Another test release

[kolbysoft]

I've uploaded yet another version. Added some more control of the soft
keyboard behavior, show/hide automatically on focus, back button hides
keyboard without affecting anything else. I can't test the landscape
mode in the emulator, so I'm not sure if the url input has gotten any
better, it should have a button to exit.

Michael

[jl]

> show/hide automatically on focus

It doesn't work all the time but since it sufficient to press
the input field it's not a problem. Actually I'm not sure the show
on focus is a good idea. When there are multiple input fields
in a form and you want move the focus over several fields with
the mouse to get to a specific field, you get the keyboard on the
first field and can't get out of it except through the back key.

> back button hides keyboard without affecting anything else.

This works the first time. If you click on the input field once more
to get the virtual keyboard then press the back key you get back
to the previous page. Strange.

> I can't test the landscape mode in the emulator, so I'm not sure
> if the url input has gotten any better, it should have a button to exit.

The url input has a Quit button. But it has the same effect as the
Enter key; I would expect it to have the same effect as the Back key
(removing the virtual keyboard). If you do want the same effect as
the Enter key I would simply remove this button.

> auto-rotate settings are gone (use the phone settings)

Steel still auto-rotates even when the global phone settings disallow
this, and even after exiting and restarting Steel.

Jean-loup

[kolbysoft]

OK, I'm having a hard time at the moment with the soft keyboard.
I've uploaded a new version, where the back key should work, not just
on the first time.
There's a cancel button now, and it should work as such.

If you want to move over several fields, can't you just use the
trackball? Or are you talking about landscape mode, where the input
fields get extracted?

The auto-rotate has been set to "user"; hopefully it follows the
settings of the phone now.

I've been thinking about the downloads a little more, I like the idea
of making it a window, possibly a simple dynamic web page. The
download management can easily be turned into a service, so it would
work even after Steel stops. I try to avoid using the notification bar
because of the fullscreen issue. I also try to avoid making the
downloads "re-entrant", being able to pause and resume them later,
that would require a lot more state to be saved, and a more
sophisticated http protocol handler.

Michael

[kolbysoft]

One issue I noticed is that the SK pops up on the settings page, no
idea why, and pressing back closes the settings page itself.
Michael

[jl]

> I've uploaded a new version, where the back key should work, not just
> on the first time.

It still goes back to the previous page the second time.

> There's a cancel button now, and it should work as such.

It works. It is present only in landscape orientation. In portrait
orientation the back key works.

> If you want to move over several fields, can't you just use the
> trackball?

I meant the trackball (I wrote "mouse" instead). With the trackball,
you cannot move over several fields. You get stuck with the
virtual keyboard that pops up as soon as you go over the first
field.

I like the "show keyboard on focus" less and less, because it
doesn't work well in landscape orientation. For example to add a
bookmark you cannot avoid getting the keyboard twice even if you
don't want to change anything. You have to click Next then Done
then Add instead of just Add, because the Add button becomes
visible only after you have discarded the keyboard twice.
I suggest leaving the default behavior to get the keyboard on
explicit selection by pressing on the field, rather than just on
focus. That's what you had on the very first cupcake version of
Steel, and it worked better.

> The auto-rotate has been set to "user"; hopefully it follows the
> settings of the phone now.

It does now.

> I also try to avoid making the downloads "re-entrant", being
> able to pause and resume them later, that would require a lot
> more state to be saved, and a more sophisticated http protocol
> handler.

A way to cancel the download would be nice though.

> One issue I noticed is that the SK pops up on the settings page, no
> idea why, and pressing back closes the settings page itself.

I can't reproduce this.

Apart from the show keyboard on focus, the latest version is quite
good. Thanks again!

Jean-loup

[schwiz]

Just got 1.5 installed today and the latest version of steel on your
site is working great. I have a few suggestions, if google released
the API to copy text to the clipboard like the built in browser can
do, I would implement that right away :) and the ability to share
webpages with any app that uses the share intent (gmail, twitdroid,
anyclip, etc) 2 great new features on the built in browser. Also, I
really like how you added the .com button to the virtual keyboard, I
just suggest making it saw www. (or .org or something!) when you press
alt. I am super happy you added the exit on long press back button
feature I requested <3
Keep up the good work!
Schwiz

[kolbysoft]

I'm working on the text selection and search in the web page right
now. Again, Google has not made the API they're using public, so I
have to try and work around that restriction. Sigh.

The keyboard is the standard cupcake keyboard, I have not added any
buttons, those just show up on url text fields. I have little to no
control over those keys other than the action button. Usually, you
don't have to type www. before an address, it gets added
automatically. You also don't really need to type .com at the end,
those are the defaults (if you just type "wired" it should go to
www.wired.com).

I'll look into the share option, need to find the intent the defautl
browser is launching.

Michael