6 Replies Latest reply: Nov 13, 2012 1:39 PM by zagarskas RSS

    DPS feature request for Android phones, Force screen sizes, and fix alternate layouts to be smarter.

    zagarskas Community Member

      *******Enhancement / FMR*********

      Brief title for your desired feature:

      Support for NORMAL and SMALL screen sizes in the Android APP builder for DPS. Better support for forcing specific layouts onto devices.

       

       

      How would you like the feature to work?

      1- Advanced tab

      A: allows us to manually enter the

      android:versionCode="00000"

      android:versionName="0.0.0.0.0"

       

       

      B: allows us to change

        <supports-screens android:smallScreens="true" android:normalScreens="true" android:largeScreens="true" android:xlargeScreens="true" />

      values.

       

       

      C: In the DPS dashboard there should be a tab that says "force on all devices"

       

       

      When we choose to publish the 1024x768 iPad size we should be allowed to FORCE this onto the Android devices. There is a MAJOR problem with alternate layouts. For example, when I publish only a 1024x768 it works great on Android tablets, iPads but does NOT show up on iPhone or iPodTouch. Once I create a 480x320 it shows up on the  iPodTouch, but also then overrides the Android tablet and shows an item that is way too small, it SHOULD be showing the 1024x768 and NOT the 480x320.

       

      The way I would think this should work is simply be able to create ONE 1024x768 and force it onto every device. If I do create a 480x320 just for the iPod Touch, I dont want it showing up on the Android tablet. there should be a way to controll this. The problem is that once I create the 480x320 the Android tablet decides to show it instead of the 1024x768 which looked just fine.

       

       

      Why is this feature important to you?

      Because it is implied by the product as a feature and seems like a really important thing to have. DPS is awesome it makes my day easier, but I think many of us need it to be a little smarter.

       

       

      To test this out do this:

      Scenario A: Make a 1024x768 publication. publish it. look at it on an

      Android tablet = awesome.

      Kindle Fire = awesome.

      iPad = awesome,

      iPhone = not there. (should be)

      iPod touch = not there.  (should be)

       

      Scenario B: add a 480x320 variation of that publication, publish it.

      Android tablet = FAIL shows the 320 version way too small, should show 1024x768

      Kindle Fire = FAIL shows the 320 version way too small, should show 1024x768

      iPad = awesome,

      iPhone = not there.  (should be) 

      iPod touch = awesome, shows the 320 version perfect size.

       

      I personally do not want to make 5 variations for alternate sizes. 2 is not even attractive, but seems necessary. It seems that once the pandoras box of "alterate layouts" is opened, we must do 5, and thats not the desired oporation I am seeking.

        • 1. Re: DPS feature request for Android phones, Force screen sizes, and fix alternate layouts to be smarter.
          Neil Enns - Adobe Employee Hosts

          We hope to provide better control over how different renditions target devices during 2013. As you point out, right now it's a little, ah, less flexible than people would typically like.

           

          Neil

          • 2. Re: DPS feature request for Android phones, Force screen sizes, and fix alternate layouts to be smarter.
            zagarskas Community Member

            Perhaps you can help, or perhaps I am doing something wrong here...

            less flexible? is an understatement.

             

            Lets say I want to publish the same content on iPad, iPhone, iPod, Kindle Fire, and Nook.

            1- If I publish a 1024x768

            iPad - works

            iPhone - FAIL shows nothing

            iPod - FAIL shows nothing

            Android tablet - works

            Kindle Fire - works

            Nook - works

             

            2- If I Create a folio rendition (480x320) and Create documents for multiple devices (using alternate layouts for every single page that are 480x320)

            iPad - works shows 1024x768

            iPhone - works shows 320x240

            iPod - works shows 320x240

            Android tablet - FAIL shows 320x240

            Kindle Fire - FAIL shows 320x240

            Nook - FAIL shows 320x240

             

            3- If I Create YES, YET ANOTHER a folio rendition (600x1024) and Create documents for multiple devices (using alternate layouts for every single page that are 600x1024)

            The publishing suite throws an ERROR and says "One of your articles has a different resolution size than the folio."

            --> THATS BS, the article has 3 sizes, this problem did not occure with the 320x480, why is it a problem with (600x1024)?

            A: 1024x768 Vertical

            B: 480x320 Vertical

            C: 1024x600 Vertical

             

            4- If I Create YES, YET ANOTHER a folio rendition (800x1280) and Create documents for multiple devices (using alternate layouts for every single page that are 800x1280)

            The publishing suite throws an ERROR and says "One of your articles has a different resolution size than the folio."

