Database Users

How to switch btw apps quickly?

How to switch btw running apps quickly? For example, if I am listening to slacker while browsing the web and want to switch back quickly to change the song. I am new to winmo and I am trying to learn the ropes. I currently use the stock task manager to switch, but that is kind of a pain. Is the a mod or app that allows this. Please refrain from raging on the newb.

Arkswitch
I use Arkswitch, which is quite a handy tool and can be accessed easily by assigning a area on the screen, which upon tapping, brings up arkswitch task manager. Just search for it on XDA and you should find it or i guess you can also google for it.

good topic. i was wondering about this too but i would prefer to long-press the home key & have task manager or another app switching app come up... I'm still looking into it.

@rlee
that would be amazing

rlee008 said:
good topic. i was wondering about this too but i would prefer to long-press the home key & have task manager or another app switching app come up... I'm still looking into it.
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coming from Andriod?

kcaj32 said:
coming from Andriod?
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Lmao YUP! something's should be easy, even already thought of while they're compiling the Win Mobile software together. Why there is no native option to just remap a button to open something baffles me these days. I’ve searched much and all I can come up with is "try AEButton Plus or HButton" but they don’t seem to map the "home key" or some people have issues.... anyways, I don’t want to have an app running in my memory to just get this function to work. still searching...
rlee

rlee008 said:
Lmao YUP! something's should be easy, even already thought of while they're compiling the Win Mobile software together. Why there is no native option to just remap a button to open something baffles me these days. I’ve searched much and all I can come up with is "try AEButton Plus or HButton" but they don’t seem to map the "home key" or some people have issues.... anyways, I don’t want to have an app running in my memory to just get this function to work. still searching...
rlee
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had a G1 before this.... I still sometimes long press the home button on my HD2.... only to get to the home page....
Here is a Registry hack for the send key to bring up the task manager: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=612530

To use your "send" key to bring up Task Manager:
Settings > All settings > Personal > Buttons > Select Task Manager from "Assign a Program" drop-down menu (there's a scroll bar on the right, kind of hard to see at first)
Now when you hold your green button, the task manager will be brought up.

hawc1506 said:
To use your "send" key to bring up Task Manager:
Settings > All settings > Personal > Buttons > Select Task Manager from "Assign a Program" drop-down menu (there's a scroll bar on the right, kind of hard to see at first)
Now when you hold your green button, the task manager will be brought up.
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Click to collapse
No, that's to bring up the task manager. They're looking for an easy way to bring up the, um...task manager. LOL yeah I think it's stupid someone didn't come up with a different name for one of them
The cab below will bring up the ArkSwitch task manager (usually accessed by clicking the menu icon just to the right of the clock in the taskbar) when you long-press the send key.
It's from THIS list of great cabs/tweaks, which is also found in the sticky at the top of this forum section. There's also similar cabs there that will perform the same fuction, but with alternative task manager apps.

sirphunkee said:
No, that's to bring up the task manager. They're looking for an easy way to bring up the, um...task manager. LOL yeah I think it's stupid someone didn't come up with a different name for one of them
The cab below will bring up the ArkSwitch task manager (usually accessed by clicking the menu icon just to the right of the clock in the taskbar) when you long-press the send key.
It's from THIS list of great cabs/tweaks, which is also found in the sticky at the top of this forum section. There's also similar cabs there that will perform the same fuction, but with alternative task manager apps.
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Actually, with the task manager you can both close apps (by selecting it and hitting "Close") AND switch apps (by double-tapping on the app), so that would work perfectly.
Me, I usually just hit "Home" and most of the time the other app I want to load is on my quick list, if not, I'll just hit "Windows" instead.

dutty's task manager should do the trick.

jubeh said:
Actually, with the task manager you can both close apps (by selecting it and hitting "Close") AND switch apps (by double-tapping on the app), so that would work perfectly.
Me, I usually just hit "Home" and most of the time the other app I want to load is on my quick list, if not, I'll just hit "Windows" instead.
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+1, you can indeed switch between apps on the default Task Manager by double tapping on the program.

