Replacement for hardware buttons when in tablet mode

[Griff]

Since everything got wiped out a week ago, and I've seen several questions relating to how people deal with the lack of buttons when using their NR series Clie in tablet mode, I thought I'd collect a few links for everyone ;-)

First you will need the skin that will replace the NR70's default status bar (that thin line at the bottom with a clock) with one that contains buttons. My personal preference is Festus 440's Clie Button Status Skin for PageDownHack (http://www.cliesource.com/sdownload/fileinfo.php?id=775).

I also got Festus 440's Clie Button Virtual Grafitti Skin (http://www.cliesource.com/sdownload/fileinfo.php?id=230) to replace my VG area; it matches really well with the status bar skin.

To replace the status bar, and VG skins, I use a program called Skin Manager (http://www.skinmgr.com/). It's a very simple application and does a good job of replacing the skins. Provided you've installed the previously mentioned skins via HotSync, the program is really self explanatory. Just pick the new skin you wish to install under Grafitti Skins, then pick the one under Status Skins, and click Install. Your Clie will reset and your skins will appear. The application is only $5, but it's free to try with up to five skins, so this experiment will cost you nothing.

If you don't already have it, you will need X-Master (http://www.cliesource.com/sdownload/fileinfo.php?id=17) to enable the hack mentioned below. I am going to assume you have used hacks and have some experience with them.

Lastly you will need PageDownHack (http://www.cliesource.com/sdownload/fileinfo.php?id=104) which will enable you to map all those neat buttons on the status screen to real functions.

From the preferences panel within PageDownHack I have the following mappings:
C1 -> Command: gives me a command stroke when I tap the battery icon
C2 -> Hard 2: The Address hw-button
C3 -> Hard 3: The ToDo hw-button, I map mine to ShadowPlan
C4 -> Hard 4: The MemoPad hw-button
R1 -> Page Up: This allows me to tap the left-hand side of the clock area to page up.
R2 -> Page Up: Gives me more room to page up
R3 -> Page Down: This allows me to tap the right-hand side of the clock area to page up.
R4 -> Page Down: Again, more room to tap.
L5 -> Hard1: The Datebook hw-button, usually mapped to Datebook, mine is mapped to Datebk5.

So from the bottom of my screen I see Home (applications), Menu, Find, VG min/max, Datebook, Battery level (remember I have it mapped to a command stroke, Address, ToDo, and MemoPad. I also have page up and down mapped to the clock area.

For you Datebk5 fans out there, it doesn't matter how you have your buttons mapped within Palm-Preferences, it will see the ToDo as ToDo even if you do have it mapped elsewhere, such as ShadowPlan. If you tap any button quickly twice, you will get to the app associated with it.

So, I tap ToDo once and I get the split-screen with todos, I tap twice quickly and I get ShadowPlan. Remember, within Datebk5, under Options -> Preferences -> Views, you can set what button triggers what function. I leave them default.

There is also a program called NR Buttons (http://www.cliesource.com/sdownload/fileinfo.php?id=150) which I've tried that combines the functions of PageDownHack and the status skin in one. I didn't care for how it generated the status bar skin at all, looked bad to me, and it's more expensive than what I was already using. You might give it a shot, but I strongly recommend the Status Bar Skin and PageDownHack combo I've listed above.

If I've made any mistakes, or you want me to add to this, please let me know.

[rollcage]

You may want to try the virtual grafiti from "Sonipa" (www.sonipa.net) together with CalcbuttonHack and FindbuttonHack. Allows splitting of Calc/Findbuttons into several areas, Sonipa VG has these buttons setup w/ 2 Icons per button. This setup works perfectly for me. I also use PageDownHack in combination.

[Shamrock]

As a NRButtons user I would mention that it allows you to turn of the Status Screen generation so you can use the skin you want. In addition it has a very handy launcher that pops up from the battery icon. If I could get the link NRButtons has in its configuration to McPhling I would also get DA launching and that would just about cover everything. Unfortunately I can't get McPhling to pop up (yes I have the hack turned on). Nobody here seems to understand the two programs well enough to give me any help when I asked.

