All respect to senior members, don't u ppl think that there should be some lock or password or something like that for protecting the "OWNER INFORMATION" contents being edited by somebody other than the actual owner itself.
This actually happened with me, a friend of mine picked mey phone(jokingly) edited the owner information and kept it back.
I was shocked to see his name instead of mine.
I seriously look forward for resolving this **** issue left by microsoft.
I think that there are allready many ways to protect your device with multiple passwords. If you have an auto lock on your device before using it there should be no problem.
If you want to use the phone without accessing the registry I think I've found one weakness already. A user can't edit the owner info, but can use TotalCommander and import a reg.key with new user info. Or simply mess up the owner info by edit the reg.keys containing the current info.
The best way to protect your device is by not to hand over your phone to anyone And use one of the many phone lock apps around.
Just my € 0,02
I second the request for owner info lock, I want it to be there on the Today screen, butit should not be edited by every touch of the screen, the same I would like to have for the clock of the Today screen, every time I take out my phone from my pocket the Owner screen or clock screen are open.
Anyone?
This seems like a valid concern. I too would like to know what steps I can take to protect my user info... But I'm not entirely surprised that security on a Microsoft OS has taken the back seat...
I would like to ask again, is there A way to lock the Owner Info applet, the same as there is an option in some tweaking programs to lock the Clock applet?
Please someone look in to it, (I can't have my Owner Info changed all the time.)
Thanks in advance.
There might be one option to do this. Can't say it works 100% but you can enter your contact details and hide the owner information icon by changing the right settings in the registry.
Don't know the exact registry value but I guess it should work. Someone with a lot of time and knowledge could change the personal information by reversing these steps but it should be sufficient for most paranoia people
I think it would be easy enough to disable the control panel in a handful of different ways, but if you want to prevent access to it from Settings, use your registry editor, go into
HKLM\ControlPanel\Owner
and add a dword value called "Hide" (no speech marks) and set its value to 1.
That hides the panel from settings (after a soft reset).
It may still be accessible from the today plugin, but I don't use that.
If you need to disable the panel entirely, it's possible, but requires more low level hacking.
V
That's the one I meant Thanks vijay555!
vijay555 said:
I think it would be easy enough to disable the control panel in a handful of different ways, but if you want to prevent access to it from Settings, use your registry editor, go into
HKLM\ControlPanel\Owner
and add a dword value called "Hide" (no speech marks) and set its value to 1.
That hides the panel from settings (after a soft reset).
It may still be accessible from the today plugin, but I don't use that.
If you need to disable the panel entirely, it's possible, but requires more low level hacking.
V
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't understand how this can help,
#1) This will not block the Today screen plugin from being edited by mistake, (and worst thing is, this changes your user name which is needed for registered applications, I once had it changed just by laying in my pocket, and all app's where unregistered).
#2) If you hide it, and also don't show it on the Today screen, then why do you need it at all?
pinny said:
I don't understand how this can help,
#1) This will not block the Today screen plugin from being edited by mistake, (and worst thing is, this changes your user name which is needed for registered applications, I once had it changed just by laying in my pocket, and all app's where unregistered).
#2) If you hide it, and also don't show it on the Today screen, then why do you need it at all?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The owner info plugin is a complete waste of space. The idea of hiding it in the registry hides the owner info icon from the control panel so it can't be accessed. Just make sure your name is right and hide it. You shouldn't ever need to change it, and nobody can see it.
Quick and short of it:
The SK4G has the same exact physical Keyboard layout of the G1. But it sucks in comparison to the G1's layout because someone at Samsung dropped the ball. Shift + a number does not give you the normal expected symbol. There is a lack of a comma on the right hand side. Shift+Alt tends to not do anything on most keys. With this mod, I fixed 90% of the annoyances of the hardware keyboard (Just need to turn the [useless everywhere but the stock messaging app] smilie key into the voice key, and the voice key into an alt key and I'll be 100% good)
By hacking the corresponding kcm.bin file in the /system/usr/keychars/ directory, you can change the action of a key. This is not the same as changing the kl file in /system/usr/keylayout/ which allows you to change the behavior of a physical key. (A bit of semantics really.)
