[Updated: Nov 14] M2D App Launcher (Added New Features: See Video Presentation) - Windows Mobile Apps and Games

14 Nov 2008 Update: build 11142008 attached. Added Copy/Move Feature (Tap-and-Hold and Drag-and-Drop feature). See Change log on post#2 for more details.
Watch Video presentation : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXOeJ4-zDW4
NOTE: Please download the latest build 11142008 at this time. I'm just keeping the older versions (see attachments) for history purposes only.
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06 Nov 2008 Update: build 11062008 attached. Change log on post#2.
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Application launcher that LOOKS and FEELS like M2D!
Got some free time so I decided to write an application to replace the M2D's "All Programs" application launcher. Basically, this replaces the folderview.exe in your \Windows directory.
NOTE: Hence, this would only work if you have M2D running on your device!
NOTE: I implemented a finger scroll algorithm. So, if you are running FTouchflo or FTouchSL, please include folderview.exe in the exemptions list.
Features:
1) Interface is very similar to M2D. It uses the graphics of your current M2D theme. If you change your theme, you can exit the app launcher and re-launch in order to effect the changes.
2) Navigation is very much similar to M2D. You can scroll up and down the list or drag-scroll the tab icon bar. The icons in the tab bar represents the folders of your Start Menu; the "Main" category represents links in the root of Programs folder. (Limitation: It only reads the folders under \Windows\Start Menu\Programs. Sub-folders are ignored.) You can alternatively use the D-Pad: Up and Down moves up and down the items; while, Left and Right moves through the folders.
3) It uses you current custom folder icons (icons.lnk). If you want to customize your folder icons, just do a search on how to do it. It has been discussed several times in the past. In order to customize the "Main" category (or Root of Start Menu\Programs), just drop an icon.lnk on your \Windows\Start Menu\Programs\ folder.
4) Wherever/whenever possible, I wrote the code to be compatible with any screen resolution/orientation. But, I tested this only on my device (Hermes, QVGA device). Feedbacks are appreciated.
Screenshots:
Using Diamond M2D Skin:
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Using Deault M2D Skin:
How to install:
1) Copy the attached cab file.
2) IMPORTANT: Make sure folderview.exe is not running on your device. You can use a good task manager to close/kill folderview.exe (or install attached cab file right after a softreset.); otherwise, installation will fail.
3) Copy the cab file to your device and execute to install.
4) Requires netcf 2.0 or higher.
NOTE #1: I implemented a finger scroll algorithm. So, if you are running FTouchflo or FTouchSL, please include folderview.exe in the exemptions list.
NOTE #2: Build 11042008 doesn't have file checking (will fix that soon). SO, if your M2D graphics files are not in the root of \Windows folder, this will crash. Make sure the graphics files needed by this app are in \Windows folder:
1) "hh_fw_tabbtn.png"
2) "hh_fw_tabbtn_mask.png"
3) "hh_fw_background.png"
4) "hh_fw_background.png"
5) "hh_fw_title.png"
6) "hh_fw_tab_bg_fill.png"
7) "HH_SETTINGS_FOCUSEDBAR.bmp"
8) "HH_SETTINGS_SEPARATOR.bmp"
9) "HH_SETTINGS_SEPARATOR_MASK.bmp"
NOTE #3: Before installing, try to use the built-in File Explorer (or Resco Explorer, etc.) and navigate to your \Windows directory. If it takes you a long time loading the \Windows folder as in more than 10 seconds (!), then this application is "unusable" to you as you may experince noticeable lags as it accesses your \Windows folder often. Based on experience, M2D cooked in to the rom is a lot lot faster than installing it via cab.
Enjoy!

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Change log:
Build 11142008:
1) New feature: Copy and Move links between folders. Please see video presentation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXOeJ4-zDW4
NOTE: Tap-and-hold on a link and drag-and-drop to COPY or MOVE to a specific folder. Default is "MOVE TO" but you can drag the icon to "COPY TO" if you are copying the link to a folder.
2) Faster and smoother scrolling.
3) Same as build 11142008, your M2D graphics files should be in \Windows folder. Otherwise, it will crash.
Build 11062008:
1) Fixed some bugs.
2) Faster and smoother scrolling.
3) Same as build 11042008, your M2D graphics files should be in \Windows folder. Otherwise, it will crash.
Build 11042008:
1) build 11042008 is the initial release. So I expect some bugs. Please post feedbacks. Thanks.

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Excellent! Great job pre! Donation coming...

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AMAZING work.
thank you!

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holy ****.....thanks greatbal
me likie, me likie

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da_mayhem said:
Excellent! Great job pre! Donation coming...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the beer!

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this looks really nice, I will be trying it out later today, thanks for developing this

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matindi!
idol! great job! go pinoy!

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Wahoo!!!
good job man as usual!!!!

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WOW that looks nice! Will test soon!

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mpenguin14 said:
this looks really nice, I will be trying it out later today, thanks for developing this
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks! Please post some feedbacks soon.

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Like usuall..Awesome works..keep it up

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herg62123 said:
holy ****.....thanks greatbal
me likie, me likie
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! I really appreciate it, especially coming from the "father" of M2D on all devices!

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Its really good app launcher!!
I feel slow in the scrolling... but good work!

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Doesn´t work on my blueangel (sundreams WM 6.1)
i just get the error "an unexpected error has occured in folderview.exe.....usw"
will i need netcf 3.5 for it ?

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caballero600 said:
Its really good app launcher!!
I feel slow in the scrolling... but good work!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's because of the bitmap mask on the tab bar. Without the mask, scrolling would have been a lot lot faster. I'm using .netcf and I can't find a good class to handle bitmap masks. so i implemented it using lockbits and manipulated the pixels one-by-one. Not an elegant way of doing it, but it works well.

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wmvfan said:
Doesn´t work on my blueangel (sundreams WM 6.1)
i just get the error "an unexpected error has occured in folderview.exe.....usw"
will i need netcf 3.5 for it ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
netcf version 2.0 or higher is required.

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this looks great. Can't try it yet because I'm trying out m3d, which made of think that this would also be great if you could run it as a stand alone app-launcher (a program that could be run outside of m2d).
I've been looking for an app launcher like this that simply follows the folder structure of my programs folder. It would be great if we could have it as a program and therefore run it from a hw button. Thanks and great job!

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Looks cool, wonder if anyone has a Japanese Rom

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greatbal said:
netcf version 2.0 or higher is required.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi
I've got the same problem.
Looking into the Exception, I noticed it's actually a "FileNotFound" Exception...
I've got .NET CF 3.5 up and running on my device (HTC Prophet G4).
Is there any additional file to install beside the cab ?
Thanks in advance for your help
Cheers