Setting up the Pro 1 without root - Wiki

[OKSun 103]

Dear All,

I am going to set up my pro 1 in the next days (QWERTZ).   I do not intend to root, unless it is really necessary.

There are so many threads about problems and solutions that I have lost the overview.

Is there a kind of up to date wiki with the important installations needed (such as installing null edge, finqwerty, lock screen rotation, solving the volume issue, camera, etc.)

Indeed a wiki would be good (I have seen the thread proposing this).

I remember the Peter's Pro tips for Pro1 in March.

I am not sure what has been captured in official software updates, what still needs to be done.

Thanks in advance

 

Edited August 18, 2020 by OKSun

[Benni 183]

2 hours ago, OKSun said:

 

Is there a kind of up to date wiki with the important installations needed (such as installing null edge, finquerty, lock screen rotation, solving the volume issue, camera, etc.)

 

I think you only missed: Disable Fingerprint unlock: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.davidshewitt.admincontrol

From the list of workarounds in: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15uE12Yv5nMvIF42U33cY5FQoF6M66QIn00cC876uf7Y/edit#gid=907103536

[Slion 1,201]

19 hours ago, OKSun said:

what still needs to be done.

Here are my pro tips:

• Go select the APN in the SIM settings menu if network data is not working.
• If still no network data you may have to create an APN manually.
• Customize yourself a smart bookcase as it will solve some of the basic issues people are complaining about:
  • Unwanted input on the screen edge. Though that one was never much of an issue for me as I've used a curved display since Samsung S7 Edge.
  • Too many attempts on Fingerprint reader. That one is really a pain without a case.
• Install Fx Service to test and use your smart case auto lock.
• For Android 10 full screen gesture you can install and setup Gesture Control, it even lets you hide the navigation bar.
• For proper keyboard and landscape support while web browsing use Fulguris.

Afaik audio cracks in games and too loud in-call volume can't be fixed without rooting anyway so you just have to wait and see there. Phone calls quality are usually good enough, just offset your handset speaker from your ear to lower the volume.

Full disclosure: I'm the main developer of both Fx Service and Fulguris. I would also try to sell you Fx Qwerty as an alternative to finqwerty but it does not have qwertz support 😇

Edited July 2, 2020 by Slion

[FlyingAntero 871]

Here are my tips and tricks for F(x)tec Pro1

Configuring the keyboard layout

Right after the initial setup the phone will ask you to set the keyboard layout. QWERTY users should remain unselected and QWERTZ users should select German so that layout will match the physical keyboard prints. However, if you want to modify some keys with pre-designed layouts you can try Fx Qwerty (for QWERTY) and FinQwerty (both QWERTY and QWERTZ)

Adjusting the screen size

Screen size is not optimal with default settings for landscape use so you might want to adjust it. Go to Settings > Accessibility and select Display size to Small and and Font size to Large. This will prevent cut-offs in the quick settings drop down menu.

Preventing unintentional touches

Due to the curved display, you might face a relatively large number of unintentional touches. To work around this issue, download Edge Null, which disables touch from the long edges of the screen. The app also has an experimental “Detect Edge Swipes” feature that doesn’t completely disable the touch but allows edge swipes.

Defining key combinations and shortcuts

Keyboard/Button Mapper is a versatile application for defining various shortcuts. The application can remap individual buttons or key combinations to perform desired tasks. Below are a few examples:

• Function + Esc = Back
• Function + Tab = Latest applications
• Ctrl + tab = Divide the screen into two parts
• Function + up = Volume up
• Function + down = Volume down
• Long press on camera button = Open Google Camera (does not work when screen is closed)

NOTE! Long press disables a short press on the selected button. However, this is not a problem with the camera button because Google Camera does not support the camera button anyway.

Android's standard key combinations are listed in the article below:

• https://www.pcworld.com/article/184656/android_keyboard_shortcuts.html

Forcing applications to landscape

Not all applications, such as Instagram, support landscape mode, even if "Landscape Orientation lock" is selected in the Slider settings. However, applications can be forced horizontally with Ultimate Rotation Control (URC, paid) and Lock Screen Rotation (LSR, free). URC in Forced Auto mode and CSR in Lock Landscape mode places screen to landscape with the keyboard in the open position and portrait in the closed position. If you want to rotate the screen while the keyboard is closed, you must do it manually or turn off the application.

Camera app

For a better picture quality, you can try Gcam ports. Personally I prefer PocoPhone F1 port but the viewfinder is upside down if you select Night Sight. However, the picture is right way in the gallery afterwards. There is also BSG port (with fixed viewfinder) but it does not provide as great picture quality in very dark situations (noise level is bad).

