Windows 8 tips and Tweaks - Windows 8 General

Here is a list of 10 tweaks for Windows 8, shamelessly stolen from This Website, ill give a brief overview of them below but since I didn't find these myself I think it only fair that you visit the original site for the full story,
The funky animation one is pretty dam cool and the wee tool found on the link for it is the best way to edit those settings, I found the recommended settings adequate
1. Run Automatic Maintenance on a Schedule
By default, it runs them at 3AM, or if you're using your computer, the next time your computer becomes idle. You can change this time in the Action Center, as well as tell Windows whether you want to wake your computer up to perform these tasks.
2. Customize the Apps in the Search Bar
Bring up the Charms bar (with Win+C), click Settings, and go down to "Change PC Settings." From there, choose Search from the left sidebar, and turn off the apps you don't want taking up space in this menu.
3. Enable the Hidden "Aero Lite" Theme
You can still find it in the Themes folder on your computer.
4. Enable the Secret Start Screen Animation
When you first sign onto Windows 8, you get a very cool animation of all your tiles filling up the screen. After that, though, the Start screen has a much more toned down animation. If you want to enable the cooler animation for every launch of the Start screen, you can do so with a simple Registry tweak found Here.
5. Customize More Icons in Windows Explorer
Windows 8 now lets you customize your Library icons right from its settings. Just right-click on the Library, go to Properties, and you should see the option to change the library's icon right at the bottom
6. Create and Name App Groups on the Start Screen
You can do so by clicking the small button in the bottom-right corner of the screen and then right-clicking on the groups.
7. Take Faster Screenshots
If you press Win+Print Screen (or Win+Volume Down on a tablet), Windows will take a screenshot of your screen and automatically save it in your Pictures folder as a PNG file.
8. Tweak the Number of Rows on the Start Screen
You can tweak this number by editing the Registry, see Here for details
9. Hide Recent Files from Your Jump Lists
To access the preferences, just right-click on the Taskbar, go to Properties, and click the Jump Lists tab.
10. Get More Out of Your Multiple Monitors
If you have multiple monitors, you've probably noticed that Windows extends your taskbar across both screens. It does more than just that, though: you can press Win+PgUp to move your current app to your left monitor, and Win+PgDn to move it to the right monitor. In addition, if you go to the Desktop Background section of your Personalization settings, you can right-click on any individual wallpapers and choose which monitor you'd like it to show up on. Of course, if you like things the old way, you can also turn off the dual taskbar in Taskbar Properties
11. How to make your own Windows 8 "Metro" Shortcuts
Fairly straight forward and obvious way to make your Metro shortcuts, example Here shows you how
12. Various tips and tweaks
This site has gone to great lengths to get a list together for many tweaks, many of them focus on removing what makes Windows 8 good, ill have a look through them all in time and will repost the good ones, but for now there's all sorts to look at from changing the size of the header bar and borders (pretty handy!) to various ways of adding old style "start menus"

If anyone else has any other funky tips, (if stolen please provide links to source) please pop them on a post and ill update the first post, makes sense to keep this stuff together I guess!

Maybe this:
http://www.howtogeek.com/74331/how-to-create-your-own-windows-8-shortcuts-for-shutdown-perhaps/
Sent from my HTC One X using xda app-developers app

http://www.askvg.com/category/windows-8/

Related

Small tip!

