Closed Bug 886484 Opened 11 years ago Closed 6 years ago

Allow apps to control splash-screen image

Categories

(Firefox OS Graveyard :: Gaia::System, defect)

Product:
Firefox OS Graveyard
Component:
Gaia::System
Platform:
ARM
Gonk (Firefox OS)
Type:
defect
Priority:
Not set
Severity:
major

Tracking

(Not tracked)

Status:
RESOLVED WONTFIX

People

(Reporter: Harald, Unassigned)

Details

Apps currently have no control over when the screenshot for the splashscreen is taken and how it looks. In our case it is a game that shows its own splash screen (company logo) before going to the main menu. The priority partner has concerns that their logo is first shown dimmed, then switches to the real version. (This might also be a Keon bug that they tested first on, the dimmed screenshot appeared for a very long time)

Apps should be able to set their own splash screen image, so the system doesn't need to depend on a mostly-working screenshot system that depends on the aoo being in a fully representable state when the system takes the screenshot.

Further discussions already went on here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/mozilla.dev.gaia/oPqmUS9xvJQ
This is blocking a High Priority preload app (for 1.1 devices) from being submitted to the Marketplace and used for preload. We need to outline a solution on this ASAP that I can share with the App Developer.
This is a feature request for 1.1. To my understanding, we cannot take features into scope at this time - we're past feature freeze.
To clarify, are you saying we're past feature freeze for 1.1?
(In reply to thomas elin from comment #3)
> To clarify, are you saying we're past feature freeze for 1.1?

Yes.
Wondering if there are any workarounds that would solve this in the interim? Is it possible for app developers to disable the screenshot that the system takes, and roll their own splash screen in their app logic until the platform supports setting explicit splash screens?
Vivien - Can you address comment 5?
Flags: needinfo?(21)
(In reply to Jason Smith [:jsmith] from comment #6)
> Vivien - Can you address comment 5?

Going to redirect to Tim after seeing the discussion on https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/mozilla.dev.gaia/iEz1oYi7eO0. Tim - Can you provide input here since it looks like you are looking into this per that discussion on dev-gaia?
Flags: needinfo?(21) → needinfo?(timdream)
Gaia on v1-train still takes screenshots of an app during cold launches. The screenshot will be used as splash for any cold launches follows.

You won't get any splashes for first cold launch, it's not possible even for Gaia preload apps. To work with v1-train screenshot feature, please make sure there is actual something on the screen when the first screen of your app show up -- or otherwise you will get an whitish empty screenshot.

What's on v1-train (or even master today) is not an optimal solution -- please read the dev-gaia discussion resolution and development.
Flags: needinfo?(timdream)
The issue is *not* that the cold launch does not have a splash screen, but 1) that screenshots are out of control for developers and that 2) the dimmed out splash screen of warm launches was seen as visual glitch for a critical partner; as it didn't fit into the loading/splash screen flow of the game. While 1) was discussed in the thread linked in comment 7, 2) might be more rare but applies to apps/games that show their own splash screens and find the dimmed out system-splash screen unappealing.

Please comment about the possibility for app developers to provide their screenshot and not depend on the default behavior of cold launch screenshot for which they can't control the timing and the dimmed out visuals.
Forgot the need-info, please see comment 9.
Flags: needinfo?(timdream)
Please close as duplicate if a bug to track the spashHTML addition already exists, for which this discussion can be a good use case reference.
(In reply to Harald Kirschner :digitarald from comment #9)
> Please comment about the possibility for app developers to provide their
> screenshot and not depend on the default behavior of cold launch screenshot
> for which they can't control the timing and the dimmed out visuals.

There is no way to get rid of the dimmed out visuals on v1.1, for finer control of the screenshot taken, one could literally switches the launch_path to the following splash.html to ensure what is being taken:

<img src="data:image/jpeg,base64,....">
<script> window.onload = function () { location.href = '/index.html'; } </script>

(In reply to Harald Kirschner :digitarald from comment #11)
> Please close as duplicate if a bug to track the spashHTML addition already
> exists, for which this discussion can be a good use case reference.

For v1.2, people is still in the process of discussing whether or not not to implement such feature. You are very welcome to make your case on the BD side for this feature.
Flags: needinfo?(timdream)
An FYI, the perceived application startup speed on iOS (which is extremely good) is for a large part based on the user-controllable splash screens that are instantly there. User perception is that the app is launched immediately. I think that'd be the biggest reason for us to add splash screens.
We got the feedback again from another partner. LINE (https://marketplace.firefox.com/app/line) has their own splashscreen and their icon on black that FxOS comes up looks just bad compared to the nice splashscreen they have with white background.

Cc'ing the best UX person I know so this gets some UX love.
Flags: needinfo?(msandberg)
Since a lot of these comments are about a year old I have some questions about how this works technically. 

- Do we always show a splashscreen when booting apps or does it depend on the startup time?
- Looks like the "formula" for creating a splashscreen is putting the app icon on top of a black backdrop, is that right? 

I think the plan is to use a white backdrop for splashscreens to match the overlays we will be using on top of app screenshots when switching apps using edge gestures. CCing Przemek for more detail there. Even though that will look better it sounds like it may not be enough for partners. Harald - how common is this type of complaint would you say? Is it worth thinking about adding an optional part to the manifest where the developer could plop in a splashscreen or would that not help this?
Flags: needinfo?(msandberg) → needinfo?(pabratowski)
I agree the splash screens should look just like the new white sheets overlays.
Flags: needinfo?(pabratowski)
Firefox OS is not being worked on
Status: NEW → RESOLVED
Closed: 6 years ago
Resolution: --- → WONTFIX
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