New Baka-Tsuki Android App: Development

[Nandaka]

At first I have to thank you for this app. Its interface looks pretty good on my Nexus 10.

I am about to change the main menu to something more cool (current one is boring) while still keeping it fast and simple/clean.

Coverflow for NovelList (this require all the novels cover already downloaded/replace with placeholder)

[Erakk]

Cool. But gotta check if it works on older versions (if not, just show a list xD)
That would be for the Novel Lists.
For the main menu i was thinking something that ill post later (I made a drawing on S-note, it sucks but its better than nothing hehehe)

[Bloodscythe]

Personally, I've don't use the white theme as it's a strain on my eyes. In the future, will there be an option for custom colors? The OLD app had that but wasn't permanent and you constantly had to use invert color.
The UI has been getting an overhaul lately, hasn't it? New update system is a godsend. Now I can tell if there are new chapters which is great.
Also, have you figured out the problem for the black tab in the novels list? I'm fine since I have my watchlist but I really don't want android systems below 3.0 getting the boot.

[Erakk]

Personally, I've don't use the white theme as it's a strain on my eyes. In the future, will there be an option for custom colors? The OLD app had that but wasn't permanent and you constantly had to use invert color.
The UI has been getting an overhaul lately, hasn't it? New update system is a godsend. Now I can tell if there are new chapters which is great.
Also, have you figured out the problem for the black tab in the novels list? I'm fine since I have my watchlist but I really don't want android systems below 3.0 getting the boot.

I have figured out *what* is causing it, but no fix other than keep the old layout (three buttons) on the main menu...
OR i could "fake" the tabs inside with buttons that will switch the tabs.

[Bloodscythe]

Well, could you do the whole basic swipe left/right to go to another list instead of tabs? Like what the google play store does.
If that's too hard, then just go with the fake buttons. Its better then a black bar that does nothing. I'll try to think up of some ideas if I can.

[Erakk]

Well, could you do the whole basic swipe left/right to go to another list instead of tabs? Like what the google play store does.
If that's too hard, then just go with the fake buttons. Its better then a black bar that does nothing. I'll try to think up of some ideas if I can.

The thing is, that was the first thing i tried. We call it ViewPager, but it uses Fragments and not Activities...
Simply put, a fragment is like a piece of activity and they are very alike.
I say they are alike but some inner workings are different, so we cant just copy paste the code in there.

The tabs are simpler to use: You just tell them "Hey, i want to create tab one that shows activity A, etc".
I used tabs because fragments would take some time to redesign =P

I'll go with fake buttons until we transform our views into fragments.

[Erakk]

New test build 31:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/jogl04j163zo3 ... tivity.apk

- NovelPager (tabs) with options menu
- Fixed database location issue
- removed debug information from settings

[Weaknespase]

The thing is, that was the first thing i tried. We call it ViewPager, but it uses Fragments and not Activities...
Simply put, a fragment is like a piece of activity and they are very alike.
I say they are alike but some inner workings are different, so we cant just copy paste the code in there.

The tabs are simpler to use: You just tell them "Hey, i want to create tab one that shows activity A, etc".
I used tabs because fragments would take some time to redesign =P

I'll go with fake buttons until we transform our views into fragments.

Fragments available on pre-HONEYCOMB platforms only through support package, which uses reflection and can be rather slow.

And, wow, but why not using ViewSwitcher? Or ViewFlinger? By overriding dispatchTouchEvent method, there is possible to implement switching Views by swipe nice and clean. Every *Layout existing in android is derived from View, so changes in code will be minimal.

Also, i think, that there is much better to implement some work in view, rather than in activity. Views can be easily resized, moved and embedded in no time. Activities on the other hand can't do that much, and with android's way of managing lifecycle, i prefer to use an army views for work with single activity, rather than having an army of both and facing 'sudden' launch of program from several different places.

[Tidon]

I just installed the latest version of the app, but the problem with the NullPointerException is not fixed.

