Database Develop

[WIP] New Gallery Application

Hey everyone,
After wrestling with the HTC Album for a while, I've got tired of it not doing what I want it to do and have therefore started developing my own. I'm still in the algorithm writing stage but it's coming along very nicely as yet.
Here's some of the features that I'm planning:
Database Backend - This will be extensible through the use of 'tagging'. You will be able to add an 'infinite' number of tags to each photo.
UI - Will allow swiping through pictures and other enhancements over the standard app.
Different Browsing Views - Can browse via the database (and tags) or the normal file based directory views.
EXIF tags - Ability to read them. Not sure on where I'm going with this feature yet.
There's no time frame when this will be first released, but it will be out when I have it in a nice stable state, and feature-wise, similar to the HTC Album. Further features will then be added in further (quick) releases. I have a name of the application in mind but I don't want to announce it yet as this application is very much in progress. I also don't want someone to steal the name.
So why have I posted this? Well I know the good people of XDA are full of good ideas so I'm asking you this: what would you want from this new Gallery app?

Reserved for future use.

will you try to add in multi touch like the demo photo app of long ago that was never refined? i cant wait for you to finish, the htc album gets on my nerves too. it always reorders the pictures as it pleases even though i have "sort by date" selected after a wipe.

yea, add multitouch

As long as there are more sorting options ill be eternally grateful

Not sure on multitouch as I don't really see a need for it (plus can't be bothered with the potential Patent infringement stuff). I will include a nicer way of zooming in and out than the simple buttons though, and I think it's more elegant than multitouch.
Regarding sorting, there will definetly be better sorting options. And i'll make sure they actually work too. This is probably the number one thing that annoys the hell out of me with the HTC Album.

Have the ability to pick a folder of images or folders.
I hate using gallery on my phone and it picks every picture on my SD card. Kinda annoying honestly, but hey it is what it is.

Also implement features such as double tap to zoom...hate using the zoom toolbar
And auto rotate with animation
Refer to app called "Picture Viewer" to understand wht i am talkin about...its a nice app just lackin features...
http://www.cyrket.com/package/rip.android.GlImageView

an idea for zooming: clockwise to zoom in and counter-clockwise to zoom out ... i dont remember where ive seen that before but just seems like a cool idea if able to be implemented

xidominicanoix said:
an idea for zooming: clockwise to zoom in and counter-clockwise to zoom out ... i dont remember where ive seen that before but just seems like a cool idea if able to be implemented
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm the app i refered to in the above post has zoom in / zoom out by moving ur finger up or down
Different implementation possibilities lol

Check out the Albums program from Hero. It has some nice features: pinch zoom in/out, sd card/facebook/flicker albums, swipe to navigate, slideshow animations, autorotate animation, grid or directory view, etc.
The tags feature you are adding would be great since I have them in directories for now (basically 1 tag only).
The ability to add pictures from a remote "gallery" server (or similar remote server you can run at home) would be great since I don't put all my pictures on facebook/flicker (nor do I want to).
http://gallery.sourceforge.net/

I think a zoom feature like this would be nice if you think that you could do it. You can watch it in action if you watch the video. It two minutes and six seconds in.
http://phandroid.com/2009/03/18/androids-circular-zoom-on-the-htc-magic/

What annoys me the most is the phone generating thumbnails for all 1600 of my pictures, I have to leave it there for 10 minutes or so to let it do that. My old phone, which a dumb phone never had to do that when browsing all the pictures and was way faster.

I second SolemnWishing's request. I would like to see the thumbnail part in the default gallery done away with in the app. Are you going for a complete default gallery replacement app or will this piggyback in anyway off the default one? I would like to be able to replace it completely just like the launcher.apk and the mms.apk.

SolemnWishing said:
What annoys me the most is the phone generating thumbnails for all 1600 of my pictures, I have to leave it there for 10 minutes or so to let it do that. My old phone, which a dumb phone never had to do that when browsing all the pictures and was way faster.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm yea tht is frustrating, i hope the OP finds a way around it..perhaps read the images n instead of creating smaller ones it shud just resize the images n display them or somethin....

tmjonesva said:
will you try to add in multi touch like the demo photo app of long ago that was never refined? i cant wait for you to finish, the htc album gets on my nerves too. it always reorders the pictures as it pleases even though i have "sort by date" selected after a wipe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are a few great features in the demo app. If you could get a hold of the source ... WOW ... it could save you a lot of time and give you a great start on creating a kick ass gallery app. Good Luck!!

