RSS / News, Stocks, Weather

[Rick]

All,
I am new to this Forum and have installed Hammerskin QVGA on an Axim X5. I have the skin working (and it's great !) but I cannot get the News ticker, Weather or stocks to work. I have read the topics and replies but still cannot get it to work. Buffer file is empty. I have attched Radar.exe to see if there is a problem in it. When I run Radar, it appears to be downloading (cannot see all of path since it is obscured by a light blue bar), then an error results (Directory Not Found Exception). Help would be appreciated.

[Broesel]

All,
I am new to this Forum and have installed Hammerskin QVGA on an Axim X5. I have the skin working (and it's great !) but I cannot get the News ticker, Weather or stocks to work. I have read the topics and replies but still cannot get it to work. Buffer file is empty.

Hi Rick, I'm pretty sure, that you do start the todayplus.exe.
This is not the way to get TodayPlus working. You need to run it as a
today-plugin, because the .exe is only for testing and does not support
weather and rss-download.
This thread might help you :
http://forums.jhollin1138.com/viewtopic.php?t=1812&highlight=expiration
If not, do a search with "expiration" in the forumsearch.

I have attched Radar.exe to see if there is a problem in it. When I run Radar, it appears to be downloading (cannot see all of path since it is obscured by a light blue bar), then an error results (Directory Not Found Exception). Help would be appreciated.

Well, the radar.exe is the program, that does the download and is not what you should attach here   . What we need to take a look at is the radar.txt, where the urls for download are stored ....
The error you are describing, seems to be the problem, that one of the directories,
where you want to store the files, does not exist ! You have to create it, before downloading with the radar.exe.

Hope, this helps,
regards Broesel

[tonyaross]

I put in two rss feeds in the config file, (NY Times and BBC World); I can read the feeds in the rss section, but the News Ticker on the main page is not working.   Since I run TP as a plugin, not as .exe, I know it must be a different reason. I really appreciate if someone could give me some help. Thanks much!  


T

[DeftOne]

I put in two rss feeds in the config file, (NY Times and BBC World); I can read the feeds in the rss section, but the News Ticker on the main page is not working.   Since I run TP as a plugin, not as .exe, I know it must be a different reason. I really appreciate if someone could give me some help. Thanks much!  


T

I'm not sure what skin your using, but the Newsticker is usually region 6, I believe.  Make sure you've got it "turned on" in your skin file.  The initregion command should be near the top of the skin file and should read:

Code Select Expand

initregion,6,0

If the last number of the above initregion command reads 999, the Newsticker will not be visible.  

Technically, this really isn't turning the region on or off, it just sets which page of the region to display.  999 is just the default way of disabling a region by selecting a page that doesn't exist - or at least that's how I view it anyway.

Not sure if this is your problem, but it's where I'd start...

[tonyaross]

Deftone, thx so much for the help. I'm using Hammerskin, and I checked the code. You are right, the news ticker is in region 6, but it also seems to be in region 4,3 - 4,8. See below.

Code Select Expand

Region2
// REGION   4,3 - 4,8 Newsticker der Mainpage Region 6
// REGION   3,0 WETTER
// REGION   5,0           AGENDA AREA FÜR MAINPAGE
// REGION   6,0           NEWSTICKER FÜR MAINPAGE


Also, the code for initregion 6 is already set to 0. See below.

Code Select Expand

initregion,1,0
initregion,2,0
initregion,6,0
initregion,3,999
initregion,7,999
initregion,8,999
initregion,9,999


Still, the ticker is not working. It's kinda frustrating.

Now that I have you  , can I also ask you how to move the agenda section on the mainpage downward?

You got a real cute little one for your avatar.

T

[DeftOne]

I'm not sure why your Newsticker isn't working on your mainpage.  If you want to upload your skin file, maybe I could find some time to take a look at it.  Or maybe someone else can give you a few things to try?

As far as moving your agenda section down to insert a header, find the following section in your skin file:

Code Select Expand

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// REGION 5 AGENDA DISPLAY FOR MAINPAGE
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

region,5,0,-1
defregion,5,0,126,209,120,1

options,calendarfilter,1
options,taskfilter,1

options,dateformat,3,15,18,%changefont,tahoma,11,%%line,203,10,-1_4_-1%%bold%%date,"dddd, MMMM dd, yyyy",l%%regularfont%
options,today-text,'Today', MMMM dd, yyyy
options,tomorrow-text,'Tomorrow', MMMM dd, yyyy

options,apptformat,0,11,13,%iconstart,67%%sensitivityicon,-10,1,private sensitivity.png,normal sensitivity,tr%%recurrenceicon,-10,1,recurrence.png,tr%%remindericon,-10,1,reminder.png,tr%%changefont,tahoma,11,%%image,0,2,small_arrow_right.png,tr%%tab,7%%starttime,h:mm t%%tab,76%%subject%%regularfont%

