Notification LED

[Guest tmohammad]

A quick question for you experts out there!

Is there a way of getting the LED notification light to flash when an event has taken places (missed call, calendar reminder or new text message for example).

The LED would be a lot more useful if it could do this. As it is, there is no way of knowing if you need to attend to anything if the phones screen is off (ie locked). Each time you come back to the phone, the power key must be pressed to see if something has happened.

Thanks in advance.

Edited November 8, 2010 by tmohammad

[Guest Pully]

Using the Modaco R4 rom I certainly get LED notifications via the back button.

Getting a flashing green for missed calls for example

[Guest Movisman]

Hi there,

I'm having the same issue too, i'm using Sebastian's deorangeated ROM.

If the phone is in standby and I receive an SMS, the screen comes on and the back button flashes. This would be fine however, if I am not around or don't intervene - the screen obviously goes off, then for some reason the back button stops flashing, even though I haven't read or seen the SMS yet. I have no idea I have an SMS waiting until I bring it out of standby manually?

Anyone else have this problem?

Thanks!

[Guest tmohammad]

Sorry, I forgot to mention that I'm on the stock Orange ROM.

[Guest oh!dougal]

Guys, its a (well) known quirk.

One of the differences between behaviour when sleeping on internal and external power. (And thus the cause of much honest confusion of 'helpful' posters!)

Lots of us would love to see it sorted.

Use the search and see!

[Guest amd3000]

Hi there,

I'm having the same issue too, i'm using Sebastian's deorangeated ROM.

If the phone is in standby and I receive an SMS, the screen comes on and the back button flashes. This would be fine however, if I am not around or don't intervene - the screen obviously goes off, then for some reason the back button stops flashing, even though I haven't read or seen the SMS yet. I have no idea I have an SMS waiting until I bring it out of standby manually?

Anyone else have this problem?

Thanks!

Yep. Got that on mine too.

[Guest Goo_ooG]

Hi guys, just wondering if anyone has sorted this yet?

I'm using Paul's R4 and it still doesn't flash unless it's powering up.

Cheers

[Guest Freekers]

Using the Modaco R4 rom I certainly get LED notifications via the back button.

Getting a flashing green for missed calls for example

Is yours also flashing when your phone's screen is off ?

Mine isn't ! Highly annoying

[Guest Movisman]

So, looking at the above it looks like whichever ROM people are using they are getting the same problem? Weird that there haven't been more complaints about it (like the WiFi thread).

I found this:

http://android.modaco.com/content/zte-blad...on-doesnt-work/

The last post was someone who updated to Modaco R4 and for them it partially solved the problem, but this doesn't seem to be the case for everyone. Someone suggested using 'Missed Call' from the market, but this didn't appear to fix it either.

Is this something that could potentially be fixed via a ROM update?

[Guest oh!dougal]

...

The last post was someone who updated to Modaco R4 and for them it partially solved the problem, but this doesn't seem to be the case for everyone. Someone suggested using 'Missed Call' from the market, but this didn't appear to fix it either.

Is this something that could potentially be fixed via a ROM update?

I am already trying to get the answer to that question!

For now, you don't get missed call notification led flashing when the phone is asleep and unplugged.

However, if the phone is on external power (usb/charger), or for any other reason the phone is not fully asleep (playing music, or some other app deliberately or accidentally preventing full sleep), then you do get notification led flashing.

Some folks would seem to have been fooled into thinking that this or that rom has 'fixed' the problem, when it seems likely that it was just some app in the background preventing proper sleep!

It *is* a major issue for the use of the phone as a phone!

But perhaps that may not be the principal reason many people have bought this phone.

There have been so many reports of this problem, and so many reports that "I'm running xyz rom and I don't have the problem" (many seemingly from people unaware even that its a problem that only shows when unplugged) that it seems to have been assumed that with the Kernel source, a solution could be quickly implemented. That doesn't seem to be the case at the moment.

Because of something else I've noticed that is a bit strange, I'm trying to find out whether this thing IS fixable in software. When (or if) I get an answer, I'll share it.

Edited November 9, 2010 by oh!dougal

[Guest Movisman]

I am already trying to get the answer to that question!

For now, you don't get missed call notification led flashing when the phone is asleep and unplugged.

However, if the phone is on external power (usb/charger), or for any other reason the phone is not fully asleep (playing music, or some other app deliberately or accidentally preventing full sleep), then you do get notification led flashing.

Some folks would seem to have been fooled into thinking that this or that rom has 'fixed' the problem, when it seems likely that it was just some app in the background preventing proper sleep!

It *is* a major issue for the use of the phone as a phone!

But perhaps that may not be the principal reason many people have bought this phone.

There have been so many reports of this problem, and so many reports that "I'm running xyz rom and I don't have the problem" (many seemingly from people unaware even that its a problem that only shows when unplugged) that it seems to have been assumed that with the Kernel source, a solution could be quickly implemented. That doesn't seem to be the case at the moment.

