DR800 DR800+ development discussion

[Iñigo]

Hi,

I've created this thread to have a common centralized place to discuss the development and possible future features of DR800+. https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=93627

First comments:

VCS & Code repository:
I've been reading docs and testing both mercurial and git last days. I prefer mercurial.

Personal opinion:
- git is not easily installed on windows machine (not a problem for me, but I prefer to stay as universal as possible)
- don't like stage files concepts (easily changed with an alias, but that's not the point... over-engineered?)
- revisions don't include revision number (or is me who doesn't find?)
- quite similar on features, but mercurial seems easier and more predictable
- git has github and gitorious, that looks better

Some external comparisons:
- http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0374/
- http://code.google.com/p/support/wiki/DVCSAnalysis

Hosting:
- bitbucket. I like it, but free plan looks limited
- googlecode. well, it's google... you know, world domination and such


Some possible new features:
- clock in statusbar
Main problem is status bar free room. I will test if it fits with current 10 icons when reading docs, or else removing "Menu" text (not the icon).
It will be another system icon, at the top right.

- additional cycling button
As my quick tests removing some icons/actions from the current one, I don't know if this is really possible, as some behaviours are hardcoded on the uds binary and we can't modify it.

- port of Mackx's features
I haven't been able to see them, but they look quite nice. First I'll try "Apps".

I will be 2 weeks away, maybe with internet connection but not much time, and neither access to my devel environment... Time to relax, read and muse...
Iñigo

[dima_tr]

I have created an account at Assembla. 2Gb space, Mercurial+Wiki, all the standard tools available. Seems like a nice choice. If/when we need more storage we can create another account.

No uploads yet made, please register there and I'll add you to the project. I set that all developers have the full access to configuration/changes, visitors - read-only.

Clock: as we are really limited in toolbar space I suggest using clock as in the attached picture. Basically three label holders: [upper, lower]->outer. Hours-minutes, different colors for easier info grasping. One thread updating each of them when needed. I do not know (at the moment) how to force updating a single item in the toolbar .. If you do this would really help.

[Mackx]

Originally Posted by dima_tr

Clock: as we are really limited in toolbar space I suggest using clock as in the attached picture. Basically three label holders: [upper, lower]->outer. Hours-minutes, different colors for easier info grasping. One thread updating each of them when needed. I do not know (at the moment) how to force updating a single item in the toolbar .. If you do this would really help.

Is it possible to use the pageChange-event (see ctb/src/ipc.c) instead of a thread? To only update the clock when a page is turned. Not sure if this also works on the DR1000.

[ThR]

I'm not a developer. But "To only update the clock when a page is turned." sounds good. I use this feature in FBReader. For me it's ok when the clock is changed within page turns only.

[CoolDragon]

I have created an account at Assembla. 2Gb space, Mercurial+Wiki, all the standard tools available. Seems like a nice choice. If/when we need more storage we can create another account.

No uploads yet made, please register there and I'll add you to the project. I set that all developers have the full access to configuration/changes, visitors - read-only.

This looks good, should we upload the IREX RC3 source code as a starting point?

[Iñigo]

Originally Posted by dima_tr

I have created an account at Assembla. 2Gb space, Mercurial+Wiki, all the standard tools available. Seems like a nice choice. If/when we need more storage we can create another account.

No uploads yet made, please register there and I'll add you to the project. I set that all developers have the full access to configuration/changes, visitors - read-only.

Clock: as we are really limited in toolbar space I suggest using clock as in the attached picture. Basically three label holders: [upper, lower]->outer. Hours-minutes, different colors for easier info grasping. One thread updating each of them when needed. I do not know (at the moment) how to force updating a single item in the toolbar .. If you do this would really help.

Sorry, I took a look at Assembla some days ago and didn't impress me at all. Maybe because I connected from a mobile phone but definitely I didn't like it (btw, it's that I'm blind or it only supports mercurial for the wiki but not for the real code?).

So yesterday noon I created a repo on bitbucket and added the code: https://bitbucket.org/inigoserna/dr800

There are 2 branches:
- default: IREX code, 2 tags by now: for firmware v1.0 and v2.0RC3
- dr800+: my changes, 1 tag: v1

I was going to announce it in a few days, after pushing new code I'm working on, but don't want duplicate efforts so I'm mentioning now.

To play with the code:

$ hg clone https://bitbucket.org/inigoserna/dr800 dr800+
$ cd dr800+
$ hg update -C dr800+

Last command is to get dr800+ changes ("dr800+" branch), since clone will checkout "default" IREX branch by default.

