I have a z3c phone and recently I bought the z3 compact tablet. With the phone, the softkeys (back, home, tasks) stay in place when you go to landscape mode so they are at the side of the screen. Which is nice. But with the tablet, they move to the bottom, wasting a lot of precious screen estate. I can't find a setting to change this behaviour. Is there any way to get them to the side in landscape without rooting? If not, is there a chance this will change with lollypop?
If you are rooted, download an app titled Ultimate Dynamic NavBar. It will give you this option as well as other options to both customize and hide your softkeys.
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The only reason I want to upgrade from an S3 right now, to either the S4 or the G2, is due to the larger screen size. The N3 is a little big so it seems these two are the only logical options.
I upgraded from the Galaxy nexus to the S3 purely due to the fact that it did not WASTE screen real-estate on black and white static icons. Frankly that is the absolute stupidest use of the screen there is. Samsung has it right by continuing to keep the buttons off screen.
So, the only way the G2 fits the bill (for probably many people) is if one of the following two solutions can exist:
1. The nav bar is totally transparent. The buttons still register when you tap there, but when browsing or watching video, the frame or text completely spills behind the buttons as if they don't actually take up space. Still not ideal.
2. The buttons are taken off screen fully and remapped to the rear HW keys. One volume key can be the back button, and the other can be the home button, etc. To change the volume, you gotta drag the software slider. Not a problem. I believe there are many button remapping apps in the market. Anyone tried this?
Is there an app to do these things? Can this feature be built into a ROM? For solution number 1, the nav bar can be hidden using a feature like PA has, and an app can just have a virtual transparent button floating where the original ones were. This app might also just exist in the android market.
Can we work on getting the entire screen area useful on this large phone?
k00zk0 said:
The only reason I want to upgrade from an S3 right now, to either the S4 or the G2, is due to the larger screen size. The N3 is a little big so it seems these two are the only logical options.
I upgraded from the Galaxy nexus to the S3 purely due to the fact that it did not WASTE screen real-estate on black and white static icons. Frankly that is the absolute stupidest use of the screen there is. Samsung has it right by continuing to keep the buttons off screen.
So, the only way the G2 fits the bill (for probably many people) is if one of the following two solutions can exist:
1. The nav bar is totally transparent. The buttons still register when you tap there, but when browsing or watching video, the frame or text completely spills behind the buttons as if they don't actually take up space. Still not ideal.
2. The buttons are taken off screen fully and remapped to the rear HW keys. One volume key can be the back button, and the other can be the home button, etc. To change the volume, you gotta drag the software slider. Not a problem. I believe there are many button remapping apps in the market. Anyone tried this?
Is there an app to do these things? Can this feature be built into a ROM? For solution number 1, the nav bar can be hidden using a feature like PA has, and an app can just have a virtual transparent button floating where the original ones were. This app might also just exist in the android market.
Can we work on getting the entire screen area useful on this large phone?
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Click to collapse
I had the same mentality as you before deciding on the G2. There is a solution.
You will have to ROOT first.
GMD Auto hide app. This app will completely hide the software keys. They only appear when you swipe up from the very bottom of the screen.. or just tap the very bottom of the screen. You chose that in settings. The software keys can be made transparent as well.
Im currently using the app and love it. Works perfectly.
Without root... i dont think there is a solution.
I just use the navbar mod that shrinks the navbar down to either half or a third of the size. That way they take up hardly any screen at all.
Sent from my LG-D802 using xda app-developers app
o0adam0o said:
I had the same mentality as you before deciding on the G2. There is a solution.
You will have to ROOT first.
GMD Auto hide app. This app will completely hide the software keys. They only appear when you swipe up from the very bottom of the screen.. or just tap the very bottom of the screen. You chose that in settings. The software keys can be made transparent as well.
Im currently using the app and love it. Works perfectly.
