Database Users

Scrolling through Contacts - Inconsistent Feature?

Ok.....here is one for the gurus.
A while ago, by accident, I came across what I suspect is a feature in scrolling through Contacts which I could not replicate for the life of me.
Basically, when opening Contacts using the scroll wheel, I somehow managed to get a large icon appearing on the screen & I could then scroll through the individual letters of the alphabet. When I closed Contacts & re-opened it, I couldn't replicate it.
After playing around with it today, I got a step closer but buggered if I can make this feature stick permanently. May be it requires a registry hack.
To see what I mean:
1) Tap Contacts.
2) Scroll up or down until the text field is cleared.
3) Tap Menu -> Options -> Ok.
4) Now scroll up or down.
5) Goto 2
Another user over at Whirlpool Forums found the following method:
"The closest that I can think of is open contacts list, press and hold the down button on the 4 way direction pad, the large alphabet will show up after a second or two. Not very useful to me though..."
What I would like to see is that feature invoked permanently so that I can access Contacts from the Start menu using the scroll wheel & then being able to scroll through the alphabet.
I stumbled across this in the original ROM (shipped with Australian D810) but am currently using 1.23.707.6.
Ideas anyone?

I was wondering if this was possible as well. I hope there is a way to do this because this seems more useful to me when navigating the phone in portrait mode.

maybe its a bug, it happens when you open the contacts app, set focus on the search area, remove and restore focus on the app and press up or down.
this also works:
open contacts app
tap search area
press windows key twice( open and close start menu )
press down or up

I don't think it's a bug!
The way it works on my device is:
Place the focus anywhere in the Contacts list or Select box
Hold the Down or Up direction keys
After 2 screens of scrolling, the Large Letter scroller starts
Release when you reach the letter you want.

It is not a bug. It works on my Wizard, that if I were to press and hold my d-pad (no, I dont' have a wheel) long enough, the big letters will appear. So, in a scroll wheel case, I think probably you will need to scroll it fast enough/long/consistent enough for it to appear?

Apoc said:
set focus on the search area,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks Apoc - I think you're onto something there regarding focus.
NeilM said:
I don't think it's a bug!
The way it works on my device is:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Irrespective of how you open Contacts & where the focus is, pressing & holding the up or down key on the direction pad will bring up the alphabet icon after 1 - 2 secs. My aim is to wholly & soley use the scroll wheel to open & search Contacts using the alphabet icon without touching the directional keypad whatsoever - only the scroll wheel.
hanmin said:
It is not a bug. It works on my Wizard, that if I were to press and hold my d-pad (no, I dont' have a wheel)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
May not be a bug on the Wizard, but potentially is on the Trinity/D810 utilizing the scroll wheel.
Apoc's comment re: focus had me perform some more testing & managed to get a step closer. Depending on how you close Contacts will determine whether you can open Contacts & scroll (using the wheel) through the alphabet successfully.
It seems that Contacts needs to be running in the background as a "running program" & is achieved by closing it using the side "OK" button after having put the focus in the search field using the scroll wheel. Will also work tapping the X to close unless you have configured X to actually close running programs.
To start off:-
1) Press side ok button to open Start menu.
2) Scroll to Contacts & depress.
3) Scroll up to set focus in search field.
4) Press side ok to close Contacts (actually closes as a running program).
5) Press side ok to open Start menu.
6) Scroll to Contacts & depress.
7) Now scroll through alphabet - Woohoo!
8) Scroll back to search field to set focus.
9) Goto 4
As long as Contacts runs in the background as a running program I can replicate this repeatedly, but once its closed fully, it seems that focus is returned to the first entry in Contacts rather than the search field hence preventing me from scrolling the alphabet when re-opening.
So, is this a bug or an inelegantly implemented feature?
[Edit] Perhaps a registry hack could set the focus on the search field rather than the first entry in the list. If that is at all possible & works then it definitely becomes a handy feature.

