[Q] Configuring Android for a Noob - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Okay,
So, I finally upgraded from my old POS HTC TP2 and got a Samsung Siii, which so far is beyond description. However, being that I'm primarily a Windows Developer, and VERY used to the way windows operates, I am finding it rather difficult to adjust to system level configurations with the Android OS.
Like, in windows there's a Registry, which on the phone or on the computer if you know what you are doing you can configure manually and effect massive changes to the system. But I can't seem to find anything like that for the Android OS, which make some sense, but there are some things I'd like to change:
Screen real-estate.
So I go from this TP2 which had like a 2 inch screen, and 480x600 or something, to this SIII with a 4.6 inch screen and damn near double the resolution. but on my Tp2 I could see like 10-12 emails/texts listed, and with Cookie's Home Screen, I could have up to 25 apps on one screen.
Given Screen Dynamics, I should very simply be able to see 20 emails/texts on screen, and 60 apps, but like people who move from a 1280x1024 desktop to a 2048x1280, their resolution goes up, but they also increase the size of the icons and fonts so effectively their desktop real-estate hasn't changed. Working visual Studio (and most other editors not used for WYSIWYG documents like Word) my font size is like 7-8pt type on 1680x1050 resolution. I am not visually impaired here, so I can read small print on a big screen, yet I even with the smallest font setting the default applications and text are MASSIVE. I can see like 8 text conversations and 7 emails. When you browse to a website the size is tiny, and I can zoom to an appropriate level, which currently provides 10 times the amout of information than the default home and app screens provide. Instead of "Small,Medium,Large" etc, is there any low level configuration where I can define the icon/font DPI to say that true 7pt type is perfectly acceptable for me? Are there any Apps that do this?
Texts & Emails.
Not to say that I'm much of a nay-sayer, but do we have to have stupid little bubbles for my chat screen? I mean, simply list them out in text. It's called texting, not "comic book bubbling". the bubbles get in the way and I'd simply like to make them a simple line by line. Sure the emote icons can be drawn in, and with other graphics to indicate attachments and such, but can I turn off "bubble texting" and just so me a direct list. This (with the font changes) would allow me to follow two weeks worth of text history with any one contact instead of having to remember my bubbles are on the right theirs on the left. (of course a good starting point would be to be able to reverse that). Can any of this be done easily?
As for Email, well It was an "add on" to my old TP2, but I would like a simple one-click way to "Mark all as read". I do not use GMail nor ever will. I own two domain names and my emails come through there. So the GMail client is out. The default client, as aforementioned, only shows like 7 emails in either a categorized today,yesterday,etc view, or a conversation threaded view. I just want a list: Line 1: Sender and Date, Line 2: Subject. And a simple button to click at the top that says: Mark All Read. I shouldn't have to check each email and then mark read, and with the categories if any emails are already read, the option defaults to mark unread so I have to check, mark unread, check, and mark read to get them all. I have like 6 different email accounts, with multiple aliases, and I'm on many newsletters and other such things, so I get quite a few emails daily, but I don't always need to read them. So far i've looked around and haven't found much in the way of email applications that will do what I want, which Mozilla Thunderbird (and my old TP2) do quite readily.
Mostly, I'm looking for ways to truly manipulate this device to the max, so that I can truly treat it like a portable computer. I used my old tp2 (while it was functioning) is a primary universal communications device, and I know I will do the same with the SIII, but to make my experience more enjoyable I need some starting points to determine if I can easily configure this thing to work my way. (Nah, i'm not a control freak, )
Thanks
Jaeden "Sifo Dyas" al'Raec Ruiner

There is a way to make everything smaller. There is a build.prop file. If you open it You should be able to find line like lcddensity (just look for lcd or density). Default is 240 but if You make it smaller everything will be smaller. Also You can have more icons on Your laincher when You're using better launcher. I'm using adw launcher ex and it has this option. Also the sms bubble thing. Take a look for "go sms pro" on android market. It has plenty of options
Sent from my X10i using xda app-developers app

Thanks for the pointers. So i need a different launcher, and the sms/email apps to solve my other problems. Great.
As for the "build.prop" file. Is that something that I will have to use the sdk and like rebuild the OS (basically, "root" the phone)?
Thanks
J"SD"a'RR

JaedenRuiner said:
Thanks for the pointers. So i need a different launcher, and the sms/email apps to solve my other problems. Great.
As for the "build.prop" file. Is that something that I will have to use the sdk and like rebuild the OS (basically, "root" the phone)?
Thanks
J"SD"a'RR
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah root is required. If You have that You can just open it as normal *.txt file. Root Explorer is best for doing it
Sent from my X10i using xda app-developers app

JaedenRuiner said:
Thanks for the pointers. So i need a different launcher, and the sms/email apps to solve my other problems. Great.
As for the "build.prop" file. Is that something that I will have to use the sdk and like rebuild the OS (basically, "root" the phone)?
Thanks
J"SD"a'RR
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
root would be required, but in most cases, you don't have to start from scratch to gain root, only if you flash a new or custom rom, so, no rebuilding the OS in most cases. the build.prop tweaks and custom launchers are a great start, but you might want to research the custom recovery for your device, so that you can make a nandroid backup, and restore in the event that you change something that causes issues that you can't fix..it's a good precaiution at any rate if you plan on doing a lot of poking around.,

