Recent Apps

[Guest Epic-Emodude]

Hi,

Im getting really annoyed with the way we have to access the recent apps (Hold power and then select it).

Is there a way we could change what the hard ware buttons do so that it can be more easily accessed like on phones with all the buttons.

For example using the red key or home key, or the camera button.

I have noticed that the camera button has two levels of clickyness. Would it be possible to utilise the first for the recent apps.

Thanx

Aaron

Edited August 11, 2010 by Epic-Emodude

[Guest daveycarter]

Would it not be easier to have a shortcut from the touchscreen?

[Guest Azurren]

What i would really like is to replace the Green and Red keys with "Search" and "Home"

Then make the "Back/Home" key a dedicated "Back" key.

Android OS doesn't need Answer and End call keys.

[Guest Epic-Emodude]

What i would really like is to replace the Green and Red keys with "Search" and "Home"

Then make the "Back/Home" key a dedicated "Back" key.

Android OS doesn't need Answer and End call keys.

Does anyone know how we can edit wat the buttons do?

If we can we would almost have a "normal" android phone =)

[Guest Azurren]

Does anyone know how we can edit wat the buttons do?

If we can we would almost have a "normal" android phone =)

With Swap we will have a completely serviceable android phone that is well worth the £150 :)

[Guest Epic-Emodude]

Does anyway know where i can find the drivers/files that controll the hardware buttons. I've been looking in /sys but have not found anything.

thanks

Aaron

[Guest BigBearMDC]

Does anyway know where i can find the drivers/files that controll the hardware buttons. I've been looking in /sys but have not found anything.

thanks

Aaron

I saw keymappings somewhere in the kernel source, but I don't remember where.

I'll see if I can find them.

Best regards,

BB

[Guest niko1986]

What i would really like is to replace the Green and Red keys with "Search" and "Home"

Then make the "Back/Home" key a dedicated "Back" key.

Android OS doesn't need Answer and End call keys.

Try this

http://www.appbrain.com/app/mobi.intuitit....id.p.powerstrip

It sort of acts as a home replacement man in the middle. Admittedly it makes the pulse abit more sluggish, one fix for that I found was using a seperate program Tasker to bind the loading of Power Strip to my camera key. For the most part that stopped the performance issue but it does take the app abit of time to load after pressing the button.

Powerstrip should be built into android the recent apps system google use is useless.

EDIT seems a free alternative could be this app

http://www.appbrain.com/app/sg.ruqqq.quickdesk

Edited August 10, 2010 by niko1986

[Guest Epic-Emodude]

Try this

http://www.appbrain.com/app/mobi.intuitit....id.p.powerstrip

It sort of acts as a home replacement man in the middle. Admittedly it makes the pulse abit more sluggish, one fix for that I found was using a seperate program Tasker to bind the loading of Power Strip to my camera key. For the most part that stopped the performance issue but it does take the app abit of time to load after pressing the button.

Powerstrip should be built into android the recent apps system google use is useless.

EDIT seems a free alternative could be this app

http://www.appbrain.com/app/sg.ruqqq.quickdesk

Thanks but theyre not really what im looking for. I really want to be able to press one button and get the stock recent apps thing.

I've noticed that in clockwork mod recovery that there is a test button feature that gives a button number. Could there be a line of code that says button 1 does this action?

[Guest Epic-Emodude]

I have been looking through the /sys folder, and in /sys/devices/virtual/input, it has input0 to input6. Within each of these folders there are folders named capabilities, event and ID. Could each of these represent a button on the pulse, so we could edit the event (which presumably says what that input does) to do what we want it to?

[Guest BigBearMDC]

I have been looking through the /sys folder, and in /sys/devices/virtual/input, it has input0 to input6. Within each of these folders there are folders named capabilities, event and ID. Could each of these represent a button on the pulse, so we could edit the event (which presumably says what that input does) to do what we want it to?

Maybe yes, but with the keymap we could directly map the end key to the home button etc.

