Wall Switch (Wallpaper Auto-Switching)

[appsotutely]

Version 1.0.2 is now available!

Added: Start Dashboard on wakeup

Wall Switch is an automated wallpaper switcher that lets you use any number of photo albums on your device as a source for constantly changing your background wallpaper.

Fully supports all devices running at least webOS 2.0, including the Pre, the Pre Plus, the Pre 2, Pre 3, the Veer, and the TouchPad.

On the main screen:

• Tap to select/unselect any number of albums to use as a source for wallpaper photos (TouchPad users even have access to all of their Synergy photos). Use the Checkmark icon to select all or the Cancel icon to deselect all.
• Tap the Save icon to save your changes or the Discard icon to undo your current changes.
• Tap the ON/OFF button to turn on or off the Wall Switch service. This will show ON when you have successfully turned on the service and will require selecting at least one album with at least one non-banned photo in the album.
• Use the application menu to Clear All Banned Photos in all albums quickly.
• Tap & hold on an individual album for a submenu:
  - Review All Photos
  - Review Banned Photos
  - Clear Banned Photos for only that specific album

From the dashboard:

• Use the Wall Switch icon to show/restart the main application.
• Use the Switch button to immediately skip to the next photo.
• Use the Ban button to prevent the current wallpaper from being shown again while also skipping immediately to the next photo.

Use the Preferences:

• Control the amount of time between switches (in minutes or hours).
• Control the order of the photos (random or album order).
• Control the display format of the photos (centered, zoomed, or stretched) - due to a webOS bug, this is not available on the TouchPad currently.
• Control whether or not to wake your device to do a switch.
• Control when to show the dashboard.

[appsotutely]

Changelog for Wall Switch:

v1.0.2 (1/24/2012):
Added: Start Dashboard on wakeup

v1.0.0 (1/13/2012):
Added: Refresh Photos options

v0.9.8 (1/9/2012):
Changed: Thumbnail process

v0.9.4 (8/31/2011):
Added: Review Photos screen
Added: Pre3 & TouchPad compatibility

v0.9.0 (8/9/2011):
Initial Release!

[Audemars02]

I have been beta testing this app and it's awesome! For anyone using Switcharoo Free for on-device pic wallpaper switching, GET THIS APP!!!

[appsotutely]

Originally Posted by Audemars02

I have been beta testing this app and it's awesome! For anyone using Switcharoo Free for on-device pic wallpaper switching, GET THIS APP!!!

Thanks for the kind words ... now if only HP can get around to approving it!

[appsotutely]

Wall Switch is now available in the app catalog!

[Diesel Donkey]

This is such a great app!

I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I don't know this, but what does it mean to "wake the device to switch"? Does that mean that the app will only switch the wallpaper when the CPU is in a deeper sleep state if the toggle is set to ON?

-- Sent from my Palm Pre using Forums

[jsgraphicart]

Just installed this. I love it.

[jsgraphicart]

Ok, well I ran into a little issue. The wallpaper doesnt seem to want to change all the time. I set it to switch every minute just to see how it worked and it switch a couple of times but seems to have stopped. The funny thing is is that one time when I pressed the power button to unlock the device, I can see one wallpaper but when I unlock it, its a different wallpaper. If I go into the app and turn the app off then on again, it switches and then runs perfect again. I have noticed that setting the phone on the Touchstone seems to be messing it up and stop the switching process. Any ideas?

[appsotutely]

Originally Posted by Diesel Donkey

This is such a great app!

I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I don't know this, but what does it mean to "wake the device to switch"? Does that mean that the app will only switch the wallpaper when the CPU is in a deeper sleep state if the toggle is set to ON?

-- Sent from my Palm Pre using Forums

If you turn "Wake Device To Switch" to "Yes", then it will switch your wallpaper like clockwork, right on whatever interval you choose, so if you set your interval at 1 hour, it will switch your wallpaper exactly 24 times each day. This, of course, requires that the phone has power that entire time. Since Wall Switch generally does not send a notification message after a wallpaper switch, it won't turn on the screen, but it will still change the wallpaper. This does mean that you won't see any of the wallpaper changes while you are sleeping though.

If you turn "Wake Device To Switch" to "No", then it will switch your wallpaper only after the interval you choose, but only while your device is awake. It could be awake because you're using your device or because some other application has awoken to do it's work, so for example, if you allow the Email app to wake your device to check for new email, that will also allow Wall Switch to start up as well. This only matters if you've completely exited Wall Switch, so there's no main card for Wall Switch and there's no Dashboard for Wall Switch either. If either is running, it will do wallpaper switches at the specified interval. If you set the interval to 1 hour (and have no other apps that would wake the device), and then you only turned on the device once in the morning and then once in the evening, Wall Switch would only have switched wallpapers twice (and it would do it as soon as you turned on the device, so that you would be greeted by a different wallpaper than before). This is way to always notice the next wallpaper.

