Database Users

Start button without using Stylus?

I'm probably missing something obvious but on my XDA Mini S I don't appear to be able to press the "start" button on the today screen via a hard button (used to be centre button on my old XDAIIs) without having to get the stylus out.

I'm sure we're both missing something, 'cus I concur.
However, if you find yourself desperate you can install my program VJKeypress (on my website) and use the command line 91 to pop the start menu. Make a shortcut and assign it to a hardware key.
V

i just slide the keyboard out a bit about .75cm and the start key on the keyboard is exposed, press it and VOILA!! hahaha, yah i thought the keyboard wouldn't work unless its out all the way but it does :lol:

i use my finger.
sometimes i miss

zsizsi said:
i use my finger.
sometimes i miss
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If God wanted me to pull the stylus out everytime, he wouldn't have given me fingers! also anything to hand (as long as gentle) ie a real pen (nib withdrawn or the ink might mark the screen), screwdriver, key etc.
Also screen protector so you dont damage anything

I made this for using on my i-mate k-jam.
After installation you can use left software key to Start

Why do you want to do this easy thing in such a complex way? Just open Settings, click Buttons and assign <Start Menu> to any of your hardware buttons. I have configured Button 1 to open start menu (it's messaging bu default) and Button 2 for <OK/Close> (that button is IE by default).

Priit said:
Why do you want to do this easy thing in such a complex way? Just open Settings, click Buttons and assign <Start Menu> to any of your hardware buttons. I have configured Button 1 to open start menu (it's messaging bu default) and Button 2 for <OK/Close> (that button is IE by default).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thats what i did except have button 4 to ok/close and button 4 hold to start

Priit said:
Why do you want to do this easy thing in such a complex way? Just open Settings, click Buttons and assign <Start Menu> to any of your hardware buttons. I have configured Button 1 to open start menu (it's messaging bu default) and Button 2 for <OK/Close> (that button is IE by default).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess its all about personal preference
I installed the above cab file as i already have all the hardware buttons set to what i want but never used the Calendar soft key and had been after a way to do this for ages so thanks kjk :wink:
Chris

Priit said:
Why do you want to do this easy thing in such a complex way? Just open Settings, click Buttons and assign <Start Menu> to any of your hardware buttons. I have configured Button 1 to open start menu (it's messaging bu default) and Button 2 for <OK/Close> (that button is IE by default).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, me too.
By far the simplest solution.
I did try installing VITO ButtonMapper so I could have multiple apps mapped to the buttons but it has screwed up my 'soft buttons'.
DON'T USE IT, or Battery Pack Pro for that matter as it screwed up the whole PDA.
RObin

Puckster said:
I guess its all about personal preference
I installed the above cab file as i already have all the hardware buttons set to what i want but never used the Calendar soft key and had been after a way to do this for ages so thanks kjk :wink:
Chris
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad to help

Robster said:
Priit said:
Why do you want to do this easy thing in such a complex way? Just open Settings, click Buttons and assign <Start Menu> to any of your hardware buttons. I have configured Button 1 to open start menu (it's messaging bu default) and Button 2 for <OK/Close> (that button is IE by default).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, me too.
By far the simplest solution.
I did try installing VITO ButtonMapper so I could have multiple apps mapped to the buttons but it has screwed up my 'soft buttons'.
DON'T USE IT, or Battery Pack Pro for that matter as it screwed up the whole PDA.
RObin
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i had the same problems with vito buttonmapper. toggling buttonmapper on and off a few times seemed to fix it. not very good i know but it works perfectly now.

I used to set the Comm button to act as the start button. Don't do that anymore these days because i needed the quick button to the Comm manager. Thank god for fingers
I still bind the memo/speech button on the right to the OK/Close button at the top right button. Found it easier to use when typing the the keyboard or in normal mode.

All well least it wasn't me being dim! thanks for all the suggestions but just don't have a spare button to remap.
You'd think that they would have bound the Today screen "Start" function to a press of the directional button as it doesn't do anything else when on the today screen(as it was on the Blue Angel), but maybe that's just too logical!

assigning START menu to a button doesn't work when u have tomtom running. The menu pops up and just disappears again. It works in most of other apps though.

Got it!!!!
Just discovered that holding down the left soft key for about 1 second(rather than just tapping it to open calendar) opens the Start menu.

This is the feature of Smartskey

But I don't have smartskey installed so this must be a default function

wilesd said:
But I don't have smartskey installed so this must be a default function
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tried it here on my 2.24 ROM and it does not work. I press and hold for a second, also tried other varying lengths of time, and sure enough I always get the app the left soft button has been assigned.

Bizarre, works fine on mine - 2.21.4.1 Rom, 2.07 Radio UK XDA Mini S
Only apps I have installed are SPBBackup, Resco Explorer trial (expired) and TT5
Maybe a feature of the O2 UK Ext Rom?!?

Assigning Close to a Hardware Button

Has anyone been able to assign close to a hardware button in WM6? I don't mean the <OK/Close> option in the Buttons settings, as that only minimizes the program. I know that HTC X-Button and other task managers can do it by using the stylus or finger, but I'm trying to simplify it.
Any ideas/suggestions?