Because of something else I've noticed that is a bit strange, I'm trying to find out whether this thing IS fixable in software. When (or if) I get an answer, I'll share it.

Hi,

Yep - everything you are saying makes total sense. When on battery missed calls / SMS / emails don't give me a notification LED when the screen is off, simple as that. And, as you correctly say when plugged into the charger everything works fine and you get the flashing LED, even when the screen is off.

It's definitely a major issue for me, I was using a HTC Magic before, and although that had it's own issues the notification light was really, really useful - you could just glance over at it and instantly know whether you have an SMS or whatever waiting - without having to bring the phone out of standby just to check.

If you get any answers, or ideas on how to fix / workaround the issue definitely let me know! :rolleyes:

[Guest john306]

Well I've just rang my phone from another while the SF was off charge and screen off, as soon as it started ringing then the screen light up, then after 1 min went off, but still got the back button flashing for missed call.

[Guest Sebastian404]

Well I've just rang my phone from another while the SF was off charge and screen off, as soon as it started ringing then the screen light up, then after 1 min went off, but still got the back button flashing for missed call.

Me too, but the flashing only lasted for about 10 seconds before it stopped, when I turned the phone back on it started flashing agian...

[Guest oh!dougal]

Well I've just rang my phone from another while the SF was off charge and screen off, as soon as it started ringing then the screen light up, then after 1 min went off, but still got the back button flashing for missed call.

Since you have posted that you recharge your battery every day, and posted on the "Battery running down fast" thread, I suspect that your phone isn't actually going to sleep. Its shutting down the screen only. In that condition, a front button press will wake it - that should work for you too!

[Guest john306]

Since you have posted that you recharge your battery every day, and posted on the "Battery running down fast" thread, I suspect that your phone isn't actually going to sleep. Its shutting down the screen only. In that condition, a front button press will wake it - that should work for you too!

Don't know what you mean by " isn't actually going to sleep" and " Its shutting down the screen only", in my limited knowledge, isn't that the same thing?

Is there any more modes than On, Off and Sleep?

I use mylock so a press on any of the 3 front buttons will wake it.

[Guest Movisman]

Me too, but the flashing only lasted for about 10 seconds before it stopped, when I turned the phone back on it started flashing agian...

Yep, similar behaviour for me. When you turn the phone back on the flashing starts again. Generally though when the screen is off the LED does not flash at all, unless on charge.

Last night though an email came in, I left it, and when the screen went off about 10 seconds later the LED flashed a couple of times, but then it stopped. Perhaps the phone took a bit longer to go to sleep that time.

oh!dougal's explanation seems to be accurate to me. I really hope that it can fixed somehow, pressing the power button every time to check for notifications manually is quite annoying, plus the power button doesn't feel like it's the highest quality so I don't want to wear it out unnecessarily!! :rolleyes:

[Guest oh!dougal]

Don't know what you mean by " isn't actually going to sleep" and " Its shutting down the screen only", in my limited knowledge, isn't that the same thing?

Is there any more modes than On, Off and Sleep?

I use mylock so a press on any of the 3 front buttons will wake it.

Before confusing things with other apps, etc, please think carefully and observe the standard behaviour.

The SF acts differently when "sleeping" depending on whether or not usb (charger) is connected.

That is depending on whether power is internal (battery) or external (charger).

On external power, while 'sleeping', the notification led works and the front buttons 'wake' it.

On internal power, while sleeping, the led does not flash and the front buttons do not wake it.

From that observation, you don't have to be a genius to deduce that the phone cannot be in the identical 'sleep' state when its on external and internal power.

Also, on external power, the wifi can work while 'asleep'. Not on internal power!

If you play music long enough, the screen goes off but the music continues, wifi works, the front buttons wake it and the notification led works.

What's happening is that the screen goes off, touch becomes 'locked', but the rest of the machine stays awake.

1/ Thats the state its in when its 'sleeping' on external power

2/ And that's the state its in when the mylock app is running. Its not really asleep. Which is why your battery goes flat so quickly. Its because of that app - the rom does not need to have anything to do with it.

Again consider the standard behaviour, on internal power.

When it "goes to sleep" an immediate press on a front button 'wakes' it. (And consider the above observations about the notification led working for a few seconds.)

All that is is happening there is that the screen is sleeping several seconds before the computer does.

In the brief interval when the screen is off but the phone underneath is still awake, its in exactly the same state it would be in with mylock running or while playing music.

Edited November 10, 2010 by oh!dougal

[Guest Movisman]

Before confusing things with other apps, etc, please think carefully and observe the standard behaviour.

The SF acts differently when "sleeping" depending on whether or not usb (charger) is connected.

That is depending on whether power is internal (battery) or external (charger).

