Database Users

[Q] Force portrait mode?

Is there a way to force an application into portrait mode or spoof/disable the accelerometer to maintain portrait orientation across applications? Ideally in the long-term it'd be nice if there were an elegant solution for handling portrait vs. landscape devices and screen rotation - or maybe more apps just need to take this into account - but a workaround for apps that don't would be nice.
My primary use case for this issue is when lying sideways, holding the tablet sideways to read on the Kindle application. The tablet thinks it should be in landscape mode, but I want it in portrait mode lying sideways with me so I can read it. The Kindle application can lock itself, but it always does so into landscape mode on tablets. This is inconvenient since it is easier to read on narrower displays (it's trickier for your eyes to wrap around to the beginning of the next line the longer those lines are).
Using the CyanogenMod beta I came up with a workaround - be sure you have the 180 degree/upside down rotation position disabled so that the display won't flip upside down - now when you turn it upside down it will stay in whichever portrait rotation it was previously in. Unfortunately, I was not able to figure out a similar workaround in Beast ROM since the display always rotates, even to the 180 degree/upside down position.
Now I might like to switch back to CyanogenMod in the long term (I use it on my Nexus One and like all the options and developer goodies it gives and it's kinda neat/convenient to be running similar software on both devices), but I think I currently like the Beast ROM better since it feels more solid and less buggy (it's particularly embarrassing trying to explain to friends why the camera orientation is messed up in CM >_>).
Anybody have any other solutions/workarounds for this issue? particularly something that might work with Beast rom?
~Troop

I would also really like to know if this is possible, for basically the exact same reasons you would.
In the past I would have thought that this would be a really high priority issue, but my experience has been bookreading does not appear to be a very highly used application of pdas/tablets - I remember when the HTC G1 first came out, there was a surprising lag before usable bookreader apps were released...

Just incase anybody is interested, I brought up this question on stackexchange as well:
http://android.stackexchange.com/qu...fault-screen-orientation-in-android-specified

There are apps that should lock you in to portrait or landscape. Just install one on your device and you should be good to go. Here is an example:
https://market.android.com/details?id=kennethcheng.com.autorotate&feature=search_result

blazingwolf said:
There are apps that should lock you in to portrait or landscape. Just install one on your device and you should be good to go. Here is an example:
https://market.android.com/details?id=kennethcheng.com.autorotate&feature=search_result
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks, but unfortunately the problem is more complicated than that. Once you turn off auto-rotate, your device goes back to its default orientation mode.
For a tablet, that is landscape

Uncontrollable Orientation Behaviour

When applications that are GPU accelerated are switched to full screen, the screen orientation always switches back to default (with the Asus on the Transformer logo on top). This is regardless of the orientation you have set.
For example:
A)
1.) You have rotated your screen upside down
2.) you run Angry Birds
3.) the screen switches back to standard default orientation
B)
1.) You have rotated your screen upside down
2.) launch youtube
3.) play a video
4.) switch to full screen
5.) the screen automatically switches back to standard default orientation
I have upgraded to 3.1 recently and don't seem to remember this being an issue before with 3.0.1 before.
Is anyone else also having this issue?

ok, is anyone with 3.1 NOT having this issue?

I get the same thing happening, and I think I would go as far as to say that it's actually intentional behavior on the part of Asus and Google to make the orientation revert like that. It makes more sense for fullscreen video to default to that orientation so as to ensure that it's consistent with the proper docking position, which is with the docking port on the bottom. Most people who watch fullscreen video for any extended period of time are probably going to dock the device.
Why do you turn the tablet upside down in the first place? I understand that having the ability to rotate 270 degrees is sometimes helpful for games and multi-user applications, I just don't see how using the tablet in its default orientation would pose a problem.

