Any suggestions for Start Menu replacement? - Windows Mobile Apps and Games

So I've been using QuickMenu for the longest time and I do love it,but I was wondering if there is a better Start Menu replacement that's more finger-friendly.
I have the HTC Touch, so I do realize it comes w/ the larger start menu already., but the program menu, when I choose to run a program, that program menu doesn't close automatically and I find that really annoying.
Plus, I'd like something that looks a lot slicker and utilize the finger gestures betters =D

Have you tried out ScrollLauncher? It's not a start menu replace, but it's a finger friendly program launcher. You just activate it and it lists all your programs on which you can finger flick up and down to see everything. A simple double tap launches the program. Maybe that will help a little.

FatBoyExtraordinaire said:
Have you tried out ScrollLauncher? It's not a start menu replace, but it's a finger friendly program launcher. You just activate it and it lists all your programs on which you can finger flick up and down to see everything. A simple double tap launches the program. Maybe that will help a little.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I'd like to have something to replace the start menu,so it needs to start when I hit the Start Menu icon, and have a similar structure to Quick Menu: Favorite programs, recent programs, Settings, and running programs, etc

Suggestion
Try:
HTC Enlarge Start Menu [eng]
http://rapidshare.com/files/69170665..._Menu_0409.cab
posted on:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=344544
A little CAB file that enlarges your start-menu for fingerfriendly use.
Will look as on the screenshot attached (thanks to google).

bigchrizzieboy said:
Try:
HTC Enlarge Start Menu [eng]
http://rapidshare.com/files/69170665..._Menu_0409.cab
posted on:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=344544
A little CAB file that enlarges your start-menu for fingerfriendly use.
Will look as on the screenshot attached (thanks to google).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I already said that I have the HTC Touch with that Enlarge Start Menu. What I don't like is that when I go to programs and settings folder, and the folder doesn't automatically close after I choose to run an item from it. Plus, I'd like to have something more configurable and also shows running programs that I can close from there

wisbar lite or advance?

badaas said:
wisbar lite or advance?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They aren't finger touch friendly. I'm thinking along the lines of Schap's TouchXperience, but without all his bells and whistles, more focused on replacing the Start Menu, Programs Menu, and Settings menu. Think of what you get in Quick Menu, but more finger friendly
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=400082
http://www.touchxperience.com/

Wisbar Advance 3 has touch friendly features. You just need to turn them on.

You can use a combination of MortButtons and FTouch.

blazingwolf said:
Wisbar Advance 3 has touch friendly features. You just need to turn them on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you take a screenshot of this? I've looked around, but all the Wisbar start menu pics show a cascading menu that is not finger friendly

aydc said:
You can use a combination of MortButtons and FTouch.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It would be nice to have one app that does this and does not require a finger gesture to launch the start menu; I just want to hit the Start Menu and have going it from there

jambaj0e said:
It would be nice to have one app that does this and does not require a finger gesture to launch the start menu; I just want to hit the Start Menu and have going it from there
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With WisBar Advance, you can start any program when you tap the start menu icon or window title. Or even different ones. E.g., I've configured it so that it shows the Today screen for the "start menu icon" and a MortButtons menu with the window title. And the default menu is invoked by tap&hold on the title, so I've got a backup if a development version of MortButtons hangs...

Mort said:
With WisBar Advance, you can start any program when you tap the start menu icon or window title. Or even different ones. E.g., I've configured it so that it shows the Today screen for the "start menu icon" and a MortButtons menu with the window title. And the default menu is invoked by tap&hold on the title, so I've got a backup if a development version of MortButtons hangs...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right, but Mortbuttons is not the ideal Start menu replacement. You'd have to put in everything you want to show in it, rather than it automatically showing what's under the Start Menu folder in your system. Plus, what about the Control Panel?
Imagine the Wisbar Advance cascading Start Menu but a lot more finger friendly. That's what I'm looking for

jambaj0e said:
Right, but Mortbuttons is not the ideal Start menu replacement. You'd have to put in everything you want to show in it, rather than it automatically showing what's under the Start Menu folder in your system. Plus, what about the Control Panel?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can add both the start menu folder and the control panel as entries (CP requires new beta). So you can do a MortButton menu with your most used apps, and include "usual" start menu and control panel as submenus.

