Handcent and Messaging - Hero CDMA Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hey guys,
I just recently got my HTC hero and I have a question about the messaging app. First of all, I am currently using Handcent mainly because if you use the stock app, texts always show up on the lock screen even if you are using the pattern lock. That is annoying, and I don't understand what the point of the pattern lock is if you can just see my texts without having to even unlock my phone...anyway, so I am using handcent and it's fine. I've made sure to remove notifications on the stock app so that I don't get double notifications, but my question is: is there a way to delete the stock app? I mean is the phone going to slow down since it is getting texts from 2 apps, does that make sense? Even though the notifications are disabled for the stock app, the texts still go there and they are also going to handcent...So basically i would like to know if:
1. i can delete the stock app (i have rooted my phone so...)
2. does it matter that the phone is pulling texts to two different apps
3. is there a way to make my texts not go to my lock screen, if so i would just not use handcent
Finally, on handcent, i will oftentimes get a text twice from people. does anyone have this problem?
Ok tahnks!

1. Don't delete the stock messaging app.
2. From what I've read on these forums, Handcent basically gets texts from the stock messaging app to get texts. Your phone isn't really doing twice the amount of work.
3. Hmm, I use handcent, and I disabled notifications on the stock app, and I don't see any texts from the stock app on my lock screen.
I also get texts twice once in a while. I think it has something to do with scrolling down the conversation window while the text is being received... not sure, but that's what I noticed.

sxelsharif said:
Hey guys,
I just recently got my HTC hero and I have a question about the messaging app. First of all, I am currently using Handcent mainly because if you use the stock app, texts always show up on the lock screen even if you are using the pattern lock. That is annoying, and I don't understand what the point of the pattern lock is if you can just see my texts without having to even unlock my phone...anyway, so I am using handcent and it's fine. I've made sure to remove notifications on the stock app so that I don't get double notifications, but my question is: is there a way to delete the stock app? I mean is the phone going to slow down since it is getting texts from 2 apps, does that make sense? Even though the notifications are disabled for the stock app, the texts still go there and they are also going to handcent...So basically i would like to know if:
1. i can delete the stock app (i have rooted my phone so...)
2. does it matter that the phone is pulling texts to two different apps
3. is there a way to make my texts not go to my lock screen, if so i would just not use handcent
Finally, on handcent, i will oftentimes get a text twice from people. does anyone have this problem?
Ok tahnks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Look at handcent as a theme for ur stock text app.
Deleting stock would make text not work.
No way to turn that off in stock text for the lockscreen
Dbl text is the carrier at times. It happens. No way to stop it.

My experience is different, I deleted the stock app (mms.apk) and my text work just fine. As long you as you remembered to turn on auto retrieve in your handcent's setting under "Receive message settings". It has been working for me without any issue.

Handcent and Google Voice don't play well with one another. Handcent won't display my Google Voice number despite what the Google Voice settings say. It also behaves... oddly for me. I really wish it would work the way I want it to, though. Hot damn, is it pretty. I love the interface and the customization options. I just hate the fact that it won't play nice with Google Voice. So... ugly texting through my preferred number, it is!

Have you tried chomp sms? Similar look, not as customizable, but may play better with gv
Sent from my Hero CDMA using XDA App

danaff37 said:
Have you tried chomp sms? Similar look, not as customizable, but may play better with gv
Sent from my Hero CDMA using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have tried Chomp. But, as far as I can tell, when not sending from the Google Voice application, it tells people that it came from my cell number, not my Google Voice number. The whole point of Google Voice, at least for me, is to have one number forever, not switch between them.

