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Is it possible to create shortcuts on the home screen to point directly to specific settings?
E.G. I would like a shortcut to the USB utitlites setting (Settings>Wireless and network>USB Utilities) for when I want to plug my usb cable in to transfer files.
I'd also like a shortcut to the Wi-Fi settings (Settings>Wireless and network>Wi-Fi settings) to scan and switch network quickly.
You can add shortcuts to the 1st tier of settings, but not below. Other than that, you're looking for a 3rd party app that acts as a shortcut, or Launcher Pro may be able to do it by adding activities as shortcuts.
Thanks johnc. Can you explain how I can set a shortcut to the first tier of settings.
This is my first Android phone and I have only had it for 3 weeks but the more I use it the more unfinished Android is looking. There are just so many basic usability functions that are missing within the core apps. It seems you need to tack 2-3 3rd party apps on everything to make it work properly.
sunseaker said:
Thanks johnc. Can you explain how I can set a shortcut to the first tier of settings.
This is my first Android phone and I have only had it for 3 weeks but the more I use it the more unfinished Android is looking. There are just so many basic usability functions that are missing within the core apps. It seems you need to tack 2-3 3rd party apps on everything to make it work properly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once you get more used to it you'll be fine. There's obviously a learning curve, but it's well worth it as Android allows you to do so much, but yes, usually with the help of an app or two.
Anyway, to add a settings shortcut, long-hold on your home screen and in the pop-up menu, select "Shortcuts". Then, scroll down and select "Settings". That will give you your settings menu and you can then add anything off that menu to your home screen.
That's instructions for doing it with the TouchWiz launcher, which is the default launcher on stock devices. If you have a different launcher then it may be slightly different, but that's generally it for all of them.
Hope this helps mate
So out of habit from my PC, I have often pressed the "search" key and "tab" when trying to switch apps, obviously not doing anything. So I messed around for a sec, and realized that pressing "Alt" and then "Tab" brings up an app switching mode, very identical to Windows! I don't know if this was common knowledge, but it seriously made me fall in love with this thing all over again! Thought someone might find this helpful.
Most keyboard shortcuts found in Windows work in their related Android counterparts. For instance, in the stock browser CTRL+T opens a new tab, CTRL+R reloads a page etc. Copy & pasting works with CTRL+C/V in programs like Polaris Office, etc.
Some apps don't have keyboard shortcut support, but most Google apps do and a lot of top tier apps also support keyboard shortcuts.
Hey all,
I've thought up what I think is a good idea for Samsung's "Smart App Challenge". As you can probably guess by the forum this is in, this would be primarily an S-Pen app, although you could use it without one. I would make this app myself, but have no experience writing apps and if I were to take the time to learn (which I do plan on doing), the contest will be over. *End rambling* Here's the idea:
Have an app that allows the user to press the side button of the pen (or maybe use some other shortcut, eg long press menu, home, etc). This would make whatever you're doing fade and you can write on the screen with your pen. You can assign different symbols or drawings or whatever to perform different actions, such as launching apps, opening bookmarks, changing settings, etc.
It's sort of a cross between "Activator" on jailbroken iOS and "Lost Magic" for the DS. I'm sure this has been thought of before, but no one (to my knowledge) has ever actually done it. Not sure if anyone has the ability to write something like this, but if you do and are looking for an idea, I think this has potential.
Thoughts?
Sounds like a decent idea to me, assuming you use the SPen a lot. I've used mine just a handful of times personally, but your idea makes some sense to me. Gestures for screenshot, specific apps, etc, sounds like a good idea.
I won't be using a TW based ROM any more, so unless the SPen stuff can be compiled into CM9/CM10 I won't be seeing your app but good luck
Thanks for the feedback! Alternatively, you could do this without an s-pen, allowing you to set up different gestures and actions to trigger different events or change different settings.
For example:
Let's say you use your phone as a flashlight a lot, and want to make it easier to access on your non-cm/aokp based rom. Theoretically, you could set long-pressing the home button to turn your flash on. (Or, using the s-pen, you could press the side button and draw a circle or a lightbulb or something.) I know there are a lot of launchers that incorporate simple gesture recognition, but this would have a broader application, changing the way we interact with our phones. Another example, you could set s-pen input to only be used for gestures. So if you wanted to turn your flashlight on, you simply pull out your s-pen and write "light" or draw the gesture of your choosing on the screen and your flashlight turns on. There are so many ways people could potentially do things, and I think there should be an app that focuses on tailoring your phone to best suit your own personal needs.
xxBrun0xx said:
Hey all,
I've thought up what I think is a good idea for Samsung's "Smart App Challenge". As you can probably guess by the forum this is in, this would be primarily an S-Pen app, although you could use it without one. I would make this app myself, but have no experience writing apps and if I were to take the time to learn (which I do plan on doing), the contest will be over. *End rambling* Here's the idea:
Have an app that allows the user to press the side button of the pen (or maybe use some other shortcut, eg long press menu, home, etc). This would make whatever you're doing fade and you can write on the screen with your pen. You can assign different symbols or drawings or whatever to perform different actions, such as launching apps, opening bookmarks, changing settings, etc.
