widget to show multiple b-days/holidays/trips ?

[polstein]

I'm currently using a couple widgets on my home screen:

- I have a 4x1 B-day reminder widget that just shows b-days

- I have 1x1 widgets that can show a day count down to a specific event (manually entered)

Is there a widget that is some sort of combination of the two? I'm thinking of a 4x1 or a 4x2 that shows me a list of all-day events where I can check the ones I want, and show each one on a separate line with the # of days till the event?

Scrolling & options & options are a plus.

Anyone aware of such a widget?

 

[chanchan05]

NoneI know of with day count (they show the date of the event itself), but android agenda widget should do nicely for you, its also able to show data from task appa like astrid and gtasks.

 

[sohguanh]

In Android SDK documentation, scrolling is not supported for widgets. Those that you see most likely run non-Android default launcher, ie. the Home screen you are seeing on your screen. It also explain why certain widgets which can scroll can only run on certain Home launcher.

 

[polstein]

Very off that scrolling not natively supported. I'd give it up for the days until thing. Maybe I'll write to the Agenda Widget people to see if they can offer a countdown.

 

[chanchan05]

Why not install a launcher, like launcher pro or go launcher. they work pretty good, and allow scrollable widgets.

 

[sohguanh]

I believe user has over-expected what a widget is supposed to do. If I'm not wrong, widgets are supposed to occupy minimal space but show some basic and short essential message or commands in a convenient way. This also allow other app widget to co-exist peacefully on the limited Home screen.

If scrolling is needed means you need to show more information and that should be the job of an app and not a widget. Image a scrolling widget that occupy the whole Home screen and not let other app or widget a chance to occupy the main screen? That is abuse from my point of view. An app want to dominate user Home screen and advertise only it's services. That to me is monopoly.

 

[chanchan05]

I believe user has over-expected what a widget is supposed to do. If I'm not wrong, widgets are supposed to occupy minimal space but show some basic and short essential message or commands in a convenient way. This also allow other app widget to co-exist peacefully on the limited Home screen.

If scrolling is needed means you need to show more information and that should be the job of an app and not a widget. Image a scrolling widget that occupy the whole Home screen and not let other app or widget a chance to occupy the main screen? That is abuse from my point of view. An app want to dominate user Home screen and advertise only it's services. That to me is monopoly.

I simply believe you havent had the chance to make full use of the capabilities and use of widgets. Widgets are supposed to be on the screen to show you details without having to go into the apps themselves. For example, your agenda for that particular day alone. Opening your calendar app would have you go through the calendar to choose the day etc. Now, an agenda widget would allow you to see your agenda for the day without having to open the app. Suppose you have a lot to do on that day and it doesnt fit in the widget? Or if there are several birthdays which push out the other details out of the widget? Thats where scrolling comes in.

I have a 4x2 widget which is scrollable, 1 widget which shows me my
agenda for the day (from my calendar) and my tasks set for the day (from astrid) quickly and hassle free. Its not monopoly, its called making things more convenient. And since its only 4x2 and scrollable, I can fit in other widgets there. And since its only one widget, but shows the contents of two apps with their own separate widgets, it actually saves me some space. Instead of having to open 2 different apps to see my agenda and tasks, I only have to look on my homescreen.

As for limited homescreen, if you are using Go Launcher, you have more than 7 homescreens, limited only by the capability of your phone. I once tried adding 18 screens on it (all blank), and it still can put in more. So there's really no limit to screen space.

 

[sohguanh]

Thank you for your feedback. Now I know user does want big widget on their Home screen. I would factor that into my next app. Users should feedback more and developers do read this forum btw.

However I draw the line at forcing my user to install third-party launcher in order to run my apps. I prefer they have the default Android Home launcher as that will be the most basic they have on their newly bought Android smart-phones although I know manufacturers are increasingly shipping their smart-phones with their own proprietary Home launchers which to me is like locking their customers to them and not Android default. My few cents worth of opinion.

 

[chanchan05]

There's nothing stopping anyone from downloading launchers from the market. Its easy, and you dont need rooting. Just install, press home button, select default and boom, you have a new launcher.

You also dont need third party launchers to use Android Agenda, however, you can only enable scrolling features if the launcher supports it. Using default lanchers, this is turned off.

 

[polstein]

Thanks for the replies.. I think. Oddly, for quite a while I was of the opinion that Home Screens were a bit of a waste. I was using SwipePad a lot to launch my apps - and why use a Widget when I can launch a full app instead.

Quick Pet Peeve/Soap Box: I notice quite a bit then when I post a request to the forums, instead of replies answering the question I get comments on why I want it, or different ways to do what I ask for. It's real annoying.

In this case, if I wanted a full app to do something, I'd ask for it.

I am interested in a widget that will allow me to select specific events & do a countdown to those days. If I have to manually make a list of events, so be it. If it can read my calendar & let me check/select the events, so much the better.

I would expect a 4x1 widget to be able to show me 3-4 of the next events coming, with the # of days to the event. Ideally, I want to scroll to see others.

As someone mentioned, Android Agenda widget allows scrolling & has dates - but doesn't show a # of days until the event, nor will it let me specifically select the events.

I can get around the later by using a separate calendar & allowing the widget to only use that calendar - bit of a pain, but doable. But, still won't do a countdown.

I presume since no one said otherwise, such an app doesn't exist, and I'll have to do things as I do now - manually.

 

[sohguanh]

Sorry for off topic but just to share I finally found a work-around for scrolling app widget. I ride upon the scrolling behavoir of Android Live Folder. You can open a Live Folder and leave it open. Inside will contain information to be displayed and it can scroll. The only down-side would be I cannot customize the look and feel of the Android Live Folder via their Android SDK API.

I just re-do 3 of my previous apps to use Android Live Folders and it can scroll and the content inside is dynamic as in if you remove/add/amend records in the main app, it is reflected on the Live Folder too.

With this feature in place, I believe the default Android Home launcher will do fine in showing a 'scrolling' app widget. As for your request to combine countdown and events for the day, I will consider that in my next app but no guarantee as I am always on the look-out for new app ideas to build

 

[polstein]

Sorry for off topic but just to share I finally found a work-around for scrolling app widget. I ride upon the scrolling behavoir of Android Live Folder. You can open a Live Folder and leave it open. Inside will contain information to be displayed and it can scroll. The only down-side would be I cannot customize the look and feel of the Android Live Folder via their Android SDK API.

I just re-do 3 of my previous apps to use Android Live Folders and it can scroll and the content inside is dynamic as in if you remove/add/amend records in the main app, it is reflected on the Live Folder too.

With this feature in place, I believe the default Android Home launcher will do fine in showing a 'scrolling' app widget. As for your request to combine countdown and events for the day, I will consider that in my next app but no guarantee as I am always on the look-out for new app ideas to build

Sounds interesting! I'll keep checking this thread every week or so for info!