I modded the default kcm.bin (Binary Keyboard Character Map) file s3c-keypad.kcm.bin to match the G1 kcm closely, adjusting for what is printed on the SK4g keyboard, so w, e, and r are still smilies, and m is still /, while alt+shift+? is now ¿ as the g1 has. Only change to what is printed was fixing the multiplication sign symbol on alt+o to show an actual multiplication sign, instead of an x. Some unused alt+shift+key were used to improve usage, and for flair.
Main Changes:
shift+number provides its corresponding symbol, like it should.
alt+shift+O is the Umlat combining accent (press another character afterwards it it might combined, like ¨ + u is ü. Same result as longpressing U).
Alt+Q default by Samsung is a Space. Alt+Shift+Q is now Tab.
Alt+Shift+T is the "¬" not symbol. Sideways L. Useful for ¬_¬ sideway glances.
Alt+Shift+Y is the unicode STAR AND CRESCENT. SK4G can't display it, but it will show up correctly in OSes that understand it/have the right encoding (like the G1).
Shift+Period is a comma. Because the comma belongs on the right side of the keyboard dammit.
Alt+Period is a bullet symbol.
Alt+Shift+Period is a "`" Grave combining accent (same as Umlat. Grave + space is regular grave)
Alt+Shift+Enter is a CR return key, instead of the normal LF return key. Some apps recognize the difference (ConnectBot)
[email protected] and [email protected] is the ~ tilde. I did not add the combining accent version. An adult keyboard requires the ~.
[email protected] is the Eighth Note. Because we all need some music in our lives. Displays properly on the SK4g.
Instructions:
If you want to use the character map I created, you will need root, adb, and be comfortable mucking about the phone's system files. You can install with RootExplorer or any other file manager instead, if you know how to do it:
Code:
adb push /path/to/unzipped/files/mods3c-keypad.kcm.bin /data/local/tmp/
adb shell
su
mount -o remount,rw /dev/block/stl9 /system
cp /data/local/tmp/mods3c-keypad.kcm.bin /system/usr/keychars/
cp /system/usr/keychars/s3c-keypad.kcm.bin /system/usr/keychars/s3c-keypad.bu
mv /system/usr/keychars/mods3c-keypad.kcm.bin /system/usr/keychars/s3c-keypad.kcm.bin
chmod 644 /system/usr/keychars/s3c-keypad.kcm.bin
You need to push the file to the tmp folder, then going in as superuser, remount the system partition.
Once remounted, you can copy the file to the correct folder.
Safety first, make a backup of the original file. A copy of the original is also provided in the zip folder.
Now you overwrite the original.
Once that's done, you want to correct the permissions to 644 like the original.
At this point, you can reboot. If you want to give it a try before rebooting, you can just load any app that isn't in memory, or kill an existing app, and load it back up, and type to see the difference. You must reboot if you want to see the changes everywhere. Any app in memory, including home and system, will not see the new file till you kill it/reboot.
What's in the zip:
Four files are provided in the zip.
1: "s3c-keypad.kcm.bin" This is the original kcm.bin from the stock KD1 firmware. Most likely, it has not been change in KG2.
2: "trout-keypad-v3.kcm" This is a plain text readable version of the G1 kcm. Look at this if you want to see the format android uses to build the kcm.bin file. Easy to read.
3: "mods3c-keypad.kcm" This is a modified kcm file, easy to read showing what my modded layout is, with notes.
4: "mods3c-keypad.kcm.bin" the actual kcm.bin file you can use to drastically improve your keyboard.
If You want to make your own:
Some Resources First:
ASOP Developers Guide to the Keyboard:
http://www.kandroid.org/online-pdk/guide/keymaps_keyboard_input.html
Describes how Android uses (some of) the keyboard files, and the file layouts.
Extending the keyboard mapping of an Android system
http://jahrome.free.fr/index.php/keyboard-mapping-android-htc-desire?lang=en
Found this after the fact, some xda members doing this on the g1 way back when:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=468703
Someone had a python tool to turn kcm.bin to kcm files.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=837002
Basically, you will be mucking around a hexeditor to change the kcm.bin file.