Here's what I noticed:
The novel-db is located in Android/data/com.erakk.lnreader/files/databases. The pictures are located in com.erakk.lnreader/files/project/images.
If I go to the settings and clear the image-cache, it does not only clear the images-folder, but everything in com.erakk.lnreader. Afterwards the com.erakk.lnreader folder is empty.
If I then click on the novel-list, it throws a NullPointerException. If I click on the watchlist, it throws an sql-exception and writes that it can't open the database.

The only solution is to backup the novel database before clearing the image-cache and restoring it afterwards.

Another sugestion: Could you please resize the covers of the novels to their original size?
If I open any novel, its cover is expanded to fit on the screen. On my Nexus 10 this results in extremely blurry images.

[Erakk]

The thing is, that was the first thing i tried. We call it ViewPager, but it uses Fragments and not Activities...
Simply put, a fragment is like a piece of activity and they are very alike.
I say they are alike but some inner workings are different, so we cant just copy paste the code in there.

The tabs are simpler to use: You just tell them "Hey, i want to create tab one that shows activity A, etc".
I used tabs because fragments would take some time to redesign =P

I'll go with fake buttons until we transform our views into fragments.

Fragments available on pre-HONEYCOMB platforms only through support package, which uses reflection and can be rather slow.

And, wow, but why not using ViewSwitcher? Or ViewFlinger? By overriding dispatchTouchEvent method, there is possible to implement switching Views by swipe nice and clean. Every *Layout existing in android is derived from View, so changes in code will be minimal.

Also, i think, that there is much better to implement some work in view, rather than in activity. Views can be easily resized, moved and embedded in no time. Activities on the other hand can't do that much, and with android's way of managing lifecycle, i prefer to use an army views for work with single activity, rather than having an army of both and facing 'sudden' launch of program from several different places.

Didn't knew about ViewFlinger, good idea. But ViewSwitcher only hosts 2 views. I can see some uses for the future maybe.
For now ill just go back to the old buttons layout, because this version has soo many important features that Extreme UI changes will be left for a future patch.
I know activities are slow, and i agree with you on that thinking, but at "this exact right now" moment, i am putting UI rework on hold to fix bugs so we can release this.

I just installed the latest version of the app, but the problem with the NullPointerException is not fixed.

Here's what I noticed:
The novel-db is located in Android/data/com.erakk.lnreader/files/databases. The pictures are located in com.erakk.lnreader/files/project/images.
If I go to the settings and clear the image-cache, it does not only clear the images-folder, but everything in com.erakk.lnreader. Afterwards the com.erakk.lnreader folder is empty.
If I then click on the novel-list, it throws a NullPointerException. If I click on the watchlist, it throws an sql-exception and writes that it can't open the database.

The only solution is to backup the novel database before clearing the image-cache and restoring it afterwards.

Another sugestion: Could you please resize the covers of the novels to their original size?
If I open any novel, its cover is expanded to fit on the screen. On my Nexus 10 this results in extremely blurry images.

i'll add an option for image scaling on the content and recheck the database code/clear images code.
What could have happened is that github may have messed up on the merge...or it may be my fault.

EDIT: finished new menu layout:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/6m4ptotj4d5ta ... -53-25.png

"lol dude all you did was change the buttons and add stuff on the right with a separator"
Yeah, because thats simple and i dont want to turn the menu (or the app) into a bloated UI just because certain thing may be pretty (and slow).
I am open for criticism/feedback on this (as we are regarding the entire app)

On the right menu:
Search; (obviously)
Bookmarks; (i think it fits)
Update History; (well... its good but i think there may be better ones)
Downloads; (was kinda obvious)
Settings; (There was nothing better).

