Using non native camera or gallery - image

I have a part in my app where users can set a picture from gallery or take it with the camera. The app works perfectly with the native camera or gallery, but with other camera or gallery apps both intents returns null. What I have to do to make my app works fine with non native apps?

Please understand that a negative message is not a fault of the messanger. Let me cite the ultimate answer to a different question here:
there are thousands of possible camera apps -- preloaded or installed by users -- that could claim to support ACTION_VIDEO_CAPTURE, and any of them can have bugs as this one does. There is no EXTRA_PLEASE_AVOID_BUGS that you can pass on the Intent to change that.
This said, check that you are not running into the infamous low-memory condition when you launch an intent. You can find more info and some references here.

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Minmizing OpenGL app while preserving EGL Context results in HUGE PROBLEM

I'm using opengl es 3.0 API with the android studio ndk to create apps.
But I've encountered a very huge problem. I've created a demo app, all it does it change the background color of the screen from white to black and vice versa, every frame. And so when I go to minimize this app, I still see it rendering the background, mostly at the edges of the screen, and not in full color but still very strongly apparent. And it doesn't go away when I close the app, when I restart the device, or when I run "kill apps" on it. Only a factory data reset fixes the issue, so it's not easy for me to debug this.
This is the relevant code that I'm using for when the app is minimized and receives the APP_CMD_TERMINATE event:
eglMakeCurrent(engine->display,EGL_NO_SURFACE,EGL_NO_SURFACE,EGL_NO_CONTEXT);
eglDestroySurface(engine->display,engine->surface);
engine->display = EGL_NO_DISPLAY;
engine->surface = EGL_NO_SURFACE;
I've error checked that eglDestroySurface() is successful.
And I've put debugging messages in to make sure that the main draw loop is NOT executing when the app is minimized. But the problem persists and I don't know what to do about it. Thanks for any help.
UPDATE: well, no one has responded, and I still don't know what to do. Could it be related to threads?
UPDATE: Still can't determine what it is, but for some reason it's messing with the System UI. Willing to upload my entire source code somewhere if someone would be willing to go through this with me, as I'd really like to be able to continue working on my game engine.
Is it the "Strict Mode" developer option on the device settings, perhaps?
That one flashes the screen if an app is blocking.
It would explain why a factory reset changes behaviour.
The answer is not a solution here. The above comment by the user columbo was correct.
I've demoed switching from black to white at high framerates on 3 different android devices, and also my Linux Desktop, all via the openGL api, and it has exhibited this issue on all the devices. So what he said must be correct: this is a problem with LCD monitor technology itself. Interestingly, doing completely random colors does not cause this problem.

Can anyone help me think of an app that uses a set of almost wireframe instructional elements before the user starts using the app?

Can anyone help me think of an app that uses a set of almost wireframe instructional elements before the user starts using the app? I know I have used a few apps like that. They will show a stencil of a hand and show you how to work through the app. I am working on a UX exercise and I need some ideas on how to incorporate something like that into my project to help the user to get up and running faster in my application. Any help would be much appreciated.
Yes, that pattern is called "coach marks" and is available in many apps. You can see it on The Weather Channel's new weather app for the iPhone or iPad (shameless plug). There is also a reference on coach marks, with many examples which can be found here.