Related

[Q] Help with handcent

I would like to almost completely replace the stock messages app. My dilema is that I really enjoy the stock notifications for the stock messages app, but how handcent is set up better than the stock app. I have the notifications turned off in handcent and the notifications on for the stock app. But this makes it when I read the message with hand cent it doesn't mark the message as read in the stock app thus the notification stays up in the status bar until I clear it manually, which is becoming annoying. So the only way I can think of to fix this since I could not find a setting to mark them as read, would be to take all of handcent files except the notification settings and use them to replace the s app files. Or if someone could tell me how to theme/skin the standard messaging app that would work as well. A third option would be to find a way to make handcent mark the text as read in the stock app. Hopefully someone can help me figure how to do this out provide with an easier way. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
TheFurriousD said:
I would like to almost completely replace the stock messages app. My dilema is that I really enjoy the stock notifications for the stock messages app, but how handcent is set up better than the stock app. I have the notifications turned off in handcent and the notifications on for the stock app. But this makes it when I read the message with hand cent it doesn't mark the message as read in the stock app thus the notification stays up in the status bar until I clear it manually, which is becoming annoying. So the only way I can think of to fix this since I could not find a setting to mark them as read, would be to take all of handcent files except the notification settings and use them to replace the s app files. Or if someone could tell me how to theme/skin the standard messaging app that would work as well. A third option would be to find a way to make handcent mark the text as read in the stock app. Hopefully someone can help me figure how to do this out provide with an easier way. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What exactly do u mean by notifications? Do you mean the icons? if that's what you mean you can change the notification icons in handcent.
Here's how:
1. In the main handcent screen hit menu and go to settings
2. Go to notification settings
3. click on notification settings again
4. Go to notification icon
5. Choose your icon and enjoy!
I believe some of the icons in there look the same as the stock icon. And to keep from getting two notifications disable the notifications in the stock app. Not sure if this is exactly what you were asking about but hope it helps.
I appreciate the response, but what I'm really going for is the wile puzzle piece unlock thing. I have it set up now to where it works so I get the puzzle piece and then launch into handcent but since I have to have the notifications through the stock app to get the puzzle piece to work the status bar icons stay there until I clear them manually because handcent doesn't mark the text messages as read in the native app.
I see. I use the pattern unlock on my phone so i wouldn't know how to change that. I'm sure a dev could probably figure that out for you. Sorry i couldn't be more helpful. Good luck.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
^Agree with OP. Would love the functionality of Handcent but retain the puzzle piece notification, since it's a nice touch and the visual eye candy enhances the overall experience.
The only thing I use Handcent for is the popup notification window when I get a new text so I send a quick reply and put the phone back down. For everything else I just use the stock messaging app.
I tried a few other popup notifications for texts but, like has already been said, Handcent is the best so far.
miztaken1312 said:
The only thing I use Handcent for is the popup notification window when I get a new text so I send a quick reply and put the phone back down. For everything else I just use the stock messaging app.
I tried a few other popup notifications for texts but, like has already been said, Handcent is the best so far.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I pretty much want to the exact opposite of that. I like the interface of handcent, but I actually don't like the popups or notifications that handcent uses.
I also just put in a feature request on the handcent forum. Asked them to add and option to automatically mark the text as read in standard app or to have the option to use the puzzle piece as the notification in handcent. So we'll see how that goes
I might have to take back what I said about hancent. Seems as if it managed to delete all of my 3k+ text messages. Not very happy about that.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
miztaken1312 said:
I might have to take back what I said about hancent. Seems as if it managed to delete all of my 3k+ text messages. Not very happy about that.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
havent seen that happen
i use SMSBackup+ from the market to backup all my SMS to my gmail
makes things WORLDS easier for all my constant rom flashing
I know it was Handcent cause I looked at the logs and it was the last app to access my texts. I had a clockwork backup from a few days earlier. I got some of my stuff back, but still lost some important ones. I looked at smsbackup but I was a little weary of it having access to my Google account and about how it worked.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
I would love to have this as well. This is exactly what I have been looking for. If you do end up finding this or figuring out how to make it work, could you let me know or lead me in the right direction? Thanks.
I've learned a lot since I posted this. And to my understanding the puzzle piece thing is part of the touchwiz ui. So it only will work with the Samsung messaging app. The only way to achieve this effect would be to have some one create an entire rom based on this request by using handcent as the default and modifying the touchwiz lock screen to use handcent instead of the Samsung messaging app. Which sucks because this seems like it would be quite tedious but that's my understanding now of the problem but hopefully I'm wrong lol. I kinda gave up on this idea but still if anyone figures out a simple fix to this I would love to know.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897
I also have a question regarding the puzzle piece screen when receiving an sms... Is there any way for the puzzle piece screen to still show up when using Widget Locker? I don't see an option for something like that, but there are options to block popups.
Oh man would I love this feature!! I think I'm going to have to go back to the stock app because I love the puzzle piece unlock so much. Its just too tedious to unlock the screen and then click on the messaging app (I know that sounds awful hahah) especially if you text ALOT.

[Q] Alternative to Handcent?

