Database Users

How do I accurately select text?

After pressing the bottom left hardware botton to select text, I'm having problem placing the cursor to accurately indicate the starting and ending position of the selection. What is the big secret on how to do this operation right?

i have the exact same problem.. i wish the phone had arrows or a trackball.. and when you select text twards the far right of the text box, it auto moves the screen back to the center of the box.. its very difficult, the only advice i can offer is pinch zoom in very close, till the text takes up most of the screen, and highlight better. of course pinchzooming method will only work for email and web pages.. no help for texting..

If I zoom in, then either the beginning of end of the selection block is no longer in view, and dragging does not automatically scroll the screen like in iPhone.

eaglesteve said:
If I zoom in, then either the beginning of end of the selection block is no longer in view, and dragging does not automatically scroll the screen like in iPhone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As someone who is coming from an iPhone I can tell you that this is something that I really miss.
Android needs to learn how to do proper copy and paste (this is not just a Samsung thing).
On a side note, I am really hating the email client on android, this is not a phone very usable in a corporate (Exchange) environment!

Perhaps it is a mistake to omit the trackball?? Looks like trackball is extremely crucial for any Android phone.
Kurtbee, you're right. Google has not thought through the design of copy and paste properly yet.

eaglesteve said:
Perhaps it is a mistake to omit the trackball?? Looks like trackball is extremely crucial for any Android phone.
Kurtbee, you're right. Google has not thought through the design of copy and paste properly yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, trackballs are a step backwards. Android should simply implement a better way to select text - the iPhone does it beautifully.
I also am not in love with any of the email clients - even K-9 has a crappy/ugly interface. And why isn't there a way to force check email in the Integrated Mailbox?

MacGuy2006 said:
No, trackballs are a step backwards. Android should simply implement a better way to select text - the iPhone does it beautifully.
I also am not in love with any of the email clients - even K-9 has a crappy/ugly interface. And why isn't there a way to force check email in the Integrated Mailbox?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Totally agreeing with you. However, copying Apple might land Google into a law suit, so I think they'll be weary of that.
BTW, for INPUT field only, I accidentally discover a way to accurately do it. Here's how:
1) On the Swype keyboard (that's why it is only limited to input field, unfortunately), draw a North west to south east line going across the upper right corner of the Swipe key. In other word, from the upper case arrow position to the SYM key. This will change the keyboard to one that contacts cursor, home, select all, select, text, cut, copy, paste.
2) Then use the cursor key to move to the one end of the selection block.
3) Press the select text button
4) Move cursor to the other end of the selection box, followed by either a cut or paste key depending on what you want to do. This will copy the block to the clipboard.
Unfortunately, often I need to select from non-input field as well, and there is no solution for that yet.
Hope this little tip helps everyone. Cheers.

Same thing for the samsung keyborad if you press the 123 field for a long time.
Now we need to find a way to do the same on a web page ...

nicoloco said:
Same thing for the samsung keyborad if you press the 123 field for a long time.
Now we need to find a way to do the same on a web page ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, but how do I change the keyboard from Swype to the Samsung keyboard? Is this keyboard from Samsung or from Google?

Just touch the text until you see a pop up.
Then you should have the possibility to change the keyboard
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App

Got it. Thank!

Wow, thanks guys, this will make typing a lot easier! You would think the arrowy keyboard thing would be more highlighted and easily accesible since it's making the experience much better. Well, maybe in the gingerbread, they didn't hire the Palm UI guy for nothing...

I find it a little difficult, but can usually get it after 2 or 3 tries max.
Maybe using fingernail is more accurate?

Finger nails do not work on capacity touchscreen though. Even if it does, how do you deal with situation where the selection block span outside the screen? There is no provision to scroll the screen during the selection process.

HTC Sense Androids have a great copy-paste feature identical to IPhone. Hopefully it can get ported to galaxy

S-Memo is almost useless

Cons:
The text input is a bit weird. It seems that if you start input in the middle of the page, a lot of blank spaces will be automatically added before the starting position.
The number of characters is limited for text input.
There is no option for the text format, such as font, size, color, etc.. No paragraph style either...
The S-Pen input is a bit slow, although acceptable.
Sometimes the S-Pen tip is shifted quite far away from the point on the screen it just drew, but sometimes it works much better. I am not sure whether it really behaves differently at different time, or it's just my wrong impression. Maybe it depends on other sensors?
Cannot insert any special shapes, such as a circle or a rectangle.
The background style is limited. Sometimes I would like a completely black background. The same for the page layout.
It would be great if the memos are searchable + character recognizing feature.
The multi-page (dock?) feature is inconvenient to use. It should be much more intuitive than it is now.
Cannot edit the inserted images/photos. I think it should be able to crop an image at least.
It is a bit slow, when displaying a thumbnail for all the memos, when start editing a memo, or when saving a memo.
The desktop widget of the S-Memo only displays the middle part of a page, instead of the full page.
Pros:
The S-Memo can be invoked anywhere with the S-Pen.
The screen capture feature with the S-Pen is sometimes useful.