This is not a bug, its a function of windows mobile. It works the same way that an iPod does.

jlagden said:
This is not a bug, its a function of windows mobile. It works the same way that an iPod does.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you not mean that it is a WM function that could be improved? The way I see it, depending on the method used to open Contacts depends whether one sees it as a function or not.
Unfortunately I don't have an iPod to compare with.

thunderbird1 said:
Do you not mean that it is a WM function that could be improved? The way I see it, depending on the method used to open Contacts depends whether one sees it as a function or not.
Unfortunately I don't have an iPod to compare with.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what more would you want it to do? it saves you time scrolling from a to z.

jlagden said:
what more would you want it to do? it saves you time scrolling from a to z.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What saves time? Either I'm missing the point or you have mis-interpreted mine.

you can also use your keyboard and select the arrow up / down key for a few seconds to trigger the alphabet search (big letters).

andason said:
you can also use your keyboard and select the arrow up / down key for a few seconds to trigger the alphabet search (big letters).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cheers for that, but I've already noted that in my earlier posts.

thunderbird1 said:
What saves time? Either I'm missing the point or you have mis-interpreted mine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are suggesting that it is a function that could be improved, but I don't see what gain you would get. This function is also present in an old WM2003 device that I have, so it clearly isn’t new.
If you want it to initiate instantly when you use the scroll wheel, you are only going to jump to the first contact in each alphabetical section. This is great if you only have one contact per alphabet letter, but if like most people you have multiple contacts in each section you will still have to do an additional scroll to select the contact.
The time saving is due to the jumping quickly to each alphabet section.

G1: Tips and Tricks

How about a thread for little tips and tricks for working this new toy? Has anyone found a way to increase the text size in the calendar? Cant read it without glasses...
Scott

I don't take credit for all these.
How to Increase Battery Life
Turn off GPS
Lower screen brightness
Turn off Wi-fi when you are not around any wifi networks
If you are not in a 3g area do the following to save battery life!
Settings--->Wireless Controls--->Mobile Networks and check the box that says "Use Only 2G Networks"
General
Holding down the home key will bring up your programs running in the background.
Adjusting the volume will adjust volume all the way to muting sound.
Clicking down the End key will place your phone in sleep mode.
Holding down the End key while bring up the "reset" feature.
Turning off the GPS saves battery life to do so go to Menu, Settings, Security and Location.
To rename a folder on the homescreen click and hold the dock at the top of the folders name. *AnyCut is needed*
Long press the phone key for voice dial.
Press the menu button once to bring up the menu, then press and hold the menu button down to view the shortcut.
To make ringtones, alerts, and notifications make a folder inside your memory card each one containing there own name such as "ringtones" "alarms" "notifications"
To forward picture and text messages: Press and hold the message.
When Typing, If you want to delete a word at the time press menu and delete and will erase a word at the time instead of one character at the time...
Pressing alt+del it deletes everything
Reboot
Press the Green Call Button + Menu + Off (Red) Key
Hard Reset
(THIS WILL REMOVE ALL APPS BUT NOT YOUR PICS AND MUSIC!!)
Turn the G1 off. If it’s frozen on, take the battery out and put it back in the unit.
Hold the Home and Power keys down at same time for about 25 seconds. You will see a yellow triangle screen with exclamation point in the middle.
Now to wipe the device clean:
Press Alt+L.
Press Alt+W for a factory reset.
Press the Home and Back keys again for about 25 seconds. Let go of the keys.
The device should then reset again and the hard reset is complete.
This will wipe your device to factory reset. You will need to log in to your gmail account like you initially did.
Browser
To Copy All, press Menu and A or Highlight text, press and hold TRACKBALL, select Select all
To Cut, press Menu and X.
To Copy, press Menu and C.
To Paste, press Menu and V or Press and hold TRACKBALL, select Paste
Saving pictures from the web:
Press and hold the image for 3 seconds, a selection will pop-up either to save image or view image. It may contain more selections if the image contains a link.
Faster scrolling in the browser:
Hold down ALT key and roll trackball for fast scrolling.
Press space bar for a fast scroll down.
Shift+Space goes up
Browser General
Long press trackball on image to bring up "save image/view image"
Long press trackball over url to bring up "open/open in new window/bookmark link/save link/share link/copy link url"
Press menu to bring up browser menu (go to url/search/bookmarks/...etc); long-press menu to temporarily flash the shortcuts.
To activate the magnify glass on the browser click the trackball twice.
Clear your Cache!
If you’ve been using streetview or the browser alot, the cache can quickly get big. I’ve only had the phone for two days and got 20MB back by clearing the cache on these two.
Settings > Applications > Manage Applications > Browser > Clear Data
Settings > Applications > Manage Applications > Streetview > Clear Data

