Multiple Instances of same application on SL-6000L

[GoLinux]

Hello,

got recently my SL-6000L and I wonder if the standard Sharp ROM allows to run multiple instances of the same application.

Specifically, it would be great if I could keep opened at the same time multiple (and different) Address Book and Opie-reader files.

A couple of secondary questions:

1. Is there a way to "minimize" applications, so to see the main tabbed screens keeping applications running?

2. Other than tapping on the icons down in the taskbar,  is there any key short cut to cycle through opened applications? (Sort of like Alt + Tab under Windows).

I come from almost a decade of Psion computer use and all of the above can be easily done even on their oldest models, like the 3a and 3c.

Thanks in advance.

[tumnus]

1. Is there a way to "minimize" applications, so to see the main tabbed screens keeping applications running?

The Home button (just about the d-pad) does this (technically it just just raises the launcher window, but the effect is the same).

You can also tap on the Q on the left of the taskbar to get a 'Start menu' to launch applications.

2. Other than tapping on the icons down in the taskbar,  is there any key short cut to cycle through opened applications? (Sort of like Alt + Tab under Windows).

You need to install keyhelper. Then Shift+Menu Key should switch apps and Shift+Home Key should show a Windows-esque Alt+Tab popup. I don't know for sure if it works on a SL-6000 but you can give it a go.

[GoLinux]

Tumnus,

thanks for the pointers. I didn't think of the "Home" key (DUH!!!!!), I found that for some reason I tend to ignore those shortcut keys. I guess because I have never owned a pocket computer in tablet form factor....

I'll try keyhelper and see what happen on the SL-6000L.

As for the multiple instances of the same application with different files, any hint there? I have been reading a lot of your postings during the last year, you definitely seems to know your way around the Zs....

Hope, hope, hope......

[tumnus]

As for the multiple instances of the same application with different files, any hint there?

Oops, missed that question. You cannot launch more than one instance of a Qtopia application. The odd application, like Opera, may allow you to open multiple documents,  but generally it's a 'feature' of Qtopia to limit you to only one instance to preserve resources.

In fact if you try launching another instance it will simply switch back to the current instance and this is another way of switching apps. You can press the Home key to get back to the launcher, then pressing Home again changes tabs and you can select an app with the d-pad. So it's not quite as straight forward as Alt+Tab but it works out of the box.

[GoLinux]

OUCH...... That hurts..... I was hoping there was a way to do this.  I wonder if one of you Linux guru could write a "patch" to the Sharp ROM for that  

Too bad, it won't make me like the SL-6000L any less, but I'm a little disappointed. I don't want to start a rant on how good a now essentially dead platform was, however  even on a Psion 3c with 2Mb memory and a 8MHz processor you could do this....

Oh well, I guess I'll have to get used to the bookmark function in Opie-reader!

Thanks again Tumnus.