yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ktemkin:
Okay; I was going to spend the time describing the look-and-feel and etc. of the 'lite' version to you guys, but I decided it was a waste of time to write all that out when I can simply show you.

So here's a demonstration of the XDApp Lite- not to be confused with the actual full XDApp- which is basically the XDApp without all the pretty GUI chrome. I committed that the lite branch would use only device controls- no custom, processor-intensive kinetic scrolling goodness.

The backend (a few classes, primarily xda.cs, the class that interfaces with the forums themselves) and a bit of the front-end is common to the full XDApp, so it's logical for me to be developing the Lite branch first- it lets me target functionality before I worry about appearance.

The ZIP is completely password-free; it just contains one demo *.EXE to run on your device. The program itself is pre-alpha and has a few glitches, most of which I already know about. When I release the full-featured beta in a couple of days, they should be ironed out, and you can report whatever you find.

Here's a summary of (some of) the known issues:

Post-view is not completely compatible with WM6.5. I committed, when I made the Lite version, to use only device controls, and the WebBrowser (PIEHTML) control has some odd 'features' on 6.5. They removed the scrollbars (good!) but have yet to implement touch panning (very bad!). I can solve this by doing a few interop 'hacks', but I've yet to implement them. You'll have to scroll the Web-browser with your device's d-pad or arrow keys.

A lot of features are disabled (replying, new posts, editing) as I haven't had a chance to test them. They'll be shown off to the beta testers in a couple of days.

I've yet to override the WebBrowser's right click menu. As the HTML content it displays is generated by the application backend, clicking "Refresh" will display a blank page. (This is because the WebBrowser control does not have a URL- and thus refreshes about:blank). You can refresh the page in-application using the 'Navigation' menu.

The previous and page next buttons may not work properly in several cases. This has been fixed in builds later than the one I'm posting. The 'jump to page' works fine, but may have an initial value of '0'- this is actually the same glitch, which has been fixed.

A few images don't automatically adjust for VGA. (This is because I've neither provided VGA images or enabled pixel doubling.) This is no way affects usability.

When "Jump to First Unread Post" mode is on (default), it jumps to the top of the page with the first unread post, not the first unread post itself. I'm not sure if I want to leave it this way, or fix it with a Javascript and anchor.

Make sure you log in to try it- the initial screen once you log in should show any new Subscribed posts. If you haven't logged in, or there are no new subscribed posts, you'll be sent to the superheader view.

Enough blabbing, I'm going to get some rest. Try it out and tell me what you think. Then, you can imagine how much prettier it'll be with that nice, Rhodium GUI I showed you. :-p
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ace10134:
Very perfect, I love it. Especially how you're instantly taken to your unread threads. I love that.

Once you enable the quoting, repling, and all, that'll be awesomee!! And I look forward to the sexy, full version, which will run on my new phone.

But good work as always! (I've been replying from my phone through Opera Mobile quite a bit recently. It's not bad. I even have a Ctrl button on my phone, AND inserting links, pictures, etc work from the phone! That would be the ideal FINAL product of the app, being able to do all of that from the phone. But no rush, this is coming along way better than the Slide2Send app! :) )
[Windows Mobile Software Development] anaadoul:
Very good job you are doing here, we really appriciate your effort.

if i can be in any help please PM me, i'm a C# senior consultant and i would be glad if i can help even if a little.

Keep up the good work :)
[Windows Mobile Software Development] :
can't wait for the full version!! right now browsing xda is a pain on a mobile device.. :(
[Windows Mobile Software Development] valkryomnia:
Just downloaded the demo version.

In the final version, will we be able to scroll with the stylus or only the scroll bars?

If not, it might be an improvement if you added an option to turn scrolling with the stylus, and selecting text on or off.

Also, will the app have an icon in the final version, or remain without one?

Lastly, I get an error when I try to jump pages.

