[Q] Change touchwiz drawer icon size 4.4.2 kk - Galaxy S 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Sorry for a noob question.
I am using rooted 4.4.2 kk stock on i9500. Searched everywhere but havent yet found the solution. How to
Increase the icons size in app drawer. I want to keep the stock launcher ie touchwiz.
I like big icons as in ios

Edit the LCD density setting in build.prop.

Thanks for replying bro... Can you please explain a lil bit..! If it can happen through
Editing building.prop then i reckon its a easy mod. :good:

Sure. In build.prop is a setting labeled "ro.sf.lcd.density". The default setting is 480dpi. Change the DPI setting with a text editor and reboot to make everything on the screen larger or smaller. If you don't want everything to change size when you change the DPI, but do want to make the icons larger, you'll need to use a replacement launcher like Nova or an app like Giganticon.

Thanks for quick reply mate.
Well tried it and experimented with value 300. After reboot
Touchwiz stopped and stuck on error loop. Is there any range limitation
Coze subsequently systemui stopped working too.

You likely did hit a limit. On my old device, which had a stock density of 160, it was possible to go as low as 120 without an issue, and could easily do 240. I personally haven't attempted to change the DPI on the S4 because the icons are plenty large enough as it is.
My personal recommendation is to not bother using the Touchwiz launcher and install Nova instead, rather than playing with DPI settings. Because as I mentioned previously, everything changes size when you change the density. It's not just the icons that will change size, but the text as well.

Indeed..so its not a exact solution but a workaround. I better
Opt for another launcher than editing this then. Thanks mate
Your tip added a little more to my knowledge base.

Related

[Q] Smaller font (Working?)

Okay, great device... but really annoying that most apps don't make use of the extra real estate on the screen. Most apps are just blown up versions of for example the Galaxy S2 apps. Meaning most apps are the same but 5.3/4.2 = 1.26 times bigger That's at least a pity The contacts app displays the same amount of contacts on a screen as the Galaxy S2 or S but... with a 1.26 x bigger font (compared to the S2) and 5.3/4=1.33 (lol) x bigger font compared to the Galaxy S
Fortunately there seems to be a setting in the accessibility settings that allows the user to decrease the font in some stock apps. Unfortunately this doesn't work. At least not on my device. Anyone got this working?
And yes, ICS would be a great improvement for such a big screen device.
Is that possible to set another density for the device (maybe you have to root it first)?
siamchen said:
Is that possible to set another density for the device (maybe you have to root it first)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You'd have to root it first, and then push the density down. Not ideal, as some apps then run in a box on the screen, but it does make for smaller fonts, and you can cram more widgets on the screen etc.
I run my HD2 at 160, but then again I have had my eyes lasered!
Root
Go to system/build.prop
Open in editor
change the value of lcd from 240 to 192
See the difference.
U can always go back
All apps wont be scaled to the new lcd value.
eg: TW in sgsII does not scale.
However i always used this value and did not use TW.
Looks very interesting but I'm afraid that I'm not s pro
Sent from my HTC Desire S using XDA App
density change doesn't address the question
Hey ho wait..... this wasn't the question. So does the fontsize changing option work for you guys?
appelflap said:
