Edit: Please note this post does have a resolution at the end.
Did you ever have a tech quandry you just had to solve?
Last year I hid some apps in/from the app drawer of a stock, S-On, not unlocked or rooted, T-mobile HTC Wildfire S with the stock Sense 2.1 UI. I want to unhide them and can't find the info on how I hid them anywhere. They do show up in a different launcher, like LauncherPro. They're not disabled, I already checked that in adb in the Android SDK.
I can run them, either from Titanium Backup or Launcher Pro, and then from my recent apps drawer in Sense 2.1 after I've run them in one of the mentioned ways; but, I really want to get those icons back and do a CWM backup of my stock ROM before I start trying custom ROMs on this phone. I like Sense and want to be able to go back if I choose.
I'm rooted now thanks to the many articles and guides here. Unlocked at HTC Dev, and ran root.zip. Installed SuperUser, ROM_Manager, TitaniumBackup
I have spent a LOT of time recently and all day every day since Monday researching here and at Android Forums, the 2 defacto places for phone knowledge. I've also used Google, searched on Life Hacker, looked in all my browsers favs for articles, searched my computers for notes (I usually make a file in Notepad for things I do that I might not remember), checked magazines I read, and so on.
I don't know if I did something in adb, changed a manifest (too many to do that), or installed a launcher that left those apps hidden when it was deleted. I hid about a half dozen apps/icons.
There has to be an answer.
Sure would appreciate some help. I'm exhausted trying to find the tip/trick I followed to do this so I can undo it. If it will help. When I try to enable the Stocks package in adb I get a return of:
C:\>adb shell pm enable com.htc.android.Stock
[1] Killed pm enable com.ht...
Does that mean I killed the app, "Way back when"; or, maybe just the process is killed without invoking root (remember the phone wasn't rooted when I first did this)? If I do it this way invoking root, I get a diff result, but neither way shows the app (unlike freezing/unfreezing in the many apps like TB, etc.):
C:\>adb shell
$ su
su
# pm enable com.htc.android.Stock
pm enable com.htc.android.Stock
Package com.htc.android.Stock new state: enabled
BTW if I disable it disappears from LauncherPro and then enable and it reappears in Launcher Pro; but, nothing gets it to reappear in Sense except in the recent apps drawer after I open it in Launcher Pro or TB as mentioned in the above post.
The control has to be in a file somewhere. Do phones have an, "xxx.ini" file for apps like computers sometimes do?
Re: [Q] There must be an answer to show apps
MiCeltic said:
Sure would appreciate some help. I'm exhausted trying to find the tip/trick I followed to do this so I can undo it. If it will help. When I try to enable the Stocks package in adb I get a return of:
C:\>adb shell pm enable com.htc.android.Stock
[1] Killed pm enable com.ht...
Does that mean I killed the app, "Way back when"; or, maybe just the process is killed without invoking root (remember the phone wasn't rooted when I first did this)? If I do it this way invoking root, I get a diff result, but neither way shows the app (unlike freezing/unfreezing in the many apps like TB, etc.):
C:\>adb shell
$ su
su
# pm enable com.htc.android.Stock
pm enable com.htc.android.Stock
Package com.htc.android.Stock new state: enabled
BTW if I disable it disappears from LauncherPro and then enable and it reappears in Launcher Pro; but, nothing gets it to reappear in Sense except in the recent apps drawer after I open it in Launcher Pro or TB as mentioned in the above post.
The control has to be in a file somewhere. Do phones have an, "xxx.ini" file for apps like computers sometimes do?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What apps are you trying to show again? Since you have root you can try to use a root uninstaller app to make a back up of the app first, then reboot the phone. Then use the app to reinstall and then reboot to recovery and use fix permissions.
