App Request : Enable keypad backlight while screen is on - Hero, G2 Touch General

For any devs out there...
Would it or is it possible to develop an app that will keep the backlight on for the keypad ? i.e. On while the screen is on and go off when the screen goes off ?
In the dark its very annoying when using the Hero and having to fumble for the right key to press - Home, Back, Search etc.

i second that

well erm just press any key and the light will go on dude, you dont need an app for this

So you fumble and hit Home or even power off (to sleep) the screen when you only wanted to hit search or back.
Flicking the scroll wheel is the only way to light up the keys and not press the wrong one by mistake, but that tends to highlight a button, link etc... and sometimes if you hit the ball too hard, you select a screen element.
Still a pain and TBH not like any handset I used before. Backlight time out was always linked to screen time out.

You dont need to hit any key, just move the scroll wheel even slightly and lights come up. And it does need decent amount of pressure to press the scroll button, you wont accidentally press it.

er, yer, I know... but I don't want too

lets just say "even if it doesnt make sense to some people, WE want it!"
btw, there is one app "dark keys" that keeps the backlights of the keypads off all the time. this was made for the white G1. maybe it can simply be rewritten to make the reverse happen?

joemax said:
For any devs out there...
Would it or is it possible to develop an app that will keep the backlight on for the keypad ? i.e. On while the screen is on and go off when the screen goes off ?
In the dark its very annoying when using the Hero and having to fumble for the right key to press - Home, Back, Search etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
i'm beeing annoyed by the keys not being lit as well ...

Glad I'm not the only one

Yeah, I want it too. Thanks for bringing this up!

I think it's good idea, btw it looks cool at night. I want it too

Good idea. +1

So which dev is gong to earn a couple of $$, ££, €€ by writing this for each copy sold then ??

From what I can tell of the API docs (http://developer.android.com/reference/android/os/PowerManager.html, the SDK only allows for the keyboard backlight to be on in FULL_WAKE_LOCK state, meaning the screen will have to be full brightness.
So I don't think this request can be achieved by a pure SDK app.

How come it lights up at any screen brightness on the Hero ?
Surely its also a hardware call and not just an OS call ? These would be independent of Android and particular to each manufactures handset, else they would all be the same.
Not questioning you, but it would seem strange that its not addressable separately to the screen ???

joemax said:
How come it lights up at any screen brightness on the Hero ?
Surely its also a hardware call and not just an OS call ? These would be independent of Android and particular to each manufactures handset, else they would all be the same.
Not questioning you, but it would seem strange that its not addressable separately to the screen ???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm by no means an Android SDK expert, just posting what I found in a quick search round the docs. Happy to be proven wrong!
Lee

Of course - wasn't criticising at all

Might be able to dabble in the /sys/class/leds/ folder.
I'll take a look when I get in.
Not a dev though. Lol.

soulehmoo said:
Might be able to dabble in the /sys/class/leds/ folder.
I'll take a look when I get in.
Not a dev though. Lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correct.
echoing a value to:
/sys/devices/platform/i2c-adapter/i2c-0/0-0066/leds/button-backlight/brightness
through adb shell turns on the backlight.
I think an SDK app could be created as a service with a broadcast receiver listening for the power state changing that just writes a positive value to the file above.
Loads of similar examples here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=565015
I'll take this on, just about got it working.

Wicked thx
You are stars (especially fullerlee)
Don't make it too expensive though

