Re: Online crossword puzzles?
 

Hey, I'm glad to see other crossword-loving tablet users out there. I did a TON of searching for something that would work on my 770.
Then after I discovered x-word.org I figured that was a really good starting point and I started the maemo garage project.

I wasn't sure how to handle the text entry either, I have a version that just uses toolbar buttons for letters, but I didn't put that in subversion because it still seemed too hacky.

I didn't know about the xkbd port. Thanks terrencegf for coming up with such a nice solution.

Ironically, I probably never would have started the project if I'd known about xkbd, because there's a really slick AJAX player that does the NY Times crossword!
http://www.labpixies.com/gadget_page.php?id=48

Re: Online crossword puzzles?
 

I'm really enjoying this program. Thanks!

But I find it a bit awkward with xkbd on the left. As a right-hander, I find it distracting that my hand covers up the puzzle when I am pecking at the keyboard with the stylus and it seems like it would be generally more convenient as a right-hander to have xkbd on the right.

Would it be possible to have the left/right position selectable so each person could choose the side that is most convenient? Or am I missing something and this is already an option.

Re: Online crossword puzzles?
 

I am also right-handed and agree that it is a bit odd to reach across the screen to type letters. However, that is the logical place to put the keyboard since then it doesn't cover up the puzzle at all. You could certainly move the keyboard to the right side, but you would be minimizing it all the time just to see the puzzle squares. At that point, you would be better off using the default xkbd layout (i.e. the small one in the lower right corner) which covers up only a portion of the puzzle.

Re: Online crossword puzzles?
 

That is a symptom of xkbd. I don't know if there are any solutions. You might try searching the forums for other reports.

I agree that is VERY annoying. I don't know python or gtk+ well enough to be able to fix it quickly. (Never coded python before now, and what I did was "code by example".) However, I verified that this is a bug in the original code, not due to the N800 port. I will "file a bug" with the original Xword team and let you know if I get a response.

Re: Online crossword puzzles?
 

They NYT puzzles are only 'locked' for the day they are released then either at midnight or whenever the next edition comes out (which will have the solution for the previous day's puzzle) you can either d/l the 'unlocked' version and/or enter the code to unlock the solutions as it is published along side the puzzle file download link.

I just have always been behind on the puzzles so I never really have to deal with 'locked' puzzles.

As far as the layout...if there is a way to reduce x-word's (or is it Xword or X-word...what is the name really? hehe) anyway, if the actual toolbar withing the software could be re-thunk it would really improve things. Something to consider is to actually rotate the display to portrait mode. While that does indeed reduce the size of the puzzle, it will provide much more room for buttons and some sort of text entry. Look at the BeCrossword layout. Not perfect but it does work easily and it not hard to follow.

I think one issue that is a problem is trying to display the clues on the same screen as the puzzle. There is simply not sufficent room for that on the tablets...just as with my nx73v.

I buggered something on my tablet last night and I suspect it was when I was trying to clean up the repository list so I might not actually even get to play with the xword software tonight at all. sniffsniff... ;)

Like GA mentioned some sort of Graffiti like entry option sure would be sweet...but is there anything even close yet? I know there is a native handwritting input option but I only have given it a cursory look. Don't know if it is even possible to add a mod to emulate something like Graffiti input with existing libraries???? Woud be nice though.

Re: Online crossword puzzles?
 

Oh, that would be nice! Just a single little line to print on, not some micro-mini-tiny-key keyboard (like the current xkbd) or some spacehogger. It would be great not just for crossword puzzles but for other xkbd-dependent apps, like the Links2 browser, which I would use sometimes but for xkbd being such a pain.

As for Graffiti versus Nokia's handwriting recognition, Graffiti is lightyears ahead. Even trying Graffiti within the Access Palm (Garnet) emulation on the N800, it was a pleasure, with virtually no practice. What comes with the Tablets, OTOH, I found to be too big a hassle, even after putting time in to train it.

I would expect that Graffiti has some sort of intellectual property protection that may make it illegal to imitate. I don't know, and I hope I'm wrong, but I wonder if they received patent protection for the entire idea of modifying the writing of the letters of the alphabet, which is a critical part of what makes it work so well.

Re: Online crossword puzzles?
 

hey Gerald,

Thanks for the comment about comparing Graffiti with the tablet's HW input. I learned on Graffiti 2 which is apparently much different from version 1...still I never thought I would like it until I began really using my Clie. I feel lost w/o it. In fact right now I am making a list of apps I have installed on the N800 on my Clie as I might just re-flash the tablet to fix whatever I 'fixed' last night... ;) But I need to do some searches here on fixing repository list issues first, might as well learn to do it the correct way...maybe.... :D

But about input on the xword app. Something adding both rotation handwriting input would do is to eliminate the whole left/right hand issue. And a separate window for clues is fine with me as long as the current clue is displayed either across the top or bottom. Combine that with the new nav buttons terrencegf added and this thing is almost done.

Of course it's easy when sitting here in the 'cheap seats' to make suggestions. I have never used Python so I have no idea what is or is not possible. I did look at the Xword source last night in ActivePython 2.5 for Windows and it looks fairly straight forward syntax wise. But that is not the hard part...really knowing the libraries and language is the hard part and I dunno nothing there at all. So, 'suggestions' are the best I can manage these days.

Re: Online crossword puzzles?
 

Some good news! I figured out a fix for the scroll window bug. It will be in the next release. (Yes, another release...)

Which leads to the next good news. The garage maintainer for xword has given me access, so I will be able to commit all of my mods to the garage AND put new releases there. I plan on starting a new "announce" thread once that is in place, probably sometime this weekend.

Re: Online crossword puzzles?
 

I don't know if you're dual-booting. If you are, give a try to fsck -- see Post #2 of cloning link in my sig.

If you aren't dual-booting, you may want to consider it: it provides a way to make a real back-up. I have a couple backups now, made at, you might say, different stages of risk.

Re: Online crossword puzzles?
 

EXCELLENT NEWS!!! Thanks so much...you really have no idea just how much your wokring on this means to me. I am often pretty limited on how active I can be leaving only watching TV (eh...), reading or something like crossword puzzles as ways I can distract myself.

And the NYT puzzles, and that "rat bastage" Will Shortz often keep me busy most of the day... ;)