DO NOT UPDATE your Tab A to Android 7.x IF YOU HAVE A CUSTOM "free FONT" PACKAGE!
A screenshot of the update prompt on my SM-P355 can be seen here. However, I have to prevent it from updating, because I have a custom free font package
This is just a warning. It seems that Samsung has finally released what I call "Samsung Experience 8.5 Lite" (which itself runs on top of Android 7.1.1) for the 2015 models of the Galaxy Tab A, however, I'm posting this here for anyone else who has not updated, and their device is not rooted (like mine, because there is no root for the P355 on Android 6.x when I last checked)
However, do not upgrade to Android 7.x if you have a custom "free font" package installed!
This is usually created by taking the "regular" TTF file of a "free for personal use" font (in my case, Comic Neue) and using an app like HiFont or iFont to convert it into a FlipFont package. However, those apps have their own font catalogues, which often mix commercial fonts (like from Monotype, who themselves created the FlipFont system Samsung uses) with free fonts, but Samsung just sees that as "font piracy", not giving users a way to use fonts that are "free for personal use", or even completely free to use.
View attachment 4275907
Click the link above to see what happens when trying to use a "free font" package in Samsung Experience 8.5. As you can see, the font previews fine, but the Settings app refuses to set it. I actually have a Galaxy Note8, and that was how I was able to do that, and the content of my posts in the thread I'll mention next.
With that, I have a whole thread on trying to find ways to bypass the FlipFont verification mechanism, and also the fact that I'm thinking of starting a petition against Samsung to allow free fonts under certain circumstances, such as if a copy of the font's licence is included within the package, however, I do not have the right "contacts" to start such a petition. More information in my posts in that thread. If I do find a way to bypass verification, possibly using Substratum + "Sungstratum", which itself most likely won't run on the Tab A due to the lack of a Samsung Themes app to hijack, I'll spin that off into a separate thread, or even a DevDB project.
Related
Might I suggest a naming convention for posts here ?
Currently we mostly have Windows Mobile, Windows Phone and Android devices on this forum. As this "Paid Software" forum is not split up into different OS's (yet ?) we should have a naming convention.
I am proposing the following scheme, including OS, version number, and root status.
Windows Mobile
[WM 6.x] <appname>
For WM apps that run on all WM 6 versions
[WM 6.5] <appname>
For WM apps specific to WM 6.5 (or 6.0, or 6.1, etc)
Windows Phone 7
[WP 7] <appname>
Any WP7 app
Android
[Android 1.6+] <appname>
For Android specific apps that require at least Android 1.6
[Android 1.6-2.1] <appname>
For Android specific apps that require at least Android 1.6, but are known not to work on for example 2.2 and 2.3
[Android 1.6+, ROOT] <appname>
Same as [Android 1.6+], but requires root.
Release dates, versions
Some apps include release dates and version numbers, suggesting that the date follow the OS specification, and version number follows appname.
For example:
[Android 1.6+, ROOT, 2010.12.31] MyRootApp v1.3 - The greatest app ever!
This is just all just a suggestion. Feel free to comment. I just think it should be easy to see these app sepecifics in the listing directly.
Chainfire said:
Might I suggest a naming convention for posts here ?
Currently we mostly have Windows Mobile, Windows Phone and Android devices on this forum. As this "Paid Software" forum is not split up into different OS's (yet ?) we should have a naming convention.
I am proposing the following scheme, including OS, version number, and root status.
Windows Mobile
[WM 6.x] <appname>
For WM apps that run on all WM 6 versions
[WM 6.5] <appname>
For WM apps specific to WM 6.5 (or 6.0, or 6.1, etc)
Windows Phone 7
[WP 7] <appname>
Any WP7 app
Android
[Android 1.6+] <appname>
For Android specific apps that require at least Android 1.6
[Android 1.6-2.1] <appname>
For Android specific apps that require at least Android 1.6, but are known not to work on for example 2.2 and 2.3
[Android 1.6+, ROOT] <appname>
Same as [Android 1.6+], but requires root.
