I'm having some unusual problems using custom audio files as ringtones and notifications. I've looked through a lot of existing discussions about this, but none of them seem to fully match the issues I'm experiencing.
Most questions about setting custom MP3 ringtones and notifications are replied by descriptions of how a set of "notifications" and "ringtones" folders should be created on your SD card, and so on. The weirdest part of my experience is that, I have done that, and it had initially worked, but now it no longer does!
I can't figure out what has changed. I did experiment with changing the cluster size of my SD card from 32KB to 4KB since the last time it had worked, but I've since changed it back to 4KB (suspecting that might be the reason), but that didn't fix the problem.
Here's the other strange part of what I'm seeing:
I launch Astro
I navigate to an audio file on my SD card
I tap-and-hold, and pick "Music Options"
The "Set as Ringtone" option is enabled". "Nice", you'd think. "Just set your ringtone that way." But hold on, we're not done yet!
I then copy and paste this audio file to create a duplicate copy under a different name right in the same folder
I tap-and-hold the new copy and select Music Options. The "Set as Ringtone" option now shows up as disabled for this file!
What the...? The files are identical in everythine but name (which only has a "2" added at the end)!!! Can anyone give me even a remotely plausible explanation of this? Does anyone here know what the unmentioned criteria are for an audio file to be considered a valid ringtone?
It didn't end there. I tried going around the problem by installing Tone Picker. That allowed me to set the phone ringtone to the audio file I want without too much hassle. I also set in Tone Picker the notification ringtone used for my calendar appointments. No such luck, though! The phone ringtone works fine, but none of the audio files that I've tried so far for setting as the notification sound via Tone Picker worked. I hear no sound when the notification is shown. It works perfectly fine if I revert the notification sound to an Android system sound by bypassing Tone Picker.
Anybody got a clue?
Oh, and I'm using my Xperia X10 unrooted, with firmware build number R2BA026 in the USA with AT&T. (But it's not an AT&T branded device.)
Hold the presses...
The custom notification sounds have suddenly started working, too. And what I've done differently is... nothing. The only thing I've done additionally is connect my phone via USB to my laptop, which promptly sounded the custom notification sound. That reminded me that I made a mistake, since I didn't want that sound as the default notification sound, but just for calendar notifications. So, after fixing the default notification back to what it used to be and setting the calendar notification to my desired custom sound (just for the heck of it) one more time, this time it happened to work. Hah! That's cute. Now I have no idea why it now works or what was ever wrong!...
I suppose I'll have to try the switch to 4KB clusters again, to understand if it had anything to do with starting these issues--otherwise I'll be wasting something like 30% of the capacity of my 16GB SD card if I stay with 32KB clusters (a lot of cached map tiles...).
I realize I'm dancing to my own fiddle here, but I thought I should add this, too, for the benefit of anyone else who might experience similar issues and come across this thread, because I've never seen this being discussed about audio files in Android when used for ringtones and notifications:
I came across one more clue after my last posting. I happened to be fiddling around with the Mediascape app. I tested tapping the audio file (WAV) I wanted to use as my custom calendar notification sound. It brought up the file for playback but displayed a temporary pop-up message saying "No license. File skipped." Now, I'm not sure if it was saying this about the file I intended to select, because I believe I was actually picking the "Unknown" artist selection, and there might have been some other audio file(s) on the SD card that was assumed to belong to artist "Unknown" as well, to which that message might have applied. In any case, it required a second tap on the "Play" button for it to play the file. (It then played fine, which doesn't make sense if the app really thought it was unlicensed. But never mind.) Meanwhile, the second copy of that same audio file, also showing up in Mediascape as an artist "Unknown" track, played back fine with a single tap and no pop-up about any missing license.