jakuburban said:
Yeah root is required. If You have that You can just open it as normal *.txt file. Root Explorer is best for doing it
Sent from my X10i using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yea, great. this is effing priceless. So I root the phone. I get a build.prop editor, I change the lcd density so I can get more info on screen and what happens. TouchWiz has stopped working.
Home doesn't work, nothing works. the phone is as useless as a paperclip as a paperweight. even better, the kies install still works only a 3rd the time (at best) so plugging it in via usb i can't even access the device. There appears to be no key combo command to tell the thing to use its internal flash recovery to restore factory defaults, and I can't access the build.prop file from my computer in order to change the file back to its original settings.
very helpful, i must say, winmo6.5 may have sucked, but it worked. this android crap really is NOT user friendly.
As a programmer I believe in "ultimate user customization". and yet I either have to suffer under google bird brained ideas of how things will work, or have a different phone. the very fact that I cannot just RESET TO FACTORY DEFAULT. albiet that woudl suck too, but so far it's all about this ODIN crap. why isn't the factory ROM on the phone itself? all i did was root it and edit one file. if that breaks android so easily, it really needs to be taken back to the drawing board.
[EDIT]
And now I've found the way to get to the factory restore...but it doesn't effing restore. cause I'm still getting the same error after the restore. at least my POS HTC tP2 when i RESTORED it, it flashed EVERYTHING back to factory defaults, including the system files I changed. I now have a brand new SIII that is worthless.
Jaeden "Sifo Dyas" al'Raec Ruiner.

Have a bit of patience with yourself mate. I too came from WM (Touch Diamond, Touch HD and then a HD2) and I'm a Windows developer by profession, so Android was completely alien to me. The Linux crowd are sorted but we've got a steep learning curve ahead of us
All you've told us about your current problem is that "nothing works". Can you tell us what actually happens when you turn the phone on? Is it booting okay and getting to where you'd expect to see a home screen?

JaedenRuiner said:
yea, great. this is effing priceless. So I root the phone. I get a build.prop editor, I change the lcd density so I can get more info on screen and what happens. TouchWiz has stopped working.
Home doesn't work, nothing works. the phone is as useless as a paperclip as a paperweight. even better, the kies install still works only a 3rd the time (at best) so plugging it in via usb i can't even access the device. There appears to be no key combo command to tell the thing to use its internal flash recovery to restore factory defaults, and I can't access the build.prop file from my computer in order to change the file back to its original settings.
very helpful, i must say, winmo6.5 may have sucked, but it worked. this android crap really is NOT user friendly.
As a programmer I believe in "ultimate user customization". and yet I either have to suffer under google bird brained ideas of how things will work, or have a different phone. the very fact that I cannot just RESET TO FACTORY DEFAULT. albiet that woudl suck too, but so far it's all about this ODIN crap. why isn't the factory ROM on the phone itself? all i did was root it and edit one file. if that breaks android so easily, it really needs to be taken back to the drawing board.
[EDIT]
And now I've found the way to get to the factory restore...but it doesn't effing restore. cause I'm still getting the same error after the restore. at least my POS HTC tP2 when i RESTORED it, it flashed EVERYTHING back to factory defaults, including the system files I changed. I now have a brand new SIII that is worthless.
Jaeden "Sifo Dyas" al'Raec Ruiner.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How much did You change the value? Some of the apps(very few) don't support even a small change, and if You changed it like about 30+ then launchers may have problems.(in this case it has). You can copy files from & to phone using adb commands, even when You can't do anything. You can install e.g. ADW Launcher (program in my description does that) that should work and would bring Your phone back to life. There is also other way to repair it, but I hope You made a backup (this is "must to do" thing if You change sth. in ROM, especially when somebody is a noob and doesn't know a way how to repair it) , or just a backup of build.prop (50% chances that it will work).
Making factory reset won't help. Samsung Kies was always a crappy thing and never worked. Try odin to reflash ROM (if You didn't make a backup). And one important thing. Is it a custom ROM, do You have flashable package somewhere on the pc or phone? If so don't use ODIN yet. And send me this ROM. (is this *.zip file, not *.img?) There is a chance to restore build.prop.
PS. I understand You have usb debugging enabled?

Archer said:
Have a bit of patience with yourself mate. I too came from WM (Touch Diamond, Touch HD and then a HD2) and I'm a Windows developer by profession, so Android was completely alien to me. The Linux crowd are sorted but we've got a steep learning curve ahead of us
All you've told us about your current problem is that "nothing works". Can you tell us what actually happens when you turn the phone on? Is it booting okay and getting to where you'd expect to see a home screen?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After i changed the lcd_density, it rebooted and came to my lock screen. everything was smaller as I hoped, so i began punching in my PIN. then a small dialog popped up saying TouchWiz UI had stopped. I hit okay, and figured the lcd density I had chosen must be incompatible. So I pressed OK, figuring I would jump back in and change it back. I typed in the PIN and hit OK. My home screen background game up, but the bottom App row (5 icons) wasn't there. another dialog about the TouchWiz UI popped up. I pressed OK. Then a dialog saying System UI had failed. after 4 or 5 dialogs I could no longer press the OK button, like it either wouldn't recognize my touch or was "disabled" or something. so I tried to reboot the phone (holding the power button in to get to the reboot menu). It rebooted with the exact same behavior. Knowing that the phone was rooted I let it reboot, and tried plugging it back into my PC.
Now, even before I did all the advanced changes, when plugged into the computer, the SPH-L710 node in explorer only comes up a quarter of the time, so now, i plugged in and unplugged until the node appeared to allow me to explore the phone, figuring it is "rooted" now so I should be able to get to the build.prop file some how and change it. No such luck.
I played with the button presses hoping to find some soft-key combination that would "restore factory defaults". Took some intuitive leaps, and remembered power+VolDn+home lead me to download mode. and that when rebooting the guide had told me to use power+volup+home to get to "recovery". so I tried that, which lead me to the "Stock Recovery Mode" screen. (rather different than the ClockworkMod Recovery I used to root the device).
At this point I selected the third option, "wipe data/restore factory settings". (yes, I had backed up the device before i performed all this so I'm not "worried" just annoyed). the phone when through the process and claimed the restore was complete so in the menu I selected to reboot and it popped back up asking all the same initial questions it had when it was first turned on. thinking "yea" i'd solved the issue, it booted in asking for my name and yadda, yadda, yadda, when suddenly the SAME TouchWiz UI error pops up. again. skipping over the initial configuration stuff, it got to the psuedo lock screen, saying slide to unlock, and i see 4 icons at the bottom (not 5) and again the TouchWiz UI and System UI errors pop up repeatedly. I can't select any of the icons at the bottom, and I am now without a phone untill I can simply alter 3 characters in a text file, which I can't get to.
I get the learning curve and all, but if this build.prop file is so critical, factory reset should reset it too. it apparently does not, and so until i can somehow alter that file to set the lcd density back to 320 i'm screwed.
J"SD"a'RR