Make the hex editor show you 16 bytes per line, and you will see a nice pattern, as shown on the http://jahrome.free.fr/index.php/keyboard-mapping-android-htc-desire?lang=en.
Any non-normal (unicode) character should be put on the hex side, so 0x0300 would be typed in. Additionally, hex editors tend to show lsb first. So unicode 0x0300 would show up as "00 03". 0xEF01 will be seen as 01 EF.
If you look and compare the hex editor screen to the kcm file provided, you can easily modify the kcm.bin file to your liking.
Future:
I'm trying to find where the LongPress Keyboard character maps are. Like when you longpress ! lets you choose ¡, or long pressing shift+4 ($) gives you the option to insert a couple of currency marks, or longpressing a will let you choose from accented a characters (å,ä,â etc).
Additionally, also looking for the same on the Extended Feature keys, like SYM, and the smilies. The smilies are just macros that get typed when you press them, as using the regular smilie types ":" "-" and ")", and you can delete each one individually. Having a customizable macro key would be great.
But from my guess, one or both of those features are embedded in the keyboard device driver. I will muck around the filesystem to see what I can find.
Notes:
I am not responsible for anything ever anywhere. You break it, you pay it, not me.
Also, this is only for the hardware keyboard, not the virtual IMEs. Changing those would require apk code signing, and desamali and everything. headthefrickache.
thank you!
this is gonna be really helpful and fun to mess around and make my own. glad to have another dev aboard!
Update: I poked around a bit, and looked at the ime-htc.apk that is floating around. Decompiled the apk, and found that it's popup alternatives for the virtual keyboard is in res/values/strings.xml, with the fields pointed at it by res/xml-normal-hdpi/*.xml depending on which language/shape/layout keyboard you are using.
So I think I am right in assuming that the hardware keyboard popups are in the device driver. :/ Will investigate further.
Oh, and a note about the sidekick keyboard. You cannot press and hold ALT+SHIFT and a third key at the same time. You can't press any three keys and have it register at the same time at all. Another instance where the g1 was just better
Additionally, doesn't seem like all keys respond to a alt-lock+shift-lock the same. The @ and ? key seems to only produce the alt or shift version, while most of the others produce the alt+shift version of the key.
This ****ing guy, eh? When can I buy you strippers and blow, eh? I ****ing love you.
chaostic_2k1 said:
Update: I poked around a bit, and looked at the ime-htc.apk that is floating around. Decompiled the apk, and found that it's popup alternatives for the virtual keyboard is in res/values/strings.xml, with the fields pointed at it by res/xml-normal-hdpi/*.xml depending on which language/shape/layout keyboard you are using.
So I think I am right in assuming that the hardware keyboard popups are in the device driver. :/ Will investigate further.
Oh, and a note about the sidekick keyboard. You cannot press and hold ALT+SHIFT and a third key at the same time. You can't press any three keys and have it register at the same time at all. Another instance where the g1 was just better
Additionally, doesn't seem like all keys respond to a alt-lock+shift-lock the same. The @ and ? key seems to only produce the alt or shift version, while most of the others produce the alt+shift version of the key.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Port G1 driver? Whoz got the sauce? erm Source?
Well, I figure the g1 just dedicated more gpio than sumsung did for the keyboard. I doubt the g1 driver can be ported. And the sumsung keyboard driver might be hackable, but without the source for it, it be a pain to try. Still looking for the long press keys though.
I may be confused about your question. I can't seem to understand what you mean by hardware keyboard popup, but yes, the keyboard driver is in the kernel, so you'd need a custom kernel to change that.
The kernel source is available at opensource.samsung.com
If you can pm me/write what you're trying to do/fix (as I'm currently a bit confused as to your goal) I would be open to helping work on this
If you hold down the a key on the keyboard, you get a little popup screen that lets you choose the alternative versions of a, like å, ä, á, etc. Same for holding shift+4 or alt+4, would give you the alternatives for $, like ¥, british pound symbol, etc.