            --> THATS BS, the article has now 4 sizes, this problem did not occur with the 480x320, why is it a problem with (1280x800)?

            A: 1024x768 Vertical

            B: 480x320 Vertical

            C: 1024x600 Vertical

            D: 1280x800 Vertical

             

            What gives?

            Please help me, how am I supposed to publish ONE piece of content and have it show on all apps on all devices?

            I do not care about letterboxing, I do not care about scaling, I do not care about font sizes.

             

            Read this please:

            http://help.adobe.com/en_US/digitalpubsuite/using/WS67cb9e293e2f1f60f5f54012e30daf910-8000 .html

             

            It says CLEARLY:

            You can use a number of different methods to account for the different device dimensions:

            • Create a single folio size (such as 1024x768) for all devices. Layouts are scaled or letterboxed as needed.

             

            Why does this NOT work ?

             

            Also, it says:


            Use the same source documents, but create different folio renditions for multiple target mobile devices. For example, for the iPad, you can create one set of 1024x768 source documents, and then create two folios based on these documents. When the articles are uploaded, the source files are scaled according to the folio size. Scaling content when the articles are created is provides better performance than scaling content when the folio is displayed in the viewer.

             

            Why does this NOT work ?

             

            Instead the system throws an error that says "One of your articles has a different resolution size than the folio."

             

            Am I missing something here?

            • 3. Re: DPS feature request for Android phones, Force screen sizes, and fix alternate layouts to be smarter.
              Neil Enns - Adobe Employee Hosts

              Can you send me a package of one of your documents that has the three resolutions and is throwing the "different resolution size" error? We had a bug around that quite a while ago that was fixed, so I'm not quite sure why that isn't working for you. You can send it to neile@adobe.com.

               

              The line in Bob's article about creating a single folio size for all devices is confusing, I agree. I'll let him know to tweak it so it's clearer.

               

              Neil

              • 4. Re: DPS feature request for Android phones, Force screen sizes, and fix alternate layouts to be smarter.
                Bob Bringhurst - Adobe Adobe Employee

                Right, that line about using one folio size for all devices was accurate until the iPhone came out, and I forgot to update it. It's updated now.

                • 5. Re: DPS feature request for Android phones, Force screen sizes, and fix alternate layouts to be smarter.
                  zagarskas Community Member

                  Neil

                   

                  Thanks, but I have already redone the entire thing with the 2 publishing profiles. I will try to recreate the error and send you files as soon as I have some time, few days or so. (I also had some problems with "ghost issues" as a seemingly direct result,  but that has now been resolved by the tech support team, which I will say I am impressed with how fast they got back to me on that problem)

                  have you physically tested out the scenario I describe above in 1-4 ?

                  thanks.

                  • 6. Re: DPS feature request for Android phones, Force screen sizes, and fix alternate layouts to be smarter.
                    zagarskas Community Member

                    lol. of course.

                    I feel like this now:

                    http://mste.illinois.edu/patel/chisquare/gifs/peanutsfair.gif

                     

                    but thank you, it is a blessing to have come to closure on this as I was still wondering what I was doing wrong, the idea of  "Create a single folio size = Layouts are scaled or letterboxed as needed." is a WONDERFUL and elegant concept, moving back toward this would be a really awesome thing...

                     

                    PS: re-

                    Create a single folio size (such as 1024x768) for the iPad. Layouts are scaled down or letterboxed as needed on Android devices. If you want your content to appear on the iPhone, you need to create at least one additional folio size, such as 480x320.

                    on http://help.adobe.com/en_US/digitalpubsuite/using/WS67cb9e293e2f1f60f5f54012e30daf910-8000 .html

                     

                    you may want to throw a note in there that if we do make a 480x320 that the Androids will ignore the 1024x768 and pick the 480x320 and show it in a little tiny box: because I would naturally still assume that would not be the case (since they are 'supposed to' pick the closest size) and in my human opinion 1024x768 is closer to 1024x600 than 480x320 without reguard to aspect ratio. (my lord, it really did sound so much more attractive with the 'Create a single folio size'  line in there eh? enough that I now wish I was actually doing somehting wrong or missed some checkbox somewhere...)

                     

                    in all, this has been a great help. I will finally be able to get some sleep and its a comfort to know I am indeed not insane and CS6 is doing exactly what its supposed to do...

                    as usual, 99% of software issues do remain human error.

                    thanks!!!