jakuburban said:
You can copy files from & to phone using adb commands, even when You can't do anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well first step is finding ADB. I downloaded the SDK but couldn't find adb anywhere in the sdk tree. once I do find it, using it will be amusing to say the least.
jakuburban said:
There is also other way to repair it, but I hope You made a backup
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course i backed up the phone with my data. But unless I get it to boot in the standard home screen with the applications I can't restore the data.
jakuburban said:
or just a backup of build.prop (50% chances that it will work).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what purpose would this serve. the build.prop editor I used made a backup, but again untill i can get into the phone I can't restore this backup.
jakuburban said:
Making factory reset won't help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
which in mymind (as a developer) this is a bad design. any 'breaking' change should be repairable by a factory reset.
jakuburban said:
Samsung Kies was always a crappy thing and never worked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
needed it for the usb drivers, that's all.
jakuburban said:
Try odin to reflash ROM (if You didn't make a backup).
And one important thing. Is it a custom ROM, do You have flashable package somewhere on the pc or phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not custom rom or anything. I've had the phone for a week and was finally getting tired of not having certain things the way I wanted them. so I'd figured I'd dig around. I found many tutorials on the rooting of this phone and since they were all very similar I went with this one:
How to Root SPHL710
that part wen off just fine. seemed there was nothing for me to worry about. there was no ROM or crazy changes, just wanted to give myself root access. I then wanted to change LCD density, so I tried it and here I am.
jakuburban said:
PS. I understand You have usb debugging enabled?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it wasn't essential for what I was doing at the time. ODIN worked for the root process. *shrug* can't change it now, so I hope it isn't necessary.
J"SD"a''

JaedenRuiner said:
well first step is finding ADB. I downloaded the SDK but couldn't find adb anywhere in the sdk tree. once I do find it, using it will be amusing to say the least.
Of course i backed up the phone with my data. But unless I get it to boot in the standard home screen with the applications I can't restore the data.
what purpose would this serve. the build.prop editor I used made a backup, but again untill i can get into the phone I can't restore this backup.
which in mymind (as a developer) this is a bad design. any 'breaking' change should be repairable by a factory reset.
needed it for the usb drivers, that's all.
not custom rom or anything. I've had the phone for a week and was finally getting tired of not having certain things the way I wanted them. so I'd figured I'd dig around. I found many tutorials on the rooting of this phone and since they were all very similar I went with this one:
How to Root SPHL710
that part wen off just fine. seemed there was nothing for me to worry about. there was no ROM or crazy changes, just wanted to give myself root access. I then wanted to change LCD density, so I tried it and here I am.
it wasn't essential for what I was doing at the time. ODIN worked for the root process. *shrug* can't change it now, so I hope it isn't necessary.
J"SD"a''
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So I see that You made a backup with some app (Titanium Backup?), not CWM or (whatever You have) recovery. That's crappy. (My bad, I could have told You about that)
Enabling usb debugging now is impossible so I think, all that's left to reflash with Odin. All the hope was in adb controlling, which REQUIRES usb debugging.
Sent from my X10i using xda app-developers app

jakuburban said:
So I see that You made a backup with some app (Titanium Backup?), not CWM or (whatever You have) recovery. That's crappy. (My bad, I could have told You about that)
Enabling usb debugging now is impossible so I think, all that's left to reflash with Odin. All the hope was in adb controlling, which REQUIRES usb debugging.
Sent from my X10i using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yea, I pretty much made that call yesterday, as all the ADB struff I tried didn't work. (but it was worth while for the learning process). I flashed with stock rom, and now i'm up and running. (guess I won't be messing with that setting again. ) as it is, i'm trying different launchers which has some of the features I want, and then I'll keep looking for different email/sms apps that shrink the info. (seriously on this size/res of screen, only seeing 8 emails is pathetic).
basically now trying the Apex Launcher, and then I'll do the ADW launcher. which ever is more to my liking i'll go pro. then handcent or gosms, k9 or others, or perhaps i'll even start writing my own clients that include font setting micro, .
thanks though, at least my first attempt to alter the phone is no different than my first attempt to write a program.
Cheers,
Jaeden "Sifo Dyas" al'Reac Ruiner

JaedenRuiner said:
yea, I pretty much made that call yesterday, as all the ADB struff I tried didn't work. (but it was worth while for the learning process). I flashed with stock rom, and now i'm up and running. (guess I won't be messing with that setting again. ) as it is, i'm trying different launchers which has some of the features I want, and then I'll keep looking for different email/sms apps that shrink the info. (seriously on this size/res of screen, only seeing 8 emails is pathetic).
basically now trying the Apex Launcher, and then I'll do the ADW launcher. which ever is more to my liking i'll go pro. then handcent or gosms, k9 or others, or perhaps i'll even start writing my own clients that include font setting micro, .
thanks though, at least my first attempt to alter the phone is no different than my first attempt to write a program.
Cheers,
Jaeden "Sifo Dyas" al'Reac Ruiner
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm glad to hear that Before messing with the system ALWAYS make a CWM backup, not some app backup (like titanuim backup).
PS. I use ADW Launcher EX. It's the best for me. Tried other but this one is the best.

Related

[Q] Help Me Please, my Eris isnt a touch screen anymore!!!

