Programming for a tablet

Has anyone got experience programming FTN95/Clearwin+ applications for a Windows tablet?

I programmed something up over 3 years ago in the expectation that it would run on a tablet eventually, but being reluctant to spend more than £50 I’ve finally just bought a cheapo tablet, and although it runs (good news) and when there’s input to do, the onscreen keyboard pops up automatically (even better news), there are lots of design issues that you just don’t get on a PC or laptop. For example, spin controls are out because you can’t select them with the necessary accuracy. The same goes for many types of graphics mode selections.

Also, when you rotate the tablet from landscape to portrait, a layout that works one way doesn’t the other and if you can dynamically rearrange a window I have yet to find out how.

I’ve come to the conclusion that I need %ww[no_caption, super_maximise] and no menu bar to look right.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I'll take the lack of replies as either 'No' or the people who have don't work over Christmas!

FTN95.CHM tells us re: super_maximise (super_maximize):

'Displays only the client area (requires an accelerator key attached to the Escape key that restores the normal window).'

Well it does, but not on its own. Take the following source code:

      WINAPP
      PROGRAM TEST
      INCLUDE <WINDOWS.INS>
      EXTERNAL :: IFN
C      IA=WINIO@('%ca[test]&')
C      IA=WINIO@('%mn[test]&', IFN)
C      IA=WINIO@('%ww[super_maximise]&')
      IA=WINIO@('%ww[super_maximise,no_caption]&')
      IA=WINIO@('%gr[red]&', 500L, 500L)
      IA=WINIO@('%ff%bt[Exit]')
      END
      INTEGER FUNCTION IFN()
      IFN=1
      END

Comment out line 7 and restore line 6, and you do get a blank caption bar with a nondescript icon. super_maximise doesn't overcome a caption bar or menu bar if they are provided, as if you restore lines 4 &/or 5. As written with no menu provided and no_caption specified then it works as expected. (Windows 10 used).

John,

I suspect that people look down their noses at the limited facilities on a tablet (e.g. 1 Gb RAM, 32Gb SSD, 1.33 GHz twin-core CPU) but that is a supercomputer compared to the first mainframes and PCs that I used. The physical size of the screen limits what you can select without a mouse, and the small battery and fewness of ports, including no Bluetooth, makes some programming tools hard to use, e.g. an editor or Plato because you can't have a mouse AND keyboard without stressing the tiny battery.

So programming on it: possible but with problems. Running applications - fine, subject to user interface restrictions. Programming applications for it? Now there you need to use a different range of controls and use them in a different way. You have to be much more aware of the screen orientation and the enlarged font setting: this tends to work on anything defined in points or average character size but not things defined in points.

You also have to be aware of the space the onscreen keyboard takes.

Overall, I like the thing and know I'll tame it, but I'm frustrated at almost every step of the way!

Eddie