Do you know SKMenu?
I use it for some time and I'm happy with it.
It let you customize the menus, including start menu and control panel, and create other news.
Now, in the last version, it has a full sreen mode.

Diamond oem (on this forum) has packages for smart scroling and gestures
I have noticed considerable ease scroling windows and pushing buttons with my finger.
I still use QuickMenu 2.7 Is there a newer version?

.Big Tabbed Start Menu
- When u click on menu icon a drop down big menu appear separated into 3 parts the first on containing last running Programs
Second one .. contain tabs for programmers folders when user click on any a down menu appear show Program Icons
a third part is for setting contain 3 tabs .. (Personal - System - Connection) When member click on any a menu appear contain the Icons ..somethng like this

I am also looking for something like this. I used wisbar, but since there are no nice VGA skins + it slows down the ppc a lot I am looking for an replacement. Anything new on this?

well all you guys want (as I do) is quickmenu..... with bigger font size.
Maybe someone could have a look into its dll see if something can be done.
Or email nanling (I think) to ask him to get a doubled version out ?

err I know it's been a while but if anyone's still interested, there's FdcSoft StartMenu
this menu is HUGE

Related

WM6.1 type start menu...

Isn't there a program out there thats in .cab form to change the dropdown menu to replicate the one thats on all these wm6.1 roms..?? I've been searchin for a little while and I cant even find the thread that talked about doing it let alone the actual file... Thanks in advance...
ok, well i found QuickMenu which seems to be pretty cool an works very well but it only activates when you click in the top left corner on the Windows Logo, well I lost my stylus an my fingers arent baby fingers so its kinda a pain without an object to click in the corner, is there anyway to make it where it activates by the "Start" section as well as with Windows Logo..??
You can go into Quick Menu Option, and check 'replace system menu' which will now bring quickmenu when you click window start button. You can also enable the option where 'long press' on the window start menu icon brings up the oem windows menu, and 'short press' brings up the quickmenu.
one of the .dll files was missing from the QMenu folder so when I tried to mess with settings it didn't let me but I reloaded it and now it let's me, thanks for readvising me... :thumbsup:

Some newbie 6.1 reviews....

I tried a few upgrade files here recently -
6.1 standard - Russian - Great looking Home Screen, sliding window 'frame' grows to allow access to apps from home screen, xT9 does not turn off, I cannot select 'No T9 Help' and just type my old way...
6.1 pro - Russian - Looks great, system seems to need touch screen, Number buttons do not selct and run program, 'Back arrow' button only works for text edits, not manuvering, Some of the speed increase is an overclocking I couldn't fugure how to cut off - wasn't a problem, just couldn't navigate to selections.
6.1 standard - 'OEM Cingular bloat'- Looks and works just like OEM WM5, xT9 does not turn off, I cannot select 'No T9 Help' and just type my old way...
I settled on 6.1 Standard - Russian - looks great and I can operate WMP from the home screen - I play a lot of podcasts. I would love to see a help with the xT9 problem - I would love to just type and have no help at all.
In going back and forth to try them all and the OEM from Cingular/HTC: had to re-'unlock app' after HTC/Cing OEM reload, and then re-spl in root after that.
2 notes, the OEM wrote right over the spl and replaced it with its own - maybe all could do that?
The other is for novice users - the mobile device shows up in Sync/Explore at an imaginary root (like a Desktop display in Explorer) named 'My Windows Mobile-Based Device'. You have to enter that fake root to get to the real root, that is labeled only '\'at the top of the window - that is the real root of the device, not the software 'root'.
What are the 'excel x' files? Are they just different templates?
How can I change what is listed at the home screen? (not photos, but camera for instance)?
Thanks for the work, everything worked even when not to my personal tastes.
Edits...
found out the 'x' office files are compatible with office 2007 and later, xlsx, docx, and so forth
found out holding the * key gives me a menu to turn off xt9 (hallelulah!)
still hoping to edit what's in home panels...
tshephard said:
still hoping to edit what's in home panels...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
use CHome Config app
tshephard said:
still hoping to edit what's in home panels...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
here is the link: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=393104&highlight=chome
I found it, any explanation on how to use the icon and icon files anywhere?

