v2.0.031 BETA

[Chris Scott [SnoopSoft]]

Hi,

The latest BETA version of Dashboard is now available from the order lookup page (v2.0.031 Beta).

New with this beta:
· Native Pocket PC 2003 support! If you have a new Pocket PC 2003 device be sure to download the new 2003 installation. This one will not work on older devices.

· New Default Skins by Juni! Juni has done a fantastic job on the new default skins for Dashboard. At this time I am holding off on including the icbar and wisbar icons for them. I am working with icbar on the compatibility and will release them as soon as we get it all working together.

· Dashboard is now multi-lingual. It will auto-sense the default language during installation and use that but also allows for the language to be changed at any time through a new option on the General tab of the Options dialog. You can delete the language specific DLL files on your device if you do not want them. I managed to shrink down these files from previous versions while still adding more information into them so that they would not take up too much space.

· The SnoopSoft PegMaster game now ships with the full version of Dashboard. This is the full version of the game with multiple difficulty levels. This is the same game as the old MasterMind game and the instructions are in the Options for the module. It can be displayed on the MyDash view. In the future it will work on any Dashboard view but I haven't had a chance to test that.

Thanks for all your help and feedback!

[24VA]

Nice!!!

I had some problems after initial install. Tools and help icons did not show up until I went to default today screen dropped dashboard from today menu, reset, checked dashboard in today menu, chose my today screen. Then worked like a charm!

Nice icons, I like the black indicator to let you know what module you're in.

[posprg]

Just letting you know that iPAQ 3955 with 2003 installed and is running just fine.

[Don't Panic!]

Working fine with my 2215. I can now use Dashboard Skins along with Today Themes. Now about that enhanced e-mail... ;)

Don't Panic!
Bobby

[IronGuy]

MY LIFE IS NOW BACK IN ORDER!

The default skins are great!

Everything is working so far - even multi line mini-launcher! WOOHOO!

Anybody try 'alter bar apps' with ICBar yet?

[Don't Panic!]

I miss the option to use None in the Available Plug-Ins drop down box in My Dash. Sometimes I just like to look at a skin or theme and had used My Dash to do it. Will "None" be an option in the actual release?

Don't Panic!
Bobby

[eappell]

I can't use any of my old skins. Maybe I missed this, but should the new version recognize skins I used in the older version? I define "\My Documents\" as the skin folder, which contains all of the old skins, as well as the new ones. But when I go to options and try select a skin, I only get <Today Theme> and <Default>. Nothing else shows up. Am I missing something? Is this a new "feature"?

Thanks!

Eddie

[honolulu]

I can't see any icons in launcher, I can see in programm and game but not in launcher (like the old french realese)

I have a 3950 with ppc2003.

[honolulu]

ok I was in french mode, in english mode that work fine.
I don't understand why that doesn't in french ?

[Don't Panic!]

Originally posted by eappell
I can't use any of my old skins. Maybe I missed this, but should the new version recognize skins I used in the older version? I define "\My Documents\" as the skin folder, which contains all of the old skins, as well as the new ones. But when I go to options and try select a skin, I only get <Today Theme> and <Default>. Nothing else shows up. Am I missing something? Is this a new "feature"?

Thanks!

Eddie Try uninstalling Dashboard and just loading the beta. This is what I had to do. I was using 1.51 .

HTH

Don't Panic!
Bobby

[SkiJunkie]

The HP website mentions that the upgrades for the 3955 won't be available until August. Or are they already available?
Is it faster?

Can't wait to get it and try out the new version of Dashboard on it.

[Chris Scott [SnoopSoft]]

Hi,

If you use French or German on an English language device you will get what you describe in the Launcher - unable to locate the Program Files folder for instance. The reason is that the different Language versions of the OS name this folder differently and there's not really a way to grab it programmatically. So Dashboard just uses the text that it knows it should be to get there.

I have seen some skin weirdness - as another poster suggested - try a full uninstall and reinstall and see if that fixes it for you. I've seen this work.

Finally, you can have a blank display just like the old version - you just need to make sure all the boxes are unchecked for the modules for that view in the options. I just unchecked everything in my Mail view and I get the blank skin with nothing on it.

Thanks!