Hold down Menu when powering on goes into safe mode
THIS WAS POSTED ELSEWHERE AND IS VERY IMPORTANT IF YOUR PHONE CRASHES.

Awesome list

getting rid of icons on your home screen
Here's a cool one I just learned. Hold and press the icon you want to get rid of. you'll feel a short vibrate. after the vibration you can move the icon around or delete it by dragging it to the little gray trashcan that appears at the bottom of the page. This won't delete the program, just the icon.

Great tips! Where do you get this information? I would like to
access even more information.
Also, how do you shut down particular programs running in the
background? Thanks.

Bradley1865 said:
Great tips! Where do you get this information? I would like to
access even more information.
Also, how do you shut down particular programs running in the
background? Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Option isn't available at this time. Hopefully someone comes up with a solution soon

folders on home and menu????
I see mention of renaming folders but I can't even figure out how to make a folder. Anyone know how?

jimtc said:
I see mention of renaming folders but I can't even figure out how to make a folder. Anyone know how?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The easiest way is to:
1. On home screen press and hold
2. when the menu pops up select "shortcur"
3. select the first option "folder"
4. done.
To rename the folder (only cause I didn't understand the first post):
1. open the folder
2. press and hold the top bar of the open folder, otherwise known as the 'dock'
3. type in name and change it.
4. Done.

the ringtone tip doesnt work
or what format do they have to be in?
ive only tried MP3

Mikey1022 said:
To rename a folder on the homescreen click and hold the dock at the top of the folders name.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Has anyone tried this? I cant get it to let me rename- a short click opens it and a long click moves it....

gospeed.racer said:
Has anyone tried this? I cant get it to let me rename- a short click opens it and a long click moves it....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Click on the folder, once is you are in the little window then tap and hold the top bar of the window

Z51 said:
the ringtone tip doesnt work
or what format do they have to be in?
ive only tried MP3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Create a folder on your memory card names 'ringtones' and place your .mp3's in there.
First, unplug your phone from the USB port, then edit a contact. You should see your new ringtones in the list.

Save pictures from messages?
This possible? I can't figure it out?

Yos025 said:
Click on the folder, once is you are in the little window then tap and hold the top bar of the window
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess I should say that I am trying to change the name of the shortcut icon, not a folder- wasnt really thinking it mattered but it must

Only folders can be renamed

gospeed.racer said:
I guess I should say that I am trying to change the name of the shortcut icon, not a folder- wasnt really thinking it mattered but it must
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think there is a way to change the name of a shortcut once it's made. Also I think only Any Cut gives you a choice about the name at all.

gospeed.racer said:
I guess I should say that I am trying to change the name of the shortcut icon, not a folder- wasnt really thinking it mattered but it must
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Download anycut and you can rename any app shortcut as well.

While using the web browser, double tap the trackball rapidly to zoom out with a magnified area. Press again to zoom into that area

music?
When doing the ringtones memory card trick, will the ringtones stay out of the music list? For example
, in the music player app... I am hoping that ringtones will stay out of the music app. Can anyone confirm or deny?