Scroll using the ring

I'm really missing the scroll wheel from the mogul/6800. Is there a way to make the ring scroll in programs that don't have it mapped (like zooming in Opera)? I'd really like to use it to scroll through e-mail. I swear that I got it to scroll once in mail for a split second while the app was still loading, but promptly stopped scrolling once it finished loading.
okolowitz said:
I'm really missing the scroll wheel from the mogul/6800. Is there a way to make the ring scroll in programs that don't have it mapped (like zooming in Opera)? I'd really like to use it to scroll through e-mail. I swear that I got it to scroll once in mail for a split second while the app was still loading, but promptly stopped scrolling once it finished loading.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know I've seen somewhere (I think over @ ppcgeeks) that there was a way to set up custom apps to use the scroll ring in other applications. I'll look again and see if I can't find it.
you can enable scrolling with the sensor using advance config. At the bottom of the list there will be an option with 5 or 6 sub options
I believe DiamondTweaks also has an option for this
Sh0wNuF said:
you can enable scrolling with the sensor using advance config. At the bottom of the list there will be an option with 5 or 6 sub options
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just installed the file "Advanced_Configuration_Tool_v3.3.cab" and I don't see any options for that in it...
Checking the other program mentioned shortly.
stanglifemike said:
I believe DiamondTweaks also has an option for this
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it does. Nice app too.
Not as consistent as it should be but I am sure the developer will improve it steadily.
When I say this, I mean that u can scroll around but onceyou make a selection, you can't scroll within that selection.
In advanced config you have to add the programs that you want to scroll with manually. Open advanced config, go to menu, more settings, smarttouch, and add what ever program you like.
there are 2 programs. 1 is called gscroll and the other is called sensorscroll. gscroll is not free, but here is the link for sensor scroll: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=466377
It does shut down on random, but allows you to scroll in manilla (fav contacts, programs, text message etc)