Sources only include CTB and POPUPMENU 'cos they are the only applications modified by now, but as we hack over other modules we could add them.

Please, don't hesitate to comment any problem you have or comments, ideas, etc.

Iñigo

[Iñigo]

Originally Posted by Mackx

Is it possible to use the pageChange-event (see ctb/src/ipc.c) instead of a thread? To only update the clock when a page is turned. Not sure if this also works on the DR1000.

I see a problem here: if clock widget lives on POPUPMENU and time updating is done on CTB we would need to implement some dbus messages flowing between both apps. It looks too complex for me.

I'm working now on this, and I think glib's g_timeout_add() is the simpler option.

Regarding UI, my first thought was to place the clock at the right, but it's not easy because that area is not easily controlled within POPUPMENU. More over, it doesn't fit on DR800 screen so what I'm doing is to substitute "Menu" button with the clock:

o 23:55 ...icons... battery

where 'o' above is the menu icon.


I expect to show you some code in a few hours if there are no problems.

[dima_tr]

Ok, no problem, bye-bye Assembla, hello Bitbucket

I've tried adding the clock as gtk_label and then updating it with g_timeout_add() - no success .. Compiles fine, shows the initial state but not updating .. Did I miss smth?

I like the idea of [o 23:55] on the left.

[Iñigo]

Originally Posted by dima_tr

Ok, no problem, bye-bye Assembla, hello Bitbucket

Thanks

Originally Posted by dima_tr

I've tried adding the clock as gtk_label and then updating it with g_timeout_add() - no success .. Compiles fine, shows the initial state but not updating .. Did I miss smth?

EDIT: I suppose you forgot a "return TRUE" at the end of the callback, if nothing or FALSE, it will stop after first call.
EDIT 2: g_timeout_add_seconds is better, less battery

Originally Posted by dima_tr

I like the idea of [o 23:55] on the left.

OK, I have it working now in qemu, look at screenshots, some options:

0. timeout interval. I think 30 seconds is ok
1. font size
2. to bold or not to bold
3. space between clock and icons
4. should clock be part of menu button like original "Menu"? i.e. a label or a button with a label inside?


Note that I also crop some blank space at the left of the menu icon (~16 pixels) to make more room for the clock.

__o_ => _o_


Opinions? I prefer the look of the first screenshot.

Iñigo

PS: I haven't push the new code to bitbucket yet, I'm waiting to close above UI design choices first

[CoolDragon]

Good work Iñigo!

I prefer the second screenshot which gives a sense of separation between functions. My answers to your UI questions:

0. timeout interval. I think 30 seconds is ok
Do you mean to update the clock every 30 seconds? The only concern is that a local refresh on e-ink might cause some "ghost" effect (leftover from previous drawing). But the cycling status icon seems to handle this pretty well. Otherwise, 30 seconds seems to be good enough.

1. font size
2. to bold or not to bold
Well, I prefer the second screen shot, but it's just personal.

3. space between clock and icons
I would vote for this.

4. should clock be part of menu button like original "Menu"? i.e. a label or a button with a label inside?
I would say yes, which makes it easier to click the menu icon.

[Iñigo]

Originally Posted by CoolDragon

Do you mean to update the clock every 30 seconds? The only concern is that a local refresh on e-ink might cause some "ghost" effect (leftover from previous drawing). But the cycling status icon seems to handle this pretty well. Otherwise, 30 seconds seems to be good enough.

Yes, I mean that.
I don't think refresh will be a problem, for my little demos in lua. But I haven't tested it on the real device.

1. font size
2. to bold or not to bold
Well, I prefer the second screen shot, but it's just personal.

3. space between clock and icons
I would vote for this.

Hehe. We have different tastes. Anyway let's exercise democracy, let's vote
By now:
option a (first screenshot: big, no space): 1
option b (second screenshot: bold, space): 1

4. should clock be part of menu button like original "Menu"? i.e. a label or a button with a label inside?
I would say yes, which makes it easier to click the menu icon.

ok, I'm changing the code now.

Thanks for the feedback,
Iñigo

[dima_tr]

option b +1 Looking great!
Same arguments: separation, bold font which resembles the one in 3G.

I'll wait for your code to learn and see what I've done wrong.

[Iñigo]

New option c: same font size than IREX orig, space betwen clock and icons.

You can't notice from the image, but now clicking on the clock also pop up menu.

[dima_tr]

c is better than b, IMHO
At least the font and the space to the right is fine. Maybe cropped space to the left would be better = gives more room for icons..

[Iñigo]

new option d: like c but bigger and bold