An alternative app launcher
 

Warning: No more reboot loop, but this app still experimental. Backup your device before attempting to install this. And open xterm and control panel before installing you might need it

Introducing an alternative application launcher for N810. This launcher is best used with Kroll's diablo5 theme. The app will replace the application menu in the status bar (in maemo5 theme). I think it's best explained with a video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PJ_mlxihjY

for a screenshot please see here thanks giladmttw for the screenshot

The latest deb and source code is attached to this post.
If you have Kroll's diablo5 theme installed, use the launcher package.
Otherwise use launcher-navigator package.
Do not install both of them, just pick one

I'd like to thanks Mitrandir for letting me use his telescope code and answer my question to fix a few bug.

We also have talked about merging this to telescope. So any known issues probably will not be fixed until we've merged the code.

Note: from version 0.2.0 you can get the source code from http://vcs.maemo.org/svn/telescope/launcher/

Version 0.2.0
* New installed application will appear on the launcher automatically
* You can now use the d-pad (left/right) to navigate the launcher
* An experimental invisible scroll at the bottom to go to through the menu quickly
* A temporary fixed for a bug where the launcher window is cut off after being opened on portrait mode. The launcher still does not support portrait mode.

Version 0.1.4
* Fix the issues of modest and application manager not opened
* (launcher-navigator) This package _should_ replace the default application menu, without you mucking around the desktop files from the terminal. Thanks to tso for the idea :)

Version 0.1.3
* I think I fixed the issue of the launcher seg faulted on the beginning
* The package will now try to kill the previous running launcher. So you don't have to restart your device.

Version 0.1.2
* Fixed a problem on executing a few of apps
* Now showing a feeback banner that the app is starting
* Launcher for navigator is now not trying to remove the default application menu. You'll have to remove it yourself, as it's impossible to do a them on the installation process.

To remove the default application menu you'll first need to go to the control panel -> panels and make sure the new launcher is ticked then edit
and comment out on this line
Next you'll need to rename the file to something else that don't end with .desktop.

Version 0.1.1
* Osso games should run now
* Have also added /usr/share/icons/hicolor/64x64/hildon to the icon path to look
* It no longer use the system service to pre-run the launcher, instead it depend on DBus to launch it the first time when the applet is pressed. Hopefully this stop the reboot loop even when the launcher is segfaulted

Known issues
* This app does not work with portrait mode.
* In installation, the original application menu sometime still appear along side the new one. Again you'll need to go to the panel under control panel
* On uninstallation, the original applet might not come back. So before you uninstall make sure you open the control panel and the terminal just in case.

Re: An alternative app launcher
 

Hello there!

I glad to know that we have new app launcher, because Mitrandir was too busy to do it.
In my opinion (I'm a guy who made Mitrandir do this task swither and I draw the frames, etc) the launcher better to place in Telescope, not in statusbar. It will free space for one applet and it will be more similar to maemo5.
Good luck and, I hope, my theme, Mitrandir's Telescope and your launcher will be one application and it will be the best of Diablo apps! xD
And then, of course, we will seize the World.

Re: An alternative app launcher
 

i wonder, will this be usable in some fashion outside of the maemo5 style theme?

Re: An alternative app launcher
 

Hi Kroll, I'm not sure what do you mean by the launcher in telescope. I always thought that the launcher and task switcher is a different button in maemo5. Maybe I have to look at a video of it in action again.

Tso, the app, in theory, should work without maemo5 theme. It's just that it won't replace the application menu but instead it'll add a statusbar applet for this app launcher.

Re: An alternative app launcher
 

Okay just saw the N900 promo video, now I understand what you mean. I don't like it though. You have to click twice to get to the menu. Maybe I'll keep the statusbar applet in a separate package for those who like it this way.

Re: An alternative app launcher
 

Fantastic!

Great work on this one!

Re: An alternative app launcher
 

Installed the deb attached in the first post.

Sweet - very nice. I'd like to see a button for this on the telescope dashboard. I agree with Kroll, that this would free up space on the statusbar.

As an alternative, is it possible to display the status bar when Telescope is invoked?

Re: An alternative app launcher
 

would a sidebar "button" (like what personal menu provides) be a option?

Re: An alternative app launcher
 

Hi gazza_d, I haven't talk about it with mitrandir, but I think what kroll suggested will be the default behaviour just like on the real maemo5.

As for showing the status bar on Telescope, you'll need to ask mitrandir for that.

Re: An alternative app launcher
 

Alright I've build a package that has a navigator applet instead of a status bar applet. I haven't properly tested this though. So anyone want to try them on theirs N810? Please let me know how you go.

Edit: removing the attachment here to avoid confusion. See the first post for the deb files