Database Users

Why do Leo's programs only minimise on exit?

What's that about?
I've never used Task Manager so much in my life.
I'm not sure the thinking behind this.

Get the TouchX Taskmanager off this thread...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=4947950&postcount=1
Then, on the home tab, drop down the task manager (top right corner) and you can change the options (wrench) so that apps close when you click X. It also gives you a dropdown list of running apps so you can switch between them.
Hope this helps

Thanks John.
It still leaves me baffled though at the choice of doing things the way HTC have done. Surely there's going to be many consumer out there that don't even know what a Task Manager is, who will be running slow phones with no idea why.
Or maybe they all bought an iPhone.

See Here

CHIP STAXMAN said:
Thanks John.
It still leaves me baffled though at the choice of doing things the way HTC have done. Surely there's going to be many consumer out there that don't even know what a Task Manager is, who will be running slow phones with no idea why.
Or maybe they all bought an iPhone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can also get Microsoft's perspective on this Here
This is not an HTC issue- PPC and WinMo have always minimised apps by default unless the application itself has a Menu/Quit routine.
HTC have previously utilised their own Task Manager, which for some reason they didn't include in the HD2 hence the need for external apps such as JCM suggested. Maybe they thought 200MB was ample- compared to the 16MB of the early PPC devices?
In general I've not encountered any slowdowns, but I tend not to use many apps that stay memory resident.

If you press and hold the X, instead of just tapping it, it will properly close the program. That option is within the Task Manager on the phone, in the settings of the phone.

madindehead said:
If you press and hold the X, instead of just tapping it, it will properly close the program. That option is within the Task Manager on the phone, in the settings of the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I couldn't find this option on my brother's HD2 (T-Mobile). I've seen it on all previous devices that I've add.
Will have to try the other suggestions here.

Yep, in my T-Mobile UK build I can only access the SENSE settings and not the windows mobile settings that allows you to change taskbar settings.
Grrr

That's because the task manager button in the home page was removed for this version of Sense. Literally the first thing I did when I got the phone was to find out how to add that back.
I personally think it's a stupid idea, so I'm glad for this wonderful resource that we know as xda!

Dang was hoping for a registry setting,
Any idea how turn turn on windows settings only?

CHIP STAXMAN said:
Thanks John.
It still leaves me baffled though at the choice of doing things the way HTC have done. Surely there's going to be many consumer out there that don't even know what a Task Manager is, who will be running slow phones with no idea why.
Or maybe they all bought an iPhone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Having the programs already cached in memory allows faster access with successive uses. windows mobile automatically closes background programs should available memory get too low.
There are many threads on this site about increasing available memory on devices to increase speed, but many of the ideas are counter productive, because best speed is obtained when items are preloaded into memory. this is why there is great performance boost by increasing file system cache and glyth cache ect. but this comes at a memory cost
Slow device will only occur when memory runs out, this is pretty rare on modern phones (Touch pro and onwards) especially when using WM 6.5.
Remember, you have paid for that memory in your phone, so make sure to use it and not leave it empty so you can look at your task manager and see 50% free just to think it makes your phone quicker

rumpleforeskin said:
Remember, you have paid for that memory in your phone, so make sure to use it and not leave it empty so you can look at your task manager and see 50% free just to think it makes your phone quicker
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good points rumple.
It's all those years of Windows use that have made me believe that killing processes is the cure for most evils. I'll have to retrain my thinking.

Do minimized programs use much battery?

qweac said:
Do minimized programs use much battery?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Depends on the program. If it's one that only does things when you interact with it (press buttons, scroll stuff etc.) then no. If it does other things then it may well do, but it obviously varies greatly and depends what it does.

task panel killing my live wallaper, swaps it to default nexus one paper?

so...
i'm running enomther's 1.8.1 ROM, with the licorice theme, and the newer radio, and intersectraven's 900mV AVS kernel...
i don't know what the cause is, but i put on the spectrum live wallpaper, and when i use the task panel widget to shut down running tasks (because i'm too lazy to turn off google listen and all the other notifications), it kills my wallpaper, and reverts it to the nexus one wallpaper (that grid looking wallpaper with the little multicolored things that cross the screen, i don't like it, tbh)
any suggestions?