Originally Posted by jsgraphicart

Ok, well I ran into a little issue. The wallpaper doesnt seem to want to change all the time. I set it to switch every minute just to see how it worked and it switch a couple of times but seems to have stopped. The funny thing is is that one time when I pressed the power button to unlock the device, I can see one wallpaper but when I unlock it, its a different wallpaper. If I go into the app and turn the app off then on again, it switches and then runs perfect again. I have noticed that setting the phone on the Touchstone seems to be messing it up and stop the switching process. Any ideas?

So there does seem to be a bug with the wallpaper actually refreshing the screen, but if you look in the ".wallpapers" folder, the wallpaper will have actually changed. Other apps that try to use the wallpaper (like MultiPane and Music Player Remix) will show the new wallpaper, even though the device continues to show the old one. I think you may be correct that the touchstone may be a factor in this behavior. I'll submit the bug to HP and see what they say.

[jsgraphicart]

Yeah, It seems to only be an issue on the Touchstone.

EDIT: Actually, it seems to be working now. lol

EDIT 2: I have noticed something else. When on the Touchstone and the screen is locked, it doesnt want to switch. When the screen is on, it does switch. But I dont think its every minute. More like whenever it feels like it. lol

[jsgraphicart]

Ok, my official observation. lol. The only time I see the app not switching is when its on the Touchstone and the screen is locked. I hope that can narrow down the problem.

[appsotutely]

Originally Posted by jsgraphicart

Ok, my official observation. lol. The only time I see the app not switching is when its on the Touchstone and the screen is locked. I hope that can narrow down the problem.

Thanks for helping to narrow it down, it's definitely a big help.

[appsotutely]

If you haven't already seen it, check out Audemars02's excellent review. Thanks for writing up Wall Switch!

[Diesel Donkey]

Originally Posted by appsotutely

If you turn "Wake Device To Switch" to "Yes", then it will switch your wallpaper like clockwork, right on whatever interval you choose, so if you set your interval at 1 hour, it will switch your wallpaper exactly 24 times each day. This, of course, requires that the phone has power that entire time. Since Wall Switch generally does not send a notification message after a wallpaper switch, it won't turn on the screen, but it will still change the wallpaper. This does mean that you won't see any of the wallpaper changes while you are sleeping though.

If you turn "Wake Device To Switch" to "No", then it will switch your wallpaper only after the interval you choose, but only while your device is awake. It could be awake because you're using your device or because some other application has awoken to do it's work, so for example, if you allow the Email app to wake your device to check for new email, that will also allow Wall Switch to start up as well. This only matters if you've completely exited Wall Switch, so there's no main card for Wall Switch and there's no Dashboard for Wall Switch either. If either is running, it will do wallpaper switches at the specified interval. If you set the interval to 1 hour (and have no other apps that would wake the device), and then you only turned on the device once in the morning and then once in the evening, Wall Switch would only have switched wallpapers twice (and it would do it as soon as you turned on the device, so that you would be greeted by a different wallpaper than before). This is way to always notice the next wallpaper.



So there does seem to be a bug with the wallpaper actually refreshing the screen, but if you look in the ".wallpapers" folder, the wallpaper will have actually changed. Other apps that try to use the wallpaper (like MultiPane and Music Player Remix) will show the new wallpaper, even though the device continues to show the old one. I think you may be correct that the touchstone may be a factor in this behavior. I'll submit the bug to HP and see what they say.

Thanks for the very informational reply. It all makes sense now!

-- Sent from my Palm Pre using Forums

[broncot]

I just tried using Wall Switch after Verizon updated my Pre 2 to 2.1, and it won't open, it hangs on the opening screen saying "Loading...." I've reset the phone, removed and reinstalled the app. This is with the app catalog version 0.9.0

[appsotutely]

Something probably happened to the Media Permissions and it's stuck in a loop. Please check this thread for more info and this thread for the fix.

Please let us know how it goes.

[appsotutely]

The TouchPad enabled version has already been submitted and will hopefully be approved soon.

[broncot]

Originally Posted by appsotutely

Something probably happened to the Media Permissions and it's stuck in a loop. Please check this thread for more info and this thread for the fix.

Please let us know how it goes.

That worked, I've used that fix before with Remix, but didn't think that was the issue since Remix was working.
Thanks!!

[un_designer]

Hi... how's this coming along for the TouchPad? Thx.

[appsotutely]

Originally Posted by un_designer

Hi... how's this coming along for the TouchPad? Thx.

The new version is currently awaiting approval. The TouchPad screenshots are now in the first post, so you can get a sneak peak of the tablet interface and new features.