I am trying to find where that information is held. On an ime, it's in the strings.xml file inside the apk. For the hardware keyboard, I'm guessing its in the driver. I'm trying to locate that, so that it can be changed to include more things (and in the sk4g, even add macros like the smilies).
Unfortunately, noone else has found it, or if they have, it's buried in some obscure thread inside some obscure device's forum. The problem with android information, is that with so many devices, and versions, there is a ton of information, being redundantly found/created, and buried under other information.
Haha I hear that. I guess I was testing it out using the wrong buttons before, as I didn't get that popup before. Now I was able to, but it looks like it's only for certain keys. At any rate, let me look in the kernel source to see if I can find the correct files there.
sduvick said:
Haha I hear that. I guess I was testing it out using the wrong buttons before, as I didn't get that popup before. Now I was able to, but it looks like it's only for certain keys. At any rate, let me look in the kernel source to see if I can find the correct files there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will donate money to this project. No ****ing joke. I wanna see this **** happen.
$50 is what I'm putting down at the moment. I'll put down more if more coders want to help out sduvick and make this work wonderfully.
Requirements,
01. Have all the features which the OP is attempting to incorporate.
02. Have a secondary .apk which allows users to modify key layout whilst using the phone.
Update/message towards chaostic: it appears that the longpress popup is coming from /system/framework/services.jar (desmali'd) com/android/server/KeyInputQueue.
On a somewhat related note, trying to find the keymaps for smileys to remove the extra alt added after the '<3' alt key if anyone might know where that is. EDIT: re-read your OP, looks like you couldn't find these either, but apparently this was fixed in the KG2 update, so maybe the kernel updates might give me more details. will update shortly.
UPDATE: found the smileys in /system/framework/framework.jar (desmali'd) com/android/internal/widget/smileys.smali
sduvick said:
Update/message towards chaostic: it appears that the longpress popup is coming from /system/framework/services.jar (desmali'd) com/android/server/KeyInputQueue.
On a somewhat related note, trying to find the keymaps for smileys to remove the extra alt added after the '<3' alt key if anyone might know where that is. EDIT: re-read your OP, looks like you couldn't find these either, but apparently this was fixed in the KG2 update, so maybe the kernel updates might give me more details. will update shortly.
UPDATE: found the smileys in /system/framework/framework.jar (desmali'd) com/android/internal/widget/smileys.smali
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So the smilies have been found is great, but the two things of note is how difficult it would be for a regular edit, so for rom builders or themers its great, but individuals would be hard press to change it.
Just to make sure, these are the alt+w or alt+e or alt+r smilies/macros, or is it the smiliey key widgets?
Either way it gives me somewhere to look. Seems the longpress alternatives is a longshot for easy modding at this time. But ever forward. Thanks.
I would integrate it as part of the tweaks thread I've been working out of, but it's a matter of changing some very simple (once you get it extracted and desmali'd) source, just looking through one file and looking for the strings for each smiley. Mind you, this is only for the smiley button itself, that is the popup that appears in messaging when you try to use the smiley button. This doesn't really relate at all to the keyboard at all actually.
Any key presses are gonna be from the kernel somewhere, still waiting on the download, samsung's opensource server is slow as balls.
Works great; how to edit
I just did this and it solved one of my two huge dissatisfiers with the Sk4G over the G1 and the actual original Sidekicks (where I was one of the people who convinced them to add | and ` and ~ back at Danger).
I really wanted to type ` by itself, so I edited my keymap so that [email protected] is ~ but alt-~ is `. I did this using emacs, with hexl-mode, and it was a snap!
Also, even though I've used adb in the past, I got stuck at su and it did nothing. I realized I needed to be running the SuperUser app first, and once I did that and ^C'd out of the su, it prompted me and I allowed it to remember shell request, and everything from then on worked great!
Thanks!
Leigh.
Glad it Helped someone
Can you hack the keyboard to allow virtual keyboard to work while in landscape mode?
Thanks that is awesome
This was really helpful.
