Pro1 Tip: Reduce Curved Screen Anger with EdgeNull

[D1ggs 141]

Tired of Curved screens accidental touches?  To stop it for good, try this:

Step 1: Open Play Store. 

Step 2: Search for EdgeNull. 

Step 3: Install EdgeNull

Step 4: Open EdgeNull and set a portrait and landscape pixel width of 58. Set any other settings that tickle your fancy. 

Step 5: Live happily ever after. 

[EskeRahn 5,471]

Though this technically works, no 5) should be taken with more than a pinch of salt, as this comes at a cost&risk - that for some will be acceptable and for others not.

 

5a) Reduced functionality. Depending on the selected "Display size" & "Font size" (under normal Settings, Display, Advanced) you will have troubles accessing the standard vertical ellipsis top right menu selector in many apps, unless you reduce the border size - and reducing it obviously make the app less useful also.

The scroll-bar slider in e.g. the Apps list or your browser will also be inaccessible, or at best harder to access.

 

5b) Security! There is a missing step after "Open EdgeNull" that is that you has to allow it the "Draw over other apps" permission. It will (for good technical reasons) need that to work as it is supposed to, BUT this also gives the app access to all touches you do on the screen(!). So at the least in theory, it could detect you entering your code to say your banking app, or entering credit card info and misuse it...

And even if we assume that this version is perfectly benign a later update might not be. So know that it comes with a security risk. And no I'm not saying anything on whether this is a risk worth taking or not, I'll leave it to your personal paranoia to decide. I personally am not happy with it....

 

There is a similar app with the long name "No more accidental touching", that (obviously) have the same principal pluses and minuses but let you control right and left independent. It is inactive in landscape

 

Optimally a functionality limiting the edge touch sensitivity should be build in, and not a third party app, for security reasons.

AND it would be great if the zones were not fixed, maybe using the gyro-sensor and the like, so detecting that we are holding it (almost) still should have these inactive borders move away, but kick in as soon as we start handing the device, as this is the most likely time of accidental interaction.

I'll tag @tdm here, as this might be an idea to add on the LineageOS, if the stock will not do it - so I better tag @Waxberry also hoping they will add something like this stock.

[FlyingAntero 871]

1 hour ago, EskeRahn said:

Though this technically works, no 5) should be taken with more than a pinch of salt, as this comes at a cost&risk - that for some will be acceptable and for others not.

 

5a) Reduced functionality. Depending on the selected "Display size" & "Font size" (under normal Settings, Display, Advanced) you will have troubles accessing the standard vertical ellipsis top right menu selector in many apps, unless you reduce the border size - and reducing it obviously make the app less useful also.

The scroll-bar slider in e.g. the Apps list or your browser will also be inaccessible, or at best harder to access.

 

5b) Security! There is a missing step after "Open EdgeNull" that is that you has to allow it the "Draw over other apps" permission. It will (for good technical reasons) need that to work as it is supposed to, BUT this also gives the app access to all touches you do on the screen(!). So at the least in theory, it could detect you entering your code to say your banking app, or entering credit card info and misuse it...

And even if we assume that this version is perfectly benign a later update might not be. So know that it comes with a security risk. And no I'm not saying anything on whether this is a risk worth taking or not, I'll leave it your personal paranoia to decide. I personally am not happy with it....

 

There is a similar app with the long name "No more accidental touching", that (obviously) have the same principal pluses and minuses but let you control right and left independent. It is inactive in landscape

 

Optimally a functionality limiting the edge touch sensitivity should be build in, and not a third party app, for security reasons.

AND it would be great if the zones were not fixed, maybe using the gyro-sensor and the like, so detecting that we are holding it (almost) still should have these inactive borders move away, but kick in as soon as we start handing the device, as this is the most likely time of accidental interaction.

I'll tag @tdm here, as this might be an idea to add on the LineageOS, if the stock will not do it - so I better tag @Waxberry also hoping they will add something like this stock.

