[Q] Action button? - Android Software Development

In trying to develop an application that works on multiple devices, I want to use touch screen for most parts of my application, but I also want to use action button/trackball in some areas. With a wide range of android devices, do all of them constrain to some sort of specification? Do all devices have an action button / trackball? Do some devices only have touch screen for user input?
Thanks.

Related

BIOTouch.exe

What is this process and what does it do? I found it in \Windows and it's size is 91600 bytes (89.4k). It is nowhere as Autorun or a startup service, yet it starts everytime i turn on the phone. I kill it manually.
If i kill the process, nothing bad happends, everything works, and even better, some lag disappears.
Any1 knows what it is??
See http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=401984&page=6.
I would suggest you start from this page, because of the following quote:
====
HTC had no reason to include an application it their ROM if it wasn't needed.
The application is used wherever a "cube-like" action is requested.
For example kill biotouch, go to your mail and swing left to get to the next msg..
BOUM, phone freeze, soft reset.
At least this happened to me with a 1.93 ROM
===
Killing this process makes the X1 a lot faster on the WM GUI level! No crashes, no freezes, evereything seems to work as normal. So what is it for on the X1?
The only thing I noticed, that PocketBreeze doesn't show the messages on the message tab after killing the process.
on biotouch depend some gestures but you can live without them
Killing biotouch seems to have really given my X1 a kick up the a**! More responsive, task manager shows 5-6% usage now. Nothing seems to be missing either. Eraly days thou, I see how it goes..
When I open and close the screen switches to landscape a whole lot quicker too!
One question on my mind "Whats the catch?"!
Silly question, but how do i see my processes?
Install this task manager on your X1..
Try disabling biotouch.exe
If it gives you an improvement then install this to stop biotouch.exe from starting the next time you restart your X1.. Make sure biotouch.exe has been stopped in the task manager before running this.
It controls finger scrolling through emails etc. and for me I couldn't live without. If you don;t need this then should be fine to kill.
so it only controls scrolling? nothing else?
finger scrolling up/down or left/right (to go to previous/next messages) also?
would killing biotouch make it not work on the screen, but would i still be able to go left/right on the optical pad?
disabled biotouch and still have finger scrolling everywhere, don't have any difference, just less memory consumption an maybe a bit more speed.
I have the normal task manager, but can't see any program running.
Do I have to install the task manager cab from the first page?
Biotouch enhances logics processing of touch input. It is because of this program that you can use the ultra-small high-res Windows Mobile default keyboard using your thumb on the very small square keys/buttons, and be able to accurately press the buttons you intend to press. (Anyway I prefer Spb Keyboard instead hehe).
Biotouch calculates equidistant midpoints between the perimeter edges of your finger touch, and incorporates touch pressures (with the center of your touch having the most pressure), in its algorithm for accuracy.
Try it yourself: use the keyboard with large keys/buttons on an iPhone 3G, and then use the default Windows Mobile on-screen QWERTY keyboard using your XPERIA which has even smaller keys/buttons. You will be surprised how much easier it is to press the intended buttons on your XPERIA than the iPhone with its capacitative touch screen.
Biotouch helps with other things too like enhancing touch-scrolling based on how much of the touch surface your finger stayed on the screen during a gesture, to decide what type of scroll to do.
Another thing it helps with is distinguishing finger touch from stylus touch. If one small high-pressure point is detected it assumes it's your stylus. In some situations you may be able to scroll easily with your finger but not with your stylus, as using the stylus you would be selecting text instead, for example.
dogans said:
I have the normal task manager, but can't see any program running.
Do I have to install the task manager cab from the first page?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. It runs just like Windows Task Manager highlighting programs running in the background and giving you the option to 'Terminate' (End Task) an application.
I notice that if I have a large html email and use "tap to scroll right" option it starts biotouch.exe.