Hey ho wait..... this wasn't the question. So does the fontsize changing option work for you guys?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think change the font size setting in gingerbread is for display text in text editor or web browser instead of the launcher and most other application as they have their own fixed font size. You cannot do anything to those applications as they has been programmed that way.
siamchen said:
I think change the font size setting in gingerbread is for display text in text editor or web browser instead of the launcher and most other application as they have their own fixed font size. You cannot do anything to those applications as they has been programmed that way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With stock apps I mean the Samsung apps. In the accessibility settings there's an option to change the font size "in the following applications: S planner, Email, Contacts and Messaging" (as stated in the accessibility settings)
Unfortunately this setting doesn't work on my jk4 rom. Maybe others have luck on other roms. Seems like a very usuable option for the note.
drgopoos said:
Root
Go to system/build.prop
Open in editor
change the value of lcd from 240 to 192
See the difference.
U can always go back
All apps wont be scaled to the new lcd value.
eg: TW in sgsII does not scale.
However i always used this value and did not use TW.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My lcd.density (or so) was set to 320 on stock!
I changed it to 280 and the system looks now nicer!
Actually, I measured the tab and my calculation would be around 270-280 dpi.
Has anybody other/better data?
By the way, 1st problem after changing lcd density is in S Memo! Background seem to have a fixed 'smaller size' which are then placed wrongly
Another impact: The email-widget does not fit on screen any more (using Launcher Pro) ... Hope in ICS they will fix some of those screen size problems!
fscherz said:
My lcd.density (or so) was set to 320 on stock!
I changed it to 280 and the system looks now nicer!
Actually, I measured the tab and my calculation would be around 270-280 dpi.
Has anybody other/better data?
By the way, 1st problem after changing lcd density is in S Memo! Background seem to have a fixed 'smaller size' which are then placed wrongly
Another impact: The email-widget does not fit on screen any more (using Launcher Pro) ... Hope in ICS they will fix some of those screen size problems!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't try it myself yet but I bet it will give a whole lot of trouble with almost every Samsung app on this xhdpi device. Like HTC, they exactly target the screen for which they write software. Unlike most android apps in the market, targeting screens with different specs isn't important. Scaling isn't a requirement for these stock apps. ICS will not solve the problem, because it is still up to the developer which screens will be targeted.
Anyway, back to the original question, I think it is safe to conclude that the font setting doesn't work for anyone. So it is a bug.
I have rooted my phone and tried to use Spare Parts to change the font size to Extremely Small. It works instantly and make the application much more usable. But, there is a problem: The font size will change back to Normal after few hours by itself. Anyone has the same problem?
siamchen said:
I have rooted my phone and tried to use Spare Parts to change the font size to Extremely Small. It works instantly and make the application much more usable. But, there is a problem: The font size will change back to Normal after few hours by itself. Anyone has the same problem?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that method also won't scale down graphics to match the smaller fonts. LCD Density Changer accomplishes that and works well.

