Entry: UPDATED 9/11/2003 - Tasks Plugin v0.2b

[Guest maxh2003]

Version 0.2b - including fix for plugin at phone startup problems.

Keep the bug reports coming :)

Still a beta... you have been warned, we all remember how many installation problems plug-ins have caused... plus don't be too harsh if it doesn't install/crashes/eats your battery :twisted:

anyone who wants to use this plug-in in their own not-for-profit homescreen is welcome to do so, providing they include the readme.txt file.

maxh2003

==readme.txt==

Task Plugin v0.2b

This is an early beta of a task plugin for Smartphone homescreens.

First install:

Install the cab (to your phone), then select "Task Plugin Demo" as your

homescreen.

Installing over previous version:

You MUST change to a homescreen that doesn't have the task plugin on it.

THEN install the cab, reboot the phone (whether it asks you to or not),

then change to a homescreen including the plugin.

As mentioned above, this is an early beta. There might be bugs I haven't

found that could hard-reset your phone, though I've run many versions on my

own phone and it's OK so far. It might also do bad things to your battery

consumption though again mine seems OK.

Parameters are stored for the plugin in "taskplug.ini", which is placed in

IPSMApplication DataHome - they do *not* appear in the XML at present.

This helps integrate it easily with existing skins.

Currently you can adjust:

* Height and Width

* Font Weight

* Plugin Height

- more parameters will be added soon.

The parameters system is experimental at the moment. You could crash the

plugin by using unusual values or breaking the file's structure. If you

change the parameters you must reboot the phone before they will take

effect.

Add the following code to your own homescreen to include the plugin:

Bug reports and suggestions can be posted at

http://smartphone.modaco.com/viewtopic.php?t=95491

Enjoy...

Version 0.2b 09/11/2003 maxh2003

Bug Fixes:

Starting up the phone set to a homescreen which included the plugin, caused the plugin to crash.

Version 0.2 08/11/2003 maxh2003

Bug Fixes:

Memory leaks should now be fixed.

Updates properly on start-up.

Numerous bug-fixes too small to mention.

New features:

taskplug.ini:

* Height

* Width

* Font Weight

* Plugin Height

Future ideas:

* new parameters for

- text alignment

- update speed

- run external program (e.g. Developer One Power Tasks)

- highlight urgent tasks

- filter/strike-through completed tasks

- external interface to local file, for add-on programs and scrolling

messages

Version 0.1 07/11/2003

Initial release

Known defects:

Doesn't update properly on start-up if no tasks present (?)

Screenshot.JPG

TaskPlug.zip

[Guest Paul [MVP]]

Just installed, seems to work :)

A few suggestions:

- Option to launch Developer One Power Tasks instead of inbuilt tasks on click

- Static display (to save battery?) of a predefined number of tasks (set in XML)

- Optional alignment parameters

- Indication of urgent tasks

- Category filtering

- Wrapping of long tasks

I could go on, but definitely a good solid start, well done :(

P

[Guest maxh2003]

Thanks for the suggestions, Paul... they're all top ideas. If there's much interest in this plug-in I'll have a look at putting some of 'em in.

First priority though is to fix the MEMORY LEAK that's present in version 0.1. If I leave my phone on a homescreen with tasks plugin, after about two or three hours (or thereabouts) all the memory on the phone has mysteriously vanished - at which point I couldn't even shut the thing down properly and had to pull the battery.

Great, my first eVC memory leak. :cry:

[Guest rolywalter]

This is the best thing I've seen for the smartphone in a long time!

I had a problem in that it cycled through about 5 or 6 tasks and then there was a line of squares and then just blank. I too use Dev One powertasks - could it be something to do with that? And if you could choose which program it jumps to, that would be excellent, because the built-in task manager is rubbish.

Also, I think they should be sorted in date (and priority) order. I've got hundreds of 'things I might do one day' tasks that all seem to begin with A - and I don't want to see those ones! If you get that fixed I'll be using this every day, without doubt.

I prefer left-aligned, but I have a boring homescreen not like others I've seen on here that might appreciate centre-alignment.

Keep up the great work - this is going to be the killer app!

[Guest nickcornaglia]

Holy Hell. I'd cant wait to try this next week.

I'm surprised there aren't more thirdparty plugins so far.

Cant really tell by the screenshot but it looks as if with some tweaks, this could be something really cool....as well as really in demand.

[Guest mwille]

Yes, yes, yes, yeeeees !! :(

My wish came true ! This was the plugin I was waiting (and have asked around here severall times :oops:) for !

maxh2003, thanks a million ! I'll be watchin' this space closely :)

[Guest Bullson]

I´d like to thank you a lot. This is so great. Lying on my knies and look upon this thread and the maker of tasks plugin.

THANKS

GREAT

Love you

[Guest maxh2003]

I'm surprised there aren't more thirdparty plugins so far.  

- I'm not! The thing was an absolute ****ing PIG to write. You're looking at at least ten hours of hacking, just to get the TaskPlugin!