Feel free to make a nandroid back up first just incase you lose any data
Sent from my HTC Sensation XE with Beats Audio Z715e using xda premium
Thanks for the response heavy_metal_man. It's hard to tell everything. I missed what and the kind of apps, thanks. I am talking about system apps like, "Stocks" and, "Voice Recorder", and there's others. I did Fix permissions in ROM Manager before and it didn't fix anything. I have tried a lot of stuff and am getting flustered and tired, but not giving up! For the sake of knowledge, I really want to find out the what and how...not just use a workaround. I tried your suggestions with, "Voice Recorder"...backed up in Titanium Backup...uninstalled with Root Uninstaller...checked everything to be sure it was gone and then restarted...attempted a restore of, "App only" with TB and it just churned long enough to know it was hung (I did get a notice there was an update, but don't think that would interfere); so, I powered off and restarted. No changes; so, tried another restore of, "App + Data"...same thing it just churned...another restart and everthing was back to the way it was. VoiceRec in Settings>>Apps>>ManageApps, but not in the Sense app drawer. I then couldn't get ROM Manager to do anything when I selected Fix Permissions...couldn't get into TB, did the update, still couldn't get ROM Mgr or TB to do anything, and so did a battery pull restart...I did go into CWM, but just rebooted. Then everything was normal, meaning as before, and fixed Permissions in ROM Manger. I don't think it matters whether I fix in CWM, ROM Mgr, or ADB...they're all reading the same .xml files to set permissions. Anyway, No VoiceRec in the Apps Drawer.
So I'm back to square one. Any more ideas I'll be glad to try them. I don't think I used APKToolkit to do anything or that it would be in the apk's. Tomorrow I think I'll try to find something in the package xml's...just need to find the right package that would address them all. I've looked at a few, but just for change dates on all the files in the packages...all were 2009, and I'd have done this in 2012.
Thanks again...tomorrow is another day.
Re: [Q] There must be an answer to show apps
Hmm. For the sake of argument make a full backup and then factory reset from recovery, then reboot and go through the first setup nonsense. Are the apps back?
Also the sense launcher is called Rosie should that ring any bells.
If a factory reset doesn't fix this then you may have to flash a stock rom to sort it like
Sent from my HTC Sensation XE with Beats Audio Z715e using xda premium
h_m_m,
I did a factory data reset myself before, which I believe is really just an erase of data, and not a real reset (like formatting and reinstalling an OS in a computer). Then of course there was the factory reset that occurred after unlocking and rooting. Neither of those changed anything. I have flashed a CWM recovery after rooting.
Are you saying, boot into recovery:
1. Factory Reset as
a. DO NOT wipe the factory data reset
b. Wipe cache and dalvik cache
c. Throw in a wipe of the batt stats too
then
d. Do the factory data reset and let all the caches rebuild as they will
or
2. Factory Reset as
a. Wipe factory data reset
b. Wipe cache and dalvik cache
c. Wipe batt stats
then
d. Backup and Restore>>Advance Restore>>Original ROM>>Restore system (not the data, cache or any of the other stuff there)
If number 2., then I wonder if that would put me back to OOB (Out Of Box), and if so, would I lose root, have T-mobile...yeah, I like T-mobile for some things - - blame it on Catherine Zeta-Jones time as spokesperson. As long as I have CWM recovery and have backed up from there I can't do anything that would ever leave the phone bricked; and, I can always unlock and root again if needed.
Either 1. or 2. I want to hold those in reserve because I do want to find out how I hide them. They act exactly as though they're disabled, i.e., The icon is gone, but I still get updates (Voice Recorder was updated just a week ago); however, they're only disabled in SenseUI. LauncherPro shows them all, and of course functionally...and remember once I run one of these apps, like Stocks, in LauncherPro, I can then switch to Sense and run it from my recent apps (long press on Home) or the pull down notifications area list of recents.
BTW, You were too gentlemanly to ask, but I clicked a couple, "Thanks" for you today. I was tired and forgot yesterday. We may not solve anything, but I'm enjoying/appreciate the conversaton/thread.