We could maybe even map the camera trigger button to a special function.

Best regards,

BB

[Guest Tom G]

I saw keymappings somewhere in the kernel source, but I don't remember where.

I'll see if I can find them.

Best regards,

BB

Key mapping is controlled in the rom. All buttons on the pulse are mapped correctly with the default key mapping for msm7201a_surf (halibut), but it should be possible to change what the buttons do with a customised keymap. I don't know how the key mapping stuff works, but I know it is documented in the device customisation documents.

http://source.android.com/porting/keymaps_...oard_input.html

I think some of the keymap is compiled, so this might not be an option unless building a rom from source.

[Guest Epic-Emodude]

Key mapping is controlled in the rom. All buttons on the pulse are mapped correctly with the default key mapping for msm7201a_surf (halibut), but it should be possible to change what the buttons do with a customised keymap. I don't know how the key mapping stuff works, but I know it is documented in the device customisation documents.

http://source.android.com/porting/keymaps_...oard_input.html

I think some of the keymap is compiled, so this might not be an option unless building a rom from source.

Looking through that I noticed that the pulse has some keys that are not included in their example of a key layout map file (e.g first camera button click and the home/back button) The file is held in android/src/device/product/generic/tuttle2.kl, which to my knowledge cannot be accessed in a rom (through root explorer etc). As it seems then that it has to be built into it as its being compiled. If we can agree on a key layout then could it be built into our froyo?

Also, just a random thing I just found out, but pressing the camera button the full way in and volume down at the same time does that same thing as the home key =)

[Guest Tom G]

I/EventHub( 1113): New keyboard: device->id=0x10000 devname='msm-handset' propName='hw.keyboards.65536.devname' keylayout='/system/usr/keylayout/qwerty.kl'

I/EventHub( 1113): New keyboard: device->id=0x10002 devname='surf_keypad' propName='hw.keyboards.65538.devname' keylayout='/system/usr/keylayout/qwerty.kl'

I/EventHub( 1113): New device: path=/dev/input/event2 name=surf_keypad id=0x10002 (of 0x3) index=3 fd=55 classes=0x1

The kl file is plain text and editable in the rom. The kcm file ends up compiled in /system/usr/keychars/. If the only changes you want to make are to the kl it should be possible in any rom. If you want to change the kcm it will need to be compiled, but you may still be able to compile it and stick it into a precomiled rom.

[Guest Epic-Emodude]

I/EventHub( 1113): New keyboard: device->id=0x10000 devname='msm-handset' propName='hw.keyboards.65536.devname' keylayout='/system/usr/keylayout/qwerty.kl'

I/EventHub( 1113): New keyboard: device->id=0x10002 devname='surf_keypad' propName='hw.keyboards.65538.devname' keylayout='/system/usr/keylayout/qwerty.kl'

I/EventHub( 1113): New device: path=/dev/input/event2 name=surf_keypad id=0x10002 (of 0x3) index=3 fd=55 classes=0x1

The kl file is plain text and editable in the rom. The kcm file ends up compiled in /system/usr/keychars/. If the only changes you want to make are to the kl it should be possible in any rom. If you want to change the kcm it will need to be compiled, but you may still be able to compile it and stick it into a precomiled rom.

So If I edit /system/usr/keylayout/surf_keypad.kl (for example key 62 (the red one) change to home and wake) then the red key would become the home button. Could I then find this file from another phone with a better layout to make the phone more usable?

[Guest BigBearMDC]

So If I edit /system/usr/keylayout/surf_keypad.kl (for example key 62 (the red one) change to home and wake) then the red key would become the home button. Could I then find this file from another phone with a better layout to make the phone more usable?

I'd say using a file from another phone is not a good idea. It could be that the other phone sends different keycodes.

Best regards,

BB

[Guest Epic-Emodude]

I'd say using a file from another phone is not a good idea. It could be that the other phone sends different keycodes.

