Torch enhancements

[coxtor]

Enhance functions of the torch app

torch_improvments.mp4

Features:

• Swipe up / swipe down: cycle brightness
• Swipe left / swipe right: change color
• Long press: go back to first color (white)
• Double tap: Toggle brightness on/medium
• Last used color is saved after the app is closed.

Features to possible add:

• Shake to wake integration

Also:
The colors are now globally usable and can be included from all files easily.

[hubmartin]

Thanks for improvement @coxtor. I was asl omissing the brightness and color change, specially for red to not blind you. Somewhere in PRs there is even a configuration so all the GUI is in red color.
Swipe down gesture should close the app, I'm already using #720 which adds swipe down gesture to all apps to unify that.

In 80% when my flashlight is started it is by accident and I use swipe down a lot to get back. It is very annoying to reach for the button every time.

What do you think? Would it possible to rething gestures in torch so the swipe down could be kept for closing? Thanks.

[coxtor]

I agree - I'll have a look on how the music app handles the swipe down feature and the functionality within the app - it appears to have both is possible.

[hubmartin]

Thanks for rethinking that.
What about adding a buttons in the four quadrants in the screen? If the buttons will be transparent and have only small text, then it will not have practically any effect on the light output. But it improves usability since you will immediatelly know that there is more functions instead of hidden swipe gestures.

Dirty sketch from OO Calc :)

Each button could have bigger touch area like 1/4 of the screen.

[Riksu9000]

Are these changes actually useful? I hope that InfiniTime doesn't get filled with features that people don't actually use.

I'm doubtful about the usefulness of colors and brightness control and I don't think the icon should be removed. Without the icon we can't tell what app is open, or if the watch is even working correctly without context. Also if you turn off the backlight, you can't tell if the watch is awake or sleeping.

There is #633, where a red flashlight has been discussed, but whether it ended up being usable or not hasn't been confirmed.

I would've instead just made the default state off, so the light doesn't blind you on launch, and used a lower brightness on flashlight off, so the icon isn't too bright. I would be willing to create this PR if you don't mind.

[ricargoes]

In #633 people commented Astronomy as a use case.

Also, I find myself wanting to move in complete darkness without waking any of my two very sensitive kids. A red light torch with different levels of brightness would be great for this. I have been hoping for this feature

[Riksu9000]

In #633 people commented Astronomy as a use case.

Yes, I read that. My point was it was asked twice if it ended up being practical/usable in that use case, but didn't get an answer.

Since there's no information about these features in practice, I decided to test these features myself. I created a pitch black room and tested the brightness. In pitch black, the highest brightness lights up the room a lot and even the lowest brightness level actually lights up the room enough to move around, so there could be benefits to this.

Red on the other hand is as dim as white on lowest brightness, so unless astronomy or something else actually benefits from this, the brightness adjustment should provide enough control. I don't see any lower brightness than what can be achieved with just white to be useful anymore.

And I still have no idea what the rest of the colors could be used for.

Also about having buttons. If we end up needing them, they should be mainly accessed when the flashlight is off, so we don't need to blind ourselves by looking for the buttons when the flashlight is on.

[geekbozu]

In #633 people commented Astronomy as a use case.

Yes, I read that. My point was it was asked twice if it ended up being practical/usable in that use case, but didn't get an answer.

Since there's no information about these features in practice, I decided to test these features myself. I created a pitch black room and tested the brightness. In pitch black, the highest brightness lights up the room a lot and even the lowest brightness level actually lights up the room enough to move around, so there could be benefits to this.

Red on the other hand is as dim as white on lowest brightness, so unless astronomy or something else actually benefits from this, the brightness adjustment should provide enough control. I don't see any lower brightness than what can be achieved with just white to be useful anymore.

And I still have no idea what the rest of the colors could be used for.

Also about having buttons. If we end up needing them, they should be mainly accessed when the flashlight is off, so we don't need to blind ourselves by looking for the buttons when the flashlight is on.

Awesome test knowledge riksu, I know red will help some with astronomy/retaining night vision. The real question is how much of the other colors bleed through. I feel any color for the torch Other then white and red however would be overkill. Cool to haves/fun? Yeah, necessary for practicality no.

[coxtor]

Are these changes actually useful? I hope that InfiniTime doesn't get filled with features that people don't actually use.

I'm doubtful about the usefulness of colors and brightness control and I don't think the icon should be removed. Without the icon we can't tell what app is open, or if the watch is even working correctly without context. Also if you turn off the backlight, you can't tell if the watch is awake or sleeping.

There is #633, where a red flashlight has been discussed, but whether it ended up being usable or not hasn't been confirmed.

I would've instead just made the default state off, so the light doesn't blind you on launch, and used a lower brightness on flashlight off, so the icon isn't too bright. I would be willing to create this PR if you don't mind.

feel free to make your own pr, sure.

[Riksu9000]

Since #740 was merged, can you check if there are still features that you would like to add and update this PR or create a new one?