options,apptallday,0,11,13,%iconstart,67%%sensitivityicon,-10,1,private sensitivity.png,normal sensitivity,tr%%recurrenceicon,-10,1,recurrence.png,tr%%remindericon,-10,1,reminder.png,tr%%changefont,tahoma,11,%%textcolor,0_128_0%%image,0,2,small_arrow_right.png,tr%%tab,7%All Day%tab,76%%subject%%regularfont%%resettextcolor%

options,taskformat,0,11,13,%iconstart,67%%sensitivityicon,-10,1,private sensitivity.png,normal sensitivity,tr%%recurrenceicon,-10,1,recurrence.png,tr%%remindericon,-10,1,reminder.png,tr%%priorityicon,-10,1,lowpriority.png,normal priority.png,high priority.png,tr%%changefont,tahoma,11,%%checkbox,0,0,12,12,dot.png,dot1.png,t%%tab,10%[%enddate,dd/MM%]%tab,76%%subject%%regularfont%

options,taskoverdue,0,11,13,%textcolor,200_0_0%%iconstart,67%%sensitivityicon,-10,1,private sensitivity.png,normal sensitivity,tr%%recurrenceicon,-10,1,recurrence.png,tr%%remindericon,-10,1,reminder.png,tr%%priorityicon,-10,1,lowpriority.png,normal priority.png,high priority.png,tr%%changefont,tahoma,11,%%checkbox,0,0,12,12,dot.png,dot1.png,t%%tab,10%[%enddate,dd/MM%]%tab,76%%subject%%regularfont%%resettextcolor%

options,taskcomplete,0,11,13,%iconstart,67%%sensitivityicon,-10,1,private sensitivity.png,normal sensitivity,tr%%recurrenceicon,-10,1,recurrence.png,tr%%remindericon,-10,1,reminder.png,tr%%priorityicon,-10,1,lowpriority.png,normal priority.png,high priority.png,tr%%changefont,tahoma,11,s%%checkbox,0,0,12,12,dot.png,dot1.png,t%%tab,10%[%enddate,dd/MM%]%tab,76%%subject%%regularfont%

options,blanktext,-1,11,13

outlook,4,126,203,120,0,0,228,,,5
button,4,126,12,120,-1,24,nohighlight,5
changefont,tahoma,12

Change the y coordinate of the outlook command (in red below):

outlook,4,126,203,120,0,0,228,,,5

Increase the number enough to slide your agenda section down within the agenda region to give you enough room for your new header.  Please note that this will give you less screen real-estate to view agenda items, since you haven't resized the agenda region.  I'd probably adjust the y coordinate of the button right below the outlook command to match, just to keep it consistent.

I'm not sure where it's located anymore, but there was a skin reference file available for TodayPlus that explained all the available commands used in the skin file.  I'd suggest hunting it down - it's a very valuable resource!

Hope this helps!  

p.s. - That's my daughter in my avatar.  You're right - she's definitely a cutie!!!  (I'm not biased at all... )

[DeftOne]

Ok, it looks like you're using SiggloX's version of Hammerskin, correct? The one located here?

http://www.jhollin1138.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1761

I downloaded the skin file and took a look at it (Hammerskin1.05.6 QVGA Ger_ppcwelt_eng.zip).  It looks to me like Region 6 and Sub-Region 4 (and its pages) have been deleted completely.

This is what region 6 and sub-region 4 look like in my skin (I've got them commented out since I don't use the Newsticker):

Code Select Expand

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// REGION 6 NEWS TICKER MAINPAGE   REGION 4,3-4,6
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

//region,6,0,10
//defregion,6,0,200,210,38

//if,var,var15,,=,0
//jumpregion,4,3
//storevar,var15=1
//else

//if,var,var15,,=,1
//jumpregion,4,4
//storevar,var15=2
//else

//if,var,var15,,=,2
//jumpregion,4,5
//storevar,var15=3
//else

//if,var,var15,,=,3
//jumpregion,4,6
//storevar,var15=4
//else

//if,var,var15,,=,4
//jumpregion,4,7
//storevar,var15=5
//else

//if,var,var15,,=,5
//jumpregion,4,8
//storevar,var15=0
//endif
//endif
//endif
//endif
//endif
//endif


//RSS NEWSTICKER============================

//region,4,3,-1

//load,rss,1

//RSS,title,4,201,207,12,1,,,l
//RSS,title,4,212,207,12,2,,,l
//RSS,title,4,223,207,12,3,,,l

//endregion,4,3


//RSS NEWSTICKER============================

//region,4,4,-1

//load,rss,2

//RSS,title,4,201,207,12,1,,,l
//RSS,title,4,212,207,12,2,,,l
//RSS,title,4,223,207,12,3,,,l

//endregion,4,4


//RSS NEWSTICKER============================

//region,4,5,-1

//load,rss,1

//RSS,title,4,201,207,12,4,,,l
//RSS,title,4,212,207,12,5,,,l
//RSS,title,4,223,207,12,6,,,l

//endregion,4,5


//RSS NEWSTICKER============================

//region,4,6,-1

//load,rss,2

//RSS,title,4,201,207,12,4,,,l
//RSS,title,4,212,207,12,5,,,l
//RSS,title,4,223,207,12,6,,,l

