Zlauncher nail in the coffin for LX

[Cliefanatic]

Zlauncher has eclipsed LX. The only thing that I saw on LX that was kinda cool was the ability to change the background of the tabs. When you had each tab a different color it looked sweet.

[williepalm]

Think LX was overrated.

[Antipod]

I still like LX much more than ZL. First of all - you can customize tabs individually. Second, I use ISilo a lot, and there is a great built in feature in LX that allows to list ISilo documents just like other launchible apps. ZL kind of trying to do the same, but it is still far from the convenience that LX offers.
These two features alone are worth all other, for the most part, useless for me customizations of ZL.
The other thing about ZL is that its developers seem to be racing to add more and more stuff to it every week or so. The application is now so cluttered with poorly designed icons and awkwardly structured toolbars and tabs (even with skins). Its pull-down menus are huge and unintuitive.
I think the guys at ZZtech are doing a great job trying to meet their customer wants, but they lost sight of what a launcher is and what its functions are in the first place...
In my mind ZL is way too overrated on this board.
And I think when time comes we will see a well designed upgrade of LX, just like it happened from L3 to LX.
Just my opinion in this beaten to death debate....

[Yoyoman412]

Im sorry, but you really must have not explored ZLauncher enough yet. Just based on what I read from your post you are missing a lot. Zlauncher first of all is not cluttered at all when you dont want it to be. Zlauncher is so optimizable that you can have just tabs and no icons, or all icons and no tabs. Or no tabs and no icons. There are so many different ways and looks Zlauncher. You can change the color of just about anything. Icon name, Tab name, battery indicator, memory indicator, you name it. Zlauncher is by far the most custamizable application out there. The skins make these functions even better.

Another thing. Zlauncher is by far the most powerful launcher to date. From a file manager, to excellent theme and background support, you have got it all. Yes, I know, LauncherX has individual custamizable tabs and does have iSilo and doc app support along with hackmaster support, but Zlauncher withen a month will prob have all that too with its amazingly fast development and more!

I dont think we will ever ever see another version of Launcher X unless a miracle from G-d happens. Launcher X was overated and too anticipated, but Zlauncher saved all of us launcher freaks. Just try Zlauncher again, and you will see, ZL is the #1 launcher.

Jonathan

[mistrfree]

My 2 cents:

LauncherX
http://www.launcherx.com

Facer
http://pocketcraft.com

LauncherPlus
http://quicktap.com/www/launcherplus.html

All three of these at one time began as a great idea. Then, the developers assumingly obtained other interests.


ZLauncher
http://www.zztechs.com

On the other-hand. ZLauncher has consistently provided updates regarding customer feedback. Just check the first three websites, and even search for their forums. You will then see the customer disatisfaction with them. Don't forget, we (the consumers) provide monetary payment for the developers services, not the lack of service. ZLauncher is the only one that answers customers questions and suggestions with timely updates.

[wid4008]

Zlauncher is DOUBTLESSLY the winner.
It is definitely not overrated for eveything that it can provide (in fact I think that it is underrated)

On the other hand, launcher X is definitely overrated.


Zlauncher has developed to a stage where I think that if there is no Zlauncher, there will be no Clie.
It is simply an indispensible, powerful, awesome..... piece of software.

Zlauncher RULES!

[clie_wannabe]

but the one thing i love about LauncherX (which honestly prevents me from shifting to ZLauncher or other launchers for that matter) is the use of "shortcuts" such that even if you move an app to the memStick, the conduit would still be able to HotSync with that app...

if anyone could show me how to do this with ZLauncher... id really appreciate it...

thanks.

[thenightfly42]

Originally posted by Antipod
The application is now so cluttered with poorly designed icons and awkwardly structured toolbars and tabs (even with skins). Its pull-down menus are huge and unintuitive.
I'm demoing ZL right now, and i have to agree with you on these points, although I'll probably register it anyway.

I can never remember which menu item contains the option I'm trying to fix, but once I get them right I won't need to use the menus again.

And, I would love a set of simple, clean, old-school icons to replace the toolbar icons. Direct bitmapped icons are easier to read quickly than photo-realistic icons scaled down to fit.

[swagner]

clie_wannabe said it all. I need those shortcuts in LX so that My apps hotsync even when on the card. That is the number one reason I use LX.

I also like the simplicity of use. I found ZLauncher has too many different places to go adjust settings. You mean you need a manager app just to deal with all the parts of the program?!!

I think it really depends on what you are looking for though. LX does a good job of organizing your programs in an easy to launch and somewhat customizable manner. It is not fancy, decorative, or flashy. It includes effective tools to manage your files and access programs on your card.

ZLauncher and many others out there are looking to jazz up your screen with background images, fancy icons and even scrolling todos and appointments across your screen. Not only do I want to avoid my screen being so busy, I don' want the extra memory needed for all of that getting used. We are running Palm OS not Windows.

