http://www.windowsphone7series.com/...eral-discussion_little-information-copy-paste
We started building the new Windows Phone 7 Series around two big but simple ideas: Your phone should understand what you care about most - and your phone should enable you to do the things you want in fewer steps.
That's why Windows Phone 7 Series will not initially offer copy and paste. We looked at some of the most common uses for copy and paste, and simplified them with a single-tap action.
Say you're looking at an appointment in your calendar. You need to know when the meeting starts - but you also need to know where to go. In the past you would have to copy the address, open a mapping application or site, paste from the clipboard and then click a button to get a result. With Windows Phone 7 Series, you just click on that address and jump straight to a map.
If you're surfing the Web and you come across a piece of information you'd like to know more about, you don't have to exit your browser and go into a search application. Just highlight the word and click the search key. The new search results are now available at your fingertips.
And of course, Windows Phone 7 Series also supports clickable phone numbers in emails, in browser, and in search results.
In our early testing people have been pleased with this approach - but we're always listening to feedback, and we will continue to improve our feature set over time based on what we hear.
_marshall
backstage moderator
M$ just want to do some stuff to replace copy/paste ,not cut it
But it's not an either/or type thing. MS could have done both, if they'd wanted to.
I also don't like being forced to use bing! to search for whatever I highlight in the browser(without having to type it out on whatever search engine I may wanna use instead). I seriously dislike the tight control MS apparently built into the system. And I actually loved WP7s before MIX10, now I'm having second thoughts...
Regards
So what if I receive an email containing some information I want to place into a Note?
If I can't copy the info from the email, go into the Notes app and paste it into a new or existing note, then what do I do? Write it all down on a piece of paper and then re-type it into the note?
If someone emails me their address, I won't be able to paste that into their contact details?
This just beggars belief! I use C&P all the time, and not for the limited uses Microsoft have come up with!
I do not keep old emails for the information they contain - I rip the info out of the email, put it where it SHOULD be on my phone (maybe in a contact, a new event, a note, a task, whatever) and then bin the email. Without C&P this will be IMPOSSIBLE!!!
The usage scenarios given in the OP are not replacements for Copy & Paste, they are LINKS from a piece of info to another function. Copy & Paste is all about MOVING or COPYING information from one object to another. This will ALWAYS be needed by anyone using the phone for any kind of data. Not being able to copy data around between Word and Excel is just a complete FAIL.
Jim Coleman said:
If someone emails me their address, I won't be able to paste that into their contact details?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my understanding is that u would be able to copy a address or number into a contact and into bing (address), a bit like its a hyperlink that opens up a option menu that lets u send it to pre-defined locations.
Ganondolf said:
my understanding is that u would be able to copy a address or number into a contact and into bing (address), a bit like its a hyperlink that opens up a option menu that lets u send it to pre-defined locations.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't see how it would recognize an address. Phone number, yes, I can see that, but an address?
For instance, if I receive the following email;
"Hi, yeah the address is The Willows, London Road, Trowbridge, Kent cheers mate - John"
How in heck will WP7S know there's an address in there?
Not only that, you just said it'll be able to "copy a address into a contact" - I've no idea where you got that from but Microsoft have clearly indicated there WILL BE NO COPY function. So even if it did recognise the address through some miracle of place recognition, the best you could hope for is that it would show you a map, so you would have to keep the email on your phone for ever more and remember that the address is in that particular message. Frankly it's completely unworkable.
As far as I can tell, the only way WP7S will be able to spot an address is if it is in AN ADDRESS FIELD in a contact or a calendar entry.
Mark my words, in less than 2 firmwareupdates the copypaste function is back. Why go to iPhone OS 1.0 and lose all advantage of not being the first one to develop such an interface?
Imho, this is just plain-stupid.
If Microsoft are so worried about all the dumb users, then ship the phone with cut & paste switched off, and add an option to turn it on in the Settings, so the smart users can use it if they choose to. It's not Rocket Science. When you're designing software and you're faced with an arbitrary decision about a feature, always just make it optional.
Silverdragondk said:
But it's not an either/or type thing. MS could have done both, if they'd wanted to.
I also don't like being forced to use bing! to search for whatever I highlight in the browser(without having to type it out on whatever search engine I may wanna use instead). I seriously dislike the tight control MS apparently built into the system. And I actually loved WP7s before MIX10, now I'm having second thoughts...
Regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
even though in the end you may finally end up using Bing, but you need a choice...right.?
Jim Coleman said:
So what if I receive an email containing some information I want to place into a Note?
If I can't copy the info from the email, go into the Notes app and paste it into a new or existing note, then what do I do? Write it all down on a piece of paper and then re-type it into the note?
If someone emails me their address, I won't be able to paste that into their contact details?
This just beggars belief! I use C&P all the time, and not for the limited uses Microsoft have come up with!
I do not keep old emails for the information they contain - I rip the info out of the email, put it where it SHOULD be on my phone (maybe in a contact, a new event, a note, a task, whatever) and then bin the email. Without C&P this will be IMPOSSIBLE!!!
The usage scenarios given in the OP are not replacements for Copy & Paste, they are LINKS from a piece of info to another function. Copy & Paste is all about MOVING or COPYING information from one object to another. This will ALWAYS be needed by anyone using the phone for any kind of data. Not being able to copy data around between Word and Excel is just a complete FAIL.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Note the underlined words....that is exactly where M$ is trying to go.
Find the most obvious use of the information that is highlighted and do it for you.
Ganondolf said:
my understanding is that u would be able to copy a address or number into a contact and into bing (address), a bit like its a hyperlink that opens up a option menu that lets u send it to pre-defined locations.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you know what? HTC messaging does that even now.
When you click on a text message, it pops up a list of options that you would like to do....
Better yet, what about addresses for folks who live in other places in the world where the address might not be recognizable in english. for instance
-> 72 dr ea cooray mawatha, wellawatte. thats a legitimate address in sri lanka.
