Database Users

Re-Assigning Power Button

Hey guys, I just got my 8525 a week ago, I'm still trying to get used to it. Overall i think i like it more then my TREO650 but i have one problem, i cant stand the small power button on the side. Most of the time i push it i push the slide keyboard out too, its so small i can never find it.
My old Treo650 had the power button and locking keys on the END button, when i push END it would lock and turn off the screen, to Unlock i would push END again and then the Center button. Is there any way to re-assign the Power button on the 8525 to be like my old Treo650?

Any suggestions guys. I am having the same problem with small power button

DAFTEK said:
its so small i can never find it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sounds like a personal problem, maybe see a doctor?
On a serious note.. i dont think it can be reprogrammed via the software, i believe the power button is actually mapped via hardware since it is used for functions like putting the phone into bootloader mode, etc.. i could be wrong though.

Hey thanks for the reply although its my phone with the small problem I have tried two programs on the forum here called Devicelock.cab but that only locks the device but you still have to push power to power the phone back up.

I believe the power key can be reprogrammed in one or two highly invasive ways.
However, it doesn't sound like you want to re-assign the power key, but to assign the power off function to another key. Is that correct? That's easy/
If you want to assign the power on function, that is more complicated, but there are work arounds.
V

I agree with the original poster. The small power on/off button is poor design. When I want to place a call, I first need to turn the device on by hitting that very small button. Then I need to activate the phone app or invoke MS voice command. It's just plain poor design. I love my 8525, but it could be so much better if the product designers at HTC actually thought about the ergonomics of the tasks users do the most.
One more gripe. The phone app is atrocious. Getting to the recent dialed list or to toggle the speakerphone usually requires bringing up a menu. This is annoying for a phone and a better design could mitigate the poor usability. I/m not an iPhone fanboy but take a look at the thought Apple put in there *first* phone and it is quite illuminating on the state of PPC phones.

r111 said:
[...]Getting to the recent dialed list or to toggle the speakerphone usually requires bringing up a menu[...]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You could try scrollwheel up or D-pad up for recent call list .
(also down for speed-dials).
Maybe you could map a button for speakerphone, not sure though.

ovidiugm said:
Maybe you could map a button for speakerphone, not sure though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The original poster could - while in a call - try pressing the green button for two or three seconds.
I think it's even mentioned in the manual...
Cheers
Daniel

Hello.
I agree with the previous posters. The badly placed powerOn button is "bad design". If anyone finds the sollution (to PowerON the device using another key) please share it!
Otherwise, this is a great device. A true pocket computer
Best regards, jZ

+1 for the poor design.
I always hit the power button as I am pulling it out of the case when a call comes in, that turns off the screen, then I have to hit it again to see who is calling, and with all that going on as well as the ringer, the phone has a minor anurism and delays in answering.....

So to summarise the poor design aspect of this thread:
1. The power button is too small/difficult to find and press.
2. The power button is too easy to press/find even by accident.
Conclusion, it's just about right then!!
You can't please all of the people all of the time.
Mike

1. The power button is too small/difficult to find and press.
2. The power button is too easy to press/find even by accident.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like the classic male/female dichotomy. I never can operate my wife's buttons, however obvious the functionality might seem....
V

vijay555 said:
Sounds like the classic male/female dichotomy. I never can operate my wife's buttons, however obvious the functionality might seem....
V
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
unfortunately i can operate my wife's buttons even when i dont want to.. talk about poor design )

Lol, Shogun, remind us again how many kids you have?
Ok, some Opus Dei style self flagellation for the errant moderators going off topic.
Is this issue now resolved?
V

I can also operate my wifes buttons just fine as well but all i want is to find out if i can move the power button to maybe the PPT button or END when holding it.

Daftek, again, do you want to emulate the power key functionality, (ie on/off) on another key, and/or entirely disable the original power key?
V

Thats what I would like to do......