Heres how you can organise your programs view (Start->Programs)...
1. Use your normal file explorer and move all your shortcuts into separate folders (stuff like Media, Utils, Connectivity, Office etc.)
2. You can assign an icon for each folder by creating a shortcut in each folder and naming the shortcut as "icon.lnk"
You can do this easily by choosing any one of the available shortcuts and duplicating it...and then renaming the file to icon.lnk
3. I've used VJDialerSms to create a folder called speed dials with sub folders having all my important speed dial shortcuts in separate categories!
silly tips, but i just took some time out and did it....now i have a cleaner and less cluttered Programs menu which makes seaching for my apps so much easier!
Well worth the time spent imo
Cheers,
San
Please note that an extensive start menu will slow the machine down. This is because the operating system will have to search for the icons in each of the linked executables.
For example if you have Skype in your start menu (directly or as a shortcut) you will notice a long delay before the start menu opens. This is because the icon is at the end of the executable, and the Skype executable is over 5 MB big.
So the answer is to prune your start menu from all programs you don't ever need, rather than to fill it with nice to have stuff.
I personally use SmallMenu. What I did is leave everything as it is on my device and copied the shortcuts on my SD card and sort them all out there in different folders. I then use SmallMenu's function to launch them there. By doing it this way, I have the functionality of the Start Menu plus the flexibility of SmallMenu. No delays in lauching either. I was hesitant to disarranged anything in my Start Menu because some applications pops up a warning that it is needed to stay in that folder, although you can still move it and it seems to work anyway, but it still makes me paranoid that it may cause any dead shortcuts or functionality.
Why not give GSPocketMagic++ a try?
(use the english cab from the download)
Still the best around. Also works on WM2005.
Then in Option > Setting... > Program Menu point folder to \Windows\Start Menu\Programs and organize your menu structure in there. Also select "Break menu items"
Also the Control Panel applets are directly selectable from GSPocketMagic++. You can still use the original "start menu" if you tap slightly right from the GSPocketMagic++ menu button.
Cheers

GSPocketMagic++ configuration.

Hi, first off im new to the XDA EXEC so be gentle , I've already unlocked and updated the device and now I'm just getting use to customizing it.
I've installed GSPocketMagic and although i can get it running theres a few things im unsure of.
1. it seems to slow the boot up of the device considerably, don't know why or if that might be some remnance of O2 stuff kicking around on the device.
2. The icons don't seem to blend into the themes properly. For instance the close buttons seem to be of a different colour and you can easily see that. On the main today screen when no apps are running I have an obvious discoloured sqaure in the top right hand corner. I'm guessing this might have something to do with the bmp pallettes for the images? anyone done anything about this?
3. Skining the menu , on the download site is shows its possible but i've had no luck.
it looks like a good app but its just not reaching what i need any ideas on how to configure it properly as so far from what i've seen theres limited information on it and i've not found any translations etc.
Regards
Download the latest here: http://homepage3.nifty.com/UK-taniyama/tools/GSPMagicPP.html
Goto Start menu > Option > Setting... and and "play" with the settings of GSPocketMagic++
Cheers
i've had a play with the settings already and could really find what I was looking for the most i've managed to do is change the startup menu button to an image but it didn't resolve the fact that the button images for say close are off colour (even if you install the VGA xscale version (as i stated before).
Also I can't see how you skin the menu so it'd look similar to that of the existing menu bar (just for continuity of the plug in). Then finally theres the fact on boot its terribly slow to start up with this addition (or so it seems). However its still a vanillia(ish) device so i could be som O2 crap kicking around that i haven't removed yet?
dunno..hence the thread.
Smallmenu and GSPocketMagic will take quite a while to generate the icon cache on first launch. Just let it do it. It doesn't do it again after the first launch unless you manually refresh. It takes about 30 seconds for me.
V
If you goto Goto Start menu > Option > Setting... and directly close de Setting page it wil refresh the cache again. You can time it how log it takes. I have about 30 shortcuts in the menu (which I pointed to \windows\start menu\programs and not the standard folder), also to the SD card, and it takes about 4 to 5 secs to refresh it.
installing GSPocketMagic
Hello downloaded it
How do I install it on the Exec
Thx.
Tim
lol
is there an update 2 this? where can i find skins?

