Hacking iMenu for DSTwo...

[1Player]

I would love this to be available to all flashcarts because then I could use it xD.

I doubt this will work on all flash cart, this is based on the dstwo's plugin system, unless R4 or acekards has plugins that I don't know about, it will probably stay dstwo only

 

[spinal_cord]

It is designed specifically for the DSTwo, I have no plans to port it to other cards. In its current form it is mostly skinable, the two bg images are stored on the card, so are the clock numbers. As for changing the order of the icons, that might be a bit tricky.

 

[.psyched]

As always, this is awesome. Feels like a the successor to DSCovered 8D

 

[CannonFoddr]

Looks good - but just to check.. this is an alternative to the DSTwo's 'plugin menu' ???

If so - just a couple of suggestions if possible (actually 3).....
Currently, the plugin menu needs the nds file for the homebrew to be in the same folder as the necessary bmp/ini files (i.e '/_dstwoplug/' folder)

My suggestion is - allow 'iMenu' to read the same ini files in the '/_dstwoplug/' folder, but look for an extra line like 'nds=' that points to where the nds file is actually stored Meaning you don't need to stick a copy into the '/_dstwoplug/' folder

Spoiler: Current 'Colors.ini' file

[plug setting]
icon=fat1:/_dstwoplug/Colors.bmp
name=Colors

Spoiler: 'New' iMenu version of 'Colors.ini' file

[plug setting]
icon=fat1:/_dstwoplug/Colors.bmp
name=Colors
nds=/Homebrew/Colors.nds

This way people can have all their homebrew in something like a '/Homebrew/' folder on the root (or even be allowed to 'split' their hombrew into different folders like '/HBGame/','/HBApps/' etc) instead of having to have a copy of the programs all stored inside the '/_dstwoplug/' folder

Secondly, 'keyboard' access would also be nice - perhaps left/right shoulder buttons to scroll through 'pages', D-Pad to move cursor, & [ A ] to launch (or even if cursor is on right - a further D-pad right will scroll to next page, & if on left - further D-pad left will scroll left)

Thirdly, I don't want it but I'm sure some1 will - but as well as clock on top, how about options for date [Day/Month] (perhaps using same 'numbers' as 'clock') & a calender ??

 

[9th_Sage]

Pretty nice, looks like a good replacement for the plug-in menu. I think I might use this.

 

[shamiko_]

Pretty nice, looks like a good replacement for the plug-in menu. I think I might use this.

i thought this was a full firmware???
anyway i know ths wil be great snice spinals os replacements are great

 

[spinal_cord]

Pretty nice, looks like a good replacement for the plug-in menu. I think I might use this.

i thought this was a full firmware???
anyway i know ths wil be great snice spinals os replacements are great

Currently it's only a plug-in menu replacement, using a better homebrew loader so things like scummvm will load. It might get expanded in the future.

 

[jakeyjake]

Looks good - but just to check.. this is an alternative to the DSTwo's 'plugin menu' ???

If so - just a couple of suggestions if possible (actually 3).....
Currently, the plugin menu needs the nds file for the homebrew to be in the same folder as the necessary bmp/ini files (i.e '/_dstwoplug/' folder)

My suggestion is - allow 'iMenu' to read the same ini files in the '/_dstwoplug/' folder, but look for an extra line like 'nds=' that points to where the nds file is actually stored Meaning you don't need to stick a copy into the '/_dstwoplug/' folder

Spoiler: Current 'Colors.ini' file

[plug setting]
icon=fat1:/_dstwoplug/Colors.bmp
name=Colors

Spoiler: 'New' iMenu version of 'Colors.ini' file

[plug setting]
icon=fat1:/_dstwoplug/Colors.bmp
name=Colors
nds=/Homebrew/Colors.nds

This way people can have all their homebrew in something like a '/Homebrew/' folder on the root (or even be allowed to 'split' their hombrew into different folders like '/HBGame/','/HBApps/' etc) instead of having to have a copy of the programs all stored inside the '/_dstwoplug/' folder

Secondly, 'keyboard' access would also be nice - perhaps left/right shoulder buttons to scroll through 'pages', D-Pad to move cursor, & [ A ] to launch (or even if cursor is on right - a further D-pad right will scroll to next page, & if on left - further D-pad left will scroll left)

Thirdly, I don't want it but I'm sure some1 will - but as well as clock on top, how about options for date [Day/Month] (perhaps using same 'numbers' as 'clock') & a calender ??