PocoPhone F1 port vs. stock camera app

 

 

Edited July 2, 2020 by FlyingAntero

[VaZso 1,998]

22 minutes ago, FlyingAntero said:

However, if you want to modify some keys with pre-designed layouts you can try Fx Qwerty (for QWERTY) and FinQwerty (both QWERTY and QWERTZ)

Right, FinQwerty is mandatory for proper using of international layouts.

25 minutes ago, FlyingAntero said:

Go to Settings > Accessibility and select Display size to Small and and Font size to Large.

Interesting... it seems I use both of them as small.
...maybe that was why I was wondering one of the web pages I often visit loads in a mobile-like outfit (it is a Drupal system which moves sidebars to the bottom if resolution is below 1024 pixels).
However, it seems logical resolution is still below this value.

29 minutes ago, FlyingAntero said:

Keyboard/Button Mapper is a...

I have tried this application and it looks good, but I had problems with my keyboard when it was installed (slower appearing of characters and unintended repeat of characters).
Maybe it is better with the improved keyboard driver now, but I had a feeling it was not designed to handle a lot of buttons what Pro1 has.

So I don't want to say not to use it as its features are valuable, just to say if you experiencing problems, you may try to remove it to see if that helps.

34 minutes ago, FlyingAntero said:

Personally I prefer PocoPhone F1 port but the viewfinder is upside down if you select Night Sight.

I use the same port and it makes really good photos using Pro1.

[Slion 1,201]

6 hours ago, FlyingAntero said:

Function + Esc = Back

I don't know about finqwerty or stock cause I have not used them in a while but things like that is not needed when using Fx Qwerty. If the application is not interpreting Esc it will be sent Back. Therefore you can just do Esc and it will act as Back if need be.

[Slion 1,201]

6 hours ago, FlyingAntero said:

Adjusting the screen size

Screen size is not optimal with default settings for landscape use so you might want to adjust it. Go to Settings > Accessibility and select Display size to Small and and Font size to Large. This will prevent cut-offs in the quick settings drop down menu

Interesting, I ought to try that.

[Slion 1,201]

6 hours ago, FlyingAntero said:

• Function + up = Volume up
• Function + down = Volume down

Those are built-in Fx Qwerty too, except with the Fx key.

[Slion 1,201]

If someone is interested to work on and test an Fx Qwertz version just let me know.

[Rob. S. 1,661]

I surely would be, if I already had the device 😉 

[OKSun 103]

For those like me, whose phone is stuck "Checking for updates" of the android system forever without results-

The following fix worked for me: I checked the option to "automatically download when on wifi" in update settings.

Then the check lead to immediate results and I could download all updates until 20200707.

However:  After the update, I wanted then to untick that tickbox. In 20200707, I cannot access the update settings menu anymore. When I click on settings, I just get a white page....

 

 

Edited August 8, 2020 by OKSun

[Benni 183]

8 hours ago, OKSun said:

For those like me, whose phone is stuck "Checking for updates" of the android system forever without results-

The following fix worked for me: I checked the option to "automatically download when on wifi" in update settings.

Then the check lead to immediate results and I could download all updates until 20200707.

However:  After the update, I wanted then to untick that tickbox. In 20200707, I cannot access the update settings menu anymore. When I click on settings, I just get a white page....

 

 

You need to clear the cache of the updater 

[OKSun 103]

2 hours ago, Benni said:

You need to clear the cache of the updater 

Is it the app wireless Update? => Storage => clear cache.

I still cannot access the update settings menu anymore. When I click on settings, I just get a white page....

Edited August 8, 2020 by OKSun

[Benni 183]

13 hours ago, OKSun said:

Is it the app wireless Update? => Storage => clear cache.

I still cannot access the update settings menu anymore. When I click on settings, I just get a white page....

I think there were at least two apps with update in the name. (I tried all of them)
I might also have cleared data and not only the cache of the apps.

[OKSun 103]

26 minutes ago, Benni said:

I think there were at least two apps with update in the name. (I tried all of them)
I might also have cleared data and not only the cache of the apps.

thanks. it worked. i had to clear data for both of them. Menu is back.

Edited August 9, 2020 by OKSun

[OKSun 103]

On 7/2/2020 at 12:53 PM, FlyingAntero said:

Forcing applications to landscape

Not all applications, such as Instagram, support landscape mode, even if "Landscape Orientation lock" is selected in the Slider settings. However, applications can be forced horizontally with Ultimate Rotation Control (URC, paid) and Lock Screen Rotation (LSR, free). URC in Forced Auto mode and CSR in Lock Landscape mode places screen to landscape with the keyboard in the open position and portrait in the closed position. If you want to rotate the screen while the keyboard is closed, you must do it manually or turn off the application.

