Notepad

[Brett_val]

Here is my attempt to create a note taking app.



Features:
-Read mode without any keys in display, activated by arrow key
-Screen orientation changes by accelerometer (portrait and landscape)
-Keeps a list of files that you have saved
-Changable colors, as well as different types of cursors (more colors may be added later)
-Autosave on exit can be switched on/off


Notes:
-For regular note taking I'd suggest setting left right scrolling to "no" and automatic keys to "yes". This makes up-down scrolling a little faster, and when you reach the end of the screen the word you are typing will be placed on the line below.
-For programming lua I'd suggest setting left right scrolling to "yes" and automatic keys to "no".

Cursor:
-Can be placed anywhere by touching the screen. When touched where there is no text, the cursor will be placed in the nearest line.
-When in readmode, you can zoom in and out, and scroll to the line you want to edit. Tapping the line will place the cursor at the end of this line. Tapping arrow key again will change zoom to normal.
-Can be moved forward/back one character at a time with the "left" and "right" buttons at the top-right of the screen.

Phone keyboard:
-When you put the player upright the keyboard will change to a phone keyboard for sms-style typing. (can also be hidden with the arrow key)
-When typing sms-style, you can tap the screen to write a character to the screen without having to wait. For example when you want to type "aa"; tap "2", tap the screen, and tap "2" again. (when you don't tap, the character will be written to the screen in about 1-2 seconds)

Loadlist:
-Files that have been saved will appear in the loadlist. The number of files in this list is virtually unlimited, because the list gets scrollable when the list doesn't fit the screen anymore.
-To add a new file to the loadlist, press "new", enter the filename and press enter. Then, go back to the menu and choose "save current file". The filename will appear in the box, and press enter.
-To delete a file from the loadlist, press "delete", then press on a filename in the list. It will ask for confirmation. This wil NOT delete the file from the player, it will only remove the filename from the loadlist.
-When a file is autosaved (on exit), it will not be automatically added to the loadlist.


I'd like to hear what you think, feedback, suggestions, are welcome.

v1.3:
Saves special characters
Up and down scrolling

v2.0
New keyboard layout
Ability to change colors and cursor type
Left-right scrolling (switched on or off in options menu)
Cursor
Read mode without any keys visible
More special characters

v2.1
Cursor also stays on screen when scrolled to left-right

v2.4
Save as
load files you saved
load any file with "new"-button in load-screen
Fixed touch positions
option to autosave ("on" by default)
hold for backbutton (again)
shift button

v2.5
word wrapping
portrait read mode
zoom in/out (only in readmode, yet..)

v2.51
bug fixes

v2.6 - screenshots in attachments
no more errors with very large files (=with left-right scrolling ON. When it's OFF, it sometimes still gives an error (as in: app closes. No scanning of disk needed))
slight change in layout (cursor buttons, special keys and capslock)
option to disable type assistance
scrollable loadlist
scrollbar added to the right side of the screen. (it's small, but you can drag it to scroll very fast)
phone keyboard for sms-style typing in portraitmode

v2.61
Quick update for new Firmware 1.12.

v2.7
new images
fixed some wordwrapping bugs
added "new file" in the menu

v2.71
some bugs fixed while changing view without left-right scrolling
new sms-keyboard (not done yet)

v2.72
volume control added (hold home button)

[CrowdAds]

[Habhome]

Tried it, here's some thoughts that went through my head:
1. Make it easier to remove the credit message, or perhaps make it like in the ZENdaft with an intro screen, or a small credit in a corner.

2. Improve the keyboard. First of all the color is not the best choice, and some nicer graphics would be cool. If you want to I could try and help you with that part next week when my project is done. Secondly the layout, what's up with the empty space in the bottom of the screen?

3. After pressing enter until I got out of the screen area and tried to enter some letters, and then tried and erase, the player froze. I couldn't even turn it off.

4. I like the fact that your text is nicely spaced, Notee-fi writes it out too evenly spaced right now, so +1 to you there.

5. The app icon, remove the white background and add transparency.

That's all for now.

[bzdbbb]

Graphically it would be good to aim for something similar to the built in keyboard when naming a playlist or radio preset. You could use Jan_DKs image grabbing program to get the same button graphic.

[Les23]

it's possible to make a text reader starting from an application like this one?

[bzdbbb]

A text reader wouldn't be too hard - providing you knew how the file format was designed. What formats did you have in mind?