[How-To] Change your LCD Density Setting (Mods pls Move2 TMOBILE GENERAL GSIII)

I posted a similar guide for my Galaxy SII, so I figured I would share the love here. Hopefully this helps out a few folks who want to better utilize the amazing screen on the GSIII. Please feel free to comment and make suggestions and please "thank" if you appreciate the post!
General Info for Beginners:
The Galaxy SIII comes with a gorgeous 4.8 inch, 1280 x 720 (albeit pentile) screen. As great as the screen looks, I couldn't help but feel that there is a lot of "wasted space" at the existing resolution. The best example of this fact is the app drawers default 4 x 5 layout. In my opinion, things look much better when the the icons are a bit smaller and more tightly grouped. For those that feel the same way, there is a simple build.prop edit you can do to "trick" you phone to thinking it is set to a higher resolution
How-To Change the Density Setting:
To accomplish this, all you have to do is change the build.prop setting for "ro.sf.lcd_density". There are multiple programs out there that makes this much easier but I have found the best results with "ROM Toolbox". Feel free to buy the full version to support the dev but if all you are looking to do is change the density setting, the lite version will do just fine.
1. download and install "ROM Toolbox" from the Google Play Store
2. go to the "Performance" tab
3. click "build.prop tweaks"
4. change the "LCD Density" slider to whatever DPI you like
5. reboot
As mentioned, there are multiple programs out there but based on my personal experiences, DO NOT USE "LCD DENSITY MODDER" from the play store. This app is known to cause soft-bricks/bootloops. However, I have been told that LCD Density Modder CAN still help with the Play Store app issue, but you will have to buy the pro version for that feature. Thanks uber_mike! (more on that later)
What Setting to Choose:
This is matter of personal opinion so try out different setups and see what you like best. Remember, the lower you set the number, the smaller your icons/text will appear but will also give you more screen real estate. I suggest starting from about 280 or so and working your way down and find something you like.
You may also notice that text and icons appear less sharp when messing with these settings. Keep in mind that because you are not truly changing your screen resolution, the translation will not be perfect. Personally, given the natural sharpness of AMOLED screens, I think most people while not be bothered by this or even notice.
"Phone Mode" vs "Tablet Mode"
As some posters have reported, going to 240 dpi or below will result in Android thinking your device is a tablet. I have been running 240 for a few days now and I'm loving it. In my opinion, may apps look a lot better in Tablet mode but if there are certain phone only apps you MUST have, please keep this in mind.
Potential Issues and Workarounds:
You will inevitably run into some compatibility issues so here are few final thoughts
Which ROM to use?
TouchWiz-based Roms: All roms based on stock Samsung TW for the GSIII were written with only the native resolution in mind. This means that certain apps and aspects of the OS will not scale well with a higher resolution::
- TouchWiz UX Launcher: If you are dead-set on using the default TW launcher, this mod may not be for you. The proportions will look way off and because you cannot edit things like margin or grid layout, it is not fixable. Aftermarket launchers like Apex handle the conversion much better (more on that later)
- The Phone Dialer: The dialer looks like small box that fills up only a portion of the screen. To resolve, you can use an aftermarket dialer app like "exDialer" from the Play Store
- TW E-mail App: The TW e-mail app (not gmail) also doesn't scale well. You can flash the AOSP version of e-mail as a workaround
- Stock Camera App: You will notice some of the border coloring and margins doesn't scale very well but the functionality is still perfect
- Notification Bar: I have noticed the little lines in the pull-down become off-center after you adjust the dpi. Again, a minor annoyance which doesn't effect functionality
- Twitter:*You may have profile pictures show up in 2 different sizes (Thanks Msilvame!)
Some additional feedback from other posters(thanks mhtruth!) but note that I personally do not have all of these issues
*status bar quick toggles DON'T scroll (stuck with just the 1st 5)
*status bar "remove all (X)" missing (swiping still works)
* in call speaker boost doesn't work...(only stops you from hearing not the person on the other end)
* some apps go into tablet mode (ex. HBO GO)
AOSP ROMs: CM9 and AOKP handle the conversion a bit better. You won't run into the dialer or e-mail issue like with TW ROMs but there are still some bugs. I realize there are not any AOSP Roms for the GSIII yet but this is based on my experiences from my GSII
Update: looks like we have CM9 Nightly's now!
Update 2: and now we have AOKP! Thank you devs! FYI, I've been running AOKP since last night and it's working great, not a single bug