Ok, so here goes..
Smart me decided to open up my phone to clean out all the grime and give a go at solving/fixing my headphone problem. Smart me also severed the touch screen connection to the LCD screen lol. Now, here's my few questions that I need help with.
1)Is there any way to enable Trackball Wake on CM7 w/o the touch screen? If I could enable that, I could use the phone no issue until I buy a new front plate. (I'm currently using GSB1.5)
2)How much is a replacement front plate for the eris?
Thanks in advance to anyone who reads this and drops some feedback or help!
PS- I DID fix my headphone issue, too bad it took breaking my damn screen!
$34 from Amazon
bftb0 said:
$34 from Amazon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I may try to find one already mounted in the front housing to make life easier, but thank you, that's exactly it
Also, I was wondering if a nandroid backup of the same cm7 ROM with Trackball wake enabled would work on my phone?? My recovery is still up and running and usb still works so I can use my bros Eris and copy his nand backup. Sound like it'd work?
settlethestorm said:
I may try to find one already mounted in the front housing to make life easier, but thank you, that's exactly it
Also, I was wondering if a nandroid backup of the same cm7 ROM with Trackball wake enabled would work on my phone?? My recovery is still up and running and usb still works so I can use my bros Eris and copy his nand backup. Sound like it'd work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It will work - but with his Gmail credentials - and his contacts, not yours - on your phone. There is a way to wipe those from an adb shell, but then how would you re-enter the values for your account?
I'm assuming that this temporary "touchless" phone you are proposing would be able to only answer in-bound calls, yes? Or maybe you are thinking that you will be able to bring up the dialer app by pressing Send, and then using the trackball to scroll through contacts to somehow dial that way?
Quick! Here's a different idea:
Edit and replace the XML file in your own ROM at
/data/data/com.cyanogenmod.cmparts/shared_prefs/com.cyanogenmod.cmparts_preferences.xml
look for the string:
<boolean name="pref_trackball_wake" value="true" />
You might want to do this in an offline mode (using Amon_RA), so you are sure the phone is picking up that setting during boot.
Alright, here's what I did..
1) Made a NAND on my phone and copied it into the nandroid folder on my bros phone (made a specific note on which folder to choose, so as not to confuse myself lol)
2) Made a NAND on his phone, then wiped data/dalvik, then NAND restored my backup onto his phone. Booted it up, changed the CM settings to trackball wake, booted back into recovery and made yet another NAND (also made a specific note on which folder to choose)
3) Copied that NAND to my phone again, did a full wipe and restored.
Eureka!...-ish :/
It works... I can now get past the lock-screen upon boot and access my phone/messages/app drawer/market/dolphin-browser.
Here's the problem now. I cant back out of anything lol, and its awful pesky (and prob not healthy) to have to reboot the phone every time I need to get back to the home-screen.
I tried looking in CM setting to see if there was a way to set up my volume up/down buttons as the home and back buttons but no luck.
Would anyone here happen to know if a button function re-routing is possible/fairly easy?
Thank all of you for the suggestions and help.
*Bftb0, thank you for your last post, I knew something like that was possible but I was already too deep into my NAND solution to attempt it. I appreciate the knowledge and help greatly
bftb0 said:
It will work - but with his Gmail credentials - and his contacts, not yours - on your phone. There is a way to wipe those from an adb shell, but then how would you re-enter the values for your account?
I'm assuming that this temporary "touchless" phone you are proposing would be able to only answer in-bound calls, yes? Or maybe you are thinking that you will be able to bring up the dialer app by pressing Send, and then using the trackball to scroll through contacts to somehow dial that way?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most likely the latter. Pretty much the only useful function w/o the keyboard is the phone. I can access messages and pretty much anything else through the app drawer, but without the keyboard and back/home button, its all useless. I can dial and call/end with the trackball, that's now the ONLY useful function lol
Ok, so Spare Parts held the key. The End button now serves as the home button. I still can't type or do other various things but that's all I need now to use a few more features.
If you spend another 2 days tweaking it, the replacement parts could be at your door.
Here's an idea - we'll all get together and write an app with a "SHAKE KEYBOARD".
If you shake the phone just right, it will type whatever letter/digit you want. LOL
You'll only need to learn how to shake your handset in 128 different ways.
bftb0 said:
If you spend another 2 days tweaking it, the replacement parts could be at your door.
Here's an idea - we'll all get together and write an app with a "SHAKE KEYBOARD".
If you shake the phone just right, it will type whatever letter/digit you want. LOL
You'll only need to learn how to shake your handset in 128 different ways.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
128? Bah! Why not set up the shakes in Morse Code format!?
roirraW "edor" ehT said:
128? Bah! Why not set up the shakes in Morse Code format!?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL .... .. ....... . . . .... ... .. ...... .... . . .....
^Not really Morse Code lol
lmao that's a terrific idea!
-/****/*-/-*/-*-
T/H/A/N/K
-*--/---/**-
Y/O/U
*-/*-**/*-**
A/L/L
!!!!!!!
On a side note though, can either three of you explain to me why we can't use the Eris trackball to access/type on the keyboard? I'm using GSB 1.5 atm, but I can swear that back in the days of Sense ROM's that the trackball worked on the keyboard...?
settlethestorm said:
lmao that's a terrific idea!
-/****/*-/-*/-*-
T/H/A/N/K
-*--/---/**-
Y/O/U
*-/*-**/*-**
A/L/L
!!!!!!!
On a side note though, can either three of you explain to me why we can't use the Eris trackball to access/type on the keyboard? I'm using GSB 1.5 atm, but I can swear that back in the days of Sense ROM's that the trackball worked on the keyboard...?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm on xtrSENSE v4.6.5 right now. I tried all three of the keyboards that came with it just now, HTC_IME mod, Touch Input and Multi-touch keyboard, and the only aspect of any of them that I could control with the trackball was if it made a word or letter suggestion, then I could scroll between the suggestions. Otherwise the trackball only appeared to control the "Share" and "Cancel" buttons in the case of the Facebook app/widget's "What's on your mind?" text entry field.
Anyone else know anything about this?
roirraW "edor" ehT said:
I'm on xtrSENSE v4.6.5 right now. I tried all three of the keyboards that came with it just now, HTC_IME mod, Touch Input and Multi-touch keyboard, and the only aspect of any of them that I could control with the trackball was if it made a word or letter suggestion, then I could scroll between the suggestions. Otherwise the trackball only appeared to control the "Share" and "Cancel" buttons in the case of the Facebook app/widget's "What's on your mind?" text entry field.
Anyone else know anything about this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for trying that out for me bro, I really appreciate it! It definitely wouldn't have been worth it for me to flash a 2.1 ROM to check for myself lol Especially since it's taken about 2 1/2 days to get my phone to a controllable setup using only hard buttons and logic.
So far I've been able to make due using a combo of the Button Re-mapper app and Spare parts. All of my hard buttons can now take me into and out of any app, the menus, home and sleep. I can use the trackball to dial on the phone, so that function is still useful, and I can view texts, just no reply lol
Back in the day I used Handcent SMS on 2.1 and 2.2, and that had an option to speak out your reply to texts... used to work like a charm for me. So I downloaded this onto my busted phone but for some reason it wont work. It keeps saying "Recognizer is not present" when I hit the speaker icon on the SMS popup. Is this a CM7/GB issue on the Eris? I already have Pico TTs (Duhh!) and downloaded another TTs app on the market, enabled it in the settings, and still no luck
If I could figure this out though, my phone would be tops again, even w/o any touchscreen capabilities. Texting and calling are all that really matter to me until I either upgrade/replace the broken part. I'm tight on cash (who isn't?) and won't be able to do either until next week at the very soonest.
Any ideas? Are any of you using GSB and having the same issue with voice input?