I've created a topic for point 5. Can't we calibrate it somehow like we did for Windows Mobile?

n.vasiliu said:
I've created a topic for point 5. Can't we calibrate it somehow like we did for Windows Mobile?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have no clue about this. The thing is that, sometimes it works well, sometimes not so well. I don't know why... Maybe it's my wrong impression...
I even suspect that maybe it has been optimized for certain holding position, so I tried to calibrate the positional sensor of the phone (available in the settings)... I don't know whether this is really relevant...

Come on people it is just released. Will be alot better when the SDK in December is released!

No it's not
The S memo works fine for me.
A lot of functionality was done away with when manufacturers went with capacitive screens because there is a limit to what you can do with a finger on a capacitive screen.
For example, there were many more options for input into a calendar which were too cumbersome for fingers, so they were dropped. Things like, but not limited to; recurring events.
Now I have it back, and lots of other USEFUL functions.
I can't count the number of times that someone has given me a phone number or address but there had not been time to enter it with the one finger on a touch screen method so a piece of paper had to be used, if there was one.
When the capacitive screen was adopted en mass, the baby stylus was through out with the bath water.
I'm glad to have it back.
The s-memo tool is fine.
It is similar to the old Windows Mobile Notes

Yes, I also think the S-Pen is quite handy. Nevertheless the S-Memo application has a lot of space to improve, to make the S-Pen even more handy.
At present I somehow prefer Evernote and its Skitch tool, although Skitch is not pressure sensitive.

I just want more space. The rest I can live with. I want the equivalent of A4, just let me scroll around. That would make me happy with it. Still, taking notes and attaching to calender appointments like a champ.

fjdu said:
Cons:
The text input is a bit weird. It seems that if you start input in the middle of the page, a lot of blank spaces will be automatically added before the starting position.
The number of characters is limited for text input.
There is no option for the text format, such as font, size, color, etc.. No paragraph style either...
The S-Pen input is a bit slow, although acceptable.
Sometimes the S-Pen tip is shifted quite far away from the point on the screen it just drew, but sometimes it works much better. I am not sure whether it really behaves differently at different time, or it's just my wrong impression. Maybe it depends on other sensors?
Cannot insert any special shapes, such as a circle or a rectangle.
The background style is limited. Sometimes I would like a completely black background. The same for the page layout.
It would be great if the memos are searchable + character recognizing feature.
The multi-page (dock?) feature is inconvenient to use. It should be much more intuitive than it is now.
Cannot edit the inserted images/photos. I think it should be able to crop an image at least.
It is a bit slow, when displaying a thumbnail for all the memos, when start editing a memo, or when saving a memo.
The desktop widget of the S-Memo only displays the middle part of a page, instead of the full page.
Pros:
The S-Memo can be invoked anywhere with the S-Pen.
The screen capture feature with the S-Pen is sometimes useful.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The S Memo function works fine for me and I think it is a great feature.

My gut feeling is that you are missing the point of the s memo.
Think about this - the purpose of s memo is to consolidate the paper/pen combination into the phone. That, and to give you an easy way to import that information into other apps.
So I feel the s memo is a quick 'get this quickly into my phone', and if you want to edit it (background, crop, etc) you move it into a relevant program.
You still have some valid points, but I think many of them are just wrong expectations. it's not supposed to be a word processor. It's more quick and dirty.

Would love stylus input on skitch
QUOTE=fjdu;19161361]Yes, I also think the S-Pen is quite handy. Nevertheless the S-Memo application has a lot of space to improve, to make the S-Pen even more handy.
At present I somehow prefer Evernote and its Skitch tool, although Skitch is not pressure sensitive.[/QUOTE]

This is the only device capable of changing my poor opinion regarding capacitive screens and the "finger friendly" software.
After seven years enjoying with the stylus using it in different devices, now with the NOTE I"ll be able to have the best of both worlds: The precision of the stylus and the multitouch feature off a capacitive screen.
All the best.

Anyone know how do s memo auto sync to google docs instead manually sync..?
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium

The main beef I have with S-Memo is that it shrinks imported images down, reducing their detail. I haven't spent enough time with the different tools to figure out a decent workflow yet, so perhaps there's a better way of doing it.
I've also tried editing video with the Video Editor and it's quite frustrating.
EDIT: I found out that, in S-Memo, clicking an imported image for 2sec brings up resize handles. So it retains its quality, it's just that the default import size is quite low initially.