I'm typing on phone so briefly, the reason I need the transformer to be upside is due to the design of the variable angle stand of the official asus transformer skin case.
The case stands by folding in a scalene triangular fashion.
20 degrees above horizontal requires upside down.
75 degrees above horizontal requires right side up.
So most of the time when you use it in your lap, you want only 20 degrees

Applications are allowed to overide the orientation. This is true for most media players. It'll force the screen into the default landscape mode. App controlled so not honeycomb issue
Sent from my Transformer TF101

Sounds like a bit of a design oversight on the part of Asus.
Now as far as fixing it, you only have a few options. While you do have the ability to disable auto rotation on the screen, that's going to cause the tablet to simply default to the 0 degrees landscape orientation. What you need on top of that is a way to manually set your orientation, and so far I've never seen an app or ROM that does that. That's not to say it's impossible, just that I've never seen it done. The other option is to buy the keyboard dock, but that's a little excessive unless you really think you need it.

This is due to the fact that the dev of the app has forced it to lock in that orientation (landscape right side up, there's an app called androsensor that will give you more info). There was another thread concerning the same topic in themes and apps section. Your best bet is to email the app developer when you run into this.
One example is airport mania, if you were holding the device upside down and launched the game, it would force it to run right side up. I sent them am email with a description of what is happening and that the official sleeve (although I don't have one but felt it was with mentioning) is designed so the device is upside down with camera at bottom and charge port at top. Got a reply within the day and an update in the market within 3.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium App

klau1 said:
Uncontrollable Orientation Behaviour
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To much beer, not enough sex

There is an option to lock the orientation in the settings. So once it is upsied down you can lock the orientation and it shouldn't change.
I am not with my TF right now to test this though.

no, that doesn't work.
I don't recall this being a problem prior to the 3.1 update. Having to purposely ask each developer to change the orientation when none was necessary before is simply unacceptable.
Having bought something as simple as a case with it's multi-angle feature, one expects it to work out of the box.

As far as I knew, apps like Moboplayer always stayed in the default landscape orientation during video playback

I don't use Moboplayer much, but as far as I can recall, the Youtube app worked upside down in full screen before.
Can someone with 3.0 confirm?

Anyway to force landscape 90° clockwise instead counterclock?

So far many apps are pretty lax in whether you hold the fire landscape with usb port on right or left. I was holding it to the left since I had it and had no problems.
Now I have a case like a book flap and I prefer the flap ontop hanging back,.usb port on the left. Couple.of.apps force it upside down, having to hold it the other way looks and feels stupid now. Anyone know if there's an app or what.exactly would control that? The kernel?

+1
//Tapatalk.KindleFire//

Found an app, Orientation Control
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.coinsoft.android.orientcontrol&hl=en
This has an override to force the landscape the other way. Only problem I've seen is if you have it set to autorotate like default, then those apps will still rotate counterclock. If you set this to forced, it will do it clockwise but lock and disable the auto rotate.
So an extra step if you know youll be using something for a while and worth manually setting and locking the setting.

my display is stuck in landscape now since yesterday while i was trying to install swiftkey x. i never actually got it installed so i cannot say it is the cause of having the display stuck. i was also tinkering around in nook colour tools, but cannot seem to find anything nook colour tools' settings that fixes my problem.
any feedback is appreciated.

[Q] Screen Won't Rotate

i've had AOKP build 4 flashed on my Nexus 7 since it was released on Sept.30.
all of a sudden yesterday, i noticed that nothing would allow me to change the screen orientation. i checked and double checked, i have that setting enabled.
for example, if i'm in portrait mode on the home screen, open up Chrome, i can not change the orientation to landscape.
but, if i launch a game, where it forces the orientation to landscape, i am now stuck in landscape mode. if i open up Chrome, i can't change it to portrait.
i've tried clearing data and cache of Nova Launcher. tried to lock down orientation then enable it. but nothing is working.
has anyone come across something like this before?

