My name is Alessandro La Rosa, and I'm a freelance software architect for Mobile and Web platforms. I'm living in Rome, Italy.
Feel free to contact me at: info@jappit.com
As you know, Gcal is a free Google Calendar client for (quite) all Java enabled mobile phones. If you like it and want to give your support, now you can join the Gcal fan crew on Facebook!
Becoming a fan, you’ll automatically receive all future Gcal updates and, and can share your thoughts and feedback with other Gcal users.
And, above all, you’ll make my coding nights happier 
It’s surely time for some new J2ME tutorial, so this article will explain how to create a nice reflection effect starting from a simple Image.
You can see the final effect, as usual, on the emulator page: J2ME Image reflection in action.
Let’s start by our method declaration:
public static Image createReflectedImage(Image image, int bgColor, int reflectionHeight) { } |
We have 3 arguments:
Now, let’s create the mutable Image that will hold the resulting effect:
int w = image.getWidth(); int h = image.getHeight(); Image reflectedImage = Image.createImage(w, h + reflectionHeight); |
We store the original image width and height into 2 int variables, and then create the mutable image with the same width, but with an height equal to h (the original image) plus the specified reflection height.
Now, first drawing steps are:
Graphics g = reflectedImage.getGraphics(); g.setColor(bgColor); g.fillRect(0, 0, w, h + reflectionHeight); g.drawImage(image, 0, 0, Graphics.TOP | Graphics.LEFT); |
Now, let’s get to the important part of this tutorial, that is the reflection effect itself:
And here is the source code:
int[] rgba = new int[w]; int currentY = -1; for(int i = 0; i < reflectionHeight; i++) { int y = (h - 1) - (i * h / reflectionHeight); if(y != currentY) image.getRGB(rgba, 0, w, 0, y, w, 1); int alpha = 0xff - (i * 0xff / reflectionHeight); for(int j = 0; j < w; j++) { int origAlpha = (rgba[j] >> 24); int newAlpha = (alpha & origAlpha) * alpha / 0xff; rgba[j] = (rgba[j] & 0x00ffffff); rgba[j] = (rgba[j] | (newAlpha << 24)); } g.drawRGB(rgba, 0, w, 0, h + i, w, 1, true); } |
as you can see, the rgba[] int array holds the current pixel row data, and will be refreshed only when necessary (so, when the y coordinate of the original image changes).
Using the above method is really simple, since it’s only necessary to:
Image originalImage = Image.createImage("/cap_man1.png"); Image reflectedImage = ReflectedImage.create(originalImage, bgColor, 64); |
You can download the complete source code of this article here:
If you liked this tutorial, feel free to vote it on Forum Nokia Wiki: How to create an image reflection effect in Java ME
hi.. nice code
could you help me how to draw a “Justified” Paragraf in canvas…. please !!
After 3 days in the cold and magic lands of Calabria, I found great news from Kuneri team: Pikkoo, the first community to create, share and download mobile wallpapers and screensavers, gets launched!
What’s great about this project?
Still waiting? Just give it a try, and create your new mobile style!
NEW: check out the new Gcal 0.3 version!
Holidays are gone, but gifts are not! So, here’s a big update to Gcal, the J2ME Google Calendar client: version 0.2 is available for download!
Thanks to your precious support and feedback a lot of improvements and bug fixes have been done: thank you all (and please don’t stop 
)!
New features of this version include:
Important bugs fixed in this release:
Many other minor fixes have been done, so it’s highly recommended to upgrade your Gcal to 0.2 version. As always, for any kind of feedbacks or bug report, please leave a comment here
Still having problems on the INQ1. The app loads fine, and I enter my details, but it gives the error: ‘There was an error while loading calendar data’.
Great app! I’ve been looking for a j2me google calendar app for quite some time.
I have a suggestion:
For those of us who would (either by choice or policy) like to use the application on a blackberry instead of Google Sync, could you provide key mapping to the numeric keypad?
Something like:
2 = up
8 = down
4 = left
6 = right
I ask because my 8130 can emulate the left soft key, but can’t figure out how to emulate the right soft key .
R
Hi all!
@Jack: unfortunately I have not an INQ1 device to test on. Anyway, I’ll dig more into this problem and let you know.
@Rick: thanks for your appreciation! You’re right: BlackBerry key mapping is not perfect right now. I’ll try to integrate your precious hint into next Gcal versions.
Thank you all!
Pit
A follow up on my earlier suggestion:
The absolute easiest way to implement bb support (and isn’t the easiest usually the best) is to trap the right convenience key (keycode: -19) in addition to the other right soft key keycodes on other devices.
You already trap the bb left convenience key with keycode -21 
R
Very useful app. Maybe I’m just blind, but is there any way to show more than one day at a time? If not, that’s my number one suggestion for additions.
I’d love to be able to see one week at a time, either Monday-Sunday or starting with the current day. One month as well would be stellar. I’m not necessarily looking to see every detail of every event for every day, just something like a small mark showing that there are events scheduled for that day would be great. Then the user could go to the specific day for details.
Hi all!
@Rich: thanks for the hint! Will surely use it for the next Gcal version
Pit
Loading error too for me. I have a lg secret. What a pity. 
I’ve just realised there’s another missing function that I use a lot: the ability to copy a calendar item.
Typically, I’ve just completed an appointment, and book a repeat one for another day.
Julie
Hi,
@Yukone: I must get some Lg phones to do some tests. Meanwhile, can you please specify where you get the loading error?
@Julie: the item copy feature is available in version 0.2. When you are in event detail view, just click “Options” -> “Actions”: there you have both “Copy to calendar” and “Duplicate” functions, that should be what you’re looking for
Pit
Apoliges Pit. I missed the option under edit for duplicating.
Julie
It gives me loading error when trying to load calendar data
Hi,
@Julie: no problem at all
@Yukone: thanks for the feedback, I’ll dig into this and let you know
Program is great but all my appointments are showing as ‘all day’ and not showing the appointment times. Am I doing something wrong or do I need to configure something ?
Blackberry 7290: Error while connection to Google.
Blackberry 8800：There was an error while loading canlendars data.
can not use.
Hi,
thank you all for your feedbacks!
@Steve: it seems like some timezone issues are still there.. can you please tell me your local timezone?
@aston: BlackBerry is still not yet fully tested (due to lack of devices :)), but next version should be greatly improved this way.
Pit
@Pit Thank you.
Everyday I come here to see the new version;
@Pit can u twitter?
and we can follow u with your new status.
Hi aston!
Sure, I’ll post on Twitter future Gcal updates, so It’ll be easier to follow for all
If you’re a FaceBook user, you can also check Gcal page, to be always updated and to share your thoughts and feedback with other Gcal users:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gcal-J2ME-Google-Calendar-client/46886056481
Pit
@Pit waiting the blackberry can use version.
Nice app!
Unfortunately it also fails with “Error getting calendars data” on my RAZR2. Google’s GMail application works.
I would be happy to coordinate with you to debug this (I have written J2ME apps before) — just drop me an e-mail.
Hi Cat!
Thanks for your feedback. Can you please specify on which exact screen you’re getting that error (e.g.: login/calendar retrieving/events retrieving)?
Thanks!
Pit
When the new version?
Hi there! I’d just so much like to say “Great job!” but sadly the app is for the last few minutes just downloading calendar data so I can’t really appreciate all its functions (dunno if it is my calendar being that big or some strange bug somewhere) but nevermind – I’d like to say at least “Keep up!” This is something I’ve always yearned for :o)
// I’m using a Nokia E61 / Symbian S60 3rd, should be OK… hope se :o)
Hi all!
@aston: some more days, and it’ll be out
@Danik: thanks for the feedback! This is effectively a bug, but it has been fixed and will be totally solved by next Gcal version (like said to aston, in the very next few days :)).
Thanks,
Pit
:o) then as a programmer I have to say Great job, at least for tracing the bug :oD now seriously, I’ve tried GooSync meanwhile just to see and man, it sucks. The only thing it does is provide a syncing server to sync the internal calendar (which sucks) through the inbuilt Nokia syncing mechanism (which sucks even more)… so I’m looking very much forward to the next release! :o) Thank you and keep rollin’!
Every time I try to download GCal (latest version), it causes my phone to crash. Why?
Can download other midlets.
Reply asap
David
Hi,
@Danik: thanks :))
@David: are you trying downloading the MIDlet directly from your device? Which phone are you using?
Thanks,
Pit
using GCal 0v2 on a Sony Ericsson K850i – works great.
Bug found a small annoying bug in the sort order with recurring events.
Seems like you use the whole date not just the time in your sorting so the recurring events show up prior to one off events of the actual day in the agenda view.
Example setup:
1) Recurring daily event, 10:00, event series started 13/02/2009
2) Single event, 14/02/2009 9:00
-> on the events overview for 14/02/2009 the recurring 10:00 event is listed first, the 9:00 event second – but it should be vice versa…
Second issue discovered when playing around with the “Filter calendars” function. Looks like only the first 8 calendars can be (un)selected. the cursor refuses to jump to the 9th item. Maybe device related, didn’t check on other mobiles.
Nevertheless very good stuff and feels very stable already. Looking forward to the next release
ciao,
Stefan
Hi Stefan,
thanks for your feedback!
About the events order: yes, there’s some problem with recurring events, but it’ll be surely fixed for the next release.
Second issue is already solved: so, this fix also will be available in next release, that should be during this week
Ciao,
Pit
Dude this seems like a great app
I’ve a N73 nokia
it’s stuck in the Initializing screen,
I’m trying to reach a mapped calendar
Thanks
Any chance the new release this week will have the diagnostic mode you mentioned earlier? I am very interested in diagnosing the connection problem with my Helio Ocean, thanks for all the hard work:)
Hi Chris,
this week a new Gcal version will be released, that will include a lot of bug fixes and important new features.
Give it a try, to see if it solves issues on your Ocean, otherwise I’ll send you a debug version to dig into your specific problems.
Pit
can i use QCal offline in my movile phone?
mario is discussing. 
ion is discussing. 
javil, 
mario 7:32 pm on August 24, 2009 Permalink
…ma perchè lo vogliono togliere???