[Q] Stock 1.2: All apps showing up in app drawer?

I really like the really simple menu and app drawer that the stock 1.2 has, but it only shows the built in apps or ones downloaded from the BN app store.
Is there any way to force all the other apps I have installed to show up? I would prefer to have the default "Home" launcher instead of Zeam, etc.
Any ideas?

It looks like B&N has the list of applications it installs through the Shop app. So until someone finds that database and how to manually add apps you will need to install a third part launcher. You can search the market for a home switcher application in the meantime if you like the stock launcher

Yeah, I have a home switcher installed already.
I really hope someone finds a way to override that list of apps that show up soon.

Romp said:
Yeah, I have a home switcher installed already.
I really hope someone finds a way to override that list of apps that show up soon.
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A workaround was brought up in the Manual Rooter thread about this. Basically, the workaround (and I'm running it right now) is to push the old BN 1.1's applauncher.apk to your system/app (should probably back it up first) and when you press the "Extras" button choose "applauncher"... everything will show up. The upside is now you can use default "Home" button but the downside is that the "Extras" tab doesn't populate new apps you install until a reboot.
Here's the applauncher.apk from 1.1 that I'm using.

Go to "Apps"
Tap on the "Archived" button
While holding the volume up hardkey, tap on the image of the speaker that appears.
This brings up the 1.1 "Extras"

mucoww said:
Go to "Apps"
Tap on the "Archived" button
While holding the volume up hardkey, tap on the image of the speaker that appears.
This brings up the 1.1 "Extras"
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Very nice! It worked for me. I tried volume down as well but volume up was the only one that did.

Adding folder to the apps drawer

I use launcher pro which has changed my side scrolling apps screens to one vertical scroll screen. I prefer that, it's faster.
However, if I press the bottom left menu capacitor button, it's meant to bring up an edit button and then I should be able to add folders to my apps drawer so I can drag apps into them. But pressing the bottom left menu button does nothing except bring up my browser if I long press it. Anyone found a way around it? I'm guessing 'add folder' and 'add page' only works with stock launcher? Menu button only works from home screen or from within apps themselves, but not from the apps drawer.

Roman5 said:
I use launcher pro which has changed my side scrolling apps screens to one vertical scroll screen. I prefer that, it's faster.
However, if I press the bottom left menu capacitor button, it's meant to bring up an edit button and then I should be able to add folders to my apps drawer so I can drag apps into them. But pressing the bottom left menu button does nothing except bring up my browser if I long press it. Anyone found a way around it? I'm guessing 'add folder' and 'add page' only works with stock launcher? Menu button only works from home screen or from within apps themselves, but not from the apps drawer.
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You answered it mate.

Mitty1990 said:
You answered it mate.
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Seems like it yeah. So, won't work with other launchers either such as GO launcher or ADW launcher, just the stock one then?

Roman5 said:
Seems like it yeah. So, won't work with other launchers either such as GO launcher or ADW launcher, just the stock one then?
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i use go launcher ex and you can indeed add folders in the app drawer (menu > add folder)

Thanks kiyobi, good to know.

My Menu Key Is Gone!!!!!

My menu key was deleted from my home screen (not by me) & I don’t know how to get it back! Can anyone tell me how to get it back? PLEASE

Menu key? I'm not sure I'm following you.

Kylanii said:
My menu key was deleted from my home screen (not by me) & I don’t know how to get it back! Can anyone tell me how to get it back? PLEASE
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Click to collapse
Do you mean the icon on the center that opens up the app drawer? I suppose you're using a custom launcher?
Long-press any part of the empty screen, click Shortcut, and find an item that says launcher (or something equivalent), like how you would add a shortcut of an app on homescreen.
Then click that icon, and drag it to where menu key originally was.

hehehe thats not called the menu key its called app drawer (or app button even, the menu key is the four line button beside your back button). I'm going to assume you are on cm7 with adw because as far as i know that is the most used.... and i may have done it once or twice before. Press and hold on an empty space on your home screen. click Launcher actions. choose open close app drawer. enjoy don't feel too stupid it happens to the best of us.