I know the app isnt done yet, and most of these issues you are currently looking at and working on, but just decided to post these issues incase you didnt know.

Thanks, great work.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ktemkin:
The next few posts I make will probably be tests of the XDApp. Posting from the app is already working pretty well.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] krook6023:
Lucky! I can't wait fot the next realse...:)
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ktemkin:
Testing advanced reply options...

This is a simple test of the advanced reply options.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ace10134:
That doesn't seem very advanced. I can do better than that from my phone!

I​

Owned​

You​
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ktemkin:
That's hardly advanced. That's more like... annoying. :-p
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ace10134:
Well, writing an un-formatted response isn't very advanced. I consider advanced as inserting links, making words bold/italics, adjusting font size, etc. I never use those weird fonts though, LOL. I just felt like being super-advanced there.

So the app's coming along nicely? The "full" version will be awesome.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ktemkin:
Yeah, the app is definitely coming along nicely.

I consider formatting and etc. to be pretty basic- not at all advanced- because those are handled by the XDA-developers server.

The advanced stuff I was testing was a method of encoding that would allow posts to be compressed on the upstream, saving valuable kilobytes of data.

Clicking internal links in posts should work now; they should be handled by the XDApp if they're XDA links or sent to an external browser if they're not.

I'll have a public release out as soon as I feel it's ready. Might not be for a few days; I just keep adding small backend features and optimizations.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ace10134:
I get the meaning of Advanced now, sounds good.

That public release sounds really good. You always make releases real polished, so it'll be nice to get my hands on it! I guess I can wait a few days...lol.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ktemkin:
Testing the reply feature.

Edit: I knew I forgot something!
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ktemkin:
C#'s encoding seems to be having trouble with this. I wonder what's going on?

Edit: It was nothing, I'm just crazy. ^_^

Replying is working great.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ktemkin:
Okay, one final test, then I can stop talking to myself.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] slovoflud:
Please, continue...
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ace10134:
LOL :)

So are we looking at another test release today? Or there's still more stuff you're gonna make brilliant?
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ktemkin:
No, no test release today, but here's the newest thing from my /bin/Debug folder, if you want to toy around with it. It's literally taken from right in the middle of development, so there's bound to be a ton wrong with it that's not going to be present in the next test release.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ace10134:
My Preview Post

Replying is pretty cool. Working well, its interesting. Keep it up! This will be great once finished. I'll see if I find any bugs with this new preview, but so far so good! No inserting links yet, but whatever. This is pretty good.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ktemkin:
Inserting a link is just [URL="http://www.your-url.com"]text[/URL].

If you think it'd be useful, I can put in a toolbar with buttons easily. I just don't see the point of wasting screen space on another toolbar- perhaps menu options?

Development's going to be slow the next few days as I'm moving into a different apartment next Friday.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ace10134:
Menu options, yes.

Or even better, make use of the phones that have a "Ctrl" button on the keyboard. Just like in Opera Mobile, when you press Ctrl+B, it makes it bold...etc. That would be really conveninent (I gave up spelling that word).

I primarily use bold, italics, and Font Size, plus links, of course. But those options in the menu would be good, probably under a sub-menu like "Formatting", so it doesn't get too cluttered.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] DatDereX1:
maybe it should have a spell checker too ;)
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ace10134:
That was from my PC ;)

But spell checker would be cool, but you definitely don't have to do that. Maybe in the final final version. Well actually, XDA does have a spell checker in it, but it's dependent on another program. Idk, do what you want with that.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] sheennick123456:
or you can simply use T9 on your phone
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ktemkin:
Ack! My windows install has decided to no longer boot. Hopefully I didn't lose any files.

Right when I'm about to move, too. More updates when I have time. Reinstalling windows now.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] krook6023:
M$oft...what a love/hate relationship we have...
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ace10134:
Or it was probably the hardware that caused the problem.