- Certain pictures of contacts may appear too zoomed in, i.e. messaging notification pictures or the favorites tab
- Other aspects of the OS may become hard to read when scaled down so much, i.e. lock screen add-on buttons, notification pull down buttons
The Play Store Doesn't Show All Apps? - This is the biggest pain in the a$$ when you mess with the lcd density settings. There is a bug in the play store that prevents you from seeing certain apps when you change the lcd settings away from default.
I have seen a few "hacked" versions of the vending.apk out there that makes the play store think you are always set to a stock dpi but for some reason, this only works for a little while. LCD Density Modder Pro has a feature where it can install a "fixed" Play Store app that can help with this issue also, but there is also a workaround.
Here are the steps to get the market working again:
1. Change LCD Density back to stock (320)
2. Reboot to take effect
3. Clear the data for the Google Play Store AND Google Services Framework
4. Open the Play Store app and you should see everything again
5. Change LCD density back to whatever you like.
6. Reboot
I know this is a bit cumbersome but it's the best solution for now. I haven't quite nailed down what triggers the market to "break" but hopefully you won't have to do this fix too often. In opinion, this small annoyance is worth it.
Also, one thing I noticed when using Rom Toolbox is that after you set your dpi to a lower setting using the "build.prop tweaks" menu, if you go back and try to set it to the stock 320, it will max out at 280 or so. Not sure why this is the case but to do this manually, go to "build.prop editor" instead and change the "ro.sf.lcd_density" to 320.
I have been told that setting your dpi to 240 will also help with Play Store issues, since 240 is a stock resolution on other devices (GSII comes to mind). Feel free to try this out, but the size of icons and fonts may be a bit too small for some tastes (thanks DutchDogg54 and chakra!)
Everything Looks Too "Stretched Out"? - Having an aftermarket launcher will help with this tremendously, as the TW launcher does not scale well at all. I personally use Apex Launcher and there are some settings you can change to make the proportions look better
1. Homescreen Settings: Change the Vertical and Horizontal margins to medium or large
2. Dock Settings: Same as above.
You may also want to mess with different homescreen grid configurations now that you have extra room. I have bumped up mine to 5 x 5 and it looks great.
Bumping up the font size can also help even things out. At 260 dpi, I put mine to "normal", but at stock I used "tiny" (thanks falconator!)
List of all the ICS compatible launchers that will work for this mod:
- Apex Launcher (my fave)
- Nova Launcher
- Go Launcher
- Stock ICS Launcher / Trebuchet Launcher
- Atom Launcher (new!)
And that's it. I hope this will help you out so that you won't have to go through all the trial and error I did. I promise you, after you do this, it will be impossible for you to go back to the stock resolution (everything looks HUGE)
Update: I have added some of my and mhtruth's screenshots for those who are interested. I also added a screenshot of HBO GO in tablet mode
My setup:
- 240 dpi (Tablet Mode)
- Team Sonic Free GS3 Rom (R3)
- Apex Launcher with kovdev ICS Theme
- Homescreen: 6 x 5 grid, Horizontal Margin: Medium, Vertical Margin: Large
- Dock: Horizontal Margin: Large, Vertical Margin: Medium
- EX Dialer and Contacts (for better scalability)
- Font Size: "Normal"
- "Enhanced Email" App (need it for exchange access)
Feel free to show off your own homescreen screenshots! I will update OP and add yours too!
Changing my dpi on the Galaxy Note was almost a necessity, not sure its required on the S3, but then again its personal preference. I might try it just to see how it looks.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app
Thanks! I remember doing this on my Atrix, but I forgot how. I can't stand the large icons and such.
I tried this a few hours ago on my Verizon SGS3 and it would boot, but the screen went black after the "Galaxy SIII" text and wouldn't come back on making the device unusable. I did use LCD density modder though. I'll probably edit build.prop directly but the thought of having a broken play store doesn't thrill me.
Edit: Directly editing build.prop worked! I have it set to 260 dpi and it looks great. I also was able to use LCD density modder to fix the play store!
uber_mike said:
I tried this a few hours ago on my Verizon SGS3 and it would boot, but the screen went black after the "Galaxy SIII" text and wouldn't come back on making the device unusable. I did use LCD density modder though. I'll probably edit build.prop directly but the thought of having a broken play store doesn't thrill me.
Edit: Directly editing build.prop worked! I have it set to 260 dpi and it looks great. I also was able to use LCD density modder to fix the play store!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the input!
Did you use LCD Density Modder to edit build.prop AND fix the play store? Also, having never been able to use LCD Density Modder given the problems I had before, does the hacked Play Store come as the latest Jelly Bean version?
