Sweeter Home 2 Manual?

[kodiak799]

Two days with the new BB Froyo edition and now Sweeterhome has released an update!!!

Doesn't seem to be anything special, although the memory management is improved - things look more stable for me (and faster), not a lot but maybe enough. But I had to ditch the imageblocks and settle for ugly backgrounds on all except my main screen on the last version because of instability. In the new version I couldn't get imageblocks to work at all.

 

[kodiak799]

Any secrets for landscape mode. I created my theme in portrait and when I turn to landscape it gets all freaky.

Can I also do up another screen and when turned sideways that's the default screen?

By default, turning to landscape will simply try to "adjust" your portrait layout.

Personally, I rarely use landscape anymore except for videos and the some web browsing (when not optimized for mobile viewing).

But in edit mode, you can actually attach separate themes to portrait view and landscape. Been a while since I tested, but when you turn the phone to landscape and go to edit, it will load the portrait by default (good tihng to start with), however you should get an option somewhere to create/save a separate them for landscape.

I thought about doing that, but won't bother with it now. Besides, I can only imagine what having two monster themes loaded would do to stability.

 

[grimloktt]

Anyone know how to create a notification button to pull down the blind? Home++ has one.

 

[grimloktt]

I tried to use the picture frame widget. It really makes the launcher lag to the point of not really working. Any thoughts? Is that normal?

I also tried the insert picture option under edit mode to no avail...

 

[kodiak799]

I tried to use the picture frame widget. It really makes the launcher lag to the point of not really working. Any thoughts? Is that normal?

I also tried the insert picture option under edit mode to no avail...

Yeah, same issues here. Makes the editor lag with more than a few full-screen image blocks. Seems to run ok until you start loading a bunch of other stuff.

I think this is somewhat of a separate issue, but best explanation is Davlik java sets a limit of 30megs for bitmaps, and if you load-up Sweeterhome with a bunch of widgets and objects it's not difficult to bump into that limit. You can change your preferences to increase bitmap limit size, but you still can't exceed Davlik's 30meg limit and expect to have stability. Now, near as I can tell, each full-screen image block is huge as far as bitmap goes, must take up like 4 megs each.

That's why in my theme I only have wallpaper on my "base" screen because I had to delete image blocks to have wallpaper on the others to cover-up "active" widgets in the background on lower levels. Trying to add them again with the new Sweeterhome update but already seeing the lag and expecting the same results as before.

I could solve my wallpaper issue if I put my "base" screen in the same group as my 4 menu buttons, but then it gets minimized and I don't like having to click the screen to turn that base widget back on all the time. I'm sure there is another way to do what I'm trying but haven't figured it out yet.

 

[kodiak799]

Anyone know how to create a notification button to pull down the blind? Home++ has one.

Yeah, there is a market app that does the same thing (ugly ! icon). Forget the name, do a search in the market. Then just add a small 1x1 custom tray and add that app to it (I did the same thing with my settings button so it looks like a widget but it's actually an app icon).

Another tip: With custom trays, be sure to select "embed". I discovered after re-loading Sweeterhome (which happens when you upgrade roms, or like with the SH recent update) and then loading my theme that the custom trays I neglected to set-up to embed lose all the apps I had attached to them.

 

[grimloktt]

Anyone know how to create a notification button to pull down the blind? Home++ has one.

Yeah, there is a market app that does the same thing (ugly ! icon). Forget the name, do a search in the market. Then just add a small 1x1 custom tray and add that app to it (I did the same thing with my settings button so it looks like a widget but it's actually an app icon).

Another tip: With custom trays, be sure to select "embed". I discovered after re-loading Sweeterhome (which happens when you upgrade roms, or like with the SH recent update) and then loading my theme that the custom trays I neglected to set-up to embed lose all the apps I had attached to them.

Good info.

I tried to search for notification and nothing showed. Do you know the name?

The tip about embed was priceless. I was wondering about that...and the other options that are there (can't remember what they are right now).

 

[grimloktt]

I tried to use the picture frame widget. It really makes the launcher lag to the point of not really working. Any thoughts? Is that normal?

I also tried the insert picture option under edit mode to no avail...

Yeah, same issues here. Makes the editor lag with more than a few full-screen image blocks. Seems to run ok until you start loading a bunch of other stuff.

I think this is somewhat of a separate issue, but best explanation is Davlik java sets a limit of 30megs for bitmaps, and if you load-up Sweeterhome with a bunch of widgets and objects it's not difficult to bump into that limit. You can change your preferences to increase bitmap limit size, but you still can't exceed Davlik's 30meg limit and expect to have stability. Now, near as I can tell, each full-screen image block is huge as far as bitmap goes, must take up like 4 megs each.

That's why in my theme I only have wallpaper on my "base" screen because I had to delete image blocks to have wallpaper on the others to cover-up "active" widgets in the background on lower levels. Trying to add them again with the new Sweeterhome update but already seeing the lag and expecting the same results as before.

