problem: the little zoom control that appears in the browser, maps, and photos applications sucks. there needs to be an easier way to zoom.
solution: you don't need to the adjust the ringer volume that often, so those + and - buttons go to waste. they would be much more useful as zoom buttons while in the browser, maps, and photos apps. in other apps, and on the home screen, they should still function as ringer volume buttons.
is there a way to intercept those button presses and pass them to other apps as zoom commands? i'm sure this is possible in an application you're developing yourself, but is it possible to make other applications respond to the volume buttons? if anyone can point me to the right APIs, i'll develop a utility to make this work.
thoughts?
Ben74 said:
problem: the little zoom control that appears in the browser, maps, and photos applications sucks. there needs to be an easier way to zoom.
solution: you don't need to the adjust the ringer volume that often, so those + and - buttons go to waste. they would be much more useful as zoom buttons while in the browser, maps, and photos apps. in other apps, and on the home screen, they should still function as ringer volume buttons.
is there a way to intercept those button presses and pass them to other apps as zoom commands? i'm sure this is possible in an application you're developing yourself, but is it possible to make other applications respond to the volume buttons? if anyone can point me to the right APIs, i'll develop a utility to make this work.
thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If my memory serves me correctly, every app can extend into every OTHER app. However, I don't know if this means a background app (your button control) can take over button presses while in a foreground app (the browser).
I'll stick my head into the APIs and see what I can come up with.
This is actually I really good idea. I hope this is possible, and I hope you find some good news in the APIs snoslicer8
Calling WebView and overriding its OnKeyListener method to react properly to KEYCODE_VOLUME_DOWN and KEYCODE_VOLUME_UP could do it. There's probably a more elegant way to do it by hooking the key but nothing I can find in the managed sdk.
I think given enough time and developers someone will come out with a more extended version of the Android Browser.
I hope so, I'm not diggin this one much, it does "fit to page" pretty good. BUT...
The windowing thing is a turd, maybe a list you could popup with a key combo, id like to have more control over where downloads end up.
Maybe a small group of very small buttons ie: stop, reload, bring up an addy bar, bookmarks with folders, I imported my bookmarks maybe close to 500-1k organized in folders, I got them all in one huge list.
This is needed in bookmarks and tons of other apps with lists. When I push "d" take me to the begining of the bmarks that start with the letter D, the contacts app needs this badly, it would help in the debachle called a "main menu pull up", I think its an OS thing not an app thing. Lots of fones, pda do this so it's not impossible, its just one of those things goog either left for the 3rdParty devs or a future update, what ever the case, with 400 contacts and 600+ bookmarks I need it real bad
Related
For anyone who would love to increase our joy in using Android by allowing us to multi-task more seemlessly and dynamically, as well as help Android keep up with next-gen multi-tasking platforms such as webOS, here are some ideas:
Here is a method of graphically presenting a task switching application. Imagine presenting thumbnail screenshots of all open application, lined up in a row, being zoomed out to take up about half the normal space on the screen, to be scrolled through with a flick of a finger. Think switching between windows in Steel (after tapping the window button which displays all of your open web pages in a row).
Now, the method for bringing up these apps to be scrolled through gives room to a bit of creativity as well. One could give the option to simply press the camera button (a la Task Switcher). Another option, should one not want to monopolize the camera button, would be to long-press the trackball. still, a more creative method would be this; the user gives the handset a quick shake, and BOOM, the current app zooms out and the other apps appear in line to the left and the right. Of course, games and apps that use the accelorometer would be given priority, requiring the user to pause the game or go to the menu screen before shaking the device to bring up the app switcher (something that makes sense anyway. You wouldn't want to leave a game in progress).
Hope someone somewhere likes this idea, finds it feasable and can invest their time and programing skills (of which I have none personally) into enhancing our Android experience this way.
Thanks!