Windows Menu Order Home Screen

Ok i know a few of you would like to do this, and i think its been asked before but nothing turns up on search.
What the hell is it with the windows home screen, icons all over the place, no real easy way to move them, or order them.
I have tried a few programs but they mainly just seem to mess things up, i have also tried organizing all my icons into folders in windows, while it does sort of work there are still things you cant move, or it just does not go to plan, i know in 6.5.1 there is an option to re-organise icons how you like, but surely there is a way for 6.5?, its driving me nuts, there is crap all over the place with no organization to it.
Example i do things like this, create folder for the following...
TOOLS
MUSIC
VIDEO
ONLINE
NAVIGATION
ECT...
And place corresponding progs into it, so you have some idea as to where a certain program is, its just neater.
Any ideas anybody?, i came across a site where some chap had written a program and had done everything i want to, but it didnt work for me, just kept crashing.
Jesus i could even do this on my nokia.....
Go to \Windows\Start Menu. There you can create folders that will then show up in the start menu and you can reorganize your shortcuts to those folders.
Use JWMD Icon Changer, it works on the HD2.
I'm obsessive about my Start menu order as well, so I definitely can tell you that program works. You can even change the icons since some programs have tiny jagged icons.
Use JWMD Icon Changer
Thats what i tried, but it does not seem to work and its cumbersome.
What am i doing worng?
What problem are you having exactly? It's not really cumbersome, it's a lot nicer than the other alternative which is Showaco's reStart (that one doesn't seem to work on the HD2, anyway).
If you have used the Windows feature to move icons up/down your Start menu list it will confuse this program, so you need to tap any icon you moved in that way and reset it to where it was before.
Then go to JWMD, browse to the folder you want to organize, click on tools and select arrange list. In the next window you can do organize your icons alphabetically or however you like. Then click save and restart your device and it should all work.
How am i supposed to remember what icons i moved in windows, i moved loads, maybe would explain why its not working.
So back to my original point, it does not really work....
Unless i can do a reset of the icons somehow?
If you tap on an icon and it gives you an option to move it to the bottom, it means you moved it to the top using the built-in method at some point.
The program works, it's not its fault you don't remember which icons you moved. If you don't believe me I can post for you a screenshot of my properly alphabetized Start Menu.
Yes i understand that the program is not meant to know and its not its fault, but bear in mind i have been fiddling with this phone for 4 weeks, theres no way in hell i can remember whats been moved where?.
Is there anyway to reset them all in one go, or it makes the prog pretty useless.
I told you, if you tap and hold on an icon and instead of giving you the option to 'move to the top' it gives you the option to 'move to the bottom' it means you used Windows' built-in way to rearrange those icons.
You can go through your list and move all the ones that let you to the bottom and leave the others where they are. Then try Icon Changer and see if it works.
Alternatively you can just hard reset your phone... or wait until a new ROM comes out... it shouldn't be too long away now and that will erase all your data anyway.
ah ill wait for new rom, to much hassle
Well, you're welcome anyway.

Easy Way to Change Between Show and Hide Caller ID

While looking for something in my Windows folder, I stumbled across this by accident.
If you would like an easy quick way to toggle between show and hide Caller ID (without going through all the multiple menu levels in Settings) look in your Windows folder for a file called CMCallerID.exe.
Put a link to it in your start menu. Then you can put a Quick Link to it on your home screen.
Unfortunate that HTC or T-Mobile did not put a link to it in the start menu to begin with, so people would know its there.
Probably wise to look at all the .exe files in the windows folder, to see what's there, as there are probably other hidden gems.
nice
nice catch

The NSTG turns 10! Time for a makeover.

