PRS-505 FSK Test-Environment for Autorun Applications under MS-Windows

[BenChen]

Hi everyone,

I have updated post #193 with the latest versions of all games. Most have had small changes made. Others, like Chess and FreeCell have had bigger changes. I changed the white pieces in Chess to make them stand out a little, and FreeCell now has a text-based help screen (thanks, Mark! It works well on my 600!)

Mark, if you want to do the same thing to MahJong (which actually has two graphic help pages, which I combined into the help text file), could you please work off the version in post 193? Thanks!

Sincerely,
Ben.

[Mark Nord]

@Ben.

I have just donwloaded your latest sources and updated my local version of the Sim.
So I will work off the versions in post #193 by now.

Thanks for the MahJong help.txt, but I didn't retyp the FreeCell one, as Abbyy is my friend
Regards
Mark

PS: BTW is the snapshot-indicator now shown?

[BenChen]

Originally Posted by Mark Nord

PS: BTW is the snapshot-indicator now shown?

Hi Mark,
Unfortunately, no. I have no idea why!

[Mark Nord]

Originally Posted by BenChen

Hi Mark,
Unfortunately, no. I have no idea why!

Maybe we should try "this.SnapShotIndicator.changeLayout()" instead of "this.SnapShotIndicator.show()" !?

PS: Modification of MahJong is nearly done

[BenChen]

Hi Mark,

Originally Posted by Mark Nord

Maybe we should try "this.SnapShotIndicator.changeLayout()" instead of "this.SnapShotIndicator.show()" !?

I tried this, and I couldn't get it to work in the Sim! I will definitely take another look.

Actually, I have quite a few changes I still want to make on these games. Here's my intended changelog:

1. Chess - add the icon to the upper left corner (like you did in FreeCell); implement 10-depth undo (like I did in Draughts).
2. FreeCell - SnapShotIndicator for touch readers; replace the shuffle routine (the existing one is highly suspicious!)
3. Sudoku - add doRoot so that touch readers can quit by pressing the home button (like all the other games); add a line of black to the status bar (on my 600 I can see that items in the status bar are intruding into the white area. Does it do this on your 505?)
4. MahJong - add a line of black to the status bar (on my 600 I can see that items in the status bar are intruding into the background area).
5. Draughts - improve the AI!

I have to say that I am really enjoying this whole programming process, working together as a team! I am really appreciating your input and experience. And as I have said before, none of these games would be possible without your excellent Sim!

Sincerely,
Ben.

[BenChen]

Hi everyone,

Three games updated in post #193:

Chess now has 10-level undo (only 5 moves really when playing against the reader) and an app icon in the upper left corner. Sudoku has been made like the other games so that pressing the Home button on Touch readers performs a Quit; also a graphic glitch has been fixed. FreeCell has a MUCH better shuffling algorithm and the SnapShotIndicator sprite now appears on Touch readers.

Sincerely,
Ben.

[Mark Nord]

Hello Ben,

I agree with all of your suggestions for improvements, an see your are just started with. I will update to your new sources and check against my PRS-505.

I too, enjoy working on this project.

Regarding Sudoku: Hellen0125 at the-ebook.org notice a "tiling-effect" with Sudoku at her 950. The topline of the grid is repeated just above the status-line.
Instead of reducing the size of the template, I will try to enlagre the "Info" section, to avoid the tiling.

Regards
Mark

[BenChen]

Hi Mark,

I should note that I replaced the name of the icons in the PRS startup files for FreeCell and Chess. If you have added those icons to your png files, you can change them back: "CHESS" for Chess and "CARDS" for FreeCell.

Sincerely,
Ben.

[surquizu]

Originally Posted by surquizu

Draughts does not work on PRS-505 (not appers the game in the menu of games & utilities). Any ideas?

Thanks, Ben

The game of Droaughts works well in the PRS-505. Was necessary to add the line 130:
{ name: "Draughts", parent: "gamesAndUtils" },

in the file 505_config.js

Thanks!

[kartu]

Originally Posted by Mark Nord

Instead of reducing the size of the template, I will try to enlagre the "Info" section, to avoid the tiling.

Mark, tiling happens because background is "anchored" to both top and bottom of the screen. You can "anchor" it to top, and then set its height, instead of "anchoring" to bottom.

[Mark Nord]

Kartu, but if the panel (holding the background-grafic) is anchord only at the top, and height is set to "800", wouldn't the "Status-Bar-Stripe" move up on 950th?
With height set to 1024, again tiling would occure, as the info-area is tiled and not stretched.
Or should a separate Status-Panel be introduced?

Another question regarding the 950:
In the moment most of the apps-layout is anchord at "top". So I assume that this leads to some glites when shown on the 950.
Especially BenChens "Onscreen Help/Button-Info" (and the FreeCell SnapShotIndicator), should show up right above the Status-Bar, so wouldn't it be wise to anchor this elements at "buttom"?

[Mark Nord]

Originally Posted by BenChen

Hi Mark,

I should note that I replaced the name of the icons in the PRS startup files for FreeCell and Chess. If you have added those icons to your png files, you can change them back: "CHESS" for Chess and "CARDS" for FreeCell.

Sincerely,
Ben.

Thanks for notification!
I will check for this, but have you noticed surquizus awesome new icons in the PRS+ thread?
If kartu is accepting them, I will update the Sim with these kBookIcons.png

[kartu]

Originally Posted by Mark Nord

Kartu, but if the panel (holding the background-grafic) is anchord only at the top, and height is set to "800", wouldn't the "Status-Bar-Stripe" move up on 950th?

Yes it would. It's just it looks better than tiled. Having a bit more empty space down there on 950 is not a big deal really.

With height set to 1024, again tiling would occure, as the info-area is tiled and not stretched.Or should a separate Status-Panel be introduced?

I'd prefer if apps didn't interfere with statusbar at all, simply ignoring that part of the screen.

Another question regarding the 950:
In the moment most of the apps-layout is anchord at "top". So I assume that this leads to some glites when shown on the 950.
Especially BenChens "Onscreen Help/Button-Info" (and the FreeCell SnapShotIndicator), should show up right above the Status-Bar, so wouldn't it be wise to anchor this elements at "buttom"?

Mm, yes, maybe buttom anchored would be better.

PS
My long term goal for apps is to have some kind of "Widget API" (moving away from sandbox), having "canvas" that could be drawn on (horizontal/vertical lines, text, sprites), maybe a common set of sprites / sets of images combined into bigger one by a script, etc. This should also work in your FSK Test Environment.

PPS
Regarding icons, I'll have a look. Are all new icons actually used, "globe" in particular?

[Mark Nord]

Originally Posted by kartu

PPS
Regarding icons, I'll have a look. Are all new icons actually used, "globe" in particular?

If I remember correctly it was foreseen for "localisation" on the 505.
Don't know if/which icon is used in the standard UI of the more recent models?

[kartu]

Originally Posted by Mark Nord

Don't know if/which icon is used in the standard UI of the more recent models?

A book with uppercase A letter.