Release dates, versions
Some apps include release dates and version numbers, suggesting that the date follow the OS specification, and version number follows appname.
For example:
[Android 1.6+, ROOT, 2010.12.31] MyRootApp v1.3 - The greatest app ever!
This is just all just a suggestion. Feel free to comment. I just think it should be easy to see these app sepecifics in the listing directly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is a great start, but what about apps that are linked to a specific type of phone?
For example, there a hardware specific apps for the Galaxy S line which includes Fascinate, Captivate, Vibrant, i9000, etc.
What I'm thinking, and feel free to offer a counter to this, is that most phones can be boiled down to a 3-4 letter identifier, which obviously includes the OS.
For example, Samsung Galaxy S series is SGS. So if I have an app for SGS I'd expect it to be:
[SGS 2.2+, ROOT]
Also in some cases there's specific features of ROM needed, for example with the SGS series again, backlight notification. I'd expect this to part of the list with ROOT.
Finally, I'd put version numbers and/or dates at the end of the post, in ()
So:
[SGS 2.1+ ROOT|BLN] My Cool App (v1.0)
[And 1.6] My Other App (01/15/11)
Any thoughts?
I think this sounds spot on. We definitely need a good naming convention given the broad scope of this new forum. Thanks much
Those are good suggestions.
However, it does require the average reader to know what all that means, it possibly makes it all too complicated.
Something like SGS could be an addition, but I think it should still simply start with the OS and version denominator.
For example:
[Android 1.6+, ROOT, SGS, BLN, 2010.12.31] My App v12
This is too long, I know. However date is most commonly in front on XDA. This should also clear up for the WM/WP users that this is not for them. An SGS user will still spot the "SGS" and know it is for them. Non-SGS users might have to read the thread to see that is is "For Samsung Galaxy S devices only!"
We need something better, but removing Android from the title isn't it, I think.
Wow seems really complex. The more it is complex the less it will be followed by OPs.
While I think it's a nice idea to open a section for paid applications I would have created it in all forums that already have an "Application etc." forum. It would sound more logical IMO and it would show OPs that they have to choose between the 2 subfora (development ongoing / paid applications for advertising only).
Creating juste one forum for all OS, devices etc. will make it difficult to find information in it and I don't think people will have the reflex to go in General forum to find applications.
If the application is in HD2 forum for example no need to have a long title people will know that the application is for HD2 only.
Just my 2 cents
You are absolutely right there, but paid apps are not allowed to be posted in the device-specific sections
Chainfire said:
Those are good suggestions.
However, it does require the average reader to know what all that means, it possibly makes it all too complicated.
Something like SGS could be an addition, but I think it should still simply start with the OS and version denominator.
For example:
[Android 1.6+, ROOT, SGS, BLN, 2010.12.31] My App v12
This is too long, I know. However date is most commonly in front on XDA. This should also clear up for the WM/WP users that this is not for them. An SGS user will still spot the "SGS" and know it is for them. Non-SGS users might have to read the thread to see that is is "For Samsung Galaxy S devices only!"
We need something better, but removing Android from the title isn't it, I think.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hopefully proper sub-forums, as listed here will make the OS portion not needed.
Then phone types would make sense at the start, followed by OS version.
Finally, I was suggesting the date at the end more as a general style that would flow better. Just like for the most part, we go from least specific to most specific when identifying things (for example, Android 1.6) it would make sense that the name would come before any version or date specifier.
While I realize this would break with the tradition some user's have started, at best it is applied inconsistently so standardizing in a well known and defined way seems like a good thing.
It seems indeed they are coming.
Let us then, for the few days we still have to wait, use the suggested format of simply adding the OS name and version in front of the release ?
Chainfire said:
It seems indeed they are coming.
Let us then, for the few days we still have to wait, use the suggested format of simply adding the OS name and version in front of the release ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That seems more than fair.
People may want to hold off posting until the subforums show up, to keep the mods from having too big of a headache.
Great initiative Chainfire.