I am secretly wishing someone ports Microsoft OneNote into Android and I can really use this over skydrive and do post processing in the desktop. (This is how I have been doing between my tablet and desktop)

To willstay:
Have a look at MobileNoter. it's a paid app for using Onenote on Android devices. Haven't tried it myself.

The S-pen and Memo is fine, I use a Wacom tablet for design and this is very similar tech. The objective is to provide a quick and simple note facility for those on the go, ie to jot a number or a quick sketch of a location or idea.
It's not for budding artists to create the next Constable or CAD engineers to finish the new Space Shuttle. Man get a grip people. I've spent more dollar on a full touch white board with less accuracy.

iBrummie said:
The S-pen and Memo is fine, I use a Wacom tablet for design and this is very similar tech. The objective is to provide a quick and simple note facility for those on the go, ie to jot a number or a quick sketch of a location or idea.
It's not for budding artists to create the next Constable or CAD engineers to finish the new Space Shuttle. Man get a grip people. I've spent more dollar on a full touch white board with less accuracy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you.
Well put.
I too missed the stylus, and S memo does a good job for what it is intended, quick, simple note taking.
It's actually an improvement over the old windows mobile notes.
And for a capacitive screen, it is excellent.
There are other apps for the Note, including Autodesk Sketchbook Android for engineers who want to draw

Does the s-pen work with other apps, such as FreeNote or Skitch?
Thanks!
Sent from my Dell Streak using Tapatalk

mcernvall said:
Does the s-pen work with other apps, such as FreeNote or Skitch?
Thanks!
Sent from my Dell Streak using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Works with skitch. Did not try free note.

point 5 could be because of your palm?
Could it be because the base of your palm touch your sreen?
I got mine working nicely. It even wotks well with my full size ablet PC stylus. Check out the attachmet. Idrew it on S Memo.

[Q] Did anyone discover any super secret mode for stylus calibration yet?

Man, I tested a demo set and the pen was SERIOUSLY off. Whatever I wrote was like a 2-3 pixels off. The only thing the staff could tell me was to send the set for repair if I ever got this issue. They quickly removed the demo set after I showed them the problem. I am pretty sure Samsung is not going to replace the WHOLE screen just for this issue, anyone discovered anything yet?

i have the same problem.
i cant write with this poor precision...
need to recalibrate the s-pen... or the screen, i dont know...

Me to... i hope there is such a thing because if i zoom in a screenshot and draw something the offset is over 3 mm for me

Have none of you realized that this is intentional as a result of left and right hand mode so that you can see the line you are drawing? its not a calibration issue at all.

maybe...
but it's stupid.
i want a perfect precision, not at 2-3mm....

thekiller3 said:
maybe...
but it's stupid.
i want a perfect precision, not at 2-3mm....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As was mentioned above and in another thread all Wacom tablets/pens behave this way so that you can see what you are drawing, not just the note. It takes some getting used to but after a bit of practice it'll become second nature to you, just like the first few times you use a keyboard in your life and you have to search all over for half a minute for a single key
All that said I would like more options exposed for the pen/digitizer just like you get with a Wacom tablet such as tip feel and tilt sensitivity and calibration. Perhaps we should all send Samsung an email requesting a settings app for the pen, and/or ask Wacom if they intend to build an app for their pens for Android since they might appear on more that just Samsung devices now.
Or maybe we'll have to wait for ICS for proper pen settings. Then again someone crafty on XDA might manage it.

I use a lenovo x220T tablet PC with a wacom. On the computer, it will show a little dot wherever you are hovering over the screen. This dot makes a 1-2 mm offset easily usable. Does the galaxy note have this little dot when you are hovering over the screen? If it doesn't, that's the problem...
Maybe once the SDK is out we can create an application to make this dot visible.

1
1 yoy 1

PickleHead said:
I use a lenovo x220T tablet PC with a wacom. On the computer, it will show a little dot wherever you are hovering over the screen. This dot makes a 1-2 mm offset easily usable. Does the galaxy note have this little dot when you are hovering over the screen? If it doesn't, that's the problem...
Maybe once the SDK is out we can create an application to make this dot visible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haven't seen the hovering dot for pen in apps I've tried so far

I also use a x220t and wish the calibration capability was available on the Note.

have you noticed that you can switch the screen from switching off by keeping the stylus about half a cm from the screen.. the stylus seems to have a method of interacting with the note without touching..