The impetus for my project was the purchase of a (surprise!) late production line NSTG with a flawless light-dispersing layer. And I thought...this deserves a rethink. Thanks to @Renate for help with the status bar background color and clock color. The rest is a combination of DesktopVisualizer, Simi Folder, Tasker apps (only 2), Minimalistic Text, a little judicious wallpaper design, and fooling with the framework-res.apk.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Features:
-glowlight instruction banner removed from screensaver image
-status bar background changed to white
-modernized "now reading", "back", and "menu" buttons
-date/greeting widget (updates automatically)
-weather widget (3 hr updates from data scraped at 3 am)
-"Now Reading" bookcover widget with reader "badge"
----image is automatic for non-DRM epubs, requires one button press for others
----image (whether automatic or manual) is possible to set as screensaver
----image is "smart", duplicating function of "reading now" button, and knowing which reader to open for which book (button also is now "smart")
-icons in dock are Simi folder shortcuts (except for drawer icon) and open groups of apps (stock reader, Kindle, EBookDroid, as an example)
-QuickTiles fully integrated
Edit: the current version now also supports PerfectViewer as a reader option
More screenshots below.
(YouTube insisted on muting the short segment featuring Ella Fitzgerald, if you can believe it...)
"How-to" guide begins in post #11
WHOA !!! Seriously ?
hahahahahaha ... LOVE IT !!!
What is this ? ... a concept yet to be realised or an actual working 'Neu Home' for our awesome little NSTG's ?
aiamuzz said:
WHOA !!! Seriously ?
hahahahahaha ... LOVE IT !!!
What is this ? ... a concept yet to be realised or an actual working 'Neu Home' for our awesome little NSTG's ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's a real thing. I've been using it for a few weeks, tracking down small issues. Think I've got them all. But...it's just ADW launcher dressed up with some nice features. The underlying B&N system remains.
nmyshkin said:
It's a real thing. I've been using it for a few weeks, tracking down small issues. Think I've got them all. But...it's just ADW launcher dressed up with some nice features. The underlying B&N system remains.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Excellent ... where is my Nook Manager SD Card !!!
When are you planning to release it for the public with the instructions set ? ... Look forward to it.
An NSTG specific ADW launcher ... Fantastic !!!
aiamuzz said:
When are you planning to release it for the public with the instructions set ? ... Look forward to it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mmm....not sure. I actually have not tried applying this to a second device. I'm sure I can do it, but there are a lot of moving parts. I need to try and simplify the process. I didn't actually think anyone else would be interested!
Probably some kind of of gradually increasing functions, like just the status bar change (easy). That's just an update of the framework-res.apk using CWM. Then add in the smart "reading now" button (without the bookcover widget). That's just a pair of apps in which I can disable all the widget stuff.
That, I think, would be doable by anyone. The rest really is window dressing. It suits me, but not all the elements may suit others. I need to look at the portability of the widgets. If that were possible it would simplify things a lot.
Edit: Well, some good news for a change. The widgets can be "exported" in a file and then read into a different device. So for people who want to duplicate any of the widgets they see on my screen (or use them as starting points), the path is smoother.
Anyway, that's my next "job".
Really good stuff. Wish I had another NST to experiment on, it's crazy what you can still do with them.
nmyshkin said:
The impetus for my project was the purchase of a (surprise!) late production line NSTG with a flawless light-dispersing layer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey ... is there anyway to know if my NSTG is from a late production line ?
jun127 said:
Really good stuff. Wish I had another NST to experiment on, it's crazy what you can still do with them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
now i am getting impatient ... hope you are able to toss in a easy tutorial for us to try this !!!
aiamuzz said:
Hey ... is there anyway to know if my NSTG is from a late production line ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not to my knowledge. I've only ever read about the change in background color and beefing up of the dispersing layer in one place. They could have made it up, but there is no doubt about background "white" when I line up an NST, my new NSTG, and my older NSTG. There's a clear progression to a darker background.
Now there could simply be something wrong with my old NSTG that makes the background so dingy, but I don't think so.
aiamuzz said:
now i am getting impatient ... hope you are able to toss in a easy tutorial for us to try this !!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't guarantee "easy", but it will be my usual "overly detailed"
How-to
Disclaimer: I am not responsible for anything odd you do to your NST/G. Make a backup.
"My habits protect my life, but they would assassinate you."--Mark Twain
For this reason my original instructions were very incremental and complex. I now think that was a bad idea.