timothydonohue said:
so...
i'm running enomther's 1.8.1 ROM, with the licorice theme, and the newer radio, and intersectraven's 900mV AVS kernel...
i don't know what the cause is, but i put on the spectrum live wallpaper, and when i use the task panel widget to shut down running tasks (because i'm too lazy to turn off google listen and all the other notifications), it kills my wallpaper, and reverts it to the nexus one wallpaper (that grid looking wallpaper with the little multicolored things that cross the screen, i don't like it, tbh)
any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're kidding right? just exclude it from the list that is killed...I'm sorry but I don't see how that's not obvious to a "senior member"

ralexand said:
You're kidding right? just exclude it from the list that is killed...I'm sorry but I don't see how that's not obvious to a "senior member"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A senior member does not mean you have more intelligence than everyone, it is determined by your post count. Simply because you have a high post count, does not mean your Intelligence Quotient is higher than everyone else's, or that you have lots of common sense for that matter.
You can have 1000 post, and still not have the most basic knowledge, while it may be rare - don't judge people on a forum based on something as silly as the amount of post they have.
Your a plain "member" and you didn't even use a period..

Stop using task managers. They are 100% unnecessary.

Until you get a runaway app, then they are pretty handy. They are also good for things like trapster where you want it to run in the background when you are using it but stopping it (batt hog) is easier and faster with a task killer than going to it and drilling the menu. Also with the right combination of apps running you can get slowdowns which are immediately fixed by killing some of them. I think 100% unnecessary is something I'm going to have to disagree with.
I prefer one like systempanel that gives quite a bit of information about what those pesky apps are doing to help pinpoint malefactors. I exclude most of the apps I use with even moderate frequency save a few exceptions like trapster.

krabman said:
Until you get a runaway app, then they are pretty handy. They are also good for things like trapster where you want it to run in the background when you are using it but stopping it (batt hog) is easier and faster with a task killer than going to it and drilling the menu. Also with the right combination of apps running you can get slowdowns which are immediately fixed by killing some of them. I think 100% unnecessary is something I'm going to have to disagree with.
I prefer one like systempanel that gives quite a bit of information about what those pesky apps are doing to help pinpoint malefactors. I exclude most of the apps I use with even moderate frequency save a few exceptions like trapster.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Slowdowns? Is Cyanogen's ROM immune to these slowdowns? I have not one task manager installed, and my phone never hangs, or slows down, apps never even seem to malfunction. I'm obviously lucky.

Been the rare case for me as well. But yes, on cm I have had occasion to need to kill apps. There are a number of things which would be factors. Whether or not you shut down at night, how many apps you use, in what combination, etc. As to not encountering an app that doesnt play well with others there are only two kinds of N1 owners. Those that have had a whacked app and those that are going have a whacked app.

Still, you don't need a task manager running. If there's an errant process, you can stop it in running services.

Yeah, you can, it just takes longer. I use system panel very seldom, particularly to kill tasks. I have most tasks that I typically run regularly excluded because I understand the memory management scheme in android and know I dont need to kill tasks without reason. Having it and properly setting it up however improves the speed with which you can do so if you have a need based on the things you use like in my case with the trapster exampleyou can. Read about system panel here ----> http://androidforums.com/android-ap...task-killer-people-who-hate-task-killers.html This program is not actually a task killer although it can perform that function when needed.

ralexand said:
You're kidding right? just exclude it from the list that is killed...I'm sorry but I don't see how that's not obvious to a "senior member"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for the solution, not so much for being a little jerky about it.
i hadn't even thought about the wallpaper being a 'task', so it didn't occur to me to even open task panel to check it. i only use the widget.
and, i am not using it because i'm 'trying to save battery life'. i consider it legitimate use, because some programs don't play nicely together. google listen and the music
player will play over each other, for example. easier to just press the widget button and kill them than to individually open those programs up to pause them.

timothydonohue said:
thanks for the solution, not so much for being a little jerky about it.
i hadn't even thought about the wallpaper being a 'task', so it didn't occur to me to even open task panel to check it. i only use the widget.
and, i am not using it because i'm 'trying to save battery life'. i consider it legitimate use, because some programs don't play nicely together. google listen and the music
player will play over each other, for example. easier to just press the widget button and kill them than to individually open those programs up to pause them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you want to save battery life, keep killing the live wallpapers. :-D

Eclair~ said:
Your a plain "member" and you didn't even use a period..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, being a senior member doesn't mean you're good in english as well.

Mi|enko said:
If you want to save battery life, keep killing the live wallpapers. :-D
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol, it doesn't kill the live wallpaper to a static one, it kills it to another one i don't like.
it's fine. exception added

musashiken said:
Yeah, being a senior member doesn't mean you're good in english as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Never said it did, but good shot at irony. Ow, I'm hit. I could also say you didn't capitalize English. Unless I'm missing something, this could go on forever. I'm sure I made an error in this post as well..

lol Ok, I think I'm done here. Carry on gents.