[Medic119]

So far its working well and so is the Enhanced Mail 2003 beta.

Couple of small issues. On some of the "default skins" the Options and help icons aren't visible. The hotspots are there, but no icons visible.

Also is the "A" icon no longer supported as I didn't see it in any of the skins. I liked having the Small, Med, Large Text switcher "A" icon.

In options changing my font size doesn't seem to affect the Agenda View.

HP 2215.

[Medic119]

Nevermind the operator headspace above..:)
Except for the Options issue.

Anyway, in the Skins tab if you choose a skin other than TODAY theme, then switch back, if that skin background replaced the today theme background (ie not an older Dashboard skin), when you switch back to TODAY THEME the last skins background isn't replaced. You have to go to Settings -- Today and change it back manually.

[Don't Panic!]

So simple. I look forward to the public release.

Don't Panic!
Bobby

[MBaas]

A very small problem in the german installation in that on the final setup-screen, where the user is supposed to confirm the settings, the 2nd sentence is incomplete.
I just see "Bitte stellen Sie sicher(, missing) das (should be "dass") während der Installation keine Programme laufen, welche die"

Cheers

Michael

[freddyzaz]

Hi,

I've some probs with Dashboard on an english 5450, with WM2003...

Dashobard runs fine, no prob. But with some plugs (like Battery Pack 5.0.6, Pocketmon from Pocketbackup 2.1.1, ...) when I modify settings, the device immediately soft reset after I modify a setting ...

Don't know if it's Dashboard's fault of the plugs fault, but this bug description isn't described elsewhere. It's not really a constraint, because it's just a soft reset, but ....... ;)

Hope this can help :)

Fred

[Chris Scott [SnoopSoft]]

You can determine the issue by removing Dashboard from the Today page and soft resetting the device. Then activate those items on the normal Today page and doing the same thing. If the device continues to soft-reset it's a problem with the plug-in. If it works fine then it's something that Dashboard is doing that is causing it.

Thanks!

[freddyzaz]

ok :)

What I've made :

1 - go to today settings. Remove Dashboard plug from items (was the only one). Put Date as the only item. Goto today screen, then I do a soft reset.

2 - Put Date, Battery Bar and PocketMon as items for today screen. Goto today screen

3 - Try to modify settings, like the size of the PocketMon (with the little icon which permit that). No prob, it runs ok.

4 - Try to modify settings with the option icon from battery bar. All is ok.

5 - go to today settings. Remove plugs items checked, and put only dashboard as today item checked. Goto today screen, then I do a soft reset.

6 - I must precise that in my dashboard plugs, I've put Battery bar and PocketMon. Try to modify settings of PocketMon (the same as above : modify the size)...then the machine make an unwanted soft reset... So it could be a Dashboard problem ( ? )

7 - After the soft reset, the settings was modified...


Hope this can help :)

Fred

[synapse]

Hi-

I don't know if this is my doing or a fluke or what but I tried it on my Dell Axim running 2003 and it totally messed it all up. None of the themes would show up even after multiple soft resets. Also, the tasks didn't show up at all and I didn't even see a module/plugin for them. I tried going back to 1.5a but then I had no text showing up for any of the options or anything. I finally just restored my ppc using Activesyncs restore function. I am using 1.5a right now and will wait a little while longer to upgrade. Thanks for all your work though - just wanted to let you know I had some troubles. Thanks again!

-Dan

[Baron Ken]

Getting soft resets here too. I don't have PocketNow, but I do have Battery Bar/Program Bar.

Ken

[florky]

Great !

by the way could someone who got the official release of PPC2k3 could tell me what is the current build ? still not available in my country and a friend of mine made the upgrade, would like to know if it is the final version or not.
Thanks in advance

[phaggard]

Everytime I change my skin I get a soft reset. Thought it was something new.

[Chris Scott [SnoopSoft]]

Hi,

Those of you getting resets with changing skins and having skins not appearing are seeing a result of the same issue. I think I have finally tracked it down. I will do some more testing and get a new release out soon to fix it.

Thanks!

[macpel]

Just installed the beta,

Everything works fine so far except that the smush on top is missing in this version. I like to enable the Date and dashboard in my today settings and since this option does not exists anymore now dashboard does not draw correctly and leaves a space. Back to 1.5 for now...