Is there an other MMS apps as an alternate to Handcent or Chomp?
My main issue with Handcent is that it takes too long to get text notifications. They're instant with the default Froyo Mms.apk. Handcent takes an extra 2+ minutes for texts to show up.
I'm willing to try Handcent longer if someone knows how to make it receive texts faster. I enabled auto retrieve and roaming auto retrieve.
Kill the pop up on handcent, that speeds it up a lot.
Sent from my HERO200 using XDA App
Popup is disabled... I'm not talking about phone lag. The texts just don't show up instantly like they do with the default Mms app.
Then just use the stock. I just dropped handcent because it's too bulky.
Sent from my CDMA Hero. I got some hot Froyo on Hero action here!
http://www.chompsms.com/
There's that, Chomp SMS. I also just use the stock app.
Vvh said:
http://www.chompsms.com/
There's that, Chomp SMS. I also just use the stock app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha did you read the OP
Jedis said:
Is there an other MMS apps as an alternate to Handcent or Chomp?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't seen any other sms apps that actually handle sending/receiving texts. Only widgets or popups and such
If you are looking for another texting app, go sms is decent too. Not sure if this will help you, but another option
brfizzle said:
If you are looking for another texting app, go sms is decent too. Not sure if this will help you, but another option
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used this App for a couple of weeks since I fell in love with the black theme and pop up was 5 times nicer than the Handcent one but I found even Handcent to be quicker than Go SMS. But it is still an App I suggest giving a shot. I might even give it another chance to see if the updates have fixed it up a bit.
I just started using Go SMS the other day and like it a lot. I have been using handcent for a year now and Go SMS seems a little faster and doesn't have all the fluff I didn't use anyway.
was using hancent/chomp/gosms for some time now. just switched back to handcent. to be honest they became quite alike over time. it felt like chomp was always a little behind. no idea what's causing the lag on your phone. although i'm using handcent again, if you can't figure out the source of the problem, i'd recommend staying with gosms. they update all their apps very frequently and doing great so far. might increase the possibility of getting the error fixed which is causing your problem...
I have a HTC Magic and Handcent and the HTC Messaging App both send notifications at exctly the same time.
eqzgkxokwa said:
I have a HTC Magic and Handcent and the HTC Messaging App both send notifications at exctly the same time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Disable notifications in the stock app.
-----
Sent from my CDMA Hero. I got some hot Gingerbread-on-Hero action here!
Personally, I am a fan of the stock MMS app and using SMS popup from the market. It's a very small app, and allows the popup similar to Handcent.
go sms pro FTW, it literally pwns everything.
il Duce said:
go sms pro FTW, it literally pwns everything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1. It's my new fav, replaced Handcent for me
il Duce said:
go sms pro FTW, it literally pwns everything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Explain the pwnage factor I haven't tried it as I wasn't all that impressed with the description...sounded like all the others with more visual candy (themes). Why are you sold on it?
I don't like how Go SMS doesn't let you restrict the popup to only come up when the screen is off. Also doesn't have the Gingerbread SMS icon.
ranger61878 said:
Explain the pwnage factor I haven't tried it as I wasn't all that impressed with the description...sounded like all the others with more visual candy (themes). Why are you sold on it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's faster than them all. Also, I like candy
stayclean said:
I don't like how Go SMS doesn't let you restrict the popup to only come up when the screen is off. Also doesn't have the Gingerbread SMS icon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't use popups, but there's a nice green icon I like. I suppose you could leave the stock icon on and turn off the go icon, then when you get the icon just clear it and launch go? Or use whatever you're using, lol.
Hmm
I have used ChompSMS pretty much the entire time I have owned an android phone and it is way awesome! And super customizable. Way awesome, never have problems with it.
I'm trying out go sms and it seems good so far. I may end up not using the popular because I really like advanced sms toast. It's clean and simple
¿dpeeps74?

still getting charged for messaging with handcent?