On external power, while 'sleeping', the notification led works and the front buttons 'wake' it.

On internal power, while sleeping, the led does not flash and the front buttons do not wake it.

From that observation, you don't have to be a genius to deduce that the phone cannot be in the identical 'sleep' state when its on external and internal power.

Also, on external power, the wifi can work while 'asleep'. Not on internal power!

If you play music long enough, the screen goes off but the music continues, wifi works, the front buttons wake it and the notification led works.

What's happening is that the screen goes off, touch becomes 'locked', but the rest of the machine stays awake.

1/ Thats the state its in when its 'sleeping' on external power

2/ And that's the state its in when the mylock app is running. Its not really asleep. Which is why your battery goes flat so quickly. Its because of that app - the rom does not need to have anything to do with it.

Again consider the standard behaviour, on internal power.

When it "goes to sleep" an immediate press on a front button 'wakes' it. (And consider the above observations about the notification led working for a few seconds.)

All that is is happening there is that the screen is sleeping several seconds before the computer does.

In the brief interval when the screen is off but the phone underneath is still awake, its in exactly the same state it would be in with mylock running or while playing music.

Explained perfectly, nice one.

With any luck someone will come up with a solution. The MyLock app seems like a slight workaround, but not if it kills the battery.

[Guest Freekers]

Good to see this thread finally going. oh!dougal explained the issue nicely and I hope we can work out a solution, because it's no use to have a notification LED which will only work when the screen is on.. I could look at the screen myself too then

Edited November 10, 2010 by Freekers

[Guest john306]

Before confusing things with other apps, etc, please think carefully and observe the standard behaviour.

The SF acts differently when "sleeping" depending on whether or not usb (charger) is connected.

That is depending on whether power is internal (battery) or external (charger).

On external power, while 'sleeping', the notification led works and the front buttons 'wake' it.

On internal power, while sleeping, the led does not flash and the front buttons do not wake it.

From that observation, you don't have to be a genius to deduce that the phone cannot be in the identical 'sleep' state when its on external and internal power.

Also, on external power, the wifi can work while 'asleep'. Not on internal power!

If you play music long enough, the screen goes off but the music continues, wifi works, the front buttons wake it and the notification led works.

What's happening is that the screen goes off, touch becomes 'locked', but the rest of the machine stays awake.

1/ Thats the state its in when its 'sleeping' on external power

2/ And that's the state its in when the mylock app is running. Its not really asleep. Which is why your battery goes flat so quickly. Its because of that app - the rom does not need to have anything to do with it.

Again consider the standard behaviour, on internal power.

When it "goes to sleep" an immediate press on a front button 'wakes' it. (And consider the above observations about the notification led working for a few seconds.)

All that is is happening there is that the screen is sleeping several seconds before the computer does.

In the brief interval when the screen is off but the phone underneath is still awake, its in exactly the same state it would be in with mylock running or while playing music.

Well that sounds logical, so I just turned off mylock, switched off the screen, rang the phone and it woke up, went back to sleep and notification led was on for 10 seconds then off again, I then switched mylock on again , put phone to "sleep" screen off and the led started flashing again, so there is a bonus to mylock.

Oh yes my battery now is lasting easily the day, thats with Bluetooth on and about 2+ hours of calls, I just charge it anyway once I'm home.

[Guest Xoplit]

There are now many different roms now - Modaco, De-Orangenated, the french one, the hungarian one, the froyo. Can someone confirm if this issue is resolved in any of them?

[Guest oh!dougal]

There are now many different roms now - Modaco, De-Orangenated, the french one, the hungarian one, the froyo. Can someone confirm if this issue is resolved in any of them?

It isn't.

There are various apps that get around the problem by bringing the phone out of sleep for different proportions of the time (and then doing their own notification thing while its not asleep).

[Guest mELIANTE]

Today my notifications Led was working for an instance. The screen had been off for a long time and in the meantime I received an SMS. Didn't hear it and about 20min later I noticed the Led blinking like 5 times in a row...

[Guest oh!dougal]

If there's a persistent app running, like a music player or MyLock, or the phone is on charge/usb, then the phone will only go into screen save, not proper sleep.

If its in screen save, the notification led works, the front buttons are active to take you to the lock screen, and the wifi policy can keep wifi up.

But, for now, when it goes into proper sleep, there is simply no power to the led, the buttons or the wifi.

The only way (for now) to get power to those things is to not be in proper sleep.

ZTE have been told about it, and hopefully they are beginning to understand what they have been told.

[Guest mELIANTE]

I wasn't running any app in the background and not connected to USB/charging, it was just standing by me. It just blinked some times, I waited for it to blink again but it didn't. Didn't want to wait another 20min either ^^

I didn't read all this topic, but could it be waking the phone in a set time interval and allowing the Led to respond?

I'm using Seb's r6 with some minor changes.

Edited November 23, 2010 by mELIANTE