I think they will have complete text message copy and paste, and not selective copy and paste to get around apple's patent.
this is assuming people want to be robbed of their $ by paying and subscribing to a data plan. i do NOT plan to do that. i'm gonna just buy the phone and use wifi.
chiks19018 said:
even though in the end you may finally end up using Bing, but you need a choice...right.?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He he, I've been writing a couple answers to this question, and I've ended up deleting them every single time, because I'm having difficulty saying what I wanna say...
Generally speaking, yes it's about choice. No one likes being forced to do things in a certain way? Especially if they feel there's a better way?
With regards to Bing! being the only way to search in a copy/paste type of way, that bugs me. I don't mind if Bing! is the only integrated search engine, or if only Bing! is allowed to use the Bing!/search button. but please allow me the freedom to choose if I wanna use Bing! or not. Without copy/paste there is effectively no choice. It smells of MS wanting to grow Bing! by forcing people to use it. I don't like that. I don't like that one teeny tiny little bit.
Regards
Silverdragondk said:
He he, I've been writing a couple answers to this question, and I've ended up deleting them every single time, because I'm having difficulty saying what I wanna say...
Generally speaking, yes it's about choice. No one likes being forced to do things in a certain way? Especially if they feel there's a better way?
With regards to Bing! being the only way to search in a copy/paste type of way, that bugs me. I don't mind if Bing! is the only integrated search engine, or if only Bing! is allowed to use the Bing!/search button. but please allow me the freedom to choose if I wanna use Bing! or not. Without copy/paste there is effectively no choice. It smells of MS wanting to grow Bing! by forcing people to use it. I don't like that. I don't like that one teeny tiny little bit.
Regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I totally understand your position....I am like that too.
"Especially if they feel there's a better way" -> I will rephrase it this way
"Especially if they feel there might be a better way"
but the fact that bing would integrate itself, might in the end make it to the choice
Related
Yeah, we should call WP7 that way
Windows iPhone 7 Series
I don't know, I started to like WP7, very excited with the platform, hubs, games, etc.
But more and more becoming super limited phone which you are FORCED to use your phone the way Microsoft want it to use.
And that's not good. At some degree I am OK with some limitations, but more and more now ...
No multitasking
No sd-card
No customization (come on, only 4 accent colors?)
No side-loading
No file manager
No copy paste?
I could OK if they said "We dont implement copy paste because we dont have much time to finish it, we will add it later".
But in fact no, Microsoft is dictating that you dont need copy paste:
"We don't enable copy and paste and we do that very intentionally," Windows Phone executive Todd Brix said in an interview.
Brix said many times when a user copies something on a phone, what they really are looking to do is take a specific action, such as calling a phone number or e-mailing an address. For those specific tasks, Microsoft has what it calls "smart linking," which lets a user double click on a phone number and either call it or add it to the phone book. For an address, one can get a map without having to copy and paste the address.
"It's actually an intentional design decision," he said. "We try to anticipate what the user wants so copy and paste isn't necessary."
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is bad ... really bad
Windows Phone 7 Series is becoming similar (or worse) to iPhone ...
So, yeah ... Welcome "Microsoft iPhone 7 Series" ... This name/term is to remind Microsoft Windows Phone team that we really disappointed with Windows Phone 7 Series.
Microsoft still have several months to fix this, if they did, we can remove the "i"
Simply - just stay with WM6.5.5 and customize what you want WP7 is crap, why you need it, while here is a lot software for 6.5 and you can change everything, where is the point?
They are just trying to hide the mess that has accumulated over the years, and at the same time lock down the platform to make it a money machine. Two birds, one stone.
The more news I hear about WP7 the more I realize that I am not a PC, nor a Mac... I am an Android.
I don't know what's the problem with copy & paste missing. If they have a smarter way to do it then why not!? to be honest I never felt very comfortable using it. besides, it's also a funny step-up towards Apple. I mean copy & paste was always possible in WM, it was just a standard feature, like you also have a close button on a window. Then Apple came and added it to their iphone and do TV ads for it(!!!!!) and then MS come along again "Listen guys you don't need this old **** anymore we now have a really better way"
As for the other points of course I fully agree and it's horrible!!!
Well, you are correct.
I admit that I dont use copy & paste quite a lot, but I used it several times (copy pasting some texts from web browser to the email, or to notes to save it later).
I will not discuss or debate how do we use copy paste, because it is very obvious and talked to death on the old iPhone OS saga.
The thing that I don't like with the WP7S approach is that Microsoft really dictate and force how to use the phone even on that simple task (copy paste).
Copy paste is old feature, we are get used to it, especially WE, the Windows Mobile users.
I simply cannot believe this, why not just give the feature, that's not hard to implement.
Sure, they have super duper clever way to detect address / phone number.
But I doubt it, which format of address and phone numbers? Can it detect partial address? part of phone numbers? etc. etc.
RAMMANN said:
I don't know what's the problem with copy & paste missing. If they have a smarter way to do it then why not!? to be honest I never felt very comfortable using it. besides, it's also a funny step-up towards Apple. I mean copy & paste was always possible in WM, it was just a standard feature, like you also have a close button on a window. Then Apple came and added it to their iphone and do TV ads for it(!!!!!) and then MS come along again "Listen guys you don't need this old **** anymore we now have a really better way"
As for the other points of course I fully agree and it's horrible!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
RAMMANN said:
I don't know what's the problem with copy & paste missing. If they have a smarter way to do it then why not!?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What are you talking about? How should adding a contact to a phonebook with a doubleclick replace cut/copy/paste?