Even though I'm holding on those ideas above, let me know which/what you think of them please, in case I ultimately go that way. I did clear the data in Apps>>Manage for both of the HTC Senses and Rosie. I'll have to look at what's in Rosie though, maybe that holds the key!
As an aside, the first personal web page I made had, "Iron Man" as the background music!
Re: [Q] There must be an answer to show apps
MiCeltic said:
h_m_m,
I did a factory data reset myself before, which I believe is really just an erase of data, and not a real reset (like formatting and reinstalling an OS in a computer). Then of course there was the factory reset that occurred after unlocking and rooting. Neither of those changed anything. I have flashed a CWM recovery after rooting.
Are you saying, boot into recovery:
1. Factory Reset as
a. DO NOT wipe the factory data reset
b. Wipe cache and dalvik cache
c. Throw in a wipe of the batt stats too
then
d. Do the factory data reset and let all the caches rebuild as they will
or
2. Factory Reset as
a. Wipe factory data reset
b. Wipe cache and dalvik cache
c. Wipe batt stats
then
d. Backup and Restore>>Advance Restore>>Original ROM>>Restore system (not the data, cache or any of the other stuff there)
If number 2., then I wonder if that would put me back to OOB (Out Of Box), and if so, would I lose root, have T-mobile...yeah, I like T-mobile for some things - - blame it on Catherine Zeta-Jones time as spokesperson. As long as I have CWM recovery and have backed up from there I can't do anything that would ever leave the phone bricked; and, I can always unlock and root again if needed.
Either 1. or 2. I want to hold those in reserve because I do want to find out how I hide them. They act exactly as though they're disabled, i.e., The icon is gone, but I still get updates (Voice Recorder was updated just a week ago); however, they're only disabled in SenseUI. LauncherPro shows them all, and of course functionally...and remember once I run one of these apps, like Stocks, in LauncherPro, I can then switch to Sense and run it from my recent apps (long press on Home) or the pull down notifications area list of recents.
BTW, You were too gentlemanly to ask, but I clicked a couple, "Thanks" for you today. I was tired and forgot yesterday. We may not solve anything, but I'm enjoying/appreciate the conversaton/thread.
Even though I'm holding on those ideas above, let me know which/what you think of them please, in case I ultimately go that way. I did clear the data in Apps>>Manage for both of the HTC Senses and Rosie. I'll have to look at what's in Rosie though, maybe that holds the key!
As an aside, the first personal web page I made had, "Iron Man" as the background music!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Firstly thanks for the thanks , I love helping people out! Its how I get my kicks
Secondly as long as you have made a nandroid back up in your recovery you are pretty much covered for everything. If I was you I would go for option 2 and wipe the lot. Then let the phone fully boot up and go through the set up. If a full wipe fixes the issue then we at least have a solid starting point to find out what's happened after that little test then restore your back up regardless.
Notes: the factory reset will not remove root or any extra system apps you have installed.
As long as you have the back up done you can always go back to it, allowing you don't destroy the bootloader. But that is highly unlikely as you are still s-on
Also an option to help this might be to use the app titanium back up to back up all your apps data separately, then back up your contacts, SMS ect, and then do a fresh install of a stock rom. Once that is done you could restore your back ups manually and go from there
I must say though this is a very odd case indeed, I'm pretty stumped as to how you have managed this without root
Tapped out from my sexy nexus 7
Re: [Q] There must be an answer to show apps
I have been looking into this more and it turns out sense hides some system app icons by default. Such as the camcorder, as we already have the camera app. Can you post a list of the apps to cross reference them?
Sent from my HTC Sensation XE with Beats Audio Z715e using xda premium
Sorry h_m_m, I didn't get an email notice of your reply on the 24th. Stocks and Voice Recorder are 2 definite ones. They don't show in Sense, but do in LP, and are discussed in the T-mobile HTC Wildfire S manual. I did notice in LP that there are some that I'm not sure I ever saw.
