Bringin iMame4all up to App Standards

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This isn't a bug report, but more of an offer to help bring this wonderful app 
up to snuff, so to speak. Looking through the Info.plist, I notice it's missing 
a few things and same with the file permissions, the hardcoding of some images 
(like the mame image background, etc.), the lack of png iphone optimization (as 
is used with all png on iDevices through pngcrush) and some of the images (lack 
of Default.png and the use of @2x images for the retina display).

Additionally, the use of SBUsesNetwork (in Info.plist) is a little clouded. 
There's a discussion about it here (which says to stick to the documented 
UIRequiresPersistentWiFi instead): 
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/596589/iphone-sdk-internet-connection-detecti
on

I'd like to help if that's okay. I'd like to get it working as close to a 
"real" app as possible, again, if you are cool with it.

Original issue reported on code.google.com by cck...@gmail.com on 12 Jul 2011 at 7:24

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You must notice, this is a jailbroken app, building with a ubuntu toolchain 
using eclipse CDT... thats means that i dont work with xcode and i mainly a 
professionally Java Programer ;) with high C skill levels... iOS is a hobby for 
me... I tried to  be practical and and not worry much hows and make things that 
works... anyway I  would like the application was  best, so if you send me  an 
email with things you think you can do better I do not mind changing

Original comment by seleuco....@gmail.com on 14 Jul 2011 at 6:57

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Yes totally understand. It's just small things really. Like removing the status 
bar on load, adding a loading screen (Default.png), making use of @2x graphics 
which are delivered by iOS automatically for the retina display and some other 
minor things. 

I'm not thinking about making it a legit IPA, but just ironing out the rough 
edges. 

Thanks for being open to the idea. I'll send you an email with the details. I'm 
not a coder, but a graphic designer and if I can provide services, I am more 
than happy to help. I think you've done a fabulous job so far! It runs 
flawlessly on my i4!

Original comment by cck...@gmail.com on 14 Jul 2011 at 8:59

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Thanks for the new version Seleuco :) You went ahead and did everything before 
I had a chance to email you (sorry about that, swamped with stuff). The 
Default.png are pretty much exactly what I was going to send you anyway.

I notice you added the UIStatusBarHidden but for some reason, I still get one 
on initial load. Is it working for you? 

Another (rather trivial) addition to the Info.plist is "CFBundleDisplayName." 
It's a string and any text entered will be what your app is called on your home 
screen (so in this case iMAME4all, but you just as easily enter any value, like 
iMAME, or Arcade, or ThisRocks!). 

Original comment by cck...@gmail.com on 17 Jul 2011 at 5:12

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Thanks... :) so little effort... 

Yes, it's working for me, I think you should do a respiring to plist take 
effect...

I'll put CFbundleDisplayName...

2x images are not used, because I have programmatically control of low, high 
res  images...

Original comment by seleuco....@gmail.com on 17 Jul 2011 at 5:28

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Still though, thanks for listening and implementing the changes. They may seem 
trivial, but at least one user (me) really appreciates them!

You're right. I just rebooted and the changes took effect. Really nice and 
clean now.

On the low and high res images, I notice that the splash screen and the list 
view are pulled from BMPs in the ROMs/iMAME4all/skins folder. I tried doubling 
the res of the images, but that didn't work. Would it be hard to include high 
res images for the retina display (640x480)? If it's a matter of designing 
them, I could lend a hand there.

I'm also working on a high res skin to be added to the actual app if you are 
interested in adding another skin. I will fire up a zip file when I'm done.

Again, thanks for devoting your time into this project. You've done an amazing 
job so far!

Original comment by cck...@gmail.com on 17 Jul 2011 at 10:56

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Here's a progress update: http://cl.ly/1a011p1b0b2s1c3Z0F1L

Still have the top buttons to do and some of the button and controller pressed.

One caveat that I'm coming into is the full screen landscape overlay. Your 
buttons have enough colour and contrast to be seen nicely even if under 
transparency. Mine are too dark to be used in this way. Would it be difficult 
to code a set to be used for landscape and another for portrait instead of the 
app using the same buttons throughout? This way I could make a set specifically 
for landscape and for the current sets, we could just double up the current 
ones as I don't see any reason to rework them. If it's too much trouble, I 
understand. Just wanted to throw it out there. 

Another thing I'd like to do is maybe pull the skins out and use back images to 
spin the graphics. So you'd get the same effect but iOSsplash would be part of 
the back_portrait_iPhone.png for example. This would also take care of the 
resolutions between the different devices (as the two BMPs) don't support the 
retina display.