But lets all hope that the data isn't lost, pleaseeee!!!!
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ktemkin:
It seems like nothing pertaining to the XDApp is gone. (I managed to save the Visual Studio 2008 folder.)

That would have set me back a few days.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] orb3000:
Thanks a lot for this great app!

Keep up the good work!

Cheers,
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ace10134:
Updates? I almost forgot about this thread. Wait, you only posted yesterday, and I'm already feeling lost without you writing in some updates? lol. Keep on working on it, and don't worry if you're busy with other things, I'm flodded with school work too.

It is amazing how far you've gotten with this app, though. Very incredible. This forshadows how great your final app/widget/website will be!
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ktemkin:
Just finishing my moving now; I have Visual Studio working under VirtualBox now, so development should resume fairly soon.

Next in line for development: attachments- you need to be able to download those suckers, and fast! I wonder if I can work some kind of server-side compression on CABs, too.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] VizagDude:
This would be an AWESOME wigit for us DXA Additcts. Great job pal... Thanks for your efforts... I would definitely donate for this cause in the next few days...
[Windows Mobile Software Development] Bijdehandje:
I smell a new bounty raiser :D
[Windows Mobile Software Development] daguerrotipo:
mistake...
[Windows Mobile Software Development] Bijdehandje:
The final is still in development so i asume you'll have to wait.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ktemkin:
Once I've reached the beta stage, I'll start releasing CABs as well as just ZIP files; and when I release the RC stage, I'll also include an ervius-compatible OEM package.

I'm also considering including an oldschool-Today (possibly Titanium, too) plug-in that lists your new posts, and checks at a set interval. What would you guys think of that?
[Windows Mobile Software Development] Bijdehandje:
The Titanium plugin sounds like music to my device....uuuhm... i mean ears :cool: In other words....I like it... A Lot :D
[Windows Mobile Software Development] greeneyemonstruo:
It's always a great when the developer suggests more features than the users.

Titanium plugin would be awesome. A manila tab would be awesome too but I'm sure if creating custom tabs has been figured out yet. However, after seeing all the magic here, I wouldn't be surprised if a beta manila tab came out next week :p

Keep up the good work!
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ktemkin:
Well, I'd lie and say it's right out impossible that I'd make a manila tab, as I don't know Lua, but every time I say that I wind up learning the language as I go and proving myself wrong. Programming's actually really easy once you learn how to design algorithmically, and once you understand the underlying hardware.

For now, for a Manila tab, you can simply install MTP (Manila Today Page), which lets you host normal Today plug-ins in Manila. It's "very beta", but it works well enough.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ace10134:
Yep, it's the learning that drives many people away, lol.

But you know, if you could just write a whole new Operaing System for us, along with the XDApp, then I think we'd be happy. ;)

So the app, it's coming along nicely? Have you been able to work on it again? Or are you still setting stuff up after the computer crash? It was too bad that your computer crapped out briefly, lol.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ktemkin:
I finished setting up after the crash, but I just moved to a new apartment, and that took time. I was hoping to get some work done, but it's 2 AM already and I haven't been able to start. I have Monday off of work, so hopefully I'll be able to get some work done then.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ace10134:
Sounds good! New apartments are fun :) And do NOT start working on it at 2 AM in the morning, LOL, that's no fun.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ktemkin:
Work has resumed! The next 'nightly' build should be out soon, with some new things I've been working on:

Much improved support for 6.5's native controls. The app should be able to make smart decisions about when to use managed/unmanaged/native controls windows by handling windowing messages itself during thread rendering/display.

The application will finally be "HiResAware", which, in my case, means I've actually taken the time to design higher-resolution icons so I can disable pixel doubling.

Edit: I'm having trouble with 6.5's native DisplayClass control (the web browser); it starts by default in with selection mode on, which means no touch scrolling. I've been trying to create it using the NOSELECTION flag, which will allow kinetic scrolling, but C# doesn't seem to like creating the instances I need in that way. I'll have to research why it's not working more in the morning.