I don't agree with the request to eliminate the thumbnailing. Thumbnailing is a great feature and only happens the first time you open a particular image set - it is then databased so the thumbnails load instantly later. A more customizable approach would be a better idea, like the option to disable thumbnailing selectively.
It would be nice to have the option of EXCLUDING and/or HIDING certain paths, for example, some programs add in their own images that you most likely don't want visible in the gallery. I don't like those image hiding programs that screw with the file extensions, and suggest that password protection and obfuscation isn't necessary -- just the ability to keep the crap out.

How to create a folder in Programs

tried looking but no luck, i just want to put certain apps into one folder like spare parts, settings, etc. is there a way?

as it seems not at the moment, but i want this feature too. how is it possible to install an infinite number of applications but no way to organize the startmenu?

it would be nice....but in the meantime, there is an app in the market called aps organizer. you can assign different apps to different labels (and create your own labels), and then you can put shortcuts to those labels on your homescreen.
That way you get the folders (sort of) on your homescreen and don;t need to use the main menu. I think ive used the main menu about twice in the two weeks i've had it installed.

Given that the market is already split into categories I don't understand why this isn't implemented in the App menu. It IS quite annoying. Also, given that the market already has a categorization couldn't someone develop an app that Auto-sorts the menu. Gnome on Linux does a very good job of this, don't know about KDE...

This is one of my biggest gripes with my Hero. I'm a bit OCD when it comes to organization on my phone and computer. The sooner I can organize the programs more efficiently, the better! I'd really appreciate an app, update or custom ROM that could enable this.
I have folders on my home screen for different apps. but the main programs menu still bugs the hell out of me, especially when it displays things like font packs with the rest of my programs :S

[Q] organizing strat menü on DHD

Is it possilbe to clean up the start menu of the Sense UI? Like make folders for system tools, multimedia, games and so on. instead of having this endless list of apps. i always miss the app i am looking for, even that the are sorted a-z.
i am used to it from my old hd2 with win mob. you just make folders and move it where you want. but i dont know how about android handles this thing.
maybe somebody can help me.
Thanks
sorry i was doing some miss-spelling on the title, if some mod or admin would be so friendly and correct that please

Snake-Plissken said:
Is it possilbe to clean up the start menu of the Sense UI? Like make folders for system tools, multimedia, games and so on. instead of having this endless list of apps. i always miss the app i am looking for, even that the are sorted a-z.
i am used to it from my old hd2 with win mob. you just make folders and move it where you want. but i dont know how about android handles this thing.
maybe somebody can help me.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As of yet I dont think there is a way and your best bet is to just create folders on your desktop and organise it that way. To be honest I would prefer the windows menu because I love organisation....unfortunately...the rest of windows mobile sucked...
Hope that helps.

i agree, that was the only positive thing on windows mobile. i had everything organized and could find everything in a few clicks. now i have to scroll up and down the list especially some programms have wired names, so i dont always remember them...
do you know a good folder programm?
i am trying right now "folder organizer lite" is there anything better, except the paid version of it?

I was a bit put out when I saw that the items are in one big list. Mind you, I've just come from having years of Nokia phones and if you don't use something very often it's a pain to remember which menu tree it's in so there are pros and cons.
What I've done is clear out the HTC stuff from each screen and arrange different *groups* of widgets on each. So 'media' (camera, music, etc) on one for example. System-type stuff on another (settings, brightness, etc etc).
Works for me but each to his own.
Dave

Use Folder Organizer it does a good Job for me you can find a free version on Market.

i am using folder organizer already and bought the full version. but it would be nice if i could get rid of this messed up menu.
i have just one question to folder organizer. how can i get or make my own folder icons. do they have to be in .ico format and where do i have to put them?

Why cant we create folders and push them to a home screen and use it, this can be better if i am not wrong! I am still new to android but i found this useful and easy to access my apps!

