Items on the Today Screen size - 8125, K-JAM, P4300, MDA Vario General

Can I make the size of the items on the today screen (i.e. messages, device lock) any bigger? I use my Wizzard as my phone and don't use the stylus for texts and calls, and I've got big fat thumbs
Any help would be much appreciated!

you can't change the defaults one. you may try your luck on using larger fonts, but most Today stuff don't respond to fonts settings.
Anyway, for thumb usage, you can try using cLaunch (available in this forum, with tutorials) to launch applications. The max size is around 32x32, good enough for most people. However, it is an app launcher, hence you may still need those plugins for display purposes. It doesn't come with a lock function, but there are fellow members whom had it launch some of the lockers developed here.

thanks for that. I get the general idea of what you suggest, but I'm new to PPCs. I'll get reading!!

You can also try mapping your most used applications to your hardkeys by going to settings --> personal --> buttons.
Text messaging already has it own, and you can search the wizard forum for an applicatin called DeviceLock which allows you to assign locking your device to a hardware button.
For the dialer, you may want to look at ETen Dialer's Smart Dial --> it makes the buttons on the phone app a lot bigger so thumbs can be used. You can do a google search and it should come up quite easily.
Hope that helps!

or you can try to find a different theme that has larger text and icons.

I too, have big thumbs and find it frustrating to try to tap tiny icons.
My solution is to use plugins that can be scrolled and selected using the Dpad this also keeps the screen free of fingerprints.
My current favourites for one thumb operation are
Smartskey for press&hold softkeys for startmenu and close programs.
TodayAgenda v0.9.50 for tasks, appointments and clock/alarm settings.
PHM Traylaunch and Batterystatus for specific shortcuts in the tray.

Related

Any way to quickly change orientation of screen?

I had a Universal until recently (too bulky, buggy, and Wizard is so much nicer!) so I now have the Wizard/O2 Xda Mini S.
On the Uni there was an icon on the Today page for changing orientation of the screen with 1-click. On the Wizard there is none, and I have to navigate through several menus in Settings to change it.
Any way to add the Universal's Today icon to the Wizard?
Or failing that, how can I add Start Menu shortcut to the 'Screen' option in Settings?
Check out phm tools keys. They have a screen rotation shortcut.
I think there are registry hacks to show the screen rotation UI icon though (WM2003 at least)
V
CJSnet said:
I had a Universal until recently (too bulky, buggy, and Wizard is so much nicer!) so I now have the Wizard/O2 Xda Mini S.
On the Uni there was an icon on the Today page for changing orientation of the screen with 1-click. On the Wizard there is none, and I have to navigate through several menus in Settings to change it.
Any way to add the Universal's Today icon to the Wizard?
Or failing that, how can I add Start Menu shortcut to the 'Screen' option in Settings?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
er...slide the keyboard out?
vijay555 said:
Check out phm tools keys. They have a screen rotation shortcut.
I think there are registry hacks to show the screen rotation UI icon though (WM2003 at least)
V
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, would really like that reg hack if anyone can find it?
EDIT: I found this for the Universal but it has no effect on my Wizard:
To change the display of the screen rotation icon in the system tray
The setting is at 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\GDI\ROTATION'
The 'HideOrientationUI' DWORD value can be set to '1' to hide the icon or '0' to show the icon
For example, to hide the screen rotation icon
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\GDI\ROTATION\HideOrientationUI = 1
wilesd said:
er...slide the keyboard out?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
CRAP! I opened this thread for the sole purpose of making that exact smart-ass response. You suck.
:? Just to clarify for those of you who don't credit me with a milligram of intellect, I wish to orientate the screen when not using the keyboard. This is a feature of WM5 and the Universal allows you to do it from the home screen, but not the Wizard.
I have however solved it by using Spb PocketPlus
CJSnet said:
:? Just to clarify for those of you who don't credit me with a milligram of intellect, I wish to orientate the screen when not using the keyboard. This is a feature of WM5 and the Universal allows you to do it from the home screen, but not the Wizard.
I have however solved it by using Spb PocketPlus
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anyway to do it without installing pocket plus ?
Why not hook it up to one of the hardware buttons ? If you're worried about running out of buttons, you can probably install one of the button managers?
I've got '<Rotate Screen>' (built-in option in Buttons) under the 'voice call' button, and Magic ScreenShot under the same button+hold (normally 'voice memo'); I highly doubt I'll use either of those voice functions, so they fit nicely there
I just added it to mort button, but its still a key press and then a tap of the screen, would much prefer a today icon just to be tapped.
Well, maybe time for a developer to step in and make a tiny application that rotates the screen
http://www.devx.com/wireless/Article/21590/1954?pf=true
and
http://www.pocketpcdn.com/articles/rotatese.html
have code examples, but no compiles (boo, hiss - why is that?)
ZeBoxx: I've done it, but PHM tools already contains very effective screen rotation icons. Find PHM Keys... assign to hardware key or shortcut or whatever. Use his or my VJTrayLaunch and stick it in the tray as well if you want... oh, mort script does this as well I think.
V
Well, there we go
And for more light-weight (are they, really? I have no idea);
270-degrees (for Wizard):
http://www.pocketgear.com/software_detail.asp?id=15527
90-degrees (exact opposite side :x):
http://www.pocketgear.com/software_detail.asp?id=15011
180-degrees:
http://www.pocketgear.com/software_detail.asp?id=15332
PHM Keys seems to have some other neat things that I might download it for, but personally I'm happy with just having <Rotate Screen> under the 1 button (no special button managers)
off-topic: is the PHM website ever going to be back?
I have pocket plus 3 installed, so i just added 'Rotate screen left' onto the close button context menu.
Now its just a click-hold and click away - even from within a program (comes in handy when using internet explorer).

