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How to get Titanium Backup to restore all widgets in LP?

To those who flash roms all the time, I've noticed that sometimes when I do a full Titanium restore after a fresh ROM flash, sometimes Titanium Backup will restore Launcher Pro where it doesn't go "Error loading Widget" for every widget. Instead sometimes I get a full proper restore.
This is clearly an issue for those of us that customize so much that we have overlapping stretching widgets that we need to play widget tetris.
How can I get Titanium backup to do this? I haven't investigated enough but it's clearly a set of events that I've done to get it to work SOMETIMES....
So far I've noticed that this has happened with Nandroid backups for "ROMs" on the Milestone. Those Nandroid backups are essentially bare bone OS installations with customized stuff (since we have a locked bootloader still, so updates are harder). I usually do a Ti backup full restore and sometimes the widgets of my Launcher Pro restore perfectly.

It is android not letting you restore widgets. It just doesn't work. not TiBu or LP or any other home screen replacement.
Get Gingerbread and maybe that will fix your problem.

darkamikaze said:
It is android not letting you restore widgets. It just doesn't work. not TiBu or LP or any other home screen replacement.
Get Gingerbread and maybe that will fix your problem.
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The problem is it does it once in a while. I know it's not supposed to work becase only the official Launcher Pro widgets will be restored. You are supposed to have to add back your own widgets, but once in a while a titanium backup restore upon flashing a new rom gives me my original homescreen where I don't have to manually re-add any widgets.

I think you're on something because it doesn't.. only reason LP widgets work is because you're using it's own widgets and the launcher can load it because it's its own propriety. I think the only way you can have widgets restored to state is through a nandroid restore.. and even that i'm not too sure.

It's a security thing, Android doesn't let any program, aside from the official Widget Picker, add a new Widget. So when you restore, the Launcher tries to add the Widget, Android checks to see if that program is authorized for that widget. If it is, it adds it. If not you get the error or empty space.
If you restore the data without uninstalling Launcher Pro or resetting your phone, I imagine Android still has the widget authorized so no permission error occurs.

darkamikaze said:
I think you're on something because it doesn't.. only reason LP widgets work is because you're using it's own widgets and the launcher can load it because it's its own propriety. I think the only way you can have widgets restored to state is through a nandroid restore.. and even that i'm not too sure.
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Click to collapse
It has done it.
You are right that a Nandroid restore will restore everything because a Nandroid is essentially like an HD image. But I can assure you what I'm talking about was a Titanium Backup incident. My problem is that I've seen it a few times, but I haven't investigated it enough to reproduce it or to see how to get it. Perhaps someone here has also seen it before, but shrugged it off.
I'm a Milestone User and when we still had Eclair mods like this one: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=765346
The modder replaced the default launcher.apk with LauncherPro. So what happens is he uses Nandroid to make a Nandroid image of his "ROM." Yes. Locked bootloader FTL. So we use Nandroid images. Essentially it's still a bare bones version of a ROM.
Well, I have all my apps backed up on Titanium Backup before I install this because its like a full wipe. I then restore all my apps.
Now I've only used like 8 versions of his ROM compared to like 2-3 of other ROMs, so perhaps its the fact that when installing his ROM, he already HAS LauncherPro as the default system launcher. Thus when I'm restoring my Titanium Backup, when it reads my Launcher Pro settings and puts it in the system app, it has no problem accessing widgets.
I do remember it failing once in a while too, but there have been AT LEAST 3-4 times where I did NOT have to restore any of my own widgets.
Once again I highly suspect this has something to do with having LauncherPro integrated in the Nandroid backup, even if it doesn't have any of my widgets.
I'm asking this because I'm using CM6 now and it uses the update.zip method and obviously I can't trigger the LauncherPro thing anymore. I don't know how it worked before, as it seems to be a bug. I completely understand that Launcher Pro is not supposed to allow restoring of non LP widgets. How it's done it before, I do not know.