[kstuart]

Griff - the satus bar skin that I use is designed to look exactly like the Sony one, except that it adds the icons for the four hard buttons. The creator id is "SeSi".

Is this one of the ones that you have linked above? It is one of the more popular ones (judging by the download count) in the previous vanished threads...

[Shamrock]

I am sad to report that NR Buttons (which I really prefer over PAGEDOWNHACK because of its popup app launch list) seems to mess up resolution between apps. For my NR70 it is easily repeatable when switching from one of its button launches to another (say TODO to ADDRESS). I have tried SwitchDash and PREFS with lots of turning off HiRes assist on idividual apps). Wish Standalone would up date this great app!

[pigburger]

I love the Sonipa skins (been using sonipa3y for 5 months or so) but unfortunately he hasn't updated his site in the longest time and the downloads are all dead. With pagedown hack and the find and calc hacks I don't miss the hard buttons at all. You can still get sonipa1 here, which is a damn good skin, but it doesn't have the color or other enhancements of his latter stuff. Does any one know whatever happened to him?

[GeekGod]

Originally posted by Shamrock
I am sad to report that NR Buttons (which I really prefer over PAGEDOWNHACK because of its popup app launch list) seems to mess up resolution between apps. For my NR70 it is easily repeatable when switching from one of its button launches to another (say TODO to ADDRESS). I have tried SwitchDash and PREFS with lots of turning off HiRes assist on idividual apps). Wish Standalone would up date this great app!

I use NR Buttons and have no such trouble. It works great. Something else is wrong in your system.

[ami7878]

I followed Griff's instructions to the letter (I even used the same skins) but cannot make the new buttons work on the status bar.

Does anyone has a clue as to what I'm doing wrong?

[Jewboy]

Did you turn on the hack in X-Master?

[ami7878]

I enabled it and eved disabled all other hacks as I thought that there is a conflict but with no luck.

It simly doesn't work.

[kstuart]

If you have a Belkin Keyboard Driver installed, it conflicts with PageDownHack. I keep my Belkin Driver on the MS and only install it when I need to use the keyboard (very infrequently, usually when I am far from home).

Otherwise, PageDownHack should work as long as you have the mapping right (which is done inside Xmaster).

Try a soft reset after installing...

[sebring]

Originally posted by Shamrock
As a NRButtons user I would mention that it allows you to turn of the Status Screen generation so you can use the skin you want. In addition it has a very handy launcher that pops up from the battery icon. If I could get the link NRButtons has in its configuration to McPhling I would also get DA launching and that would just about cover everything. Unfortunately I can't get McPhling to pop up (yes I have the hack turned on). Nobody here seems to understand the two programs well enough to give me any help when I asked.

Last time McPhling updated, they changed something in their launch code that NR Buttons no longer recognizes. Not really necessary to launch McPhling with NR Buttons anyway, now that McPhling has added ways to launch it from full screen mode. Using NR Buttons just adds an extra step.

[sebring]

Originally posted by Shamrock
I am sad to report that NR Buttons (which I really prefer over PAGEDOWNHACK because of its popup app launch list) seems to mess up resolution between apps. For my NR70 it is easily repeatable when switching from one of its button launches to another (say TODO to ADDRESS). I have tried SwitchDash and PREFS with lots of turning off HiRes assist on idividual apps). Wish Standalone would up date this great app!

I would suspect your problem is more likely SwitchDash. I use NR Buttons on my NR and don't have any display issues. When I used SwitchDash on my N610, I had a lot of display issues including zoomed displays to approx four times normal size. No problems since I got rid of that turkey.

[ami7878]

Originally posted by ami7878
I enabled it and eved disabled all other hacks as I thought that there is a conflict but with no luck.

It simly doesn't work.

OK :-D

I managed to make it work...

I used FileZ and deleted the XMasterDB file and reactivated all my hacks.

That did the trick.