I recently discovered a way to create CWM flashable zips of installed and configured apps. I thought this might vastly simplify recreating the "new UI" look. I think I was right. I also decided that it was better to install everything at first and then subtract (uninstall) stuff that you don't want, seeing as how there are so many moving pieces and lots of dependencies. You can decide if I was right.
STAGING
Note: you need a good file manager app on your device and may also need some kind of working gallery app (like QuickPic), depending on whether the activity picker recognizes your file manager app fully. I was able to get along with ES File Explorer.
1. Make a CWM card (https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/...od-based-recovery-fixed-backup-issue.1360994/), using either of the two SD card versions.
2. Download framework_newUI_CWM.zip and NST_newUI_CWM.zip. Copy these files onto the CWM card you have made.
Spoiler: What's in the zips?
framework_newUI_CWM.zip
/system/framework/framework-res.apk
/system/framework/services.jar
/system/framework/com.google.android.maps.jar
/system/etc/permissions/com.google.android.maps.xml
/data/local/fb2png
Changes to the framework-res.apk were needed to change the status bar to white and update the icons. This version also includes a few minor changes to address problems with invisible text in some apps. An update to services.jar was needed to change the clock to black text. This version of services.jar contains the patches needed for NookTouch ModManager. If you don't run NTMM, the patches are ignored. The two small "maps" files are dependencies for Tasker and any apps created with Tasker (such as NST UI, SetCover, NSTWeather and QuickTiles). These files don't do anything but if you ever want to install any of the other apps I have created with Tasker, their presence will save you a step.
The small binary file fb2png is a replacement for the malfunctioning /system/bin/screenshot. It converts the contents of the frame buffer into a graphics file with png format.
NST_newUI_CWM.zip
ADW Launcher (configured)
DesktopVisualizer
SimiFolder (sample folder configured)
Wallpaper Chooser
NST UI (dependency on MinimalisticText)
MinimalisticText (widgets pre-configured)
RotationLocker
QuickTiles (dependency on RotationLocker)
NSTWeather Widget (dependency on MinimalisticText)
So, it's pretty complicated and that's why I think this CWM method is best. In particular, MinimalisticText is difficult to install properly on the NST/G. Even following my own instructions it's hit-or-miss. This way you have a working version install with no effort. You can eventually uninstall things you are not going to use. Look for those tips in the instructions.
3. Download folders.zip. Inside the zip are two folders, media and sdcard. Copy the contents of the "media" folder to /media on your NST/G. If there is not already a "screensavers" folder in /media, create one and inside that create the folder "CurrentBookCover".
Next, copy the contents of the "sdcard" folder to /sdcard on your NST/G. If there is not already a "Pictures" folder in /sdcard, create one and inside that create the folder "Screenshots".
You now have everything you need to reproduce the UI shown in the first post.
INSTALLATION
1. Make a backup of your NST/G. Everything you are going to do is reversible, but it would be so much easier to just restore a backup if you decide you don't like the result.
2. Power down, remove your regular sdcard and replace it with the CWM card. Power up. Wait for CWM to pass the splash screen and display the first menu.
If you're not familiar with CWM, movement in the menu and item selection are controlled by hardware buttons:
upper left: previous menu, upper right: up, lower right: down, "n" button: select.
a. move down the menu to "install zip from sdcard". Press "n"
b. press "n" again ("choose zip from sdcard")
c. move to framework_newUI_CWM.zip and press "n"
d. move either up or down to confirm the file you want to flash and press "n"
Spoiler: I only want the updated Status Bar!!!
skip e,f,g and after the reboot is complete, delete all the "folder" content from both /media and /sdcard
e. again, select "choose zip from sdcard" (press "n")
f. move to NST_newUI_CWM.zip and press "n"
g. move either up or down to confirm the file you want to flash and press "n"
The screen gets a little mushed up with the menu after two flashes, but all you need is to get back to the beginning.
h. go back (upper left button) until the first item in the menu is "reboot system now"
i. remove the CWM sdcard and replace it with your usual sdcard, then press "n"
Chug, chug, chug... Boot may take a little longer because of replacing the framework-res.apk, but be patient.
THE DETAILS
1. Change Wallpaper (may have to do it twice for it to take effect). Tap on the Wallpaper Chooser app and navigate through the tiny print to /media/Wallpaper. There are three files. You want "NST UI Background_p.png". The other two files are for a smoother transition to landscape mode (handled by QuickTiles). If you never use your device in landscape mode you can design your own wallpaper to suit without making a version for landscape. The Wallpaper Changer app is sort of funky, but it gets the job done. If you have my Nook Settings app, there is a wallpaper setting under "Display", so you could delete Wallpaper Changer in that case.
2. Initialize NST UI by tapping on the icon. You are taken back to the home screen and get an SU permission prompt.
3. Use NTMM to assign NST UI to the status bar "reading now" button.