Eclair~ said:
Never said it did, but good shot at irony. Ow, I'm hit. I could also say you didn't capitalize English. Unless I'm missing something, this could go on forever. I'm sure I made an error in this post as well..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol, don't take me seriously. Err, just trying to increase post count?
Anyway I'm done here. Guy got his answer anyway.

Rooting the phone..

I have never "rooted" my phone. I was wondering what the Pros & Cons were, of doing it..

Menace II Society said:
I have never "rooted" my phone. I was wondering what the Pros & Cons were, of doing it..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Benefits are minimal if you are not a power user, or developer... The only real benefit I can think of is the WiFi teather.
Cons are things like voided warranty.
From the sounds of it, you need to do alot more research before you make the decision to root. Please use the search functionality on the forum.
Also, currently no root for the G2 that lasts past reboot.

I agree with above, I feel that the greatest thing gained from root access is the ability to enable Wifi (and Wired) tethering to other devices.
You can also:
Flash Custom Roms
Flash kernels to Overclock your CPU for better performance
Flash kernels to Undervolt your CPU for better battery life
There are also plenty of applications in the market that you can only use with Root Access. Just go to the Market and in the search bar type "Root" and you will see the different goodies that pop up.

Akulamenuri said:
I agree with above, I feel that the greatest thing gained from root access is the ability to enable Wifi (and Wired) tethering to other devices.
You can also:
Flash Custom Roms
Flash kernels to Overclock your CPU for better performance
Flash kernels to Undervolt your CPU for better battery life
There are also plenty of applications in the market that you can only use with Root Access. Just go to the Market and in the search bar type "Root" and you will see the different goodies that pop up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunatly, it looks like none of these advanced options will be available to G2 uses fro some time as the phone rejects the root on reboot...
Rejects the root on reboot, Rejects the root on reboot, Rejects the root on reboot... Mmmmm, Geeky tounge twister!

The key word being 'some time'... could be an hour, could be until the next OTA, so we can watch exactly how it 'vets' the new update.
I'd say that being able to install/uninstall the default apps the phone comes with would be something anyone would find useful. Same with being able to access the system filestructure, to tuck away new ringtones in the default directory, so the music app won't pick them up. Or with wallpapers into the default Wallpaper section, instead of cluttering up your Gallery. Overclocking the CPU would mostly be for tweakers, going for high marks on Linpack.
Personally, I'd love an app that remapped a few of the keyboard keys (like those useless 'quick launch' buttons, and the hat-go-on-foot STUPID www/com button) to something actually *useful*.
Though yes, wifi/wired tethering would be the icing on the cake, for those who actually need/use it.

1. Flashing custom roms (CM6 is the real deal)
2. Adding tethering back (rarely use it but its a part of froyo)
3. Ability to change notification settings (needs better trackpad lighting)
Those are the 3 reasons I would love getting root, but as Google continues to update the app, getting root becomes less and less important. As far as the ringtones someone mentioned above, just download ringdroid. It makes ringtones, alarms, notifications, etc. without making it into the music.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App

Forgot about the notification light color options.. that'd be nice too.
And no, Ringdroid seems to leave them visible to the Music app, annoyingly enough.

Talesin_BatBat said:
Forgot about the notification light color options.. that'd be nice too.
And no, Ringdroid seems to leave them visible to the Music app, annoyingly enough.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For ringtones and notification sounds I just put them in /sdcard/ringtones and /sdcard/notifications and they do not seem to appear in the Music app, and are available to the respective spinners to configure without third party apps...

How exactly do I root the phone? I've only jailbroken my iPhone. I don't know how to go about it with Android now.

Menace II Society said:
How exactly do I root the phone? I've only jailbroken my iPhone. I don't know how to go about it with Android now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No permanent root as of yet with the G2. Only temporary that reverts back on reboot.
Hang tight.

[Q] Closing Programs

Has anybody figured out a way to use the back button to exit out of programs instead of hiding them so that you don't have to go to "manage applications" in order to force close them and save battery life?...i know, run.on.

konsts said:
Has anybody figured out a way to use the back button to exit out of programs instead of hiding them so that you don't have to go to "manage applications" in order to force close them and save battery life?...i know, run.on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From what I understand the MT4G is supposed to do a job on it's own of closing most applications most of the time, better then any other android had (at time of release anyway). I suppose if you think it's that big of an issue you could download a task killer, but I've heard over and over again to not use on on the mt4g because you just don't need it. That's just what I heard though.
Could be wrong, wouldn't be the first time.

