Touchscreen phone without navigation keys

GOWriteME is (discontinued) Java MIDP2 application for game recoding, review and go problem solving.

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sanrensei
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2009 1:15 pm

Touchscreen phone without navigation keys

Post by sanrensei »

Hi,
First of all thank you very much for this useful software!
I have a Nokia 5530 phone, and I have a problem running GoWriteME on this phone.

This phone has a touchscreen, and on the phone there is no navigation keys. So, in order to use GoWriteME(or any other MIDLet), I have to set up the application so that the phone shows virtual navigation keys on the screen. But when you do this, the virtual navigation keys occupy a big portion of the screen.

This problem is explained visually on this link: http://www.gorkem-ercan.com/2009/02/tou ... tions.html

How can this problem be solved for GoWriteME? A possible solution I can think of is, adding navigation functionality to GOWriteME menu, or to the GUI. Is this possible? I could do this myself if I had the source code, but I think GoWriteME is not distributed with source.

Please help!

Regards
lpaatero
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Posts: 528
Joined: Fri May 21, 2004 12:20 pm
Location: Finland

Re: Touchscreen phone without navigation keys

Post by lpaatero »

Hi,

Thank you for informing me about this.

Current code is bit difficult to fix; it has lots of hard-coded UI, so even small change in UI generates a lot of modifications to not so clean code.

I have better codebase (fixes this and many other internal problems), but I have not had time to finalize it. Looks like now I have reason to finalize soon.

regards
Lauri
lpaatero
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Re: Touchscreen phone without navigation keys

Post by lpaatero »

Hi,

Update on this: I have now new code base working in emulator and in devices I have direct access. Also first iteration of touch UI is present. Version is still missing few things: no problem solving, or mailing games.

However, I have not yet got touch devices for testing and there is no point in giving version out without testing in real device.

regards
Lauri
sanrensei
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2009 1:15 pm

Re: Touchscreen phone without navigation keys

Post by sanrensei »

Hi Lauri,
Cool! I hope you get access to a touchscreen device soon :)

Rgds,
Turgay
lpaatero
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Re: Touchscreen phone without navigation keys

Post by lpaatero »

I have now tested version with stylus based device (not touch device), and fixed problems I did see. There are number of open questions relating to touch use:
  • Are button big enought?
    Is some needed function missing UI?
    What would needed better access? (going forward/backward in game clearly needs some kind of slider)
Version is alpha-quality, and likely to contain lots of problems, as this is almost complete rewrite... So this is not yet general replacement for older version.

Before installing this, uninstall previous version. Version cannot use any data left from previous version.

regards
Lauri
lpaatero
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Re: Touchscreen phone without navigation keys

Post by lpaatero »

Hi,

I have now (shortly) tested new version in N97 mini.

After fixes it is possible to use, but entering moves is not easy... I will do improvements as I have time. Also any comments on good / bad things is welcome.

Please note that touch screen work better in full-screen. In non-full screen some MIDP implementation logic creates problems.

It is possible to update previous touch test version to this, no need to uninstall.

JAD: http://mobile.gowrite.net/proto/GOWriteME2.jad
JAR: http://mobile.gowrite.net/proto/GOWriteME2.jar

regards
Lauri
hman
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 1:54 pm

Re: Touchscreen phone without navigation keys

Post by hman »

Hi there,

I successfully used that version on a Blackberry Torch with OS6.
The touchscreen does work but is really difficult to use: buttons are a bit small even for my pinky. Since the Torch has a trackpad and keyboard, too, this is not a problem. On the other hand there isn't much space for bigger touchbuttons without reducing the board, which would not be good.
With this screen aspect ratio (360x480, with open keyboard vertical orientation) in full screen mode a bit of space for bigger buttons could still be used. Also a slightly smaller comment font would be better and use up less space for the same number of lines. Send me a note if you should want a screenshot.
SD Card access to SGF files does work fine. Even by giving the app full permissions one Security check at every folder is always displayed. Annoying but not blocking, no problem.

Overall: nice and working, thanks!
lpaatero
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Re: Touchscreen phone without navigation keys

Post by lpaatero »

Hi,

It would be nice If you can put screenshot into zip and to this forum as attachment.

As side note:

I have been thinking putting GOWriteME out as open source project. Main reason for this is that I am not myself using GOWriteME so much anymore; so I am not improving it on continuous basis. On the other hand adapting GOWriteME to touch devices would require still some work.

So if anyone is interested in taking lead in future GOWriteME development, I would like to hear about it.

regards
Lauri
hman
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 1:54 pm

Re: Touchscreen phone without navigation keys

Post by hman »

Hi,
this is the screenshot in fullscreenmode on Blackberry Torch 9800.
I don't se how to attach the zip, so here it is from ImageShack:
Image
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