Quick hacked up app to create soft menu/back keys - SoftKeys v3.06

SoftKeys provides on screen keys for menu/home/back/search for devices that don't have those keys in hardware.
SoftKeys is also available in the Android Market
If you want to make themes for SoftKeys you will need the tools to build apks (eclipse/android sdk/etc) and the template from the git repository.
http://git.hoopajoo.net
Changelog:
2011/01/11 - 3.06 - Fix notification keys, boot straight to launcher on system startup
2011/01/11 - 3.05 - Fix notification softkeys <b>broken release</b>
2011/01/10 - 3.04 - Adds dpad and up to 6 custom keys, ability to put device
to sleep, improved performance for key injection, built in documentation, bugfixes
2010/12/23 - 3.00 - Most of the layout code has been rewritten to allow for theming, couple of bug fixes, SoftKeys is now gpl3
-----
Old Changelog (I'm too lazy to reorder this newest to oldest):
2010/12/04 - 1.01 - added launcher selector and remembers last launcher
2010/12/04 - 1.02 - added themes layouts from nemith, looks more like his screenshots but the spinner text is still black so the launcher chooser is hard to read, hopefully I'll have some time to fiddle with that soon
2010/12/04 - 1.03 - My fingers are too fat, I made everything in to image buttons and moved the launcher config to a prefs screen, if anyone has nicer icons let me know these are repurposed from generic android icons
2010/12/05 - 1.04 - Added alternate long-press soft home key for secondary launcher like if you want to use the built-in nook home, added configurable options for what to do if you tap or double tap the nook button while in the softkeys screen, long press on menu/back sends an extra back to the app before sending the requested button for apps that bring up pause screens or something when you move them to the background (angry birds, etc)
2010/12/05 - 1.05 - Integrated the dark theme from nemith, you can choose it in prefs now. Added options to disable the "exit" and "configure" buttons. If you disable "configure" you can still get to the preferences using the "menu" button in the notification bar (e.g. the normal menu button)
2010/12/05 - 1.06 - fix broken key handling, menu and back didn't work, don't use 1.05
2010/12/06 - 1.07 - add recent applications to top of the screen since we don't have a long-press-home recent apps dialog, looking in to re-ordering the buttons next
2010/12/07 - 1.08 - This release adds options to re-order the softkeys, insert soft keys in to the notification area, disable the recent apps list, long press the background to configure if you lost the configure button, and some options for changing the background to dim/blurred/none (note: the notification soft keys show up in the notification area, not in the main status bar like the nook menu/back, I can't put things there as an application you would need to modify system jars to get this effect)
2010/12/07 - v1.09 - Default to non-blurred background and added note about slowness, added option to return to softkeys after pressing back button
2010/12/08 - v1.10 - Selecting "SoftKeys" for your single-press home action will make it so if you launch softkeys, it will go to the launcher unless you hit home again, e.g. single-press home to go to launcher anywhere, double-press home to go to softkeys
2010/12/13 - v2.00 - This adds a new service overlay that is displayed above all apps allowing softkeys to be sent without having to mess with the home button. Default home key behavior has changed to be single click home from anywhere goes to your default launcher, double click home to get to the old softkeys interface. I'm still fiddling with service panel layouts and ideas so things will probably change, I just wanted to get some testing with something simple.
2010/12/17 - v2.01 - The service panel can now be dragged around the screen, you can change it from horizontal to vertial by long pressing it, you can adjust the transparency of the panel and the icon size, and also control if it closes after sending key events. If you don't want the dialog background on the panel you can disable it to just have floating buttons. NOTE: the signing certificate has changed to a release cert, you will need to uninstall the old softkeys before installing this one
2010/12/17 - v2.02 - Now you can move the button that brings up softkeys service, slightly better handling for switching horizontal/vertical layout by long press
veeerrry nice man!
Thanks! I agree with you - I didn't want to permanently re-assign the volume buttons, as I use them in some apps.
One request, if possible ) - Is there any way to make it go to launcher pro (or whatever you want as default) when pressing "Home" in the app? Right now, it asks me to "Pick Home" every time.
ddenson said:
Thanks! I agree with you - I didn't want to permanently re-assign the volume buttons, as I use them in some apps.
One request, if possible ) - Is there any way to make it go to launcher pro (or whatever you want as default) when pressing "Home" in the app? Right now, it asks me to "Pick Home" every time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never personally use the "home" button, I use the quick drawer thing in the notification bar, so I don't really use a launcher. I could probably quickly add a button just for an alternate home or use last home I guess/choose new home I guess. I'll see what I can do. I've also though about adding arrow soft keys, for using in like connectbot, is there any interest in that?
There are also other minor irritating things, like apps that exit when they are not in focus will not work with this hack. For example, monkey kick (a game my son loves to play) will exit if it's not in focus so it never receives the soft keys. I suppose it doesn't matter though since it doesn't use the screen completely anyway, so he just gets to play on my old g1
bpk said:
I never personally use the "home" button, I use the quick drawer thing in the notification bar, so I don't really use a launcher. I could probably quickly add a button just for an alternate home or use last home I guess/choose new home I guess. I'll see what I can do. I've also though about adding arrow soft keys, for using in like connectbot, is there any interest in that?
There are also other minor irritating things, like apps that exit when they are not in focus will not work with this hack. For example, monkey kick (a game my son loves to play) will exit if it's not in focus so it never receives the soft keys. I suppose it doesn't matter though since it doesn't use the screen completely anyway, so he just gets to play on my old g1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks again. Using the last home would be great, if that's possible. I don't personally have any use for additional buttons, but maybe someone else can comment? Rgds.
Awesome.