Nice writeup! I have practically the same setup but now I can just refer to this if I need to re-setup.
elterible said:
Thanks for the input!
Did you use LCD Density Modder to edit build.prop AND fix the play store? Also, having never been able to use LCD Density Modder given the problems I had before, does the hacked Play Store come as the latest Jelly Bean version?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't get my Play Store to function properly at 260, but I LOVE the look. Maybe mod the LCD density manually and use the Modder app to fix the Store? Im going to try that.
240 is a stock density for many devices, just use 240 and the play store works as normal.
so thanks for reminding me about this. I used to do this for my Vibrant. I remember I needed to grab the spare parts app though and turn on compatibility mode or something? Currently I'm having an issue with the space between my dock and page indicators as you can see..
rom toolbox set & lcd density set to 280. Saved and rebooted a few times already
elterible said:
Thanks for the input!
Did you use LCD Density Modder to edit build.prop AND fix the play store? Also, having never been able to use LCD Density Modder given the problems I had before, does the hacked Play Store come as the latest Jelly Bean version?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, just for the play store fix. I used root browser to edit build.prop. The play store appears to be the regular ICS version, but I haven't seen the JB one so I'm not sure.
uber_mike said:
Nope, just for the play store fix. I used root browser to edit build.prop. It appears to be the regular ICS version, but I haven't seen the JB one so I'm not sure.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. I will update OP with your findings
eff0rtless said:
so thanks for reminding me about this. I used to do this for my Vibrant. I remember I needed to grab the spare parts app though and turn on compatibility mode or something? Currently I'm having an issue with the space between my dock and page indicators as you can see..
rom toolbox set & lcd density set to 280. Saved and rebooted a few times already
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, using the default TouchWiz UX Launcher is not ideal for this mod. TW does not scale well and you cannot adjust things like "margin" or grid layout to maximize the new "resolution". If you MUST use TW, then this mod may not be right for you but this is easily remedied by an aftermarket launcher, as detailed in my post. Your options are:
- Apex Launcher (my personal favorite)
- Nova Launcher
- Go Launcher
- Atom Launcher
- Default ICS Launcher
I will update OP with some screenshots
I know on some devices changing the screen density will make your phone show as not compatible with certain apps in Google Play, so be aware.
toddbw said:
I know on some devices changing the screen density will make your phone show as not compatible with certain apps in Google Play, so be aware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, this is very annoying issue. I tried to address this as best as possible in the "Potential Issues and Workarounds" section.
elterible said:
Yeah, using the default TouchWiz UX Launcher is not ideal for this mod. TW does not scale well and you cannot adjust things like "margin" or grid layout to maximize the new "resolution". If you MUST use TW, then this mod may not be right for you but this is easily remedied by an aftermarket launcher, as detailed in my post. Your options are:
- Apex Launcher (my personal favorite)
- Nova Launcher
- Go Launcher
- Atom Launcher
- Default ICS Launcher
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
oooh yeaaaah. ur right. I forgot that tw is locked in at that stock size. I'll give those a try and see what I can get
Thanks, 320 was too big for me.
Great guide, I used to do this on my og evo. It would be nice if there was a standard setting between hdpi and xhdpi to avoid conflicts on the play store (213 ftw!) though.
Also don't forget you can change text size under display settings, which has a somewhat similar effect to setting dpi lower. I find that setting it to tiny or small tightens things up a bit, although it's not truly system wide.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app
falconator said:
Great guide, I used to do this on my og evo. It would be nice if there was a standard setting between hdpi and xhdpi to avoid conflicts on the play store (213 ftw!) though.
Also don't forget you can change text size under display settings, which has a somewhat similar effect to setting dpi lower. I find that setting it to tiny or small tightens things up a bit, although it's not truly system wide.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried 240 and it works great, no play store issues. Thanks a bunch OP for mentioning the dialer/contacts app. Looks/works great!
Sent from Sprint's 3rd Blazed ICS Galaxy
Thanks for the input everyone. Again, I will update OP with notes
any apex launcher users getting app drawer lag? It's pretty noticeable to me =\

