Poll: Launch Behavior

[mikelove]

We've gotten quite a bit of email feedback on both sides of this issue, so I figured I might as well post a poll and see what people here think. Unfortunately, it's not possible to support both, but if we did make the switch to "return to whatever you were doing previously," we could also add a "Dict Launcher" app that would always bring you back to the search screen.

 

[johnh113]

We've gotten quite a bit of email feedback on both sides of this issue, so I figured I might as well post a poll and see what people here think. Unfortunately, it's not possible to support both, but if we did make the switch to "return to whatever you were doing previously," we could also add a "Dict Launcher" app that would always bring you back to the search screen.

Dear Mike,

I must be missing something. I spend 99% of my time in flashcards. When it turns off or when I go to another app and it's running in the background, and then I return, Pleco is still on the flashcard screen where I left off. I like that behavior, but in the survey you say that is not the default behavior. It seems to be the default behavior for me, and I want to keep it that way.

John

 

[mikelove]

I must be missing something. I spend 99% of my time in flashcards. When it turns off or when I go to another app and it's running in the background, and then I return, Pleco is still on the flashcard screen where I left off. I like that behavior, but in the survey you say that is not the default behavior. It seems to be the default behavior for me, and I want to keep it that way.

It's the default behavior on Android 4.0, but not on 2.2/2.3, which are what most Pleco Android users are running. Android 4.0 handles task switching in a way that allows us to go back to the search screen when you launch Pleco from its icon but return to wherever you were before when you switch into it via the popup task manager; in earlier versions of Android, that's not possible, so we have to decide to make it work one way or the other.

 

[mfcb]

I must be missing something. I spend 99% of my time in flashcards. When it turns off or when I go to another app and it's running in the background, and then I return, Pleco is still on the flashcard screen where I left off. I like that behavior, but in the survey you say that is not the default behavior. It seems to be the default behavior for me, and I want to keep it that way.

It's the default behavior on Android 4.0, but not on 2.2/2.3, which are what most Pleco Android users are running. Android 4.0 handles task switching in a way that allows us to go back to the search screen when you launch Pleco from its icon but return to wherever you were before when you switch into it via the popup task manager; in earlier versions of Android, that's not possible, so we have to decide to make it work one way or the other.

strange, on my galaxy S2 with 2.3.4 it also works as john describes, whatever distracts me from a flashcard session (incoming phone call, chat on qq, etc.) i always get back to the flashcard session which is still in progress (even when already in the "repeat incorrect loop"). also works when in reader...
the difference to what you described is maybe, that i get back to pleco "automatically", when the phone call is closed, or when i "back out" of qq. i never tried to get back via taskmanager.

must say, that i also dont want that feature to disappear

 

[mikelove]

trange, on my galaxy S2 with 2.3.4 it also works as john describes, whatever distracts me from a flashcard session (incoming phone call, chat on qq, etc.) i always get back to the flashcard session which is still in progress (even when already in the "repeat incorrect loop"). also works when in reader...
the difference to what you described is maybe, that i get back to pleco "automatically", when the phone call is closed, or when i "back out" of qq. i never tried to get back via taskmanager.

That would be the difference, yes. With manual launches in 2.2/2.3 we do jump back to the first screen, though.

 

[Alexis]

Further in support of "Return to whatever screen you were in previously": I was deleting a large flashcard category (had 5000 flashcards), then pressed the HOME key to go do something else after about 10 minutes. I launched Pleco again, but have no idea if the Category is still deleting, or if it got interrupted.

 

[mfcb]

It's the default behavior on Android 4.0, but not on 2.2/2.3, which are what most Pleco Android users are running. Android 4.0 handles task switching in a way that allows us to go back to the search screen when you launch Pleco from its icon but return to wherever you were before when you switch into it via the popup task manager; in earlier versions of Android, that's not possible, so we have to decide to make it work one way or the other.

since i got my upgrade to 4.0.3 i read the thread again, because i remembered there was something about 4.0. does it mean this poll is only for android 2 (and 3) as i got the feeling (after reading again) on 4.0 you implemented the luxury version of all possible start-up behaviors (as it should be :lol: )

 

[mikelove]

Further in support of "Return to whatever screen you were in previously": I was deleting a large flashcard category (had 5000 flashcards), then pressed the HOME key to go do something else after about 10 minutes. I launched Pleco again, but have no idea if the Category is still deleting, or if it got interrupted.

Ah, good point - we do do that for Import now but we need to do it with other batch commands as well.

since i got my upgrade to 4.0.3 i read the thread again, because i remembered there was something about 4.0. does it mean this poll is only for android 2 (and 3) as i got the feeling (after reading again) on 4.0 you implemented the luxury version of all possible start-up behaviors (as it should be)

It's actually not any conscious effort on our part, but it happens that 4.0 task-switching works in such a way as to make Pleco return to the previous screen when you switch via the recent applications list but not when you tap on the icon.

Anyway, the plan now is that we'll have a separate "Dict Launcher" icon to give you the old behavior but return to the last screen when you tap on the Pleco one - it seems like the minor inconvenience of that separate icon is much less than the major inconvenience of not able to get back to the last screen.

 

[JimmyTheSaint]

Wait, I thought if you return to Pleco via the app button you lose your last context, and if you return to Pleco via the ICS task manager (longpress home button) it preserves context. I like having the option without having to add an extra button to a home screen because sometimes you'd just rather not hit the back button seven times to do a new search.

As previously discussed, a "home" button would be wonderful if it could be available absolutely everywhere. That would require two strokes to get home, which is the same behavior as hitting the Android home button then the Pleco app button on a home screen. Whatever you do, don't eliminate all the "two strokes to home" methods. A large number of my lookups are in the field in real time. I need at least one "two strokes to home" method that I can keep in muscle memory to robotically employ while someone's chattering in my face.

 

[mikelove]

Wait, I thought if you return to Pleco via the app button you lose your last context, and if you return to Pleco via the ICS task manager (longpress home button) it preserves context. I like having the option without having to add an extra button to a home screen because sometimes you'd just rather not hit the back button seven times to do a new search.

The problem is that 3/4 of our customers are on pre-ICS versions of Android and many of them will never be able to upgrade their phones; this isn't an option for them. So a solution that worked well for everyone would be best.

As previously discussed, a "home" button would be wonderful if it could be available absolutely everywhere. That would require two strokes to get home, which is the same behavior as hitting the Android home button then the Pleco app button on a home screen. Whatever you do, don't eliminate all the "two strokes to home" methods. A large number of my lookups are in the field in real time. I need at least one "two strokes to home" method that I can keep in muscle memory to robotically employ while someone's chattering in my face.

Unfortunately ICS is actually making that less likely, as a home button everywhere would mean an onscreen menu button everywhere and we're trying to avoid that in some screens where we don't do much with the menu now (the already-overcrowded flashcard session screen, e.g.).

But given that ICS is now the dominant OS among new downloaders it may be that we should just skip this change and stick with the current system - we haven't had all that many complaints about the current launch behavior, and people downloading / trying out Pleco for the first time are probably on ICS and hence getting the new task-switching behavior anyway.