Turning the screen off (not backlight) - MDA, XDA, 1010 General

Is there a way to turn off, not the backlight, not the pda, but just the screen?
All I know is, I have Linux on my ipaqs, and you can turn off just the screen (the backlight will be off too of course), to save battery power. I usually do this when I'm listening to mp3 with it.
I imagine the hardware itself is capable to do this, but pocketpc by default does not have such an option. Now I'm wondering if pocketpc has exposed any APIs to do this.
Thanks.

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I just know PocketDiVX in the new ROM can map a button to do this. No idea how to do it from code though...

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this works on my xda with media player
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/gazzaman2k//a/Software/Display off.zip

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Apart from setting the power pref's in system/settings, no such luck ... I've searched the XDA for a program that does this with no luck.
Has anyone found a ROM link ?

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I like and use Pocket Toolman
http://members.shaw.ca/pockettoolman/
HTH

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here's one that's hopefully the answer to your request. the file is called sleepscreen and it does exactly what you mentioned; turns off the screen while applications are running. i've installed it in my "start" menu so that anytime i want to switch off the screen i can do so.
when you click on the icon on your start menu; the screen goes blank and if you'll notice the LED of the xda is blinking...meaning apps are running while the screen is off. all you have to do to activate the screen is press any button (e.g. the contacts or calendar button)...but DON'T hit the power button because that switches off all the apps running.
how do i attach the file in this forum? it's only 24kb zipped. or give me your email address and i'll mail it to you.
hope that helps mate!

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Code:
// offDisplay.cpp : Defines the entry point for the application.
//
#include "stdafx.h"
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <nled.h>
// LED support
extern "C" BOOL NLedGetDeviceInfo(INT nID, PVOID pOutput);
extern "C" BOOL NLedSetDevice(INT nID, PVOID pOutput);
// GDI Escapes for ExtEscape()
#define QUERYESCSUPPORT 8
// The following are unique to CE
#define GETVFRAMEPHYSICAL 6144
#define GETVFRAMELEN 6145
#define DBGDRIVERSTAT 6146
#define SETPOWERMANAGEMENT 6147
#define GETPOWERMANAGEMENT 6148
typedef enum _VIDEO_POWER_STATE {
VideoPowerOn = 1,
VideoPowerStandBy,
VideoPowerSuspend,
VideoPowerOff
} VIDEO_POWER_STATE, *PVIDEO_POWER_STATE;
typedef struct _VIDEO_POWER_MANAGEMENT {
ULONG Length;
ULONG DPMSVersion;
ULONG PowerState;
} VIDEO_POWER_MANAGEMENT, *PVIDEO_POWER_MANAGEMENT;
// LED handling functions
int GetLedCount()
{
NLED_COUNT_INFO nci;
int wCount = 0;
if(NLedGetDeviceInfo(NLED_COUNT_INFO_ID, (PVOID) &nci))
wCount = (int) nci.cLeds;
return wCount;
}
void SetLedStatus(int wLed, int wStatus)
{
NLED_SETTINGS_INFO nsi;
nsi.LedNum = (INT) wLed;
nsi.OffOnBlink = (INT) wStatus;
NLedSetDevice(NLED_SETTINGS_INFO_ID, &nsi);
}
int WINAPI WinMain ( HINSTANCE hInstance, HINSTANCE hPrevInstance,
LPWSTR pszCommandLine, int nCommandShow)
{
HDC gdc;
int iESC=SETPOWERMANAGEMENT;
gdc = ::GetDC(NULL);
if (ExtEscape(gdc, QUERYESCSUPPORT, sizeof(int), (LPCSTR)&iESC, 0, NULL)==0)
MessageBox(NULL, L"Sorry, your Pocket PC does not support toggleDisplay",
L"Pocket PC toggleDisplay",
MB_OK);
else
{
VIDEO_POWER_MANAGEMENT vpm;
ExtEscape(gdc, GETPOWERMANAGEMENT, 0, 0, sizeof(vpm), (char *) &vpm);
if (vpm.PowerState == VideoPowerOff) {
vpm.Length = sizeof(VIDEO_POWER_MANAGEMENT);
vpm.DPMSVersion = 0x0001;
vpm.PowerState = VideoPowerOn;
ExtEscape(gdc, SETPOWERMANAGEMENT, vpm.Length, (LPCSTR) &vpm, 0, NULL);
if (GetLedCount()) {
SetLedStatus(0, 0);
}
} else {
vpm.Length = sizeof(VIDEO_POWER_MANAGEMENT);
vpm.DPMSVersion = 0x0001;
vpm.PowerState = VideoPowerOff;
ExtEscape(gdc, SETPOWERMANAGEMENT, vpm.Length, (LPCSTR) &vpm, 0, NULL);
if (GetLedCount()) {
SetLedStatus(0, 1);
}
}
::ReleaseDC(NULL, gdc);
}
return 0;
}

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uff, binaries for arm, probably compiled with debug on
but who cares with such a BIG file
http://pgate.host.sk/toggleDisplay.exe [4kB]

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pigeon said:
Is there a way to turn off, not the backlight, not the pda, but just the screen?
I came across some silly software named PocketLight or PocketTorch or so, just can't find it right now. It turns off the screen but the backlight stays on. This way you can use your PDA as a light source in case you lost something in the dark ....
Is that what you're looking for?
Martin
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

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i have a free program for this but i dont know how to upload it

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http://www.mywirelessoffice.com/xda/screenoff.zip

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Thanks emilk
Adrian

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emilk said:
uff, binaries for arm, probably compiled with debug on
but who cares with such a BIG file
http://pgate.host.sk/toggleDisplay.exe [4kB]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cant link to that exe file, I get a "not authorised", error message.

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I know, my webhosting is not perfect
SOLUTION: when I use rightclick and choose 'save target as..'
it goes through
if you are unsuccesful with linking, that was probably intention
of my provider

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Just press and hold the power button, this allows Windows Media Player to still play my mp3's but turns off my screen to reserve power.
Simply as that.
Mike

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MIke Gascoigne said:
Just press and hold the power button, this allows Windows Media Player to still play my mp3's but turns off my screen to reserve power.
Simply as that.
Mike
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I press and hold the power button, it turns off only the backlight, not the screen.

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Sorry, just press the power button, this turns the screen off, DONT HOLD IT as I told you to do before.
Just press it!
Mike

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That suspends the device. It doesn't just turn off the screen.

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If I have Media Player turned on and I just tap the power it turns off the whole device (MP3 player too)