Leaving aside for a moment the question whether that message about the missing license meant what I thought it might have meant, this clued me in to the possibility, in general, that the mysterious selectiveness of Astro in disabling and enabling the "Set as Ringtone" option (and my root cause of not being able to see some MP3 files in the selection list when picking audio files for ringtones/notifications in Android's system menus) may have to do with some perceived license issue related to the files. It shouldn't, actually, because both audio files are homecooked audio files I've put together in an audio editor. But, apparently, Android may be paranoid enough to "assume the worst" about audio files with no licensing info and treat them as unlicensed. That might be the unspoken criterion, to which I was referring earlier, for an audio file to be considered valid for use as a ringtone, etc. (or for playback in general, naturally).
At least, that will be my operating assumption going forward. If anyone happens to see this "monolog" and has a better idea, they should feel free to chime in...
facing a problem
after i install mummy droid custom jelly bean rom everything is working fine but i cant set my customize ringtone and sms tone plzzz guys help mee
Related
Thanks in advance to anyone that can offer help with this. I've had my Atrix since launch and there's been about 4 times now (all seemingly after i've hooked the phone to computer with either phone portal, windows sync, or mass storage) where the assigned ringtones for contacts and even my regular ringtone has been changed or reassigned to some random song from my library. I don't know if there's something to hooking it up and it messes with the memory that juggles the ringtones/songs or what. Does anyone else have this problem and if so, has it been addressed/fixed? Thanks in advance for any help offered.
I have the exact same issue and have been posting about it on the Motorola forum as well. Over there the Motorola folks ask you questions and try to get a fix out to everyone, so please check it out if you haven't already.
My issue has happened a lot morethan yours it seems, however, I use extra batteries, so the phone reboots more often.
This is what I posted over there a little while ago:
Internal phone storage keeps disappearing
The "Disappearing ringtones" discussion was closed and merged with this one, but my issue is not the same as the internal memory being wiped.
My files are still on the card and internal memory, but the contacts, alarms, messaging, calendar, etc apps can't remember the tones I set.
I have copied the files to the following locations with the same issue recurring:
/media/audio/(alarms, notifications and ringtones)
/system/media/audio/(alarms, notifications and ringtones)
/sdcard/media/audio/(alarms, notifications and ringtones)
/sdcard/(alarms, notifications and ringtones)
/sdcard-ext/(alarms, notifications and ringtones)
/sdcard-ext/media/audio/(alarms, notifications and ringtones)
Even after moving them with RootExporer to the "non-mountable" storage (/system) they are still reassigning and setting to "unknown".
Possibly related issue. The playlists I create with MixZing, winAmp, and astro are empty are the phone reboots.
Occasionally I get the "no files" error when I check the mounted card in file manager, but if I manualy unmount and remount the card, they are still there.
I keep missing calls, texts and having my alarms "silent". This is getting frustrating. I bought the Atrix on launch day so I need to exchange NOW if that is what is needed.
Other than the above and the losing data connection issue, I LOVE THIS PHONE
Yeah, i've placed my ringtones (all .m4a format) on both the internal/external memory slots and for some reason, when it gets hooked up i'm in the same boat you are...very frustrating i've missed calls and messages as well. surprising that no one from Moto has a resolution for it...
I've run into the same problem, and was planning on moving 'em into the /system/media folder...but it sounds like that won't fix it. Drats.
I've had this issue as well. The random song problem seems to only affect contacts I have set up with a custom tone. No telling what song/sound will play for which contact. Otherwise it has simply changed my default ringtone to a particular mp3 that then becomes the default tone. Really weird.
I do still have the issue with the files in the /system folder, but much less. So I would try them there to lessen the problem. Westill need a complete fix though.
This issue is still a problem. There are even some apps that can't see the files on the internal card or external card. Even after the OTA update this problem is driving me crazy.
I think you dont hear about this issue more because some people dont connect there phone to the computer or remove the battery often. It seems to be a problem with reading the info off the card when it is remounted. On my captivate when I remounted the card it would always scan the card. This phone doesn't.
Any ideas.