dmo580 said:
To those who flash roms all the time, I've noticed that sometimes when I do a full Titanium restore after a fresh ROM flash, sometimes Titanium Backup will restore Launcher Pro where it doesn't go "Error loading Widget" for every widget. Instead sometimes I get a full proper restore.
This is clearly an issue for those of us that customize so much that we have overlapping stretching widgets that we need to play widget tetris.
How can I get Titanium backup to do this? I haven't investigated enough but it's clearly a set of events that I've done to get it to work SOMETIMES....
So far I've noticed that this has happened with Nandroid backups for "ROMs" on the Milestone. Those Nandroid backups are essentially bare bone OS installations with customized stuff (since we have a locked bootloader still, so updates are harder). I usually do a Ti backup full restore and sometimes the widgets of my Launcher Pro restore perfectly.
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Click to collapse
This too has happened with me as well and not only with TB but also Mybackup root as well, TB has option like applications widgets and MBR says android home, I flash alot and I say 10% of my restores this happens with (working) I tried every ordering i can think of to reproduce it but never can seems completely random. I wish someone could figure this out because it does work just not sure how to always reproduce it.

He is not on anything... This has happened to me also.
Like he said every once and a while after installing a new rom and doing a titanium restore everything goes back to normal widgets and all.
This would be very helpful for me because I don't use icons at all. I strictly use custom Icon and desktop visualizer. So this would be huge to figure out the work around to make it work every time

Stupid question..
Have you tried restoring everything BUT LP with Titanium, let it finish, then restore LP with Titanium?

i reinstall new rom > wait 15 > reboot.
restore backups via titanium > reboot.
at this stage, my widgets don't display. i'll usually open market to login, open talk, maps. whatever else requires logins or permissions and reboot.
most of the time, after this last reboot my widgets appear, but this time they didn't. after restoring tons of stuff again and rebooting, no change.
this time i opened google finance (which i have a widget for and requires login). i allowed it's permissions and rebooted. my widgets appeared.
in this one case, i believe i had to open each application i have a widget for to make sure they were all logged in, then reboot.
i hate having to restore my widgets each time. i'd love to figure out the secret to restoring them consistently.

I can get Titanium to restore all my widgets every time. I use TB to backup "Application Widgets" before flashing a new ROM.
Obviously once I restore all my apps with Titanium Backup my Widgets all show up with the error. But if I restore "Application Widgets" again and immediately restart my phone using a quick reboot app (I use Hot Reboot) the widgets all load fine.
I'll usually do a full restore of all my apps. Put a Hot Reboot widget on my homescreen. Restore "Application Widgets" again. Reboot using Hot Reboot. Then when the phone is done booting all my Widgets appear correctly (minus the Hot Reboot widget I just added, it errors out).
Don't know if it'll work for everyone but it works every time for me. Saves a lot me time.

EDIT: Works perfect!

dustinb17 said:
I can get Titanium to restore all my widgets every time. I use TB to backup "Application Widgets" before flashing a new ROM.
Obviously once I restore all my apps with Titanium Backup my Widgets all show up with the error. But if I restore "Application Widgets" again and immediately restart my phone using a quick reboot app (I use Hot Reboot) the widgets all load fine.
I'll usually do a full restore of all my apps. Put a Hot Reboot widget on my homescreen. Restore "Application Widgets" again. Reboot using Hot Reboot. Then when the phone is done booting all my Widgets appear correctly (minus the Hot Reboot widget I just added, it errors out).
Don't know if it'll work for everyone but it works every time for me. Saves a lot me time.
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Click to collapse
I don't find anything in Titanium Backup to select backup "Application Widgets"? How this is done? Thanx
IS this LauncherPro specific or does it work with other launchers

rickg99 said:
I don't find anything in Titanium Backup to select backup "Application Widgets"? How this is done? Thanx
IS this LauncherPro specific or does it work with other launchers
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I don't believe it has anything to do with Launcher Pro actually. It's listed in green for me indicating that it's a "System service with useful data". I have the paid version of TB and I have no idea if that has anything to do with it.
It's available for me in batch mode and through backup/restore. It's exact name is "Application Widgets" the icon is the Titanium Backup Circle and it's listed in green with all the other Apps that start with A.