Yes I did mean the app drawer...sorry. I got it back now...thanks for all the help!!!

creating a shortcut via long press?

My kindle Fire is rooted with ADW Launcher installed. I can select an app from the app drawer with ADW launcher and drop the app as a shortcut on my home screen, but trying to create a shortcut on the home screen by long pressing and selecting shortcuts does not work (on my phone this would bring up another menu to select the type of shortcut i want, but on the KF I get no such menu). I suspect we are all having this problem but it hasn't yet been mentioned. Anyone wanna share your fixes/workarounds?
Also, short press timing is horrible, and I find myself touching selections many times before it properly registers an intended selection press. (??)
As an aside, until now, I have not set a default for my home button, because I needed to be able to choose either the kindle launcher or the ADW launcher at will (because I must be using the kindle launcher to select different books). The annoying result is that every time i press the home button, I must choose which launcher to open. But here is a great way to make a shortcut to launch the kindle launcher as if it is just another app. Using AnyCut, put a shortcut to "Launcher" on ADW home screen ("Launcher" is the Kindle launcher). Rename the shortcut to "kindle" and use it to launch the kindle reader. The home button brings you back to your ADW Launcher.

Try going into the ADW Launcher settings and see if you can add a shortcut from there
I have not used ADW Launcher, I use GO Launcher EX on my KFire.
Sent from my Kindle Fire using xda premium

Long pressing on the screen in ADW brings up the same menu as Menu - Add, where I can select Shortcut or Custom Shortcut
//Tapatalk.KindleFire//

I have go launcher and the long press works to make the shortcuts

blauciel, qylie: You can actually create shortcuts?
I see the first menu after a long press on the home screen, too. But if I actually click on Shortcut, nothing happens on ADW and Go (on LauncherPro, it force closes).
On Go, if I remember, there is another option called Application which works fine, but not Shortcut.

So BobTheZealot and I are both having the same problem:
Bob, I have GoLauncher as well and same problems you re-iterated: long press gives me a menu but selecting shortcut from the menu gives me nothing -- with either launcher. And I started with LauncherPro as my first choice, but it always force closed, so I dumped it.
So to restate my problem: I can get the menu that gives me the shortcut option, but if I select shortcut, I do not get the next menu -- whether I try it via the "Menu - Add" option as mentioned by blauceil or long press on home screen -- neither works out.
So can anybody actually make a shortcut via these methods?

gruuvin said:
My kindle Fire is rooted with ADW Launcher installed. I can select an app from the app drawer with ADW launcher and drop the app as a shortcut on my home screen, but trying to create a shortcut on the home screen by long pressing and selecting shortcuts does not work (on my phone this would bring up another menu to select the type of shortcut i want, but on the KF I get no such menu). I suspect we are all having this problem but it hasn't yet been mentioned. Anyone wanna share your fixes/workarounds?
Also, short press timing is horrible, and I find myself touching selections many times before it properly registers an intended selection press. (??)
As an aside, until now, I have not set a default for my home button, because I needed to be able to choose either the kindle launcher or the ADW launcher at will (because I must be using the kindle launcher to select different books). The annoying result is that every time i press the home button, I must choose which launcher to open. But here is a great way to make a shortcut to launch the kindle launcher as if it is just another app. Using AnyCut, put a shortcut to "Launcher" on ADW home screen ("Launcher" is the Kindle launcher). Rename the shortcut to "kindle" and use it to launch the kindle reader. The home button brings you back to your ADW Launcher.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is one long convoluted process that you're making way too hard.
All I did was make ADW my "default" launcher, put the stock launcher on the ADW launch bar, and then make the ADW launcher a "favorite" on the stock launcher. This puts it on the shelf. Done. And a whole lot simpler.