Re: your 2nd last post, I am 99% sure I did something with SDK, either in recovery or in the emulator...possibly debugging, that could be done without root!? I installed the SDK just short of one month after getting the phone. I really believe this was an article/tutorial by a programmer/developer that just walked me through. I felt OK using my computer skills in things like Visual Basic, SQL, and so on, but I was nervous because it was my 1st smartphone.
Anyway, in the last few days I've decompiled Rosie.apk to see if there was anything I could recognize or reason in the Manifest or Resources, but no clue there. I decompiled the Stock.apk from my WFS and one from a Hero to compare, again specific to the rosie/htc launcher, but nothing. I decompiled the htcSoundRecorder, no joy, Calculator (shows, but for comparison) - no joy. I have not done anything with the .odex files...maybe the tutorial I followed set something in those smali/java files, BUT, I don't see evidence on the computer I use for all this, of Eclipse or the JDK...only Java FX 2.1, but it's install coincides with the install of Google's Chrome browser, which uses it.
I believe this info is so obscure (except to ROM developers, I'm sure) because a lot of phones after Gingerbread got the menu option in the app drawer to hide icon shortcuts. So I'm going to keep this post in my favs and hope I get any email notifications if someone posts; and, search for articles now and then, but get back to living and leave this obsession behind...but not forgotten.
Hopefully I'll find something, come back and post it and even get a thanks for an interesting article and providing some obscure information!.
Oh, and I'll try option 2. from a couple posts ago before I take off flashing a bunch of ROMs, or after I delete stuff from this one and make a 2nd backup...like we rooted for! Clicked a couple more thanks too.
Re: [Q] There must be an answer to show apps
MiCeltic said:
..........
I believe this info is so obscure (except to ROM developers, I'm sure) because a lot of phones after Gingerbread got the menu option in the app drawer to hide icon shortcuts. So I'm going to keep this post in my favs and hope I get any email notifications if someone posts; and, search for articles now and then, but get back to living and leave this obsession behind...but not forgotten.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's probably the best plan at this point sorry I couldn't help out more, but you have totally baffled me with this one just goes to show that the sdk can do far more than it lets on still, I hope one day you find that illusive tutorial and post it here
PS, gave you some thanks
Sent from my HTC Sensation XE with Beats Audio Z715e using xda premium
Hey h_m_m,
Thanks for the thanks!
I had time Sunday and I found some info and fixed them to show! I used search terms based on your statement that HTC hides some apps by default and found an article that referenced the, "/system/customize/mns/default.xml" file that contained a function, "applications_hide". So without getting into what I might do or might have done previously in the SDK, and since I was rooted, I just copied the file to my sdcard, attached to a computer and opened it in Notepad (needed to use the computer because it's well over 2000 lines in the file with no speed scrolling in es file explorer), changed (as one example):
<set name="plenty" max="7">
<item name="package">com.htc.android.Stock</item>
<item name="class">com.htc.android.Stock.StockWidget</item>
</set>
to
<!--<set name="plenty" max="7">
<item name="package">com.htc.android.Stock</item>
<item name="class">com.htc.android.Stock.StockWidget</item>
</set>-->
saved the file, mounted the file system using ES File Explorer and copied the file, then pasted it back in the, "/system/customize/mns/" folder. I commented the lines out so they wouldn't run and would still be there for history (instead of deleting the lines), and commented the code with a statement, <!--uncomment to hide the app's shortcut icon in the app drawer--> so that if I ever looked back I'd have info on it. I also did the same with the Sound Recorder, Voice Dialer, and WiFi (all at the same time as Stocks).
I did a factory reset and the shortcuts showed! This file, after all, sets the defaults. Well it didn't end there. I lost root. The su binary was still in it's folder(s) but Titanium Backup, ES File Explorer, and Super User wouldn't run...or rather wouldn't stop searching for root. It was like the su binary wasn't registered in the system; long story short, I re-flashed root.zip and all was right once more. The interesting thing is I had opened and abandoned this, "default.xml" file a couple times because it was so long and tedious to scroll through on the phone!
