UPDATE: This post contains information about Sweeter Home Preview 1 which has now been superseded by Sweeter Home 2. Some information in this post may be outdated or inaccurate for use with Sweeter Home 2.
If you’re running Sweeter Home Preview 1 (0.24) – which is the latest version and you should be running it – and you’ve received and/or installed Cupcake (Android 1.5), then here some tips for you:
- In your native home screen remove all widgets. Sweeter Home is an app and due to the true multitasking nature of Android you may be running multiple homes at one time. I’ve often seen widgets running even though I’m in Sweeter Home (Applications > Manage Applications > Menu > Filter > Running). So remove the widgets, restart your phone, and home into Sweeter Home.
- If you’re using images in your theme you may have experienced force closes when adding them to your layout. Here’s the actions I take to get them in without much fuss
- Menu > New > Image then Menu > Edit
- Change the layer – you can change it again later but Sweeter seems to crash less taking this step
- Set imode to centre – again, you can change it later
- Now hit imageConf
- Change imageType to device as normal
- Hit Choose image – Let your thumbnails FULLY load
- Once your image is selected hit Close then Close again
- Now your image is sucessfully added to the layout you can change the layer and imode as you wish. Only a few extra steps to avoid those force closes will save you a lot of frustration
- Theme your Landscape formats! If you haven’t been doing this (I haven’t with all my graphic themes so far since it kills a) memory and b) my time) then you’ll notice why you need to. Because Sweeter Home is an app it will autorotate when you turn your phone on it’s side. This didn’t happen as much in Android 1.1 so when you’re able, take the time to fully skin your themes (I will too, don’t worry).
- Use the on screen keyboard when editing values – most of the time it’s quicker!
- Keep your Home Replacement apps to a minimum. Most feedback indicates that the more home apps you have the slower your system responds. Not using one? Uninstall it for now while you’re using a different Home.
Any questions about running Sweeter Home on Android 1.5 just let me know.
(Obligatory disclaimer: I’m not the Sweeter Home developer, just a fan!) 
Hey Lemon –
Thanks for the info above, I have a few questions about it though.
– When I go here: Applications > Manage Applications > Menu > Filter > Running, how do i know which things I should be turning off?
– I've installed the thrillho and was able to get my background set (thanks for the help!), but whenever I try to save mine it force closes on me and then reverts back to all of the shortcuts/apps that came with it. Basically, I got rid of all of the things that were in it when I got it and replaced them with my own contacts, shortcuts, apps, etc. Any advice on how to save it so I don't have to force close and keep removing links to app's that i don't have.
Thanks again for the help!
Trent
Question 1 – It doesn’t matter too much. If you close a needed service Android will just start it again. best thing to do though is just restart your phone and launch right into Sweeter Home from the get go. just make sure your standard home has NO widgets running on it.
Question 2 – yep, this is annoying! There’s two ways round the tray thing. a) is RENAME the tray, load in your own apps again, then reset the spring board to aim at that tray (hassle I know). b) is set your trays the way you like em, save to SD as a different name (THRILLTRENT or something). Then exit Sweeter Home, connect your phone to your PC and DELETE my original SLY file. If that doesn’t work then perform the exact same steps but after you delete my SLY uninstall then re-install Sweeter Home.
It’s a pain in the ass I know. Hopefully implementation will be better in Preview 2.
With the force close, I’m pretty sure 0.24 force closes on every attempt to save to the phone – so ALWAYS save to SD is a way to avoid.
Good luck!
Thanks so much for the help! You were right, I was making the mistake of trying to save it to the phone and not the SD. When i switched it to the SD it worked like a charm. I’m really enjoying thrillho!