If the fix is installed to stop biotouch then the phone crashes. So either dont scroll right in the emails or I just remember to kill biotouch once im finished.. Although I get a lot of email I personally dont need to use the scroll right function very often..
holdout said:
Biotouch enhances logics processing of touch input. It is because of this program that you can use the ultra-small high-res Windows Mobile default keyboard using your thumb on the very small square keys/buttons, and be able to accurately press the buttons you intend to press. (Anyway I prefer Spb Keyboard instead hehe).
Biotouch calculates equidistant midpoints between the perimeter edges of your finger touch, and incorporates touch pressures (with the center of your touch having the most pressure), in its algorithm for accuracy.
Try it yourself: use the keyboard with large keys/buttons on an iPhone 3G, and then use the default Windows Mobile on-screen QWERTY keyboard using your XPERIA which has even smaller keys/buttons. You will be surprised how much easier it is to press the intended buttons on your XPERIA than the iPhone with its capacitative touch screen.
Biotouch helps with other things too like enhancing touch-scrolling based on how much of the touch surface your finger stayed on the screen during a gesture, to decide what type of scroll to do.
Another thing it helps with is distinguishing finger touch from stylus touch. If one small high-pressure point is detected it assumes it's your stylus. In some situations you may be able to scroll easily with your finger but not with your stylus, as using the stylus you would be selecting text instead, for example.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
in this case, biotouch is impt
holdout said:
Biotouch enhances logics processing of touch input. It is because of this program that you can use the ultra-small high-res Windows Mobile default keyboard using your thumb on the very small square keys/buttons, and be able to accurately press the buttons you intend to press. (Anyway I prefer Spb Keyboard instead hehe).
Biotouch calculates equidistant midpoints between the perimeter edges of your finger touch, and incorporates touch pressures (with the center of your touch having the most pressure), in its algorithm for accuracy.
Try it yourself: use the keyboard with large keys/buttons on an iPhone 3G, and then use the default Windows Mobile on-screen QWERTY keyboard using your XPERIA which has even smaller keys/buttons. You will be surprised how much easier it is to press the intended buttons on your XPERIA than the iPhone with its capacitative touch screen.
Biotouch helps with other things too like enhancing touch-scrolling based on how much of the touch surface your finger stayed on the screen during a gesture, to decide what type of scroll to do.
Another thing it helps with is distinguishing finger touch from stylus touch. If one small high-pressure point is detected it assumes it's your stylus. In some situations you may be able to scroll easily with your finger but not with your stylus, as using the stylus you would be selecting text instead, for example.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Didn't know my fingers were that powerful
holdout said:
Biotouch enhances logics processing of touch input. It is because of this program that you can use the ultra-small high-res Windows Mobile default keyboard using your thumb on the very small square keys/buttons, and be able to accurately press the buttons you intend to press. (Anyway I prefer Spb Keyboard instead hehe).
Biotouch calculates equidistant midpoints between the perimeter edges of your finger touch, and incorporates touch pressures (with the center of your touch having the most pressure), in its algorithm for accuracy.
Try it yourself: use the keyboard with large keys/buttons on an iPhone 3G, and then use the default Windows Mobile on-screen QWERTY keyboard using your XPERIA which has even smaller keys/buttons. You will be surprised how much easier it is to press the intended buttons on your XPERIA than the iPhone with its capacitative touch screen.
Biotouch helps with other things too like enhancing touch-scrolling based on how much of the touch surface your finger stayed on the screen during a gesture, to decide what type of scroll to do.
Another thing it helps with is distinguishing finger touch from stylus touch. If one small high-pressure point is detected it assumes it's your stylus. In some situations you may be able to scroll easily with your finger but not with your stylus, as using the stylus you would be selecting text instead, for example.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Make thes sticky somewhere

