Alternative Keyboard Brightness Patches

[Speebs]

Originally Posted by Speebs

That's what I have in mind, though I haven't gotten into programming for webOS yet, so it could take me some time. I mocked it up in VB so I have the logic all laid out already. What I would like is to have a screen where you can set the following:

• Keyboard Minimum Brightness
• Keyboard Maximum Brightness
• Inverted (checkbox)
• Screen Low Threshold
• Screen High Threshold

So while the screen brightness varies within the threshold values, the keyboard adjusts accordingly *within* (and scaled to) the brightness range specified. When the screen threshold is surpassed, the keyboard brightness sticks at the maximum or minimum brightness level. For example, if your screen threshold range is 10-60 (difference of 50) and your keyboard brightness range is 0-25 (difference of 25), every 1-point change between 10 and 60 in screen brightness would result in a 2-point change in keyboard brightness between 0 and 25. I think this is what RoLLEmUp is asking in the post above.

The way it works now, it is a 1-1 ratio between the screen and keyboard brightness and this is what I'd like to correct before submitting the various combination of patches and then ultimately making an interface to control it.

I would like to make the app play nicely with Mode Switcher so that changes can be automated, too.

Because there are so many variables and different possibilities for this, it doesn't feel right to submit a whole slew of patches to Preware. What I will do is and post a few different versions here, which people are free to modify before installing (I'll provide editing instructions).

With webOS 2.0 so close, and the lack of customization ability for Preware patches, I think it makes more sense to wait until I can make a real app with an interface. Hopefully the patches will hold everyone over until then.

I'll try to have them posted here before the end of the weekend.

[sjamie]

We "think"/ "hope" WebOS is so close!

[Speebs]

OK... so I finally got this thing to work. I apologize for the lack of focus in this post- I am very tired and it's been a little frustrating getting this to work. As usual, this patch is "as-is" and "use at your own risk." That said, I am using it without any problems.

It is set up so that you can change the following variables to control the behavior.

• Keyboard Minimum Brightness
• Keyboard Maximum Brightness
• Screen Low Threshold
• Screen High Threshold

This means that:

• If they keyboard minimum brightness is LESS than the maximum brightness, then the keyboard brightness will be scaled in direct proportion to the screen brightness (as screen brightness increases, so will the keyboard).
• If the keyboard minimum brightness is EQUAL to the maximum brightness, it will behave like the "fixed" patch.
• If they keyboard minimum brightness is GREATER than the maximum brightness, then it will behave like the "inverted" patch.
  
• These settings take effect BETWEEN the screen low/high thresholds. When the thresholds are exceeded, the keyboard brightness remains fixed.

To modify the patch, open it in a text editor and find lines 53-54 and 62-63. They look like this:

+		var keyLow = 40; //This is the brightness limit of the keyboard when the screen brightness is LOWER than the MINIMUM screen threshhold ("screenLow").
+		var keyHigh = 0; //This is the brightness limit of the keyboard when the screen brightness is HIGHER than the MAXIMUM screen threshhold ("screenHigh").

+		var screenLow = 20; //This is the LOW screen brightness threshhold used when adjusting the keyboard brightness.
+		var screenHigh = 50; //This is the HIGH screen brightness threshhold used when adjusting the keyboard brightness.
+

Just change the 4 values to whatever you want.

As you can see, in this one, the "low" keyboard setting is 40, and the "high" setting is 0. This will cause the keyboard brightness to be inverted in relation to the screen brightness when the screen is between 20% and 50%.

This is also why I renamed the patch to "Proportional Keyboard and Screen Brightness ##-##-##-##". This naming convention makes it easy to tell what values the patch applies. The format for the ##s is keyLow-keyHigh-screenLow-screenHigh. By looking at the numbers you can tell whether it is a "fixed" patch, a "directly proportional" patch, or an "inverted" patch, as well as the specific settings it uses.

Now that this is done, it's time to convert it to an app so it's not so annoying to change the values. Anyone want to help?

[Speebs]

I am going to submit some variations to Preware, but I wanted to get some input on what brightness settings people would like to have before I did that.