FlyingAntero thanks again for your great input above. Ultimate rotation control: I have been using this app in the past with other keyboard phones. I liked that the various icons (auto, forced auto, landscape, etc) were displayed in the dropdown menu from the top of the screen (for notifications and quick settings). In pro1 I do not have these icons and do not manage to  make them appear. Did I miss a setting?

[FlyingAntero 871]

1 hour ago, OKSun said:

FlyingAntero thanks again for your great input above. Ultimate rotation control: I have been using this app in the past with other keyboard phones. I liked that the various icons (auto, forced auto, landscape, etc) were displayed in the dropdown menu from the top of the screen (for notifications and quick settings). In pro1 I do not have these icons and do not manage to  make them appear. Did I miss a setting?

I have the icons there but I haven't changed any settings. They were there from the start. However, I do not use them because they seem to work oddly when the Landscape orientation lock is enabled from the stock settings.

[OKSun 103]

4 hours ago, FlyingAntero said:

I have the icons there but I haven't changed any settings. They were there from the start. However, I do not use them because they seem to work oddly when the Landscape orientation lock is enabled from the stock settings.

Thanks. I cleared the cache and data. Icons are now there in the dropdown menu.

clearing cache and data is becoming the standard procedure for all problems.

Edited August 9, 2020 by OKSun

[OKSun 103]

On 7/2/2020 at 12:53 PM, FlyingAntero said:

Camera app

For a better picture quality, you can try Gcam ports. Personally I prefer PocoPhone F1 port but the viewfinder is upside down if you select Night Sight. However, the picture is right way in the gallery afterwards. There is also BSG port (with fixed viewfinder) but it does not provide as great picture quality in very dark situations (noise level is bad).

PocoPhone F1 port vs. stock camera app

How do you install PocoPhone F1 Port? I downloaded the apk. Opened it in "files" and selected "package installer" to install. The installation was not successful.

[elvissteinjr 359]

Check if the download was complete, remove any other variant of GCam you may have on your device before installing. I just installed it yesterday without a hitch, so it should be working fine.

[OKSun 103]

45 minutes ago, elvissteinjr said:

Check if the download was complete, remove any other variant of GCam you may have on your device before installing. I just installed it yesterday without a hitch, so it should be working fine.

download was complete.

no other variant of Gcam

I downloaded PocoSv10.6.2b.apk. just to be sure I have the correct file???

Do I need to tick somewhere an option to accept installation of program of unknown source?

 

[elvissteinjr 359]

10 minutes ago, OKSun said:

I downloaded PocoSv10.6.2b.apk. just to be sure I have the correct file???

v10.6.2b is listed to be compatible with poco x2 phones only. You need an APK for the f1. PocoSv10.4.apk works.
I admit I actually had installed the F1v9.6_6.2.030 linked directly in the XDA post, but I went ahead and checked the newer builds. The one you downloaded doesn't install indeed, but the other one does. Can't say if that newer build is better or worse on the Pro1 yet, though.

[OKSun 103]

33 minutes ago, elvissteinjr said:

v10.6.2b is listed to be compatible with poco x2 phones only. You need an APK for the f1. PocoSv10.4.apk works.
I admit I actually had installed the F1v9.6_6.2.030 linked directly in the XDA post, but I went ahead and checked the newer builds. The one you downloaded doesn't install indeed, but the other one does. Can't say if that newer build is better or worse on the Pro1 yet, though.

Thanks installation of PocoSv10.4.apk was successful.

Edited August 9, 2020 by OKSun

[OKSun 103]

 

Interesting tip from EskeRahn. I wish I  had read it earlier. I think it belongs to this wiki.

I quote:

"I strongly suggest to change the Android setting under Settings, System, Gestures, "Swipe up on home", to Off, as this works poorly IMHO, requiring a REALLY long swipe, or a double swipe(!) to get to the apps list in portrait. But a matter of taste obviously. "

 

 

Edited August 12, 2020 by OKSun

[OKSun 103]

On 7/2/2020 at 12:53 PM, FlyingAntero said:

Android's standard key combinations are listed in the article below:

• https://www.pcworld.com/article/184656/android_keyboard_shortcuts.html

Thanks. There are some interesting android shortcuts using the search (magnifier) key. It is not printed on the hardware keyboard. I have seen this has been discussed in other threads but I could not understand the conclusion. 

Is there now a search key in stock ? which one is it? I am using qwertz 

What is the situation if I use finqwerty? finqwerty has also some shortcuts using the search key.