Things you probably don't know about your Xperia

Tell us some things that you recently discovered this or the previous month, but never knew that the Xperia was capable of (respond to this thread).
poetryrocksalot's things:
1) The Xperia's shift key can be used in correspondence to the D-pad to select text or files. (I didn't know that the CAP's symbol was actually a shift key)
2) The center button on the Xperia's optical joystick/D-pad can be used to open context menus in file explorer, total commander, resco explorer, spb diary, and just about anything etc. All you have to do is highlight the field of text and press and hold the D-pad. You will see the circular animation indicating that a context menu is about to be open.
3) Your Xperia's mono speakers leave a 1.5 seconds hissing sound after you press a key tone or activate the speakers. This causes your X1 to lose a lot of battery especially if you enable the following: keypad tones, screen tap tones, hardware button tones. Not all Windows Mobile Phones have the hissing sound. The Xperia is one of a few phones with this imperfection (test your other Windows Mobile phones and report here).
comeradealexi's things
4) If you want to select text in opera you have to hold down your finger on the screen and turn text selection ON.
When making a phone call for example i wanted to ring "James" all i would have to enter is 526 to show keyboards "JAM" and the contact appears!
very usefull and VERY efficient
The same for contacts.
Anyway you also have shortcuts in emails,
just press&hold "H".
All the shortcuts there are invoked by press&hold.
You can also navigate through inboxes and messages without going out,
just with navipad.
oTToToTenTanz's things
5) If you dial with hardware keyboard you do not have use this "shift" key. It gets the numbers in instantly. I guess it is not much of a new thing though...
Bronx's things:
6) ok. mine is quite good. when You open Your message inbox, type on hard keys or onscreen keys any info You are looking for, contacts, numbers even text from message bodies. It is automatically searched for You. just try it - quite useful when You have more than few hundred messages just like me.

If you want to select text in opera you have to hold down your finger on the screen and turn text selection ON.

The optical button is the same functionality as a left-mouse click. Holding it is a right-mouse click.

WhyBe said:
The optical button is the same functionality as a left-mouse click. Holding it is a right-mouse click.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah that's what i said in my post too. It surprised me too, and now I love my Xperia so much more because I don't rely on touch screen anymore...it's amazing...
But the way worded that sounds better than the way I said it in my post.
Kudos

Holding space on the hardware keyboard leads to ". "
I don't know if this is stock or FingerKeyboard enabled it somehow, but I like it for typing emails.

THESpideyWVU said:
Holding space on the hardware keyboard leads to ". "
I don't know if this is stock or FingerKeyboard enabled it somehow, but I like it for typing emails.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow on my Xperia it doesn't work. I want that feature! Actually I want to be able to use the "hold" function as an auto input for function symbols.
Does anyone know how to tweak for this to work?

poetryrocksalot said:
Wow on my Xperia it doesn't work. I want that feature! Actually I want to be able to use the "hold" function as an auto input for function symbols.
Does anyone know how to tweak for this to work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Didnt WhyBe say something about "FingerKeyboard enabled it somehow"

You can customise the àü key ...for example I have £, % and _ set up against the H key
So to get "_" I just type "H" and then hit the àü key twice (first time gives me "-" then second makes it "_")
...to get "%" I hit the àü key once more
I have the Euro symbol and several others set up this way too... never have to use the SYMBOL key any more!

jcsxda said:
You can customise the àü key ...for example I have £, % and _ set up against the H key
So to get "_" I just type "H" and then hit the àü key twice (first time gives me "-" then second makes it "_")
...to get "%" I hit the àü key once more
I have the Euro symbol and several others set up this way too... never have to use the SYMBOL key any more!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How to do?

doministry said:
How to do?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry -should have said!
Got this from member Maedox...
Connect your phone in ActiveSync mode to your computer and open \Windows\sym.0409.txt
Each line is representing one hardware key. Each time you press àü it jumps to the next character on the line in that text file.
Here's the original thread

Hmm.
If you dial with hardware keyboard you do not have use this "shift" key. It gets the numbers in instantly. I guess it is not much of a new thing though...

Keep them coming there are simple and easy things that people just don't know.