RAMMANN said:
I don't know what's the problem with copy & paste missing. If they have a smarter way to do it then why not!?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because they don't have that smarter way. First of all, there are applications where copy/paste is already smart, like editing documents or lengthy emails. Second, there's the problem of carrying data between applications. Here I agree, copy/paste is a plug for lack of a smarter way, and in many cases this can be replaced. The problem though is that there's no way you can foresee all the use cases, as sometimes they are very unexpected. Just to real life examples I personally encountered. I'm driving in the middle of nowhere, and I know that somebody sent me a URL with directions in an email. Now what happens if that URL isn't clickable, and the "smart way" doesn't work? It could be a typo or a software glitch. Or, I once received a Wi-Fi access code that was something like E[ybabufct,tfrctccgjqyn. How in the world am I going to enter it without copy/paste? Also, those "smart" ways like detecting phone numbers or URLs will work in standard apps, but what about third-party apps? And finally, OK, you detect phone numbers. But what if I need to remember some code that's a set of digits? For example, someone sends me an access code to an apartment complex in an SMS and I want to add it to Contact notes? You get the idea I think. True, such things don't happen every day. But when they do happen lack of such features is incredibly annoying.
RAMMANN said:
As for the other points of course I fully agree and it's horrible!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, the other problems are not as acute (apart from removable storage). To solve the multitasking and file access and even sideloading restrictions all you need is a nice little privilege escalation hack. Copy/paste is more difficult because you need proper selection UI, and a way to take care of long tap context menus in apps - you can't just intercept all taps and replace whatever action there is with copy/paste menu.
"We don't enable copy and paste and we do that very intentionally," Windows Phone executive Todd Brix said in an interview.
Brix said many times when a user copies something on a phone, what they really are looking to do is take a specific action, such as calling a phone number or e-mailing an address. For those specific tasks, Microsoft has what it calls "smart linking," which lets a user double click on a phone number and either call it or add it to the phone book. For an address, one can get a map without having to copy and paste the address.
"It's actually an intentional design decision," he said. "We try to anticipate what the user wants so copy and paste isn't necessary."
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, i want to see Todd when he have to put in a 60number wpa2 key for 3 different wireless networks.......can someone please get android to work on the hd2 ????
RAMMANN said:
I don't know what's the problem with copy & paste missing. If they have a smarter way to do it then why not!? to be honest I never felt very comfortable using it. besides, it's also a funny step-up towards Apple. I mean copy & paste was always possible in WM, it was just a standard feature, like you also have a close button on a window. Then Apple came and added it to their iphone and do TV ads for it(!!!!!) and then MS come along again "Listen guys you don't need this old **** anymore we now have a really better way"
As for the other points of course I fully agree and it's horrible!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i dont use copy & paste but there is absolutely no reason to leave it out, yeah they found a smarter way to do certain things but that way doesnt cover all scenarios, if u get wp7(i plan too) the first time u need copy & paste its prolly gonna piss u off that they left out such a basic feature i know i will im already preparing my woosas for that moment
Back in the days of MS-DOS there were several applications that had [relatively] hi-res displays. Both iPhone and now Windows Phone 7 seem like a reversion to those days. Thanks to the "lowest common denominator" approach, technology has stepped backwards 15 years!!
I dont use copy and paste much either but im sure lots of people do,
So leaving it out would be bad news and limiting the users. im sure wm7 will have copy and paste but its maybe called something different?, for moving into the future.lets face it copy and paste is an old term and even apple has that now!. microsoft is going back to the drawing board with this ui so when they confirm it has no copy or paste maybe it hasnt, its called select text/image - Apply text/image? its all a big secret.
andylayo said:
I dont use copy and paste much either but im sure lots of people do,
So leaving it out would be bad news and limiting the users. im sure wm7 will have copy and paste but its maybe called something different?, for moving into the future.lets face it copy and paste is an old term and even apple has that now!. microsoft is going back to the drawing board with this ui so when they confirm it has no copy or paste maybe it hasnt, its called select text/image - Apply text/image? its all a big secret.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol i like your optimism but i think what really happened is some idiot paid another idiot to think & he came up with the brilliant idea that we dont need copy & paste just a os that recognizes numbers & addresses & how to handle them, but didnt realize that people copy & paste more then just numbers & crap
Did this really deserve a whole new thread when there are multiple discussions going on in different ones about the exact same topics?
I am really skeptical that the reason Microsoft came up is indeed the true reason.
I smell this is patent issue from ... Apple. And Microsoft still does not have other way unless they violate the patent or license it from Apple.
But still, copy & paste doesn't fit into their concept of "great user experience for dumb users". But then I agree they need to put more logic into it (but then I doubt they'd do it) so when taping on a WLAN code in a SMS there should be an entry in the popup menu like "Apply to network". But then this is pretty uncommon approach since you shouldn't send around your WLAN codes and MS are doing their stuff half asses anyway so who cares. I think copy & paste is really smallest "problem" of WP7. Without any hacks (and we don't even know if they're possible on final retail devices) you can literally do NOTHING on your phone that you can't do on any NOKIA DUMB PHONE!!! Oh! And XBOX but what the heck!?
gogol said:
I am really skeptical that the reason Microsoft came up is indeed the true reason.
I smell this is patent issue from ... Apple. And Microsoft still does not have other way unless they violate the patent or license it from Apple.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hopefully thats it & they arent just being stupid...we should come up with ways just incase that this is true & maybe MS will read this & add it
ok ill go first
they can use the bottom tray/option pad or what ever its called to have the copy & paste option & from there select what you want copied because thats nothing like what apple does
and MS if your reading this & use it send me a zune HD plz
RAMMANN said:
But then I agree they need to put more logic into it (but then I doubt they'd do it) so when taping on a WLAN code in a SMS there should be an entry in the popup menu like "Apply to network".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah but how the hell would they know it's a WPA key? It's just a sequence of characters, it could be used for anything.
pilgrim011 said:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
its still works under water man i cant wait to pick 1 of these up
Thats Funny
Hi there,
I am so deeply searching a vocabulary trainer which is more or less fingerfriendly for my Touch HD.