I'm been bothered with the funky behaviour of shift+0-9
I also mapped alt-a a to escape
and changed alt-q from space to really being tab
The .kl file was also interesting:
/system/usr/keylayout/s3c-keypad.kl
It is just a textfile, so easy to edit and I was able to remap the mostly useless SMILEY key to GRAVE.
which is helpfull when I need a ~.
The .kl file also has all the other buttons on the SK4G so they can be reassigned.
I moved VOICE_INPUT to what was MULTITASKER, so I can enter voice commands without opening the keyboard.
and made myself a ALT_LEFT.
Smart Quote-enabled Physical Keyboard
First off, a huge thanks to chaostic_2k1, whose hack of the Sidekick 4G keyboard is brilliant. It was the only one I could find, and his instructions are first-rate. Using his modified s3c-keypad.kcm.bin file, I’ve been able to concoct a keyboard that has all of his fine variations along with smart-quote and easier em-dash ability.
If users are trying to write a professional manuscript, they need smart quotes (curly quotes), em dashes, and ellipses. The attached file has these modifications:
ALT-f = left double quotation mark
SHIFT-ALT-f = still gives the left bracket
ALT-g = right double quotation mark
SHIFT-ALT-g = still gives the right bracket
[These brackets are also stock-accessible with ALT-space]
[Right and left double quotation marks are stock-accessible with ALT-k, long press, etc. The keystrokes in this file cut down the number of steps]
ALT-lowercase L = right single quotation mark (curly apostrophe)
SHIFT-ALT-lowercase L = straight apostrophe
ALT-t = regular hyphen
SHIFT-ALT-t = em dash
[The em dash is still stock-accessible with ALT-t, long press, etc.]
The ellipsis is stock-accessible with ALT-space. I didn't modify anything connected with the ellipsis.
Follow the instructions in the first post of this thread for proper s3c-keypad.kcm.bin copying into /system/usr/keychars
Root obviously a must, and I used Total Commander file manager to copy file from sd card to /system/usr/keychars
If using Total Commander, remember to change /system directory to read-write.
Proper screen display of smart quotes: neither ThinkFree or Kingsoft word processors will display the actual right and left double quotes, though the quotes will enter correctly and display on a desktop word processor, printer, etc. In order to see double quotes correctly, users must use QuickOffice or TextMaker word processors [for reasons I can’t figure, KingSoft doesn’t even allow ALT-space or any SHIFT-ALT keystroke].
This keyboard mapping works on my Sidekick 4G, but I take no responsibility for any problem. I’ve also hacked the /system/usr/keylayout/s3c-keypad.kl to change key 54 SMILEY to key 54 TAB WAKE_DROPPED
This changes the SMILEY to a proper tab.
Do take care with the /system/usr/keylayout/s3c-keypad.kl If you screw it up, all physical keys, including Menu, etc, are dead, and you have to touch-screen the restoration of the original file. A little scary.
EDIT/UPDATE: Attached is the kcm file with an additional character: the left apostrophe. SHIFT-ALT-k = left single quotation mark
This is needed for smart quote usage when quoting within double quotes: "So when you said 'yes,' you really meant no."
Jake
This is a two part question
I have the A700 and, frankly, I love it to pieces
1. I have a problem with app text size.. Most of the apps have teeny-tiny text that I can't read. The talk-back affects my ability to scrll up and down so text-to-speech is not an option. Is there anything to be done to control app text size?
2. I was goofing around with the Barcode scanner and I got somthing with small print as well as a bar code and I get the printed part in the scanner square. What I saw blew me away. The print was very legible and got an idea. If you could expand that magnified area to fill the screen and do away with the red scan line, you could have a very good reading device for persons with low vision. Even better, if you could route it through the Android browser, you could set it up "darkfield"; White on black. Those of you have have ever done microscopy know about the "darkfield microscope" designed to make things easy on the eyes for long-period use, not to mention using the browswers zoom command. This would duplicate the action of the current low-vision reading device known as the CCD/TV which, the last I was sure of cost $US1200 and am told is down to $US700. I contacted the creator of the Barcode Scanner app and he said that it was open-source. If what I have suggested could be done; expand the veiwing field to full screen and removing the red scan line this would make the A700 a very good low-vision reading device at about 65$ of the price of a CCD/TV
Could someone adapt the Barcode Sanccer program to expand the viewing/magnifying area to the full screen and eliminte the rad scan line?