mrhomiec said:
i've had AOKP build 4 flashed on my Nexus 7 since it was released on Sept.30.
all of a sudden yesterday, i noticed that nothing would allow me to change the screen orientation. i checked and double checked, i have that setting enabled.
for example, if i'm in portrait mode on the home screen, open up Chrome, i can not change the orientation to landscape.
but, if i launch a game, where it forces the orientation to landscape, i am now stuck in landscape mode. if i open up Chrome, i can't change it to portrait.
i've tried clearing data and cache of Nova Launcher. tried to lock down orientation then enable it. but nothing is working.
has anyone come across something like this before?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My Advice, try the re-calibration thing, lay it flat on a desk and calibrate it.
Ensure the lock is enabled, and then try again.
If this doesn't help, I read somewhere a while back that this works, but I don't get how:
lay the phone flat on a table, spin it 3 times. Put it on it's side, spin it 3 times. Hold it up on one end, spin it 3 times.
Weird but works (APPARANTLY)!

cool, thank you for the info, but i think i'm missing something. how do i calibrate it?
i have screen rotate locked/disabled on a flat surface. then i tried to unlock/enable it (while still on a flat surface), and it still doesn't rotate.

mrhomiec said:
cool, thank you for the info, but i think i'm missing something. how do i calibrate it?
i have screen rotate locked/disabled on a flat surface. then i tried to unlock/enable it (while still on a flat surface), and it still doesn't rotate.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No you need to re-calibrate the gyro sensor, Im not with my tab so I can't quite remember where it is. Go to settings, and just have a look round, untill you can find the calibration of the gyro sensor.
No worries btw, glad to help

i still think i'm totally missing something. i can't find anything in the settings to re-calibrate it.
however, i did setup Z - Device Test and within the accelerometer and gyroscope testing shows that movement is being detected.

ok, something is totally messed up.
i just flashed Cyanogenmod monthly-2, did a full wipe cache and dalvik, and factory reset from CWM.
and my screen is still not rotating.
i'm totally clueless now.

I am on CM10 grouper latest build my home screen wont rotate, the apps and settings rotate only the home screen and apps drawer wont rotate.
Any ideas anyone?
Edit: Got it to work, I was using Nova launcher and by default its not enabled. Nova Launcher- Look and Feel - enable auto rotate. You need to enable both in system settings and nova settings. Silly of me :-\

mrhomiec said:
ok, something is totally messed up.
i just flashed Cyanogenmod monthly-2, did a full wipe cache and dalvik, and factory reset from CWM.
and my screen is still not rotating.
i'm totally clueless now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Read here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1929790 it seems you need to extract some stock files to get it to work.

Guhrasoh said:
Read here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1929790 it seems you need to extract some stock files to get it to work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thank you for the link. i download a binary file from here..
https://developers.google.com/android/nexus/drivers#grouper
but i have no idea what to do with it.
on a side note, i'm wondering why this all of a sudden stopped working tho? AOKP's build 4 was doing it before the release of 4.1.2, but then just stopped. i don't understand why i need to manually do something that was working from the beginning. especially within apps. i can't get the screen to rotate in Chrome, GMail, Reader, Twitter, etc. i can care less about the home screen rotation.
[UPDATE]
so i was downloading different apps- mainly games trying to test out the rotation to see if that is buggy too, and i came across this app...
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsInphdXNhbi56ZGV2aWNldGVzdCJd
with this, i was able to test the Gyroscope and Accelerometer sensors and i noticed the blue axis (z-axis?) was not moving at all.
i then gave a few door knocks on the back plate, and all of a sudden the z-axis jumps to the correct view.
somehow it got stuck in place, but it seems to be working now. very odd. i've never dropped it. don't know how this could have happened.

mrhomiec said:
<edited>....somehow it got stuck in place, but it seems to be working now. very odd. i've never dropped it. don't know how this could have happened.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well first of all stop banging on it, it has nothing to do with that. I've noticed there was something either added or removed from AOSP that causes this after the 4.1.2 update last week. Most people who are compiling locally probably noticed this... any others that have it working are just proof of the excessive kanging nowadays... since they're all probably a kang of AOKP or CM (who of which I'm sure identified it and corrected it in their git).
I haven't had time to look into it yet but I'd assume its related to Launcher2.apk. Look in Launcher2 in the AndroidManifest.xml and see if there's a line with something like:
android:screenOrientation="nosensor"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
...you want that to be set to either "sensor" or "user"... I cant recall right now.
Did you try editing the build.prop file yet? If it is in fact related to the sensors then I dont think this will correct it anyway, but it's worth a shot. Go to your /system dir and mount is r/w, edit build.prop by adding this to the very end, on its own line:
launcher.force_enable_rotation=true
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
...save that, close it, then reboot and see what ya got. If it doesn't work then you know its Launcher2 not enabling the sensors. I'll post again once I look at it and fix it.

