Pandora Key As Universal Menu Key

[Exophase]

Started in deference to this thread:

http://www.gp32x.de...or-menu-button/

I would prefer that the pandora button be normally used as a menu button for the currently focused app, unless held down, at which point it'll forcibly kill the app. If no app has keyboard focus in fxce then it can launch the start menu, as it currently does.

I've seen some other people prefer this as well. If this option wins substantially on this poll I request for the OP team to please modify the firmware to suit this, and for emulator authors (or authors of other apps with menu exits) to follow this convention.

 

[(naw)mcx]

I'd love to see a steam/xbox360 overlay with music controls, IM, etc.

Maybe a bit ambitious, but would be impressive.

 

[Pleng]

Started in deference to this thread:

http://www.gp32x.de...or-menu-button/

I would prefer that the pandora button be normally used as a menu button for the currently focused app, unless held down, at which point it'll forcibly kill the app. If no app has keyboard focus in fxce then it can launch the start menu, as it currently does.

Right, sounds fine to me. One issue at the moment is that it is very easy to accidentally hold the button down as opposed to press it. Sometimes a quick push will pring up the process killer in XFCE whereas I was actually trying to get the start menu.

I know you're against combinations, but I really feel that forcibly killing an app should be done with a combination (fn-Pandora sounds good to me). I'd be livid if I brought up the menu to save my state and ended up accidentally killing the application by holding the button for too long.

 

[Vlynndar]

(fn-Pandora sounds good to me)

That even works with "Effin' Pandora crashed again!" Well, the program. But artistic license and all that.

 

[Exophase]

Right, sounds fine to me. One issue at the moment is that it is very easy to accidentally hold the button down as opposed to press it. Sometimes a quick push will pring up the process killer in XFCE whereas I was actually trying to get the start menu.

I know you're against combinations, but I really feel that forcibly killing an app should be done with a combination (fn-Pandora sounds good to me). I'd be livid if I brought up the menu to save my state and ended up accidentally killing the application by holding the button for too long.

I'm not against combinations for extraordinary functions like killing an application, but holding down the button should be workable too. I think having a system options menu (handled by something at a higher operational level than the running application) is the best option. If you're accidentally triggering the kill then the interval is probably too low. That should probably be a configurable duration regardless of what's done with the Pandora button. I would expect it to be at lest 5 seconds, which would be extremely hard to do accidentally.

 

[Trevsweb]

attached this to a dead thread a while ago, i doubt it'll be made but one can dream lol (its long press btw) p.s the email stuff is just dream stuff like (naw)mcx's music options
pandora has such a rich oppertunity to develop so many gui/shells and using other operating systems is just mindblowing.
im still drooling over the fact i can play starfox eeeee

 

[Trip]

attached this to a dead thread a while ago, i doubt it'll be made but one can dream lol (its long press btw) p.s the email stuff is just dream stuff like (naw)mcx's music options
pandora has such a rich oppertunity to develop so many gui/shells and using other operating systems is just mindblowing.
im still drooling over the fact i can play starfox eeeee

Nice Trevsweb but don't confuse closing a program with killing it.

Killing a program should always be an emergency option if the program stops responding only, otherwise the program might not save it's latest information correctly when killed. It will only remember information from the last time it was closed properly.

Maybe you should change it to Close Current Application

 

[skeezix]

fyi i checked a change into firmware so pressing panda button brings up menu more easily; was going to killer mode too easily

1 char change to op_menu.sh ... maybe next hotfix if i seeED but im on babysitting month so have no time

as to changing button.... exo, see /usr/pandora/scripts/op_menu.sh

script receives duration held, driven by pndevmapperd /etc/pandora/conf/eventmap

jeffphone

 

[God Ginrai]

Using the Pandora button for app and System menus has been how I always understood that we were going to use the Pandora button. I was surprised to find out that that was not the case. Also, the Pandora button does not bring up the start menu for me. Nor does holding it bring up a kill selector. -_-

-God Ginrai

 

[Exophase]

fyi i checked a change into firmware so pressing panda button brings up menu more easily; was going to killer mode too easily

1 char change to op_menu.sh ... maybe next hotfix if i seeED but im on babysitting month so have no time

as to changing button.... exo, see /usr/pandora/scripts/op_menu.sh

script receives duration held, driven by pndevmapperd /etc/pandora/conf/eventmap

jeffphone

I don't have my Pandora yet so I can't look at what you're referring to. Nonetheless (and please tell me if I'm misunderstanding you), this button can't be optionally stolen as a standard function of the shell (at least not without something abnormal like a long press). Unless it's really totally free then no one is going to use it for a menu button; it's unreasonable to expect users to reconfigure their Pandoras to allow for this.