Remote Desktop Mobile - Show keyboard during full screen?

Does anyone know how to show the software keyboard during a remote desktop session that is running in full screen mode?
I second this,
does anybody know how, i have connected to my work TerminalServer in full screen landscape, but cannot get a keyboard!!!
any ideas please
i wish to keep using Remote Desktop Mobile!
don't use full screen...
then it's almost fullscreen but with the little icon for the keyboard on the bottom.
I had the same problem. and this worked for me.
i just activate the virtual keyboard of windows when i remote control my computer (go to start --> all programs --> accessories --> Ease of Access (ore sth. like that i dunno the english term) --> onscreen keyboard.
altough, this keyboard is pretty hard to use because it's very small.
I'm desperately trying to find this out too. If you don't run in full screen, you have the big black bar across the top and the big black bar across the bottom. You waste loads of screen space, plus when trying to close a program you often end up hitting the "ok/x" button of win mo. Does anyone have any experience with remote desktop mobile? Any reg tweaks to show a keyboard button?
i haven't tried this myself, but this SHOULD work in theory...
map a button (go to Settings->Personal->Buttons) to "<Input Panel>" (should be at the top of the list of mappable items). i guess only the Send key's Long Hold will be available for most people for mapping purposes...
once mapped to a hardware button of your choice, fire up remote desktop in fullscreen mode and give that button a press...see if the windows mobile on-screen keyboard pops up...
let us know what happens...cheers from pakistan!
ASCIIker said:
i haven't tried this myself, but this SHOULD work in theory...
map a button (go to Settings->Personal->Buttons) to "<Input Panel>" (should be at the top of the list of mappable items). i guess only the Send key's Long Hold will be available for most people for mapping purposes...
once mapped to a hardware button of your choice, fire up remote desktop in fullscreen mode and give that button a press...see if the windows mobile on-screen keyboard pops up...
let us know what happens...cheers from pakistan!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried this; however the keyboard flashes momentarily and refuses to remain.
try zaDesktop (free), which imo works much better: more configuration options, including screen resolution setting (up 10 1024x768), plus easy access to keyboard - long press on the screen during session and choose "Show keyboard" (see attached pic)
as for Remote Desktop Mobile, the last resort is using PC Windows on-screen keyboard, but it's not that convenient
i have it linked to the gsensor to rotate the screen, then just rotating my phone allows me to call up the keyboard.

[REQUEST] hardware keys remaper

i search forthis long time so let me know if there are some application that allows what i want. I know it can be only for root users.
I have an idea to application that allow user change function hardware keys.My idea is change search button to bring up app switcher.Be couse i really never used that button. I know many situation when we hold "HOME" to bring it up but it take me back to home+show preview screens +bring up app switcher (i know previews can be turned off by launcher but i want previews, they are cool).You dont need hold anything.It will be much faster switching betwean applications.
So you push menu to back to menu or bring up previews
and push search button to bring application switcher.
it is good idea?
sorry for bad english.
I was ready to start a thread with a similar recquest, so I do it here.
I've using a lot an application on my previous wm devices, called AE Button plus (http://ae.inc.ru/aebplus.php).
With this you could map any of hardware buttons of the device. And you could assign 4 actions to any button(click, doulbe click, triple click and click&hold) and it had many of system functions(reboot, bluetooth, wifi, gps on/off....).
On android I haven't seen any similar app(except button shortcut, which is very limited)
Is possible to have such an app on android? I hope that a developer start a project for a similar program. I found this app very useful.

[IDEA/REQUEST] On Screen Hardware Keys

I have an idea that I think a lot of people would find useful. It is to create an app that stays on the bottom of the screen throughout Android that will utilize the various hardware keys. IE: Menu, Back, Power, Volume, etc. Ideally it would be customizable, like where to place them within the bottom "taskbar". This would enable users to utilize the touch screen for all aspects of Android, rather than relying on hardware keys. I'm not a programmer so I wouldn't even know where to start but would someone want to take that on? Sound like a good idea?

[Q] My Touch GSM's screen is bad, HEEEEEELP!

Hi everyone this Junior and my touch gsm phone has bad touchscreen, I want to know if there's an app that can let me use the device without the touchscreen functionality meanwhile until I get that fixed. Thanx in advance.
You could use Mobiler to control your device from your Pc...
Or teh directional buttons to naviagte - I don't use my camera on my elfs so I have mapped that button to start menu too. (This could be done with MyMobiler as stated to use by Tito)

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