Location Tracking in Background

I am developing a windows phone app that uses users current location, I am making the app in 7 OS. My question is, Can I track the location in background, that is when the screen is locked?
I know this is a possibility in wp8 as it provides us with GeoLocator class, but can I achieve this in wp7? I am basically making a runtracker app hence I would like my app to track the location even when its in background, is it really feasible?
Your help is always appreciated!!
It is possible to keep the app running under lock screen, as it does, for example, Endomondo app.
Using Idle Detection, you can keep the app on, although screen is locked, and you can keep on tracking the location. Actually, it is not running in background, but in the foreground. Just the screen is locked. So, be careful not to drain user's battery.
You have to set the PhoneApplicationService.ApplicationIdleDetectionMode property to Disabled, for example in InitializePhoneApplication() method in App.xaml.cs:
PhoneApplicationService.Current.ApplicationIdleDetectionMode = IdleDetectionMode.Disabled;
Note that there are special certification requirements for this type of apps. Refer to section 6.3 (Apps running under a locked screen) of the following page:
Additional requirements for specific app types for Windows Phone
I got the same problem in one on my apps..
I don't think it' s feasible for wp7..
Bt if you want to do it with wp8 you can refer following link.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windowsphone/develop/jj681691%28v=vs.105%29.aspx
And to know about background supported and unsupported API's http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windowsphone/develop/hh202942%28v=vs.105%29.aspx/css
GeoCoordinateWatcher Class exists in WP7, but here is the documentation from MSDN -
This API, used for obtaining the geographic coordinates of the device,
is supported for use in background agents, but it uses a cached
location value instead of real-time data. The cached location value is
updated by the device every 15 minutes.
More Info : http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windowsphone/develop/hh202962%28v=vs.105%29.aspx/css

CameraCaptureTask in Windows Phone 8 - auto saves to camera roll

I have an existing application developed for Windows Phone 7, which uses CameraCaptureTask.
The captured image is returned back to the app, which will be processed for grayscale conversion.
While testing the same app (same binary to be precise) in Windows Phone 8 Lumia 920, I figured that a copy of all the images captured through the CameraCaptureTask are saved in "camera roll" folder.
This is a bit annoying as the users of my app are not expecting the captured images crowding the "camera roll" folder. I looked up the documentation http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windowsphone/develop/hh394006(v=vs.105).aspx and found the below quote,
On Windows Phone 8, if the user accepts a photo taken with the camera capture task, the photo is automatically saved to the phone’s camera roll. On previous versions of Windows Phone, the photo is not automatically saved.
So far I couldn't find a way to avoid this case in Windows Phone 8.
Is there a way to turn off this feature before calling the CameraCaptureTask's Show() method in Windows Phone 8?
No. This is a consumer feature request implemented on WP8 that's transparent to developers. The usecase here is that a consumer uses the CameraCaptureTask to line up a perfect shot, doesn't use it an app for whatever reason and can't find it ever again later.
As a side-note, I actually had this happen a few times to me when using various twitter and photo editing apps and it's quite annoying.
Makes no sense. CameraCaptureTask was created to allow apps to capture photos for the app use, not for users to push them into Camera Roll. That is what Lenses are for (either custom code can write into camera roll as well).
It is not transparent to developers because one of my apps has just been removed from the WP8 market. They say because can cause "undesired upload of an app photo to skydrive".
Justin are you sure it isn't a bug? is it going to be fixed?
This forces me to break my development into 2 now: WP7 and WP8. I don't want that hassle right now...

Is it possible to create an Geotracking app in WP7 using Bing Maps?

Is it possible to create an app like Runtastic, RunKeeper or SportsTracker (all of them Android apps) in WP7 using Bing Maps? Or maybe there is an app with that functionality already out?
These apps basically trace the route you run/cycle/jogg/etc in Google maps, displaying your current speed, altitude, cal lost, direction, etc. Then they have an option for storing the tracks and displaying their related information later. They can display charts as well.
Also, what sensors does WP7 devices have?
The image below is runtastic, tracing the path as you go
Thanks
Yes it's possible. But you should get past the idea stage and into the development before posting questions here.
As for what sensors are available, you can find more information about the minimum hardware specifications here
A WP7 device must, at a minimum have the following:
Accelerometer with Compass
Assisted GPS
Ambient light Sensor
Proximity Sensor
Camera with LED flash
FM radio tuner
It is possible since you can translate existing GPS coordinates to the Bing Maps control. Must of the features Chris mentioned are not required for a geotracking application (those are general device requirements). All that's needed is basically the GPS sensor.
Note one important element - you will not be able to run the application as a background process. Although you can keep it under the lock screen, you will not be able to switch to other processes (only to a very limited extent and under specific conditions).

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