[Q] Stock SMS App - SalsaSense-1.3 Beta

Hi everyone.
I am using the SalsaSense ROM. I am unable to post in that thread because I am new here, so I'm hoping someone here will be able to help me.
In the stock SMS app there is the option to delete old messages once a limit has been reached. I installed the ROM, recovered my messages, and enabled the option in the stock app with the limit set at 200. But my old messages are not being deleted. With one contact I have 7k+ messages, and since enabling the option I have sent and received several messages with them. When I had Elelinux-7.1.0-Hero-v2.6 installed beforehand, following these steps was enough to provoke it to keep my inbox in check. But not now.
Is this a problem with the ROM, or the stock app, or am I just unlucky?
I'm hoping someone here may have come across this and can help me out.
Many thanks, BurnseyBoi
I think you've been unlucky. It sounds like a ROM problem since it's beta.
You could delete them using an app like SuperSMS Delete (I think it's that).
Yeah, guess I'll just have to wait for an update to it. I had a look round the market and found the app you were referring to. Worked a charm, thanks very much! Now my phone is a bit speedier.
Yeah i noticed this, unfortunately its a problem with the ROM. I've got a lot of issues to iron out so it takes me a while to solve each one, rest assured though it will be fixed
Sent from my Hero using XDA Premium App
Awesome, glad to hear it
I love this ROM! I forgot how much I missed the little Sense features and looks. My friend just got himself a Sensation, which is where I got the idea to browse around for a Sense ROM. Many thanks!
JieeHD said:
Yeah i noticed this, unfortunately its a problem with the ROM. I've got a lot of issues to iron out so it takes me a while to solve each one, rest assured though it will be fixed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm trying to follow the build.prop editing suggestion, but adb doesn't list my phone under connected devices. I've tried while the phone is on, and in recovery.
Is there another way of successfully editing it?
Yeah, you can use Root Explorer from the Market. ES File explorer may work too, look in the app's settings for Root options.
Navigate to the directory with the build.prop and long press and I think there's an edit option if you use Root Explorer. Then you can just edit as you would normally via the phone.
Thanks! I already had ES File Explorer, didn't realise it had root options though.
Made both changes that JieeHD suggested, then powered it off and back on. I've never seen my phone go from power button to lock screen that fast in the 2 years I've had it! I definitely notice a speed improvement from making those changes. Everything just feels sharper and more responsive.
Many thanks!
BurnseyBoi said:
Thanks! I already had ES File Explorer, didn't realise it had root options though.
Made both changes that JieeHD suggested, then powered it off and back on. I've never seen my phone go from power button to lock screen that fast in the 2 years I've had it! I definitely notice a speed improvement from making those changes. Everything just feels sharper and more responsive.
Many thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've tried them and can confirm they do speed things up.
Wish there was some option to use a standard notification bar, I think it would help.
hero_pt said:
I've tried them and can confirm they do speed things up.
Wish there was some option to use a standard notification bar, I think it would help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree. I tried following the instructions in this thread but I couldn't get it to work. Has anyone else using this ROM been able to successfully do this?

[Q] How to back up when screen is dead?