//endregion,4,6


//RSS NEWSTICKER============================

//region,4,7,-1

//load,rss,1

//RSS,title,4,201,207,12,7,,,l
//RSS,title,4,212,207,12,8,,,l
//RSS,title,4,223,207,12,9,,,l

//endregion,4,7


//RSS NEWSTICKER============================

//region,4,8,-1

//load,rss,2

//RSS,title,4,201,207,12,7,,,l
//RSS,title,4,212,207,12,8,,,l
//RSS,title,4,223,207,12,9,,,l

//endregion,4,8

//endregion,6,0

So, it looks like there's a significant amount of code missing from that skin file that deals with the Newsticker as it was originally designed by Wichtel.  Which makes me wonder why SiggloX has got the heading "Newsticker" in his skin in the first place???? Hmmm....I'm guessing it should read "Agenda", since there's no code for the newsticker in that skin file.

[Wichtel]

@ tonyaross

I see here and in other posts you have some trouble to find the correct settings for the Hammerskin. I haven't time to answer you the last Day's, sorry for that.

My suggestion: load my original Hammerskin and you can see if your setup work correct or not.

Here and in some other forums exists some Hammerskin modifications with any changes in the Skincode. Some Skins are reduced in the height some have no Newsticker and anything else.

Use my original Version as referenc and try out later a modification Version. All Mods uses the Original Setup in the Config.

[tonyaross]

Hi, guys, greatly appreciate your help.

DeftOne, I was playing with the "defregion" in the agenda section code before I got your post; and then I realized that I was doing the wrong part. Thx much for the pointer. I read your reply and then went over to the tutorial on skinning, and was finally able to make the adjustment. Like you, however, I decided to give up on the News Ticker in the end, because it was too hard to squezee in that many lines without sacrificing the agenda display.

Wichtel, thx for the link to the original code. As I'm a student in international affair and know not a word of computer code, it is very helpful and also educational to compare the original with the one that I got. I actually cut and pasted the whole region 6 to make the ticker work, and it actually did. But like I said above, I couldn't get the agenda display at the length that I wanted and ticker at the same time, so I had to give it up on the main page. I still love the idea of having one or two lines of news "tickering," I just need to think where I can space to put it.

Guys, thx again, you are great. Here's a screenshot of what I have, thx to you!!! I made the wallpaper from two pics, the space in the lower right corner comes in handy for the beautiful lady.

[DeftOne]

Skin looks great!  I'm glad I was able to help you out.  

Now that you've got the skin reference info, you'll be a pro-skinner in no time!

Good luck!

DeftOne

[tonyaross]

I don't know whether any of you has had this problem before, but I was trying to put in a rss feed in the TP config.exe, and found that I could not put in a comma (,). If I do, the text will break of from the comma and the rest of the feed get into the "name" section.

Any ideas?

T

[DeftOne]

All the information for a RSS feed is stored in a single registry string.  The url, name, update time, and pages to cache are all in that single string with each item seperated by a comma.  This is where you are running into problems.  Since your url has a comma in it, it is being read and stored incorrectly in the registry.  

Now...is there a way around this?  I don't know.  Surely people have run into this problem before.  Perhaps there is a way to make the config.exe and registry read and store a comma literally, like you can in the skin file using ','.  (I've tried this, and unfortunately it doesn't work ).  

Sorry I didn't answer your question, but at least this might shed some light on why you're having a problem.  Maybe someone else will have the solution.

[tonyaross]

Thx for reply. I think you are right that other people must have run into this problem before. Fox and Wall Street Journal both have comma in their feeds. I cannot imagine that other people haven't tried them yet. I probably should get this post into the help and support section. Maybe those who've had this problem know how to get around it.

Thx again, you are great!

T

[tonyaross]

My device froze yesterday and I had to hard-reset.  After reintalling TP, quite a few things go wrong.

I lost the calendar header (the "M,T,W,Thr,F,S,S" display). The calendar header code is still in the skin, so I cannot figure out where the problem is.

Code Select Expand

//========================================
// CALENDAR CURRENT MONTH
//========================================

image,115,5,kalender_header_main.png
image,181,5,kalender_header_senkrecht_main_grau.png
image,194,5,kalender_header_senkrecht_main_rot.png

color,font,0_0_0
calendarheader,116,5,13
color,font,-1_4_-1

calendar,0,0,116,18,13,10,l


My radar.exe also stops working. The update button is OK and I can still get rss feeds, but it is not downloading anything.

Neither can I load weather icons, although I have all the weather icon folders in place.

I obviously need help.  

ThX!

T

[Timmy]

My device froze yesterday and I had to hard-reset.  After reintalling TP, quite a few things go wrong.

@Tonyaross,

From time to time I have the same problem. Don't worry about your skin: there's nothing wrong with it!!! Mostly there's an URL-problem causing the things that happen on your PCC.

You have to give a soft-reset, and try downloading another time.

Timmy