Spoiler: I only use the stock reader!!
In that case you do not need to assign the NST UI app to the "reading now" button. Everything else will function fine.
Also assign ADW Launcher to the "n" button.
Note: if you are not familiar with ADW Launcher, the three dots at the upper right corner of the app drawer screen are your friend. The first option allows you to hide apps from the drawer, the second to create additional tabs if you want to group apps. And it's a convenient place to access the App Manager.
4. Add BookCover widget (DesktopVisualizer), scale and position.
a. Long press on the home screen somewhere blank. You will see a dialog. Tap as needed to get to "Widgets."
b. Select a 4x4 Desktop Visualizer widget.
c. A place-holder for the widget appears somewhere on the home screen. Long-press until you can drag the image down to below "Now Reading". Then tap on it.
d. Tap on "Select Icon" (this will be the book cover image). Tap on "Image File". You'll see a selection of possible apps that might open such a file. In my case that was ES File Explorer. If nothing shows up that will allow you to navigate to /media/NowReading/NSTcover.png or select from a variety of images (with a gallery app like QuickPic) you will need to install something.
e. Tap on "Select Action". You will see options. We want to launch an app.
Note: if you would rather not have the book cover image repeat the function of the "reading now" button, select "None". In that case tapping on the book cover image will have no effect.
Select NST UI. This makes the widget active as a "button" which will open the "Now Reading" book.
f. To complete the setup of the widget, trash the Label and select "None" for the Touch Effect color. Then tap on OK.
g. You are now back on the home screen:
Long-press on the widget until you see the dialog open and select "Resize":
The best option for me was to move the bottom handle down a little. This gave an image that seemed to fit in the space and had the right aspect ratio. Compare with the screenshot in the first post. Of course you can position and size the image any way you want if you are developing your own design. When you select a book to read this temporary image will be replaced.
5. Getting a custom version of the SetCover app.
Spoiler: Why does this have to be so complicated????
I've really tried everything to simplify this but I've come up with nothing. The issue is with the appWidgetID and the manager hidden somewhere on the device. In order to manipulate the book cover widget via Tasker the widget ID# is required. This is no problem but there is no way to use a variable to carry this information. And...Desktop Visualizer seems to almost pick a random number for its widgets so there is no dependable way to know what your individual widget ID# for the book cover image will be until you create the widget. Desktop Visualizer has the "ability" to clear the widget from memory if you delete it (from the App Manager) but it only resets the ID# back to the value it started with (whatever it was) and that not 100% of the time (a reboot helps).
What this means is that each version of SetCover has to be custom made for your particular widget ID#. This is not a difficult thing for me to do--just a few changes in the code for your ID#--and I am happy to do it. But it does mean that if you accidentally delete the book cover widget, you may not be able to make a new one with the same ID# and thus will need a new version of the app.
a. Use a file manager to navigate to /data/data/jp.co.bii.androi.app.dskvzr/files.
Inside that folder there should be one file representing the book cover widget. The file name will be something like "conf_1.dat". Your widget ID# is the numeric part of the file name (so, "1", in the example shown). PM me with your widget ID# and I will send you a custom version of SetCover.
b. Install the app and initialize it by tapping on the icon. You are returned to the home screen and an SU permission prompt is generated. It also takes a screenshot (think of it as a test drive...).
c. Use NTMM to assign SetCover to the hardware button of your choice (for manual cover capture). Remember, automatic cover images are only generated for non-DRM epub files. Everything else requires one button press when the cover is displayed on the screen.
5. Create additional SimiFolders and arrange dock icons
Spoiler: I do not want SimiFolders. I am going to use single app icons!!!
Uninstall the SimiFolder app. If the sample SimiFolder icon (the "books") does not disappear from the dock area of the home screen, double-tap on it until the dialog appears and choose "Remove". Remember that ADW Launcher allows you to use custom icons on the home screen, so even if you use single app icons you can still customize for an overall uniform effect if you want. To change the icon, double-tap on an app icon and choose "edit" from the dialog that appears.
I've provided one sample SimiFolder (the "books") so that setup of additional folders is simplified (if you like my choices...). Here's how to make additional ones.
a. Tap on the SimiFolder icon in the app drawer. Just a useful tidbit before we go on: the "Applications" section lists your apps, as you might guess. But there is an option in there for changing the app icon. I did this with the stock Library app in the sample "Reader" folder. So, tap on "Folder" and then "Add Folder". Give the folder a name and select the type of folder ("Combined").