Once we have a reasonable naming convention, efforts will be required to ensure that it is adhered to.
We can set the App forums to require prefixes. Much like the optional "Is this a question?" adds [Q] at the start of a title.
NotATreoFan said:
We can set the App forums to require prefixes. Much like the optional "Is this a question?" adds [Q] at the start of a title.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I think we should.
We'll let the committee decide on final subject format, and then have it implemented, I guess.
Good idea.
there should be a set of prefixes to choose from, at the beginning of the "create thread title" in "create new post".
you can only use from standard list and no [ ] allowed in titles, custom prefixes with { }
XDA admins would also need to run script on thread titles to replace ALL current [ ] with { } for all prefixes not in list previously mentioned.
not terribly hard, would help a bunch.
nice nice nice
I am looking to expand the font options available on the phone. I don't want to replace one font with another, but rather to have more fonts to choose from.
Apparently, iFont was just updated and supposedly can accomplish this. But I cannot
I found 5 or 6 apk files that I was able to download from iFont and they are in emulated storage in its own folder. When I choose to "install", a screen comes up and says it will do so. Great. But when I go to the list of fonts, the name of the new (added) font is there and when I go to change to that font, I'm told it doesn't exist.
Very frustrated - closer than I've been in that I have the apk s for most of the fonts I would like, and the Galaxy S4 appears to install them. The names are there but not the data!
Help?
Thanks
Cant help you on this topic since I too poor and not interested to have an S4.
Maybe you can try posting this question in S4 forum?
Sent from my GT-N7000
Hi, to begin if this is not the subject my sincere apologies, as you will see, I am new.
I have two appointments.
1- What would happen if I put the firmware of the Samsung J120M in my J110M. I've searched everywhere for a rom for the J110M and I do not find it, it contains Android 5.1.1 lollipop (But **** haha, it's ugly) the J120M also contains 5.1.1 lollipop (very nice, updated apps, very smart.).
Like every member of the community (I suppose) I am very obsessive. I like that my android is extremely tidy and obviously I like it. So for this first point I want to know if at least the worst thing that could happen is that you have to install the J110M firmware via download mode. Because if I ***** I ****ed.
Now 2 !.
As I never found a rom for this cel, it took me to customize it on my own. I replaced the samsung browser (for a more recent version) I replaced the touchwiz launcher (for an s7 launcher with icons of this one) obviously replacing the apk of the system. I saw a subject right here, where a developer posted s6 apps for any samsung device with android 5.1 lollipop with touchwiz interfaces. But none served me !!. I replaced the default apk (obviously copying) from the gallery, added the samsung player, also from My files, etc. And each one when restarting the cell phone threw the error "Gallery has stopped" etc etc. I deleted the data and everything, even reset the cel several times and it did not work. So if someone tells me how I could make these applications compatible for this cell phone (j110m) I would be very grateful.
So I ‘upgraded’ my pixel 4xl to android 11 a few days ago, root works well and it seems like just another day, except I’ve come to find that I don’t care for scoped storage – at least how I’m trying to use it. All the other changes are just meh to me so I'm definitely not married to 11.
Previously, I could play a movie file (I prefer es file explorer) and mxplayer would automatically open up a similarly named subtitle file and all was well. When the video file reached it’s end, the next video & it's subtitles would start playing and it was wonderful!
Currently on android 11, I cannot even open subtitles! Any player I try seems to not have a clue as to what exists on my storage – which prompted a google search and I was informed of scoped storage being snuck in – awesome =(
So I came across a page that mentioned enabling on a per app basis legacy storage
Code:
adb shell cmd appops set your-package-name android:legacy_storage allow
– except I don’t know what the package name is. No worries, we’ll just enable root on the file explorer and …. Oh well that doesn’t work anymore either =(
So, short of rolling back to android 10 and dealing with all that entails (wiping and all) I was hoping someone smarter than myself could offer some insight in not allowing google to break/ruin one of the leading reasons i’ve chosen to use their product.