You can see a sample, "default.xml" for Gingerbread on code.google at http://code.google.com/p/warm-ginge...e/trunk/system/customize/MNS/default.xml?r=34 just stop the script if you get a pop-up. It's about 1/4 of the way down, or just do a find for, "applications_hide". There's only 2 things hid in that example file. ***Note that default is misspelled as defeault, but it seems to parse...it's in my phone's file that way too. I'd be cautious about opening that site on a phone browser, it seems to want to run on my computer when I open it.
What's the advantage of this? It could show apps or enable features that someone might like. This file sets all the defaults present OOB or after a factory reset, i.e., bookmarks, what I call sample app shortcuts and widgets on the screens, wallpaper, the 4 stocks in the stocks app, etc., etc., so those could be modified if desired as well. Proceed at own risk!
Clicking more thanks h_m_m! I don't know how long this would have taken without your feedback and input.
Re: [Q] There must be an answer to show apps
That is great news man I'm glad you got sorted and posted your findings here that's really interesting, and good to know
Tapped out from my sexy nexus 7
I'm running Xylon 2.1.1, which is based on 4.2.2
I recently thought it would be great to copy the systemui.apk file, change some of the icons and replace it. It didn't work and somehow it made my status bar disappear. I put the original file back, but that didn't fix it. I then wiped the cache, did a dirty flash of the same ROM and wiped the cache again, and I still have the same problem.
Also I'm using a system theme (Flow) and it's not really applied properly, some interfaces aren't themed, if that helps.
Anything I can do short of doing a factory reset? I know I haven't enabled expanded desktop or anything.
I've reinstalled different versions of the same ROM multiple times and it still hasn't fixed the problem, I'm starting to think there's a bigger problem here. Could I have downloaded a virus? I'm always careful about installing apks but still...
Also is it possible that when I messed with systemui.apk I broke something else?
A re-flash of the ROM should have fixed it so I dont know what to tell you there. As far as replacing system files, make sure you set the permissions to what they are supposed to be or else they mean nothing to the OS. And if your systemui.apk file isnt working right, I would think more than just your statusbar would be messed up.
I'm not entirely sure what you mean by setting the permissions, I did "fix permissions" a few times in TWRP. And it does seem like my systemui is completely borked actually:
-No status bar
-No navigation bar (I usually have it disabled because I use gestures, I tried to enable it and nothing happened)
-Aforementioned theme problem
-Can't change the wallpaper from the default phase beam one
I'm getting worried that it's some kind of virus that's sneaked its way in to my other apps. I've tried going through /system/app and /data/app but I haven't seen anything that I don't remember installing. I might try an antivirus but the ones on Android seem to be more focused towards real-time protection and that kind of thing, rather than getting rid of things that are already there.
Anyway thanks for your reply
I fixed it! I'll post what I did in case someone has this problem in the future:
Settings - apps - all - SystemUI
For me there was an option to "uninstall updates" which I'd never seen before, so I hit it and after a reboot everything is fine. I was getting pretty worried there...
You arent going to just get a virus out of nowhere. Contrary to what people believe, viruses are pretty rare on Android. So dont worry so much about Viruses.
You not knowing about changing permissions is most likely what happened. Most file browsers will let you change permissions to a file if you have root access. I use Root Explorer and its pretty easy. Whatever file you make changes to need to have the same permissions the other apk files in that folder in the end.
But I'm glad you got it working.
I have very happily used CM11 on an Samsung S4 for many years. Now suddenly after an apparently harmless update of a few Apps (gmail, youtube, firefox and a few more small ones), my phone keeps crashing whenever it accesses some deeper app info.