Apologies if this isn't purely a dev question, but developers would be most likely to know the answer and other devs most likely to benefit from the answer.
If your touchscreen no longer works, how can I make a backup? So I don't lose my photos, contacts, and need to reinstall every app/every setting when they give me the replacement phone? I'd temp root and run Titanium Backup but with the touchscreen bad I can't even unlock the phone, let alone navigate the menus in TB.
My Evo 3D touch screen suddenly went crazy yesterday. I try to drag the ring to unlock the phone and the ring just jumps up a bit, wiggles a little, maybe unlocks, but then when I'm on the enter pattern page I can't because it doesn't register my finger properly, it registers touches sort of but won't register finger drags. The phone was working fine, it was plugged into my car's USB charger and audio jack, but right after I disconnected this happened.
(I tried safe mode, tried removing the battery, tried plugging into the normal HTC charger, screen just acts crazy.)
Thanks!
Quinxy
Can you connect with HTC Sync? I think you can backup from there but I'm not sure (I have Sensation but used HTC Sync only once)
idavid_ said:
Can you connect with HTC Sync? I think you can backup from there but I'm not sure (I have Sensation but used HTC Sync only once)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! I didn't know HTC Sync existed, now downloading and will try that. Will post back when I see what it does and doesn't do, and if it'll work without my screen being usable.
Quinxy
you could use adb shell and copy the important thing to the sdcard if they aren't already there iirc pictures are stored on the sdcard anyway... you can also use adb pull to grab the files and put them on your computer.
pictures are already on your SD card, apps automatically reinstall after android 2.2, and your contacts should sync with Gmail. settings you would have to setup again.
BTW this should be in the Q&A section.
idavid_ said:
Can you connect with HTC Sync? I think you can backup from there but I'm not sure (I have Sensation but used HTC Sync only once)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, installed HTC Sync but it just says "Device not connected", it looks like you need to make sure your phone's USB setting is changed from "Charge Only" to "HTC Sync", which I can't given the touch screen issue.
For those that want it, you can find that software here:
Download HTC Sync Software
And per the advice of others in this thread I found the following which describes using adb shell to backup key data. It requires root, though, so you'll need to temp root. I haven't tries this yet, but this will be next:
Backup/Restore with ADB Shell
^ Quinxy
Why not just pull the SD card and back that up. Or keep it. Swap it with the new phone. Thats where your pictures are. As for your apps that sucks but not a lot can be done about that.
Sent from my PG86100 using XDA App
quinxy said:
Apologies if this isn't purely a dev question, but developers would be most likely to know the answer and other devs most likely to benefit from the answer.
If your touchscreen no longer works, how can I make a backup? So I don't lose my photos, contacts, and need to reinstall every app/every setting when they give me the replacement phone? I'd temp root and run Titanium Backup but with the touchscreen bad I can't even unlock the phone, let alone navigate the menus in TB.
My Evo 3D touch screen suddenly went crazy yesterday. I try to drag the ring to unlock the phone and the ring just jumps up a bit, wiggles a little, maybe unlocks, but then when I'm on the enter pattern page I can't because it doesn't register my finger properly, it registers touches sort of but won't register finger drags. The phone was working fine, it was plugged into my car's USB charger and audio jack, but right after I disconnected this happened.
(I tried safe mode, tried removing the battery, tried plugging into the normal HTC charger, screen just acts crazy.)
Thanks!
Quinxy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, yet another touch screen issue. Mine is doing the same thing, but not as bad. Did you try just rebooting? (you probably did)
But, as suggested, I would do the temp root and then copy files from there that you need. But if you have your gmail account in there, it shouldn't be an issue.
This might seem like a stupid question but do you have anything covering the screen? Otterbox, screen protector, sometimes I get a few drops of water on screen and it won't respond until I wipe clean and then turn off screen. This is just to see if the screen really is not working or if something is making it think that there are multiple contacts on the screen and not responding to your finger.
Thanks for your help everyone... I've successfully moved everything to the replacement phone. For posterity and anyone who wants to needs to do the same... Here's what worked best for me.
1) Temp fre3vo root with Busy Box, SU, etc. (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1152101)
2) Backed up apps and settings to computer via adb pull. Apps are in /data/app and settings are in /data/data.
3) Moved SD card from old phone to new phone.
4) Avoided Market setup until I restored settings. Restored settings from computer via adv push AFTER weeding through the list of pulled items and moving out any items that were com.android, com.htc (or had htc or android in the name). Altered permissions on the dirs I copied over. Android looks like each app has a different owner (e.g., app_145)?!?! So I just chmod -R 777 the dirs in question (leaving the others as they were); surely there's a better solution, but it worked, I'll try to fix it better later.
5) Ran Market, let it reinstall the apps it knew about.
6) Copied over a few setting files manually, like the wifi supplicant file.
7) A few apps didn't automatically install from Market so I went to my backup of /data/app and ran "adb install foo.apk" to install those remaining apps.
8) Re-installed two apps which force closed (Super Manager and Lookout Mobile Security).
And voila... All my apps and app settings were moved to the new phone without much fuss!
Hope it helps someone else.
Quinxy
Screencast
Download Screen Cast http://code.google.com/p/androidscreencast/. It's Java Based and works on all operating systems.
Download and Install Android SDK - http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html
Temp Root Your Phone with Fre3vo.
Open Screen cast with your computer and connect phone.
Make sure USB Debugging is Enabled in Settings on Phone (Hopefully you can do this or already had)
Now you should be able to control your phone from your computer and recover your data etc.
Good Luck!
SpyFi said:
Download Screen Cast http://code.google.com/p/androidscreencast/. It's Java Based and works on all operating systems.
Download and Install Android SDK - http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html
Temp Root Your Phone with Fre3vo.
Open Screen cast with your computer and connect phone.
Make sure USB Debugging is Enabled in Settings on Phone (Hopefully you can do this or already had)
Now you should be able to control your phone from your computer and recover your data etc.
Good Luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice. Info. Gonna try this tonight.
Locked & Loaded
SpyFi said:
Download Screen Cast http://code.google.com/p/androidscreencast/. It's Java Based and works on all operating systems.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome, thanks for turning me on to this! I used to love being able to remote control my Pocket PC with the MS SDK back in 2001 and have been annoyed finding nothing like that for Android (or my iPhone before that)!
Quinxy

[Q] remove apps without turning on device?