Get more on screen by changing LCD Density.

Since I have rooted, I changed /system/build.prop to use ro.sf.lcd_density=240 instead of the default ro.sf.lcd_density=320.
Most apps scale correctly and I can get more text/icons/etc on screen. More like a tablet.
The default launcher seems stuck at original size, but I use ADW Launcher EX usually and it scales fine. In ADW you can easily up the rows/cols to higher #s and things still look good. You can always up the font size in settings if you want, but icons and other things stay scaled.
Always make a backup of build.prop on your sdcard or someplace safe before changing it!
Haven't yet had the time to root (first time ever I don't void the warranty the first thing I do with a new device
Can you confirm that the camera works without problems with 240dpi?
In that case, rooting and Photoshop Touch will just be completely mandatory.
"Without Problems?" . That is probably going a bit far
Quirks I have noticed:
- default launcher only uses part of the screen; not a problem for me since I use ADW which asks the OS what the dpi is and scales perfectly
- default onscreen keyboard shrinks when you lower dpi, that can make it hard to type; but I always install Swiftkey which scales as well
I am sure there are other small things, but none of them cause me any problem at all.
cybriks said:
Haven't yet had the time to root (first time ever I don't void the warranty the first thing I do with a new device
Can you confirm that the camera works without problems with 240dpi?
In that case, rooting and Photoshop Touch will just be completely mandatory.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, knoxbrder.
Was mostly referring to the camera-app (the one you take photos with) and even the gallery-app. On my Samsung Note, those two have major hiccups when changing the dpi. And as the camera-app is pretty central for the Galaxy Camera, I don't want to mess with THAT Zohan.
No glitches there? – Default keyboard is replaced by swiftkey, default launcher by nova anyways
knoxbrder said:
Since I have rooted, I changed /system/build.prop to use ro.sf.lcd_density=240 instead of the default ro.sf.lcd_density=320.
Most apps scale correctly and I can get more text/icons/etc on screen. More like a tablet.
The default launcher seems stuck at original size, but I use ADW Launcher EX usually and it scales fine. In ADW you can easily up the rows/cols to higher #s and things still look good. You can always up the font size in settings if you want, but icons and other things stay scaled.
Always make a backup of build.prop on your sdcard or someplace safe before changing it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the post