Hi Space Patroller,
1. There are two ways to accomplish resizing the text:
1.1: Go to Settings > Accessibility and tick the Large text box. If that isn't big enough, or just not right, try 2.
1.2: Go to Settings > Display and tap on the Font size button. There you'll find the four options: Small, Normal (default), Large, Huge.
2.
I contacted the creator of the Barcode Scanner app and he said that it was open-source.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is quite the easy answer. I don't think the developer wanted to actually implement it or he just didn't have time.
To edit the source, you have to have some knowledge about the coding/scripting language. It's not something a regular "customer" could do.
I couldn't do it either, so you might want to create a new topic in either one of those:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=565
http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=524
Maybe there are people with the particular knowledge who could accomplish what you want. Though removing the red line wouldn't be a huge problem for people with a little knowledge about the language.
Low Vision Iconia
I have already tried the methoids you mentioned. 1. They don't make that much of s size difference 2. The don't control the app text size in most cases. I got BigFont and that helps somewhat but not with app text
I quite agree about knwing the code and the creator really did not want to be involved I put it here beccause I was told to put all questions in the "general" forum
I am talking here about severe visual disability like not being aable to get a driver's license severe. Are you sure it is all right for met to post my question in those forums? I do not wish to give offense, but if this were done it would bring this cost of reading devices down by at least half
Space Patroller said:
I have already tried the methoids you mentioned. 1. They don't make that much of s size difference 2. The don't control the app text size in most cases. I got BigFont and that helps somewhat but not with app text
I quite agree about knwing the code and the creator really did not want to be involved I put it here beccause I was told to put all questions in the "general" forum
I am talking here about severe visual disability like not being aable to get a driver's license severe. Are you sure it is all right for met to post my question in those forums? I do not wish to give offense, but if this were done it would bring this cost of reading devices down by at least half
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You could also try to ajust the LCD Density. The LCD Density changes the whole resolution of your tablet, which makes everything looks bigger or smaller (texts, but also buttons in apps or games).
You'll need, however, require root permissions in order to do that.
There are two ways:
1. Manually: Download a file browser which is capable of viewing the root of the tablet. Root Explorer will do that for you, but it's shareware. There are other free apps out there which can do the same thing, but Root Explorer is able to edit files. You can also try AndroZip and then edit files with Documents To Go 3.0.
Navigate to /system/. Search for the file default.prop. Edit the file and search for lcd_density = 240 (which is the default). Change it to a higher value. I'm not quite sure which values are valid, because it'll also affect the Google Play Store compatibility checker. I think 320 is a valid value. You can also play a little with it, but you have to reboot the tablet every time you change the value.
2. Automatically (On The Fly ajustable, won't survive reboot ): Download LCDDensity for Root and check it out, haven't been able to get my hands on the app yet.
I think it's okay to post a question in one of these forums, you should edit the question a little though. You should mention the severe vision disability and then that you would want anyone to look into the app because it is open source; With of course the two things you want different. Though I really want to help you with that, I don't have the programming knowledge. I'm not sure if anyone is willing to help you out with something "complicated" like that, because people willing to do stuff that include changes like those are hard to find.
Space Patroller said:
This is a two part question
I have the A700 and, frankly, I love it to pieces
1. I have a problem with app text size.. Most of the apps have teeny-tiny text that I can't read. The talk-back affects my ability to scrll up and down so text-to-speech is not an option. Is there anything to be done to control app text size?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, I don't know if you updated already to JB, I did, and as a novelty there's an option to extend the apps' visualization to fill all of the screen's real estate, afterwards the text gets bigger. A new "enlarge-stretch" icon appears near the clock in the navbar in (almost) every open app. But maybe you already found out by now