Since I'm at it, a suggestion, the agenda/task/email etc... icons are very small now, slows me down having to precisely put my pen on top of them, yes I know I could create my own :) but I like to use my today themes support instead of specific dashboard skins so I'm stuck with the default. Would be nice to be able to create a skin that uses your own icons but leaves a transparent background and use the today theme background, now we're talking ;) unless this can be done already?

Marc
..Pelmar..

[medic119]

Since I'm at it, a suggestion, the agenda/task/email etc... icons are very small now, slows me down having to precisely put my pen on top of them,

Try a different skin. The skin has the small icons. I actually refer it that way.

[citats]

Originally posted by macpel
Just installed the beta,

icons are very small now, slows me down having to precisely put my pen on top of them, yes I know I could create my own :) but I like to use my today themes support instead of specific dashboard skins so I'm stuck with the default. Would be nice to be able to create a skin that uses your own icons but leaves a transparent background and use the today theme background, now we're talking ;) unless this can be done already?

Marc
..Pelmar..

This is not so. You can use any Dashboard skin as a template for the icons. Find one with the icon size, look and placement you prefere. Also it is important to find a skin that uses all icons including the option button. When you select to use a today theme as the background you then in the lower drop down menu select the dash theme you want to use as a template. ;)

[macpel]

citats, you lost me :confused: . In dashboard you can select a dashboard skin OR the today theme (and when you select the today theme it uses the built-in icons and positions), so are you telling me you can select a dashboard skin with the icons I prefer and override the background with my today theme without having to create a dashboard skin for each and every today theme I have and keep my own icons? then how so? cause I didn't understand your explanation. Do you modify the skin file or is this an option/trick I overlooked?

Thanks,

Marc
..Pelmar..

[citats]

chose dashboard options
then "Skins"
under skin chose "Today Theme"
Under using chose "skin you like the icons of"
select ok.
this will use your today theme as the background and the dashboard theme of your chosing for the icons and their placement. You must be using at least Pocket pc 2002 or 2003
hope this helps.

BTW. I still use Pelmar Wisbar over the advanced version .... man I get too many bugs with that one. Advanced has delayed my next skin by a few weeks.... sigh



;)

[Chris Scott [SnoopSoft]]

Hi Marc,

Citats has your answer for you - when you choose <Today Theme> as the skin for Dashboard another droplist appears beneath it titled USING. All of your skins appear again inside the USING droplist and if you pick one along with the <Today Theme> as the skin it will be applied as the template over the Today Theme. This should accomplish the effect that you are looking for.

Of course, this assumes that you are not experiencing the random skin disappearance bug.

I need to get the parameters for setting Wisbar advance skins via Dashboard also... :)

Oh, and I removed the smush to top option because I didn't think anyone ever unchecked it. Are you saying that you actually disabled that feature because it defaults to enabled.

Thanks!

[macpel]

Citats,

I see! well not quite 'cause I'm using 1.5 right now. So I guess this option will show up under 2.0 beta, I'll try it with 2.0 tonight, must have missed that when checking out the new beta. Thanks for pointing this out, happy camper now...

BTW. I still use Pelmar Wisbar over the advanced version .... man I get too many bugs with that one. Advanced has delayed my next skin by a few weeks

Glad you like it. Lots of people are trying the advance version from Chris and I guess some of them have some quirks to deal with due to certain devices or conflicts with other apps but I beleive he did a great job so far and it only gets better. I'm getting ready to build a special wm 2003 version for pelmar wisbar soon so keeps an eye on that if you have a 2003 device. Nothing new just xscale optimized...

Chris,

Oh, and I removed the smush to top option because I didn't think anyone ever unchecked it. Are you saying that you actually disabled that feature because it defaults to enabled.


No I always leave it enabled in 1.5, I was under the impression that 2.0 removed that option from screen and code. Are you saying it's enabled by default in 2.0 in code?

Hmmm well let me give you an example, with 2.0 beta go to today/items page, enable the date and dashboard to appear on the screen. Then go back to the today page, dashboard now does not draw right below the date, it leaves some spacing and start drawing way below... Install 1.5 and if you leave the smush on top disabled, 1.5 does the same behavior, but enable smush on top with 1.5 and everything now draws correctly.