Let us know what variations of the patch you'd like to see go up in Preware (whether they are fixed, inverted, or "directly proportional" versions). For example:

• Inverted: Keyboard 40-0, Screen 20-50
• Direct: Keyboard 10-75, Screen 0-100

The patches will eventually be removed from Preware once I am (or someone else is) able to make an app to control these settings.

[ChemEngr]

I like the logic you set up with 40-00-20-50. I'll be editing it to 30-00-20-50 (30 keyboard brightness is more than enough in dark room). Thanks a lot for the patch my friend!

[Speebs]

My pleasure.

[pcworld]

I just submitted 25% and 50% for webOS 2 to the patches portal.
I would submit the one for 80% too, but I can't find it in the patches portal...

You find also all three attached.

[webOSdealer]

Originally Posted by pcworld

I just submitted 25% and 50% for webOS 2 to the patches portal.
I would submit the one for 80% too, but I can't find it in the patches portal...

You find also all three attached.

Thank you. I have been trying to get my Franken Pre2 running up to par to update the patches to 2.x. pm if you want to send me the 50% patch and I can update it for 80%.

Thanks again for taking the lead.

[pcworld]

Originally Posted by webOSdealer

pm if you want to send me the 50% patch and I can update it for 80%.

I have it already attached in my last post. But I can't find the 80% patch in the update-list in the patches portal, although it shows up in Preware as placeholder.

[bludragn]

Originally Posted by webOSdealer

I am about to submit my first 3 patches to preware.

There was a request to take some of the pressure off of sconix with fixed keyboard brightness patches.

I am submitting patches for the following fixed brightness:

25%, 50%, & 100% - NOW IN PREWARE - enjoy!

1. Fixed Keyboard Brightness 25

2. Fixed Keyboard Brightness 50

3. Fixed Keyboard Brightness 100

I prefer a minimum brightness, but realize some users would prefer a medium brightness.

In addition, Speebs in the PC Forums has offered to submit the following variations to the Inverted Keyboard Brightness patch if there is interest in this thread. Here is what he is offering but we need your feedback!:

We are going some variations to Preware, but we want to get some input on what brightness settings people would like to have before I did that.

Let us know what variations of the patch you'd like to see go up in Preware (whether they are fixed, inverted, or "directly proportional" versions). For example:

* Inverted: Keyboard 40-0, Screen 20-50
* Direct: Keyboard 10-75, Screen 0-100

The one I am using, and will submit if there is interest, does the following:

Screen Brightness < 30%: Keyboard fixed at 20% (dark conditions- I don't need the keyboard to be bright)
Screen Brightness > 30% and < 50%: Keyboard inverted brightness from 50% to 20%
Screen Brightness > 50%: Keyboard brightness 0% (bright conditions- I can see the keys and don't need them backlit)

This was designed to eke out as much battery life as possible. It should be noted that:

a) my screen is almost exclusively at 0% brightness
b) I chose a minimum keyboard level of 20% because I found it most usable on my particular hardware
c) I'm sure the battery savings is negligible at best

Like I said, if there is interest, I'll submit the patch. If I had time to learn how to write an app, I would make an interface to control these variables, and then these patches would be irrelevant. "

If these sound like something you want, let Speebs know in this thread.

Thanks again everyone for the support and input!

webOSdealer

Patches Added to Preware:?? can't find it? what header is it under??

[limoman]

Originally Posted by bludragn

Patches Added to Preware:?? can't find it? what header is it under??

I'm looking for it too. Have it installed on my Pre and want to add it to my wife's. Any idea where I can get it? Thanks.

[Speebs]

Which patch are you looking for?

[jrronimo]

Originally Posted by Speebs

Which patch are you looking for?

I'd love to find a working Inverted Keyboard patch for WebOS 2.x. Does yours work in 2.1?

Thanks.

[webOSdealer]

Originally Posted by bludragn

Patches Added to Preware:?? can't find it? what header is it under??

You can open preware, go to the main scene and just type "Fixed Keyboard Brightness" and hit enter, you should get a list.

Let me know

- webOSdealer

[Speebs]

Originally Posted by jrronimo

I'd love to find a working Inverted Keyboard patch for WebOS 2.x. Does yours work in 2.1?

Thanks.

Sorry for the delay. I didn't get a notification email for this thread.

I don't know if it works in 2.x but I doubt it. I can't test it, but hopefully someone with 2.x can port it.