Finally, to keep things simple for now, you can skip all the tedious configuration by choosing to "Copy settings from Folder". In this case, the sample "Readers" folder I provided. Save before going on.
b. To add apps to the new folder, tap on it and then on "Add".
This takes you to a screen with all your apps. Check the ones you want. You can choose to order the apps manually or let the app arrange them ("Sorting", back on the previous screen).
c. To get the new SimiFolder to appear on the home screen (in the dock) you need to use DesktopVisualizer. Long-press on an empty area of the home screen to bring up the ADW dialog:
Use the dialog options that follow to navigate to /media/Icons and select the icon of your choice (you can add/design your own, of course).
You would choose your own folder, of course. Then you are back to the home screen and you can drag your new SimiFolder shortcut down to the dock and arrange as you like.
6. Add Greeting widget (MinimalisticText)
Spoiler: I do not want the Greeting widget!!!
This requires a special version of the NST UI app with the widget control parts removed. Uninstall the existing NST UI app and install NST UI_no_widget. Initialize the app by tapping on the icon and grant SuperUser permission. If you also do not want the Weather widget, you can uninstall MinimalisticText and delete /sdcard/Fonts as well as /sdcard/MinimalisticTextPreferences
a. Long-press on the home screen somewhere and add a Widget. You want MinimalisticText 5x1 Horizontal. This takes you to the app itself where you enter the name for the widget. Use the name as shown.
b. Scroll to the very end of Settings until you see Save/Restore. Choose "Restore" and select "Greeting". This reads in the widget as I have created it so you don't have to go through all the setup.
c. DO NOT USE either the back arrow or back button at this point!! You'll have to start all over again. Instead, scroll back through Settings to find "Custom Layout". You can now see the "innards" of the widget. You want the last item which will allow you to type in your name.
d. NOW use the back button (status bar) twice to dismiss the keyboard and close the editing screen. To save any changes to a widget of any kind, ALWAYS use the menu button (status bar) followed by a tap on "OK" at the bottom. MinimalisticText closes and you are back at the home screen.
e. Resize and position as before with the book cover image (see post #1). For me, pulling down on the bottom a little put the widget in the correct vertical position.
7. Add Weather widget (MinimalisticText)
Spoiler: I do not want the Weather widget!!!
Uninstall the NST Weather app. Delete the NSTWeather folder from your sdcard. From /sdcard/Fonts folder, delete weathericons.ttf
If you want to have the Weather widget, you will need to get a free API from Open Weather Maps. For more information, see the original app post. You don't need to go through the whole widget-building process. Once you have the API and your geocoordinates, tap on the app icon and fill in the Settings information. The rest is more or less automatic. You will receive a notification when the data has been processed and the app is "widget-ready". Then you follow the procedure for the Greeting widget (the size is Horizontal 4x2), but name it "Weather" and read in the configuration for that widget. There's nothing else to do but position the widget properly on the home screen. If your location is not showing up correctly for some reason, you can go into the widget settings (Layout>CustomLayout) and replace the Location variable with static text. Message me for additional help.
8. Configure QuickTiles
Spoiler: I do not want QuickTiles!!!
Be aware that if you ever use your device in landscape mode the static elements of the home screen wallpaper provided will be improperly positioned. This special version of QuickTiles (2.3) contains sufficient code to swap wallpapers during screen orientation changes. If that's not an issue for you, uninstall the QuickTiles app and delete /sdcard/Qtiles. If you never use your device in landscape (or always change from within an app like EBookDroid or PerfectViewer) you can also uninstall RotationLocker.
Tap on the app icon to initialize. By default, only the WiFi tile is set. You should read more about how the app works and how to set up additional tiles in the original app post. Some functions may require the presence of additional apps. RotationLocker is a dependency so whether you actually use that particular tile, the app must remain installed if you want to run QuickTiles.
Just in case...
If you have deleted some apps and later change your mind, it would be a shame to have to go back to the CWM zip and flash all over again. For that reason I've posted copies (or links to copies) of the main "optional" apps. Note that MinimalisticText comes as a CWM-flashable zip because it is so difficult to get a working install by just installing the app.
Desktop Visualizer
Minimalistic Text
Simi Folder
QuickTiles 2.3 (custom for this UI)
@nmyshkin ... thanks for the instruction set ...
nmyshkin said:
I can't guarantee "easy", but it will be my usual "overly detailed"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
agreed ... your instruction sets are comprehensive and detailed !!!
quite a bit of understanding and tinkering needed ... will try and get back i i like it ... currently my NSTG is an a state of ZEN ... thanks to your masterpiece of the RN button with my custom menu ... Its like i've already achived nirvana ... my mind is ONE with this current version(only cos of your RN Menu app) !!!

Categories

Resources