Code would be cool it would be nice to have them popup at the bottom of the screen like when you press the menu button in an app.
Also to take a screen shot you hold the 'n' button and tap the Vol - button. If you have as much trouble as I did with this method, you can also install drocap2 (root required) which does nice job.
awesome app. its perfect! great replacement until someone does the sidebar buttons like the ones available for the archos
nice work... now if you can make this pop up on the bottom of the screen with a black background like the archos tablets it would be awesome...
thank you, this is a great work around
I put the source up at
http: // git.hoopajoo.net
(take out the spaces I can't post links apparently)
That page has a list of my public git urls available, the last one is SoftKeys
if anyone wants to check it out, I'm currently looking at remembering the last launcher picked and defaulting to that for people that use launchers.
-- the rest of this is just for people looking in to the source, to provide some background to why I did it this way and alternate ideas I had --
If any devs look at it I thought I'd post some of my reasons for doing it this way:
1) I looked at creating a custom init service bound to a keycode at first, this would have made it so you didn't need superuser but would have required modifying your ramdisk. Even just making a daemon and communicating through some kind of pipe would require modifying the ramdisk to get it in init. In the end I abandoned the idea because it seemed easier for most normal people to just install an apk.
2) I looked at binding this to the camera button and remapping it in the keylayout, that would preserve the default home screen selections, but would require modifying a file in your /system/ so people would need to adb their stuff. Again I thought an apk would be easier and adding in shell commands would just complicate things for people and I'm not very good at support
3) I spent a LOT of time looking through git repos from aosp to find out if there was some way to bind to the long-press home and take over the recent apps list, since it doesn't even work. This would preserve your home settings and not even remove an existing function. After several hours grepping through the core.git stuff I decided this was just easier to do. If figured good enough is usually good enough. Though if someone can figure this out it would be sweet.
4) I really was hoping that we could just pull whatever archos is doing since that seems ideal, completely soft buttons. However after downloading the aos firmware I found it was encrypted and apparently currently can only be decrypted by the devices using the public key stored on them somewhere and I'm not aware of anyone having dumped their system images yet.
Also I've been looking through the superuser source to see how they handle the popups, they do a good job of not killing the running app and being all around unobtrusive, doing it their way for the popup buttons would be really sweet since it never seems to break the currently running app.
Great except one thing!
I have LauncherPro so when I click the home button, it always gives me a choice between LauncherPro and the original home. Can you make it so I can set a default? I want to just go straight to launcher pro then I select home.
Pinesal said:
Great except one thing!
I have LauncherPro so when I click the home button, it always gives me a choice between LauncherPro and the original home. Can you make it so I can set a default? I want to just go straight to launcher pro then I select home.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The thread is one page long and your question was already discussed.
One page was too much reading?
How about double click home button for menu and hold the button for back? Just my 2 cents.
I have taken the source code and modified it to a be a row across the bottom of the screen, I think this looks a little bit better
Note the bar at the bottom of both. Ignore that ghosting on the second image.
If anyone is good at graphics I can use some images to create a fancier looking bottom bar.
kabi said:
How about double click home button for menu and hold the button for back? Just my 2 cents.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am going to play to play with doing stuff like this. For example. Press Home for the menu. Press Home again to make the meny disappear. Double tap home for menu. Long Press for back.
I think next on my plate is setting a default launcher application to use when you hit the soft Home button.
Here is the github respository for anyone interested: https://github.com/bennetb01/SoftKeys
I can't get this to install. The first one instaled fine but when I kick this off it says it will replace the first version then "application not installed" should I remove the first one manually?
Great work BTW. Thanks
lovelacer said:
I can't get this to install. The first one instaled fine but when I kick this off it says it will replace the first version then "application not installed" should I remove the first one manually?
Great work BTW. Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can uninstall the first one via the following:
Code:
adb uninstall net.hoopajoo.android.SoftKeys
Install the second one normally via:
Code:
adb install SoftKeys.apk
Interestingly enough the adb uninstall command resulted in a failure as well. I just uninstalled via long press at my app screen and was able to install via root explorer on the nook.
Thanks for the help though.
I do like those buttons, I'm not much for making things look nice, typically I just do back end stuff. If you want to rebase against head and post your git repo I'll merge those changes in to main.
I started using launcher pro and realized it does suck way too much to have to select your launcher every time. It's just 1 button press but I'm too lazy.
And for people re-installing, from adb you have to do:
adb install -r <APK>
Also to remove packages I use appremover, or you can use astro file manager with the package manager under the menu.
nemith said:
I have taken the source code and modified it to a be a row across the bottom of the screen, I think this looks a little bit better
Note the bar at the bottom of both. Ignore that ghosting on the second image.
If anyone is good at graphics I can use some images to create a fancier looking bottom bar.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks very much for this, sir.
About those images: what size do ya need? i can do them right now.
-K
I didn't want to start a new thread for this piece of information, so this looks like a good place to discuss it. My wife noticed that you can always access the back button by swiping from right to left across the notification toolbar. This worked on her non-root NC as well as my rooted one. Pretty cool!