I would like all of these

 

[naruses]

Awesome!!!!!!, are you the developer??? If so, even more Awesome

 

[Xenon++]

1. How can you load .plg file?
2. Will there be commercial loading?

 

[spinal_cord]

1. How can you load .plg file?
2. Will there be commercial loading?

1.

2. Nope, I don't think there is a way to autoboot anything with the dstwo loader

 

[Raynar]

I would like to see this now as the new menu setup compare to the current one.

 

[macgeek417]

1. How can you load .plg file?
2. Will there be commercial loading?

1.

2. Nope, I don't think there is a way to autoboot anything with the dstwo loader

Why so secretive about how you load .PLG files?
:/

 

[spinal_cord]

A few of you have suggested that this menu should work slightly different from the official one, in that an extra line should be added to the ini files, with a location to the .nds or .plg file.
Something like this...

[plug setting]
icon=/_iMenu/icons/FrodoDS.bmp
name=C64 Emulator
file=/homebrew/emulators/frodo.nds

I was considering moving away from the _dstwoplug folder and putting everything into /_iMenu, I assume people don't care either way about that, but I originally hoped to keep as much from the original system as possible just to make the transition simpler. However, with the extra features, I guess nobody would mind setting up their plugins again.

How do people feel about that?

 

[CannonFoddr]

^ personally I prefer the extra line telling where the nds is stored rather than a _dstwoplug or iMenu folder.
People can then organize however they want

It doesn't matter (I think) if us plugin makers add the extra 'file' line to our ini since it seems that the DS2 will ignore it anyway (look at Xenon++ 'SavBackup' ini to see what I mean) so those plugin will still be compatible with official firmware & with iMenu

 

[9th_Sage]

A few of you have suggested that this menu should work slightly different from the official one, in that an extra line should be added to the ini files, with a location to the .nds or .plg file.
Something like this...

[plug setting]
icon=/_iMenu/icons/FrodoDS.bmp
name=C64 Emulator
file=/homebrew/emulators/frodo.nds

I was considering moving away from the _dstwoplug folder and putting everything into /_iMenu, I assume people don't care either way about that, but I originally hoped to keep as much from the original system as possible just to make the transition simpler. However, with the extra features, I guess nobody would mind setting up their plugins again.

How do people feel about that?

I would rather like being able to switch back and forth on a whim (so I vote for dstwoplug folder).

 

[macgeek417]

Here's another feature idea: Let you change the orders of the icons, and since this seems to be touch-screen only, some sort of D-pad support. Also, you could make where it stores the plugins customizable - just let the user choose in a settings area or something.

 

[Terminator02]

If the menu is really as smooth as that video you posted I will love you FOREVER.

A few questions:
1. when you try to scroll on the icons themselves do they accidently load? (happens all the item on the official DSTWO menu, so I have to scroll above the icons)

2. how many different files can you put an icon to in that menu? (the official has a limit)

3. will there be folders like in iOS 4

4. will it be possible to move icons? (like on an iPhone when you hold down on one of them)

also, i second this and this

 

[spinal_cord]

If the menu is really as smooth as that video you posted I will love you FOREVER.

So far, its still that smooth..

A few questions:
1. when you try to scroll on the icons themselves do they accidently load? (happens all the item on the official DSTWO menu, so I have to scroll above the icons)

Nope, no accidental icon loading. That was the main reason I started this project, I don't like the current state of the plugin menu.

2. how many different files can you put an icon to in that menu? (the official has a limit)

currently, 200, but that should change, I have just started porting it to the DSTwo SDK, so that limit will probably double or even more

QUOTE(Terminator02 @ Aug 29 2010, 08:43 PM) 3. will there be folders like in iOS 4

I can't really think of a reason for them, but it's not entirely out of the question. I just depends how difficult it would be to implement.

QUOTE(Terminator02 @ Aug 29 2010, 08:43 PM)

4. will it be possible to move icons? (like on an iPhone when you hold down on one of them)

I'm not sure how I would implement that in code. Once you do things like that, you need to make backup file lists and start worrying about missing files etc.

 

[jurassicplayer]

4. will it be possible to move icons? (like on an iPhone when you hold down on one of them)
I'm not sure how I would implement that in code. Once you do things like that, you need to make backup file lists and start worrying about missing files etc.

You could possibly implement that by making a list of the plugins available and then just putting the list in order of the icons maybe (use an ini file?)...
I have no idea what you actually have in the coding, so it may or may not be a great idea, but here is the general idea of the ini if it can help make my idea more understandable xD:
CODE

[icon order]
icon01=blah.nds
icon02=superblah.nds
icon03=etc.nds