WOIED Me

It seems that the Yahoo query table that I've been using to convert latitude and longitude into this thing called a Where On Earth ID (WOIED) which is used to look up the weather was shut down January 22, 2016.  This has lead to a number of emails saying the weather has stopped working. Fortunately there is a work around... If you go into the weather settings then choose "static location".  You'll be prompted for a location and you'll get a list of choices if there's more than one.  After the location is set use the next option down "use static location". This will give you a choice of three options, choose "always". The weather should load upon returning to the main screen.

There's a couple problems with making a fix for the issue.  Yahoo doesn't seem to provide a different way to convert latitude and longitude in to this WOEID. The next biggest problem is that I've had a serious lack of free time since finding out about the issue so I really haven't researched it yet.  The next big problem is that I currently don't have a development environment set up any more.  As I've always said, I'm a lunch time android developer and I started a new job about 6 months ago.  I've been working on other side projects and haven't installed anything to do Android development.  Which leads to the next problem... I didn't keep up with Android Studio (the "new" Google built IDE) and never converted the old eclipse project, so there's a bit of work to be done before I can fix the problem.

I do have two possible solutions once the development environment is setup.  

1. Another free API (or APIs) to find the WOIED.  This is the simplest solution.  I've thought about finding a way to convert Latitude and Longitude into an address and then feeding that through the same process as the static location.  This way I can re-use the weather code. 
2. Another free weather source.  openweathermap.org has been in a updates file as a possible replacement for the yahoo weather source, but this means a completely new API and completely re-writing the weather code (plus issues with images, etc).  This might be the best solution, but I don't know if I'll have the time to do it.

The bottom line is that I know there's an issue.  I know exactly where the problem is, but there's a lot of work that needs to be done before I can publish a new APK.  Please be patient, I'll get a fix out eventually.

Where are you again?

I got a couple emails about the weather not loading.  I looked into the problem and found that there's a problem converting your Latitude and Longitude position into a Where On Earth ID (WOEID).  It looks like the reverse geo coder that I was using got retired, so I made a quick change to use a different look up process.  There is probably still a bug in there when you're trying to search for your location to set it as a static location (if you're already using a static location, you should be good as long as you're not trying to update it).  I'll address that bug tomorrow or next week at the latest.

If you want to side load the update you can visit +Desk Clock Plus . on g+.

Location

I just quite didn't have time to post about yesterday's update and there's a bit of an overlap with the changes for today.  Yesterday's changes were some bugs reported by users.

The first one had to do with setting the Music button.  Apparently the ROM he's using has two different versions of Google Music installed.  It didn't matter which one he picked from the list, it always launched the older one.  I just had to adjust how I was finding and saving the intent.  While I'm thinking about the music button, over the life of Desk Clock Plus, there have a been a number of people who have emailed and said that music play {insert app here} doesn't show up in the list.  This has more to do with the other app than mine.  I'm trying to figure out what apps are registered to handle .MP3 files.


final String MP3_FILE = "/sdcard/media_api/music/SHORTMP3.mp3";
        Intent viewIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
        Uri uri = Uri.fromParts("file", MP3_FILE, null);
        viewIntent.setDataAndType(uri, "audio/mp3");     
        Intent pickIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_PICK_ACTIVITY);
        pickIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_INTENT, viewIntent);    
        startActivityForResult(pickIntent, MUSICPICKER);  


If the app isn't registered with the system to "view" a mp3, it doesn't show up in the list.  If anyone has a better way of doing this please let me know.

The other one which once again was reported by a pair of users with HP Touchpads saying that the display was way off.  Basically, the font sizes needed to be shrunk down the size of the font and weather icon to make everything fit.  Part of the major redesign when version 1.0 was released, all of the sizes, heights and widths were moved into one XML file.  This allowed me to very easily change everything to fit on to the Thouchpad.  Unfortunately, I didn't shrink the weather enough and the High/Low temp degree mark was pushed off the edge.  That was fixed in today's update...

So, the big thing for today's update is major improvement to finding your location.  Previously, I was relying on the last known location.  If I loop though everything and nothing knows where you're at then I'm forcing the device to update it's location.  I'm not 100% I'm happy with how all this works and it will probably be reexamined in the future.  Also, as it turns out the feature to use the IP address for the location wasn't working anymore (the web service I was using went away).  Fortunately, Yahoo had a replacement that I was able to use instead.

Finally, I also updated the "Immediate" time out to be more immediate.  As pointed out by Omniwolf in the comments, it was a little confusing / misleading.

Unless something comes up, I'm going to start on the static location tomorrow... Given the the changes I've made yesterday, I don't think that it's going to take me very long.

Sieben

The biggest update to the newest version is improved German strings.  Thanks to Johannes of Austria for reviewing and updating the XML files for me so they make a little more sense.  I've actually had a fair amount of purchases from Austria and Germany so hopefully this leads to more sales in that region... look at me using real fancy business lingo there!  

Speaking of Europe, the following comment was left in the market:

FAJNY, ALE Zawsze pokazuje temperature w st F bez wzgledu na ustawienia (GALAXY TAB)

Google Translate tells me that he said:

Cool, but always shows the temperature in F st regardless of settings (GALAXY TAB)

Which isn't 100% true, it was holding onto the last weather it knew (as per this update).  Since the first update was in Fahrenheit it stuck after the unit was changed.  Now when the weather unit is changed it will force a refresh to get the correct units.

I also fixed a minor run time error (causing a force close) that would happen sometimes where there were no images to be added to the pool. 

I'm working on a new feature for Scrolling Dock users that I'm hoping that I can get pushed out before Christmas, but I'm not sure that's going to happen...

Two Quick Updates

So version 1.0.0.5 was pushed to the market yesterday and 1.0.0.6 a little while ago.  Not too much new with these, mostly minor bug fixes based upon emails and the force close reports that Google gives me.  Here's the details of what's fixed:

• Slide Show - There looks to have been a slight timing error with the loading of the images and the slide show starting that would cause to hang and the "Loading.  Please wait..." dialog.  Some code rearrangement, additional checks and more messages should give a better user interface experience and fix the problem.
• Purchase Service FC - This might account for some of the "random force closes".  Looking at the logs, the purchase service apparently doesn't always receive an intent when it's started.  It then causes a Force Close.  I find this odd as this is Google code that I'm sure other people are using and I don't know why the bug is in the example.  I simply and checking and catching the parsing of the intent.  Hopefully I stop getting error logs about this.
• Screen Saver - The timer wasn't being set when the application was loaded.  It was only started if you left the main screen (opened the preferences for example) and came back.
• Weather Display - I fixed a minor display bug that was happening on some devices.
• Location - I've got a couple users who are have location issues.  I previously tried to fix it with some additional permissions, but that still doesn't seem to be fixing it.  So there's a new option in the Weather settings screen for "Location Error Messages".  This will display toast messages when it tries and fails to get your location based on what ever service.  Hopefully this will help me figure out how to fix the problem(s).  I may also be having problems with the "Use IP address" feature and I need to email someone about that.

I think that takes care of all the things that are broken from the major changes that happened going to the version 1.0 release.  So hopefully this will mean less updates and will allow me to work on additional new development instead of the "fire fighting" fixing issues.

Quick Fixes

Version 1.0.0.3 is in the market.  Just a couple of things fixed:

• Picasa - This probably didn't effect too many people, but it was a bug when you had Picasa images chosen for the background, but didn't choose any Albums
• Weather and Location - I'm now holding on to the weather and location information so I don't have to look it up all the time.  This should make rotation and weather update refreshes faster.