I see Application Widgets on the free version also, I haven't tried it before though...next time I switch ROM's I'll give it a shot!

dustinb17 said:
I don't believe it has anything to do with Launcher Pro actually. It's listed in green for me indicating that it's a "System service with useful data". I have the paid version of TB and I have no idea if that has anything to do with it.
It's available for me in batch mode and through backup/restore. It's exact name is "Application Widgets" the icon is the Titanium Backup Circle and it's listed in green with all the other Apps that start with A.
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Don't understand that. I have latest Titanium but I don't have anything found to backup/restore "Application Widgets" or "System service with useful data". Whre do I find that. I have default launcher as well as Launcher Pro but don't find it with both launcher. Thank you.

rickg99 said:
Don't understand that. I have latest Titanium but I don't have anything found to backup/restore "Application Widgets" or "System service with useful data". Whre do I find that. I have default launcher as well as Launcher Pro but don't find it with both launcher. Thank you.
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Click to collapse
The "System Service with useful data" is in the legend if you hit menu. It describes what the programs written in green indicate. Maybe try a Batch backup of all system data, and look for it in there. If you do a Batch "Backup of all system data" do you have anything in that list listed with green writing?
Edit: I guess it may depend on your root status as well. I know I'm rooted with S-Off, maybe that has something to do with it if you're not.

thank you.this trick is working perfect. i tried it with a cm7 rom in hd2

got it
Going to try this now - flashing another ROM just to see.

dustinb17 said:
I can get Titanium to restore all my widgets every time. I use TB to backup "Application Widgets" before flashing a new ROM.
Obviously once I restore all my apps with Titanium Backup my Widgets all show up with the error. But if I restore "Application Widgets" again and immediately restart my phone using a quick reboot app (I use Hot Reboot) the widgets all load fine.
I'll usually do a full restore of all my apps. Put a Hot Reboot widget on my homescreen. Restore "Application Widgets" again. Reboot using Hot Reboot. Then when the phone is done booting all my Widgets appear correctly (minus the Hot Reboot widget I just added, it errors out).
Don't know if it'll work for everyone but it works every time for me. Saves a lot me time.
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Sorry for digging up an old thread but I just had to say thank you for this. Really saved me a buttload of time! THANKS!

[Q] Possible to save homescreen layout?

Hello. I have a HTC Sensation 4G on T-Mobile rooted with OrDroid on it. OrDroid releases New updates VERY frequently. I have my homescreen customized to my liking.... (widgets, shortcuts, folders, etc.) And I was wondering if I could somehow save my homescreen layout so I don't have to spend a lot of time changing it after I do a clean install of an update. It is really frustrating customizing my home screens several times per week. Is there some file on the phone that contains the positioning of the items on the homescreen that I could back up?
Thanks, and pardon my noob-i-ness... This is my first post.

michaelgcarro said:
Hello. I have a HTC Sensation 4G on T-Mobile rooted with OrDroid on it. OrDroid releases New updates VERY frequently. I have my homescreen customized to my liking.... (widgets, shortcuts, folders, etc.) And I was wondering if I could somehow save my homescreen layout so I don't have to spend a lot of time changing it after I do a clean install of an update. It is really frustrating customizing my home screens several times per week. Is there some file on the phone that contains the positioning of the items on the homescreen that I could back up?
Thanks, and pardon my noob-i-ness... This is my first post.
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Click to collapse
well, what i do is, making a full backup in recovery, full wipe, flash the new ordroid, after that, make an advanced restore, and only restore data from the backup i previously made. that restores my ROM just the way it was before flashing, all apps, home screen layout, launcher, settings, messages, and contacts. everything. although, make sure you fix permissions in recovery after that as well.
or, you can use titanium backup, backup all system/app + data, then restore all after flashing.
those two should work just fine.

Simplest way is to use Titanium backup. "HTC Sense [Desktop]" saves your sense desktop configuration/layout.