I dont know what this has to do with multi-tasking as its only a visual aspect of it... but have you ever tried holding your home button? Voila a task switcher
like there isnt 1/2 a dozen ways to do this?
download task switcher, it uses the camera button to bring up a nice visual task switcher.
of course i should point out that android by default comes with a task switcher, just hold down the home button. also you can set up quick lauch shortcuts for apps. i dont see how it can get any better then that.....
I wouldn't mind if they were to put the apps that are running on the notification bar.
rogro82 said:
I dont know what this has to do with multi-tasking as its only a visual aspect of it... but have you ever tried holding your home button? Voila a task switcher
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that a list of the last 6 recently used programs instead of currently running programs?
jaroque i think it depends. that IS the list of the last 6 used programs, however the way android works is it closes programs only when it needs memory so a lot of times some (or all) of the programs in that list are still indeed running because they dont require too much memory.
I just want to start a thread on what people genuinely think about the adjustments Microsoft© have made for the Windows Mobile 6.5 beta which was leaked everywhere.
Please dont just come on and say you hate it or just start complaining.
Just balanced and constructive suggestions. (could admins plz remove single minded complainst etc..)
Microsoft© wont ever learn anything about what people really want if there is nowhere that people can collate their ideas about improvements.
Please just state what device you have and which rom, then your point/s.
Ill start it off:
Im running wm6.5 (pdaviet rom) on my Elfin.
1) When i lock my phone, it hangs for a couple of moments before locking. Its only very short, but its still annoying. So, that could be faster.
2) When locked, It would be easier to use if you had the button at the top and have to move it down (or visa/versa) possibly an entry in the settings menu for editing the location of where you want the button to start and end to unlock?
3) I find if a problem when scrolling through the start menu and it stops after four lines of links. I think it would be much easier to remove this limit and let it scroll freely. The user can then stop it where they want.
4) seriously, make some new interface for the basics like the callendar app. They are always included, but it seems pointless making a more usable interface overall when you have to pull out the stylus the second you get into a default, simple app. Many people nowadays are simply resorting to 3rd party apps with better interfaces. (I have actually made my own design rework of the callendar app)
5) The menu given for start menu items needs to be extended to having an option for moving an item around. This should either have a selection of "move (up, right, left, down)" or you should be able to drag icons around.
6) The titanium today screen needs more options which should be customisable from the settings menu. This is what people on this forum have been doing, so i think it should be there by default with the ability to add more simply.
(This could possibly attract a little bit of attention from developers?)
7) Create a view for the contacts app where you simply scroll through a grid of the pictures associated with contacts. This would only be used by people who have pictures, but if this feature was available, it would prompt people to get pictures of the people in their phonebook.
8) Solitare - Make it look better. New backs for the cards? Better ending when a game is won - possibly more similar to the latest desktop version?
9) Make it easier to turn on/off/connect with bluetooth and wifi. I dont know too much about any other connections, but with these two, its more hastle than it should. What i currently have is an icon in my start menu. One with the bluetooth logo, the other with the wifi logo. These simply start and stop them. Also, when you connect to a bluetooth device, it would be nice if it displayed a menu of things you could continue to do, like "send (contact, file, etc)
10) Include a better way of turning the phone off or soft resetting it. Having to hold down the power button or poking the little hole with the stylus is reminiscent of having to hold down the power button on a PC when it crashes. A software alternative to this, included with windows mobile, would be well recieved.
11) some form of backup/restore solution. This would help reasure users that might be afraid of loosing their contacts or other data.
12) after going through the start menu into an program, or further into the settings and into a setting app, it would be nice to go back to the start menu upon closing the program. Its annoying when your altering all your settings and each time you go through a bunch of settings, you have to go through the start menu again to find the next lot of settings.
13) final thing: the scrolling is nice and smooth, but this added ease to scroll up and down seems to have sacrificed being able to select things easily. It takes several attempts to go into folders in the file explorer without scrolling up or down.
Positive things about 6.5:
The honeycomb menu makes the start menu easier to poke at.
The swiping between tabs in programs, and pictures in the "photos and videos" app is handy.
