Screen layout using the Test Simulator

[dazza the stag]

ok - Im sure this is something really basic but i cant figure it out. I am writing my first app and have 4 cards. I am not a paid up member yet and therefore can't test it on a device so i decided to view it on the Test Simulator.

When I open this not everything on my card appears on the test, i.e. its obvious that I haven't set up the layout of my card properly to fit onto a screen.

I have done lots of searching and ready about Livecodes new ability to adapt the layout to any device the app is opened on etc but does this not apply to the test simulation.

Surely there is an easy way to set the size of the card up so I know when placing items they are going to look ok on say an iPhone 5 ?

Is there a lesson somewhere on this

Thanks a million

Dazza

[Simon]

Hi Dazza,
Have you set a "fullScreenMode"?
http://newsletters.livecode.com/novembe ... tter3.html

Simon
Edit; Not to you Dazza but... why is this one not camel case in the dictionary?

[dazza the stag]

Thanks Simon

I had read through that page and I had added
on preOpenStack
set the fullscreenmode of me to "exactFit"
end preOpenStack

to the initial card script of my app, I assume I interpreted the instructions correctly ? I then actioned the bit about setting up my stack to run on a simulator

But that didn't seem to help either. Even though there is this new resizing option sure it still matters where I place each item on the card i.e. the distance between some text and a button, I know Livecode can then rescale it later but surely I need to ensure that it is to my liking to start with ? Otherwise I could just be trying to put too much text on one line that will never fit onto an iPhone screen

Dazza

[Simon]

Not sure but
on preOpenStack
set the fullscreenmode of me to "exactFit"
end preOpenStack
Should be added to the stack script not card.

Simon

[Klaus]

Hi Simon,

"pre-/openstack" will also be send to the first card of a stack!
If not handled, it will be passed to the stack script.

A good way to prevent substacks to execute the "pre-/openstack"
handlers of the mainstack!


Best

Klaus

[Simon]

Hi Klaus,
Ahh so the message path is active from the get go.
Never thought about that.
It means that a field script can hold the pre/openStack message and get it even earlier, Wow.

Simon

[dazza the stag]

I think I am - Im getting to it by right clicking on Buy to Let Calculator as on the attached pic and then

and then choosing edit script and placing the code there

Is that correct ?

[Simon]

Yes, that looks correct.
Sorry, it's Sunday and my imagination is slow so I can't think of what could be causing the problem ("When I open this not everything on my card appears on the test...").
If you can post your stack I'll take a look at it.

Here is my NDA:
I promise not to.

Simon

[dazza the stag]

Stupid question number 2 - How do I post a stack ?

[dazza the stag]

Just thought I would show another example of what I mean for clarity, as you can see the BackButton shows on the screen however the text above it which is no further left is cut short, so to is the word "Years"

[Simon]

Yep, I see it's all messed up.
To post your stack just zip it first.

Simon

[dazza the stag]

remember this is my first app after only about a week - so don't laugh too loud !

I really do appreciate you looking

Dazza

[Simon]

Hi Dazza,
You are absolutely 100% correct!
It's all messed up. (I mean the resizing not your stack)

But a couple of things to help you.
1) I think I read the minimum size font is 11 pt, and thats OK if you don't mind using a microscope. I think it's more like 14 and for a happy user it's 18 (retina madness).
2) Pick a standard size for your stack, for iPhone it's 320x480, 640x960,640x1136 (I think 640x960 is for you).
3)Go ahead a pick Helvetica for your font, system fonts don't match iPhone fonts. (you can look up available fonts on iPhone and pick another). From the stack inspector select the font and it will be applied to all of your fields that don't have a font selected. I think this will probably help you the most as it's the fields you are having trouble with.
4)Bring that "Clear" button into the stack, having outside like that just makes things crazy.
5)Yeah, you have to give a little when building these things, add a little extra space in the fields, don't use "Fit Content".

The above is just my observations and NOT fact, others may have different views.

I think setting the font is actually all you need. After you do that you'll see the stack looks just like the emulator. Try it first.

Simon

[Klaus]

Hi Simon,

It means that a field script can hold the pre/openStack message and get it even earlier, Wow.

not sure I get this one!?
The "pre-/openstack" message is sent to the first CARD not to any object on the first card!



Best

Klaus

[dazza the stag]

Simon - your a star - thank you very much

I made all the suggestions you mentioned and its all now as I was expecting to see. Such simple alterations clearly make a huge difference.

Each suggestion made a difference so thanks for your time and effort. Its a shame that basics like this are not explained somewhere, unless of course they are and i have missed them. I know when I searched the forum despite making the search quite specific I got a message back saying that it was ignoring every word that I had entered because they were too common !

Onwards and upwards.......

Dazza