacts.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] _4saken_:
just thought of something else. I like the style of the contact list, but I think it should look exactly the same as the tf3d2 contact list. would be great if there is a continous look. that's something windows mobile is missing in so many parts :(
[Windows Mobile Software Development] k1sr:
Hi Odyssey - still can't upload these errors - it's about 3M of screen shots... got another way I can get it to you...?

Just want to put in my 2 cents on this one... A lot of people have themes, have replaced TF3D with something like Spb MS3, or have a different (ie non HTC) phone all together. Using a TF3D like interface is actually probably going to be worse for the greater community - it's also something that has to be done perfectly or looks out of place...

A neat, custom interface tailored to S2S is probably the way to go
[Windows Mobile Software Development] dickenz:
@longice:

Might be time to give the first post an update.

I suggest putting odyssey96's Slide2Send versions up for download :)
[Windows Mobile Software Development] [germany]merlot:
+1

Absolutely yes. odyssey96 has pronounced that the next version will be skinable so everyone can suite this app to his taste and maybe needs.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] rvonder:
Just discovered this project from a posting over at MoDoCo - a replacement for the default Messaging app is absolutely a home-run and one of the first to which I'd feel compelled to donate if it can be pulled off!

I do have one huge question, however: It seems as if the entire scope of the project is being limited to SMS and MMS - is this true? Remember, 'Messaging' in WM also includes email... and that's the function I'm really needing. The current WM email client is pretty poor, but it seems like all three functions (SMS, MMS, and HTML Email) are all supported by the same underlying software. Would that be true with this project as well??

Thanks...
[Windows Mobile Software Development] longice:
Hey!

Sorry, been busy lately and have barely had the time to read through all the new posts every day! But I'm gonna brush it up right now!

We hope to give the app email support, and I have a (secret) dream of having Gmail labels compatibility (supporting labels as well as folders). But, since this app is developed from the very scratch, these features are not first priority. They will probably not be present in the first full version either, but it's a target for version 2!
[Windows Mobile Software Development] odyssey96:
Thanks! :D

I was thinking about this. From the first view you have the option of viewing inbox or sent items in this example, swiping forward for the first time should not do anything as you have to choose. but if you choose inbox

, i can do swipe forward to go back to the selected view (i.e. choose inbox, swipe back to folder view but then a swipe forward will take you back to the inbox. choose sent items, swipe back to folder view then swipe forward will take you to sent items again?

This was intentional. it feels natural to me that you can scroll wherever you want, and for it to 'pull back' not snap back. I suppose I can set this as a customiseable option for either mode.

I will look to introduce multithreading later to start the app and have the messages loaded from another thread.

Will now PM you my email address, pls send them there! Thanks! BTW Are you using VGA or WVGA device again?
[Windows Mobile Software Development] _4saken_:
this sounds great. really looking forward to the next release!

ok, I understand what you mean. A skinable version is the best way to go then.

oh, and I have to agree with rvonder, this app should not be restricted to sms/mms, e-mail support would be a killer feature. but please try to access the default active sync database so that people like me who sync with exchange can also use it. no point in making it receive the mails on it's own.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] longice:
Hehe, you're asking alot now, 4saken;) Be patient, as this won't be first priority just yet:) Let's get SMS up running first!
[Windows Mobile Software Development] _4saken_:
I'm just making suggestions. but to increase the motivation a bit in the e-mail direction, put 15$ from me on the bounty list if this thing comes out with all the features I talked about ;)
[Windows Mobile Software Development] longice:
Hehe, okay I'll put you up:) Not trying to kill your suggestions ('cause suggestions are important!), just trying to remind about the importance of patience;)
[Windows Mobile Software Development] konrad.schafers:
Hey longice,

thanks for keeping the thread up to date. You might want to add the requested functionality next to the username of people who have pledged to donate?!

Like in the TachiDialer bounty.

This way people now what needs to be completed before the full bounty is collected?

Cheers
[Windows Mobile Software Development] darrenn:
looks very nice so far. Interface ran very smooth on my vogue (qvga) although I couldn't scroll through the whole list without it crashing lol

i'll donate $5 towards the project
[Windows Mobile Software Development] thatruth132:
will be posting my donation tomorrow thanks for the work every one remember we started with a thought ...a step ...now lets walk ...then run
[Windows Mobile Software Development] longice:
That'll be just GREAT!! I really like iContacts, so if it's possible to "convert" it to be used for SMS, that's just what I want :D

I got exams myself, but this is sooo much more fun ;)
[Windows Mobile Software Development] l3v5y:
Exams are boring, and annoying, but they do get me closer to a job... :S

If you have a look at this it shows what can be done to iContact.

I've also just found a sample threaded SMS application in the WM5 SDK....
[Windows Mobile Software Development] longice:
I see! This seems to be a perfect starting point for this SMS app... If you manage to build the basics, I'll be most helpful in creating skins ;)

Could you please point me to the SDK thread? Thnx!
[Windows Mobile Software Development] l3v5y:
The SDK is available from MSDN...

The two most related SMS samples are this and this and
[Windows Mobile Software Development] longice:
Okay, thnx alot! I don't know if I got the skills to get into this kind of programming, but I'll have a look at it!

Please let me know if you manage to get an alpha-version of "iSMS" up and running :) (I guess that'll be the name? Hehe)
[Windows Mobile Software Development] alangel:
+1 from me for an app like this! I'm so sick of the WM thing... This is just what we need! :D When can we expect something like this?
[Windows Mobile Software Development] Touchmypro:
iText ;)

No I don't do programing unfortunately otherwise this would be the first thing I would have made! Seriously! I have however been on pc's for a good 23 years and have played with every type of system out,I can find the flaws in anything and would be happy to test and give any input I could see. Good job again on the mock ups,that exactly like I was talking about! The only thing is on the main messaging screen where you pic your conversation it wouldnt need the "+" becasue pushing the big finger friendly button would select it :)