Although Zlauncher can be set up to have a very clean look to it, it involves lots of tweaking your settings. My biggest problem once I got it set up the way I wanted was the speed. It looked good and did what I wanted (even hotsyncing the progams on my card because the LX shortcuts were still on the machine). It took noticably longer to change tabs than LX. Every time I exited a program it took 3 seconds to redraw my launcher screen on an SJ/20. Not acceptable.

So... I vote LX.

[ErnieB]

Originally posted by swagner
Although Zlauncher can be set up to have a very clean look to it, it involves lots of tweaking your settings. My biggest problem once I got it set up the way I wanted was the speed. It looked good and did what I wanted (even hotsyncing the progams on my card because the LX shortcuts were still on the machine). It took noticably longer to change tabs than LX. Every time I exited a program it took 3 seconds to redraw my launcher screen on an SJ/20. Not acceptable.

So... I vote LX.

I vote LX as well, for the very same reasons as swagner.  However, I do agree ZL is a better launcher, and that it will probably be the 5th of Never before we see any updates to LX, which will be a problem eventually.  But for now, I'm happy with LX.

[jbarr]

Antipod: I definatly understand where you are coming from about LauncherX. I was a HUGE proponent of LauncherX, and still I am except that I am consistently having conflicts with JackFlash (resulting in fatal errors requiring hard resets) that I simply could not get resolved. JackFlash is just important to me to use, so I simply had to find a new launcher. I had tried ZLauncher a number of times in the past, and consistently ended up deleting it and reverting back to LauncherX. With the JackFlash fiasco, I decided to give ZLauncher another chance, and forced myself (mainly out of necessity) to learn the app and all its features. The result is that I am now using ZLauncher and don't regret it one bit. It can be set up to "feel" like LauncherX quite easily, but it takes some time to fully understand all the features and subtlties of ZLauncher. Yes, that is one of the nice things about LauncherX--its simplicity is very elegant.

Here are a few pointers to get ZLauncher to have more of a "LauncherX feel":

Note: I am running on an NX70V, so your milage may vary if you are using a different model...

1. Install the ZL3_Zoopie_SonyHR_64k theme. It's clean, unobtrusive, and just plain looks good. Don't worry about a back image unless you really want one. (as an aside, I also like the Zoopie theme because it's "Palm-oriented". most of the other themes seem to try to make LauncherX look like Windows. if I wanted Windows, I would have bought a Pocket PC.)

2. In ZP Preferences, set the Tab Mode to "Right" (or whatever your tab preference, and make sure that the "Show hint" and "Cycle tabs" boxes are checked.

3. In Display Setup, leave everything checked except for "Transparant UI" and "Active tab text shadow".

4. In Display Setup, set the Popup Menu Font and the Tab Title Font to "Medium Bold (it's the fourth one down in the pick list.)

5. In Color Setup, set the colors to whatever you want. I chose black for all text and labels and "Index 18, R 204, G 255, B 255" for the "Tab Back color".

6. In Top Bar Setup, I unchecked the "Show Toggle Top Bar Button" and added four gadgets to the four right-most positions. All other checkboxes except "Exp. Card" are checked.

7. In Bottom Bar Setup, everything is unchecked and I added my favorite gadgets. Customize it to your heart's content.

8. Finally, in Icon Setup, check everything except for "Underline" and "Text Shadow", select Icon:3, List:2, and set the Font to Medium Bold.

OK, what does this give me? A Nice, clean launcher that displays the category in the upper right. Changing categories can be done by selecting from the dropdown or just press the Jog Dial and it will cycle through the categories just like in LauncherX. Here (http://www.cliesource.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=411) is a screenshot of how I have mine configured.

It's not an even swap (like ZLauncher doesn't have the shortcut function) but it's developing fast, and is rock solid.

[Molerat]

I think I'd tend to agree that ZL is a bit counter-intuitive. Sure, I think it is the best supported, most customizable launcher available, but that hardly means it is perfect. While ZL's feature set appears very stable, the overall product could use "polish:"

- The interface is inconsistent from one screen to the next -- some menus are graphical, some are text-only... Some dialogs are standard PalmOS dialogs, some feature skinned/airbrushed buttons, others adopt the Sony application button layout.

- The default gadget icons are ports of Windows icons that look very nice, but do not convey the function of the button.

- The options menu is very complex. The user will find no context-sensitve help in the form of "i" buttons.

ZL, overall, is a very good product, supported by an excellent developer team... But the product has a patchwork feel to it, as if the featureset hasn't had a chance to "gel." While I look forward to the new release as much as the next guy, I would like ZZTECHS to take some time off to rethink, retool, and redesign ZL into a more rounded product.