You can always adjust the settings like you said and find optimal adjustments for disabling the edges. Also, there is an experimental "Detect Edge Swipes" which allows you to still use edges for swipes. To me it is working pretty well. Of course, security aspect is one thing to keep in mind. Best option would be a new feature by F(x)tec.

PS. I think that we should have sticky thread for the tips so that people can find these.

Some examples...

Software:

• Keyboard layout: FinQwerty and Fx Qwerty
• Disabling Edges: Edge Null
• Keyboard shorcuts: Keyboard/Button Mapper
• Camera: Google Camera (BSG and PocoPhone F1)
• Forcing apps to landscape: Rotation - Orientation Manager and Lock Screen Rotation
• Adjusting screen for landscape: Accessibility > Display
  • Display size: Small
  • Font size: Large

Hardware:

• Spare part screen: model BF060Y8M-AJ0-7702 (Elephone U Pro uses same screen)

[EskeRahn 5,471]

2 hours ago, FlyingAntero said:

You can always adjust the settings like you said and find optimal adjustments for disabling the edges.

No....

I can reduce it to around 40 to get access the the menu, but need to get down to near zero to access the scroll bar.

So It is not really useful for me though the principal idea is fine.

[FlyingAntero 871]

1 hour ago, EskeRahn said:

No....

I can reduce it to around 40 to get access the the menu, but need to get down to near zero to access the scroll bar.

So It is not really useful for me though the principal idea is fine.

I can access scroll bars with 30 quite well. I just need to touch screen where the curve starts. It is not ideal of course but better than nothing in my opinion. There is also app called "No more accidentally touching" which allow you to have different settings on left and right. Then you are able to have 30 on right and 40 on left for example.

[EskeRahn 5,471]

1 hour ago, FlyingAntero said:

here is also app called "No more accidentally touching"

...And you find that mentioned in the middle of my reply to the OP... 😜

[EskeRahn 5,471]

1 hour ago, FlyingAntero said:

I can access scroll bars with 30 quite well.

The scroll-bar slider in e.g. the Apps-list is 20 pixel wide, with the display&font size I am using, so if you are extremely lucky, you might get it to work with 19, but 10 is more realistic, and well that is about the size they already have disabled...

[Hook 3,043]

2 minutes ago, EskeRahn said:

The scroll-bar slider in e.g. the Apps-list is 20 pixel wide, with the display&font size I am using, so if you are extremely lucky, you might get it to work with 19, but 10 is more realistic, and well that is about the size they already have disabled...

I assume you are using default launcher?  Does the app drawer not let you scroll by simply using your finger in the middle of the screen?  Nova has a side scroll bar for the app drawer, but you can use your finger anywhere to scroll.  Of course, now I am using launch time which makes all of these concerns irrelevant.  Might be why I love Edge Null so much.  😉

My display size is small, my Edge null setting is 30. I encounter no rel problems (occasionally something right at the edge requires a couple of taps to get right, but not very often).

[david 929]

I haven't tried it yet, but I doubt it would work for me, because when in landscape, I have to touch the very edge to get to the android settings from the top screen pulldown.  I could put a shortcut on a home page and go home first and hunt around for it, but that wouldn't be as convenient.  I could map buttons to get to the settings, but I am trying to avoid too many artificial helpers while waiting to see what fxtec changes/fixes.

I definitely have unintentional touches on the edges.  Another reason a non-rounded, bezel screen would be preferable to me.

[EskeRahn 5,471]

33 minutes ago, Hook said:

I assume you are using default launcher?  Does the app drawer not let you scroll by simply using your finger in the middle of the screen?  Nova has a side scroll bar for the app drawer, but you can use your finger anywhere to scroll.  Of course, now I am using launch time which makes all of these concerns irrelevant.  Might be why I love Edge Null so much.  😉

My display size is small, my Edge null setting is 30. I encounter no rel problems (occasionally something right at the edge requires a couple of taps to get right, but not very often).

Not the app icon grid, the Apps list in Settings, Apps, See all ## apps. But it is a standard Android control used elsewhere too.