Without root... i dont think there is a solution.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've used the Xposed Module - Ultimate Dynamic Navbar (available on play store). Looked to have more customization options than GMD (can have up to 7 buttons on the nav bar, for example, and more options for configuring long press of the buttons). But anyway, overall concept is the same as GMD.
And so far, i am loving it. Nice to have the full screen real estate at all times.
And root is so damn easy on this phone.
Big Boy Laroux said:
I've used the Xposed Module - Ultimate Dynamic Navbar (available on play store). Looked to have more customization options than GMD (can have up to 7 buttons on the nav bar, for example, and more options for configuring long press of the buttons). But anyway, overall concept is the same as GMD.
And so far, i am loving it. Nice to have the full screen real estate at all times.
And root is so damn easy on this phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I considered Xposed as well... but i thought that method just let you adjust/resize and theme the soft buttons.. but i wanted to completley hide them and have them reappear with a touch/swipe of my finger and then go away again. Xposed can do that as well? I just took a quick glance at the thread and figured it couldnt.
o0adam0o said:
I considered Xposed as well... but i thought that method just let you adjust/resize and theme the soft buttons.. but i wanted to completley hide them and have them reappear with a touch/swipe of my finger and then go away again. Xposed can do that as well? I just took a quick glance at the thread and figured it couldnt.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The xposed module Ultimate Dynamic Navbar can do all that.
it's on play store, but i just found it here on XDA. Note to self - remember to ALWAYS check xda first before you pay! although, i like the app so far, so it's worth the money.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2270198
EDIT : One note - on the G2, I've found you have to use another Xposed module (like g2 xposed or gravity box) to hide the stock nav bar first. At least right now.
I'm already using G2 xposed to remove the volume slider in drop-down, and for transparent status bar, so I already had it to make this change.
I love the software buttons because you can customize them and have various animations and actions. I agree with the wasted space but I root and download "tex_Droider" from the Play Store and change the DPI down from 480 to 400. This will make everything smaller and more roomier... including the Nav Bar.
Then I downloaded Flashify and TWRP Custom recovery. Flashed with Flashify.
I downloaded a Smaller Nav Mod. I used the "Medium" size since I already lowered the DPI. You can use the small size too if you want it really small. Boom.
I've played with hiding the navbar and using gestures and also that PA mod. I dunno just doesn't work for me. I use those buttons a lot and adding a swipe each time is a pain. Personally I wouldn't mind just having a transparent bar across ALL apps.
With ya player911, wound just using small nav bar. Wish I could add a couple more apps to the stock home swipe out.
With the G nexus I've tried making the nav bar about half. It worked except for the occasional mis-tap. Still it was annoying to have it cover up screen - on top of all of these options, can the nav bar be made transparent? I figure apps would have a hard time realizing what's going on so a solution would go something along the lines of first removing the nav bar to make every app draw full screen, and then adding a module that would create false transparent buttons simply overlaying the screen content at all times, rather than having a swipe or some other gesture pull the nav bar up or down. The false buttons could be in the very corners of the screen so as to not likely cover anything up.
The thing I like about the S3/4 is in dark conditions where you are being more tactile with the phone/case (I turn my softkey backlight off totally) your thumb rests on the edge of the case and rolls over to tap the softkey. It wouldn't be an issue to get used to the position of this virtual softkey by adopting the same behavior, it's just a matter of whether an app exists that will draw repositionable virtual transparent mappable "area" on the screen that would correspond to a button.
Don't think you're going to find one. Every app/game is different, so who is to say that where you place your "always there" transparent buttons won't interfere with an actual area you need to tap inside an app, game, etc. Even in the corners.
I would again suggest trying the auto-hide mods mentioned above. They do exactly what you are describing with the overlay, except you have to swipe or tap to bring it up.
Swiping is really not that big a deal. Ultimate dynamic navbar gives you the ability to swipe right to a button, so your finger never has to come off the screen. It's very fluid.