Yeah I had this problem too. Was the only thing, and I mean the only thing I didn't like about this phone. I found the only way to fix it is to root the phone and move your personal ringtones to the '/system/media/audio/ringtones' folder using Root Explorer (you can buy it oin the market. Great app BTW). This solved all my problems. I know it's not "right" but it works great. Now I have zero problems with this phone.
-joe-
Permissions read only
Raindance said:
Yeah I had this problem too. Was the only thing, and I mean the only thing I didn't like about this phone. I found the only way to fix it is to root the phone and move your personal ringtones to the '/system/media/audio/ringtones' folder using Root Explorer (you can buy it oin the market. Great app BTW). This solved all my problems. I know it's not "right" but it works great. Now I have zero problems with this phone.
-joe-
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I rooted, and purchased Root Explorer, but I can not seem to move anything to the Systems folder as it is a read only folder?... What am I doing wrong?
Thanks
t2ohio said:
I rooted, and purchased Root Explorer, but I can not seem to move anything to the Systems folder as it is a read only folder?... What am I doing wrong?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In Root Explorer, at the top, hit the R/W button.
Ive mounted to the computer often, resboot every day, pull battery every now and then.. I dont have this problem. Ever try Ringdroid?
I've noticed an odd problem. I set the volume for ringtones and notifications at full volume, but when a ringtone or notification goes off, it begins at a lower volume and then it gets louder. It's more obvious with ringtones because they are longer or repeat, but I think the notifications may be suffering from the same problem. Is there a setting somewhere that will make it play at the volume I set it at from the beginning?
Is it the default ringtones? Or ringtones you downloaded/created from a different phone? I always re download or recreate ringtones when I get a new phone. As for the level difference it could be 1.) How the ringtone was created 2.) There may be a setting to start low then progress, I dont know if this phone has it but my HTC Aria had it.
I've tried the default ringtones, the AT&T installed ringtones, those I made from mp3s, and those I got from another phone (HTC Incredible S). All play the same - initial second or so is low and it increases to my volume setting after that. I also tried to move my mp3s and those from the Incredible S from external to internal storage (and then eventually deleting them) but still no difference.
I was about to reset the phone when I came across several threads for other Samsung phones like the SGS2 and the international SGS3 where people have reported the same thing. Apparently it may be that Samsung has built this into the phone.apk. If that's true, then it looks like the only solution for me is to either install a modified phone.apk or wait for a custom rom since I haven't found a setting in the stock rom thus far.
It's not a bad feature...just something I wish there was a setting for me to turn off if I choose to.
Hello fellow SGS2 user,
Normally, after installing another custom ROM, I adjust the ringtone, alarm sound and also whatsapp and sms notifications. I tend to use the same sounds all the time, and do not require all other beautiful sounds that my device contains.
Today I decided to see if I could delete the sounds that I never use.
I installed Android Commander on my PC and accessed the root of my phone.
I went to the root:system\media\audio folder and deleted all sounds that I don't need.
Afterwards I rebooted the phone and went to Settings -> Sound and tried to see what sounds would pop up when I clicked on "Phone ringtone".
Guess what: the names of all ringtones were still there! And they all seemed to still function.
With a file manager I went to the folder mentioned above, but only the sounds that I left behind were there, and the previously deleted ones were still deleted.
My question: is there another location on my phone where sounds are stored? And is there any way to make the sound list (when wanting to chose another ringtone, or alarm sound, or whatsapp sound) as short as I want it to be?
Thanks in advance!
jupkeyope said:
Hello fellow SGS2 user,
Normally, after installing another custom ROM, I adjust the ringtone, alarm sound and also whatsapp and sms notifications. I tend to use the same sounds all the time, and do not require all other beautiful sounds that my device contains.
Today I decided to see if I could delete the sounds that I never use.
I installed Android Commander on my PC and accessed the root of my phone.
I went to the root:system\media\audio folder and deleted all sounds that I don't need.
Afterwards I rebooted the phone and went to Settings -> Sound and tried to see what sounds would pop up when I clicked on "Phone ringtone".