It is unbelievable that there is no program like that available and I just need such a simple one:
I want to add "units", which store the vocabulary in German the foreign language. Then the program randomly chooses one of the words and shows the German translation and I, in my mind, think what it would be, and then I click "right" or "wrong" and go onto the next word. I don't even need a text insertion which must be compared...
Does anybody of you know such a program? Not finding this is for me now a reason to switch to Android, because in the market, they have such programs (vocablo). I would of course pay for it.
Thanks a lot!
I would love to program a thing like that. It would even be pretty easy (as far as i see it). The real problem however is creating the database for it.
I have bought the Japanese Trainer from SPB(?) of the store which isn't really great but it is okay-ish. One can even add a lot of words, although they probably didn't plan it that way, but one can simply add new folders and copy images and sound files into them to expand the library. However, if i knew Japanese well enough to create an extended database i would not need the app ... so the real problem in an app like this is always the database..
If you like you can give me an Excel-file with a hand full of words and i can set up a sample app. Unfortunately i will be away from the pc next week, but in the week after that i could give it a try...
please include at least:
Foreign Word, Native Word, Usage example, word class (I think one could then have a nice multiple choice mode, too)
Well, just checked SPBs app, but I would want a much easier program, no need for pictures, etc.
Frankly spoken, I tried to code it myself, but have the same problem with how to save the words. I thought of using a simple textfile, saving the words like that:
mothertongue#foreign language#box
Example:
Haus#house#1
Sommer#summer#3
Österreich#Austria#2
The box is the number of 5 boxes and the program needs to ask all words in the boxes 1 to 4. If I know the word, the number of the box is incremented as long as it is smaller than 5, if I don't know the word the number is decremented.
What is important to me, is that I can add new textfiles, which I then can edit, in order to add or delete words from that file.
Any other ideas?
I would also use a csv file:
word;translation;whatever
you could then easily manage your vocabulary list in excel and save it directly as csv again...
excelent program
Hello
Do you know Leitner system? Flash cards?
Read these two first!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leitner_system
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flashcard
Then download this Iranian software... { it is in English }
http://soheil86.50webs.com/Leitner Box/Leitner-Box.html
It is working based on Leitner system...
I have memorized 7k English word with it... Including GRE
Word list..... It is a very very great software
Let me know if you need any help!
Have a nice day
Thanks for the link.
But tell me, can I add units and new words in the program?
I need the program to add words when I am at university.
Did you open the link?
Pay attention to the note at the bottom of the page:
3. You can create data base with leitner box in your device, but if you like to create faster with PC, download data base editor.by editor you can convert your excel files to leitner box data base, and also you can exchange your target and source languages.
4. If you want to import data from excel data sheets, and you dont have excel 2007 installed in your system, download and install this file, first.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...36-8C28-4598-9B72-EF94E038C891&displaylang=en
Tell me if you need help... I have a program to create database....
but I think you can find everything in that link...
Please update the keywords in this thread and add :Leitner box , flash card
Thank you in advanced
Hey guys, like the title says, I'm attempting to create an app, but with little success at this point.
What I want to do, didn't sound all that complicated in my head. I want to make an episode guide for a TV show I like. Nothing too fancy, but I do want it to look WP7-authentic.
First off, I don't know or really understanding coding in the slightest. I was hoping to be able to design most of the app through the on-screen WP7 display, which it seems I can do a lot on.
From what I've gathered, here's what I'd like to do:
Use the "Pivots" as the different story arcs or "seasons"
Within each pivot, Episode # and Title
But I'd also like to go one further and have each episode be clickable, which would take the user to a page containing info about the respective episode. Synopsis, International Titles, Airdate, etc.
It's a big project, I just need a little help getting it going.
Thanks!
dbG33K
what you're describing can be done one of two ways.
1. just display images after images
2. input text into the program
from what im gathering, it should be fairly easy for you to do as this is the sort of beginner stuff in most windows phone 7 programming books. id suggest you look into programming because even the slightest pivots and transitions require code.
now if you were on android or webos, thats different. they have full on graphics based programming thats a simple matter of drag and drop and choose function.
Download Expression Blend. You can do pretty much everything without having to write any code. It includes a "Pivot" template which has a pivot all ready for you, then you just add PivotItems using your mouse. Then you can use the Sample Data feature to mock up how your episode data will look.
The only thing you would have to write code for would be to pull the episode information from a datasource. Bind it to your controls and Expression will have the rest done for you.
http://www.microsoft.com/expression/windowsphone/
Sample Data:
http://expression.microsoft.com/en-us/ee426896.aspx
First thing you'll need before you even open Visual Studio or Blend is a data feed.
An rss feed is ideal, And I'm sure theres alot of them out there for TV listings. Without that, theres little you can do (other than screen scraping websites, but people don't look too kindly on that)
If you can find me a Url for the RSS feed you want to use, I'll be more than willing to help you out
xanderkaiber said:
First thing you'll need before you even open Visual Studio or Blend is a data feed.
An rss feed is ideal, And I'm sure theres alot of them out there for TV listings. Without that, theres little you can do (other than screen scraping websites, but people don't look too kindly on that)
If you can find me a Url for the RSS feed you want to use, I'll be more than willing to help you out
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What he said
I'd be willing to help you out as well. I'm in the process of writing a feed reader to help me make the move WP7 from WPF/Silverlight. The idea I have for the UI is similar to yours and the feed reader (at least in the basic form) will be open source so I've no problem sharing my code...
I appreciate your willingness to help me out, but it's actually a series that has been over for quite a while.
Hey guys, I've gotten much further on my app and have become a little more well-acquainted with coding in the form of using Expression Blend 4. That said, I do have a few questions:
1. After making a few pages, I decided to make a sort of Welcome page for my app. How do I tell it to show that page first instead of "MainPage.xaml"?
2. On that welcome page, I would like to make a button that pulls up the user's E-mail and have it have my e-mail as the recipient.
Thanks a bunch!