If anyone has any experience / sample code that utilizes the WC_HTML / DISPLAYCLASS that specifically utilizes the NativeWindow class, I'd be very interested to see it. Now, I'm going to head to bed.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] jdshifflett:
i'm so excited about this release. im working on a wm6.5 smartphone (tmo Dash) im glad this is goona hit beta release soon :) keep up the good work app developers are the soul thing that keeps wm from being considered absolute
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ktemkin:
Things are going much slower now that I'm so loaded with unrelated work- but that's life. Oh, well. Progress is being made.

Good news is, I've managed to make it _bearable_ on WM6.5, though it's not yet perfect. I've put that aside and started working on pre-fetching/pre-caching. Good amount of work is done on that- it speeds up loading incredibly.

I've implemented a multi-tiered system that allow you to select how 'aggressively' you wan the program to prefetch/precache. (Pre-fetching determines what links the user will probably click and downloads them to a local temporary folder; pre-caching loads the relevant parts of them into memory when it thinks the user is about to load them.) Current settings are 'off', for users who don't like temporary files or pay by the kilobyte, 'passive', which simply prefetches your subscribed threads, 'normal', which prefetches your subscribed and most commonly viewed threads, 'assertive', which downloads threads that have been popular lately for your device (according to the forums and including non-device-specific forums) as well, 'aggressive', which also prefetches any thread you've looked at recently, and 'psychotic', which would precache the first X threads in every forum you haven't chosen to hide or specifically excluded.

</status report>

<ideas>

I had an idea last night for 'magnet' style links that the XDApp would understand; things like "registry://" which would offer users the option to modify their device's registry. For example, if you were a tweak developer who discovered a registry hack that made Program A compatible with WM6.5, you could offer users the ability to set "HKLM\Software\ProgramA\IsWM65" to the DWORD 0x01 by a simple link: "registry://HKEY_LOCALMACHINE/Software/Program%20A/IsWM65?type=DWORD&value=0x01".

Of course, for security reasons, the software would pop up a huge, red-icon warning box that read something along the lines of "WARNING! The link you have just clicked will modify your system registry. This can seriously damage device stability and require a hard reset / data loss. Only click 'continue' if you trust the author and understand completely what this edit will do."

Of course, not all of the 'magnet'-style links need to be that scary. I'm sure you all have plenty of other ideas for them. Personally, I'm kind of on edge about the ability to simply click a link to modify the registry. It would make customization for experts much easier, but it would also make it a lot easier for newbies to screw themselves over.

What do you guys think of the idea?

What would you think of the idea if it was originally disabled, but could be enabled by:

- check box in the settings, with appropriate warning?

- an 'expert user' mode?

- a manual registry edit?
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ace10134:
Holy ****, that's a freakin brilliant idea, the Registry Editing thing!!!!!!!

I think, just have a pop-up when you click it, warning you what it'll do. Have the default option: Cancel. Then, have a Check Box, so that if you want to continue, you actually have to check the box, and then click Continue!

But I'm loaded with other stuff too. We all are. But you obviously have found some time to think about this stuff and all, and that was genius.

Also, the pre-cache idea, loving that too! That'll make everything just soooo much faster. Pre-caching your subscribed threads is a great idea, too.

You continue to suprise me, Kyle!

I will just say Thanks from everyone following this, because I think anyone reading this is really thankful to have a great developer like you :)
[Windows Mobile Software Development] sc00basteve:
Wish I could help but maybe danielherrero can. His FIM APP uses an IE window. And it works great but his is still buggy on 6.5+ as well. Maybe you two can help each other out?