im getting tired of a program on my phone called com.skymobi.lockfram.iphone, as it keeps installing junk, and i have very little free space at the moment. but attemting to find the program will result in a fail, as i cannot locate it, however, using terminal emulator, i can find it, but im unable to remove it, because its in use. so my question is, is there some way, to remove apps/stuff from the phone, while its connected to usb, and not being turned on with android IE some recovery mode, or similar.
the phone is a fake galaxy s5, and i cant remember the features in its very low level recovery menu.
as well as a "factory mode" menu, with debug functions.
Factory reset - I would be careful about which apps I install next time. There is probably some kind of app in the App Manager that looks like a system app or something which you would otherwise not remove... it's a sneaky piece of software, kind of like an Android "virus" if you will. Just err on the safe side, wipe your phone and start over. And stop installing crap, ie. read disclaimers, double check permissions, etc. A flashlight app shouldn't need access to the Internet, just sayin'.
Pesoen said:
im getting tired of a program on my phone called com.skymobi.lockfram.iphone, as it keeps installing junk, and i have very little free space at the moment. but attemting to find the program will result in a fail, as i cannot locate it, however, using terminal emulator, i can find it, but im unable to remove it, because its in use. so my question is, is there some way, to remove apps/stuff from the phone, while its connected to usb, and not being turned on with android IE some recovery mode, or similar.
the phone is a fake galaxy s5, and i cant remember the features in its very low level recovery menu.
as well as a "factory mode" menu, with debug functions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
good antivirus for android malware https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.avast.android.mobilesecurity&hl=en
JayR_L said:
Factory reset - I would be careful about which apps I install next time. There is probably some kind of app in the App Manager that looks like a system app or something which you would otherwise not remove... it's a sneaky piece of software, kind of like an Android "virus" if you will. Just err on the safe side, wipe your phone and start over. And stop installing crap, ie. read disclaimers, double check permissions, etc. A flashlight app shouldn't need access to the Internet, just sayin'.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
problem is, i have had it factory reset, and the program is installed from the start, its there after a factory reset, where the only thing i installed was terminal, to use pm list packages to check for it.
Pesoen said:
problem is, i have had it factory reset, and the program is installed from the start, its there after a factory reset, where the only thing i installed was terminal, to use pm list packages to check for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is there a way you could flash an image of sort? Like wiping the entire phone and reflashing the ROM or stock image... I could probably help you more if I knew the exact model of your phone as you mentioned it's a fake S5. Anyways, if the app in question installed itself in /system (/system/priv-app for instance) then a factory reset from within your phone won't cut it. You need to "reinstall the operating system", if you will, in order to get rid of it for sure.
toolhas4degrees said:
good antivirus for android malware https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.avast.android.mobilesecurity&hl=en
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i have allready tried antivirus programs, it finds it, but cannot do anything with it, cant remember the name, but i think it was avg, where it said, virus removed, but it still installed apps at random, and the com.skymobi.lockframe.iphone was still there.
toolhas4degrees said:
good antivirus for android malware https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.avast.android.mobilesecurity&hl=en
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
JayR_L said:
Is there a way you could flash an image of sort? Like wiping the entire phone and reflashing the ROM or stock image... I could probably help you more if I knew the exact model of your phone as you mentioned it's a fake S5. Anyways, if the app in question installed itself in /system (/system/priv-app for instance) then a factory reset from within your phone won't cut it. You need to "reinstall the operating system", if you will, in order to get rid of it for sure.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i have asked the guy i bought it from online, for a new rom, since he states it has been updated, but the installer wont work on anything other than windows xp, which presents a problem, i have no windows xp computers. as well as the fact, the software version, it states to install, is the same as it already has(looking through factory menu) and i dont have another rom to put on it, as its a fake S5, i doubt a proper S5 rom would work. and would rather then wait, and save up enough for a real phone, not a replica of one.
i just wanted to know, if there was some way, to try to remove it without turning on the device, since i think its unable to remove, because its running the app on startup. but if i can get someone a rom to work on, could someone try to find some way for me to install it from a windows 7 or never system?
As I said in my previous post, it would help to have your exact model number. "Fake S5" isn't very helpful. You would find this in "Settings -> About". Or you can post the first 6 digits of your IMEI (not the whole thing), that might help.
JayR_L said:
As I said in my previous post, it would help to have your exact model number. "Fake S5" isn't very helpful. You would find this in "Settings -> About". Or you can post the first 6 digits of your IMEI (not the whole thing), that might help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
model number, taken from settings: SM-G900H
Baseband Version: G900HVZNU1AND1
Kernel Version: [email protected]#1Wed Apr 02 15:17:34 KST 2014
Build Number: KOT49H.G900HSKSU1ANCE
Custom Build Version: 1409757535
it shows 2 IMEI numbers, when looking in the factory mode, so listing both and 8 digits, just for fun..
IMEI1:35523603
IMEI2:35262106
hope this helps.
if not, then just ask for whatever info, you may need.
Are you sure its not a real S5... If not its such a good clone I wonder if a regular S5 ROM would do...
JayR_L said:
Are you sure its not a real S5... If not its such a good clone I wonder if a regular S5 ROM would do...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
im not really sure, but since it has 1 GB ram, and octa core cpu, and a MTK core, i doubt its real, it does have all the features, and all works, except air gestures, and NFC. so im not sure if a stock S5 rom would work, since its different CPU's. so would rather get the most compatible rom out there, and try that. not sure if one excist, that works with ANYTHING in any device.
also a real S5 would not have such bad antenna's as this one, i can hardly get a signal out on the country, but it gets full signal as i near a city, of some size. but i might be able to fix that later, after i see what antenna it has, and the price of one.
but im ready to install a custom rom, so long as it works fine after.
also a small note, its a very high quality fake, the case is allmost believable, the headphones are same look, and almost same quality. the only thing thats bad, is the functions that dont work, and the antenna quality, it can easilly multitask, with chrome, and poweramp. so it does the job it was bought for, and that job was to save up money for an actual phone, maybe a S5, but i might do a Xperia Z2 or Z3.
Its just that your device, if incompatible with S5, means that its so rare and niche that no one probably developed a way to root it and much ROMs... Anyway, your rogue app is installed as a system app and is immune to factory resets, you have to find a way to get it out of there. The way you suggested won't work, also, to clarify. You can't play with the phone's memory when its off. The problem is that the rogue app is in /system and you need root to even tinker with that. Ideally you could just flash a new image that would overwrite /system completely.
Edit -- I'm astounded by how they can almost completely replicate a phone and the intellectual property contained within it.
here is the rom, i got from the guy who sold it to me, i have NO clue how to edit it, or remove things, and add other things to it, so if someone could either teach me, or remove the items containing "com.skymobi" i would really appreciate it.
ROM Download
So, wait. Having in mind that you can track the app means that your phone is rooted. Or does it? The question arises: why don't you just delete the damn app, if you're already rooted, with Titanium Backup? I mean seriously. If it's a FakeS5 woth an octa core chipset, it's probably with the MTK6592. If you're not rooted, then just find a tool that can root this chipset, you don't need a device-specific root-tool to do that. I am currently on my phone so I can't currently search, but God, this is just a simple fix. Google MTK6592 root, root your phone, install TiBU, freeze or delete the pesky app. Titanium Backup doesn't care if the app is "in use or running"
Sent from my LG-P990 using XDA Free mobile app
NoDze said:
So, wait. Having in mind that you can track the app means that your phone is rooted. Or does it? The question arises: why don't you just delete the damn app, if you're already rooted, with Titanium Backup? I mean seriously. If it's a FakeS5 woth an octa core chipset, it's probably with the MTK6592. If you're not rooted, then just find a tool that can root this chipset, you don't need a device-specific root-tool to do that. I am currently on my phone so I can't currently search, but God, this is just a simple fix. Google MTK6592 root, root your phone, install TiBU, freeze or delete the pesky app. Titanium Backup doesn't care if the app is "in use or running"
Sent from my LG-P990 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Clearly you know a bit more than me about those clones, I never used one... I guess there's a thing called "droid tools" for MTK chipsets.
NoDze said:
So, wait. Having in mind that you can track the app means that your phone is rooted. Or does it? The question arises: why don't you just delete the damn app, if you're already rooted, with Titanium Backup? I mean seriously. If it's a FakeS5 woth an octa core chipset, it's probably with the MTK6592. If you're not rooted, then just find a tool that can root this chipset, you don't need a device-specific root-tool to do that. I am currently on my phone so I can't currently search, but God, this is just a simple fix. Google MTK6592 root, root your phone, install TiBU, freeze or delete the pesky app. Titanium Backup doesn't care if the app is "in use or running"
Sent from my LG-P990 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my phone is rooted, its the first thing i do to any new android phone. the problem is, i cant "see" the app anywhere, i can only see its folder, where it places the .apk files before installing them, and going by that name, i used terminal, to see it is an app running, but no matter what i use, other than terminal, it cannot find the program, trying to use terminal to remove or disable the app, results in a fail, since its allways running.
so its not as simple as you stated. though i wish it WAS that easy, then i would not need to go to a forum, to ask for help.
and before you ask, yes i run terminal with root acces, and SU. so thats not the problem.
JayR_L said:
Clearly you know a bit more than me about those clones, I never used one... I guess there's a thing called "droid tools" for MTK chipsets.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
just researched the droid tools, it seems straight forward, and easy to create a backup of the rom, and even easier, to select what to install from said rom. going to try and see if i can get it working, will post results here, as soon as possible.
Good. Hopefully you will have some conclusive results for us. I'm sorry I couldn't point you in a better direction, I honestly never dealt with MTK phones - nor I do I ever wish to! Hahaha
JayR_L said:
Good. Hopefully you will have some conclusive results for us. I'm sorry I couldn't point you in a better direction, I honestly never dealt with MTK phones - nor I do I ever wish to! Hahaha
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
fair enough, i will say, its a decent phone, for the price, but otherwise, i would also steer clear of them. but just found out how to remove it, on the device, using root app delete. it was under system apps and OS components, hidden as something called system locker, just thought it was weird it was there, so now the task comes in, trying to remove it from the backup i have made, using mtk droid tools, and see what happens. but for now, problem solved.
now the only thing, thats not working on it, is the smart cover app, it crashes if i try to unlock it, while the smart cover is on, but i bet its just a matter of finding, and updating it, or possibly, remove it fully, and reinstall it.
You should have frozen the app first rather than removing. The former has the benefits of the latter except that it is not uninstalled. This way, you could check if the device encounters any problem.

