New Baka-Tsuki Android App: Development

[Nandaka]

For android >= Honeycomb, the parent themes are Holo and Holo.Light (see: https://github.com/calvinaquino/LNReade ... styles.xml), other than that, we use custom theme derived from @android:style/Theme (See: https://github.com/calvinaquino/LNReade ... styles.xml). At least in my device (HP Touchpad/CM9), I got grey for the background.

For color theme in Novel Content is ruled by css (see: https://github.com/calvinaquino/LNReade ... er/res/raw)

Anyway, got screen shot for your changes?

I'm agree to change the activities to Fragment (from android-support-v4), so even the older android can use it, maybe add ActionBarSherlock (http://actionbarsherlock.com/) for action bar too.

For the ListView Items:
Before:

Spoiler! :

After:

Spoiler! :

I also made some brief changes to the CSS, if you are interested. (And yes, I double-backed on my word about white backgrounds).
Code: style.css

Spoiler! :

Code: Select all

body {
 background-color: #ffffff;
 color: #000000;
 margin: 10mm !important;
 word-wrap:break-word !important;
}

/* For Novel content parsing */
.mw-headline{
	font-family: Georgia,serif;
}

p {
	font-family: Georgia, serif;
	line-height:200%;
}

Before:

Spoiler! :

After:

Spoiler! :

Can you send a pull request from your repo?

[Erakk]

@Thatdot7 Your ideas are welcome =)

@Nandaka are we putting any other features/changes? i think it's about time for a release (lets get it stable first) =D

I am just finishing the setup of the SDK on my newly downgraded windows 7 so i can get into it.
I got some main menu redesign but it's not opmized for white background. But i might do just that.

I am seriouslly getting tired of this OS crapping on my nervers and thinking of going for Linux.

EDIT:
build 34
https://www.dropbox.com/s/0i6cnmy4rv0tr ... 1-0-34.apk

Older builds (from 31)
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/h3apg0f6kapyyr1/1XqSt3a0Vq

NOTE: it might not install over a previous installation if you've been getting it from me/dropbox.
That is because, due to my windows problem, i had to reinstall my SDK so the debug key is different.
Before installing this, just backup your database, then delete the app.
Install this one and restore your database.

[Bloodscythe]

Er.. Never mind. Guess I was just too fast.
Okay!
Will edit this post and report back after a thorough playthrough! :)

[Erakk]

Dropbox says: File has been deleted or moved.
.......?

I was reorganizing the folders =) Try again

NOTE: if you find something that should be changed but didnt, (like you told me something earlier) Thats because... since my OS was corrupted, i lost my files, and my Task list on dropbox wasnt updated (dunno why)

[Bloodscythe]

Yeah, I have to admit the new Main Menu is a lot more better. Now, there's much not fumbling around with menus and sub menus.
Although, it was unfortunate the Main, teaser and original list couldn't be consiladated into one menu, its not a major disappointment. I'm sure it'll be there someday. Well, fingers crossed.
The new loading bar in chapters at top of the screen is nice too.
I'm a bit sploit for choice between normal and justified text.
Justified looks cleaner but I'm used to normal.... decisions, decisions.
Anyway, yeah, no problems detected so far of the new main menu or anything.
Great Job, Devs!
Notes: External Chapters are now working! It brings up the web page itself inside the app. MUCH better then reading in the web browser.

[Erakk]

It doesn't supports white theme yet, because some stuff in there are images (white images, in a white background...)
I am going to leave the lists as that for now, and if we get a stable build, release it.
(Some guy rated one because there was no update yet... lol =D but it's not the reason)

EDIT: I just found a simple way to ship the app with a built in database, to eliminate "first time slow loading" on the lists.

[Bloodscythe]

It already seems pretty stable to me even on my crappy low end phone. I don't really get force closes but maybe that's because I've accepted this low end phone is slow and will always be.
As for some others...

"I should be able to run this app with Facebook, Twitter and Skype all running in the background. I find it inexcusable that I'd have to take 5 minutes off socializing to read a novel. I should also be able to watch Youtube Videos and download apps all in the background without this app crashing on my low end phone"

..........No, that's impossible, no one would force their phone to go that far right?

[Erakk]

It already seems pretty stable to me even on my crappy low end phone. I don't really get force closes but maybe that's because I've accepted this low end phone is slow and will always be.
As for some others...

"I should be able to run this app with Facebook, Twitter and Skype all running in the background. I find it inexcusable that I'd have to take 5 minutes off socializing to read a novel. I should also be able to watch Youtube Videos and download apps all in the background without this app crashing on my low end phone"

..........No, that's impossible, no one would force their phone to go that far right?

That's good to know =)
Aside from the emulators, i got a 2.3 low resolution device, 4.1.2 high res device, and 4.0 tablet 7'' for physical device testing, so i think in relation to the UI, i might have it all covered.

As for using all that while reading... i don't know what to say, but even if you could do that, it would kill the device's battery in minutes so in any case, i don't recommend running all those guys at the same time, for whoever would do that =D

EDIT: new build 35 with small changes
https://www.dropbox.com/s/lgpohhthiunuy ... 1-0-35.apk
- Fixed mainMenu scrollView
- removed redundant entry on settings
- added option for cover size on novel details.

EDIT2: I am ready to pull the next update on google play, i'll just wait for Nandaka's status on this, or if anyone else has any urgent bugs to report.

[Azyrion]

hmm...I dont know when it became like this (or if it was already reported) but the "Back to" and the "Foward to" links on the buttom of the pages open now the web browser in addition to the normal page in the app.

[Nandaka]

hmm...I dont know when it became like this (or if it was already reported) but the "Back to" and the "Foward to" links on the buttom of the pages open now the web browser in addition to the normal page in the app.

Confirmed, will release a quick patch.

Changes uploaded:
- Fix external link handling
- Update style to make tab readable in white theme.

[Thatdot7]

Can you send a pull request from your repo?

I have never used GitHub before, but there is a first for everything.

I have send a pull request. Thanks for looking into my suggestions.

[Nandaka]

Can you send a pull request from your repo?

I have never used GitHub before, but there is a first for everything.

I have send a pull request. Thanks for looking into my suggestions.

Merged , I see you are using serif font (georgia). In http://baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php ... _2_Silence, they are using Times New Roman for the inner monologue, this might bit harder to differentiate with Times. Is it ok?

[Thatdot7]

Merged , I see you are using serif font (georgia). In http://baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php ... _2_Silence, they are using Times New Roman for the inner monologue, this might bit harder to differentiate with Times. Is it ok?

You pose a good point. I have sent another pull request for the CSS fonts dealing with that issue. I hope that fixes the issue completely >.<....
I am very much new to this, and I am flattered that a developer like you is giving me advice.

[Thatdot7]

I have made the Novel Chapter list a little bit more pleasing to the eyes by changing the RelativeLayout into a LinearLayout.

Here are the results:
Before:

Spoiler! :

After:

Spoiler! :

The behaviour of the icons were also changed so they are dynamically added into the ListView rather than being invisible when not on.
Though the styling may not be correct, at least the aesthetic is more manageable across more platforms. =D

Let me know if you want it.

[Erakk]

I am still going to change that layout, but your changes are welcome.

If you want, i'd like some opinions on the new main menu layout, its on build 34 and 35, which you can find the link above.

Do you think is there any other information the user would like to be shown in those lists?