Database Users

Phone Application

I am new to the whole PDA form so please forgive me if this is obvious but I have not found the answers on this site.
I have an O2 XDA mini s and am slowly getting the hang of it.
Problem: On closing all running programs in task manager I loose the use of the phone keypad, pressing the green call button brings up the phone application but minus the number keys, calls can still be made through contacts. A soft reset is required to recify.
?Related problem: In task manager, there are programs running that are not visible on the list (if I press below the last visible item something is selected and I can "goto" it.
Plus on occation the listed item takes me to a different program ie. selecting media player takes me to Word (no set pattern though).
All help would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance

StefanF: what task manager are you using?
V

Sorry, just to clarify, PDA is "as out of the box", so just the WM5 task manager.
Thanks for your interest, I have followed several of your posts and seen your site. You have some great programs I would like to use, particually like the big phone buttons and close application tool but am quite scared of this thing.
It may be a while before I mess to deeply.

Stefan: that sounds like an odd problem.
The built in task manager is useful but not very comprehensive.
If you want to view all running tasks etc, there are much better programs out there, many are freeware. If you can't find any better, check out one I've posted here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?p=190257#190257
It's not written by me, I've just re-added some features.
Note - closing the phone (cprog.exe) is not a particularly good idea unless you really need it, because some other apps expect it to be loaded (eg contacts)
My programs
Some are ok. You might want to try my program VJOkButt if you just want to close apps to keep your memory healthy. But that's subject to taste and it's not clear how useful - although on the Wizard, it might be helpful.
The big phone buttons are actually just for the universal, it's not designed for Wizard. Basically it's for VGA phones that are using the ful VGA hack.
I've got some other stuff coming out soon. Stay tuned :wink:
V

Phone application
Thanks for the info.
I think, from what you have said, I need to know what I am doing to shut down the phone application as it is never my intention.
Pitty about the big button program. Why is there not full customisation of the screen (as in desktop PC's, can change the size of buttons, scroll bars... both of which are to small for finger use on this)
As a side note, when I am in an application the menus and any selections within make a click upon pressing ie. in word, Menu>Cut each selection makes a click. I have all tap sounds off but the only way I can stop it is to turn the master volume all the way down. Any ideas?
Once again, thanks.

You have to overwrite some of the default sounds with empy sounds to disable all click sounds. At least that's what I did, but that was a long time ago..basically you use your pc, make an empty .wav file, and overwrite the necessary files in your \windows\ folder. If you're interested in doing this and need more help, shout out!
Closing the phone - yes, you would probably not close it without knowing what you're doing. I presume when you're not using the task manager you're not having the phone problems?
Try a program called CETuner to help play around with your scrollbars etc. It's good for modifying colour themes and various settings on the go. Another program worth looking at is Tweak 2k .net.
V

Many thanks.

Personally i'm currently using Magic Button to close apps and act as a task manager. http://www.freewareppc.com/utilities/magicbutton.shtml
It allows you to close or minimise apps, and by clicking the "house" icon on the windows bar you can also close all, soft reset etc. Final point on it is that you can see X number of running apps and touch to swap to them, or "hide when inactive" and "keep alive" so you dont close (or even see) some apps - i keep messages & phone in this state to improve response times but close use close all to kill everything else.

Danger using Task Manager
Stefan,
I had the same problem. Ideally you should use Start/Settings/System/Memory/Running Programs to close down active tasks. Yes, the Task Manager does it and you can launch it from the menu, but it is a bit dangerous (as I found out). The Phone app appears in Task Manager as an unnamed icon and its icon looks like the Windows Media Player one (at least it does on my XDA Mini S). Shutting this down will do exactly what you describe (I started a thread called 'Help I'm stuck in Contact History on this).
By all means use Task Manager if you want to, just don't shut all apps, leave the unnamed 'media player lookalike' icon.
Cheers. :wink:

To the original poster:
I had this problem when i got my XDA at first. To be honest, i think its the o2 active stuff that messes up the phone app.
My suggestion is this: back up any important data, then do a hard rerset of your phone. When the screen comes up about Standard, Corporate or Basic install choose the Corporate option and use the passcode 0506. this will allow you to use the phone without any of the o2 crap and since i done it i've had no problems with the phone.
just to let you know, this will stop the phone setting up its own GRPS and MMS settings, but if you phone o2 ar go into a shop then they will happily send them to you.
Hope this helps.

Task Manager or Active ?
I suspect that it is shutting down the phone app that's causing the issue not Active. I agree, get rid of Active if you don't like it (I use Basic so I still get the MMS settings), but I don't think Active is the cause.
Just my humble opinion of course.