You could also try PIE. But what I like about the auto hide nav bar mods is that you can set the nav bar to toggle, so it stays up if you need to press nav bar buttons a bunch of times in a row. With PIE (at least when I last used it), you have to swipe for every button press.
Sent from my LG-LS980 using xda app-developers app
A nice little free non-root app that sits on the right hand side of the screen when in landscape so you can go the Home Screen, Go Back or look at the Notification dropdown quickly :good::laugh:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appspot.app58us.backkey&hl=en-GB
Not The Flong said:
A nice little free non-root app that sits on the right hand side of the screen when in landscape so you can go the Home Screen, Go Back or look at the Notification dropdown quickly :good::laugh:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appspot.app58us.backkey&hl=en-GB
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice app!
Not The Flong said:
A nice little free non-root app that sits on the right hand side of the screen when in landscape so you can go the Home Screen, Go Back or look at the Notification dropdown quickly :good::laugh:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appspot.app58us.backkey&hl=en-GB
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Click to collapse
Great - thanks a lot!
The buttons located at the middle of the status bar were the topic that bothered me most on my new Z2 tab, as you always have to move your hand and let go the tablet's frame.
:good:
One of the main reasons I have already rooted my device (although the bootloader had to be unlocked).
So I can use "Expanded Desktop" from Xposed module "Gravity Box" (no navigation bar anymore, which additionally means more screen estate) and GMD Gesture control instead.
For instance, for "Back" I have set 2 gestures: Either diagonally (!) to the right and down with 3 fingers, or the same to the left and down.
Since "Back" is a very frequent command, this is the most comfortable direction for a swipe because the arm which is holding the tablet is anyway in that direction. I just have to pull the arm "back" instead of bringing it into a certain position first. And the two gestures ensure that I can make the Back gesture with either hand equally comfortably.
I had the device unrooted for two weeks, and it felt simply awkward to be forced again to hit little spots on the screen for basic commands. (My other devices are always also rooted.)
I've tried GMD gestures but wasn't able to get it work. Any idea why or did you do anything special to make it work? On my N7 it's been working like a charm for a long time. Thanks.
On the Z2 Tablet, you have to set (in "Advanced“) "Override touch events parser detection" to "HC_DEFAULT".
Sorry to be an idiot but this sounds very good and natural. However I can't picture the mvmt. Do u grab with the free hand and then swipe or what?
Sent from my SCH-I605 using XDA Free mobile app
Revive!!!
I tried this but it's a little cumbersome and gets in the way.
And then I remembered PIE! Durr
sorry but piecontrol is far superior. Also no root, and can do a lot more.
I much prefer swiping in method, got used to it with old paranoidandroid builds waaaaay back in the ICS era
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jun.ace.piecontrol&hl=en-GB
Try Button Saviour. Way better than pie.
So I rooted my Thor, got safestrap, downloaded Kitkat (fire nexus), Installed Xposed, and now I'm here. I managed to reskin the soft keys to look like the lollipop ones, but I really hate how the navigation bar stays at the bottom of the screen when in landscape! It takes up so much valuable real estate for three buttons. Is there any way to make it move to the side when in landscape, like it does in the FireOS or on phones?
spaghettibounce said:
So I rooted my Thor, got safestrap, downloaded Kitkat (fire nexus), Installed Xposed, and now I'm here. I managed to reskin the soft keys to look like the lollipop ones, but I really hate how the navigation bar stays at the bottom of the screen when in landscape! It takes up so much valuable real estate for three buttons. Is there any way to make it move to the side when in landscape, like it does in the FireOS or on phones?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not that I have found - at least in a satisfactory manner. Gravitybox (Xposed module) has an experimental option but it is ineffective on this device/rom. However, GB also allows resizing the nav bar and adding an additional soft key which helps take up some of the slack space and adds useful functionality.
Phab7 (an old Xposed module) does move the nav bar to the right but the other effects offset the benefits IMO.