Related

flash as flashlight

Is there a way to create a today plugin to use the camera's flash as a flashlight?
PLEASE READ the F*cking WIKI,
Here you go,
Yes, that is indeed its formal name, the "F*cking WIKI".
My app VJCandela might help (I recommend VJCandela lite).
Also, if you're asking the question, you probably also want to install VJLumos III on your Hermes. It's nice.
V
Lately I was making myself familiar with VJCandelaLite (pardon me, merely "Flashlight.exe" that I found somewhere) and ran into strange behavior. Further experiments revealed the following.
I created a shortcut in the Start Menu with intention to always launch VJCandelaLite this way because all hardware keys are already occupied. Now, if the shortcut is activated via the touch screen (finger or stylus), everything is OK. However if I use joystick keys to open the menu, scroll to the shortcut and start it, the flash just flashes briefly -- it's even hard to notice it. That's sad; the touch screen is always worth saving (too delicate for me), hardware keys are way better.
Then I discovered that if the flash has successfully turned on, any keypress turns it off immediately Only afterwards I found vijay555's homepage and things got a bit clearer. The rest is simple logic.
I believe that VJCandelaLite should start checking keys not immediately but after some time -- say, 500 ms. Is there a need for very short flashes anyway?
Windkracht13 said:
PLEASE READ the F*cking WIKI,
Here you go,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
haha i second that.
Windkracht13 said:
PLEASE READ the F*cking WIKI,
Here you go,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well said lol
I've found that a white image on the front screen illuminates better than using the flash. Just an FYI.
saimhe said:
I created a shortcut in the Start Menu with intention to always launch VJCandelaLite this way because all hardware keys are already occupied. Now, if the shortcut is activated via the touch screen (finger or stylus), everything is OK. However if I use joystick keys to open the menu, scroll to the shortcut and start it, the flash just flashes briefly -- it's even hard to notice it. That's sad; the touch screen is always worth saving (too delicate for me), hardware keys are way better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try holding the middle button in. You'll find it stays on.
Doom Tints said:
I've found that a white image on the front screen illuminates better than using the flash. Just an FYI.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hehe i love sarcasm..
N2A said:
Try holding the middle button in.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Excellent! Thank you, it works.

X1 Manual now online!