You can try "smart shortcuts" its a free app from market
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App

You can create folders on your home screen and put shortcuts to any apps within them. Just drag and drop. You can also rename folders by long-presing on the title bar of an open folder.
Alternatively, if you don't mind using a different launcher to HTC Sense you can get ADW.Launcher free from Market. This allows you to create 'custom catalogues' in the app draw. You can set it to have pagination buttons within the app draw to easily switch between the catalogues. You can, if you like, have one for games, one for navigation etc. It's not ideal but it works and ADW.Launcher is a great (and very customisable) launcher too.
Hope this helps.
Sent from my X10i using XDA App

[Q] No "Black X" Buttons to Turn off background tasks

Brand new Lumia 925 and when I use the back button, I see no black X buttons to turn off background tasks. Did this option change? I got the Nokia Black update. This is my fourth windows phone.
where's the black X?

ugh, I'm old
mrdh said:
Brand new Lumia 925 and when I use the back button, I see no black X buttons to turn off background tasks. Did this option change? I got the Nokia Black update. This is my fourth windows phone.
where's the black X?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
they changed this, didn't they. double tap the back arrow.

Eh? It's press-and-hold Back on my phone. Requires GDR3, which you can get direct from Microsoft even if the OEM firmware isn't available yet. Did Nokia do something weird with the task switcher?

Not that I know of, I have gdr3 and black and have the black x buttons

GoodDayToDie said:
Eh? It's press-and-hold Back on my phone. Requires GDR3, which you can get direct from Microsoft even if the OEM firmware isn't available yet. Did Nokia do something weird with the task switcher?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Probably. Nokia is really starting to piss me off the way they're breaking standard functionality of windows phones.

jordanmills said:
Probably. Nokia is really starting to piss me off the way they're breaking standard functionality of windows phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it wasnt done intentionally. its intact practically anywhere else. (e.g. my 920 with U3/Black) (they're only added)
Also worth noting it never was necessary, it was just a gesture to appease the masses used to closing every single app after every single use on Android and to a lesser extent iOS. I'll admit the extra control was nice though.
but it is strange how the (X) is missing, have you tried a hard reset? confirmed it is indeed Black onboard?
have you tried tapping where the (X) should've showed up?

xandros9 said:
it wasnt done intentionally. its intact practically anywhere else. (e.g. my 920 with U3/Black) (they're only added)
Also worth noting it never was necessary, it was just a gesture to appease the masses used to closing every single app after every single use on Android and to a lesser extent iOS. I'll admit the extra control was nice though.
but it is strange how the (X) is missing, have you tried a hard reset? confirmed it is indeed Black onboard?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's kind of necessary. Sometimes you need to close a poorly designed app to make it do something. Or sometimes the app is running wild in the background and you need to make it go away.

jordanmills said:
It's kind of necessary. Sometimes you need to close a poorly designed app to make it do something. Or sometimes the app is running wild in the background and you need to make it go away.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've yet to find such an app in my own experience, but then again thats just me. (but yea, spamming back was a pain when you did want to close something on a whim)
taming crazy apps in the background is done via the background tasks section under applications in Settings since multitasking is more a la iOS than Android and standard Windows.

xandros9 said:
it wasnt done intentionally. its intact practically anywhere else. (e.g. my 920 with U3/Black) (they're only added)
Also worth noting it never was necessary, it was just a gesture to appease the masses used to closing every single app after every single use on Android and to a lesser extent iOS. I'll admit the extra control was nice though.
but it is strange how the (X) is missing, have you tried a hard reset? confirmed it is indeed Black onboard?
have you tried tapping where the (X) should've showed up?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
xandros9 said:
I've yet to find such an app in my own experience, but then again thats just me. (but yea, spamming back was a pain when you did want to close something on a whim)
taming crazy apps in the background is done via the background tasks section under applications in Settings since multitasking is more a la iOS than Android and standard Windows.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
tinder unauthorized is one that immediately comes to mind. Viber, too, if you haven't fully set it up.
Not sure about that. I've had issues where I've loaded complex pages in IE, gone to start, then had it still burning the battery even though it's not in the foreground. I think I had issues with nokia maps or drive doing the same. Might have something to do with extra capabilities not available to third party devs.