Best regards,

BB

I was thinking using the file from the other phone to find out the command to put next to the key number. For example on the evo 4g (and maybe other htc phones) double tapping the home key brings up the recent apps thing. I need the file to find out what to put in to make this happen.

Edit: I think most of the key codes are the same on every phone. If you look at the file on the pulse it says extra keys: key xxx camera

Edited August 11, 2010 by Epic-Emodude

[Guest DanWilson]

Thanks but theyre not really what im looking for. I really want to be able to press one button and get the stock recent apps thing.

I've noticed that in clockwork mod recovery that there is a test button feature that gives a button number. Could there be a line of code that says button 1 does this action?

This showed something to me.

[VERY OFF TOPIC - ish]

When I press the trackball, it shows the code twice (as if it was two presses) which is very irritating in the recovery (it selects things I don't want it to). But if I hold the green button and press the trackball, it presses the trackball once. As well as the green button.

Erm wut much?

@Who ever said it - Without a red button, how would we hang up?

[Guest Epic-Emodude]

This showed something to me.

[VERY OFF TOPIC - ish]

When I press the trackball, it shows the code twice (as if it was two presses) which is very irritating in the recovery (it selects things I don't want it to). But if I hold the green button and press the trackball, it presses the trackball once. As well as the green button.

Erm wut much?

@Who ever said it - Without a red button, how would we hang up?

On the screen you should be able to swype across the end call thing like if you were unlocking.

Ive also noticed this with the back button. It displays 2 codes. One that comes up whenever you press it and one that changes depending on if you long press it or not (home or back)

Edit - Just had a quick look at the key test in recovery. It only shows the trackball clicker once, so you might have a problem with your trackball.

Edited August 11, 2010 by Epic-Emodude

[Guest DanWilson]

On the screen you should be able to swype across the end call thing like if you were unlocking.

Ive also noticed this with the back button. It displays 2 codes. One that comes up whenever you press it and one that changes depending on if you long press it or not (home or back)

Edit - Just had a quick look at the key test in recovery. It only shows the trackball clicker once, so you might have a problem with your trackball.

Nah, I do have a problem with the trackball.

I mean hang up as in - I phone 150 (T-Mobile balance for non T-Mob peeps), I hear my balance, learn that I'm poor, how to make that damn woman go home?

Found it - Menu, End Call. I'm a fool. I just enjoyed that description so it stays.

[Guest Epic-Emodude]

Nah, I do have a problem with the trackball.

I mean hang up as in - I phone 150 (T-Mobile balance for non T-Mob peeps), I hear my balance, learn that I'm poor, how to make that damn woman go home?

Found it - Menu, End Call. I'm a fool. I just enjoyed that description so it stays.

I have started editing the file with all the keys in it. Im going to start a new thred for it. If someone would be kind enough to test it for me I would be greatful.

Thanx

Aaron

[Guest Epic-Emodude]

So i've done some work and have changed the red and green keys. Does anyone know how I can link to an app or the recent apps thing?

[Guest ve100]

I have started editing the file with all the keys in it. Im going to start a new thred for it. If someone would be kind enough to test it for me I would be greatful.

can i revive this topic? i hope people haven't lost interest. i'd like to hack, assist, test... if anyone's around?

Edited December 29, 2010 by ve100

[Guest Sh4d0w940]

I've attached a file which I just pulled from my phone. I've got it off the forum here once and then edited it to fit my needs.

Most keys are commented with function so it's very easy to change it. Most of the credits go to someone here on the forum. (I'm sorry but I don't know his/her name)

You have to remove .txt because I can't upload .kl files and the file has to go in 'system\usr\keylayout'.

Sh4d0w940

surf_keypad.kl.txt

[Guest beyondilove]

if you are using FLB-MOD 1.7,try this ,unrar the attachment and you will get android.policy.jar, replace the same name file in /system/framework with this one(make a backup in case).reboot .then the recent apps dialog will come out after a long press on the red end-call button.

some baksmali and smali changing work.

poor english , sorry.

policy.rar