X1 manual is now online.
At first I was alarmed - no button for switching UI orientation between portrait and landscape! But then I looked a little more and I see you can assign a button to perform that function.
Otherwise reasonably obvious WinMo stuff...
The attached zip needs the file extension to .rar in order to extract it - its the manual for your viewing pleasure.
But then I looked a little more and I see you can assign a button to perform that function.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
can u tell me where did you find that in the manual?
*edit*
I've found it.
NZtechfreak said:
At first I was alarmed - no button for switching UI orientation between portrait and landscape! But then I looked a little more and I see you can assign a button to perform that function.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh hooray... You can do the same thing on a Tilt. That's quite disappointing, that a phone of this caliber can't even set something up where you can rotate the screen out of the box, you need to remap one of the buttons to do it.
Black93300ZX said:
Oh hooray... You can do the same thing on a Tilt. That's quite disappointing, that a phone of this caliber can't even set something up where you can rotate the screen out of the box, you need to remap one of the buttons to do it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is called customization. lol...
samy.3660 said:
That is called customization. lol...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly, so screen rotation isn't standard, it needs to be customized on a phone that's almost into the triple digits of cost (USD). That's not called customization, that's called pathetic.
yep, pathetic
nap007 said:
yep, pathetic
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why is this pathetic? They have given you a way to customise a button for this purpose. If you want it, its there, if you don't need it, it doesn't get in your way.
I think you just want to have that dedicated button to justify your purpose. Now THAT is pathetic.
^ so you joined here
now ask yourself, why did Samsung, HTC Apple and even Nokia give accelerometers to their device (which some people even found they're annoying)? why not just a customizable button like you said?
now ask yourself is there any reasonable reason why SE put away the button that was supposed to be screen orientation button?
and the damn on screen keyboard, gosh, I'm speechless...
What is the light sensor for?? Maybe it can act as a function to rotate the screen(like what it did for n82).... but this is not seen in the video demostration.
@nap007, I've been lurking here for some time already, but joined in just to reply to your comment.
Adding a feature as a marketing gimmick is one thing. The accelerometer is not really that useful in its current implementation. I do applaud SE's decision to make the screen rotation customisable to any softkey, as opposed to having a dedicated button of limited use.
nap007 said:
^ so you joined here
now ask yourself, why did Samsung, HTC Apple and even Nokia give accelerometers to their device (which some people even found they're annoying)? why not just a customizable button like you said?
now ask yourself is there any reasonable reason why SE put away the button that was supposed to be screen orientation button?
and the damn on screen keyboard, gosh, I'm speechless...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You ALSO been here ONLY for a couple of weeks. People here are inerested in the Xperia, and looking for info or help.
If you think is pathetic, what is your decision? Are you getting something else? I don't understand why you hang around here, instead to welcome new people and contribute, you discharge your personal frustrations.
.
gvino said:
What is the light sensor for?? Maybe it can act as a function to rotate the screen(like what it did for n82).... but this is not seen in the video demostration.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Welcome gvino you are in right place.
Xperia has 4 lcd lights one in every corner. You can set each one to alert you for up to 12 different event.
That's cool. Very nice touch from SE.
Pinguino1 said:
You ALSO been here ONLY for a couple of weeks. People here are inerested in the Xperia, and looking for info or help.
If you think is pathetic, what is your decision? Are you getting something else? I don't understand why you hang around here, instead to welcome new people and contribute, you discharge your personal frustrations.
.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
funny how you didn't say anything to BLACK93300ZX, as I was only agreed with him
I didnt know it had a built in stylus...Excellent!
The problem as I see it is that the actual button is gone; which button are we supposed to assign our custom request to? Panels? Call end? There are no frigging buttons to assign anything to!
bloob said:
@nap007, I've been lurking here for some time already, but joined in just to reply to your comment.
Adding a feature as a marketing gimmick is one thing. The accelerometer is not really that useful in its current implementation. I do applaud SE's decision to make the screen rotation customisable to any softkey, as opposed to having a dedicated button of limited use.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
mkent_barbados said:
The problem as I see it is that the actual button is gone; which button are we supposed to assign our custom request to? Panels? Call end? There are no frigging buttons to assign anything to!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly! There should be a specific key that one could program for this. Customization is good, but a specific button should be there.
In the latest prototype models there was usually a Funciton Key mentioned on the left side of the device. Maybe this manual does not mention that 'cos it was written before that decision or something? It does say "This is a DRAFT publication". Let's hope that this is the case.
As shown in the manual, there are 2 softkeys, labelled as Selection Keys, immediately below the screen, one on the left and other on the right. As far as I can see, these softkeys are not specifically assigned to any particular functions.
One could say that these softkeys could correspond to options show on screen immediately above, but you could just press the options on the screen anyway, so quite redundant in this premise.
Thus, these 2 softkeys can be permanently assigned to function as the screen rotation button, if you so desire. SE may well even default one of these softkeys to be the screen rotation button for production units.
The manual we have now is not yet complete, and we'll have to see the production one to see for sure.
I really don't see what's the problem and fuss here.
nap007 said:
funny how you didn't say anything to BLACK93300ZX, as I was only agreed with him
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok nap007, is your opinion and you have the right to it. But don't tell me to go after everyone on this site. Friends?
I got news about the FCC TEST REPORT.
the USA version was approved and the 3G bands is 1900.
AT&T people should be happy.
https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/oet/forms/blobs/retrieve.cgi?attachment_id=1011331&native_or_pdf=pdf
bloob said:
As shown in the manual, there are 2 softkeys, labelled as Selection Keys, immediately below the screen, one on the left and other on the right. As far as I can see, these softkeys are not specifically assigned to any particular functions.
One could say that these softkeys could correspond to options show on screen immediately above, but you could just press the options on the screen anyway, so quite redundant in this premise.
Thus, these 2 softkeys can be permanently assigned to function as the screen rotation button, if you so desire. SE may well even default one of these softkeys to be the screen rotation button for production units.
The manual we have now is not yet complete, and we'll have to see the production one to see for sure.
I really don't see what's the problem and fuss here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
YEAH, I am sure I saw a youtube video where the person very clearly puts the finger at the bottom to rotate the screen. At the time I thought if was a touch on the screen, now I believe it was the left soft key.
Yes, that video is of Magnus himself doing a demo for journalists. He did press the left-side softkey to rotate the screen, because someone asked him whether you could rotate the screen without opening the keyboard. Well, there you have it.