mrhomiec said:
i've had AOKP build 4 flashed on my Nexus 7 since it was released on Sept.30.
all of a sudden yesterday, i noticed that nothing would allow me to change the screen orientation. i checked and double checked, i have that setting enabled.
for example, if i'm in portrait mode on the home screen, open up Chrome, i can not change the orientation to landscape.
but, if i launch a game, where it forces the orientation to landscape, i am now stuck in landscape mode. if i open up Chrome, i can't change it to portrait.
i've tried clearing data and cache of Nova Launcher. tried to lock down orientation then enable it. but nothing is working.
has anyone come across something like this before?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have "auto rotate" in 'settings/accessability' , checked?
Posted via my Amiga 3000, EVO 3D , or Nexus 7

oOo B0XeR oOo said:
Well first of all stop banging on it, it has nothing to do with that. I've noticed there was something either added or removed from AOSP that causes this after the 4.1.2 update last week. Most people who are compiling locally probably noticed this... any others that have it working are just proof of the excessive kanging nowadays... since they're all probably a kang of AOKP or CM (who of which I'm sure identified it and corrected it in their git).
I haven't had time to look into it yet but I'd assume its related to Launcher2.apk. Look in Launcher2 in the AndroidManifest.xml and see if there's a line with something like:
...you want that to be set to either "sensor" or "user"... I cant recall right now.
Did you try editing the build.prop file yet? If it is in fact related to the sensors then I dont think this will correct it anyway, but it's worth a shot. Go to your /system dir and mount is r/w, edit build.prop by adding this to the very end, on its own line:
...save that, close it, then reboot and see what ya got. If it doesn't work then you know its Launcher2 not enabling the sensors. I'll post again once I look at it and fix it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for all the info.
i'm not the type to mess with the files. but as i mentioned, i wasn't on 4.1.2 yet when this started happening. AOKP build 4 was based on 4.1 or 4.1.1. and would it be possible for a file to make the z-axis jarred in one direction? then when placing some force to the back of the device jump it back in place?
i haven't had any issues since then. i am now able to rotate the screen at will.
Originally Posted by mrhomiec
i've had AOKP build 4 flashed on my Nexus 7 since it was released on Sept.30.
all of a sudden yesterday, i noticed that nothing would allow me to change the screen orientation. i checked and double checked, i have that setting enabled.
for example, if i'm in portrait mode on the home screen, open up Chrome, i can not change the orientation to landscape.
but, if i launch a game, where it forces the orientation to landscape, i am now stuck in landscape mode. if i open up Chrome, i can't change it to portrait.
i've tried clearing data and cache of Nova Launcher. tried to lock down orientation then enable it. but nothing is working.
has anyone come across something like this before?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have "auto rotate" in 'settings/accessability' , checked?
Posted via my Amiga 3000, EVO 3D , or Nexus 7
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I'm having this problem now too. Just in the last 2 days.
I have a completely stock 2013 N7. It gets stuck in an orientation, and locked there. I have checked all the settings, and auto rotate is on.
I downloaded the Android Sensor Box, and something is fishy with the orientation hardware. One axis of the sensor is locked to one side and won't move.

Lockscreen won't stay in landscape for pattern.

Hey! I just rooted my Oneplus6T, installed Nova Launcher and a screen rotation controller app, but I still can't keep the lockscreen in Landscape mode.
I double tap to wake the phone, it comes up landscape, I swipe up, but then the screen always rotates to portrait for the pattern (or the PIN, I tried that as well).
I've already altered the build.prop file, but it still hops to portrait every time. Is there anything I can do to fix it?
I tried a lockscreen replacement called "Hi Locker", and while it worked, you could just get right through it to the home page and do stuff, so it's not secure at all.
Thanks!
I just tried Substratum "Subtweaks" and it doesn't work either! Help!