(Edit: That came off more negative than I meant it to. I like ZL a lot. And I'd much rather have constant updates and a somewhat confusing interface than watch another designed-from-the-bottom-up-end-all-be-all LaucherX-type debacle)

[Antipod]

Molerat... You reiterrated my point very, very well (and I didn't mean to be negative either).
ZL has probably reached a point of critical mass when further additions are going to make it less and less user friendly and more frustrating especially for new users. In fact if you look at the thread titles on this forum you will see signs of just that.
The team needs to review their product strategy, otherwise they will start loosing new customers who don't want to spend weeks trying to customize this messy product..

jbarr - I tried what you described earlier. Yes, you can kind of get close to LX, but this is not what's really matters. I have all functionality that I relly need in LX, and I don't have problems with
JackFlash (cause I have SJ30), so there is hardy any reason for me to immitate LX with ZL. But thanks for the step by step instruction, it might become helpful in the future. You never know ;)

[pbr]

Originally posted by Antipod
The team needs to review their product strategy, otherwise they will start loosing new customers who don't want to spend weeks trying to customize this messy product..

i respectfully disagree. they may lose some customers, but i think they will gain a lot more by continuing to add enhancements, and listen to its customers. just look at datebk5, one of the most successful palm programs out there. that isn't exactly an easy to learn program, but it's sales seem to be doing just fine.

[sebring]

Originally posted by clie_wannabe
but the one thing i love about LauncherX (which honestly prevents me from shifting to ZLauncher or other launchers for that matter) is the use of "shortcuts" such that even if you move an app to the memStick, the conduit would still be able to HotSync with that app...

if anyone could show me how to do this with ZLauncher... id really appreciate it...

thanks.

Very few apps actually work reliably with the Launcher X shortcuts. Besides, you can use the same shortcuts with ZLauncher. When you delete Launcher X, the shortcuts stay behind. You can even use the trial period of Launcher X to set up your shortcuts, delete Launcher X and use the shortcuts with ZLauncher.

Of the apps I've tried with the shortcuts the following seem to work.
Stock Manager
Splash ID
These had problems:
Splash Photo (would sync photos, but caused display issues when I ran the app.)
Worldmate (would only sync currency updates not weather)

[boomer]

I've never heard of a problem with shortcuts before.  

 

I currently use them for QuickOffice and several clock applications so that the alarms work.   I also have some for calculator apps so that I can map it to the silk screen button using a hack.

 


 

[sebring]

Perhaps they work more reliably with Launcher X than with other launchers.

[boomer]

I'm using them in ZL. 

[mistrfree]

Originally posted by clie_wannabe
but the one thing i love about LauncherX (which honestly prevents me from shifting to ZLauncher or other launchers for that matter) is the use of "shortcuts" such that even if you move an app to the memStick, the conduit would still be able to HotSync with that app...

if anyone could show me how to do this with ZLauncher... id really appreciate it...

thanks.

I had heard that shortcuts were possible, but never really found it. Finally figured it out. In ZLauncher, if you goto your Card Tab, find the application that you want to create a shortcut to. Tap and hold the icon, a menu will popup................choose Create Shortcut.
This is more steps than is required in LauncherX, but should provide you with the same results.

[williepalm]

But if you just move the app from Ram directly to Palm/Launcher, the shortcuts are automatically created.

[mistrfree]

Originally posted by williepalm
But if you just move the app from Ram directly to Palm/Launcher, the shortcuts are automatically created.

Hmmm...........I don't think so. Open up the ZLauncher file manager or Filez for that matter and look in your palm's file tree with an application that you have "moved from ram to your Palm/Launcher" directory. Now, create a shortcut and look in your Palm's file tree. You will see a shortcut created with the latter.

[williepalm]

I have been doing this all this while. Just tap and hold any app in Ram, a drop down menu will pop up, select move to card. That app will be moved to Palm/Launcher and the shortcut will be created instantly. But if you use Filez/McFile to move the app to Palm/Launcher, you will have to select "refrersh App" before that shortcut shows.

[mistrfree]

What I was saying is that maybe you have been doing that all this while, BUT you are not creating a shortcut. Maybe you didn't read my last post, you can check and see for yourself. The shortcut in ram is created if you choose to create a shortcut.

[mistrfree]

The app will work either way, well, so far for me it has. But to have the app accessed during syncing seems to only work with creating a shortcut.

[flytrapxx]

ZLauncher.

Without a doubt.

'Nuff said.

Why use anyting else?

[clie_wannabe]

with all the previous posts... one would then say that "shortcuts" are possible with ZLauncher?

[mistrfree]

Originally posted by clie_wannabe
with all the previous posts... one would then say that "shortcuts" are possible with ZLauncher?


Yes indeed.

[cbulock]

The shortcuts that ZLauncher makes are totally different than the ones LauncherX makes. You can't place an app on the Memory Stick and have it sync by placing a shortcut to it in ZLauncher. All the shortcuts do in ZLauncher is make it so you can place a file in any directory on the stick and it will be displayed in the launcher view. It was also the temporary solution for displaying apps in the /Palm/Launcher folder before there was support built-in for that.