Quick way to settings on Today screen

Hi. I'm using cLauncher and I'm wondering if there was a way to get things like phone settings, display settings as an icon setting on the Today screen. Going through menus is a bit slow for frequently used functions. Thanks.
There is a thread somewhere around here that deals with making shortcuts for items on your phones "control panel" I wish I could find it, but it's going to be a bit of a ***** to do so probably. If I do find it, I will let you know.
Curious D said:
Hi. I'm using cLauncher and I'm wondering if there was a way to get things like phone settings, display settings as an icon setting on the Today screen. Going through menus is a bit slow for frequently used functions. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This might help.
You can use this cab to create a link to the today settings and then add it to cLaunch. It creates a link to start>settings>personal>today.
In order to link to things such as the backlight control enter \Windows\Backlight.lnk (note lnk is LNK in lower case) into the 'File Path' field within the cLaunch settings. You can also add custom icons as well - search google for suitable 32x32 icons and then convert them to bitmaps. They work a treat.
To find out other useful info about shortcuts check the following posts by vijay555: http://forum.xda-developers.com/search.php?searchid=507575
This link does not appear to be working - use advanced search using the word 'completeness' and the user id vijay555 which will return the required links.
They are very useful and informative. Vijay555 is also a fan of cLaunch from what I gather.
cLaunch is a great piece of freeware! I'd recommend it to anyone!

Development Request: turn HTC [X]button into [OK]button

i am using htc x-button on my treo and like the ability to actually close the application instead of hiding it.
however for onehand navigation it might be very usefull to add an option to close applications with the (hardware) [OK]button.
i am not a programmer but having a look at the size of the original program it might be a very small change to allow that. what do you think?
is it worth the try? would you say this might be a usefull additon?
thanks a lot for your time
ditch x-button & use PQzII instead.
or tman for that matter
@ deadeyes:
nice program but unfortunately doesnt work on treo with WM6. (display problems and OK-funktion not working)
@pat123:
thats "just another taskmanager", but doesnt fits my needs. it requires the use of the stylus to select and close programs.
i just want to use the treo onehanded as much often as possible, no stylus. so using the ok-button to actually close programs would be perfect. PQzII would be perfect (even overloaded for me) if it works with WM6.
any more hints on this one?
I am also trying to make my device (8525) as thumb friendly as possible. I use SPB Mobile shell, which has an easy-to-poke-at-with-your-thumb task manager. The task manager can be used to switch to or close any running application. It can also close all, close all but selected, or minimize all. I mapped the task manager to the PTT button (using Sleuth's PTT fix) for easy access. I also mapped the Today screen to the hardware Internet Explorer button to use as a "minimize all" button. (SBP Mobile Shell also has makes it possible to add large icons to the today screen to launch your favorite programs). I now have a fairly easy time switching between apps while walking or whatever without using two hands. I still wish I could map the "OK" button to close rather than minimize though. Maybe someone with far more skill than I will come up with a way to map the "OK" button to close an appication. I'm more "user" than "developer".
...Or Pbar for that matter.
nehvada said:
@ deadeyes:
nice program but unfortunately doesnt work on treo with WM6. (display problems and OK-funktion not working)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hmm, I'm using it on WM6 (hermes however), and it working perfectly.
by display problem, do you mean the white square on your top bar? if yes, you can disable it in the icon tab.
did you check the "Use OK button" in the Window tab? if yes and it still doesn't work then you will probably need to map close function manually in the system tab. (you will need to find out the key code in concern, they have other apps to help you do that)
I found something new (to me) since my last post. I just found vijay555's OK/close button application. It can be mapped to a hardware button (not the OK button unfortunately), but it works great. It's much easier to use a hardware button than it is to try to wedge my fat thumb into the upper right corner of the screen. Here's the link --
http://www.vijay555.com/index.php?Releases:VJOkButt