Given the poll results so far I think the current functionality should be removed entirely.

 

[Trip]

Given the poll results so far I think the current functionality should be removed entirely.

Same here.

Personally I'd like something along the lines of the following for the default behaviour..

In XFCE:
Hold Start Button = Open the Start Menu
Hold Select Button = Change to MiniMenu (as in Select which Desktop to use)

In MiniMenu:
Hold Start Button = Start the selected application
Hold Select Button = Change to XFCE

At all times:
Pandora Button = Show the Pandora Menu
Hold Pandora Button = Close the current application/window
FN + Pandora Button = Kill the current application/window
FN + Pandora Button + Power Switch = Emergency Shutdown of Pandora

This seems the best way to me.. but then again I haven't even held a Pandora yet so there might be something I'm missing?

 

[God Ginrai]

Given the poll results so far I think the current functionality should be removed entirely.

Same here.

Personally I'd like something along the lines of the following for the default behaviour..

In XFCE:
Start Button = Open the Start Menu
Select Button = Change to MiniMenu (as in Select which Desktop to use)

In MiniMenu:
Start Button = Start the selected application
Select Button = Change to XFCE

At all times:
Pandora Button = Close the current application/window
FN + Pandora Button = Kill the current application/window
FN + Pandora Button + Power Switch = Emergency Shutdown of Pandora

This seems the best way to me.. but then again I haven't even held a Pandora yet so there might be something I'm missing?

That sounds horrible. What if you accidentally hit the Pandora button while trying to use the Select button in the middle of emulation? Your solution would mean it exits your emulator. I think the emulator menu is a much safer and more useful option. Also, Start and Select are Ctrl and Alt.

-God Ginrai

 

[Trip]

Soz, fixed it

I forgot that Start and Select are Ctrl and Alt. I thought that L1 and L2 had that job?

 

[God Ginrai]

Soz, fixed it

I forgot that Start and Select are Ctrl and Alt. I thought that L1 and L2 had that job?

L2 doesn't even have a button on the Pandora. Also, the shoulders are Shift and Compose.

-God Ginrai

 

[Trip]

Soz, fixed it

I forgot that Start and Select are Ctrl and Alt. I thought that L1 and L2 had that job?

L2 doesn't even have a button on the Pandora. Also, the shoulders are Shift and Compose.

-God Ginrai

Bugger, that's what I get for rushing a post. I meant R1 :lol:

 

[Nupfi]

I voted for "short press menu - hold exit".
That would be really awesome if we could find some sort of standard here (and if the devs would stick to that).
Maybe if every app/emu/program that uses these combinations would get some kind of special sign on the appstore - would encourage the devs to stick to these keybindings.
Just a desperate idea to make this come true.

 

[God Ginrai]

I voted for "short press menu - hold exit".
That would be really awesome if we could find some sort of standard here (and if the devs would stick to that).
Maybe if every app/emu/program that uses these combinations would get some kind of special sign on the appstore - would encourage the devs to stick to these keybindings.
Just a desperate idea to make this come true.

I would much rather hold to bring up a shell menu that has choices like exit and switch application than holding to exit. I think that we need to discuss these options, because obviously the Press Pandora for App Menu option has won the majority.

-God Ginrai

 

[Exophase]

I would much rather hold to bring up a shell menu that has choices like exit and switch application than holding to exit. I think that we need to discuss these options, because obviously the Press Pandora for App Menu option has won the majority.

-God Ginrai

Okay, you make the next poll. Hopefully those in charge take note of the progression.

 

[skeezix]

Folks debte it out, then ED can make executive decision and I can build it

I'm tied up a couple weeks so beat it up

I like consistent and obvious... Panda hong local menu seems goofy to me; firefox and abiword, just bring down menu? Press and hold for xfce? What in minimenu.. Hold to kill app and return to mm with menu? Needs better definition

but I've got crying kid here so just letting ED decide and he can pm me

jeffphone

 

[God Ginrai]

New poll: http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?/topic/54436-pandora-key-as-universal-menu-key-part-2/

-God Ginrai