So having said that I figured that since 2.0 does not show you the smush on top option anymore that it was not enabled anymore or removed from the code since it behaves like 1.5 did with the option disabled.


I need to get the parameters for setting Wisbar advance skins via Dashboard also...
Chris the other developer has them since he develop the advance version, I'll send(email) you is email...

btw love your app Chris, keep up the good work.

[Chris Scott [SnoopSoft]]

Hi Marc,

Interesting - I wouldn't have thought that would work anyway just because it's not really how Dashboard was designed. With that said though, Dashboard works fine on my Pocket PC 2003 device and turning on the date doesn't do anything really strange - Dashboard is right up there just below it. Can't get a screenshot for you of it but it does work.

And yes, with the 2.0 versions I hid the option to smush to top but forgot to always enable it. I'll put that into the next version. Basically if it was disabled when you updated to 2.0 then it would remain disabled in 2.0 but that's not how I intended it to work. I removed it and wanted it to always be enabled.

Thanks!

[Don't Panic!]

I have the same results as Chris. Are you sure your using 2.0.031 beta? I did what you said... checked date with the today applet on my wm2003 device... It looks like crap but it works with the x-ray shell theme.

From the start Snoopsoft Dashboard was meant as a Today screen replacement. Why would you want anything else checked in the today applet, especially now that this beta allows multiple plug-ins?

Don't Panic!
Bobby

[Don't Panic!]

Here's a screenshot of my Today Screen with the latest beta, wisbar 1.0 and the x-ray shell theme. I'm using the mini theme .dsh file for the icons.

Don't Panic!
Bobby

[Don't Panic!]

this is what it looks like with date checked using the Today applet in PPC2003's setting menu.

BTW-I hope it's just my monitor, these screenshots are a lot darker than what I see on my 2215.


Don't Panic
Bobby

[nice_micael]

Originally posted by Don't Panic!
Here's a screenshot of my Today Screen with the latest beta, wisbar 1.0 and the x-ray shell theme. I'm using the mini theme .dsh file for the icons.

Don't Panic!
Bobby

Where can i find this theme?

[Don't Panic!]

skin for Snoopsoft Dashboard earlier in this thread. The x-ray shell theme came from www.pocketpc.com .

The skin lncludes the WIS bar skin colors and contours (the inclusion of an apparently recessed pane for the running program icons is what I like about it most). The today theme applies a matching color to the bottom bar.

How many skins and themes do you have now nice_micael?

Don't Panic!
Bobby

[nice_micael]

Originally posted by Don't Panic!
skin for Snoopsoft Dashboard earlier in this thread. The x-ray shell theme came from www.pocketpc.com .

The skin lncludes the WIS bar skin colors and contours (the inclusion of an apparently recessed pane for the running program icons is what I like about it most). The today theme applies a matching color to the bottom bar.

How many skins and themes do you have now nice_micael?

Don't Panic!
Bobby

Currently none :( Am just about to start with dashboard by sending in a mailingorder for it and would like to have a couple of nice themes;)

[Don't Panic!]

but you'll enjoy your purchase. You have to go to the order lookup page to get the beta. but if you're not into multiple plug-ins, the latest registered version will be sufficient.

Don't Panic!
Bobby

[nice_micael]

Thanks don't panic you have been very helpfull here!

[nice_micael]

Don´t panic could you email me the skin for wisbar ? Can´t seem to find it how much i look:( Well if you want my email is samuelsson.micael@telia.com.nospam please remove nospam if you could email me.

[Don't Panic!]

All the componets for that skin are included in the mini skin at wincustomize.com (http://www.wincustomize.com/skins.asp?library=14&SkinID=141). Unzip it and copy over the comonents marked Wis to a new folder.

Don't Panic!
Bobby

[posprg]

Chris,

Any word on a new beta to turn off the auto reset feature ;)


Rick

[Don't Panic!]

v2.0.032 BETA (http://discuss.pocketnow.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13987) is out now, give it a whirl. :)

Don't Panic!
Bobby

[posprg]

Boby,

This is still an issue in .032 beta

http://www.pocketnow.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13987&perpage=12&pagenumber=1

Thanks for the reply though.

Rick