When making a phone call for example i wanted to ring "James" all i would have to enter is 526 to show keyboards "JAM" and the contact appears!
very usefull and VERY efficient

comeradealexi said:
When making a phone call for example i wanted to ring "James" all i would have to enter is 526 to show keyboards "JAM" and the contact appears!
very usefull and VERY efficient
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
erm, i think that has been so since Windows mobile 5.

ok. mine is quite good. when You open Your message inbox, type on hard keys or onscreen keys any info You are looking for, contacts, numbers even text from message bodies. It is automatically searched for You. just try it - quite useful when You have more than few hundred messages just like me.

here's a good one: sliding it open reveals a qwerty hardware keyboard

bronx said:
ok. mine is quite good. when You open Your message inbox, type on hard keys or onscreen keys any info You are looking for, contacts, numbers even text from message bodies. It is automatically searched for You. just try it - quite useful when You have more than few hundred messages just like me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Props for that one!

etegration said:
erm, i think that has been so since Windows mobile 5.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
okay. but the thread says "Tell us some things that you recently discovered this or the previous month"
so i am

ring-bearer said:
Props for that one!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The same for contacts.
Anyway you also have shortcuts in emails,
just press&hold "H".
All the shortcuts there are invoked by press&hold.
You can also navigate through inboxes and messages without going out,
just with navipad.

DatDereX1 said:
here's a good one: sliding it open reveals a qwerty hardware keyboard
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol!!! laughed my heart out

I'm having a love hate relationship with the Legend now

Hi all,
1. How do you copy & paste certain text with Android?
2. How do you take note? or you just have to use Voice Recorder?
I'm quite disappointed with the Legend/Android for its basic functions of making call; taking note while making call; copy & paste; Sending contact by SMS (have to send via MMS).
It's funny that I've been so comfortable with winmo & laughing at the Iphone's inferior features.
Now the iphone users can laugh at me!!!
just my 2cent

1. You just hold the finger over the text you want to select, then copy it or use the small thingys to select more text. Easy as pie!
If you hold over a word and get a popup you can search the word on google, wikipedia and translate the word/sentence.
For notes you can download a notepad application from market free, there is several to pick from.
---
there is an application on market thats named "note pad" or search for "andronotes".
This is a simple app to make notes and e-mail them.
if you want to take a note during a call, just press the "home" button and open the application, just as you would do on winmo.
----
and in apps not inside sense, you can just press and hold on the text and "select text". then use the triangle or the scrollwheel/optical scroll to select the word and then press and copy/cut.

jmkhenka said:
1. You just hold the finger over the text you want to select, then copy it or use the small thingys to select more text. Easy as pie!
If you hold over a word and get a popup you can search the word on google, wikipedia and translate the word/sentence.
For notes you can download a notepad application from market free, there is several to pick from.
---
there is an application on market thats named "note pad" or search for "andronotes".
This is a simple app to make notes and e-mail them.
if you want to take a note during a call, just press the "home" button and open the application, just as you would do on winmo.
----
and in apps not inside sense, you can just press and hold on the text and "select text". then use the triangle or the scrollwheel/optical scroll to select the word and then press and copy/cut.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi jmkhenka, in my messages, if I press my finger on any word, it auto highlights the whole message & gives me the Message options. There's no Copy. The only thing closest to copy the message is Forward.
In Winmo, during a call, I only have to pull out the Stylus & the Note will pop up to let me take note.
I will look into that app that you recommend.
Thanks for your time jmkhenka.

This notes app also looks very nice:
http://code.google.com/p/android-notes/

Enabling easy highlight in HTC messaging

Hi, guys
Do you think it's possible to highlight easily in HTC messaging? Just like in Notes or something. For the life of me I can't figure out how to select the words I want! Thanks.

yea bit of a pain not being able to select.
i get around it by having swype installed (swype 2 from the omnia in my case), which has a select text feature as seen below. Hit 'select text' then use the arrows to select.
It also works for those screens that dont let you tap to select and copy, such as secondary phone numbers and email addresses when editing contact cards, and various system settings screens.

If you just touch in the text box and hold it a select option will pop up.

M3XICAN5 said:
If you just touch in the text box and hold it a select option will pop up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
oh yea, lol, id forgotten about that. D'oh hehe
@OP Press and hold, when the marker comes up, drag it roughly where you want it, then tap select, now drag start and end markers, then choose cut/copy/select all.
oh and you can enable the magnifier for that text selection too.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\HTC\TextSelection
set enablemagnifier to 1

The Text Selection tool only works for HTC messaging and for NOTHING ELSE. I hate that. That's a pretty nifty feature. Sad it doesn't work anywhere else... not even emails.