[Habhome]

Originally Posted by bzdbbb

Graphically it would be good to aim for something similar to the built in keyboard when naming a playlist or radio preset. You could use Jan_DKs image grabbing program to get the same button graphic.

That is true, didn't think about that. That's an excellent idea. Though doesn't that keyboard take up quite a lot of the screen in its original size? You'd have to re-size them at least I think.

And Brett_val, check out Notee-fi, I remember dragging my finger around it and the text moved, not sure what that was though. Might be a clue to scrolling, I don't know.

[Brett_val]

Originally Posted by Habhome

Tried it, here's some thoughts that went through my head:
That's all for now.

I was wondering if that message was annoying, I'll remove it, I just had to put my name somewhere:P
By the way once you delete (backspace) it and type some of your own, the credit message isn't saved anymore and you will never see it again.

Thanks for offering help on the keyboard, but I'll try something else first.
Though I could use some help getting the icon transparant.. it may sound stupid but I tried it with Irfanview and it looked terrible after that..

The empty space is just there because the "load" and "new" options I want to put there don't work yet.

The error you are talking about... I fixed the lines to 7, so that you cannot get out of the black area. Didn't you hear a sound after a few enters?
It's strange because I tested it thouroughly.

Originally Posted by bzdbbb

Graphically it would be good to aim for something similar to the built in keyboard when naming a playlist or radio preset. You could use Jan_DKs image grabbing program to get the same button graphic.

Good idea! Would look a lot more suited if I use those pics.

[Les23]

Originally Posted by bzdbbb

A text reader wouldn't be too hard - providing you knew how the file format was designed. What formats did you have in mind?

mmm .txt should be easier i suppose...

[Habhome]

Originally Posted by Brett_val

I was wondering if that message was annoying, I'll remove it, I just had to put my name somewhere:P
By the way once you delete (backspace) it and type some of your own, the credit message isn't saved anymore and you will never see it again.

Okay, And I know it isn't saved after you type something yourself. Why not find another place for your Credit? You definitely deserve having it in the app =P

Originally Posted by Brett_val

Thanks for offering help on the keyboard, but I'll try something else first.
Though I could use some help getting the icon transparant.. it may sound stupid but I tried it with Irfanview and it looked terrible after that..

PM me the full size image you used for the icon and such and specify the dimensions and I'll try and fix it for you, shouldn't be a problem with PS CS3

Originally Posted by Brett_val

The empty space is just there because the "load" and "new" options I want to put there don't work yet.

I see, okay. Just curious.

Originally Posted by Brett_val

The error you are talking about... I fixed the lines to 7, so that you cannot get out of the black area. Didn't you hear a sound after a few enters?
It's strange because I tested it thouroughly.

No, didn't hear any sound. But I had headphones plugged in and not listening for one, so I might have missed it. Also it was after it having lied idle for a few minutes with the app running. Don't know if that played a part in it.

[fzbm123]

hey thx for the notepad
anw i got some suggestions for u from most imp to least imp:
1. ADD SOME FEEDBACK WEN CLICKING ON THE CHARACTERS (PERHAPS BY HIGHLIGHTING THEM N MAKING A SOFT SHORT SOUND WEN U CLICK ON THEM)

2. MAKE THE NOTEPAD ABLE TO SAVE SPECIAL CHARACTERS

3. MAKE THE NOTEPAD ABLE TO SAVE MULTIPLE FILES (PERHAPS U COULD LOAD THE FILES IN A MAIN MENU IN UR NOTEPAD)

4. MAKE A SCROLLER SO TAT U COULDS ADD MORE CHARACTERS

5. IMPROVE THE GRAPHICS

6. MAKE AN MAIN MENU SCREEN N U COULD PUT THE CREDITS THERE N LOAD N SAVE FILES TOO

tats pretty much all of it. THX

[kushndonuts]

Nice

[bzdbbb]

On the LG chocolate it has a feature where if the phone is held upright when in a word processor the layout changes to a HUGE text box at the top and texting style keys at the bottom.. I think the definitive zen note taking app should include this, even if you don't use the texting keys it still lets you review your whole message :P

It would be a good plan to look at smart phone typing layouts, we have a similar screen size and they've spend thousands of pounds working out how to make them as intuitive and easy to use as possible

[Brett_val]

Originally Posted by Habhome

You definitely deserve having it in the app =P

I'll make a splashscreen for that

PM me the full size image you used for the icon and such and specify the dimensions and I'll try and fix it for you, shouldn't be a problem with PS CS3

Thanks, but I'm not even sure I'm allowed to use this icon, I just got it from google images.. If you have a better icon I'll be glad to use it.