The enlarged menu lists are much more finger friendly (but the large buttons at the top and bottom hinder them slightly.)
Titanium is fun simply because of the three different ways of moving between tabs (its a simple thing, but it keeps me happy)
The calculator looks very nice
The little curves on the tabs is a nice change, more smooth looking
The whole UI looks better
I was a bit dubious of the start button going strait into the programs menu, but it grew on me very quickly and now i think its great.
Please add any ideas you have.
I hope Microsoft looks at this and takes the ideas people put into consideration before the official release.
I wish 6.5 have:
- A completly renewed UI that is really FINGER FRIENDLY in all aspects and in all menus, not just on the today screen...
- Totally removed the super ugly honeycomb
- A really noticeable better performance
Come on folks! give some more ideas!
I know there have been a couple of posts dotted around asking about the keyboard dock but I've seen nothing definitive.
I have the dock and it worked great with Honeycomb. I neglected to think about how it would work with a custom ROM before flashing one.
I've gone for the CM9 ROM and although generally typing on the keyboard works it is far less functional. The majority of the (very useful) hotkeys don't work.
Including:
Home
On screen KB up/down
Menu
Play/Pause Media
Makes the whole thing far less useful :-(
I'm interested in if anyone knows anything I can do to make this better on CM9 or even if it's likely to work better with any different ICS ROM?
Yes, the keyboard dock hotkeys don't work, all except the back key. But even more annoying it is that the software keyboard shows up and it shouldn't.
karnka said:
I know there have been a couple of posts dotted around asking about the keyboard dock but I've seen nothing definitive.
I have the dock and it worked great with Honeycomb. I neglected to think about how it would work with a custom ROM before flashing one.
I've gone for the CM9 ROM and although generally typing on the keyboard works it is far less functional. The majority of the (very useful) hotkeys don't work.
Including:
Home
On screen KB up/down
Menu
Play/Pause Media
Makes the whole thing far less useful :-(
I'm interested in if anyone knows anything I can do to make this better on CM9 or even if it's likely to work better with any different ICS ROM?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do not have a genuine Samsung keyboard (yet) but you should be able to map home, menu and the media buttons with my app: http://www.apedroid.com/android-applications/external-keyboard-helper
You can also specify up to 16 apps and create shortcuts for them. For example you could start the browser with Alt+B and Gmail with Alt+G if you want to.
Yep
I remember that happening occasionally before but it's constant now and even more inconvenient without the convenient hotkey to hide it.
Can I assume this is pretty constant regardless of the ROM used?
karnka said:
Yep
I remember that happening occasionally before but it's constant now and even more inconvenient without the convenient hotkey to hide it.
Can I assume this is pretty constant regardless of the ROM used?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I think so unless it is a HC rom based on a stock ROM.
I'll fix some of it in the CM9 port once I recieve my BT keyboad case and have something to test with. If you just want to get rid of the on-screen keyboard you can use my free app that does that and nothing more: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apedroid.hwkeyboardhelperfree
If you want full control you need my paid app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apedroid.hwkeyboardhelper
Free demo: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apedroid.hwkeyboardhelperdemo
Thanks for the advice. Your app looks really helpful.
I've no problem buying the pro version but want to have a play with the demo one a little more first.
I'm having slight issues trying to map a few things:
App switching: can map keys to this but doesn't seem to do anything
"Internet" / "Mail" - these two keys aren't picked up by the mapping config as they immediately jump away launching the browser (I'd love to remap to chrome) or asking me whether i want Gmail or Mail (and not remembering my selection)
I've mapped home (hooray!) but although it takes you back to the launcher it doesn't necessarily take you back to the default screen as the onscreen home button does (that's a really small issue!)
Any thoughts about those?
On the subject of the demo version of the app... Is the only thing that's different between that and the pro version that the spacebar is mapped to: _This_is_a_demo_version!_?
karnka said:
Thanks for the advice. Your app looks really helpful.