Hello.
I think we'd all like to assign a DIFFERENT KEY to POWER ON function. POWER OFF is no problem, because a button for this can be assigned through "Buttons". When the phone is in "sleep mode", only the POWER button can wake it.
Any solutions?
Regards, jZ

IMHO, it's possible but not easily.
Easiest work around is to disable button locking, so that pressing any button can wake the device, and then use a software lock to timeout/power off if you happen to poke a hardware button while it's in your pocket.
Alternatively you could rewrite the button driver, but it's possible (although I've not looked into it definitively) that the hardware power button is a hardware interrupt to the CPU. In which case a software based solution will not override a hardware based connection.
V

This is what I did...
I totally agree the power button is a pain, the size, placement...
I know this sounds a bit weird but I took a small piece of plastic (actually from a toothpick) and crazy glued it on the button. It works great! I never miss the button anymore! See picture...

Hard to Press the Power Button !!

Hi All, I have owned a lot of HTC phones and now I have the HD, its the first time I see HTC phone with such small, thin, and hard to press power button !!
especially in the dark, I cant press it and wake up my phone easily !!
I MANAGED TO TWEAK MY HD and now I wake up my device pressing the volume button, but again I have new problem : sometimes when I carry my phone the volume get pressed by mistake and the ringer get muted or low and I miss some calls !!!
Any solution for this problem so I can wake up my phone from the standby without pressing the microscopic power button !!

Take out the stylus and insert it back again. That wakes up the device. Otherwise you might want to search for a G-sensor enabled "wake-up" application. "Shake_it_to_wake" so to speak...

ahmadddd said:
Hi All, I have owned a lot of HTC phones and now I have the HD, its the first time I see HTC phone with such small, thin, and hard to press power button !!
especially in the dark, I cant press it and wake up my phone easily !!
I MANAGED TO TWEAK MY HD and now I wake up my device pressing the volume button, but again I have new problem : sometimes when I carry my phone the volume get pressed by mistake and the ringer get muted or low and I miss some calls !!!
Any solution for this problem so I can wake up my phone from the standby without pressing the microscopic power button !!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello
Use S2u2

facet_ said:
Hello
Use S2u2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How can you use it to wake up the device? I don't see that option in the description, except the default stylus in and out...

...
I guess S2U won´t help you with waking up your device but if you use volume buttons it will protect you from accidental muting your phone.

I found power hard to press, too, but then I looked closely: This power 'button' is indeed non-symmetrical - at least on *my* device: it stands up a bit on one side, the left side, which is closer to the middle of the HD. So I press it *there*, because obviously enough that's the place where the sensor is located. It works easy every time.

ducatisto said:
I found power hard to press, too, but then I looked closely: This power 'button' is indeed non-symmetrical - at least on *my* device: it stands up a bit on one side, the left side, which is closer to the middle of the HD. So I press it *there*, because obviously enough that's the place where the sensor is located. It works easy every time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats a brilliant tip. Thank you.

david-v said:
How can you use it to wake up the device? I don't see that option in the description, except the default stylus in and out...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello , use keylock.exe and set unlocking any key + s2u2,

ahmadddd said:
I MANAGED TO TWEAK MY HD and now I wake up my device pressing the volume button,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you tell me how?

Ducasito. Good observation. I wondered why sometime it was easy and sometimes hard. So the slight non-symmetrical button is not a manufacturing fault but a very subtle design feature. Now I know which side to hit. Thanks

Seems all HD's are different OR I have a very heavy finger.
All I need to do to get it to wake it lightly touch the power button and it comes on.

JanSchotsmans said:
Seems all HD's are different OR I have a very heavy finger.
All I need to do to get it to wake it lightly touch the power button and it comes on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I suppose it is just a matter of "where" you push the button. Just push it on the left edge (where the small led is placed) and you will not need that much pressure to switch the device on or off. The button sensor is actually under that left edge. the picture shows the powerbutton part (picture taken from the HTC Touch HD service manual). Under the left edge of it is the sensor, so putting the pressure there is the best way of pressing the button

ahmadddd wrote:
"I MANAGED TO TWEAK MY HD and now I wake up my device pressing the volume button"
my question is: how did you manage it? with a special registry key?
....since a few months I`m searching for a solution....please help me
(my fingers are too big for the Power button)
many thanks, Michael

TFH said:
ahmadddd wrote:
"I MANAGED TO TWEAK MY HD and now I wake up my device pressing the volume button"
my question is: how did you manage it? with a special registry key?
....since a few months I`m searching for a solution....please help me
(my fingers are too big for the Power button)
many thanks, Michael
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can use AE button plus. I use this to convert my volum buttons to up and down buttons on single click, select/ok on double click, and volume on hold and press.