so i downloaded "Handcent" text messaging and it works fine... other then getting double notification i had a question:::::
since i get double notification it obviously means the Stock SMS still gets text messages from people i send messages to from handcent... do i get charged towards my texting plan on the stock sms? or not?.... if i am, would a solution be to rename the stock sms file with .old in the end of it so its gone? will i still get charged towards my plan?
Handcent uses the same SMS system app so there's no extra charge for texting via it.
To solve the double notification, just go open the default messaging app, hit menu -> settings -> uncheck Notifications.
Now you should only get notifications via Handcent.
NKT said:
Handcent uses the same SMS system app so there's no extra charge for texting via it.
To solve the double notification, just go open the default messaging app, hit menu -> settings -> uncheck Notifications.
Now you should only get notifications via Handcent.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my concern is that im still getting messages to my stock sms... doesnt matter?
im not getting cahrged?
Frenzifun said:
my concern is that im still getting messages to my stock sms... doesnt matter?
im not getting cahrged?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Technically, yes. The stock sms program still gets the texts. But all it really is doing is accessing the same system SMS program as Handcent.
They're both just front ends for interacting with the SMS program.
You don't get charged "extra" for using Handcent versus the stock messaging app.
I've been using Handcent from day one and there's no extra charge and all my messages show up in both apps. I just never open the stock app.
Handcent doesn't bypass SMS charges by using data. It's just another app that does what the stock SMS app does, just a bit more prettily.
For free SMS you need Google Voice. But note you have to use the Google Voice phone number as inbound/outbound. Also, there's no api for sending messages through Google Voice so you can't use any frontend app besides Voice itself.
Sent from my Fascinate using XDA
s44 said:
Handcent doesn't bypass SMS charges by using data. It's just another app that does what the stock SMS app does, just a bit more prettily.
For free SMS you need Google Voice. But note you have to use the Google Voice phone number as inbound/outbound. Also, there's no api for sending messages through Google Voice so you can't use any frontend app besides Voice itself.
Sent from my Fascinate using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thereee is my answer, awesome, thank you... so its still used as one of my text messages on my 500 plan.
so in that case theres no point in it for me...
now how do i do this google voice thing... i have an account with google voice with my gmail account... how does this free texting take place?
Frenzifun said:
thereee is my answer, awesome, thank you... so its still used as one of my text messages on my 500 plan.
so in that case theres no point in it for me...
now how do i do this google voice thing... i have an account with google voice with my gmail account... how does this free texting take place?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ahhh, I see now. Yes, any texting from your phone's number is charged to your texting plan.
To use SMS through Google Voice, just give people your GV number and have them use that to text you. It will not be charged to your plan text bucket.
First install the GV app if you haven't...
Then, as the previous guy said, just have people text the GV number. For outbound texts you can either fire up the GV app and select "Compose" from the menu/respond to a text someone's already sent your GV, or go to Contacts and use "Send Message" for a contact (the first time you do this the app choice menu should pop up -- you can set GV as the default for future uses).
Make sure Google Voice isn't set to forward the text messages from your Google Voice number to your cell phone number or you will be charged for the text sent from Google Voice to your Cell number.
Whatsapp
my application solution for texts etc.
tango
video chat for android =]

[Q] text message notifications bug

ok I am having the worst luck with TINY problems on this D4. so I was having a problem where blurcontactsync was causing my contacts to crash if I tried to use them, I found a simple fix to rename the apk to .bak, and it worked
Now I noticed that when I get a text message I do not receive any kind of notification. No smiling message in the notification bar, no notification tone, no vibrate. I have gone into text message settings and set the tone, I have gone into general settings and set the tone. I even went into titainium backup and froze "Messaging, and Universal Inbox" because I thought they might be interfering just like the blur contacts sync. no luck Still do not receive any kind of indication not even the LED flashing.
all my other notifications work fine, if I get an email, or a missed call I get a notification tone and a flashing green light....I extensively searched XDA and people were having this problem with the droid X but it was some kind of update bug and was fixed with a new patch....anyone have any ideas what I could do to get my notifications working again??
Hmm I can't replicate this problem on mine but do you use the stock text messaging app? Try a third party texting app like Handcent and then send a test to yourself from text.vzw.com and see if you get the notification.
SGMD1 said:
Hmm I can't replicate this problem on mine but do you use the stock text messaging app? Try a third party texting app like Handcent and then send a test to yourself from text.vzw.com and see if you get the notification.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yea I'm currently using the stock app I was hoping to avoid a 3rd party app but I guess Im going to dive into that. I can just freeze my stock msg app right?
svrnmnd said:
yea I'm currently using the stock app I was hoping to avoid a 3rd party app but I guess Im going to dive into that. I can just freeze my stock msg app right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't freeze the stock messaging app, I believe that's still necessary even with a 3rd party app (speaking of, I highly recommend GoSMS, but have also been happy with Handcent in the past).
I remember seeing over on DroidForums.net that someone froze their stock messaging app and wasn't receiving any texts after that. Give it a shot but if you don't get any texts for a while I'd unfreeze

[Q] whats up with the stock messages app?