My favorites so far are...
That my filemanager app takes 10-100x as long to calculate folder sizes compared to just August's update.
And that it seems like scoped storage when not giving full access properly will allow visibility to folders, but not files... so my file syncing app saw all of my folders empty and told my other devices to delete everything and leave empty folders. Google is banning PlayStore apps from asking the user for full access until January 2021. (the permission toggle is greyed out)
Just discovered the limits of scoped storage as well.
Actually, I have a Pixel 3A, then I'm a "dirty foreigner" here...
Anyway, a little anecdote about how I discovered that I should have listened to my inner voice, "don't change a winning team".
I was happy and rock-solid with an old, stable version of A10, still March 2020 update.
Rooted with Magisk, system-less hosts, pixel launcher editor and few other Magisk modules, Ad-away root.
Everything was working as a charm, including all my favourites "vintage" apps: OI notepad, ES file explorer 4022 system-less and triggered apk, Dolphin browser (old and "fine tuned" apk) used as a text viewer as well... it was the only text-viewer with "find in page" capability to search for a given word/string within a text.
Since Sept 2020, after months of silence (no update notifications since March 2020) I have been prompted daily, by android system , to update to A11. I resisted a few weeks, let's say a month... aware of the gold rule "don't change a winning team".
Few days ago, reassured by the successful feedback from several Magisk users, I decided to give it a try.
What a mess... The first attempt completely messed up my loved and stable configuration.
I had to flash-all (with "-w" removed) several times just to have a bootable phone. Of course, root was gone.
Then, I have been trying for days every Master/Beta/Canary versions, without success.
The only working solution was to flash back the stock boot image, forgetting root and customization capabilities (mainly pixel launcher).
Yesterday, not sure why, I was lucky enough to have a rooted bootable config.
For the record: MagiskManager 8.02 master branch, Magisk 21 beta branch. Screen lock removed, SIM lock removed.
I don't know if the screen/sim lock has an impact, but it worked for me after 2/3 consecutive "flash boot" of magisk_patched.
I was happy like a baby on Xmas eve, and spent again a few hours to set my phone to my preferred config.
I just had to find a new "best choice" file manager (ES doesn't work with the new root/file system policies).
Everything seemed to work fine, until today...
I was just trying to open a TXT file (c'mon, the basics!) from the file explorer, choosing "Dolphin" or "Oi notepad" as the viewer.
Both apps didn't handle the request. OI notepad by simply closing, Dolphin by showing a "not available page".
I have tried different file managers, re-enabled Files "by google" (disabled by default in my phones, as well as google app), gave any possible permissions to the apps. No way to get the file opened.
Then, by googling, I discovered this beautiful new feature of "Scoped storage"... and I think I found the culprit.
Well, that's were I am now, with limited access to MY file system.
What the f##k! Why did I struggle to be a "su" user?!
No control on file system policies, my "vintage" apps completely useless, and no open-source, ad-free, not-bloated app available.
I'm really thinking about going back to A10 for a while... and forever respect te rule "don't change a winning team".
Sorry for the long outburst :-/ just wanted to share with you my hassle.
I think I will copy and paste this to the proper section, Pixel 3a.
Never give up! We'll not allow Google to become the new Apple
Cheers,
Riccardo
rdragoni said:
Just discovered the limits of scoped storage as well.
Actually, I have a Pixel 3A, then I'm a "dirty foreigner" here...
Anyway, a little anecdote about how I discovered that I should have listened to my inner voice, "don't change a winning team".
I was happy and rock-solid with an old, stable version of A10, still March 2020 update.
Rooted with Magisk, system-less hosts, pixel launcher editor and few other Magisk modules, Ad-away root.
Everything was working as a charm, including all my favourites "vintage" apps: OI notepad, ES file explorer 4022 system-less and triggered apk, Dolphin browser (old and "fine tuned" apk) used as a text viewer as well... it was the only text-viewer with "find in page" capability to search for a given word/string within a text.
