Roku Developer Program

[squirreltown]

I have a springboard for some audio. I need to put some text over it.
The text is fine, the canvas causes the buttons on the springboard not to work. I've tried using the same message port as the springboard, no message port for the canvas, i can get something to happen adding a remotekeypressed with a roImageCanvasEvent, but that doesn't allow to change the buttons on the springboard.

What is the best strategy for this? Why cant you just put some text over without message ports? I dont want to talk or listen to it i just want it to show.

Thanks

[destruk]

You might find it easier to use the breadcrumb area to display messages, or one of the other preset fields available (Album, Artist, title, or create a button that only displays the text you set - with no query for the button being selected) - this way the springboard screen will still have focus. If all you want is a message to be displayed and then closed, you can use a timer to clear the message later or refresh the screen as needed.
Remember, screensavers will activate when roAudioPlayer is running, so simply displaying a message for a set time isn't something that would be useful for anything longer than 5 minutes (minimum screensaver time).

Alternately, you could create quite a convoluted system of passing values back and forth between separate canvas and springboard screens, or use external control protocol to send remote presses around to whichever screen you need - however that is generally more hassle than it's worth to set up to accomplish what you want to do. It would be easier to use your own custom created roScreen or roImageCanvas for the springboard - which would allow you to seamlessly implement your overlaid text displays.

[squirreltown]

Thank You destruk, the button idea is a good one, I may try that.
I agree trying to pass control values back and forth just to show a little text is not the best idea.

After having done this for a litte while now I understand why so many channels have the same generic look to them, you really have to learn a lot to get around the various roadblocks in the system, and give your app a consistant style. I wonder if this is intentional on Roku's part, its their choice to make, but i think everyone would be well served to have the stylistic aspects be easier to customize. For instance you cant style the shortdescription text under a poster on the gridscreen, so you cant make it dark, so you cant have a light color background for your grid. Imagine if CSS had that kind of restriction?, not to mention being unable to change the size or location even if you could color it.

thanks again

[squirreltown]

Oops! the button idea is no good, the text will wrap but you only get 1 3/4 lines of space so a list wont work there. If you are going to be forced to have a button be the entire width of the screen at least you could have a little leeway north-south-wise. On to roScreen i guess.