Rumball said:
Simplest way is to use Titanium backup. "HTC Sense [Desktop]" saves your sense desktop configuration/layout.
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Click to collapse
arabology said:
well, what i do is, making a full backup in recovery, full wipe, flash the new ordroid, after that, make an advanced restore, and only restore data from the backup i previously made. that restores my ROM just the way it was before flashing, all apps, home screen layout, launcher, settings, messages, and contacts. everything. although, make sure you fix permissions in recovery after that as well.
or, you can use titanium backup, backup all system/app + data, then restore all after flashing.
those two should work just fine.
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Click to collapse
If the Sense version changes or the tweaks applied change, there will be lots of force close issues.
michaelgcarro said:
Hello. I have a HTC Sensation 4G on T-Mobile rooted with OrDroid on it. OrDroid releases New updates VERY frequently. I have my homescreen customized to my liking.... (widgets, shortcuts, folders, etc.) And I was wondering if I could somehow save my homescreen layout so I don't have to spend a lot of time changing it after I do a clean install of an update. It is really frustrating customizing my home screens several times per week. Is there some file on the phone that contains the positioning of the items on the homescreen that I could back up?
Thanks, and pardon my noob-i-ness... This is my first post.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Simplest way to do this is change the default launcher to some other launcher that will let you save your settings (search; I know only of Go Launcher).
Backup the data for this launcher using Titanium backup before switching ROMs & then after switching back, change the default launcher again & restore the settings.
Although doing this will mean you cannot use tweaks on Rosie.

kgs1992 said:
If the Sense version changes or the tweaks applied change, there will be lots of force close issues.
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Click to collapse
i know that, but he said he will be only using OrDroid so
---------- Post added at 03:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:03 PM ----------
kgs1992 said:
Simplest way to do this is change the default launcher to some other launcher that will let you save your settings (search; I know only of Go Launcher).
Backup the data for this launcher using Titanium backup before switching ROMs & then after switching back, change the default launcher again & restore the settings.
Although doing this will mean you cannot use tweaks on Rosie.
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Click to collapse
that actually might not work...as there might be different widgets he's using as well. for example, i'm using Nova launcher, and when i only restore it from titanium backup, i only get the wallpaper, and few "system" icons, and widgets i had. and even if i restore the apps that i previously had widgets of on my home screen, it will end up empty, and i'll have add each widget individually....which turned out to pretty hard each time, since my layout is uniquely done. so ever since OrDroid 3.**, i restored Data, and never had a force close what so ever

Rumball said:
Simplest way is to use Titanium backup. "HTC Sense [Desktop]" saves your sense desktop configuration/layout.
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Click to collapse
+1 takes 15 seconds and I've never had issues, after restore my layout goes to just how i had it
Sent from my sensational sensation 4g

arabology said:
that actually might not work...as there might be different widgets he's using as well. for example, i'm using Nova launcher, and when i only restore it from titanium backup, i only get the wallpaper, and few "system" icons, and widgets i had. and even if i restore the apps that i previously had widgets of on my home screen, it will end up empty, and i'll have add each widget individually....which turned out to pretty hard each time, since my layout is uniquely done. so ever since OrDroid 3.**, i restored Data, and never had a force close what so ever
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Click to collapse
I might have been wrong then, sorry.

kgs1992 said:
I might have been wrong then, sorry.
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Click to collapse
no need the OP now can see what method suits him best and try depending on his situation.

yahhboy said:
+1 takes 15 seconds and I've never had issues, after restore my layout goes to just how i had it
Sent from my sensational sensation 4g
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Click to collapse
Same here, never had an issue, even my folders are the same.....
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using xda premium

arabology said:
well, what i do is, making a full backup in recovery, full wipe, flash the new ordroid, after that, make an advanced restore, and only restore data from the backup i previously made. that restores my ROM just the way it was before flashing, all apps, home screen layout, launcher, settings, messages, and contacts. everything. although, make sure you fix permissions in recovery after that as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This method is the simplest BUT if the ROM base change you must NOT do an advanced data restore. Neither with Titanium Backup. When the ROM base change the best thing to do is to restore all manually, it doesn't happen frequently that ROM base changes so once in a few we must do our layout settings manually.
eg of ROM base incompatibility : Sense 3.6 to Sense 4, GingerBread to Ice Cream Sandwich, etc
Hope it helps!