Possible -- Us Vzw S10+ hack? Need help to Validate.

I have a stock VZW Galaxy S10 Plus purchased from Verizon, after an update to may Android security I noticed close to all my apps now had permissions to modify system, as well as many switches "Greyed out" and certain functions trying to force me to use WiFi. I have been dealing with it for over a month, in recovery the text at the top is displayed 2 times. And at the bottom it says Missing 2fs file... I have factory reset the phone more times than I can count, and with a root folder spy app I am able to see some folder that I am pretty sure should not be in a stock rom. (Lazy script) ... it was showing enterprise billing , and other things....
Things changed after using Verizon sw app connect to my PC. But I am sure the problem is still there.
T
I know **""this is not Possible """** is the standard response. Verizon was no help, Samsung sent me to **UBreak I fix** nothing changed. And the last option was to send it in to Samsung..... I want to know what/how it happened. I always have my phone with me. I am happy to share any screen captures, and I'm trying to post some screen recordings of me scrolling through the folders on my phone. I also have trace logs. But not even sure how to read it.
This is wrecking my life . More that the Covid shut down. .....
I want to find out how it was done, just replacing the phone will not satisfy me anymore.......
Oh, I also have 2 Sledge, And 2. Snote3.... that now look like they have problems......
I know this is the place to find the answer. Help me get to the. *Root * of the problem??? Lol.... please.

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