Is there a setting for that then? because nothing closes on my phone

yeah i agree on NOT using those task killers. i have seen many posts from devs saying they cause more problems then there worth. interfere with apps causing force closes and some other thing that i cant remember off the top of my head.

Google up "Why you shouldn't be using task killers with Android", read, educate yourself, and stop doing unnecessary things with your phone. Understand how things work before you attempt "making them work better", and screw them up in the process.

Ok sounds good, but why then when you get rid of the bloatware like "amazon mp3" by disabilig them, do you get improved battery life? What am I missing?

You don't. Battery life won't be bothered by having or not having Amazon MP3. The only thing you get is more memory (which isn't used anyway) and more space on the /system (which isn't used anyway). Additional thing you get that IS used - is less cluttered app drawer.

konsts said:
Ok sounds good, but why then when you get rid of the bloatware like "amazon mp3" by disabilig them, do you get improved battery life? What am I missing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Task Killers do more harm then they do good. any developer, any coder, any one with any Android knowledge will tell you "you do not need it, and they do more harm then good". In fact Google themselves has said that it's not worth it. and the dev team @ Cyanogen will not accept a event log for trouble shooting if you have used a task killer.
But the reason we delete bloat ware is to gain that memory for other applications and data. no all apps can be stored to the SD card and they do leave a foot print on the phone. So we delete them to gain the space back.
Android phones are Lunix based computers which can multitask lightyears better than any current windows based computer system, phone or server. They were designed with this very principle in mind. In fact if you have ever used Ubuntu 10.10 they have a 4 "work spaces" where you can do different stuff simultaneously. similar to the "home screens" on android.
as far as them "running" in the background they are not absorbing any data/battery/resources from your phone. They are setting in a "frozen" state until you open them. In fact, if you didn't know this, if you press and hold the home button you can access recently open apps. It keeps them in the "frozen" state so if you switch back to them they'll open where you left them.

Thanks for all the comments. But I don't need convincing on the task killers; I understand they're worthless. My intent was to find out how to make my phone perform better (battery life-wise). And although I think I have a better understanding on how android handles apps it also just confused me.
I used to get 8-10 hrs max on my phone and basically have to charge it all the time. Since I temp rooted (permroot isn't working for me) using VISIONary and disabled a bunch of apps using Terminal Emulator, I'm sitting on 23.5 hrs off the charger right now with 45% battery left!!! And all I did was disable apps. So I'm mad confused how I'm getting so much battery life when the only thing that's changed in my phone according to you wouldn't change anything.

konsts said:
Thanks for all the comments. But I don't need convincing on the task killers; I understand they're worthless. My intent was to find out how to make my phone perform better (battery life-wise). And although I think I have a better understanding on how android handles apps it also just confused me.
I used to get 8-10 hrs max on my phone and basically have to charge it all the time. Since I temp rooted (permroot isn't working for me) using VISIONary and disabled a bunch of apps using Terminal Emulator, I'm sitting on 23.5 hrs off the charger right now with 45% battery left!!! And all I did was disable apps. So I'm mad confused how I'm getting so much battery life when the only thing that's changed in my phone according to you wouldn't change anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
battery life has alot to do with your social networks, and syncing. If i turn off everything, and turn the screen brightness to about 25%, i drop about 2% per 5 hours. So it really depends on what you disabled, and if they were absorbing any resources on your phone.

neidlinger said:
Task Killers do more harm then they do good. any developer, any coder, any one with any Android knowledge will tell you "you do not need it, and they do more harm then good". In fact Google themselves has said that it's not worth it. and the dev team @ Cyanogen will not accept a event log for trouble shooting if you have used a task killer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is correct. However, there is one situation in which I do end apps, and that is in the case of resource-intensive, 3D games. The MT4G has so much RAM, that even games like NFS Shift, X-Plane, and Jet Car Stunts never close. They stay running in the background forever, which is unnecessary. So I'll close those, but no other apps.

TeeJay3800 said:
That is correct. However, there is one situation in which I do end apps, and that is in the case of resource-intensive, 3D games. The MT4G has so much RAM, that even games like NFS Shift, X-Plane, and Jet Car Stunts never close. They stay running in the background forever, which is unnecessary. So I'll close those, but no other apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do the same but i'll got to settings > apps > running > and sever them.
BTW Backbacker is a good 3D game.

neidlinger said:
BTW Backbacker is a good 3D game.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not finding that one. The closest I can find is this one, but that's a GPS resource, not a game.

