176X220 (E200 Series) - Newbie question on playback mode display for WPS

[OldSchool]

Hello,

I'm working on a simple WPS for a Sansa E200 series player. I'm trying to save a line on the screen by having it display the volume peak meter, when playing, and otherwise show the playback mode (Stop, Pause, FF or Rewind). The line in my .wps file is:

%?mp<%ac[STOP]|%pm|%ac[PAUSE]|%ac[FAST FORWARD]|%ac[REWIND]>

This works fine with the peak meter, when playing, and for [REWIND] and [FAST FORWARD], when the "long left" or "long right" buttons are used. The "stop" button will switch screens, so it's not a problem.

When the "pause" button is pressed, however, the volume peak meter is displayed (but without the level indicator bars, just the scale).  What I'd like to see instead is just "[PAUSE]" (as with FF and rewind).

Pressing the pause button again resumes play mode, with the the peak meter, as it should.

Any idea why I can't get the [PAUSE] indicator to work?

[MarcGuay]

When the "pause" button is pressed, however, the volume peak meter is displayed (but without the level indicator bars, just the scale).  What I'd like to see instead is just "[PAUSE]" (as with FF and rewind).

Is "[PAUSE]" displayed at all or is it just the flatlined peak meter?

Have you tried replacing the %pm with "[PLAY]" just to see if in that case everything works fine in a more standard situation?

[OldSchool]

It's just the flatlined peak meter.

I tried replacing the %pm with "[PLAY]" - good suggestion, thanks - and yes, everything works, including "pause", when I leave out the %pm. It seemed like such a good idea, too. Oh well.

[MarcGuay]

It is a good idea and there's still a chance it could work... When you fast-forward or rewind does the peak meter disappear completely?

[OldSchool]

Yes, it works exactly as expected for both FF and Rew.

[MarcGuay]

Pretty strange, been playing around with it here and having the same results.  Seems like the FF and REW actions send a different type of "freeze" command to the peak meter that lets it get pushed aside.  

What you could do, if you *really* want this to work, is create an image with "[PAUSE]" written on it and a background that matches your WPS and have that displayed over-top of the peak meter when pause is selected.  Pretty serious hack-job but it would work.

All the bestestness...

[OldSchool]

I probably just use it as is for now - too many other things to try!

Cheers...