This is in the WMAppManifest.xml file within the Properties folder.
for the email look into the email compose task
barryallott said:
This is in the WMAppManifest.xml file within the Properties folder.
for the email look into the email compose task
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That doesn't really help me too much...
What am I supposed to do in the WMAppManifest.xml?
And where do I find the email compose task, and how do I implement it into the app?
EDIT: Nevermind, I figured out both of those questions. A new question, though: How do I take screen shots of the app? I need at least one to submit it to the marketplace, but I don't know how :/
dbG33K said:
That doesn't really help me too much...
What am I supposed to do in the WMAppManifest.xml?
And where do I find the email compose task, and how do I implement it into the app?
EDIT: Nevermind, I figured out both of those questions. A new question, though: How do I take screen shots of the app? I need at least one to submit it to the marketplace, but I don't know how :/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Download this:
http://www.innovativetechguy.com/?p=13
Make sure your emulator is set to 100% size and uncheck the "Show Device" checkbox in the tool. That will give you the necessary 480x800 sized .png
There's a fair lot you can do using the designer panel, but you will definitely need C# code for what happens 'behind the curtains'. Things like pulling the episodes from the internet and such.
I definitely recommend these tutorials:
Windows Phone 7 Development for Absolute Beginners.
It builds up slowly, but definitely gives you the foundation you need to put together basic applications.
Hey guys I found this thread and after reading it I feel I have a lot in common with dbG33K's tasks & questions. I feel I have a lot to offer WP7 apps as I learn more! I started out in January learning and studying as an absolute beginner (even did the 5 day course online). After a lot of studying, I felt confident enough to write my first BIG app.
I'm pretty good at the xaml part and getting real familiar with c# as I go along. Also, I think I have all the pieces I need, just need help putting it all together. I'm using an API for the data source (i have all the dlls and resources in place even all the c# methods for the API).
I have the UI all put together, now working on the c#. I'm just unsure on the binding part. I know my listboxes and other controls should be binded to a method in c#, but what calls that method? When the page loads that listbox, textblock, etc? Also, what kind of coding is generally used inside the {} of the methods that pulls info from the datasource?
As I have learned a lot aver the past couple of months, I find that I've learned it from examples I've found online, but I'm drawing a blank on this one. Any help would be great!
Thanks!
Do any of you can tellme how can I save text from the text box??
Sent from my LG-C900 using XDA Windows Phone 7 App
Hello XDA Community,
@DEVELOPERS: I need some developers with other devices to make things (at least parts of advanced explorer) work on other devices (i have a htd hd7). !Programming & Testing!
Please PM me
To bring all together what xda achieved for WP7, i wrote a helper app for the following tasks,
- File management
- Registry management
- Copy files from desktop to phone
- Copy files from phone to desktop
- Set max unsigned apps
- Provision any given XML
If you post in this thread how any of those features could be implemented on other devices, i will maybe implement them. You can always send me a modified version and i will maybe update this post with the new version!
Usage/(Release-)Notes on the website!
If you encounter any errors, or wanna give some feedback => just leave a post here or use the idea page or write me an email (go to contact on the homepage)!
I included the source code, so that anybody can modify it at will but do not use anything here for commercial purposes (contact me first).
Homepage for this project:
http://sites.google.com/site/yaafdevelopers/projects/advanced-explorer-for-wp7
You can give feedback / bugreports:
http://advancedexplorerwp7.codeplex.com/
(Go to Discussion or Issue Tracker)
You will find the latest version and the Release-Notes there. I will continue to watch this thread!
Because some people asked how to support/donate me:
I appreciate every donation! Thank you!
reddragon
He that is great stff... i am glad you added the source i was thinking about how this could work having had a little peek at the code in the samples that Ms provided.
wings over a thanks too
Question...If you send a file, where does the device dump it into the computer? I was getting an error sending the file to my computer at first, but then I configured correctly and it sends fine, but I don't know where it is...
Edit: Nevermind, I got it. Upload/Download Root folders. Good work on this app man. Pretty nifty. Uploaded a .doc from my laptop to the phone, copy/pasted it into My Docs and it appeared and opened on MS Office Word perfectly.
nice ! but ...
Nice app !
But can't send from \windows directory ?..
Re: can't send from \windows
Hey,
like i said in my first post i brought together what was achieved...
Im using the HTC app COM dll files for file system access. Actually you can send files from \windows but not all. (in usage or no access)...
If somebody knows a better way, or something for other devices => just implement and send it, or post here!
The problem: Now it works on my device, so I can do what i wanted to do (coping .pdf and other stuff on the wp7) I have not the time to search & wait for other devices.
I tried to code it very generic and emulated the System.IO namespace, so everybody can add his results or replace it with better results.
Just contact me and I will check the code and update the first post.
reddragon93
eternalemb said:
Question...If you send a file, where does the device dump it into the computer? I was getting an error sending the file to my computer at first, but then I configured correctly and it sends fine, but I don't know where it is...
Edit: Nevermind, I got it. Upload/Download Root folders. Good work on this app man. Pretty nifty. Uploaded a .doc from my laptop to the phone, copy/pasted it into My Docs and it appeared and opened on MS Office Word perfectly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
actually you can double tab any file and it should open from any folder.
To get PDF working I copy the file to the PDF reader (most likely the app will crash if Adobe reader is not installed), but you will not see anything as PDF reader just pops up with the file
Just like always contact me if there are file types missing!
cool app, ty
how long did it take?
hi reddragon93, thank you for your work, i've an lg optimus 7, is there an eta for explorer for other device?
i need it!!!
thank you so much!
gianlucarugby said:
hi reddragon93, thank you for your work, i've an lg optimus 7, is there an eta for explorer for other device?
i need it!!!
thank you so much!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I really can understand you because I needed this for myself (that's why I coded it in the first place)
But the answer is NO, because we have to wait until somebody finds a way to get access on other devices and shares the info (i will observe this thread for new infos).