TeeJay3800 said:
I'm not finding that one. The closest I can find is this one, but that's a GPS resource, not a game.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
look for backbreaker football. it was a the Amazon freebie yesterday.

konsts said:
Has anybody figured out a way to use the back button to exit out of programs instead of hiding them so that you don't have to go to "manage applications" in order to force close them and save battery life?...i know, run.on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Settings/applications/development/stop app via long press.
Make sure you check the box. That's how you stop the app completely.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA App

No such thing on stock ROMs. CM feature.

didnt know he had a stock rom till i read his sig. xda app doesnt show that sig. saw it now that im a pc. my bad.

[Q] multi-tasking question

hi, since I've been using honeycomb in my A500 and got to used the Xoom and Galaxy tab I noted that I can only have 5 apps on the multi-task buttom.
Is there a way that i can increase the number of apps on the multitasking buttom like Xoom and Glaxy Tab??

3.1 includes an update to show your last 18 apps in place of the 5 currently in 3.0

As far as I know, that button only shows recently opened apps, not running apps... but I too am looking forward to being able to see more.

To be honest, the whole multitasking concept on Android is an utter mess; I can never know if the application I just used is still running in the background or not unless the application itself places an icon in the systray, and there is no quick, logical way of seeing all running applications and switching between them. If you want to see all the running ones you have to jump through several hoops, and the recently opened - list doesn't indicate which ones are still running and which ones aren't.
I really hate it.

WereCatf said:
To be honest, the whole multitasking concept on Android is an utter mess; I can never know if the application I just used is still running in the background or not unless the application itself places an icon in the systray, and there is no quick, logical way of seeing all running applications and switching between them. If you want to see all the running ones you have to jump through several hoops, and the recently opened - list doesn't indicate which ones are still running and which ones aren't.
I really hate it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bump. Needs a built in logical easy to use task manager that clearly shows what is running and offers options to close/disable said app.
Not really the way android works, I find keeping a copy of atk around on my rooted device helps a lot - remove the crap that you don't use, keep an eye on running tasks and free ram.

It would be nice if they would put in a little icon to indicate which apps are open in the recent app menu, maybe even on the app icons themselves on the home screen or whatever. I don't think it'd be that hard to implement.

lord_voldemort666 said:
It would be nice if they would put in a little icon to indicate which apps are open in the recent app menu, maybe even on the app icons themselves on the home screen or whatever. I don't think it'd be that hard to implement.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Even something as simple as a small green sphere -- with 1px or 2px black edge around it for clarity -- next to the running applications' icons would already help. You'd still have to jump through hoops to shut them down though if they don't offer such a menu option themselves.
All in all, Android is terribly confusing and definitely isn't all that end-user-friendly. Like for example, there is no kind of help menu in any of the built-in apps, only a select few 3rd party apps offer such, meaning that it's tough for a Jane the Newcomer to figure out what's what. Then the aforementioned multitasking mess. Not to mention the fact that Android Market is a total mess itself too; Google doesn't have any kind of a validation system in place so there's all kinds of scam apps and crapware there, and apps are not even always in the correct category either. Inconsistency on controls is also a hindrance as I think Google should create very specific guidelines for basic UI management and controls. And don't get me started on topics about how things are under the hood..

Jocis said:
hi, since I've been using honeycomb in my A500 and got to used the Xoom and Galaxy tab I noted that I can only have 5 apps on the multi-task buttom.
Is there a way that i can increase the number of apps on the multitasking buttom like Xoom and Glaxy Tab??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Turn the tablet to the portrait orientation and you will see 7 apps.

WereCatf said:
To be honest, the whole multitasking concept on Android is an utter mess; I can never know if the application I just used is still running in the background or not unless the application itself places an icon in the systray, and there is no quick, logical way of seeing all running applications and switching between them. If you want to see all the running ones you have to jump through several hoops, and the recently opened - list doesn't indicate which ones are still running and which ones aren't.
I really hate it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that's what i thought. Google have some big mess in all their android devices.
I didn't knew if it was right to call the recently open item a multitasking because it was somehow confusing and I think I read in the android developer page for honeycomb explains that as multitasking.
I hate the store in Puerto Rico, I'm using market enabler to get some apps because I can't see a full market and even download some apps for country limitations. I don't even have the Tablet section