Also, most apps will be forcibly closed if you re-launch them from Start. It's possible to make an app not do that (make it resume instead) but almost nobody does.

any rom with the following?

I want a rom that includes the following:
1. way to clear all the recent task list with a click, like the pre lollipop stock did.
2. An intermediate option on the volume rocker between vibrate and normal volume with a "meeting mode." where the phone just rings a single beep. Similar to the old nokia phones did.
3. Tethering.
4. Stable and fast and lite.
5. Data defaults to wifi. I have issues getting the wifi webpage to sign in to hot spots unless I turn off cell data.
Anyone have any suggestions

Aosb!

deadave said:
way to clear all the recent task list with a click, like the pre lollipop stock did.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're doing this just so it looks tidy, in case you're unaware this is a bad idea if you do it regularly. Unless of course you're unhappy with how much battery lasts and want to make it last less.

Looking through a hundred open apps is a lot more of a pain than plugging my phone in to get charged. I appreciate your concern for my battery life.

Most ROMs have #1, the lightest is probably Clean ROM. They all have #3. None have #2. No ROM will do better at #5 than stock.

deadave said:
Looking through a hundred open apps is a lot more of a pain than plugging my phone in to get charged. I appreciate your concern for my battery life.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree that I think Google made a mistake with recents. It should just reflect cached apps. Hopefully custom ROMs will implement a modified version. But many people don't understand then associated drain caused by always clearing recents so on the off-chance that you didn't, I thought I'd let you know about it.
You never have to go more than a few apps back to find your recently cached apps so you shouldnt ever have to look through a hundred apps. They're just in the background

How do you even know it causes more drain? Have you taken multiple nexus 6 and controlled for all variables such as apps, age of device etc and compared them with statistical analysis for significance?

deadave said:
How do you even know it causes more drain? Have you taken multiple nexus 6 and controlled for all variables such as apps, age of device etc and compared them with statistical analysis for significance?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure if its an internet language barrier but your post reads as if you're being confrontational.
Its common sense. Android is designed to cache apps for quick retrieval. If you open an app cold, it uses significantly more CPU cycles to open up than a cached app. More CPU cycles = More power uses = shorter batter life. If you're constantly clearing recents and always starting your regularly used apps up from cold, you will take a battery hit. I don't need to do a statistical analysis for this fact, in the same way I don't need statistics to prove that one day, we'll be dead.

It's an assumption. I can make the same argument right back at you. Pulling up the task list and displaying 20 items and scrolling use plenty cpu cycles.

deadave said:
It's an assumption. I can make the same argument right back at you. Pulling up the task list and displaying 20 items and scrolling use plenty cpu cycles.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually it is not an assumption. Its a fact. And science! I can't believe you could even think it was an assumption, unless you don't understand CPU cycles, energy use or the principles of caching..
And no, the argument you're presenting does not use extra CPU cycles. I've come to the understanding that you are indeed being intentionally confrontational. I was just trying to help in case you didn't understand this concept - as a warning. To be honest I dont care if you waste CPU. I just wanted to let you know in case you were.
Let's not have this turn into you being an anti-vaccer that doesn't believe in measles.

I'm an inquisitive not confrontational, and you have not proven your point. Though if you actually worked on the android OS team I'd take your word for it. I don't take most people's words for anything. The media is full of lies, the government are all thieves and liars. Trust no one. Many published publications have been redacted and falsified.
However, suppose you are correct.
So how many items do you have on your recently used list? You don't find it the least bit inefficient searching through all the clutter on your recently used list.
-Dead

