Touchscreen problems

[bancer]

- Used DictionaryForMIDs version : 3.5.7
- Used Dictionary : Muller Eng-Rus, Collins Cobuild English Dictionary (converted from StarDict by myself)
- Used Mobile Phone or Operating System : HTC Smart
- The way how to reproduce the error : translate any word with long definitions
- The error message you get (precise text): no error message

1. After installing the dictionaries I noticed that the centre of the screen does not respond to the gestures after I translate any word. When I need to scroll down or scroll up I need to touch the scroll bar at the left. It is very inconvenient that the central part of the dictionary display is not touch sensitive. However everything is fine on the Info and Help pages.

2. Some of the IPA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ipa) symbols are not displayed correctly - empty square boxes instead of right symbols.

3. I would like to convert one of StarDict's Russian-English dictionary but I do not have Russian keyboard in my phone. So, I cannot enter Russian words. It would be nice to have a virtual keyboard for alphabets that are not installed by the phone manufacturer.

4. I tried to install the source packages from SVN to my Eclipse but no success. When I run the midlet it does not start. Is there any place where I can get the source package of v.3.5.7?

[Gert]

- Used DictionaryForMIDs version : 3.5.7
- Used Dictionary : Muller Eng-Rus, Collins Cobuild English Dictionary (converted from StarDict by myself)
- Used Mobile Phone or Operating System : HTC Smart
- The way how to reproduce the error : translate any word with long definitions
- The error message you get (precise text): no error message

Very useful description !
Oh, wow, you converted some dictionaries from StarDict and did set them up for DictionaryForMIDs !!

1. After installing the dictionaries I noticed that the centre of the screen does not respond to the gestures after I translate any word. When I need to scroll down or scroll up I need to touch the scroll bar at the left. It is very inconvenient that the central part of the dictionary display is not touch sensitive. However everything is fine on the Info and Help pages.

Hmmm, on the 'Settings' dialogue, can you switch off the 'coloured display' and then try again ? Would be interesting to know whether it works then.

2. Some of the IPA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ipa) symbols are not displayed correctly - empty square boxes instead of right symbols.

That's typically a problem with the character set. Can you check that the character encodings are correctly set in the file DictionaryForMIDs ? See the ...CharEncoding properties here: http://dictionarymid.sourceforge.net/newdictProperties.html

3. I would like to convert one of StarDict's Russian-English dictionary but I do not have Russian keyboard in my phone. So, I cannot enter Russian words. It would be nice to have a virtual keyboard for alphabets that are not installed by the phone manufacturer.

This is a topic that Jeff did point out, see for example his posting here: http://dictionarymid.sourceforge.net/forum/index.php?topic=45.msg188#msg188. Current status: not yet implemented.
We have bitmap fonts for displaying characters where the manufacturer did not install the font, but we do not yet have the possibility to enter characters that were not installed by the manufacturer.

4. I tried to install the source packages from SVN to my Eclipse but no success. When I run the midlet it does not start. Is there any place where I can get the source package of v.3.5.7?

Yes, you can use the access from ViewVC: http://dictionarymid.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/dictionarymid/trunk/. Select any directory and then "Download GNU tarball".


Now I have a question: would it be possible that you provide some converted Startdict dictionaries that you did set up for DictionaryForMIDs ? So that we can provide it for download on the download page (http://dictionarymid.sourceforge.net/dict.html). However only dictionaries with appropriate copyright will be suitable.

Best regards,
Gert

[bancer]

Hmmm, on the 'Settings' dialogue, can you switch off the 'coloured display' and then try again ?

It was by default in the coloured display mode. When I switch it off the centre of the screen becomes sensitive as expected. So, the problem is with coloured display mode.

That's typically a problem with the character set. Can you check that the character encodings are correctly set in the file DictionaryForMIDs ?

The encoding is correct - UTF-8. Cyrillic alphabet is displayed correctly. But not IPA chars. That could be the problem with the font used. Not every font can display IPA characters http://www.unc.edu/~jlsmith/ipa-fonts.html.