Hello everyone,
I have been doing my best to search for a method to have the android navigation and home buttons to display on the second screen of the phone. I would like to "use" the phone inverted (even for games /apps so that I could take advantage of as much of the screen as possible)and have the home/nav buttons on the second screen. SEE PICTURE ATTACHED TO A QUICK (MS paint ) RENDER OF MY IDEA. I would then just flip the phone whenever I want to make a call. The nav buttons would be permanently displayed on the second screen and could be customized if I want to add more "buttons/apps". Is this even possible?
Thanks,
SpeedV
You can do this by using macro droid to create a widget for the needed action and then you can use custom shortcut maker to turn that widget into an apk...or also then the automated action into apk using Tasker app factory. I have home and back buttons on my second screen right now using this method
Can anyone confirm that it's not just me? M5 8.4 inch UK model (normally using Nova launcher) set display view mode to small (in order for some apps to see this as a tablet not phone) and on rotation to landscape the navigation bar/buttons disappear.
(Leaving on default and the navbar stays at the side on rotation - though I'd prefer it on the bottom.)
Using developer options to set dpi to 680 makes the navbar appear but with only the home button showing.
Huawei support suggest a factory reset, which I've already done to enforce the DRM change in the recent update, so doubt it would make any difference.
Surely is not just my tablet?
Armpowered said:
Can anyone confirm that it's not just me? M5 8.4 inch UK model (normally using Nova launcher) set display view mode to small (in order for some apps to see this as a tablet not phone) and on rotation to landscape the navigation bar/buttons disappear.
(Leaving on default and the navbar stays at the side on rotation - though I'd prefer it on the bottom.)
Using developer options to set dpi to 680 makes the navbar appear but with only the home button showing.
Huawei support suggest a factory reset, which I've already done to enforce the DRM change in the recent update, so doubt it would make any difference.
Surely is not just my tablet?
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Click to collapse
me too, the support told me to wait a future update...
I had what sounds like a somewhat similar issue using Nova Launcher and the 10 inch model. In landscape mode the nova dock would stay vertical on the right side instead of moving to the bottom, even if the screen orientation was set to auto-rotate in the nova settings / look and feel.
It was fixed by simply changing the View Mode setting to small in Settings / Display. Didn't have to mess with DPI manually or anything. With the View Mode to small I don't have any problems with the dock or the navigation bar.
skarce said:
me too, the support told me to wait a future update...
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Click to collapse
Thanks, it's good to know that it's a general issue with the tablet.
etheberge said:
In landscape mode the nova dock would stay vertical on the right side instead of moving to the bottom, even if the screen orientation was set to auto-rotate in the nova settings / look and feel.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is probably just a side effect of the default DPI value, Nova treats the tablet as a phone, where it's normal to have the navbar on the side when in landscape. Switching display mode moves to a more compact DPI setting. Good to know that the navbar works, it suggests it's just an issue with the 8.4 that should get fixed.
For those annoyed by this, just wanted to mention that Ultimate Dynamic Navbar works, at least partially, if you are rooted (maybe even if you aren't). It's a navbar replacement that is fully customizable, fully collapsible, and will rotate with the device.
For me, I can't map home/recents/back functions to the softkeys - but a.) I haven't experimented, b.) the UDN softkeys can still be used to launch custom apps and for various other functions like switching to the "previous app," c.) the UDN navbar can be used in conjunction with your existing navbar setup, and d.) it's a lightweight app that is fully collapsible, so you have little to lose by installing it.
Known issue
This youtuber describes this exact issue amongst other issues:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qef...b3uy2lez3h4b2rhtpst1w03c010c.1526416319255488
Now fixed (at least partly) with firmware 8.0.0.151. When display size is set to small, the nav bar now stays visible on the short side, though I'd prefer it on the long side. Not a complete fix, in that when changing DPI in developer settings, it just shows the single home button on the long side.
The device offers you the option to use the fingerprint button for navigation. You can find the option at system settings / navigation