So everyone else's phone stays in landscape when they enter their pattern to unlock?
Seriously, it would help if I knew this was JUST my problem. Might help me figure it out. Thanks!

Well, I'm glad to have joined such a robust, supportive community. :\

Pretty sure the lockscreen is only portrait. Why anyone would want it in landscape is beyond me, probably why it's not there at all.

bladestonez said:
Pretty sure the lockscreen is only portrait. Why anyone would want it in landscape is beyond me, probably why it's not there at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because this is stupid.
View attachment 4708098
Every time I want to unlock my phone in the car, I have to do it sideways. I used a Note 3 that gave me a Landscape Mode Lockscreen for years, so it's certainly possible. I much prefer it, and I would like it on the Oneplus 6T, please.
And thank you, Bladestonez, for responding to my question, even if it was just to imply that it was ridiculous. Never settle! :\

R2-Brute said:
Because this is stupid.
Every time I want to unlock my phone in the car, I have to do it sideways. I used a Note 3 that gave me a Landscape Mode Lockscreen for years, so it's certainly possible. I much prefer it, and I would like it on the Oneplus 6T, please.
And thank you, Bladestonez, for responding to my question, even if it was just to imply that it was ridiculous. Never settle! :\
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can always flash an aosp rom. I'm pretty sure aosp has lock screen rotation, you will however you'll loose the fingerprint scanner but it appears you don't use that anyway so might be a good option. Could also suggest lockscreen rotation as a feature for future builds of oos.

bladestonez said:
You can always flash an aosp rom. I'm pretty sure aosp has lock screen rotation, you will however you'll loose the fingerprint scanner but it appears you don't use that anyway so might be a good option. Could also suggest lockscreen rotation as a feature for future builds of oos.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey! Thank you. I root to block ads and back stuff up, not to start installing custom roms, so I may just wait and see if they can add it officially. I did a little dance recently when I was able to install the latest OTA with Magisk without losing root. That's about as far as I want to push stuff like that.
I DID try the build.prop code, and while it does make the "swipe up" screen Landscape, when I do swipe up, the "pattern dots" screen rotates to Portrait.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqMiWAlAaUI
It's not a deal-breaker, it's just stupid. As well as my Note 3, every tablet I've ever had has given me a Landscape Lockscreen, so it can't be THAT hard. They probably just decided no one wanted it and didn't include it (or inadvertently disabled it), I guess.
If anyone has any other ideas, I'm all ears. Otherwise, I've already been in touch with Oneplus and I think they put it on the wishlist for me. Gonna start holding my breath... NOW.

R2-Brute said:
Hey! Thank you. I root to block ads and back stuff up, not to start installing custom roms, so I may just wait and see if they can add it officially. I did a little dance recently when I was able to install the latest OTA with Magisk without losing root. That's about as far as I want to push stuff like that.
I DID try the build.prop code, and while it does make the "swipe up" screen Landscape, when I do swipe up, the "pattern dots" screen rotates to Portrait.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqMiWAlAaUI
It's not a deal-breaker, it's just stupid. As well as my Note 3, every tablet I've ever had has given me a Landscape Lockscreen, so it can't be THAT hard. They probably just decided no one wanted it and didn't include it (or inadvertently disabled it), I guess.
If anyone has any other ideas, I'm all ears. Otherwise, I've already been in touch with Oneplus and I think they put it on the wishlist for me. Gonna start holding my breath... NOW.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I know my case is the opposite, but you can use the same app.
My case:
Today I have noticed that on lockscreen the screen is rotating what did not happen before. I have tried several Rotating apps but none of them could block rotating of the screen while on lockscreen.
Lastly I managed to force it to portrait mode with https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pranavpandey.rotation
In the Settings - Conditions - Lock Orientation - it has to be set to Autorotation OFF then it works. When I set it to Portrait it doesn't.
So in your case you could try setting it to Force Rotation or Landscape.