change Button LEDs

Hi there,
can anyone explain me how to get access to the control of the "Button LEDs"?
I know there must be a way because in Android those LEDs are glowing for example when you touch a button. At WM they only glow if you PRESS a button or touch the scroll wheel.
Thank you in advance
+1 here, that would be a nice option too
OK, what exactly do you all want? Buttons that light up on touch? is that all?
I'm brainstorming on ideas for my next version of X-Sense, so.... be creative!
Cheers
shirreer said:
OK, what exactly do you all want? Buttons that light up on touch? is that all?
I'm brainstorming on ideas for my next version of X-Sense, so.... be creative!
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That would be a first step. The default settings (light up all LEDs on button press or on scroll wheel touch) is just stupid.
The next step could be something like use the sensors on the buttons as extra buttons or use the LEDs as indicatiors for diffrent stuff. The scroll wheel for example seems to have 3 or more diffrent LEDs as Backlight. This could be used to indicate the battery status.
shirreer said:
OK, what exactly do you all want? Buttons that light up on touch? is that all?
I'm brainstorming on ideas for my next version of X-Sense, so.... be creative!
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Customizable options for the so the lights can follow your touch when scrolling ?
Not practical but it would look good
But how could we interact with the sensors?
I dont think they land somewhere in the message queue of windows mobil. I think we have to rewrite the driver which is responsible for them. But maybe I'm wrong, because I don't have a lot of experience with the windows Mobil API. I prefer managed code like C#.
As far as I understand, the center of the dpad is the only part of the hardware that has the capability of sensing when you touch it. The only way you are gonna get the other buttons to respond is with a button press unless you modify the hardware.
try the latest version of xdandroid. if u thouch for example the back key, it glows.
so, no. every button has a sensor on it
Just so we're all on the same page, the entire area below the screen is a touchpad, it is sensitive to touch & motion - there is an app that implements this very nicely as both a touchpad and touch launcher/Task Mgr. My xsense app already interacts with button lights to show several events (i.e. stylus out, volume profiles).
freaksey said:
try the latest version of xdandroid. if u thouch for example the back key, it glows.
so, no. every button has a sensor on it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
shirreer said:
Just so we're all on the same page, the entire area below the screen is a touchpad, it is sensitive to touch & motion - there is an app that implements this very nicely as both a touchpad and touch launcher/Task Mgr. My xsense app already interacts with button lights to show several events (i.e. stylus out, volume profiles).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK Sorry! I have the cdma diamond on sprint so I didn't know the other versions(gsm) had touch sensative buttons! My d-pad is that way but the others are not. Forgive my ignorance.
Y'all should check this app out; I'm not in league with the developer, but I recognize his talent on this one. Its an amazing app that does all of the above and more - and there's a trial version:
http://mobilesrc.com/gscroll2.aspx
this app looks nice.
Is anyone out their who can explain me how to catch the events of button-touch area?
freaksey said:
this app looks nice.
Is anyone out their who can explain me how to catch the events of button-touch area?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google for Koushik's sensors.dll library; it comes with sample apps etc...
in his libary is only a event for the rotation of the scroll wheel...
touch lock pro
As I know, app called "Touch lock pro" can do some settings with the ring LED's, so this can be the way

configure optical button

Is there a way to configure the optical button on the htc incredible so that clicking it wakes the phone up (like pressing the top button)? I'm looking for functionality thats a little bit similar to how the iphone wakes up since I find that button at the bottom much more accessible than the button on the top.
id be interested in this as well. The top button isnt very intuitive to me
Search the market for "lock screen" or "lockscreen" or just "lock" (or maybe "button"? I thought there was a button switcher app too).
Many of the 3rd party lock apps will bring up the lock screen by pressing one or more of the physical buttons (volume, camera, etc). I bet at least one of them comes on with the optical button.
it has been done on the nexus one with the trackball. i think you need root access or at lease custom rom.
Ok, I found this.
http://androidforums.com/htc-incredible/69443-using-optical-trackpad-button-wake-phone.html
Try the "lockbot" app. It is probably about all that is available right now, but the Incredible will be extremely popular. There will be more hacks/tweaks/apps/whatever for this device than any to date, I suspect.
Humpa said:
Ok, I found this.
http://androidforums.com/htc-incredible/69443-using-optical-trackpad-button-wake-phone.html
Try the "lockbot" app. It is probably about all that is available right now, but the Incredible will be extremely popular. There will be more hacks/tweaks/apps/whatever for this device than any to date, I suspect.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the heads up. And I agree I think we are going to see a whole new level of geek with this phone
"myLock" in advance mode.
Great app, and thank you for the info. I was looking the same solution.
Mylock works great. Although I did have one occurence of it locking up the phone.
-------------------------------------
Sent via the XDA Tapatalk App
daftlush said:
"myLock" in advance mode.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you talking about the app called myLock auto unlock? I am not finding an advanced mode or way to get in advanced mode. Care to explain a little more? and this is able to make it so you can use the trackpad to wake/unlock the phone?
NoLock works for this as well but I wish there was a way to allow the optical pad to work without allowing the volume buttons to work at the same time.
Tried myLock just now and both seem like good apps.
re
GrandMasterB said:
Thanks for the heads up. And I agree I think we are going to see a whole new level of geek with this phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
just wondering why you sport the "Big Black" avatar?
And to those who think im being racist by calling him "Big Black", its his name on the Reality TV show with rob dyrdeck.

