Observations of Home ++ and request

[Johnny Swindle]

I am using build 29 of Home++ and have noticed the following:

When the phone has been idle for an extended period of time and I am
attempting to add a shortcut to a screen, then is a significant delay
(7+ seconds) before the application list is displayed. Once the
application list displays, I don't experience any problems. If I
immediately add additional shortcuts, the delay is minimal. There is
no delay using the default home app or with a home replacement know as
PandaHome. I have not tested any other home screen replacements.

I have one request:

The power strip and having the full screen is good, however, but
having the ability to view the notification bar without pressing a
button is extremely helpful. Would this something that could be
configurable?

Keep

[grant_monster300]

If you hold down the notification key on the power bar the
notification bar should stay permanently. Do the same to re-hide it.

[Cédric Berger]

On Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 20:34, Johnny Swindle <johnny....@gmail.com> wrote:

When the phone has been idle for an extended period of time and I am
attempting to add a shortcut to a screen, then is a significant delay
(7+ seconds) before the application list is displayed. Once the
application list displays, I don't experience any problems.  If I
immediately add additional shortcuts, the delay is minimal.  There is
no delay using the default home app or with a home replacement know as
PandaHome.  I have not tested any other home screen replacements.

I think this a a feature (one I personally like a lot) : lazy loading of app list.

With others Home applications, the list is constructed even if you do not use it. So it slows down the phone a lot each time home is restarted (ex. after it was killed from memory to allow ather apps to run).

But maybe if you check "safe mode" in Home++ settings, it will behave like the standard home (it used to).

(And anyway, the construction of this list is really inefficient... it takes ages each time. There should be a cache stored on flash memory I would say....

And, for example, App Organizer constructs its list much faster (though I still do not want it to be done each time I come back to Home).

[Jon]

The dev has stated in previous threads something about lazy loading. I
think you are correct to assume that enabling safe mode will speed
things up a bit. I have no choice but to use safe mode, because I have
the problem of apps not showing up at all when it's disabled. Give
safe mode a try and let the rest of us know if that makes it better!

On Jan 12, 4:15 am, Cédric Berger <cedric.berge...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Cédric Berger]

On Tue, Jan 12, 2010 at 13:21, Jon <jonjoh...@gmail.com> wrote:

The dev has stated in previous threads something about lazy loading. I
think you are correct to assume that enabling safe mode will speed
things up a bit. I have no choice but to use safe mode, because I have
the problem of apps not showing up at all when it's disabled. Give
safe mode a try and let the rest of us know if that makes it better!

Just to clarify, in my case Safe Mode slows things down.... since each time Home++ restarts it will reconstruct the app list.

It can be something like 20 seconds with unresponsive home ! For nothing since I do not use app list anymore (but shortcuts and App Organizer instead)

But yes, when you want to use this drawer app list, Safe mode may be faster since it will have been constructed ahead of time...

[Caleb Warta]

safe mode + persistent mode should keep it from making the list to often

2010/1/12 Cédric Berger <cedric....@gmail.com>:

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[Cédric Berger]

On Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 18:10, Caleb Warta <tek...@gmail.com> wrote:
> safe mode + persistent mode should keep it from making the list to often
>

Depending on how you use your phone.

I really often run short of memory so Home is to be restarted often.
And generally by definition it is when you are using other apps and
need resources.... so adding work to do for Home is annoying,
especially if you just go to home to select another program.

ex. using browser (memory eater-> "killed" home), want to go to maps
so press home [wait 30 s so that home is responsive], select maps
shortcut....
(and when in the middle of this you receive a call.... chances are you
miss it, because of your sooo slow phone)

I do not use persitent mode because running low on memory often, I
consider Home as something not so usefull (while your doing something
else !), so should be ok to "kill". Persisent would just cause other
apps to be killed first I guess (anoying for ex. when you go back to
browser and lost your tabs), and also maybe cause background process
to be killed earlier (and they are meant to be usefull in background,
unlike Home...)

[Jon]

There are several threads in various other places (including a link to
one in the news section of our dev's website) that state that Google
has announced that future upgrades of Android will allow users to
store encrypted apps onto the removable SD card, instead of he
pitifully tiny phone storage.

I'm a big believer in keeping my phone as clean and fast as possible,
so I limit the apps I put on it/ keep on it, so this is really not an
issue for me, although I'd definitely have WAY more if I had more room
for them.

If you're running so many apps that you're running low on memory, I'm
guessing there's a good chance you're more hardcore of a user than me,
and I would suggest you consider rooting your phone to give you a head
start on storing apps to the SD card, as well as more advanced control
over the CPU and customization.