To fix the tabbing for now, there is the same layout as the above, but with the other buttons for Teaser and Original, while Light Novels opens only one.
I am thinking about ViewFlinger for this later...
But after this ill stop messing with the UI (unless problems)

Tasks for now:
- Image resize optional
- check database and image clear codes
- Manual add crash

[Bloodscythe]

Hmmm... it looks you have a search on the upper right hand corner of your screen as well. I wonder, is that search special or something?
For settings, wouldn't the ever ambiguous gears fit? Settings looks like ratings or stats.
Updates look like well an update. I wonder if you could do that *thing* where you put a small number above the icon to show how many updates you have?
Well, whatever the case, the icons do seem to be better then the, admittedly, cluttered sub? menu.

The new UI kind of looks confusing to newcomers, right? Maybe you could try putting the name of the icons function under each one. Of course, if it turns out horrible, then just stick with the original game plan.

[Erakk]

Hmmm... it looks you have a search on the upper right hand corner of your screen as well. I wonder, is that search special or something?
For settings, wouldn't the ever ambiguous gears fit? Settings looks like ratings or stats.
Updates look like well an update. I wonder if you could do that *thing* where you put a small number above the icon to show how many updates you have?
Well, whatever the case, the icons do seem to be better then the, admittedly, cluttered sub? menu.

The new UI kind of looks confusing to newcomers, right? Maybe you could try putting the name of the icons function under each one. Of course, if it turns out horrible, then just stick with the original game plan.

I just changed the settings for something more "settings like". The old icon was hard to understand.

There are no gears in the SDK icons archive, and i tried looking for one on the net but they were all ugly or didnt fit the UI style.

Actually, putting a number over the updates (and maybe over the downloads) is quite easy to do.

What i can also do is to show some text about what the icons are when the user enters the UI. or touches somewhere (like a Interrogation icon).
I can also make that side bar optional (which i might do).

About your last comment: do you mean, you enjoyed/prefer/found interesting the idea of using dynamic buttons (that are hidden but appear when some event happens) for certain options of the menu?
(Like the go top/bottom buttons. they are optional also)
I personally liked that idea.
On the next patch, when i subclass the webView i might add some gesture options.

[Nandaka]

I just installed the latest version of the app, but the problem with the NullPointerException is not fixed.

Here's what I noticed:
The novel-db is located in Android/data/com.erakk.lnreader/files/databases. The pictures are located in com.erakk.lnreader/files/project/images.
If I go to the settings and clear the image-cache, it does not only clear the images-folder, but everything in com.erakk.lnreader. Afterwards the com.erakk.lnreader folder is empty.
If I then click on the novel-list, it throws a NullPointerException. If I click on the watchlist, it throws an sql-exception and writes that it can't open the database.

The only solution is to backup the novel database before clearing the image-cache and restoring it afterwards.

Weird, mine is saved in /mnt/sdcard/Android/data/com.erakk.lnreader/databases, no /files/ subfolder.

This is the latest version from Erakk: https://www.dropbox.com/s/jogl04j163zo3 ... tivity.apk (build 31)

[Bloodscythe]

@Nandaka
I tried clearing image cache as well, and sure enough, it could not load any novels.
I then used a file explorer to check android/data/com.erakk.lnreader and found there were NO files. It does indeed seem that clearing image cache deletes all the files.
Note: I am using test build 31. It seems each android system has a unique way of storing data in the internal sd card as my images are located in dfferent folders then yours.

@Erakk
Dynamic buttons sound great to me but I'm only one person so it might not appeal to others. I'm actually not sure how dynamic buttons could be incorporated into the menus but I'm sure you'll be able to think up of something. Something like when you have updates, the updates icon will appear and the same thing for downloads too.
By the way, always in the KEEP AWAKE description is spelt "allways". I've been meaning to report that for some time...

[Erakk]

By the way, always in the KEEP AWAKE description is spelt "allways". I've been meaning to report that for some time...

Kek!
fixin'...
*whistles*

@Database problem: Fixed. I changed the delete method so it will delete inside projects instead of files.