No, didn't hear any sound. But I had headphones plugged in and not listening for one, so I might have missed it. Also it was after it having lied idle for a few minutes with the app running. Don't know if that played a part in it.

I've changed the way it adds new lines so I hope this issue is done for.

Originally Posted by fzbm123

hey thx for the notepad
anw i got some suggestions for u from most imp to least imp:
1. ADD SOME FEEDBACK WEN CLICKING ON THE CHARACTERS (PERHAPS BY HIGHLIGHTING THEM N MAKING A SOFT SHORT SOUND WEN U CLICK ON THEM)

Thats a good idea, I'll think of that when I change the keyboard layout.

Originally Posted by bzdbbb

On the LG chocolate it has a feature where if the phone is held upright when in a word processor the layout changes to a HUGE text box at the top and texting style keys at the bottom.. I think the definitive zen note taking app should include this, even if you don't use the texting keys it still lets you review your whole message :P

It would be a good plan to look at smart phone typing layouts, we have a similar screen size and they've spend thousands of pounds working out how to make them as intuitive and easy to use as possible

A functional difference between upright and normal view would be cool, but I'm not sure what you mean with "texting style keys"? (I do not own a smartphone)

[Brett_val]

First post updated to version 1.3.

Added up and down scrolling.
Fixed the ability to save special characters.

Keyboard layout hasn't changed yet, also because I want to be able to add more special characters to it, and for that the whole keyboard needs to change. (I have some cool ideas about a keyboard that you can pop up and down)

For next update I'll add a cursor, left-right scrolling, and I'm thinking of adding the ability to set the maximum length of a line. I think that would be mandatory when left-right scrolling is enabled, and maybe I'll disable left-right scrolling when the line length is set to a value that would easily fit on the display.

[LordXenos]

@Brett_val:

I'm not even sure I'm allowed to use this icon, I just got it from google images.. If you have a better icon I'll be glad to use it.

You can find public domain Notepad icons here and here.
Or you can use a GPL icon here, here, or here.

[JJLoke]

for the keyboard layout, i personally liked the one nokia 5800xm full qwerty keyboard has. it is simple to use the first time

perhaps u could look into it

[Brett_val]

Originally Posted by LordXenos

@Brett_val:


You can find public domain Notepad icons here and here.
Or you can use a GPL icon here, here, or here.

Hey, thanks for that I'll use one of these for now, although a unique icon would be nicer..

Habhome, do you feel like making something? If it's not too much work ofcourse. I can always use one of these, they are nice too .

Originally Posted by JJLoke

for the keyboard layout, i personally liked the one nokia 5800xm full qwerty keyboard has. it is simple to use the first time

perhaps u could look into it

I don't know anyone with such a phone to try that out.. Kind of funny because I almost bought the 5300 a while ago. But I see an options key, which I am also wanting to add later on. Right now I'm working on the cursor, for which I have to rewrite almost everything

Anyway, does the 5800xm have some specific features that make it so easy to use? Which I maybe can add to my app?
Or can you explain what the options are, so I have some guideline for mine?

[Idroy]

Nice app, tried the scrolling, works like a charm, a bit laggy but that's minimal, and I can live with it. Keep up the good work

[Habhome]

Originally Posted by Brett_val

Hey, thanks for that I'll use one of these for now, although a unique icon would be nicer..

Habhome, do you feel like making something? If it's not too much work ofcourse. I can always use one of these, they are nice too .

If any of those I'd go for the last link I think, it looked the most fitting.

And I'm not really a graphic artist or anything, I'm just a hobbyist Photoshoper, so I couldn't really make a better one from scratch I believe (I've never really tried though so I could give it a shot =P). But I could compose one with a collection of images.

I'll take a look at it and give it a shot now that I've got some free time.

[JJLoke]

layout pic here

the bottom left up-arrow indicates capital letters. press the arrow and all the letters changes to capital letters;

" ' " changes to "/"
"," changes to "+"
"." changes to "-"
"?" changes to "!"

press the arrow again and all changes back to small capital letters and also back to ' , . ?

above four special characters are the most commonly used, thats y they are grouped together with the alphabets

AB button represents the different language input (not needed i suppose)

1* represents all the numbers and special symbols. i suggest u could do away with the AB button and separate numbers and special characters.

a space bar icon, followed by a enter button.

back space button on the top right. the left and right arrow at the location is the cursor mover.

i hope this helps.