I've no problem buying the pro version but want to have a play with the demo one a little more first.
I'm having slight issues trying to map a few things:
App switching: can map keys to this but doesn't seem to do anything
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The problem with keycodes is that some are handled erlier in the input queue before I can process it in my app. App switcher and Home is two examples. I managed to do a workaround for Home but I have not yet found a way to bring up the app appswitcher programatically.
"Internet" / "Mail" - these two keys aren't picked up by the mapping config as they immediately jump away launching the browser (I'd love to remap to chrome) or asking me whether i want Gmail or Mail (and not remembering my selection)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same reason here. Android propably picks up and processes these before the app get a chance and therefor the scancode is never passed on. However, when I get my BT keyboard dock I can investigate this more.
I've mapped home (hooray!) but although it takes you back to the launcher it doesn't necessarily take you back to the default screen as the onscreen home button does (that's a really small issue!)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is due to the nature of the workaround. I just launch the launcher which gives almost the same effect as when the system processes the Home keycode (apart for the difference you noticed)
Any thoughts about those?
On the subject of the demo version of the app... Is the only thing that's different between that and the pro version that the spacebar is mapped to: _This_is_a_demo_version!_?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The versions are identical apart from the space button and some strings (demo vs pro, buy vs rate) so you can test out everything before buying.
You really should try the application shortcuts. Choose apps for A0 to AF and enter A0 to AF instead of characters when doing a custom layout. You could put the Email app on Alt+E and Gmail on Alt+G etc... Setting it up could be bit more userfriendly but once you figure it out it is not that hard to do.
Have got the pro version now and the overall effect is not much worse than the keyboard was under honeycomb so thanks very much.
Have setup a few short cuts (chrome and Gmail) and mapped them to some of the otherwise non-working function keys so that's great too.
I have AOKP Milestone 6 installed and I love how it looks, especially the Hide Notification Bar option because it makes my TF feel more like a netbook when I have it docked. The only problem is that the long press shortcuts don't work on the keyboard (ex. long pressing the home key doesn't give me the recent apps menu, it just brings me to the home screen).
I was wondering if there was a way to re-map some of the shortcut keys in the top row (bluetooth toggle, camera, internet, etc...) to my own custom actions such as launching the recent apps menu, killing a window and bringing up the notification bar. I know it's possible to do this in Linux since I just did it for a remote that I use with XBMC (the remote emulates a keyboard), I just didn't know if they feature is extended to Android or not.
Sent from my TF101 using Tapatalk 2
its possible but not easy. Some things can be remapped in the users/ect files such as ausec.(c something) but other more complex things like recent apps have to be done in framework-res.apk as far as i remember
Check out /system/usr/keylayout/asusec.kl.
I'm not sure if you can map keys to specific things like killing a window or bringing up the notification bar. However, recent apps is accessible through alt+tab (try it!) and so you may want to swap the Search and Alt keys.
EDIT: Some useful key names to look for and replace:
ALT_LEFT: left alt
ALT_RIGHT: right alt
SEARCH: search key
FORWARD_DEL: delete, as opposed to backspace. not mapped to anything by default
ESCAPE: escape key. I have this bound to the wifi key because I always accidentally hit it, and sometimes escape is useful in terminals or remote desktop
mjlim said:
Check out /system/usr/keylayout/asusec.kl.
I'm not sure if you can map keys to specific things like killing a window or bringing up the notification bar. However, recent apps is accessible through alt+tab (try it!) and so you may want to swap the Search and Alt keys.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats right usr/keylayout not user/ect don't know what i was thinking there. I know there is a way to exchange the stupid alt-tab icon recent apps to the cards recent apps but i don't have time to do that right now. I was also going to work on getting a guide set up on how to remap everything because it seems to be a pretty common desire.
Edit:
Found it
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1450138
Thanks for the info guys, I'll give it a try! I definitely think I'm going to stick with AOKP for a while since it seems to give me the best experience since I've had my TF (over a year).
alt tab
brando56894 said:
Thanks for the info guys, I'll give it a try! I definitely think I'm going to stick with AOKP for a while since it seems to give me the best experience since I've had my TF (over a year).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have anyone result at this field ?