Thanks for your answer but I´ve a further question:
Do you "wake up" (from standby) the blackstone by using this AE button? I tried to use this software but I couldn`t wake up the Touch HD from standby by using the volume buttons.

Make the capacatative touch controls stay on?

Any setting/way to make an app or hack for them to stay on for longer? It's so annoying that they turn off!

Oh man, I'm getting REALLY annoyed by that. It's bad enough that you can only turn the screen on to use the phone by using the power button that is in such a stupid position.
I'm really starting to miss the Home button on my iPhone.

Actually any of the 3 hard buttons will wake the phone so you can use vol up and down as well

zDisturbed1 said:
Actually any of the 3 hard buttons will wake the phone so you can use vol up and down as well
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The volume keys aren't waking up mine.

zDisturbed1 said:
Actually any of the 3 hard buttons will wake the phone so you can use vol up and down as well
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you had me excited for a second... Volume keys do not work on mine to wake the phone.

Same only three power lock key worked and I wish there was a setting to have the lights on ask the time screen is on
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

SykesAT said:
you had me excited for a second... Volume keys do not work on mine to wake the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right. Vol keys don't wake the phone. It would be nice in theory, but adjusting volume (listening to music) with the phone in your pocket would then wake the phone and possibly allow the screen to unlock. I know that's a bit of a stretch, but being a touchscreen right next to your leg.....it could easily happen.

I can't believe there isn't a setting for this. The lights turn off too quickly. There should've been a low-power 'Always On W/Screen' option.
I wish they would've opted for hardware buttons, to be honest. That way, you can at least feel them out in the dark.
I'm new to the Android development scene, but would it be possible for someone to develop a market app to address the issue?

Why did the US carrier phones had the Home button removed.
Now they are incompatible with the regular Galaxy S firmware, and are hard to use in the dark.
Just stupid.
But 4 hard buttons are not a good solution either. A large Home button is.

I like the idea of a single hard button (the N1 trackball, the iPhone home button, the Galaxy S home button), and I agree: it was a stupid decision to remove that button.

ntoxicated said:
Oh man, I'm getting REALLY annoyed by that. It's bad enough that you can only turn the screen on to use the phone by using the power button that is in such a stupid position.
I'm really starting to miss the Home button on my iPhone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
dude, stop whining like a lil biscuit. the power button as screen on/off method is fabulous and quick. Loving the 4 touch buttons. Yes I understand the lights go off quite quickly but don't worry, i already have and you will also remember their position.

boodies said:
dude, stop whining like a lil biscuit. the power button as screen on/off method is fabulous and quick. Loving the 4 touch buttons. Yes I understand the lights go off quite quickly but don't worry, i already have and you will also remember their position.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Power Button on top of the phone is more ergonomic.
Big Home Button is also more ergonomic and you don't have to "remember" it.
I think the US carriers wanted space to slap their branding, so they removed the large Home button. Plus, the 4 buttons make it harder to use international firmware, which will likely advance faster than the US-only versions.

[Q] Making touch keys less touchy/easier unlock

Annoying Touch buttons
I think that the most DHD users have the same problem, touching the buttons at the bottom if you really dont want to.
So my question is if it would be possible to change the "Home" or the "Menu" button (pushing long) from "last used apps" to "turn on/off the touch keys???
that would be awsome
thx Dr.Pepper

Never been an issue for me, although i was anticipating problems with no hardware buttons its been fine...