I'd completely overlooked that StefanF was using o2. I'm an O2 and Orange user, but O2 active has never touched my system. Sounds like that's quite an oversight by them if the O2 Task Manager allows you to close the phone app... not recommended!
V

Oooer indeed
My friend has an XDA Exec (Universal) and he had lots of problems with the phone app which I strongly suspect were much the same thing. (although his apps in task manager were not unnamed, he had multiple phone apps running). I didn't know the Task Manager was an O2 add-on, I assumed it was a WM5 feature.

keep software running in background continuously on Wizard

I have seen lots of posts that explain how to close running programs,
and how to get memory back.
But I would like to know how I can let software run continuously
in the background.
I put the exe. of the program it in my start-up folder, and after a reset the program runs.
But sometimes during the day I close all other running software, to get
back memory. But when I do, I forget to startup the one that needs to
run in the background continuously.
Can someone please explain how to let it run continuously, without
accidentally closing it ?
tnx.

Is there really no-one here that knows how to do it ?

winny said:
Is there really no-one here that knows how to do it ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It depends which soft you're using to close the whole set of running applications. Some of those applications managers have an option where you can put exceptions, so when you call the close all functionality, all the excluded apps won't be closed.
Cheers,
.Fred

or if u use vbar make ur program active and use the "close all axcept active" option...

How are you closing these apps?
As by default Windows Mobile keeps every app running in the backround (and is why you see so much talk about how to <i>really</i> close applications).

frazell said:
How are you closing these apps?
As by default Windows Mobile keeps every app running in the backround (and is why you see so much talk about how to <i>really</i> close applications).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Windows mobile just minimize them. In order to close them, you have to post a WM_CLOSE to the main window of an application. This should in most cases be enough to close an app.
Cheers,
.Fred

tnx guys for your help.
I use Wisbar, but I am not sure if there is an option in it to exclude
a program. I will look into it and see if it works.
I was also thinking about making a change in the registry to
keep the software moving.
As I am not a tech-guy, I do not know if this makes sense.
So forgive me, if this sounds stupid.

Having quite the same problem, just another exe - the CardAutoRun.exe, just another device, a Prophet; see my thread here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=278672
I also have a TaskMangager, but there CardAutoRun is not visible at all - and I very seldomly use it to close *all* applications.
Yesterday I did a soft reset, after which the CardAutoRun worked for two tests with two different cards - then I simply switched off my Prophet (sent it to sleep), switched on again - and the next SDcard inserted didn't autostart (as it _did_ just before off/on).
Obviously CheckAutoRun gets kicked out by that automatic task managing of Windows ...?

I found out that Wisbar does a good job.
In Wisbar/Settings/Task Management you can clearly define which
programs need to keep running in the background continuously,
even if you close all at the same time.

It does not work
Now, I thought that Wisbar (or taskmanagers in general)
would do a good job. There still is a problem.
Yes, wisbar (or some other task manager) will keep software
running in the background at startup.
But as soon as I start Internet Explorer, the software that
should keep on running in de background is closed.
No matter how I configure the Taskmanager, as soon as I
start Explorer ALL programs are closed automatically.
Does someone know what is happening here ?

for those who uses msn live messenger..

hope this is the right place to post.. I am using the live 10.6.34.0800 and everything works fine except one part, closing it. I can't option to close the program. If i click on the "x" on top, it only minimize it and even so I can't find it under task manager. The only way to bring it back up is to click on the live.exe short cut again. So far the only way I can really shut down the program is to kill the process. I've used 10.6.33.0600 before and same problem.
Anyone else is experiencing the same thing? How do you go about it.
Thanks,

silvscorp said:
hope this is the right place to post.. I am using the live 10.6.34.0800 and everything works fine except one part, closing it. I can't option to close the program. If i click on the "x" on top, it only minimize it and even so I can't find it under task manager. The only way to bring it back up is to click on the live.exe short cut again. So far the only way I can really shut down the program is to kill the process. I've used 10.6.33.0600 before and same problem.
Anyone else is experiencing the same thing? How do you go about it.
Thanks,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Use a task manager like X Button, HTC Task Manager, WkTask, etc.

That is way it is. If you still like it, use it. Can't argue with MS. There were more older WinCE programs were like that. The argument was why you need to close the programs? I was steamed. Take Pocket Informant as example, it opens automatically when bootup. By default, the "close" option is hidden until you know how to config the program (older version did not have that option). Another example is ActiveSync. It took tons of time to figure out how to control the damn sucker. Tell me who doesn't hate it. In fact you can find custom ROM's in this forum with added feature called "Kill ActiveSync". It is not only can't be close, it starts by itself and drains your batteries. Go figure!