But sure one can swipe but that is a lot slower, and hit and miss, versus drawing the slider to the rough vicinity. So it is not that it prevents you from scrolling, just makes it harder&less efficient on a long list. If you got a very long item that spans over scores of screens, swipe is extremely inefficient... e.g. a long text file.

But the list can become so long that the scroll slider is hard to get hold on. Try e.g. the language list in Swiftkey....

[FlyingAntero 871]

22 minutes ago, david said:

I haven't tried it yet, but I doubt it would work for me, because when in landscape, I have to touch the very edge to get to the android settings from the top screen pulldown.  I could put a shortcut on a home page and go home first and hunt around for it, but that wouldn't be as convenient.  I could map buttons to get to the settings, but I am trying to avoid too many artificial helpers while waiting to see what fxtec changes/fixes.

I definitely have unintentional touches on the edges.  Another reason a non-rounded, bezel screen would be preferable to me.

You can adjusting screen for landscape from Accessibility > Display settings. I am using Display size as Small and Font size as Large so I don't have this issue.

19 minutes ago, EskeRahn said:

Not the app icon grid, the Apps list in Settings, Apps, See all ## apps. But it is a standard Android control used elsewhere too.

But sure one can swipe but that is a lot slower, and hit and miss, versus drawing the slider to the rough vicinity. So it is not that it prevents you from scrolling, just makes it harder&less efficient on a long list. If you got a very long item that spans over scores of screens, swipe is extremely inefficient... e.g. a long text file.

But the list can become so long that the scroll slider is hard to get hold on. Try e.g. the language list in Swiftkey....

Standart scroll bar control is not usable so it is an issue but many apps like Nova have wider scroll bar. That can be reached even with 40 but 30 is better for every day use.

[EskeRahn 5,471]

3 minutes ago, FlyingAntero said:

Standart scroll bar control is not usable so it is an issue but many apps like Nova have wider scroll bar. That can be reached even with 40 but 30 is better for every day use.

And some apps like the stock Contacts have a narrow scrollbar BUT it is actually possible to access it touching beside it, and that reduces the problem. And some apps seems to have a slider that is completely inactive, and indicative only (I have not succeeded in grabbing it in the language list of SwiftKey yet...), so for those it does not matter either.

[david 929]

2 hours ago, FlyingAntero said:

You can adjusting screen for landscape from Accessibility > Display settings. I am using Display size as Small and Font size as Large so I don't have this issue.

I prefer the size I have it at, but I am aware that would help.  I am hoping fxtec or Google fix it in an update. 

I always try to leave computers at 100%, because some apps don't adjust to smaller or larger properly.  In this case, the system isn't set right for the standard size.  It shows just how much portrait mode has overtaken people's minds, since if the programmers and testers would have tested it in landscape, it would have been apparent immediately.  I am pretty surprised that they don't have more automated tool to spot off-the-screen issues like that.  Part of me fears that they do, but they have decided nobody should be using a phone in landscape, other than watching videos, so there is no need to make things work properly in landscape.

[MickH 212]

I'm beginning to get a little better with mine, with regards to accidental touches. Not happening as much, but I'd still like a stock setting where you can lock out different edges of the screen.

[EskeRahn 5,471]

1 hour ago, MickH said:

I'm beginning to get a little better with mine, with regards to accidental touches. Not happening as much, but I'd still like a stock setting where you can lock out different edges of the screen.

I agree on that. People have different hand size, and more or less dry skin, so how much each is affected is quite different, so would be nice if we could compensate it.

My personal favourite would be the most primitive approach. Present the API with a reduced 'physical' size of the display, So people can select as wide bezels as they need, that are displayed black, and independent for the two sides. This might require a boot after changing the bezel size, but that would be acceptable in my book. Having it happening in the HAL-layer, would mean that there are no programs that would ever know the display is really larger than it is presented by the HAL. e.g 2160x1000

In a fancy version an OPTION could be to use some of the deselected screen parts as extended notification LED.