Lucky Thirteen said:
This method is the simplest BUT if the ROM base change you must NOT do an advanced data restore. Neither with Titanium Backup. When the ROM base change the best thing to do is to restore all manually, it doesn't happen frequently that ROM base changes so once in a few we must do our layout settings manually.
eg of ROM base incompatibility : Sense 3.6 to Sense 4, GingerBread to Ice Cream Sandwich, etc
Hope it helps!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correct. And shnizlon does change his ROM base often.
Note to OP since he'll be using OrDroid: when the first number in the version name changes, means that a new base is used. Or, you can check the changelog, and see if the ROM base is changed.
This thread has come from a simple layout backup, to a full backup discussion lol

Saving home screens
You can use the previously suggested backup in titanium backup, however, as an OrDroid user I know the base changes quite often so be careful because this can cause force closes, if the base remains the same it should be fine

Rumball said:
Simplest way is to use Titanium backup. "HTC Sense [Desktop]" saves your sense desktop configuration/layout.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you so much for the tip, works great for my HTC One S - ViperC2 5.1.0 - HTC Sense 5.0
Tested also with Rom Toolbox, the concept is the same for any backup app. It's useful mostly because 90% of my apps are in SD and apps links get lost every time I reboot. Thanks again
ludo

TIBU question

I have TIBU pro, I use it to restore all my apps when I flash a new rom. Does anyone know what specific files I would need to keep to have it restore my icons to their spots and basic settings like NFC on and show battery percentage? I know if I do a full backup and restore that it keeps those settings, but I dont like having to restore all the other unnecessary things, I just would like those features with my apps.

Restoring accounts puts my icons back. Clicking two toggles in settings for NFC and battery aren't that hard so I just click those.

voodoomanx said:
Restoring accounts puts my icons back. Clicking two toggles in settings for NFC and battery aren't that hard so I just click those.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll take it. Thank you!!!

Icon location should be the launcher. Depending on the ROM youre using its going to be either Touchwiz, Trebuchet, Nova....

[Q] Restore Google Now Launcher

I accidentally cleared my Google Launcher settings, and it restored to the default. I lost all my folders and widgets. Is there a way to restore my previous settings?
Thanks!

spacekiwi said:
I accidentally cleared my Google Launcher settings, and it restored to the default. I lost all my folders and widgets. Is there a way to restore my previous settings?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you didn't backup then you can't restore anything.

Primokorn said:
If you didn't backup then you can't restore anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you mean backing up with a 3rd party app like TB? or is there a way I can back up the settings for restoral without needing a 3rd party app?

spacekiwi said:
Do you mean backing up with a 3rd party app like TB? or is there a way I can back up the settings for restoral without needing a 3rd party app?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not retrospectively! If you didn't back up your settings before wiping then there is nothing you can do now!
As for future backups, you can only do this through third-party apps at the moment. Something like Helium or TB, but most backup apps require Root as well

As far as I know you can't backup your homescreens, only the Google Search settings.
Although if you use the XGELS module and have bought premium, you can backup icons/folders. Backing up widgets is impossible, however.

[Q] Restoring an android desktop

Hi,
I'm jumping between a number of custom lollipop ROMs presently and was wondering if it was possible to restore Android desktop setups with Titanium Backup Pro or command line tools.
If so, how?
Thanks,
hp

Yes, if you restore the data for the launcher app.

Like rootSU said, you can restore launcher data with titanium or if you're like me and use Nova Launcher, it has its own backup/restore options in the settings menu.
Sent from my iPhone 6 using Tapatalk

Restoring data for the Google Now Launcher & Settings + a reboot did not migrate home screens between xtraslim and foxhound's -- but no big deal, it's a simple setup for me thanks anyhow.

harrisonp said:
Restoring data for the Google Now Launcher & Settings + a reboot did not migrate home screens between xtraslim and foxhound's -- but no big deal, it's a simple setup for me thanks anyhow.
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Click to collapse
It won't migrate home screens. It will need to be to the same.launcher every time. Although GEL is q bit of an unknown quantity

It won't migrate home screens. It will need to be to the same launcher every time. Although GEL is q bit of an unknown quantity
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Would using a launcher other than GEL restore home screens using a titanium backup?