Looking forward to your work! It coming along suprisingly fast :)
[Windows Mobile Software Development] DaveTheTytnIIGuy:
Jeez Kyle, you really have some amazing ideas. I personally think that the Magnet style links is awesome, and I definitely agree with the idea of an "expert mode" so people who don't know what they're doing can avoid screwing themselves over. With all the work you've put in and results you've produced, I'd say this whole forum is thankful for you hard work. Thanks,

Dave
[Windows Mobile Software Development] 12aon:
Hey man, have been checking your statusbar the first page. Today I took the time to actually read the entire post, and man you must one wicked smart dude :). If this app is going to be having all those features, and magnet style stuff WOW, then put me down for 25 eur. I hope to stimulate this a bit because this is one rad project.

As for my opinion I would make an expert mode for users who wish to use those kind of changes and of course still have a big flashy bubble pop-up saying: "Are you mad?"

Keep it up man, I didn't know, 12
[Windows Mobile Software Development] uniqueboy:
Great idea ktemkin, could the magnet style links include items like "apply wallpaper" and "copy manilla file" and would it be too much for the app to make a backup of any reg entries or other files it was overwriting before it overwrote them?:)
[Windows Mobile Software Development] krook6023:
Ditto...Kyle thanks for making this app...even better than I hped:)
[Windows Mobile Software Development] infazz:
"magnet" links great idea!

my little idea: will be great to put options with favorites forums of xda... so with app load, it will show only selected forums, and there will be no need to load all forums. for example I'll choose 'Xperia' and 'development and hacking' forums

:)
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ace10134:
I like your idea.

When you first boot up the app (only for the first time), it'll ask you what devices you own. Then, it'll taylor the threads for your phone(s)! I always hate having to scroll down to my phone's section. This is a brilliant idea!
[Windows Mobile Software Development] DatDereX1:
nice idea bro
[Windows Mobile Software Development] DaveTheTytnIIGuy:
That's an excellent idea! I would love that, since it's always annoying to scroll all the way down to the Kaiser section.

Dave
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ktemkin:
That was already a planned feature, though I think it kind of was absorbed into another item in the feature-list.

More work has been done on prefetching; I spent a couple of hours today optimizing the ratio of cache-in-RAM to cache-in-storage. The software is optimized to use a SD card (or internal storage in the case of the diamond), but can operate on native device storage if necessary- or purely out of RAM, if needs be.

I should have a weekly build for you guys to play with on Labor day- with hopefully a lot more features.

I'll give you an actual status update either tomorrow or monday.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] noellenchris:
Great News! Thanks....:D
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ktemkin:
Everything I've done to make WM 6.5 bearable seems to no longer work under the newer 2304x builds- but there's a silver lining; now the DisplayClass/WebBrowser control works as expected without jumping through hoops.

Working on attachment support as we speak.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ace10134:
Eh, whatever, the WM6.5.1 builds are still in progress.

But dam, I'm looking forward to tomorrow, maybe you could release another beta in the morning, and then enjoy your "labor day"? lol. You're a beast of a developer, but you've gotta rest some time!
[Windows Mobile Software Development] Nullstring:
coolness! waiting for this app to finish!!
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ktemkin:
This is a test magnet link, for testing the XDApp.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ace10134:
Haha, lucky :)
[Windows Mobile Software Development] ktemkin:
Well, I need some sleep. I'll have a real, consequential build tomorrow; but if any of you want to mess around tonight, here's tonight's Nightly.

As always with the Nightly's, I've pretty much just compiled it an uploaded it, so there are probably plenty of little code bits that are not included / unfinished / non-working.

But it should be fun to mess with.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] DaveTheTytnIIGuy:
Nice work, I'm playing with it now.
[Windows Mobile Software Development] :
whoooo super good!! can't wait for a real app to play with! this will surely be one of the most read threads ever when you'll release it!

many many thanks for your hard work!!
[Windows Mobile Software Development] Piter1225:
I have tested it, and sometimes see IE working in background, and also sometimes .NET Cf error, but app looks nice, can't wait for final version :)
[Windows Mobile Software Development] xILukasIx:
Can't wait to get this app on my TG01!

You can add me to the list: 10€

One question: Will this support AppToDate?