CityTime Alarms/Timer Beta

[Guest FrankyG]

Hello Again Kenny,

I've been away from PPC for a while but now back - taking advantage of Orange's World Cup Data bundle!

I've installed the latest CTA and will be testing in the next few days. It looks good anyways, and it did wake me up no problem while it was on AC power. I'll try it on battery power tonight, see if it resumes correctly.

This is quite a long thread to keep track of, I was wondering if you are aware of any outstanding bugs or issues, so that I can test them specifically?

Are my registration details from the Smartphone version I purchased still valid for the PPC edition?

Thanks,

FrankyG

I've FINALLY fixed what I think are the last bugs in the alarm system, one from Microsoft WM5 and one from a CityTime conflict.

http://www.codecity.net/prodctappc_beta.htm

Thanks,

Kenny.

[Guest scottb]

I believe your registration details will still work for either version. Mine did. :)

Edited June 14, 2006 by scottb

[Guest kennyg]

Hello Again Kenny,

I've been away from PPC for a while but now back - taking advantage of Orange's World Cup Data bundle!

I've installed the latest CTA and will be testing in the next few days. It looks good anyways, and it did wake me up no problem while it was on AC power. I'll try it on battery power tonight, see if it resumes correctly.

This is quite a long thread to keep track of, I was wondering if you are aware of any outstanding bugs or issues, so that I can test them specifically?

Are my registration details from the Smartphone version I purchased still valid for the PPC edition?

Thanks,

FrankyG

As scott mentioned, all codes work on both platforms, a bonus for folks who bounce back an forth :)

I'm most interested in making sure alarms are going off as scheduled, especially after long periods of device inactivity. Also let me know if alarms go off even slightly late, specifically 2 minutes (long tech story).

Also I'd like to know about usability things. I'm actually re-working the menus and buttons to optimize for everyday usage, for example, I think the "New" menu probably isn't used often so I'm going to replace it with a context sensitive button.

Thanks,

Kenny.

[Guest scottb]

As scott mentioned, all codes work on both platforms, a bonus for folks who bounce back an forth :)

I'm most interested in making sure alarms are going off as scheduled, especially after long periods of device inactivity. Also let me know if alarms go off even slightly late, specifically 2 minutes (long tech story).

Also I'd like to know about usability things. I'm actually re-working the menus and buttons to optimize for everyday usage, for example, I think the "New" menu probably isn't used often so I'm going to replace it with a context sensitive button.

Thanks,

Kenny.

My alarms have been going off right on time--I use it to wake up in the morning so the period of inactivity is at lease six hours overnight.

I agree the New menu is not the most often used--for me it's probably Edit. Actually, I rely heavily on the alarms going off on time and repspecting the device's current sound profile. Other than that, I don't spend a lot of time "inside" the application. I consider it a plus that I don't have to! :)

[Guest rickyvee]

feedback on CT Alarms 2.0.0 BETA 3

let me know if these are appropriate

first off, it

[Guest cadair]

It won't go away!!!!!

I installed CodeCity Alarms, decided it wasn't what I needed, and uninstalled it again.

First time I uninstalled it from the device itself, and kept getting the following message over and over:

Cannot execute \Program Files\CodeCity CityTimeAlarms\CityAlarm.exe

So I reinstalled the application, and uninstalled it through my PC. Same results.

I've scoured the device, AND the registry, and can't see where it's being called from.

Can anyone help????

I now went in and installed the latest beta version, and uninstalled it, to see if the problem went away, but no luck. HELP!

When the phone is off...the alarm doesnt go off and I get this error when I turn on the phone, where the alarm time is in red and counting upward like it has past.

Cannot execute \Storage

Card\CodeCity CityTime

Alarms\CityAlarm.exe

But this is only if the program is still running in the background.

When the app is not running minimized, but closed...then you open the app after an alarm SHOULD have gone off....the alarm looks as if it never went off.

When the phone is on...the alarm goes off at the correct time.

=========================

When setting up an individual alarm....I keep trying to set it at "Current Location" but when I re-enter the settings...it has reverted back to Akron,OH

=========================

When I tried to delete the app...even though fully closed, it had a problem deleting Windows\Fonts\ZLCD.TTF

I soft reset the device and I still couldnt delete the file nor CityTimeAlarms from the RemovePrograms program. I was able ro rename the font. Then delete it...then delete the app.

I hope this help you work out some of the bugs.

BTW - I'm using an iMate Jam...with the latest US ROM.

Thanks.

[Guest kennyg]

It won't go away!!!!!

I installed CodeCity Alarms, decided it wasn't what I needed, and uninstalled it again.

First time I uninstalled it from the device itself, and kept getting the following message over and over:

Cannot execute \Program Files\CodeCity CityTimeAlarms\CityAlarm.exe

So I reinstalled the application, and uninstalled it through my PC. Same results.