It's sort of a cross between "Activator" on jailbroken iOS and "Lost Magic" for the DS. I'm sure this has been thought of before, but no one (to my knowledge) has ever actually done it. Not sure if anyone has the ability to write something like this, but if you do and are looking for an idea, I think this has potential.
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are several gesture-based app but here's one that pretty much does what you are suggesting.
My Gesture Shortcut Launcher
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsInNvbmcueS5qLm15Z2VzdHVyZSJd
xxBrun0xx said:
Hey all,
I've thought up what I think is a good idea for Samsung's "Smart App Challenge". As you can probably guess by the forum this is in, this would be primarily an S-Pen app, although you could use it without one. I would make this app myself, but have no experience writing apps and if I were to take the time to learn (which I do plan on doing), the contest will be over. *End rambling* Here's the idea:
Have an app that allows the user to press the side button of the pen (or maybe use some other shortcut, eg long press menu, home, etc). This would make whatever you're doing fade and you can write on the screen with your pen. You can assign different symbols or drawings or whatever to perform different actions, such as launching apps, opening bookmarks, changing settings, etc.
It's sort of a cross between "Activator" on jailbroken iOS and "Lost Magic" for the DS. I'm sure this has been thought of before, but no one (to my knowledge) has ever actually done it. Not sure if anyone has the ability to write something like this, but if you do and are looking for an idea, I think this has potential.
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's kind of like the lock screen gestures on cm7, which I really miss, but having it anywhere would be awesome. Great idea!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda app-developers app
ArborRes said:
There are several gesture-based app but here's one that pretty much does what you are suggesting.
My Gesture Shortcut Launcher
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsInNvbmcueS5qLm15Z2VzdHVyZSJd
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This looks pretty sweet. Had no idea this existed, but looks interesting. What it has that I don't really like is that big green "G" that's always sitting on top of what you're doing (from what I gather reading the description). I think we need a more elegant way to activate the system.
I've been using my HOX+ for almost six months now, fairly light use but I'm mostly happy with it. I'm still running unrooted stock, just installed the official 4.2.2 update. This is my first real smartphone, I had an unsubsidized $100 3.14" Android smartphone last year that I don't think really qualifies.
The big complaint I have with the jump to a 4.7" screen is that one-handed use is uncomfortable and requires me to stretch to reach the corners, where the buttons are often stupidly located, or sometimes even to slide the phone up and down in my hand to make the buttons accessible, not exactly easy to do with one hand without dropping the phone. I would really like a phone that is comfortable to use one-handed, but I don't want to compromise by buying a smaller screen phone, say 4.3" or god forbid the 4" size of the iPhone, as I'm not exactly thrilled with the "looking through a keyhole" quality of 4.7" either.
I think the right solution would be a thumbwheel UI in the bottom right corner, placed in the arc right where my thumb is, so I can use it one-handed with my thumb and not have to reach with my fingers. As long as it let me virtually hit all the buttons on the screen, even native app buttons like the menu button at the top or the tab switcher button at the top in Chrome, I could even buy a phablet if there was something like this, maybe a 5.5+ inch screen that I could use comfortably one-handed with just my thumb in the bottom-right corner.
The closest thing I've been able to find like this is the Splay launcher, but I don't think such launchers actually let me control menus within apps, only launch apps. This guy wrote a small app earlier this year to do something similar, seems to be a great article talking about the idea but I don't think that effort went anywhere.
Is there any effort within the xda community to integrate a one-handed control interface like this? This is a feature that would actually make me root and install a ROM, as I haven't had the need to go to the trouble yet. I'd love to see an effort like this on Android, wonder what everyone else thinks.
joakim_one said:
I've been using my HOX+ for almost six months now, fairly light use but I'm mostly happy with it. I'm still running unrooted stock, just installed the official 4.2.2 update. This is my first real smartphone, I had an unsubsidized $100 3.14" Android smartphone last year that I don't think really qualifies.