[Q] want to change the recent app button to task manager

There are 3 buttons at the bottom left, back,home, and recent app.
Is it possible to change the recent app button to open the task manager.
Pressing the home button for few seconds just feels too slow.
I'm rooted and on overcome rom.
I heard android is all about customization, hope this is possible.
No reply,not possible at all?
Quite a good idea
I'll have a look
It may be easy may be hard
BroBot175 said:
Quite a good idea
I'll have a look
It may be easy may be hard
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, thank you!
I really dislike the recent app button. Its so useless n slow.
The task manager is the best way to switch app n close app.
Dear brobot 175
The main request is to have a instant access to the task manager.
which makes closing and switching task very fast and easy.
Eg. Playing angry birds, if wana exit, need to press back, tap the in game menu, exit, exit, a pop up appear, tap yes. Different app will have different method to exit. Very troublesome.
Press and hold the home button to fire up task manager and press the x is much faster and easier.
But its slow to wait, hope there is a faster way for it rather then touch and hold home button.
Pressing the mini tray is even slower so that's not an option.
Able to replace the recent app to task manager is great.
If that's not possible, I have another suggestion.
Is it possible to add a shortcut next to the screen shot button?
As far as i know, the screenshot button is not on stock honeycomb, its and added feature.
Seeing there's space for about 4 more shortcuts, adding a task manager will be super sweet.
What do you think?
i have had a play around a bit but i think the shortcuts for the miniapps are actually embedded in a java file
i cant understand much java so im kinda stuffed
i did however get the wifi on/off buttons to go in the taskbar but thats not really what you were asking i know :L
just on writing this i have just had an idea and i shall have another look at this tonight
cheerrs
BroBot175 said:
i have had a play around a bit but i think the shortcuts for the miniapps are actually embedded in a java file
i cant understand much java so im kinda stuffed
i did however get the wifi on/off buttons to go in the taskbar but thats not really what you were asking i know :L
just on writing this i have just had an idea and i shall have another look at this tonight
cheerrs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you manage to put a button on a taskbar to toggle wifi?
thats amazing!!
good luck with your research.
if you can make it an app, that can put shortcuts on the taskbar, it would be amazing, and make it an app in the market.
after closer observation, the taskbar can have at most 6 icons on the bottom left. since when in portrait, the space becomes small and only can accomodate 6.
right now 4 are permanently there. (back,home,recent app,screenshot)
if can add 2 more would be nice, a task manager, and one more say...volume control? (like the one in desktop window, click once and a bar appear for volume control)
ahahaha, i am already dreaming too much.
Aha yeah you are!
Well as I've said before in have no idea how to make a shortcut to taskmanager but the volume may be possible
I have tried making an app imitate the mini calculator so you can launch it from the miniapps bar but it hasn't worked so far :L overall nothing really works right now

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