Since Sept 2020, after months of silence (no update notifications since March 2020) I have been prompted daily, by android system , to update to A11. I resisted a few weeks, let's say a month... aware of the gold rule "don't change a winning team".
Few days ago, reassured by the successful feedback from several Magisk users, I decided to give it a try.
What a mess... The first attempt completely messed up my loved and stable configuration.
I had to flash-all (with "-w" removed) several times just to have a bootable phone. Of course, root was gone.
Then, I have been trying for days every Master/Beta/Canary versions, without success.
The only working solution was to flash back the stock boot image, forgetting root and customization capabilities (mainly pixel launcher).
Yesterday, not sure why, I was lucky enough to have a rooted bootable config.
For the record: MagiskManager 8.02 master branch, Magisk 21 beta branch. Screen lock removed, SIM lock removed.
I don't know if the screen/sim lock has an impact, but it worked for me after 2/3 consecutive "flash boot" of magisk_patched.
I was happy like a baby on Xmas eve, and spent again a few hours to set my phone to my preferred config.
I just had to find a new "best choice" file manager (ES doesn't work with the new root/file system policies).
Everything seemed to work fine, until today...
I was just trying to open a TXT file (c'mon, the basics!) from the file explorer, choosing "Dolphin" or "Oi notepad" as the viewer.
Both apps didn't handle the request. OI notepad by simply closing, Dolphin by showing a "not available page".
I have tried different file managers, re-enabled Files "by google" (disabled by default in my phones, as well as google app), gave any possible permissions to the apps. No way to get the file opened.
Then, by googling, I discovered this beautiful new feature of "Scoped storage"... and I think I found the culprit.
Well, that's were I am now, with limited access to MY file system.
What the f##k! Why did I struggle to be a "su" user?!
No control on file system policies, my "vintage" apps completely useless, and no open-source, ad-free, not-bloated app available.
I'm really thinking about going back to A10 for a while... and forever respect te rule "don't change a winning team".
Sorry for the long outburst :-/ just wanted to share with you my hassle.
I think I will copy and paste this to the proper section, Pixel 3a.
Never give up! We'll not allow Google to become the new Apple
Cheers,
Riccardo
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried MiXplorer? Works fine for me opening up text files in the built-in text editor, albeit on a Pixel 4 XL.
If you care about privacy, you probably don't want to use ES File Explorer anyway.
I'll second MiXplorer. You can get a free version on XDA and there's a paid version on the Play Store if you want to support them. I'm not really sure what you mean by "find in page", though... isn't that just a normal find function? Anyways, MiXplorer comes with internal image/text/video/sound viewers, so anything you can select, it can view. You can even tell it to treat an unknown extension as a certain type and it will push that to itself or an app of your choosing.
New S21 Ultra user here.
Upon opening the Galaxy Store I was greeted with some recommended app suggestions, all from Samsung officially.
Numerous booster & guardian apps..
My question is, do I need them, if so, why aren't they preinstalled?
If I don't need them, why are they developed and recommended to Samsung users?
Thank you in advanced!
Battery Tracker, the rest of the Galaxy apps are junk.
These:
Get the Good Lock Family of apps, Sound Assistant and One Handed Operation plus.
Icon packs and themes, etc.
Samsung web browser and beta browser.
Crystal and Adblocker plugins for above.
Playstore: DIGI Clock, Double Tap, Screentest,
Color wallpaper, color Wallpaper, Energy Ring, Accubattery, Karma Firewall, Brave Browser
Website: Package Disabler
Stock N10+:
Well, I understand your question. If they're useful why not include them? If we don't need them why make them?
I think the answer lies in the fact that these were "labs" apps. They made these apps as tests and to try things out. Some of them are useful, some weren't, perhaps, as cool as they had hoped. They're not included in the ROM because they're just apps they developed as experiments. It's likely that the GoodLock apps will see inclusion at some point. They could also be merged into the base software and not be considered separate. For now you're free to try them out and see if you like any of them. If so, great, keep it. If you don't use some of them or find them stupid then delete them.