The big complaint I have with the jump to a 4.7" screen is that one-handed use is uncomfortable and requires me to stretch to reach the corners, where the buttons are often stupidly located, or sometimes even to slide the phone up and down in my hand to make the buttons accessible, not exactly easy to do with one hand without dropping the phone. I would really like a phone that is comfortable to use one-handed, but I don't want to compromise by buying a smaller screen phone, say 4.3" or god forbid the 4" size of the iPhone, as I'm not exactly thrilled with the "looking through a keyhole" quality of 4.7" either.
I think the right solution would be a thumbwheel UI in the bottom right corner, placed in the arc right where my thumb is, so I can use it one-handed with my thumb and not have to reach with my fingers. As long as it let me virtually hit all the buttons on the screen, even native app buttons like the menu button at the top or the tab switcher button at the top in Chrome, I could even buy a phablet if there was something like this, maybe a 5.5+ inch screen that I could use comfortably one-handed with just my thumb in the bottom-right corner.
The closest thing I've been able to find like this is the Splay launcher, but I don't think such launchers actually let me control menus within apps, only launch apps. This guy wrote a small app earlier this year to do something similar, seems to be a great article talking about the idea but I don't think that effort went anywhere.
Is there any effort within the xda community to integrate a one-handed control interface like this? This is a feature that would actually make me root and install a ROM, as I haven't had the need to go to the trouble yet. I'd love to see an effort like this on Android, wonder what everyone else thinks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A "Whole" UI made especially for one hand usage? Well I know the second best solution.
Install "Pie Controls" and assign it to any corner/side of the screen, it will allow you to launch apps but for the function that you want, you will need to root. Once you are rooted PIE has extra features like "Back, Home, Sleep, Menu, Recent Apps" ..etc.
A Second best is "LMT" launcher ALSO requires root. Once you have it, you will be able to have PIE Controls as well, PLUS a unique feature to have gestures working in all screens. You can swipe down to bring up the notification bar or swipe up for recent apps. The reason i put it as second best was because I don't really like it ..
Ofcourse there are normal launchers , like nova launcher ..etc. that allows you to swipe down to bring up the notifications but sadly that only works on the home screen.
There are also ROMS like AOKP (For us Carbon rom or something similar) which has a stock feeling but extra buttons in the Power menu. When you hold down the power menu , under the normal "Power off, restart, screenshot, airplane" you will also find "Back, Home, Recent apps"
I honestly think that PIE Controls is the best app to have out of them all since it works on all ROMs . Though for full features you should buy the Pro version.
P.S: All apps that you are looking for will require ROOT access.
Ghand0ur said:
A "Whole" UI made especially for one hand usage? Well I know the second best solution.
Install "Pie Controls" and assign it to any corner/side of the screen, it will allow you to launch apps but for the function that you want, you will need to root. Once you are rooted PIE has extra features like "Back, Home, Sleep, Menu, Recent Apps" ..etc.
A Second best is "LMT" launcher ALSO requires root. Once you have it, you will be able to have PIE Controls as well, PLUS a unique feature to have gestures working in all screens. You can swipe down to bring up the notification bar or swipe up for recent apps. The reason i put it as second best was because I don't really like it ..
Ofcourse there are normal launchers , like nova launcher ..etc. that allows you to swipe down to bring up the notifications but sadly that only works on the home screen.
There are also ROMS like AOKP (For us Carbon rom or something similar) which has a stock feeling but extra buttons in the Power menu. When you hold down the power menu , under the normal "Power off, restart, screenshot, airplane" you will also find "Back, Home, Recent apps"
I honestly think that PIE Controls is the best app to have out of them all since it works on all ROMs . Though for full features you should buy the Pro version.
P.S: All apps that you are looking for will require ROOT access.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for all the info. I tried the Pie Control app by coolace based on your recommendation, but it didn't seem to do anything on my unrooted HOX+. I'll look into the other stuff you talked about.
joakim_one said:
Thanks for all the info. I tried the Pie Control app by coolace based on your recommendation, but it didn't seem to do anything on my unrooted HOX+. I'll look into the other stuff you talked about.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How didn't it function?
Well here is a good video that will help you install it : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBud1hk27Rw
Although to have full features you will require to BUY the pro version and root, the free version on an unrooted version should have some functions that will work like launching apps and other stuff. Try to clarify what you meant
Ghand0ur said:
How didn't it function?
Well here is a good video that will help you install it : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBud1hk27Rw
Although to have full features you will require to BUY the pro version and root, the free version on an unrooted version should have some functions that will work like launching apps and other stuff. Try to clarify what you meant
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I installed the app and set it to work on the left, right, and bottom, then configured two short-click apps in level 1. I would then long-press at those edges and nothing happened with pie control: HTC Sense would send me to widget configuration instead.