Pepper90 said:
I think that the most DHD users have the same problem, touching the buttons at the bottom if you really dont want to.
So my question is if it would be possible to change the "Home" or the "Menu" button (pushing long) from "last used apps" to "turn on/off the touch keys???
that would be awsome
thx Dr.Pepper
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can't help but say, "you're holding it wrong!"
Seriously though I've never encountered this problem on either this phone or my N1 which has a smaller screen.
How exactly are you managing to press the buttons by mistake?
Regards.

iam the only one who has the problem that he accidently hits a touch key while using the phone or playing a game? every little contact triggers the keys. i.e. if i use the thumb to type a message, holding the phone in the right hand, i sometimes trigger the search key.
my idea is to make it harder to trigger these keys. as they are part of the touchscreen, it sould be possible to do anything that can be done with the touch sreen. my ideas:
1. double-touch; tapping the key 2 times (like a double-klick) triggers it once
2. sweep; i.e. you touch the home-button and sweep out of it, then release. can be even harder with sweeping out and back in.
3. circle-touch; making a little circle over the button triggers it.
other ideas welcome.
---------------------------------
2nd problem: easier unlocking;
i feel it sometimes tricky to unlock the pone, wich is done by pressing the powerbutton at the top of the phone and sweeping on the bottom of the screen. the phone is'nt very small (or i have small hands). if iam holding the phone at the bottom, i can nearly reach the whole touch area with my thumb, but to unlock, i need to use my 2nd hand or to juggle the phone so i can reach the power button with the right hand. with the G1, which had a menu button at the bottom, it was just double-pressing that button and the phone was unlocked. iam looking for a similar easy way to do it.
its just annoying to take the phone out of the pocket and use both handy or juggle around to unlock it...
i dont know it it wastes additional energy to have the touchscreen active, so it can be used to unlock the phone. so my ideas:
1. use the touchscreen to unlock; i.e. draw a pattern, press the bottom key in some order (home, back, menu to unlock)
2.1 use the volume keys. if the screen is disabled, they are used to change the audio volume (or is that only the case, if music is playing?) When holding the phone at the bottom with the right hand, the volume-down hey is easily reachable. so you can do volume-down (which activates the screen) and then slide on the screen like you would do if you have pressed the power button. pressing volume-down with deactivated screen does not change the volume, but pressing it twice does (i.e. 1st press unlocks the screen and 2nd press takes volume down).
2.2 press vol-up and vol-down at the same time to unlock the phone. if i do that the phone vibrates sometimes, no idea why.
3. use acceleromater (or a other sensor?) to unlock, i.e. shaking the phone in a special way (i.e. a circle), activates the screen, so you can unlock it by sliding on it. also full unlock by shaking a phone could be possible (also known as kung-fu-unlock )
other ideas also welcome.

Proximity sensor for unlock when taking it out of the pocket :-D. I have the same problem as you so a 'fix' would be nice

yeah, you take the phone out of the pocket and it unlocks and says "hello raw, how you are doing?".
but that would be nice. question is if constantly checking the prox sensor would drain the battery much. it needs to be checked every 3 seconds or so.

lynxboy said:
Can't help but say, "you're holding it wrong!"
Seriously though I've never encountered this problem on either this phone or my N1 which has a smaller screen.
How exactly are you managing to press the buttons by mistake?
Regards.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if i try to use the phone with one hand

seems like here (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=854073) is another user with that problem.

same problem: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=9550179#post9550179

Merged threads as topic is similar....
Cheers,
M_T_M

[Q] Touchscreen not working on lock and reset screens

In the last couple of weeks, when the pattern lock screen is displayed, it intermittently doesn't accept touch input. If I power off and on the screen quickly, it then accepts touch input fine.
Similarly, if I press and hold the power button (with the phone on), it brings up a "Phone Options" screen, with options for Silent, Airplane, Profile, Reboot and Power Off. Touch input does not work at all on this screen. I'm working around this by using the Quick Boot app.
Otherwise, touch input works fine, so I don't think it's a hardware problem.
I've seen something similar when Google Nav gets in front of the lock screen. Touch doesn't work until I power off and on the screen, and enter the lock pattern. Could something invisible be getting in front of the lock and power screens?
Using Pongster's HyperDroid-GBX-v12 (2.3.3).