I've scoured the device, AND the registry, and can't see where it's being called from.

Can anyone help????

I now went in and installed the latest beta version, and uninstalled it, to see if the problem went away, but no luck. HELP!

I've just posted a program that will allow you to view and remove old notifications. It is available here:

http://www.codecity.net/files/ppc/NotifyEvents.zip

It contains a readme.txt file and a program to copy to your PPC. It requires no install and can just be run from the PPC and removed when you are done with it.

Let me know if you have further problems.

Kenny.

[Guest cadair]

I installed and ran the application, killed every event (Figured that if I'm going to have to cold boot my device and lose everything anyway, might as well try it)

No change, killed all events, soft booted the device, errors are back.

What specifically should be removed/deleted for notifications for your program?

I've just posted a program that will allow you to view and remove old notifications. It is available here:

http://www.codecity.net/files/ppc/NotifyEvents.zip

It contains a readme.txt file and a program to copy to your PPC. It requires no install and can just be run from the PPC and removed when you are done with it.

Let me know if you have further problems.

Kenny.

[Guest kennyg]

I installed and ran the application, killed every event (Figured that if I'm going to have to cold boot my device and lose everything anyway, might as well try it)

No change, killed all events, soft booted the device, errors are back.

What specifically should be removed/deleted for notifications for your program?

Just the ones that references CityTime specifically, all the others are needed for other applications like the Alarm Clock, Calendar, etc.

[Guest removed-2]

Hi Kennyg,

I used to use you older version of City Time Alarms when I had my smartphone. I really like it however I am a deep sleeper and used to find myself switching it off unconciously. Then I found an app call Gentimer which had a facility which I found very very useful. Basically when you created an alarm you had several version, ie. normal and sleepyhead. Basically sleepyhead version meant that to switch off the alarm you had to enter a randomly created 6 digit code and then select menu/off. If you didn't enter the correct code the alarm carried on sounding. If you didn't hear it it stopped and performed a default snooze of about 5 mins. Another good feature was you could pick a specific amount of time to snooze but basically you couldn't accidentally switch it off.

Does you new version include anything like this sleepyhead mode, if not would it be possible to build into it. It would certainly make me use it again as Gentimer is not available or fully compatible with my new SPV M3100.

I hope you dont mind my feedback, I am in no way criticising your application, just proving feedback of a feature I would love to see in it.

Would be nice if you could build it into it as I am desperatly trying to find a good alarm clock.

Thanks

Mark

[Guest novw]

are you in any way related to this programm ? You should warn people ! STAY AWAY !!!! It will not uninstall. Never. No way !

On every freaking boot, on every freaking sync, it keeps popping up. Telling me it can not run the software. Yeah right ! I do NOT WANT TO RUN THE PROGRAMM !!!

Uninstal seems to work, files are deleted (root: citytime.vol is not deleted + windows\citydb.dll remains), registry keys are cleared (though NOT deleted !!!) but it keeps popping the requester. This notification programm shows me 25 TIME lines, none containg the word "city" or anything related. Now what ? Any suggestions ? Except re-installing the entire device ?

by the way: the windows\cirydb.dll is un-accesable, un-deletable and un-instalable

Edited January 16, 2007 by novw

[Guest sergeb]

Ken,

That (unrelated) post above prompted me to ask if you are going to release it ever?

I know you are busy and stuff but it's been in Beta for short of two years now...

Or you do not want to continue to develop it - just tell us (or just privately :D - there is absolutely nothing wrong in pulling off a product that it too much trouble or you figured you don't have the time to maintain yet another one. Not saying that's the case here or anything... :)

[edit]BTW, that (very old) signature of mine below reminded me of one of my ventures - WMPowered.com - when I got excited with the mobile technology and started yet another site. Later I found I don't have the time to maintain it - need to take it down now :D[/edit]

Edited January 16, 2007 by sergeb

[Guest herbs]

Same question here. Just noticed a new beta release of the smartphone version. I bought this application quite a while ago now for my SPV E200, and have upgraded to a pocketpc phone since then. So I would really appreciate it if you would also continue development of a pocketpc version...

[Guest novw]

Two words of advice:

DO NOT USE

I have had to reboot and re-install my entire device because I was dumb enough to try this. Lost my mail, lost my bookmarks, lost some of my files. It hooks in to active sync or something, everytime active sync tried to pop up I had to cancel the "can not start citytime.exe" 23 times ! EVERY TIME ! So I repeat:

DO NOT USE

[Guest nickcornaglia]

You may have a different problem. I was not aware this app needs activesync for anything but installing. So maybe you never got a full install...deleted something on your pc before it tried to install again. Or maybe something was corrupt in the process.

Also, are you sure you're installing the SP version and not the PPC version.

Anyway...I never had any problems installing this app.