Guess what: the names of all ringtones were still there! And they all seemed to still function.
With a file manager I went to the folder mentioned above, but only the sounds that I left behind were there, and the previously deleted ones were still deleted.
My question: is there another location on my phone where sounds are stored? And is there any way to make the sound list (when wanting to chose another ringtone, or alarm sound, or whatsapp sound) as short as I want it to be?
Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
why do you want to delete those ringtones in the first place? Is it to free up more space?
Swyped from my Galaxy SII
No not really, though it helps. I just wanted to see if it is possible.
Sounds can be stored on internal sdcard. And no, you can't make sound lists.
I have extracted some of the notification and ringtones that I like from other JB builds to use in CNA 3.6.6 and placed them in system/media/audio/notifications or system/media/audio/ringtones as appropriate. I have also set permissions to rw-r--r-- on the files I added.
My question is what else do I need to do so they show up on the list where I actually choose what tone I want to use. The only ones that are visible on the list are the ones that came standard with CNA 3.6.6.
All files are in ogg format and after doing the above steps they do not stick after a reboot. What has happened is after reboot they are not listed or, if they are, they will dissappear. I discovered this after setting them and then missing calls after a while. When this happened I checked in the sound settings and the tone listed was either "unkown" or a number was there instead of the tone I selected. This happens with apps that are part of the ROM and with third party apps. This issue does not happen if I stick with the stock choices. I also did not experience this with Froyo or GB builds, only with ICS and JB.
Thanks
Make a 'Notifications' and 'Ringtones' folder on the root of your SD card. Place the files there, reboot.
That is where I moved them from for the same reason. I was thinking having them in /system/media/audio/notifications or /ringtones would fix it. I'll give it a shot and see.
FernBch said:
That is where I moved them from for the same reason. I was thinking having them in /system/media/audio/notifications or /ringtones would fix it. I'll give it a shot and see.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thought id just throw it out there as a last resort. Third party apps sometimes will do the trick. Been using this one for some time now. Give it a go if need be and see if it helps.
Th3Bill said:
Try going into the music player and re-scanning your library. That or go into your storage section and allow it to re-scan there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did this ^^^ and put the tones back on the SD card as Acvice suggested and it is working fine again. Thanks for the suggestions!!
For those who are curious, I found a better fix for this.
I have bounced around a little recently (CM7, AOKP, Liquid Smooth) and I came back to CNA 3.6.6. Well, I had to copy and paste some ringtones and notification tones into the ROM again so I could have the ones I really like.
So, I did the following:
Copy and paste the ones I wanted into /system/media/audio/notifications or system/media//audio/ringtones as needed.
Change permissions to rw-r--r--
Now, at this point they did not show up in the list when I went to choose them until after reboot. BUT, would disappear and reappear at random. When they disappeared my phone would not ring audibly because it "lost" the associated ringtone or notification tone.
So, I place them in the root of the sd card and I could choose them from there. But doing this had problems, too. If you connect to a pc the sd card would not be accessible by the phone. So what happens? The phone doesn't ring audibly because it "lost" the association to the ringtone on the sd card and I would have to go into settings and choose it again. It was getting to be a headache.
This time, I made a discovery. Using root explorer, I changed ownership on the newly transplanted ringtones. The new setting is as follows:
Owner: 0-root
Group: 0-root.
The old setting were system 1015 and sd card. Under the new ownership everything works perfect so far. I can connect to pc via usb, reboot, or whatever and the assigned sound setting stays put.
Hope this helps anyone who has had the sane issue!
As the A7 is a bit stubborn on putting custom ringtones to be notified in the 'ringtone' department of your phone instead of showing them under the 'global' tab MUSIC, i did some testing to put custom ringtones, notifications and alarms on my A7 properly (root necessary).
non-root :
Perhaps you noticed already putting a ringtone in your phones storage or sd-card makes it only visible in the general 'music' tab(as far as i know). To surch your ringtone out of your 1000 music files had to make you convert the name of your ringtone adding a # symbol or something else to find it between the mass...