I'll keep working on my skin but let me know your thoughts. I'd be honored to 
make a nice splash page and additional graphics should you wish to do the 
coding aspect. 

Lastly, I'm not sure what's going on, but your back_portrait_iPhone.png for 
skin3 is 640X960. But when I make mine like this, it shortens the entire image. 
I cropped it to 640X480 and that works fine. Totally at a loss why that is. 
Maybe I'm doing something stupid?

Original comment by cck...@gmail.com on 18 Jul 2011 at 5:23

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After rereading, I don't think I'm being all that clear. Currently, there see 
two BMPs being used in ROMS/skins folder. I'm suggesting we take those and 
merge them with the pngs with the back imges in each skin. Currently, the back 
images are just being used for the controller backgrounds. I'd like them to use 
the splash screen and list screen being drawn from the two BMPs in the skins 
folder under ROMs (for the reasons above).

Hope that makes more sense. Another bonus is that each skin could have it's own 
flavor of splash and list screens, greatly adding to the skins appeal and 
overall completeness. 

Original comment by cck...@gmail.com on 18 Jul 2011 at 5:29

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Nice work. Looks great!

i hope i can do some coding to load a diferent se of images for full screen ... 
it not should be dificult.

I cant do what you said with splash BMP's. The code that load BMPs splash and 
draw roms list is MAME4all portable code. That's means that is not iOS 
(objective C) stuff and works acoros iOS and gp2x consoles since it has native 
widgets and own fonts coded in C language. I don't going to change that since 
it could be useful to port for example to Android which i thinking on it.

respect to  back_portrait_iPhone.png... are you selecting skin b+retina on 
options?

Original comment by seleuco....@gmail.com on 19 Jul 2011 at 5:15

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Thanks! I'll send you the finished skin so you can see how it works in
real life. Should have it done within next couple of days.

It would really be a nice addition to call different controls for
fullscreen. That way, we can greatly improve usability. Hoping it
won't be too hard to code.

Not a big deal regarding the BMPs. The only thing that sucks is they
can't deliver to different resolutions. It would have been better if
MAME served up PNGs. That way, could just make them transparent and
that would be that. Oh well. Small thing really.

Yeah, I've altered the B+Retina file (SKIN_3 folder). Have no idea
what going on. It seems to want a file have the height. Like I said,
ice just cut half the top off and its fine, but just lost at what's
going on. In any case, you'll see when I send you the files. I dunno,
maybe it's me. I'm screwing something up or missing something ;)

Original comment by cck...@gmail.com on 21 Jul 2011 at 8:59

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Ok. Waiting 4 see your work... I,m thinking on experiment with a new kind of 
touch control.. A analog, trackpad control.. I hope take some time this days.. 

Original comment by seleuco....@gmail.com on 21 Jul 2011 at 10:35

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Nice new update Sel. I am uploading the new skin. It replaces SKIN_3 and it's 
built for the retina display. Consider a beta. I got all the buttons the way I 
like, but I still want to play with the background. I've included the two new 
files (stick-inner, stick-outer) but they remain unchanged from the default 
skin. I want to see where you go with the new trackpad before I start skinning 
them.

http://cl.ly/0o0N0S0X2H203E0u3i2D

Original comment by cck...@gmail.com on 1 Aug 2011 at 1:01

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You have done a good job there... what about doing a little less darker... 
maybe in a lighter grayscale it would be more visible... 

i have adding support for iOS4, there had a little UIController glitches and 
missed wiimote suspend code... i want to move to iOS4 since iMame4all is based 
in an old MAME without savestates, iOS4 suspend could be very useful...

so you have a little more time to finih your work... i dont going to implment 
touchpad in this version... there are a lot of changes there ;)

Original comment by seleuco....@gmail.com on 1 Aug 2011 at 8:19

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Thanks :)

And thanks for adding Multitasking support. That was HUGE! 

I'm waiting to see where you go with the controller before I commit to a new 
version. I'd like to get this one complete and inline with what you have 
planned before making a new one. They take a lot of work and I don't have that 
much time to work on them.

But with that said, I would like to make one that kind of replicated the 
Nintendo Gameboy: 
http://media.gdgt.com/img/product/3/2fr/nintendo-game-boy-1st-gen-3ge-460.jpg

Maybe not exactly, the same kind of texture and general style :)

Original comment by cck...@gmail.com on 3 Aug 2011 at 4:41

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OK... could be nice. i'll take a look when you finish it :)

Original comment by seleuco....@gmail.com on 4 Aug 2011 at 5:12

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done

Original comment by seleuco....@gmail.com on 27 Sep 2011 at 5:57

• Changed state: Fixed