Or you could be like me and force yourself to decide which apps are
most important to you and clear some space while waiting for Google to
help us out...

On Jan 14, 12:21 pm, Cédric Berger <cedric.berge...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Cédric Berger]

Yes I have to often make choices to keep some free space in internal memory.

But here the problem is about RAM, not the number of installed apps
which consume internal flash memory. (oh of course if a lot are
background running ones you're quickly screwed)

But yes number off apps installed matters in this particular Home
problem, since the Launcher list become really big and long to
reconstruct (even maybe more memory consuming). having apps on sd
won't help.. will just get worse since app list will be even
bigger....

[Jon]

I see. What's it like on stock home?

[Cédric Berger]

That's what I like with Home++ : I can force lazy loading for Launcher slider.

Stock home became too slow because at each restart it reconstructed
the entire slider (ex 30 or 60 seconds !!) . And anyway I did not use
the slider too much because :
- not really easy to use with a lot of apps.
- often not ready yet (list not finished to be constructed), then you
can just see it struggle to be filled.... and trying to press an app
shortcut (if already listed) you often press another since it is
"moving" (new apps shortucts appearing here and there...)
in brief : home not really useable anymore....

And also I already stopped using stock desktop folders, because it
looks like they also slowed down Home starting : full reconstruction
even if you won't open them. So I use Apps Organizer for the same
reason : lasy loading.
Only thing I miss sometimes : to add an app shortcut on desktop, I
think I can't from Apps Organizer folders. (mmmm time to request for
this feature I guess)

[Jon]

Good idea! Forgive me if you've already posted it somewhere else, but
what phone are you using?

[Cédric Berger]

HTC Magic (french SFR)
(same hardware as myTouch 3G)

[Intuitit]

On Jan 14, 11:44 pm, Cédric Berger <cedric.berge...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Yes I have to often make choices to keep some free space in internal memory.
>
> But here the problem is about RAM, not the number of installed apps
> which consume internal flash memory. (oh of course if a lot are
> background running ones you're quickly screwed)
>
> But yes number off apps installed matters in this particular Home
> problem, since the Launcher list become really big and long to
> reconstruct (even maybe more memory consuming). having apps on sd
> won't help.. will just get worse since app list will be even
> bigger....
>

Exactly my concern

Months ago, someone suggested me make the power strip a separate app;
I refused. At that time, I didn't have a whole image of where home
applications go.

Now, I just have a *great idea* (at least I think so) about the niche
of power strip, please wait until the coming of my launcher listing
app :) (and I'm waiting for the nexus one launcher's source code. They
started an brand new project called Launcher2, and made an empty
initial commit 4 days ago.)

[Jon]

I'm officially excited! Can't wait to see what you come up with next!
Keep up the great work!!!

[Caleb Warta]

the launcher2 if anyone is interested in seeing what that is i have
downloaded a apk for it from a post on droidforums i think it does
look nice very excited to see what he does with this

[Jon]

Ooooo! Me! I wanna see!

> > For more options, visit this group athttp://groups.google.com/group/hpp-issues?hl=en.

[Caleb Warta]

worth installing to see but personally not worth trying to use as a home screen

http://www.droidforums.net/forum/droid-hacks/13074-2-1-launcher2-apk-now-2-0-1-2-1-app-drawer-5-screens.html

it is a pretty cool effect though

> For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/hpp-issues?hl=en.

[Jon]

I posted a link in another thread to a video showing this new launcher
and the new home and gallery. I guess I just figured I'd download it
and check it out if you had the link available.

Also, I know there was talk about 2.1 being available on the 22nd [for
select phones, obviously]. Anyone know anything about that? Trying
to decide if it's worth installing the new launcher today if I should
be getting the update tomorrow. Haha! Do you have the option to
uninstall the launcher app? I'd hate to install it and then get the
update and have that space taken up on my phone for something I've
already got...

I actually think I'd rather have the new gallery than the new
launcher. Might do some research and see about finding a link to
download that.

On Jan 21, 12:12 pm, Caleb Warta <tekh...@gmail.com> wrote:
> worth installing to see but personally not worth trying to use as a home screen
>

> http://www.droidforums.net/forum/droid-hacks/13074-2-1-launcher2-apk-...

[Caleb Warta]

have not got the update my self yet hoping it pushes out soon but when
it does its just the pre-2.1 2.1 will come a few days later

> For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/hpp-issues?hl=en.