That is virtually what I did, except even simpler. You don't need to add ADW as a favorite in the stock launcher because the home button already takes you there. And AnyCut is not necessary for this, but the main problem that this thread is about is the difficulties in creating a shortcut on the home screen.

gruuvin said:
Read the whole post -- that is virtually what I did, except even simpler. You don't need to add ADW as a favorite because the home button already takes you there.
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How is yours simpler? Your process uses Anycut, which is totally unnecessary. And why are you launching the Kindle Reader? Then to go back to "docs" or something else, it takes more steps.
My home button brings up the ADW launcher. If I switch to the Amazon launcher and am on the default home screen (the one with the carousel), there is not HOME button. So to get back to the ADW launcher, I put that app on the shelf.

YMark said:
How is yours simpler? Your process uses Anycut, which is totally unnecessary. And why are you launching the Kindle Reader? Then to go back to "docs" or something else, it takes more steps.
My home button brings up the ADW launcher. If I switch to the Amazon launcher and am on the default home screen (the one with the carousel), there is not HOME button. So to get back to the ADW launcher, I put that app on the shelf.
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The shortcut does not launch kindle reader! It launches "Launcher" which is the stock launcher. AnyCut is not unnecessary -- its just a different way of creating the shortcut, and for a good reason: so I can name my shortcut what I want, so instead of being called "Launcher" I rename it "kindle" which makes more sense (im pretty new to ADW, LauncherPro was my launcher of choice, now i see that ADW allows renaming shortcuts). And I see your point about not being able access the home button from the default home screen (with the carousel). Adding ADW as a favorite takes care of that -- nice!

But back on topic, YMark, if you long press on your ADW home screen and select "Shortcuts", do you get another menu to select the type of shortcut? Or do you get nothing as Bob and I have observed?

gruuvin said:
But back on topic, YMark, if you long press on your ADW home screen and select "Shortcuts", do you get another menu to select the type of shortcut? Or do you get nothing as Bob and I have observed?
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I get nothing. Not sure why.

Think the launchers aren't handling that as expected on the Kindle Fire. Some ignore it, others (LauncherPro) force close. Someone brighter than us is going to have to weigh in on this.
gruuvin, LauncherPro force closes unless you convert it to a system app. You can use Titanium Backup to convert it to a system app. Reboot, and you should be good to go. I find LauncherPro much smoother than other launchers on the Kindle Fire - virtually no lag when scrolling the app drawer, for instance.

Thanks for that tip, Bob. I got LauncherPro working that way... unfortunately I can not create/change the dock shortcuts either without it force closing
Anybody able to create shortcuts via the mentioned methods?

Yes, shortcuts, custom shortcuts and folders all seem to be broken when using ADW Launcher. Don't know if that is specific to ADW on the KF, but I can't get them to work.
Looked in ADW settings, but nothing seems to be obvious there.

I long press apps on the app drawer, then drag them into place;that's how I've always added app shortcuts. You're right, though, the shortcut option doesn't work.
//Tapatalk.KindleFire//

gruuvin: Yes, sorry, I meant that method would get LauncherPro to at least work. Still FCs when you try to create a shortcut.
But the method Blauciel described works just fine! Long press in App drawer and drag to home screen. Thanks Blauciel!
Now, all I need to do is figure out how to create folders. There may be a way to edit the LauncherPro config file directly to achieve that. This sounds promising:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=882352&page=4

You have to remember that Amazon heavily modified Android on this thing so that menus that you are expecting to pop up may not even be accessible in the way you may be used to on regular versions of Android.

BobTheZealot said:
gruuvin: Yes, sorry, I meant that method would get LauncherPro to at least work. Still FCs when you try to create a shortcut.
But the method Blauciel described works just fine! Long press in App drawer and drag to home screen. Thanks Blauciel!
Now, all I need to do is figure out how to create folders. There may be a way to edit the LauncherPro config file directly to achieve that. This sounds promising:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=882352&page=4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad I could help!
//Tapatalk.KindleFire//

Ya, dropping shortcuts to apps onto the home screen from the app drawer works well, but...
I was hoping to create a shortcut to an image folder with Astro via long press on home screen > Shortcuts > Astro > [image folder name]
... same for making shortcuts to Dolphin bookmarks
ahh well