tnyynt said:
Use a task manager like X Button, HTC Task Manager, WkTask, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In general under the "x" for htc task manager, all the active programs will be listed, (active sync, file explorer, etc) but after the Live Messenger is minimized (running in background) it doesn't even show up. Only way to close it is by killing it under task manager or process.
jychan28 said:
That is way it is. If you still like it, use it. Can't argue with MS. There were more older WinCE programs were like that. The argument was why you need to close the programs? I was steamed. Take Pocket Informant as example, it opens automatically when bootup. By default, the "close" option is hidden until you know how to config the program (older version did not have that option). Another example is ActiveSync. It took tons of time to figure out how to control the damn sucker. Tell me who doesn't hate it. In fact you can find custom ROM's in this forum with added feature called "Kill ActiveSync". It is not only can't be close, it starts by itself and drains your batteries. Go figure!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well if this is the way it is with the program then i guess i can kill it through process. Unlike active sync, this drains a lot memory, if I don't kill the program it will just hide in the background and constantly running, if I disconnect wifi, it'll auto connect to data network, so obviously this is a big problem.

how to close applications

Hi,
some of the applications does not have a exist option (maybe i didnt figured this out!). in this case how can i close them (i.e. can i do that by using back button).
I can press and hold the home button to see which applications are running and switch between them. but this does not allows me to close them.
please help
ooo7

This has been answered many times before, but just to make it easy, you can use apps from he market. Personally, I've tried TasKiller and Advanced Task Killer. The latter I find to be the best.
http://www.cyrket.com/package/com.rechild.advancedtaskkiller

jamesking420 said:
This has been answered many times before, but just to make it easy, you can use apps from he market. Personally, I've tried TasKiller and Advanced Task Killer. The latter I find to be the best.
http://www.cyrket.com/package/com.rechild.advancedtaskkiller
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HI,
but the problem with the advanced task killer is it gives huge list (i.e. I have not even started them.. i think it gives a list what ever i got in my program list)
for example, if i press and hold the home key i will icons of application i am running, however if i run advanced task killer i will get morethan what i have in previuos method.
i maybe doing something wrong.. but cant figure it out. please help
thanks ooo7

Yes,
I do have the same issue, there are a lot of applications listed which I haven't opend before.... I also want to close applications on a regulair base.
It seems the hero will slow done a bit when having a few apps open, which ofcourse is logical.

Advanced task killer lists all the processes that are running.
All devices (Mobiles, PC's and PDAs) have processes running that you haven't opened. these are the OS, and other apps that need to be running the whole time, like Gmail (or you dont get any push mail), calendar (Or you dont get any reminders), messaging, and many more. this is basic stuff and you need to understand it. just cos you haven't opened it, doesn't mean it is not running.
try opening task manager on a windows pc, and most have 20-30 processes running. Did you start all of them?
Also, holding the home key does NOT show you running programs, it only shows you the last 6 programs YOU accessed. Android has NO way of showing you what processes are running without a third party program. (or not that i know of anyway)
gotta agree with jamesking420 though, advanced taskiller is the best of the bunch at the moment.

Android closes applications when it needs the memory, but until then it keeps them cached in memory. So unless you hit some sort of bug, there is no reason to manually close applications. How did you get into the habit of manually closing applications on your cell phone, anyways?

Volker1 said:
How did you get into the habit of manually closing applications on your cell phone, anyways?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
probably from years of dealing with the antichrist of Mobile operating systems. Otherwise known as Windows mobile!

From what I've learned begin new to Android is that it is self monitoring. It will automatically close programs as needed ulike WinMo devices. You can just hit the back button or home button. It might store in the cache but the device will shut the program down as it is not needed.

archboy69 said:
From what I've learned begin new to Android is that it is self monitoring. It will automatically close programs as needed ulike WinMo devices. You can just hit the back button or home button. It might store in the cache but the device will shut the program down as it is not needed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Truly idle apps won't affect performance, but misbehaving apps still cause problems. Ex: Peep drains the battery in no-time when it has no account preferences and thus can't possibly do anything useful. Give it valid twitter credentials, or kill it, and the battery lasts a lot longer. I.e. if you don't want to use twitter you either have to kill Peep every time after boot, get rid of it completely, or connect an external battery-pack

phel21 said:
get rid of it completely
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hell yes, how could I do that?

archboy69 said:
From what I've learned begin new to Android is that it is self monitoring. It will automatically close programs as needed ulike WinMo devices. You can just hit the back button or home button. It might store in the cache but the device will shut the program down as it is not needed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
rught, and if you add the android 'Task Bar' widget you can see, how much memory is free. You can also observe, that there are changes, because the operating systems frees memory by itself.
As others have written, there is no need to manually interfere, plus, if you switch off your device from time to time (I do it every night), you'll probably never have any problems with resources.
The known speed issues, that some users experience, should be solved by HTC and not with extensive use of Taskkillers and alike ...

Is there anyway of stopping peep and other things i don't use from starting up automatically?

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.