Symptoms: With a SIM card, the phone will crash and reboot right after entering the PIN for the SIM card. Without a SIM card, I can get to the lock screen, enter my unlock gesture and then see many, many messages that Trebuchet has crashed. Leaving the phone turned on for a night will result in a working Trebuchet launcher. I can run most apps, but accessing Settings > Apps will briefly show the Apps and then crash Settings. Staring Titanium Backup will work for a minute while "Building data freshness information..." and then crash TB. Dragging an App icon onto "App Info" will briefly display the App Info while computing disk space and then crash.
What I tried so far: Installed two other launchers but they showed the same symptoms, one even directly rebooted the phone. I booted into recovery and reset the Dalvik cache and let CM rebuild the app details on restart. No apparent positive effect. I tried removing the SD card but did not see any positive effect either. Booting into Safe Mode did not help, I still see systemui and trebuchet crashing upon restart. Also clearing the app data for Trebuchet (through 'adb shell pm clear com.cyanogenmod.trebuchet') did not remove the crashes.
I have about 300 apps installed. Internal storage has about 1GB free, the SD card has 400MB available. I can connect to the phone via adb, but 'adb backup' produces only an empty file. I can run Play Store, list my apps, install updates. This is a Samsung S4 GT-I9505 running Cyanogenmod 11.0 based on Android 4.4.4.
Any help would be much appreciated, moving all my apps and their settings to a new phone or a new OS would be a very big effort...
Thank you very much in advance!
PS: What would be the best way to make a full backup of the phone before installing a new OS?
mb42 said:
I have very happily used CM11 on an Samsung S4 for many years. Now suddenly after an apparently harmless update of a few Apps (gmail, youtube, firefox and a few more small ones), my phone keeps crashing whenever it accesses some deeper app info...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your best bet is to post this question within the following thread specific for your device.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2192886
Good Luck!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I DO NOT PROVIDE SUPPORT VIA PM UNLESS ASKED/REQUESTED BY MYSELF.
PLEASE KEEP IT IN THE THREADS WHERE EVERYONE CAN SHARE
Ibuprophen said:
Your best bet is to post this question within the following thread specific for your device.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2192886
Good Luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, will try there.
Hello,
I'm using lineageOS since one month and I have several problems.
1) after reboot some apps will be removed from phone, their configuration and some folder/files are still available but I can't find them anymore, after re-install from play-store they will start with the last configuration.
2) there are some apps like stocard, most of the security apps (e.g. avira, kaspersky, ...) and so on, they will work after installation, but one or two days later they will not start anymore (just close immediately after start), I tried to reset them or/and uninstall and install again but they will not start again.
3) I tried several weather widgets e.g. Transparent clock & weather, I made all my settings to this widget and one hour later all these setting are lost again. I have the impression that other apps have the same problem but mostly I can't start them again (see 2) )
Many Thanks in advance!
bq Aquarix X5
LineageOS 14.1 20171019-NIGHTLY-paella
hgbutte77 said:
Hello,
I'm using lineageOS since one month and I have several problems.
1) after reboot some apps will be removed from phone, their configuration and some folder/files are still available but I can't find them anymore, after re-install from play-store they will start with the last configuration.
2) there are some apps like stocard, most of the security apps (e.g. avira, kaspersky, ...) and so on, they will work after installation, but one or two days later they will not start anymore (just close immediately after start), I tried to reset them or/and uninstall and install again but they will not start again.
3) I tried several weather widgets e.g. Transparent clock & weather, I made all my settings to this widget and one hour later all these setting are lost again. I have the impression that other apps have the same problem but mostly I can't start them again (see 2) )
Many Thanks in advance!
bq Aquarix X5
LineageOS 14.1 20171019-NIGHTLY-paella
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After months of investigation I've found my problem - it's the SDcardFix flash! The wrong SDcardFix leads into several permission problems which make the apps unusable - they were still installed but not executable. Since I'm using the SDCardFix of the app "apps2sd" everything is working fine.