I just watched your video and he does a slight swipe from the edge, instead of the long-press I was trying. I just installed the app again and tried that on the home screen and within a couple other apps, again no pie controls. If I do it on the home screen, it starts to scroll to the next home screen, as it always did.
There may be something about HTC Sense that it's not giving control to the pie app for gestures, or maybe there's some other switch I have to hit somewhere to actually enable the pie gestures?
joakim_one said:
I installed the app and set it to work on the left, right, and bottom, then configured two short-click apps in level 1. I would then long-press at those edges and nothing happened with pie control: HTC Sense would send me to widget configuration instead.
I just watched your video and he does a slight swipe from the edge, instead of the long-press I was trying. I just installed the app again and tried that on the home screen and within a couple other apps, again no pie controls. If I do it on the home screen, it starts to scroll to the next home screen, as it always did.
There may be something about HTC Sense that it's not giving control to the pie app for gestures, or maybe there's some other switch I have to hit somewhere to actually enable the pie gestures?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh yeah I forgot to tell you. Although HOX+ and S3 have the same screen size, for the PIE to activate you just need to increase the activation area width. Just thought of installing Pie again after a while of not using it and just remembered. Now it's working fine
I remember there was a small bug of the activation area width being reset everytime you open the app if I can remember correctly. That or everytime you press on the activation width area. Can't really remember but my point is, while using the app if it suddenly doesnt appear anymore just increase the width again and it will work.
Sorry it took me a while to reply since I couldn't really remember
Sent from my HTC One x+ using XDA developers app
Ghand0ur said:
Oh yeah I forgot to tell you. Although HOX+ and S3 have the same screen size, for the PIE to activate you just need to increase the activation area width. Just thought of installing Pie again after a while of not using it and just remembered. Now it's working fine
I remember there was a small bug of the activation area width being reset everytime you open the app if I can remember correctly. That or everytime you press on the activation width area. Can't really remember but my point is, while using the app if it suddenly doesnt appear anymore just increase the width again and it will work.
Sorry it took me a while to reply since I couldn't really remember
Sent from my HTC One x+ using XDA developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, now it shows up. I'll mess around with it and let you know what I think.
My father has early onset Alzheimers and I need to create a rom that when the device is powered on all he sees is 3 buttons call, end call, and text which brings up the plain texting option. Call shows square photos of people and services..etc.. tap on one it calls that person. I Would also like to do things like change the power button so it cant fully shut down the phone with out a specific combination of buttons or a pattern. Where do I begin to learn how to do this? I would really like to learn to do this on my own.
Hi there. Sorry to hear about your father. I've had a couple members of my family suffer from this and it's difficult, to say the least. As far as what you are looking for, well, I'm not sure you need to go all in and make a custom rom for this. I think many of the things you are trying to do can be done with existing mods.
As far as the power button, you can look into using the Xposed Framework and the Xposed Additions module which allows you to customize the activity of the hardware buttons.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/xposed/framework-xposed-rom-modding-modifying-t1574401
http://forum.xda-developers.com/xposed/modules/mod-xposed-additions-t2294274
For the buttons on screen for Call / End Call - Well, the Call with a link to favorite contacts with pictures is easily done with most launchers or a favorite contact widget. The End Call option though, I'm not so sure about. Reason being is that any time you're going to make a call, it's going to open the dialer app and the end button will be there. I can't really think of a way around that. I looked into adding a shortcut to that activity with Nova Launcher, but it's not an option available (though there are a dozen other shortcuts).
But with a launcher like Nova, you will have the ability to add / delete anything off the main screen besides what you want. You can lock the home screen so he can't inadvertently make changes to it and enable a gesture he wouldn't be likely to use to allow you to access the app drawer (like 2 fingers swipe up, etc). You can also use one of the variety of locking apps that will prevent access to any unwanted apps by requiring a password or PIN.
Ooh. Custom ROMs. A lot of work for such simple need. Maybe use Tasker instead? You can accomplish this with a scene and some profiles/tasks setup on stock ROM. Only disadvantage I see compared to making your own rom is long boot time. You can bypass everything in regards to Android UI just by making the scene fullscreen and disabling keyguard with a on-boot profile. That way, when he turns the screen back on, it goes right to your scene setup with no "slide-to-unlock" crap. I am very experienced in Tasker, so if you need any help, I can help you. I'd be willing to develop this for you, it would be about a half hour on my part
All the best,
Sent from my SCH-I605 using XDA Free mobile app
Thanks for the suggestions, these are great places to start.