And by the way you should not ask for ETA in developer forum (forum rules), but it's OK for me. Hope you will be the only one after my answer
I answered this question in my first post:
"If you post in this thread how any of those features could be implemented on other devices, i will maybe implement them"
Hope I answered your question.
reddragon
thanks, you were very kind,
apologize me for the ETA, i did not know, i'm just a student not a developer!
good work!
EDIT: I can't figure out how to mark a post as useful yet, so let me just say THANK YOU!!!
Awesome app. However, there are a few things that would be nice in terms of file types:
Any chance of getting support for loading .mobi files (Kindle ebooks)? I'd love to be able to sideload books that aren't in the Amazon store.
Currently, .log files won't open. Copy/renaming them to .txt should work, or a simple text reader/editor could be built-in.
Possible bug: the "Max unsigned apps" field in Settings is showing "Not set - (can't read from registry)" Setting it from within the app seems to work, though (and be remembered).
Feature request: ability to search the registry
Small change request: pressing Back on an Exception could do the same as OK (rather than exiting).
Overally, much thanks for an awesome tool!
Thanks for feedback
GoodDayToDie said:
EDIT: I can't figure out how to mark a post as useful yet, so let me just say THANK YOU!!!
Awesome app. However, there are a few things that would be nice in terms of file types:
Any chance of getting support for loading .mobi files (Kindle ebooks)? I'd love to be able to sideload books that aren't in the Amazon store.
Currently, .log files won't open. Copy/renaming them to .txt should work, or a simple text reader/editor could be built-in.
Possible bug: the "Max unsigned apps" field in Settings is showing "Not set - (can't read from registry)" Setting it from within the app seems to work, though (and be remembered).
Feature request: ability to search the registry
Small change request: pressing Back on an Exception could do the same as OK (rather than exiting).
Overally, much thanks for an awesome tool!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your feedback!
(1) I really needed the app for myself (real pdf support) so... The Thanks Button is only visible with 5+ Posts
(2) i will pm you maybe if i find some spare time. This is most likely pretty simple to implement. Can you edit your (or create a new) post and describe what happens if you double tab a kindle book with the current version?
(3) yeah i saw this before but didn't thought it is important enough to implement. I don't have the time for the own Editor (you have to handle really big files for example) but i can do the renaming thing behind the scenes (remember renaming = copy+delete until a better solution is found).
(4) on first app start i have really no solution in determining how the value is set (no access on this key). So my solution was to set this text ("Not set - (can't read from registry)" until you set a value => then i save this value local to the app, and set it every time the app starts (It gets reset every time i connect the device to the PC anyway)
(5) "search the registry": I thought on this one... But this will not be of much use as we have not really much read access
NOTE: The Problem with the registry is that we have FULL WRITE access trough the provxml method but not very much READ access (HTC COM .dll)
(6) really? I'm satisfied with the current behavior. Without searching I don't know if this is a small change maybe it is, maybe not. At least it looks like one but that doesn't mean anything
reddragon
Thanks for the response, reddragon. I'm at work right now, so the .mobi thing will have to wait. It's a very common request among WP7 users around here, though.
I've found that selecting the Edit context item will open any file in Word, which is typically sufficient for viewing and even editing purposes! True plain text files open fine regardless of extension, and even binary files will usually have enough ASCII in them to determine useful info. You can also send any file (via email) from Word, if you want to email an attachment rather than just transfer to a PC.
Unfortunately, I've found that XML files just... don't work. Double-clicking them opens IE, which complains that it can't handle that file type. Selecting Edit on them looks like it's opening some Office app, but the app then closes and drops back into Advanced Explorer (no error). This is the currently problematic filetype, as a *lot* of data is stored in XML.
The "Registry Editor" app already provides registry search (and despite the security restrictions on read it *mostly* works) but without system copy-paste it's tricky moving data between apps. I enjoy being able to pan between the FS and registry... hell, I want a Windows (desktop) app that does this, now.
It looks like there's FS search (an option on the command bar, and a text box that appears) but I can't get it to do anything. Pressing Enter has no effect, tapping either Refresh or Search again just reloads the page. Am I using this right? It would be great to be able to either scroll long folders (\Windows) or find a filename behind a bunch of GUIDs.
Some files show as "0 b" size, even though they almost certainly aren't. Is that just because some program has an exclusive lock on them and their size can't be read in that state?
Any chance of the ability to create folders in the GUI (I think I see how to do it with provxml files, but that's not exactly convenient)?
Thanks for the explanations on the registry. I was wondering how you could write to locations that you can't read from... Also, I didn't know the sideload limit resets itself. That's something I'll have to watch out for, as I'm near the nominal sideload limit already. Hmm... maybe I should look into writing an app that lets the phone install a .XAP directly, to minimize the amount of PC connecting that's needed.
Sorry, I know that's a lot of comments and questions. If it helps, I showed this to a couple of other HD7 owners today, and the immediate response of both of them was "I've got to get that!" This is a great app, super-convenient and good for making the occasional Samsung Focus owner jealous ;-D
Actually, I'm a developer myself (mostly C/C++, but I know C#). I'll crack a look at the source when I get a chance (probably this weekend) but would you be interested in a patch if there's something I can improve? One thing I might add is an optional "Did you mean that?" prompt on the Back button, as it's a little too easy to hit and knock you clear out of the app (optional of course, as I understand some people don't have such problems).
Thanks again!
does anyone know the latest ETA on compatibility for samsung devices?
Some Answers
GoodDayToDie said:
Thanks for the response, reddragon. I'm at work right now, so the .mobi thing will have to wait. It's a very common request among WP7 users around here, though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Like I said: I will pm you most likely, today or this weekend.
GoodDayToDie said:
I've found that selecting the Edit context item will open any file in Word, which is typically sufficient for viewing and even editing purposes! True plain text files open fine regardless of extension, and even binary files will usually have enough ASCII in them to determine useful info. You can also send any file (via email) from Word, if you want to email an attachment rather than just transfer to a PC.