[Guest kennyg]

You may have a different problem. I was not aware this app needs activesync for anything but installing. So maybe you never got a full install...deleted something on your pc before it tried to install again. Or maybe something was corrupt in the process.

Also, are you sure you're installing the SP version and not the PPC version.

Anyway...I never had any problems installing this app.

The problem is with Microsoft's implementation of the notification system, specifically the way it implements application certification and when it tries to start a program responding to a notification. When the smartphone does this and the application is not certified as a device driver, the smartphone (Microsoft code, not mine) tends to lock up, or at least severly hamper preformance.

The good news is I have a work around and it is fixed in Windows Mobile 6.

I'll be dropping the final release if Pocket PC and Smartphone within the next day.

Kenny.

[Guest ZygMalian]

Hi Kenny

It's been a long time since I have been on this forum!

I have upgraded my phone from an Orange SPV500 to T-Mobile MDA Vario II. Have installed City Alarms, and it is working OK, except for the options page.

Any changes I make here do not get saved if you exit the programme, and re-run it. It goes back to the default settings. I also notice, that in my SPV500, the clock digits were smooth edged, wheras now, they appear like caluclator digits. Is there a setting I have missed.

I realise you are about to release a follow up beta, will check with that when installed and report back.

Still the best app I have on my phone - without it, I would sleep all day!

Thanks

Zyg

[Guest chaznet]

I'm kinda confused about versions... What's the current beta release? Or, better yet, have a link for that final release? ;)

The problem is with Microsoft's implementation of the notification system, specifically the way it implements application certification and when it tries to start a program responding to a notification. When the smartphone does this and the application is not certified as a device driver, the smartphone (Microsoft code, not mine) tends to lock up, or at least severly hamper preformance.

The good news is I have a work around and it is fixed in Windows Mobile 6.

I'll be dropping the final release if Pocket PC and Smartphone within the next day.

Kenny.

[Guest chaznet]

Not sure how I missed it, or if there was an announcement -- but -- I just stumbled onto version 2.0 at the website: http://www.codecity.net

Very slick. CityTime Alarms 2.0 just became my new favorite smartphone app ;)

[Guest ZygMalian]

It's gone a bit quiet from KennyG...

I installed v2.0 on my MDA Vario2 Windows Mobile 5 device, and am still getting the same notification errors as the chap higher up. This is still the best app I have on my device, and I haven;t found anything out there as good.

Kenny - you mentioned that you had fixed the notification error and a release was iminent and the begining of March, but apart from v2.0 released on CodeNet, nothing seems to have happened.

Can we get an update...

Zyg

[Guest ZygMalian]

Hi all

It's no use - I'm going to have to give up on City Alarms as I am getting the same notification error, and it is getting worse. I am having to reboot almost everytime I try to synchronise, and what is worse, when I do reboot, 9 times out of 10, the restart locks up as the notification errors keep appearing, and eat up all available memory before I can close everything down.

The above is happening with the latest download available from the CodeCity website that was apparently for WM5 and WM6 (cab install only), and KennyG had said had fixes the issue, but I am afraid it is not so. Funny however that nobody else is having the same problems.....

So - bye bye City Alarms, hopefully will not need to reinstall the whole PDA. Going to give Chronos a go.... I will keep an eye on this product however, as I still think it was by far the best offering out there....

Zyg.

[Guest lukeap69]

it's a shame that you are having this trouble.

the previous version i didn't quite like because you have to go to option and set the alarm tone directory everytime. the latest issue solved that problem and i have been much happier with it. this is the must app that i firstly install into my device.

[Guest chaznet]

You must be new to CityTime Alarms... Many many many months can go by between updates, and typing about it here won't speed it up. I'm fortunate that the current version does everything I need it to without issue, and anything 'broke' I don't use. Wasn't the case with previous versions, so I understand your frustration...

It's gone a bit quiet from KennyG...

I installed v2.0 on my MDA Vario2 Windows Mobile 5 device, and am still getting the same notification errors as the chap higher up. This is still the best app I have on my device, and I haven;t found anything out there as good.

Kenny - you mentioned that you had fixed the notification error and a release was iminent and the begining of March, but apart from v2.0 released on CodeNet, nothing seems to have happened.

Can we get an update...

Zyg

[Guest Elena]

//TEXT DELETED// by Elena

Edited August 6, 2007 by Elena

[Guest kromega]

You must be new to CityTime Alarms... Many many many months can go by between updates, and typing about it here won't speed it up. I'm fortunate that the current version does everything I need it to without issue, and anything 'broke' I don't use. Wasn't the case with previous versions, so I understand your frustration...

Hi,

Was there any update on the cityalarm.exe error notification ? I just installed the appli, it's great asisde of that issue.

On my Touch, that usually start when I connect to ActiveSync, and when I reboot subsequently.

Appli is on main memory, so message looks /program files/...

Thks

Fabien