Decompress and copy the program and .ini to your programs folder and run. When held down, the right softkey will close most any program. Holding down the left softkey will activate the start menu and the volume switch will scroll.

jwzg said:
Decompress and copy the program and .ini to your programs folder and run. When held down, the right softkey will close most any program. Holding down the left softkey will activate the start menu and the volume switch will scroll.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I feel really silly. Apparently this is in the ROM I'm using. Thanks!
Feel free to close.

johnnycs said:
Well I feel really silly. Apparently this is in the ROM I'm using. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
btw, just to put a different pov on it since ive used smartskey and dont like having to hold the button down... i always assign button four to ok/close which does minimize, but i install pbar 1.5 as well. it responds well with just a thumbpress in the upper right, and so i periodically press the close all button one handed. also handy for restarting and having a top battery bar that looks good and is not multicolored... although i guess i never really thought of using both

How to assign a hardkey to HTC Quick Menu (Task Manager)?

I like HTC Task Manager's feature, that enables the Quick Menu when pressing the X-button. But I would like to acces the Quick Menu with a hardkey.
Does anybody know how that can be done?

Give SPB Pocket Plus a try.

tyguy said:
Give SPB Pocket Plus a try.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, SPB Pocket Plus has the taskmanager like the Quick Menu. But the reason why I like the one from HTC - is because it is finger friendly.
I have tried the Touch Commander Suite - it has a great task manager (quick menu). But it is not that consistent in its performance - and it keeps closing down - and the only way to get it back is with soft reset. :-(

I thought he meant how to assign a hardware button ... use the button feature from Pocket Plus was my suggestion NOT the task mgr.

actually just coming in my head... do you mean HTC Action Screen. This works perfect with Pocket plus (I have it on long press PTT on my AT&T Tilt).

tyguy said:
actually just coming in my head... do you mean HTC Action Screen. This works perfect with Pocket plus (I have it on long press PTT on my AT&T Tilt).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, I mean the Quick Menu that you can see on the attachment.

Yes, I'm thinking about this too considering that HTC Task Manager is only available on the Today Screen. It would be nice to be able to access it while in other applications. So, I guess a hardware key mapping is the best solution. Anybody?

Pocket Plus has an "Alt-Tab" function which can be mapped to a hardware key. It'll open a window and either with the stylus or scroll wheel you select the task, press OK (or press the scroll wheel) and you are there.

PPCBANDIT said:
No, I mean the Quick Menu that you can see on the attachment.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you only want to access that from today screen, HButton does a good job for that. I add the "OK/Close" function to one of the HButtons, and assign that to the "OK" button in the settings->buttons. This way I can use the "OK" button to close most of the running programs, and while in today screen, one hit on the "OK" button will bring up the list of programs in the picture you attached.

tyguy said:
Pocket Plus has an "Alt-Tab" function which can be mapped to a hardware key. It'll open a window and either with the stylus or scroll wheel you select the task, press OK (or press the scroll wheel) and you are there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The problem with the Alt-Tab function is, that you are not able to close one (or all) of the programs - like you can with the Quick menu

wearefree said:
If you only want to access that from today screen, HButton does a good job for that. I add the "OK/Close" function to one of the HButtons, and assign that to the "OK" button in the settings->buttons. This way I can use the "OK" button to close most of the running programs, and while in today screen, one hit on the "OK" button will bring up the list of programs in the picture you attached.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please explain. When I go under settings->buttons, I can only ad the "ok/close" function. Are you saying, that you also have an "ok" function, and when you map the ok function to a hardkey, then you have the list of the programs pop up on the today screen??

PPCBANDIT said:
Please explain. When I go under settings->buttons, I can only ad the "ok/close" function. Are you saying, that you also have an "ok" function, and when you map the ok function to a hardkey, then you have the list of the programs pop up on the today screen??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have to install HButton.

I use Handy Menu, not free though. 4.99 I think. It also gives you some other functions, and it is configurable. I have it mapped to long press camera button.

Quick Menu 2.7 does exactly that. All you have to do is tap the start menu. a list of programs running and an X to kill them.
Much quicker than looking for a way to edit taksmanager/Xbutton3(?)
Highly recomend it. I don't use anything else.
Also, you can cook it too:
Install the app; set up your options; export the registries; make a package from the cab (for dsm/rgu ); copy the contents of the reg export to the rgu using text editor. Package complete! now you can cook it and have your options be like you need them.... and there are so many!

PPCBANDIT said:
I like HTC Task Manager's feature, that enables the Quick Menu when pressing the X-button. But I would like to acces the Quick Menu with a hardkey.
Does anybody know how that can be done?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
found the solution already? i would also like the htc task popup into a HW button

rocho said:
found the solution already? i would also like the htc task popup into a HW button
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did, thanks wearefree for the tip. Use HButton, its OK/Close button handling is different from OS, so it makes exactly what we need. I mapped HW button 2 on my Wizard to HButton and it simulates OK/Close. When any app is in front it minimizes it and when I'm on today it shows HTC Quick Menu.