Pressure Sensitive? Doesn't work

I keep reading on here that the S Pen is meant to be pressure sensitive.
Well, on mine if I lightly stroke it across the screen nothing appears. Sometimes the line may start about 3 cms across, which is pretty useless.
I have to apply quite a bit of pressure to draw a line or write, which totally defeats the purpose of the so called pressure sensitivity.
Is there any way of testing this out fully?

Get the exact S-Pen pressure live value
I don't know if you can apply this on default ROM, but on all ICS custom ROMs i tried so far, there is an option:
Enable:
Settings > Developer options > Pointer location
Now you will see a crosshair showing the position if you touch by finger or by S-Pen. In the upper end of your screen you'll notice a transparent bar, showing some numbers. The far right one "Size: " is just for finger actions, which will meausre the size of the finger/surface you put on the screen. One number left "Prs:" means pressure. You will notice, that you can slightly press with your S-Pen and vary the pressure value from 0.01 to 2.5
All apps which recognizes this number are so-called "S-Pen pressure sensitive".
The thing I've noticed is that neither S-Memo nor any 3rd party S-Pen compatible app will resolve this number to more than two different pressure levels:
low pressure, high pressure. At least S-Memo, FreeNote, SuperNote, Jotter and Infinite Paint do only differ in these two modes. So a line can be thick or thin, but nothing between. That's NOT what I expect of those apps! They can read the pressure value out by the API, so why don't they resolve the value completely?
Using
Code:
if (pressure<1.0) {line.thin} else if (pressure>=1.0) {line.thick}
isn't cool!

Noticed the same thing here.

underlines said:
You will notice, that you can slightly press with your S-Pen and vary the pressure value from 0.01 to 2.5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very interesting because I always thought the Note was "technically" limited to 2 pressure levels, but apparently it's not. Now, which apps (note taking, drawin aps) take advantage of the true range of pressure levels ? It would be nice to know.

Papyrus seems to work better and recognise pressure more. Convinced it works correctly after using that.

underlines said:
I don't know if you can apply this on default ROM, but on all ICS custom ROMs i tried so far, there is an option:
Enable:
Settings > Developer options > Pointer location
Now you will see a crosshair showing the position if you touch by finger or by S-Pen. In the upper end of your screen you'll notice a transparent bar, showing some numbers. The far right one "Size: " is just for finger actions, which will meausre the size of the finger/surface you put on the screen. One number left "Prs:" means pressure. You will notice, that you can slightly press with your S-Pen and vary the pressure value from 0.01 to 2.5
All apps which recognizes this number are so-called "S-Pen pressure sensitive".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can also see this (using midnote1.0), very interesting. However I can only get it to go from 0.0 up to approx 0.80.... I am not comfortable to press any harder with the s-pen, for fear of breaking it.
edit- it is also interesting to note that when using your finger, the pressure reading is dependent on the area of your finger touching the screen....whereas when using the s-pen it is dependent on the true pressure applied.

Arthur Hucksake said:
Papyrus seems to work better and recognise pressure more. Convinced it works correctly after using that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1, works better than the standard s-memo app.

Turn off s-pen hover function

Is there any way to disable the s-pen hover function on the galaxy note? In many apps I get s-pen clicks all over the place, completely unintentionally, because the screen detects the pen hovering close to the screen and reads it as clicks. This is really annoying and I need to turn it off. Most of the time I only want the screen to register my actual clicks with the pen, not the hovering.

bo1e said:
Is there any way to disable the s-pen hover function on the galaxy note? In many apps I get s-pen clicks all over the place, completely unintentionally, because the screen detects the pen hovering close to the screen and reads it as clicks. This is really annoying and I need to turn it off. Most of the time I only want the screen to register my actual clicks with the pen, not the hovering.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is an option under Settings> Pen Settings> Hovering pen icon..try disabling it & see if it helps..

Did try that, it only turns on and off the icon or dot showing where the pen is hovering. It does not change the behaviour of registering clicks when just hovering or even just having the s-pen close to the screen. When I got my Note it already had android 4.0.4, but from what I read, the Note did'nt even have the hover functionality before it got ICS. In my opinion the whole hover-thing is flawed, on my Note anyway. Sometimes it responds to hovering with clicking everything, and sometimes it don't.

Your pen is slightly bugged out. Try shaking it a little or gently tapping the front end of the pen (where the tip is) against your hand.
The pen point still has a contact made inside the pen and causes phantom presses.

The pressure sensor may be stuck. Does it draw a line in S Memo when hovering? The line is supposed to get thicker when you press harder and no line at all when not pressing. When the Note first came out, a lot of people had the problem. There were fixes.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda app-developers app

this is not a Q&A forum

I'm having issues with my note 3. It keeps drawing a line while hovering on text documents? Please what do I do?