Tablet Mode UI?

Has anyone got this working or have any insight to what to try? I tried playing around with DPI settings with "App Settings" xposed module, and also Xposed Tablet Mode module.
I always wanted tablet mode on my Note 2 thread that is over a year old here but could never get it figured out.
Just adding the navigation bar/soft keys at the bottom(with simple build.prop edit) isn't as good because you can't see the time and notifications at the bottom to effectively always disable your top status bar all of the time.
Your input is much appreciated since this is a main mod that I always pursue!
lmike6453 said:
Has anyone got this working or have any insight to what to try? I tried playing around with DPI settings with "App Settings" xposed module, and also Xposed Tablet Mode module.
I always wanted tablet mode on my Note 2 thread that is over a year old here but could never get it figured out.
Just adding the navigation bar/soft keys at the bottom(with simple build.prop edit) isn't as good because you can't see the time and notifications at the bottom to effectively always disable your top status bar all of the time.
Your input is much appreciated since this is a main mod that I always pursue!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
im not an expert but i used the ui switcher app by xperiacle on my note 2 it might not work on note 3 but its worth a shot if you really want tablet ui it might require some dpi changing after you set it up though
kalkat579 said:
im not an expert but i used the ui switcher app by xperiacle on my note 2 it might not work on note 3 but its worth a shot if you really want tablet ui it might require some dpi changing after you set it up though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If anyone gets this working successfully I'd also like to know. Personally, smaller dpi/tablet ui is the final peice of making the Note 3 perfect (outside of an unlocked BL + recovery).
Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
If you lower the ro.sf.lcd_density value in /system/build.prop it will go into tablet mode. I'm not sure what the threshold is, but you could just keep lowering it until it works. I'm not sure if there is a "switch" that you can flip to go into tablet mode without lowering it.
even if u go tablet mode, it will be tooo small for note.
what u want is "Phablet" like what the paranoid custom rom do, but I doubt they support note 3 atm.
sqjzb said:
even if u go tablet mode, it will be tooo small for note.
what u want is "Phablet" like what the paranoid custom rom do, but I doubt they support note 3 atm.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I ran the greatest rom known to man, Trans-Nebula, on the Note 2. There were bsolutely zero problems running at 160 dpi, for myself and many others.
Such an unbelievably clean/smooth look. And it was 100% tablet ui, not phablet.
So it can be done. I'm just not smart enough to figure it out lol. At least without potentially breaking things, which without the benefit of a nandroid, trial and error can be risky.
Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
Actually I too was a nebula rom follower and if you look Nate explained why there would be no tablet roms in 4.3. Google took the ui out of 4.3. It does not exist. Even tablets released with 4.3 have the stock phone style ui, buttons across the bottom and drop down toggles.
It really sucks because I loved that setup. My workaround had been tablet noise on apex launcher and a transparent and hidden status bar. I also run at 320 DPI - just edit the build.prop file. The status bar is much smaller but Most apps are great with this. some do have to be changed back to 480.
armus said:
Actually I too was a nebula rom follower and if you look Nate explained why there would be no tablet roms in 4.3. Google took the ui out of 4.3. It does not exist. Even tablets released with 4.3 have the stock phone style ui, buttons across the bottom and drop down toggles.
It really sucks because I loved that setup. My workaround had been tablet noise on apex launcher and a transparent and hidden status bar. I also run at 320 DPI - just edit the build.prop file. The status bar is much smaller but Most apps are great with this. some do have to be changed back to 480.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can live with the status bar. My biggest thing is getting that dpi down. Everything is just way too big and bloated...I'm getting used to it now but there's nothing better than the crisp, compact look of 160 dpi on this magnificent screen.
Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
kalkat579 said:
im not an expert but i used the ui switcher app by xperiacle on my note 2 it might not work on note 3 but its worth a shot if you really want tablet ui it might require some dpi changing after you set it up though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for mentioning. Doesn't seem to work with the Note 3 yet but I am subscribed!
gerg004 said:
If anyone gets this working successfully I'd also like to know. Personally, smaller dpi/tablet ui is the final peice of making the Note 3 perfect (outside of an unlocked BL + recovery).
Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
BotsOne said:
If you lower the ro.sf.lcd_density value in /system/build.prop it will go into tablet mode. I'm not sure what the threshold is, but you could just keep lowering it until it works. I'm not sure if there is a "switch" that you can flip to go into tablet mode without lowering it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lowering the DPI alone doesn't do the trick unfortunately
sqjzb said:
even if u go tablet mode, it will be tooo small for note.
what u want is "Phablet" like what the paranoid custom rom do, but I doubt they support note 3 atm.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not true. Check out the Note 1 in tablet mode at 213 DPI rather than 160-177 DPI and it was amazing! I know that the difference in Android versions(we're now hoping for this on 4.3) probably makes a difference.