Unfortunately, I've found that XML files just... don't work. Double-clicking them opens IE, which complains that it can't handle that file type. Selecting Edit on them looks like it's opening some Office app, but the app then closes and drops back into Advanced Explorer (no error). This is the currently problematic filetype, as a *lot* of data is stored in XML.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah the best way to handle the edit mode would be an editor inside the app, but that's quite some work i guess... So if somebody is willing to write such a control just contact me!
But the current workaround is quite simple: Upload your file, edit it with the powerful editors you know and send it back to the phone...
In fact what i did was send the complete windows/applications folder and all files that where successfully send can be edited (on the others you have no access anyway).
GoodDayToDie said:
The "Registry Editor" app already provides registry search (and despite the security restrictions on read it *mostly* works) but without system copy-paste it's tricky moving data between apps. I enjoy being able to pan between the FS and registry... hell, I want a Windows (desktop) app that does this, now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I think it's not that difficult to implement a search for registry. It's funny to say that all the time but I thought on this one too and if you look on the source code you will see that i positioned the search/filter text box out of the explorer pivot to use it for registry search or other purposes. If you find it really that useful with the current read restrictions... yeah I should just implement it...
GoodDayToDie said:
It looks like there's FS search (an option on the command bar, and a text box that appears) but I can't get it to do anything. Pressing Enter has no effect, tapping either Refresh or Search again just reloads the page. Am I using this right? It would be great to be able to either scroll long folders (\Windows) or find a filename behind a bunch of GUIDs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In fact this is a filter function so that large folders can be loaded much faster. Just enter "a*" and make the keyboard disappear (tab anywhere else) and you see only the files/folders starting with "a". I don't know why "enter" on keyboard doesn't do anything, I will look into this. I should update the usage in my first post, thanks.
GoodDayToDie said:
Some files show as "0 b" size, even though they almost certainly aren't. Is that just because some program has an exclusive lock on them and their size can't be read in that state?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yep.
From the htc COM call i get 0 bytes....
GoodDayToDie said:
Any chance of the ability to create folders in the GUI (I think I see how to do it with provxml files, but that's not exactly convenient)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hehe, i thought on this one too as it is already implemented (just create a folder in UploadRoot drop a file and start downloading it to the phone => the folder gets created). I will look into this.
Can you (or anybody) provide me with an example on how to rename a folder via provxml. And in Yaaf.WP7.NativeAccess.IO.File i have in the "Move" method some code commentated. Can somebody please un-comment, debug and tell me why the hell this provision-xml is invalid / not working, thanks.
(ProvisionXml is completely new to me as this is my first smartphone)
GoodDayToDie said:
Thanks for the explanations on the registry. I was wondering how you could write to locations that you can't read from... Also, I didn't know the sideload limit resets itself. That's something I'll have to watch out for, as I'm near the nominal sideload limit already. Hmm... maybe I should look into writing an app that lets the phone install a .XAP directly, to minimize the amount of PC connecting that's needed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't look into that but i think it is not enough to simply create the guid folder and drop content there... Anyway you can use the "NativeAccess" Projekt to get all the access i used in the Explorer. But you have to create links from your main projekt to the COM-dlls so they get included into the xap file.
GoodDayToDie said:
Sorry, I know that's a lot of comments and questions. If it helps, I showed this to a couple of other HD7 owners today, and the immediate response of both of them was "I've got to get that!" This is a great app, super-convenient and good for making the occasional Samsung Focus owner jealous ;-D
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what keeping me up i guess
GoodDayToDie said:
Actually, I'm a developer myself (mostly C/C++, but I know C#). I'll crack a look at the source when I get a chance (probably this weekend) but would you be interested in a patch if there's something I can improve? One thing I might add is an optional "Did you mean that?" prompt on the Back button, as it's a little too easy to hit and knock you clear out of the app (optional of course, as I understand some people don't have such problems).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm always interested in any patch especially support for other devices (I have a htc so I can't debug stuff for other devices :/ )
Yeah there could be an option for that. It's pretty easy to implement so... But i don't have this problem so i didn't realised that one.
GoodDayToDie said:
Thanks again!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for your feedback
Muzzy777 said:
does anyone know the latest ETA on compatibility for samsung devices?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I answered this on the first page of the thread already, thanks.
EDIT: I updated the program and my first post and implemented some of your feature requests
reddragon
Configuration Service Provider Reference for Windows Mobile Devices
Have you used the forum-search? You'll find a post which describes you how to get these books to your phone (it's by me). I can't give you the link because I send this from my HD7.
really great app. Also like the pc<->phone feature
I use it now very often, so I think it needs:
-2 Filebrowser Tabs
-or an option to "bookmark" certain folders
diboze said:
really great app. Also like the pc<->phone feature
I use it now very often, so I think it needs:
-2 Filebrowser Tabs
-or an option to "bookmark" certain folders
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I talked to other people, at first this feature looks awesome, but after some time you would see that you don't use 2 tabs!
The bookmarking thing is a good idea...
Elerador said:
Have you used the forum-search? You'll find a post which describes you how to get these books to your phone (it's by me). I can't give you the link because I send this from my HD7.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm looking into amazon kindle... what i can do for sure is copy the file into the kindle folder and start amazon kindle...
But i forgot how to start a program via app-guid. I remember that i saw an COM.dll which can do that.
__ow said:
Configuration Service Provider Reference for Windows Mobile Devices
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i know that link but i don't see how you can move folders (if it is possible)
reddragon
Love the update! Thanks for cluing me in on the workings of the filter; I wasn't trying wildcards and it therefore looked like it was always empty.
That said, a bug report (reproed on the older version too):
Registry manual mode can crash with a System.ArgumentException "Invalid fullpath".