Hey there,
Maybe the ROM h doesnt function properly on your device. Try shifting to another rom. All are equally amazing. If you do not want to shift, try running task29 and start the process all over again

SheenaIsAPunkRocker said:
In the last couple of weeks, when the pattern lock screen is displayed, it intermittently doesn't accept touch input. If I power off and on the screen quickly, it then accepts touch input fine.
Similarly, if I press and hold the power button (with the phone on), it brings up a "Phone Options" screen, with options for Silent, Airplane, Profile, Reboot and Power Off. Touch input does not work at all on this screen. I'm working around this by using the Quick Boot app.
Otherwise, touch input works fine, so I don't think it's a hardware problem.
I've seen something similar when Google Nav gets in front of the lock screen. Touch doesn't work until I power off and on the screen, and enter the lock pattern. Could something invisible be getting in front of the lock and power screens?
Using Pongster's HyperDroid-GBX-v12 (2.3.3).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you read the thread about the unresponsive touchscreen, where pressing hard on the end call button fixes the screen touch? I assume your problem is in essence the same; once you press it hard enough to actually unlock the screen the touch works fine.

Nigeldg said:
Have you read the thread about the unresponsive touchscreen, where pressing hard on the end call button fixes the screen touch? I assume your problem is in essence the same; once you press it hard enough to actually unlock the screen the touch works fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That probably is what the problem is. Btw to everyone, I haven't noticed a difference in pressing it really hard, I noticed that pressing it a lot of times does the trick
Sent from my HTC HD2 using Tapatalk

Thanks for the feedback. I don't think it's the ROM, been using GBX-v12 since it was released, and previous versions before that.
The symptoms do seem similar to the other thread, but others report it on many screens. I only get it on the lock and reset/power screen. Otherwise, it works fine. However, those screen are brought up after pressing the power key ...
I suppose if it is hardware, then it's likely that cable issue. If it's software, then a reset should clear it, so I might try an ICS ROM from scratch first.

SheenaIsAPunkRocker said:
Thanks for the feedback. I don't think it's the ROM, been using GBX-v12 since it was released, and previous versions before that.
The symptoms do seem similar to the other thread, but others report it on many screens. I only get it on the lock and reset/power screen. Otherwise, it works fine. However, those screen are brought up after pressing the power key ...
I suppose if it is hardware, then it's likely that cable issue. If it's software, then a reset should clear it, so I might try an ICS ROM from scratch first.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess i shoulda commented that how my digitizer began acting, it only did it while in the power menu but after a couple days it started doing it while just hitting the power button to put it to sleep, so i remapped my green phone key to be the power button

elesbb said:
I guess i shoulda commented that how my digitizer began acting, it only did it while in the power menu but after a couple days it started doing it while just hitting the power button to put it to sleep, so i remapped my green phone key to be the power button
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the tip. You're right about the symptoms getting worse, it now occasionally stops working on other screen
I'm using any button but power to turn on the phone. To turn it off I've added "Go to sleep" to the notification widget bar, which I assume is the same as pressing power??
Not quite as user friendly and sometimes I forget not to use power off, but it'll do for now!

SheenaIsAPunkRocker said:
Thanks for the tip. You're right about the symptoms getting worse, it now occasionally stops working on other screen
I'm using any button but power to turn on the phone. To turn it off I've added "Go to sleep" to the notification widget bar, which I assume is the same as pressing power??
Not quite as user friendly and sometimes I forget not to use power off, but it'll do for now!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes that will work! I used it cause I got lazy and didn't feel like changing the key file but it's much easier to use the green call key instead of the notification power widget
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

Try this:
Lock the screen normally, screen turns off.
To turn it on again by pressing any other screen buttons other than the power button.
I found that if I do it this way, the screen runs normal.