What I will say is this: I now finally have a half-decent plugin shell for popping text messages to the screen (or I will have once I've fixed the memory leak). So writing more plugins to display other things ought to be a RELATIVE breeze.

Ideally I want a version of the plugin that gets its data from a local file (and continues elegantly if the file is locked). I can then write a separate program to push the BBC's RSS news feed into that file every five minutes (or so), and then we have a BBC News Headlines plugin!

If only there were more hours in the day!

Thx for the feedback guys, keep it coming... especially those bug reports... also please include what phone you're using, whether you use the built-in task manager or a third-party app, and if possible the ROM version when reporting bugs. You never know when these things might become relevant...

[Guest jackofall]

Thanks Ive been waiting for this plugin :)

I would also like the option of it linking to developer ones power tasks if possible

[Guest Richie M]

Yeah, well done dude :)

And i do have to agree, that the reason there are not more plug-ins available is because they are so friggin hard to code :?

[Guest drblow]

You genius!!!! :)

Been waiting for this for a long time! Now, all the other suggestions here are excellent - but as you mentioned in a previous post, creating a plugin which will display text files - OH YEAH!! What I want more than anything on my homescreen is a plugin which shows a set amount of text on the screen, & when selected takes you to a small note/list writing app. So I can remember to do more than 1 thing ever!!

Seriously tho - good work fella! Gets my vote! :wink:

[Guest chucky.egg]

If there's much interest in this plug-in I'll have a look at putting some of 'em in.

This looks like a great tool.

When I'm back home I'll be giving it a go and posting some feedback.

[Guest Paul [MVP]]

I think there's interest ;-)

P

[Guest maxh2003]

Also coming soon (hopefully) : displaying appointments instead of tasks... and a multi-line display showing multiple tasks/appointments, updating every 60 seconds...

watch this space!

[Guest chucky.egg]

Also coming soon (hopefully) : displaying appointments instead of tasks... and a multi-line display showing multiple tasks/appointments, updating every 60 seconds...

watch this space!

Oh, oh, oh, yes please!

[Guest drblow]

Also coming soon (hopefully) : displaying appointments instead of tasks... and a multi-line display showing multiple tasks/appointments, updating every 60 seconds...

watch this space!

drool!! :)

Any chance of making the change rate of the tasks on display a user setting in the parameters??

[Guest maxh2003]

rate of the tasks on display a user setting in the parameters

Yes :) but I'm going to rebuild the thing around proper XML parameters ( "pnodeParams->get_xml(&bStr);" :shock: ) so it might be a few days before the next version is out...

[Guest stevewright]

AAAAAGH! It reset my phone! Haven't figured out what's gone yet, but it's app-locked again (not a biggy) and the settings seem to have reset (sounds etc), but my programs menu has remained, and it doesn't appear to have wiped the IPSM.

Hmm - maybe I'll wait for the final release!

EDIT - I assume a hard reset was necessary anyway for upgrading to 1.61, so only 3 days to go!

[Guest mwille]

Hi all, any update on this plugin ? It all looked so promissing but this thread has been quiet for weeks now.. :lol:

[Guest maxh2003]

any update on this plugin ?

In a word... no :-(

It just needs more time spending on it than I've got to spare :evil: everything people said about writing plugins being a horrible business is entirely true.

But once the competition's over I'll try to hack the source code into some decent state and post it here. Then at least someone with a little more free time than me can maybe pick it up and take it forward...

[Guest drblow]

You genius!!!!  :D  

Been waiting for this for a long time!  Now, all the other suggestions here are excellent - but as you mentioned in a previous post, creating a http://smartphone.MoDaCo.com/viewtopic.php?t=714>plugin which will display text files - OH YEAH!!  What I want more than anything on my http://smartphone.MoDaCo.com/viewtopic.php?t=714>homescreen is a http://smartphone.MoDaCo.com/viewtopic.php?t=714>plugin which shows a set amount of text on the screen, & when selected takes you to a small note/list writing app. So I can remember to do more than 1 thing ever!!

Seriously tho - good work fella!  Gets my vote! :wink:

Can I just reiterate at this stage how very much I would like to see some more of the above mentioned ideas come to light!! :wink: Not like I'm really harassing you or anything! :shock:

I've put the tasks plugin on my e200. and whatever I do to the .ini. file, I cant seem to get the text to appear as anything except "chunky" - I cant think how else to describe it! :oops: It's like REALLY bold, you know. I've changed all the font settings in the ini - any chance of a tip on how to make the text appear the same as the rest? (I tend to use normal weight font, height 12).

And, seriously, the whole plugin displaying text thing, & the multiple appointments ... we'll all praise you as a God if you do 'em! :lol:

[Guest svk]

What a shame that this project went dead. Hopefully DeveloperOne or Oxios will release a plugin for use with their products.

[Guest simonastro]

maxh2003

great plugin - please don't loose interest

just installed it on e200 with scott K's electric blue screen

forgive my ignorance but does "scrolling"

refer to scrolling to and from the plugin on the screen

or that the tasks themselves will scroll ( they don't seem to

- I can only see the 1st one )

cheers