Switching between portrait <-> landscape

Hi forum
Where can i manually switch between portrait and landscape mode? In WinMobile 2002 there was an icon on the bottom bar that did rotate the screen by 90 degrees. But i don't see it anymore. I don't want to pull out the qwerty keyboard everytime i want to switch to landscape mode. Tanks in advance.

Setting - System - Screen

You are able to assign the screen rotation to a hardware key. So it is only one click to rotate the screen
danielham

But this works only for the left and right softkey..if i need thoose i cant rotate, right?

nurps said:
But this works only for the left and right softkey..if i need thoose i cant rotate, right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Use AEBPlus - as far as im aware it is freeware. When I used it I found that it had a very low memory footprint and didnt slow windows down at all (in comparison with say Voice Command). AEBPlus enables you to assign anything to any button, including different states of button press (ie short press, long press, double press). For example I used the camera button half push (which normally controls auto focus) for rotating the screen. If you dont wanna loose your softkeys you could could have single press as softkey, double press as rotate screen have fun!

the problem is that Aeb turns the screen full 360 degrees in 4 steps (starting in the wrong direction)..while the native experia rotate only does the 2 settings you get when you slide it open..which i like more

how assign rotation (Setting-system-screen) to a leftkey

Did you ever get an answer to this? I too would like to know how to assign the landscape/portrait switch to a soft key.
Thanks,
Ian

completelyhis said:
Did you ever get an answer to this? I too would like to know how to assign the landscape/portrait switch to a soft key.
Thanks,
Ian
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Softkeys are the two silver looking buttons below the screen.
Too change, go to Start > Settings > Buttons > Select either "Left key" or "Right key" and assign "<Rotate Screen>" via the dropdown menu below.

nurps said:
the problem is that Aeb turns the screen full 360 degrees in 4 steps (starting in the wrong direction)..while the native experia rotate only does the 2 settings you get when you slide it open..which i like more
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you go to Options -> Screen Orientation and select only 0 and 270 degrees, it will work like you want.

superweijie said:
Softkeys are the two silver looking buttons below the screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm pretty sure softkeys are the functions shown on the bottom of the screen. The two silver buttons are called left and right button usually I guess.
Often those keys will press the corresponding softkey, but they can be programmed to do other things with software like AEB+.

My bad, I meant left/right key. I do know the difference, I just had not had my coffee yet. thanks for the info!

[APP] [1-5-09] Start Menu and OK/Close Button Sender

I'm a left handed owner of a Touch Pro (AT&T Fuze) and I got sick of having to try to hit the little x button when using my device one-handed.
As a result, I made these two tiny (4k) native c++ applications that open the start menu and hit the OK/Close button. That's it. Nice and simple. Works ideally for me with the (useless) PTT button located on the left side below the volume rocker -- perfect thumb positioning! I've mapped the start button executable to PTT short-press and ok/close to PTT long-press and I couldn't be happier.
I'm sure there must be other solutions already available but I looked around a bit and couldn't find an easy one so I made my own instead.
The zip contains two files:
skey.exe opens the start menu.
okey.exe hits the ok/close button.
Enjoy!

I wish, I could assign your start button executable to the Home button, because it does the same as the End Call Button.

Maybe You can try it?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=3039868

I can't find this button, can you show me on a pic please? Thanks.
Edit: Never mind, I thought this was in the Touch Diamond section, I also thought the Touch Pro was identical besides the keyboard and the flash.

http://www.fuzemobility.com/?p=1249
this was an article titled "Remap PTT to Start Menu or Close" with two small apps that work.

as a lefty, it can probably be useful for me as well..
thank you

LordDeath said:
I wish, I could assign your start button executable to the Home button, because it does the same as the End Call Button.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just a bump because my little app, in tandem with DredSensor does exactly that. I've now mapped Home click to start button, and home double tap to ok/close.
Check out DredSensor here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=478827&page=5

Home button
lotion said:
I'm a left handed owner of a Touch Pro (AT&T Fuze) and I got sick of having to try to hit the little x button when using my device one-handed.
As a result, I made these two tiny (4k) native c++ applications that open the start menu and hit the OK/Close button. That's it. Nice and simple. Works ideally for me with the (useless) PTT button located on the left side below the volume rocker -- perfect thumb positioning! I've mapped the start button executable to PTT short-press and ok/close to PTT long-press and I couldn't be happier.
I'm sure there must be other solutions already available but I looked around a bit and couldn't find an easy one so I made my own instead.
The zip contains two files:
skey.exe opens the start menu.
okey.exe hits the ok/close button.
Enjoy!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, thank you very much for these files, there are really helpful.
I was wondering, is it possible to make an application as in "Home" button, to get you back to the Today screen?
And one for the "Back" button, maybe?
I am not sure if those applications already exist in Windows folder, somebody knows?
thank you very much

Alright for lefties! Thanks so much! I also hate how everything is so right-handed oriented Like the TF3D tabs too. The people are on the right side :| And everything else too.