deadave said:
I'm an inquisitive not confrontational, and you have not proven your point. Though if you actually worked on the android OS team I'd take your word for it. I don't take most people's words for anything. The media is full of lies, the government are all thieves and liars. Trust no one. Many published publications have been redacted and falsified.
However, suppose you are correct.
So how many items do you have on your recently used list? You don't find it the least bit inefficient searching through all the clutter on your recently used list.
-Dead
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK if you're simply being inquisitive, then I apologise for that assumption.
Well the beauty of it is you don't need to take my word for it. You can research the subject yourself. Whether you believe me or not though, it is a fact that android caches apps and that cached apps take fewer CPU cycles to open than an uncached app. You can even find some statements from the Greenify developer stating this if you're so inclined.
As for my recent a list, I have 122 items. I only use recents to switch between open and cached apps. I'd say I probably never go more than 10 apps back in that list so anything in there over that amount is irrelevant to me. Yes it is quicker to find an app in my app drawer or from my pie / glovebox shortcuts than way back in my recents list since the recent list is only sorted in order of when I last used it. Recents is only really for quick task switching. I did already agree that anything that isn't cached is pretty pointless appearing on recents and I have no idea why they decided to design it like this but it doesn't bother me much because of the way I use recents. Also, since I would much rather use a cached app than start cold, I'd also rather not clear recents. You don't even need to use the recents interface anyway. Whether you call an app from the recents list or the drawer, if its cached, it will load it quicker and more efficiently. As long as its not cleared from recents..

I found some vague reference that if you clear an app from the recent list it doesn't even close the app process it just goes away from the list depending on the specific app.
In the end I don't really care if it uses more cpu cycles, I just want it not cluttered. I don't need to show my phone to a significant other and have them see every recent app I went to. I favor privacy and less clutter over cpu cycles. It was a mistake on google's part not to leave it up to the user.
I'm also not sure why it's such a pain in the butt to find a way to have a setting to have a single ring without it repeating. I made my own ring tone with a single beep and 30 seconds of silence but it still sucks because I can't easily switch back and forth without installing another app for profiles and such making it a lot more complicated...

deadave said:
I found some vague reference that if you clear an app from the recent list it doesn't even close the app process it just goes away from the list depending on the specific app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If the app is coded against googles guidelines, that could be the case though I've never found one that does that. Its quite an easy test to do too.
Open an app that's in recents then minimise it. Clear from recents again and if it opens fresh, its working as Google intended
Anyway, you don't care and nor do I so o suppose I should let you continue with the initial purpose of the thread

im always closing/clearing my recents. whatever battery drain that it causes me is so very minimal that it really doesnt matter.

simms22 said:
im always closing/clearing my recents. whatever battery drain that it causes me is so very minimal that it really doesnt matter.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The more you do it and the more you use the apps you're clearing, the worse it is. More so of you're just blanket clearing them all. Regardless of whether you perceive a difference or not, its a real thing. Efficiency, battery and performance all take a hit and that's what its there for. Oh and convenience of course. Its awful if you're in a thread on tapa talk and then check something really quick then you have to load the app up again and find the thread.

rootSU said:
The more you do it and the more you use the apps you're clearing, the worse it is. More so of you're just blanket clearing them all. Regardless of whether you perceive a difference or not, its a real thing. Efficiency, battery and performance all take a hit and that's what its there for. Oh and convenience of course. Its awful if you're in a thread on tapa talk and then check something really quick then you have to load the app up again and find the thread.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i guess my app choices are so that it doesnt bother me then. tapatalk will never live on any devices i own! but really, i dont really see any kind of hit in battery drain what so ever.

simms22 said:
i guess my app choices are so that it doesnt bother me then. tapatalk will never live on any devices i own! but really, i dont really see any kind of hit in battery drain what so ever.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't use Tapatalk if the forum theme was better. I know you use an older one but on a computer the newer one is better but in a mobile browser it kills too much space.
That said when I installed Firefox, I changed the theme and it didn't change in chromium so maybe the theme is tracked in cookies? If so I'd happily change it on my phone. Though I do like the "participated" tags on the latest theme.
Sorry @deadave for the off topic.

rootSU said:
I wouldn't use Tapatalk if the forum theme was better. I know you use an older one but on a computer the newer one is better but in a mobile browser it kills too much space.
That said when I installed Firefox, I changed the theme and it didn't change in chromium so maybe the theme is tracked in cookies? If so I'd happily change it on my phone. Though I do like the "participated" tags on the latest theme.
Sorry @deadave for the off topic.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i like that 2010 theme for its simplicity, that and the no ads when youre a rc(like us), and the simplicity of the aosp browser, and im happy. i guess its just about what you yourself are more used to and familiar with

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.chainfire.recently
As for the recents issue, just use this. You can limit what shows (cached vs lifetime with limits to both) as well as a clear all (and cahinfire advises against for reasons already discussed)