In fact when you put f.e. a ringtone in Ringtones folder of your internal storage it makes the ringtone visible in BLUE under your 'music' tab.
When you add a ringtone under a folder like ringtones you created on your SD card it makes the ringtone visible in BLACK under your 'music' tab.
rooted :
For me this was not an option to 'search' my ringstones and other stuff under a general music tab. Instead i wanted them to be visible on the right place as it should be. As you know you have to be rooted to put ringtones (...) in system/media/audio/ringtones...BUT as i never had to put ringtones in SYSTEM before this time there was a little problem : in SYSTEM they did play in my explorer but they didn't play when i had to select them under the 'ringtone' tab when f.e. selecting a specific ringtone for your phone. They just gave a 'faulty' tone....
It took me a while before i saw that all the A7 files under ringtones (e.o) are rw-r-r- and mine were rw-rw-:cyclops:
On my other phones this never gave me a problem because i could just put any ringtones in a folder of my sd-card. Here it's different and not-user-friendly.
So, solution is very obvious, just use Root Explorer and change permissions of your ringtones to rw-r-r
You can select them all togheter and change them. (In Solid explorer f.e. you can only change one at a time. Therefore i recommend Root Explorer.)
After that they are visible and playable under 'ringtones' tab (...)
I just wanted to share this for rooted (and non-rooted) users when they encounter some problems to import ringtones (...) in system
I have another solution (non-root).
1. record something in the built-in recorder app
2. convert your ringtone in the same audio format (wav) using something like fre:ac (free audio converter)
3. replace the recorded file in internal storage/records with your ringtone
4. use the recorder app to rename the file, you can test your replaced file here
5. select your ringtone in settings in the recording tab
No need for the above.
Just drop the mp3 into the internal storage/records folder. It'll show up under the recordings tab in the selector.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=69221212&postcount=8
gpz1100 said:
No need for the above.
Just drop the mp3 into the internal storage/records folder. It'll show up under the recordings tab in the selector.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=69221212&postcount=8
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course you can mate :silly:
But, some people, like me, don't want them.to show up in records folder. Ringtones are supposed to be in the right folder, like with other phones, and not under record folder. But if you're happy with this that's OK :good:
raystef66 said:
Of course you can mate :silly:
But, some people, like me, don't want them.to show up in records folder. Ringtones are supposed to be in the right folder, like with other phones, and not under record folder. But if you're happy with this that's OK :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can honestly count on one finger how many times I've recorded something on a phone within the last year. So records folder is good enough for now for custom media sounds. Messing with the /system will cause issues when doing a firmware update. In fact, if you ever need to reflash the /system, anything you've put in it will be gone. This way /system stays intact.
Maybe they'll get this sorted in the next update.
gpz1100 said:
I can honestly count on one finger how many times I've recorded something on a phone within the last year. So records folder is good enough for now for custom media sounds. Messing with the /system will cause issues when doing a firmware update. In fact, if you ever need to reflash the /system, anything you've put in it will be gone. This way /system stays intact.
Maybe they'll get this sorted in the next update.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad you mentioned it : maybe they'll get this...
I hope so but I don't think so. It's just the way ZTE thinks....
Of course you can as for now put your rings and other stuff in records but that's not the way it should be. Records are records, ringtones are...
As for messing up a phone when you put some rings etc in your system is a little bit exaggerated no That's just the way I like it. To exploit my phone.
And when I should loose my ringtones when reflashing a rom of some kind, I can put those back in a minute. Just import my favorites from Google Drive and basta. 1minute of work.
But... as you mentioned it : hope they will fix this...
Can someone please send me the stock sounds?
Durmelo said:
Can someone please send me the stock sounds?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here you are : the A2017 G - SYSTEM STOCK SOUNDS
https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=673368273298967887