[clie_wannabe]

Originally posted by sebring


Very few apps actually work reliably with the Launcher X shortcuts. Besides, you can use the same shortcuts with ZLauncher. When you delete Launcher X, the shortcuts stay behind. You can even use the trial period of Launcher X to set up your shortcuts, delete Launcher X and use the shortcuts with ZLauncher.



call me dumb, but I only would want to verify...

what you are actually saying is that by somehow using LauncherX's "shortcuts" with ZLauncher, I could HotSync my applications in the memory card?

ps: could this be done for DocsTGo - I have the documents.prc in RAM while the SheetsToGO.prc and the WordView+.prc in MemStick...

[clie_wannabe]

some say that with ZLauncher's "shortcuts," one could HotSync with the desktop... while some "not"...

whew! i guess the only way to solve this is to try it on my own...
:confused:

[williepalm]

So how did it go.

[mikra]

To return to the Title of this thread:

I recently changed from LX to ZL.

Contra regarding LX:
- no active skins available, still waiting
- speed
- not as much userconfigurabel
- The price (it´s almost double the price of ZL, so do the themes) I regret having paid that much for LX

Contra regarding ZL:
- Size, takes up more ram
- No coloured tabs
- only one background colour for all Categories

I really like the built in file manager of  ZL and the  great variety of user definable options.

My winner is ZL and i am looking forward  to further improvements of it.

Michael

[clie_wannabe]

Originally posted by williepalm
So how did it go.

yep... i finally was able to try it out...

i used LauncherX to create the needed redirector "shortcuts," then installed ZLauncher. and yes, ZLauncher was able to see, and use the "shortcuts" created by LauncherX. then to proceed, i used a file manager (FileZ) to remove the 5 (five) system files of LauncherX...

and it works like a charm... and now im one of those happy converts to ZLauncher.

* problem is that it requires too much effort just to customize

[mistrfree]

I have been trying to re-create a LX shortcut, code it in CW, for ZLauncher. Still working on that coding project.:rolleyes: I emailed ZZTECHS yesterday and Li said that he would consider having the shortcuts work with HotSync apps. I hope that he does. I just recently checked it out for myself. Using PhotoBase, I use a LX shortcut to fool ZLauncher :) Works great:D

[tsunami25]

anyone ever get this:

create your SYNCABLE shortcut in LauncherX.
Remove LauncherX.
Run the shortcut to launch the app from a sd card on a tungsten t.

mine copies the app so that when i quit it, there is ALSO a copy in ram...

-b

[jbarr]

Has anyone tried the "ShortCutz 1.1" (http://palmgear.com/software/showsoftware.cfm?&prodID=45776) app? Yes, it's an extra $7.50, but it is OS 5 compatible and it will create shortcuts without the need for LauncherX. According to the PalmGear site, "If you use Filez to change the Shortcutz link's creator ID to the app on the card, it becomes a "stub" for those conduits that require it for proper hotsync"

Of course, we would all like to see this functionality built into ZLauncher!

[KCoram]

Originally posted by jbarr
Has anyone tried the "ShortCutz 1.1" (http://palmgear.com/software/showsoftware.cfm?&prodID=45776) app? Yes, it's an extra $7.50, but it is OS 5 compatible and it will create shortcuts without the need for LauncherX. According to the PalmGear site, "If you use Filez to change the Shortcutz link's creator ID to the app on the card, it becomes a "stub" for those conduits that require it for proper hotsync"

Of course, we would all like to see this functionality built into ZLauncher!

I've tried this, and yes it works. Note that if you do change the creator ID of the Shortcutz stub, Shortcutz will no longer be able to display it as a shortcut to delete in the 'Delete Shortcut' operation.

I found that by using PowerRun and telling it to move the application only, I also was able to synchronize an application that was stored on the memory stick.

So, if you already have PowerRun (doesn't everyone? :)), you don't need Shortcutz for this purpose.

Shortcutz is still useful for putting an application on more than one launcher tab/category, however.

[Unregistered]

when i try that in powerrun, the apps i MOST want to do this to are the ones that are telling me that they can't just move the app because of too many databases...

ie: avantgo app.

regards,

b

[KCoram]

Originally posted by Unregistered
when i try that in powerrun, the apps i MOST want to do this to are the ones that are telling me that they can't just move the app because of too many databases...

ie: avantgo app.

regards,

b
I got that with SplashMoney too. What I did was move it to /Palm/Launcher with Zlauncher, and then manually moved it from there to /Palm/Programs/PowerRun with the file manager. Then I told PowerRun to update the shortcuts, and I was good to go. SplashMoney lived on the card, but still synchronized with the conduit.