gerg004 said:
I can live with the status bar. My biggest thing is getting that dpi down. Everything is just way too big and bloated...I'm getting used to it now but there's nothing better than the crisp, compact look of 160 dpi on this magnificent screen.
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So just change the build.prop so you get 160 DPI. It will be very small I can assure you. The mathematical equivalent to 160 on the N2 is 240 on the N3
armus said:
So just change the build.prop so you get 160 DPI. It will be very small I can assure you. The mathematical equivalent to 160 on the N2 is 240 on the N3
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I did just that. Didn't realize it was that easy. Also didn't realize the dpi changed like that, so yes, 160 is waaaay too small.
@BotsOne learned me about the build.prop
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Yeah I wish the DPI was a little smaller for some apps. Maybe 10-15% smaller would be nice.
Gvaz said:
Yeah I wish the DPI was a little smaller for some apps. Maybe 10-15% smaller would be nice.
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gerg004 said:
I did just that. Didn't realize it was that easy. Also didn't realize the dpi changed like that, so yes, 160 is waaaay too small.
@BotsOne learned me about the build.prop
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FYI, if you don't already know, you can install Xposed Framework (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1574401), and there's a module in there called "App Settings" that lets you easily change DPI per-app. Obviously if you want everything shrunk down it's faster to do build.prop changes, but if you want certain apps overridden from that, App Settings lets you do that. I found it useful for browser, sms, system, and a few others.
mynameismolotov said:
FYI, if you don't already know, you can install Xposed Framework (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1574401), and there's a module in there called "App Settings" that lets you easily change DPI per-app. Obviously if you want everything shrunk down it's faster to do build.prop changes, but if you want certain apps overridden from that, App Settings lets you do that. I found it useful for browser, sms, system, and a few others.
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Actually I find it great to run the system (build.prop) at 320. This makes everything about 25% smaller. But not every app will run this way perfectly. Usually Samsung apps. So for that, yes install the Xposed mod and change the individual app DPI back to 480. I have had to do this on only about four apps so far.
armus said:
Actually I find it great to run the system (build.prop) at 320. This makes everything about 25% smaller. But not every app will run this way perfectly. Usually Samsung apps. So for that, yes install the Xposed mod and change the individual app DPI back to 480. I have had to do this on only about four apps so far.
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I got mine running at 380 but how do I get the home screen position indicators to move down they are about half way up the screen.
So i was thinking...if tablet mode is non existant in 4.3, is there some way to mash it up to be similar?
Soft keys can be enabled, but they just lack the static clock, notification icons, and a tappable zone to expand the notification drawer.
I sifted through apps on the Play Store and couldn't think of a way to put it together, any suggestions? Maybe combine some widgets with overlays app?
Was anyone able to get Phab7 working? It's an Xposed MOD to get TabletUI to kick in with scaling options but I can't get it to work, here's the link
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2545080
Definitely seems like it is possible
Hyperdrive's Navbar is awesome that it works...now trying to figure out how to combine the bars for Tablet UI or some kind of workaround since Phab7 is still causing SystemUI crashes...
mynameismolotov said:
FYI, if you don't already know, you can install Xposed Framework (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1574401), and there's a module in there called "App Settings" that lets you easily change DPI per-app. Obviously if you want everything shrunk down it's faster to do build.prop changes, but if you want certain apps overridden from that, App Settings lets you do that. I found it useful for browser, sms, system, and a few others.
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Click to collapse
I second using App Settings for Xposed. It works awesome. Just make the DPI 320 or lower (or so).
mistertek said:
I second using App Settings for Xposed. It works awesome. Just make the DPI 320 or lower (or so).
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I tried setting DPI at different levels including 360, 320, 260, 240, 230, 200, 160, and 177 lol. I also tried with 800x1280 res and 1000x1600 screen(dp)
I also added qemu.hw.mainkeys=0 to my build.prop while testing and left it in there

Who's using a Custom DPI?

The default DPI of the Note 3 is an abomination. I feel like I'm looking at my parents' computer with the resolution set to 800x600, with the font and icon sizes set to max.
I routinely set my DPI to 320 (down from 480, which doesn't make sense to me) using ROM Toolbox Pro... I then use the xposed module App Settings to tweak individual apps up or down as needed. Some apps don't look or perform correctly at the tighter 320 DPI... some look or perform better at an even tighter DPI. SOME even have more features reserved only for the tablet UI.
So... who's also doing this? What DPI do you set the system to, and what apps/settings do you tweak?
I wanted to start this poll because I recently installed a custom ROM after several months of being on a custom DPI, and remembered how bad the default DPI is. I got curious if the devs could be persuaded to tweak the DPI in their ROMs, and a poll was born.
Thank you for participating.

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