This is a topic that Jeff did point out, see for example his posting here: http://dictionarymid.sourceforge.net/forum/index.php?topic=45.msg188#msg188. Current status: not yet implemented.
We have bitmap fonts for displaying characters where the manufacturer did not install the font, but we do not yet have the possibility to enter characters that were not installed by the manufacturer.

That is clear. My idea would be to implement the virtual keyboard (many modern touch-screen phones do not have a keypad) similar to that is implemented in this game: http://www.getjar.com/mobile/15021/battleships-for-htc-smart/

Yes, you can use the access from ViewVC: http://dictionarymid.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/dictionarymid/trunk/. Select any directory and then "Download GNU tarball".

I do not have the problem with downloading. I have the problem with making it operational. I downloaded JavaME folder first. Then I discovered that there are dependencies to classes in DictionaryForMIDs folder. So, I downloaded it too. But it does not work for me. When I run the midlet it does not start and displays no error message. The virtual phone displays "Select one to launch:", then empty  screen and "Back" button at the bottom. Is there any manual how to set up DictionaryForMIDs project in Eclipse? It would be very nice to have an option to download the latest release in the zip form like that was available for the earlier release 3.3.0 (http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/dictionarymid/DictionaryForMIDs_3.3.0_source.zip?download).

Now I have a question: would it be possible that you provide some converted Startdict dictionaries that you did set up for DictionaryForMIDs ?

Yes, I can do that. But the one I have now (Collins Cobuild English Dictionary) is not under free licence. Mueller's is in your sourceforge repository. Anyway I can post it here if it is okay with you.

[Gert]

It was by default in the coloured display mode. When I switch it off the centre of the screen becomes sensitive as expected. So, the problem is with coloured display mode.

I guessed that. So it seems there is a problem with the StringColourItem class (http://dictionarymid.sourceforge.net/forum/index.php?topic=145.msg725#msg725). We only need to find someone who is working to improve the StringColourItem class 

The encoding is correct - UTF-8. Cyrillic alphabet is displayed correctly. But not IPA chars. That could be the problem with the font used. Not every font can display IPA characters http://www.unc.edu/~jlsmith/ipa-fonts.html.

Well, if the encoding is correct then probably your mobile's fonts cannot display these characters. You could use bitmap fonts.

That is clear. My idea would be to implement the virtual keyboard (many modern touch-screen phones do not have a keypad)

Hmmm, I think I understand. Yes, that probably would helpful. ... the usual "we need to find someone who implements this" applies here also
(btw, see http://dictionarymid.sourceforge.net/forum/index.php?topic=205.msg995#msg995)

I have the problem with making it operational. I downloaded JavaME folder first. Then I discovered that there are dependencies to classes in DictionaryForMIDs folder. So, I downloaded it too. But it does not work for me. When I run the midlet it does not start and displays no error message. The virtual phone displays "Select one to launch:", then empty  screen and "Back" button at the bottom. Is there any manual how to set up DictionaryForMIDs project in Eclipse?

For Eclipse we have a description for setting up the SVN access (http://dictionarymid.sourceforge.net/SVNRepositoryAccess.html). Well, you are already behind that point.

Hmmmm, so I wonder what went wrong ! Empty screen, that is strange. Can you try to set the logLevel to 3 in the jad-file ? Any chance to run a debugger to step into the code ?

It would be very nice to have an option to download the latest release in the zip form like that was available for the earlier release 3.3.0

For Java ME you need to download (GNU tarball) the directories Java ME, DictionaryForMIDs (which you already have) and optionally Build.

Regards,
Gert

[Gert]

Ah, I overlooked the most important part ... :

Yes, I can do that. But the one I have now (Collins Cobuild English Dictionary) is not under free licence. Mueller's is in your sourceforge repository. Anyway I can post it here if it is okay with you.

Well, for Sourceforge we need to have dictinaries that are under an 'open source' license. We can still publish non-open source dictionaries at other places (e.g. www.kugihan.de), but we must be sure that we do not commit any license violation (no 'cracked' commercial dictionaries !).
For Mueller's dictionary, Jeff did set that up very well already, and I am used to think of Jeff's work as being perfect .

Anyway, if you come across a StarDict dictionary that may be interesting to users of DictionaryForMIDs, please be invited to convert it to DictionaryForMIDs and provide it for publishing   

Best regards,
Gert