Start Advanced Explorer
Pan to Registry
Tap "edit manual"
Observe exception
App crashes on hitting OK
http://blog.walshie.me/2011/01/25/forthcoming-windows-phone-update-the-bits-that-are-real/
This just in.
I don't see a major problem but here's the news for you!
Sad. If I'm reading that right, C&P won't function in the phone app...for...like...copying a phone number from one area (maybe from a browser) to the new contact input fields.
Thank you, MS, for such a ...erm...experience...with WP7
Well, you are reading it wrong. The stuff is about third party applications. It doesn't say anything about native apps, so we don't know how it will function and where.
As regards third party apps, there's nothing wrong with using a control designed for text, for, er, displaying text. That's the way it should be. Not everything should be selectable, and it isn't selectable in all OSes including "big" Windows.
MartyLK said:
Sad. If I'm reading that right, C&P won't function in the phone app...for...like...copying a phone number from one area (maybe from a browser) to the new contact input fields.
Thank you, MS, for such a ...erm...experience...with WP7
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, depending on how the text is set up, you should be able to just tap a phone number in any built-in app and it will bring up the create contact section.
I read from the article that in 3rd party apps you'll be able to c&p only text from text boxes. So you can't copy twitter tweet right from the timeline.
So apparently you'll be able to c&p whatever you want from text boxes,
Plus probably other displayed content from native apps.
So I think not a huge problem here.
FishFaceMcGee said:
Well, depending on how the text is set up, you should be able to just tap a phone number in any built-in app and it will bring up the create contact section.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Was just, for the sake of minimizing comment, using that as an example, not as limited to. I'm more concerned with being about take information from emails or text messages or other content in a browser and being able to put it elsewhere when I need to.
I hope nobody is going to try to tell me I never have need for it...sheesh.
MartyLK said:
Was just, for the sake of minimizing comment, using that as an example, not as limited to. I'm more concerned with being about take information from emails or text messages or other content in a browser and being able to put it elsewhere when I need to.
I hope nobody is going to try to tell me I never have need for it...sheesh.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm fairly sure copy & paste has been shown in places like the web browser, email, and office during the demos. Don't worry so much, this article clearly states 3rd party apps.
PG2G said:
I'm fairly sure copy & paste has been shown in places like the web browser, email, and office during the demos. Don't worry so much, this article clearly states 3rd party apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cool. Appreciate the update.
MartyLK said:
I'm more concerned with being about take information from emails or text messages or other content in a browser and being able to put it elsewhere when I need to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anywhere you can select text, like you can in the browser, should work. Text messages (unless they change it) you would have to go through the motions of choosing Forward from the longpress menu then select the text from the text box; a bit long-winded but doable.
If Microsoft can add the function I would imagine DEVs could also make use of it in their apps. I could be wrong.
Yeah, they're talking about how devs can modify their text fields to utilize the C&P feature when they update their apps.
Hope they actually do this...
Thanks for the post. Been waiting for this.
This, while exactly what I expected after hearing what Mr. Kindel had to say, is a downer. Now, I don't use cut'n'paste that often on phones, but when I do it's almost exclusively from non-edit controls.
I would also have expected a way to copy'n'paste images considering they see Office as such a big thing, and TBH I quite often paste product images into OneNote on the computer - which syncs perfectly to the phone. Of course you're unable to edit the photo note on the phone, but just being able to cut'n'paste them would be great still.
TBQH this looks more like a half-assed implementation done quickly to get an update out the door.
If copy-n-paste is available at API level, there is nothing to stop app developers to implement whatever they like to support the feature directly.
The limitation of text box is only a limitation when the devs are too lazy to re-complile their code.
Of course, if such feature is not available at API level, that will be a true limitation. Personally, without multi-tasking support for 3rd party apps, copy-n-paste usage will still be quite limited.
Without the tradditional stylus and resistive touch screen, try to accurately select the text you want to copy on a capacitive screen using your fingers is nothing but frustration. I tried a few times on my Android phone and never worked for me. A pen and paper is much easier to do than copy-n-paste.
foxbat121 said:
...Without the tradditional stylus and resistive touch screen, try to accurately select the text you want to copy on a capacitive screen using your fingers is nothing but frustration. I tried a few times on my Android phone and never worked for me. A pen and paper is much easier to do than copy-n-paste.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried a WP7 device? I know we can't currently select, but the "cursor" that is implemented at the moment (useful for adding/deleting stuff in texts) is pretty good.
Casey_boy said:
Have you tried a WP7 device? I know we can't currently select, but the "cursor" that is implemented at the moment (useful for adding/deleting stuff in texts) is pretty good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I must say the virtual cursor on WP7 is pretty nicely implemented.
Android sucks compared to this and is a pain sometimes.
I guess you guys haven't tried 2.3 or any new samsung devices. Copy and paste, and the cursor is very finger friendly.
I have used cursor on Android 2.2. It is much better than 2.1 but still copy-n-paste largely dependent on app's implementation.
Capacity touch screens are inheritally inaccurate. Cursors make it less painful to use but can't eliminate that inaccuracy. You just got a tool to let you fine tune your selection. It still takes multiple tries to accomplish the job. And god forbid, if you want to select a paragrah out (multiple lines) of an email, that cursor won't be much help to you.
foxbat121 said:
If copy-n-paste is available at API level, there is nothing to stop app developers to implement whatever they like to support the feature directly.
The limitation of text box is only a limitation when the devs are too lazy to re-complile their code.
Of course, if such feature is not available at API level, that will be a true limitation. Personally, without multi-tasking support for 3rd party apps, copy-n-paste usage will still be quite limited.
Without the tradditional stylus and resistive touch screen, try to accurately select the text you want to copy on a capacitive screen using your fingers is nothing but frustration. I tried a few times on my Android phone and never worked for me. A pen and paper is much easier to do than copy-n-paste.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You already could select and hold and image to save it, then go to One Note and insert it.
I remember holding the.control button on WM devices and selecting/copying multiple items. Those were the days.