My messages app STRAIGHT SUCKS!
i have no clue why, but everything I do it lags. I click in the text field and the keyboard takes forever to open (both stock Samsung keyboard and swype), i go too fast typing and it lags, possibly force closes, i try to send a message, it takes forever to add it to the list of responses and actually send, it's not even a signal thing, the app itself takes FOREVER and if I try to start typing before it posts or and send, it can freeze up and fc... if i even get a simple picture mms, my phone might force close and I've even had one time where my wife sent multiple mms in a row and it caused a hot reboot!
This is a stock app... i tried using stock keyboard, thinking that was it, no difference. I tried removing the image from the wallpaper on the messages background, that did nothing. ... there shouldn't be problems with either of those 2 things anyways! My gs4 did fine with similar STOCK features and aftermarket keyboards....
This is horrible.
Not rooted. Updated. Both Samsung keyboard and official swype. Both with in app custom picture background, preset color background and stock background.
I love everything else about this phone, but I'm about to return this thing, i shouldn't have to root to fix a stock app.
Anyone else have/had these problems? Any way to resolve them?
Just use Hangouts.
p()()pypants said:
My messages app STRAIGHT SUCKS!
i have no clue why, but everything I do it lags. I click in the text field and the keyboard takes forever to open (both stock Samsung keyboard and swype), i go too fast typing and it lags, possibly force closes, i try to send a message, it takes forever to add it to the list of responses and actually send, it's not even a signal thing, the app itself takes FOREVER and if I try to start typing before it posts or and send, it can freeze up and fc... if i even get a simple picture mms, my phone might force close and I've even had one time where my wife sent multiple mms in a row and it caused a hot reboot!
This is a stock app... i tried using stock keyboard, thinking that was it, no difference. I tried removing the image from the wallpaper on the messages background, that did nothing. ... there shouldn't be problems with either of those 2 things anyways! My gs4 did fine with similar STOCK features and aftermarket keyboards....
This is horrible.
Not rooted. Updated. Both Samsung keyboard and official swype. Both with in app custom picture background, preset color background and stock background.
I love everything else about this phone, but I'm about to return this thing, i shouldn't have to root to fix a stock app.
Anyone else have/had these problems? Any way to resolve them?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Resolved...
I guess that even though it was fine on my gs4, the note 4 didn't like the 13.5K text messages i restored the phone with my backup program... considering I have to record texts with an Ex, this us somewhat concerning, and a pain not have all texts backed up into one file and makes me wonder that despite allowing me to have "no limit"on my text messages, that it will eventually be too much and slow the program down to useless speeds again...
I just backed up all sms, set backup app as primary messages, deleted all sms texts, cleared data/cache/defaults on stock messages app, reset phone, reset stock app as default and boom, everything is flying again...
So if anyone ever gets a huge lag in their messages app, backup old messages if you want them, then delete all sms messages with a third party app cause if you want to keep your mms, deleting threads/convos with stock app will delete mms too if you haven't saved then some other way...
N suggest using hangouts? Really? The answer is fix what's broken, not leave it behind, that does no-one any good.
Similar situation but with knowledge of it
p()()pypants said:
Resolved...
I guess that even though it was fine on my gs4, the note 4 didn't like the 13.5K text messages i restored the phone with my backup program... considering I have to record texts with an Ex, this us somewhat concerning, and a pain not have all texts backed up into one file and makes me wonder that despite allowing me to have "no limit"on my text messages, that it will eventually be too much and slow the program down to useless speeds again...
I just backed up all sms, set backup app as primary messages, deleted all sms texts, cleared data/cache/defaults on stock messages app, reset phone, reset stock app as default and boom, everything is flying again...
So if anyone ever gets a huge lag in their messages app, backup old messages if you want them, then delete all sms messages with a third party app cause if you want to keep your mms, deleting threads/convos with stock app will delete mms too if you haven't saved then some other way...
N suggest using hangouts? Really? The answer is fix what's broken, not leave it behind, that does no-one any good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've always had this problem whenever i restore my backed-up conversations, but in my case, it's only the first time i open a conversation i've recently restored from a backup, after that, it's just fine. I'm guessing this might be because it has to create some sort of cache the first time the system opens the entire conversation for you to read.
What i usually do... Get new phone, restore previous sms/mms, open each conversation for the first time and when i'm actually going to text, i get no lag or extensive wait for the messages to open-up. I hope that is also your case and you can deal with that LONG first wait.
PS- yes, i also NEED to keep a backup of my exes *sigh* those messages are my legal defenders ^_^
I never had an issue with restore but I delete the stock messeging app. Chomp works way better
BAD ASS NOTE 4

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