[DEV REQUEST] WinMo "Right-Click" function

The right-click function mentioned in the topic would be an amazing feature to have in any android build. Being able to hold down on the screen for a second to bring up the menu is invaluable. Not to mention the amount of stress it would save on the Windows button..
Now this is only a request for the development of an idea I had for the current android builds. I do not expect anything to be done about it, only taken into consideration. If the work involved is too heavy and difficult to manage, then it doesn't have to be done. There are already MIUI builds that somewhat incorporate this idea.
whats wrong with pressing the windows button?
Some people have it in theur minds that pressing the keys too much will break them. Don't see why, if that happens you can't just buy a new set of keys from eBay to replace them...
Sent from my HTC HD2 using Tapatalk
Personally, I'd like to see someone develop a way of using the hardware keys to control the touchscreen. I'm really worried that, because of Android, I'm using my touchscreen more than it was designed for and I'm going to break it.
lol, yeah these people who break the hardware keys are obviously pressing them to hard or something. My HD2 is second hand, ive used it very often with the keys and they still work fine.
The keys are there to be pressed, its as simple as that.
have you seen software key panel app;http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=865525
it brings in the screen 4 software button that emulate the hardware button
no need to press anymore the hardware button
if you search in the thread you will find some very good skins for this great app
Stom said:
Personally, I'd like to see someone develop a way of using the hardware keys to control the touchscreen. I'm really worried that, because of Android, I'm using my touchscreen more than it was designed for and I'm going to break it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it is easier to break hardware buttons by too many times pressing them instead of break touchscreen from pressing
many people like me have broke their buttons because of the need that android have of them
clio94 said:
have you seen software key panel app;http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=865525
it brings in the screen 4 software button that emulate the hardware button
no need to press anymore the hardware button
if you search in the thread you will find some very good skins for this great app
it is easier to break hardware buttons by too many times pressing them instead of break touchscreen from pressing
many people like me have broke their buttons because of the need that android have of them
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think that was dripping sarcasm from his part.
maff1989 said:
The right-click function mentioned in the topic would be an amazing feature to have in any android build. Being able to hold down on the screen for a second to bring up the menu is invaluable. Not to mention the amount of stress it would save on the Windows button..
Now this is only a request for the development of an idea I had for the current android builds. I do not expect anything to be done about it, only taken into consideration. If the work involved is too heavy and difficult to manage, then it doesn't have to be done. There are already MIUI builds that somewhat incorporate this idea.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android already uses long-click in a lot of situations, I'm not sure how your idea would be able to co-exist with that.
StephanV said:
Android already uses long-click in a lot of situations, I'm not sure how your idea would be able to co-exist with that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's true. Although, my idea was to ADD a long-click/right-click function to, say, the Browser app. Instead of long-clicking a link, picture, etc, you could long-click the page and bring up the options menu for the Browser app, not necessarily just links, pictures, etc.
maff1989 said:
my idea was to ADD a long-click/right-click function to, say, the Browser app. Instead of long-clicking a link, picture, etc, you could long-click the page and bring up the options menu for the Browser app, not necessarily just links, pictures, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That could not be done on a system-wide basis. Every single app would have to specifiy what part of each screen brings up the "right-click menu" and what should be on that menu.
If they were going to do that, they'd have done it already. And that is what the menu button is for.

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