Is it possible to disable ALT-TAB (that switch android apps)?
I need this combination bee free for RDP.
I think it was an excellent idea for Google to push for the elimination of the menu button. It makes sense and encourages developers to unambiguously put the rest of their program's menu options in the app itself, easily accessed. On the other hand, having a dedicated key for app switching seems kind of unnecessary. The Windows Phone layout makes sense to me. The search button seems like a good idea. The only problem is, on WP, the search key is always bound to the Bing web search.
I think Google could use this sort of layout better. Keep back and home, of course, but let users access the recent apps list by double-tapping the home key. Google Now Voice could be accessed by holding down home. Swap the app switch key for search, and default that to in-app search, which would be pretty useful for quite a few apps. Double-tapping (or long-tapping, I suppose) the search key could bring the user to the android universal search, and let them search through their phone and Google for general search terms, as well as the Play Store for apps that aren't currently on the phone.
Or, hell, just let users remap the keys to their heart's content right out of the box. Customization is why we went Android, isn't it?
Protogon said:
I think it was an excellent idea for Google to push for the elimination of the menu button. It makes sense and encourages developers to unambiguously put the rest of their program's menu options in the app itself, easily accessed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Except . . . . that it doesn't really encourage them to. Too many app developers still haven't done it. And when they do, its always in a different place, which is counter-intuitive.
redpoint73 said:
Except . . . . that it doesn't really encourage them to. Too many app developers still haven't done it. And when they do, its always in a different place, which is counter-intuitive.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A lot of devs haven't updated their apps in a while, yes, but the ones that adhere to Holo guidelines always have the overflow menu at the top or bottom right. The icon is also universal, so it really isn't that hard to find.
Plus, just how many ICS-style three-button (or touchscreen only) devices are there out there right now?
personally i would prefer they ditch the multitask button and bring back the menu button as some of my apps now are losing screen realestate to the menu button being at the bottom part of screen. they could have easily just made a long press of the home screen open the multitask, and a double press of home key to open up the multiple launcher option.
blessedswine said:
personally i would prefer they ditch the multitask button and bring back the menu button as some of my apps now are losing screen realestate to the menu button being at the bottom part of screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, I use the Menu button more than multitask. But I know that some people are just the opposite. The implementation on 2.23, where you can pick from different button mappings (with long press mapping also going to either multitask or menu), is the way to go IMO.
As far as the search button, I hardly ever used it on my old Desire Z.
You already have a dedicated search button. Hold down the Home button and talk to it. On Jellybean, you access Search by swiping up from the bottom bezel of the device, and the Google Now search page opens.
Letting users remap keys out of the box isn't the answer either, because everyone complains about OS fragmentation. Now that Google is taking steps to combat that, people are again complaining. You can't please everyone all the time.
nooomoto said:
Letting users remap keys out of the box isn't the answer either, because everyone complains about OS fragmentation. . . . You can't please everyone all the time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A simple remap option in settings to me does not constitute fragmentation. The OS does not have to be 100% identical between all devices. Giving the user the option to select the key mapping gives the best chance of actually pleasing the most people (if not everyone).
redpoint73 said:
A simple remap option in settings to me does not constitute fragmentation. The OS does not have to be 100% identical between all devices. Giving the user the option to select the key mapping gives the best chance of actually pleasing the most people (if not everyone).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True I should have worded that better. However, even if Google did implement the ability to remap the keys in stock android, you can be sure some if not all of the manufacturers would disable it to prevent the mass market consumers from screwing up their devices and making warranty claims.
Everyone has a different opinion on how the hardware keys should be oriented, and Google is trying to simplify an OS that a lot of people claim is too complicated for them. Throwing in the ability to remap keys is going backward, not forward in terms of simplifying it for the average user.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium