Issue with color on Garmin Instict 2 with Single Color depth

Hi, when building an app for Garmin watches I've faced an issue on Garmin Instinct 2 which uses Transflective Liquid-Crystal (Single Color) screen technology.

The issue is that it doesn't display a text which has some type of colors.

I have two labels, one has color Graphics.COLOR_BLUE (0x00AAFF) which is displayed as black on that device what is expected, and the other one is Graphics.COLOR_DK_RED (0xAA0000) which doesn't get displayed at all (my assumption is that it's handled as light color same as the background).

Can please anyone advise how it can be fixed.

Thanks

Top Replies

jim_m_58 over 2 years ago in reply to dpawlyk +2

The two colors, the size, the shape and the subscreen are kind of a pain, but all easy to get around!

All Replies

jim_m_58 over 2 years ago

If you are running on an Instict2/2s, you have two colors (B&W) and others are mapped to one of those. The best thing to do is to only use those colors. You can determine if you are on an Instict2 with jungles, checking the screen shape, etc, and if you are, force things to be black or white.

Volodymyr Budnyi over 2 years ago in reply to jim_m_58

Thanks for the response! I'll take a look to that option

jim_m_58 over 2 years ago in reply to Volodymyr Budnyi

For things other than data field, you'll want to know if you are running on a Instinct2/2s to handle the subscreen

dpawlyk over 2 years ago in reply to jim_m_58

(The Instinct screen is a PITA.)

jim_m_58 over 2 years ago in reply to dpawlyk

The two colors, the size, the shape and the subscreen are kind of a pain, but all easy to get around!

_psx_ over 2 years ago in reply to jim_m_58

and memory....

jim_m_58 over 2 years ago in reply to _psx_

It actually has more memory than some of the earlier devices.

_psx_ over 2 years ago in reply to jim_m_58

the last I've checked it was 65kb. Has something changed?

jim_m_58 over 2 years ago in reply to _psx_

No. but if you know how to write apps for different devices, it's really not an issue. I have watch faces for the fr45 which only has 48K, If you can't support things, don't include that device as a target for your apps!

It's really that simple!

dpawlyk over 2 years ago in reply to jim_m_58

Dealing with less memory lets you target more devices than just two more. So, it's more worth the extra work.

Also, the other devices with less memory tend to be older devices. (The fr45 is fairly recent; it was released in 2019.)

The weird Instinct2 screen is extra work for just two devices.