Looking for a simple launcher

I tried Ultimate Launch and Slither's. They both work, but it's not for me. I want a simple laucher that it's not a today's plugin.
UltimateLauch is a today's plugin which does its purpose to lauch apps, but you can't slide your fingers back and forth to change tab. You need to click on a tab to change...sometime i can slide my fingers, and it goes to the next tab, but it get stuck and I have to press the previous tab to go back. I know i'm being picky, but when i'm driving, it's hard to focus on the tab...I wish it can scroll thru a list of programs that you assign. Also, I found some great icons but you can't assign them to the indiviual program themselves. I think the icons are in .ico and the program icon are in .lnk
Slither's is a great app that it's not a plugin, but it offers too less of programs that can be loaded.
GSmart Touch, scrolling is soo horriable, I can't scroll with my fingers. I think it works well with a stylus.
If it can be like s2p like, just scroll until I find what I want and click and launch program. If it can see .png, .ico and any other formats that is out there for icon makers, that would be great.
slyaii said:
I tried Ultimate Launch and Slither's. They both work, but it's not for me. I want a simple laucher that it's not a today's plugin.
UltimateLauch is a today's plugin which does its purpose to lauch apps, but you can't slide your fingers back and forth to change tab. You need to click on a tab to change...sometime i can slide my fingers, and it goes to the next tab, but it get stuck and I have to press the previous tab to go back. I know i'm being picky, but when i'm driving, it's hard to focus on the tab...I wish it can scroll thru a list of programs that you assign. Also, I found some great icons but you can't assign them to the indiviual program themselves. I think the icons are in .ico and the program icon are in .lnk
Slither's is a great app that it's not a plugin, but it offers too less of programs that can be loaded.
GSmart Touch, scrolling is soo horriable, I can't scroll with my fingers. I think it works well with a stylus.
If it can be like s2p like, just scroll until I find what I want and click and launch program. If it can see .png, .ico and any other formats that is out there for icon makers, that would be great.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you're wrong about UL ,we can use fingers to change tabs from right to left and left to right and you can use the gestures from up to down and from down to up to run applis
Try PointUI or IFonez though I prefer the former.
If you just need sliding + Ultimate Launch then use FTouchFLO with Ultimate Launch. It works
HandyLauncher.....very small launcher, can be assigned to any button so u dont have to go back to Today.
I'm not understanding your problem with UL, just make sure your screen gesture % is lower if it's not working for you. I use it and it always works, and quite smooth I may add.
Have you tried SPB Mobile Shell?
One of the main purposes of UL (aside from the launcher part) is the fact that you can slide from screen to screen. It is, simply put, the best program to do this with period.

[App Idea] Slide Launch

I came up with this idea due to mbvarian's landscape fix for manila using mortscript. However, that thread is nearly dead and im hoping my problem can get resolved and we can see a cool app out of this.
Concept: Choose which program launches and closes when opening/closing your keyboard, with exceptions for specific applications (like lock orientation, minimize, close, etc)...
Why im requesting:
Im using spb mobile shell and love my custom portrait layout, id love to open the keyboard from the today screen and launch my secondtoday layout... when I close the keyboard, minimize secondtoday, and if i open it again it unhides secondtoday... the benefit here is a lightning fast switch between layouts, especially if you can lock the programs orientation in memory individually.
Other examples of how this might be useful:
1) From the dialer screen, you could set a mortbutton menu to pop up when you open the screen to give you a add number, contacts, recent calls, call voicemail, etc.
2) From calendar, opening keyboard could automatically switch to create a new appointment
3) From file explore, you could set mortbuttons to display your favorite folders, i.e. start up, storage card, windows, start menu, pictures
4) From text messages, it could launch a new text message, close it and sends and closes...
Im sure you all get the idea... I just think it would be cool to take a little bit more control of our phones by adding some additional control over a keyboard that is taken for granted a bit. I mean ftouchsl and ftouchflo are great, but if the touchscreen has that level of in-depth control, i think the keyboard could too...
Feedback is greatly appreciated... and if anyone can help on my spb problem, please message me the modded mortscript... the spbwatcher i think is whats affecting my results.
bump... anyone?
I would love something like this, but im not sure how easy it would be, a mortscript might be able to do it.
A cool app would be, when the phone is suspended, if you turn it on by sliding the keyboard it opens a new textmessage, or some other app you use with keyboard open. But if you slide it when the phone is already on, it doesnt do anything, so as not to disrupt the app you are currently using.

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