I could solve my wallpaper issue if I put my "base" screen in the same group as my 4 menu buttons, but then it gets minimized and I don't like having to click the screen to turn that base widget back on all the time. I'm sure there is another way to do what I'm trying but haven't figured it out yet.

OK. This was a little confusing. I understand the megs limits. I'm not quite sure about your set-up. First, you're saying that you don't have a full wallpaper...just something for your home screen? If so, how did you do that? Are the other screens white?

Why do you have to cover active widgets with wallpaper? What does that do for you? How do you use them?

Thnx for taking the time to share!

 

[kodiak799]

Why do you have to cover active widgets with wallpaper? What does that do for you? How do you use them?

Thnx for taking the time to share!

I am using just one screen, with widget and trays on different layers. I use a lockscreen on a level above so this stuff is not active (otherwise with no object above them you would still launch them when you touch the screen over them).

Now, I normally set-up transparent lockscreens, at least that was the goal so I could see the wallpaper. So as a result darker widgets or widgets with nothing above still show through. I use to place an image block over showing my wallpaper - worked great until I started smashing the bitmap limits.

Thus I had to delete the image blocks and make my lockscreens (full screen springboards that don't launch anything, just prevent activating stuff on levels below) non-transparent with some unobtrusive solid color. I chose a soft gray, but it's kind of blah. You could make them any color, black or white or whatever, but it all kind of looks like doggy-doo.

So, as a result, only my level one "lockscreen" is transparent, and by default my system wallpaper shows through.

 

[kodiak799]

I tried to search for notification and nothing showed. Do you know the name?

The tip about embed was priceless. I was wondering about that...and the other options that are there (can't remember what they are right now).

Name of the app is "HelloStatusBar".

Yeah, didn't know what "embed" was and am glad I figured that out since I dropped tagged trays (stupid SH default is to auto sync apps, so you lose customized tags when you re-install). So very happy I think I've figured out how to save the apps I dropped in various trays. As an added bonus, if you flash the rom, you can click on broken app links to search the market and load.

Now I just need to figure out what "filter content" means.

 

[grimloktt]

Why do you have to cover active widgets with wallpaper? What does that do for you? How do you use them?

Thnx for taking the time to share!

I am using just one screen, with widget and trays on different layers. I use a lockscreen on a level above so this stuff is not active (otherwise with no object above them you would still launch them when you touch the screen over them).

Now, I normally set-up transparent lockscreens, at least that was the goal so I could see the wallpaper. So as a result darker widgets or widgets with nothing above still show through. I use to place an image block over showing my wallpaper - worked great until I started smashing the bitmap limits.

Thus I had to delete the image blocks and make my lockscreens (full screen springboards that don't launch anything, just prevent activating stuff on levels below) non-transparent with some unobtrusive solid color. I chose a soft gray, but it's kind of blah. You could make them any color, black or white or whatever, but it all kind of looks like doggy-doo.

So, as a result, only my level one "lockscreen" is transparent, and by default my system wallpaper shows through.

You said "I use a lockscreen on a level above so this stuff is not active (otherwise with no object above them you would still launch them when you touch the screen over them)."

You know...I use springboards to turn widgets on and off, i.e. click on my media springboard and my "3" widget shows up. If I click on the spot where my 3 widget is before clicking on the springboard to show it, nothing happens. Did you know you could do this?

Am I misunderstanding? Why create full-screen springboards, etc? Just a different approach? It sounds like it uses more resources to design it that way...

 

[kodiak799]

Am I misunderstanding? Why create full-screen springboards, etc? Just a different approach? It sounds like it uses more resources to design it that way...

Because I have some springboards/widgets that I want on by default when other buttons are de-selected. This is the "not minimizable" functions. Because those springboards/widgets are always on, I can still see the widgets below other widgets even if they aren't active on a lower layer. And springboards that are part of different groups won't turn off the springboard you're on. You'll understand this issue as your theme gets more complicated. I'm only using 3 such springboards, and they don't seem to be as big of a drain on resources like the widgets and imageblocks.

If I didn't do it this way, I would have to press the screen to re-activate/show my main level1 springboard and widgets, for example.

 

[faithmusic]

Does running sweeterhome2 drain battery life? I seem to be needing to charge my phone twice a day now. Could it be the app?

 

[AlexSB]

Maybe if your running more than one home replacement app at a time (I was running the stock home app and launcher pro at the same time as sweeter home). What I did was download "Home Manager" to kill my other apps then went in to force stop home manager.

Other than that, the only reason I saw my battery draining in sweeter home was because I was constantly editing my theme.

 

[faithmusic]

Maybe if your running more than one home replacement app at a time (I was running the stock home app and launcher pro at the same time as sweeter home). What I did was download "Home Manager" to kill my other apps then went in to force stop home manager.

Other than that, the only reason I saw my battery draining in sweeter home was because I was constantly editing my theme.

I will try that.
Thanks.