New GUI and Controls

[Skewworks]

I’m currently redoing the GUI for all of my controls as well as overhauling the code and adding new controls.

Let me know what you think of the design (custom emulator screenshot) and also what controls you’d like to see.

Current Controls Planned:

(Existing from .NET Clix)
Checkbox, Combobox, CommandButton, ContextMenu, Filebox, Form, Label, Listbox, MenuStrip, NumericUpDown, Panel, Picturebox, Progressbar, RadioButton, RichTextLabel, Scrollbar, Slider, TabDialog, Textbox, Treeview, VirtualKeyboard

(New to Tinkr)
Graph
Listview
Shortcut (like in Windows Desktop)
ShortcutWindow (think Android’s home screen complete w/ sliding background), Window (can be moved, sized, hidden, etc)
Taskbar (again, Windows)

It will also have built-in application launching support.

That’s right, no more Pyxis versions, no Gadgetos, everything you need to make your own operating environment conveniently placed in one package.

Any other control suggestions?

[ianlee74]

I suppose you could create it by combining the other conrols but I’m thinking of something like the App Bar in Windows Phone would be nice.

Windows previous versions documentation

[Skewworks]

That’s a great idea, thank you!

[stevepresley]

Looks good so far, will let you know if I think of anything else that would be useful.

[Skewworks]

I’ll be adding a color picker and calendar too.

New prompts are done, I’ll post an update when I have a few more controls.

Perhaps of Architect or Randsom or one of the other always helpful posters wanted I could trade them a free copy for some beta testing and feedback

[ianlee74]

@Skewworks

I’ll be adding a color picker and calendar too.

New prompts are done, I’ll post an update when I have a few more controls.

Perhaps of Architect or Randsom or one of the other always helpful posters wanted I could trade them a free copy for some beta testing and feedback

I’m all over my CP7 this weekend. I’d love to test it for you. Especially, if it will give me big font sizes and I can mix in graphs.

[Skewworks]

@ Ian I’ve definitely been keeping CP7 in mind which is why I have “large format” options of the few pre-rendered controls.

I’ll be looking through to find the best fonts to compile into the system.

I can send you out something tomorrow evening (I’m on Central Time). This is definitely early beta though. Only a few controls done and dozens to go, but some big improvements over Clix. And it’ll be a good opportunity for you to directly affect the end product.

Where do you want me to send it?

[ianlee74]

@Skewworks

@ Ian I’ve definitely been keeping CP7 in mind which is why I have “large format” options of the few pre-rendered controls.

I’ll be looking through to find the best fonts to compile into the system.

I can send you out something tomorrow evening (I’m on Central Time). This is definitely early beta though. Only a few controls done and dozens to go, but some big improvements over Clix. And it’ll be a good opportunity for you to directly affect the end product.

Where do you want me to send it?

Awesome. You can send it to ian [at] houseoflees dot net. I’m trying to stabilize my demos for DevLink and a local conference coming up in < 3 weeks (ugg!). So, I can’t promise I’ll be able to do much with it after this week until that’s over.

My biggest hurdle right now is finding a big font (1" tall). Are you aware of any way to covert a TTF to a Gadgeteer compatible font?

[Skewworks]

Yes actually. I’m not at my pc at the moment but google TinyFont GUI. It’s a great free tool that lets you convert TTFs. You can specify which characters to include and what antialias level to use (if any)

[ianlee74]

@Skewworks

Yes actually. I’m not at my pc at the moment but google TinyFont GUI. It’s a great free tool that lets you convert TTFs. You can specify which characters to include and what antialias level to use (if any)

Excellent!!! Thanks! It took a little digging to find but that’s exactly what I needed. Linking here in case anyone else needs it.

http://informatix.miloush.net/microframework/Utilities/TinyFontTool.aspx

[Architect]

Perhaps of Architect or Randsom or one of the other always helpful posters wanted I could trade them a free copy for some beta testing and feedback

Sure, no problem.

[stevepresley]

As soon as I get a CP7, will be glad to help beta test as well.

I do have some ideas for another project, but until I play with what you already have and work out feasibility, will save those for future requests

[stevepresley]

@Skewworks

Yes actually. I’m not at my pc at the moment but google TinyFont GUI. It’s a great free tool that lets you convert TTFs. You can specify which characters to include and what antialias level to use (if any)

This it? http://tinyfont.com/

Looks like it’s MAC only - fortunately I have a MBAir in addition to my dev PC, so if anyone wants any fonts converted, let me know and be glad to help out.

[Skewworks]

@stevepresley

This it? http://tinyfont.com/

No, Ian had the correct link, it’s for Windows.

http://informatix.miloush.net/microframework/Utilities/TinyFontTool.aspx

Note on some versions of Windows you’ll want to install this in your NETMF Tools directory or you’ll be asked to find it every time you launch the app.

[ianlee74]

[quote=“Skewworks”]Note on some versions of Windows you’ll want to install this in your NETMF Tools directory or you’ll be asked to find it every time you launch the app.
[/quote]

Thanks for that tip! I was wondering if there was a way to stop that nag.

[Skewworks]

I’m working on controls that need scrolling and I could really use some feedback on this one.

Do I embed standard scrollbars on these items like in windows or do I leave it simple drag/slide like on a smart phone?

[Architect]

My vote is for drag/slide or may be even make it an option?

[taylorza]

I would agree, drag slide is the way to go.

Only question I have is if the sensitivity and responsiveness of the device is conducive to a good user experience with drag to scroll, esp. if the amount of scrolling required is significant. The scrollbars offer the ability to jump to a location or to scroll page by page.

[Skewworks]

What if I incorporated .NET Clix’s custom gestures that included “force” so the amount of scrolling done on a drag was something like:

Force = Tick / Distance / 40000 (min 0, max .98)
Scroll Amount = Max Scroll Area * Force

I could animate the scroll (Scroll Speed = Display Area * (Force / 2)) and a touch down could stop the scroll.

[taylorza]

@Skewworks

What if I incorporated .NET Clix’s custom gestures that included “force” so the amount of scrolling done on a drag was something like:

Force = Tick / Distance / 40000 (min 0, max .98)
Scroll Amount = Max Scroll Area * Force

I could animate the scroll (Scroll Speed = Display Area * (Force / 2)) and a touch down could stop the scroll.

That sounds like a really nice way to do the scrolling, I have not worked with the touch at all yet so I have no feeling for what the sensitivity is like. I would gladly help with the testing if you like, I cannot promise much time since I normally only get time to do my tinkering over week-ends, but I will do what I can.