Persuade me too change too launcherPro from Stock

[mcchriswood]

Ok guys so the reason i haven't done so as of yet is because i don't really know enough about it and it has taken me a good month or so too set it up as it is with stock and i do not want too have too loose all of this or go through it all again.
I see so many people talking about it everyday though that i feel im missing out on something.
Please MAKE me want too download it and tell me whats so good about it and if there is a way too keep the stock launcher or transfer all icons, folders etc over.
Oh and i know you can't use the HTC widgets which is a big negative for me as i CONSTANTLY use the wi-fi and mobile internet ones
Thanks

 

[Hadron]

Just give it a try - it won't delete your Sense settings, and you can always switch back.

Once you've downloaded it, when you press the home button it will ask you which app you want to use. If you make it the default (to give it a proper trial) you can easily change back: just go to settings -> applications -> manage applications, select the launcher app, then scroll down and "clear defaults".

A disclaimer: personally I'm using ADW Launcher, but LP is also very nice. I found both to be cleaner looking and more customisable than Sense. In the end there was one feature that made ADW work better for me, but TBH I can't remember what it was at the moment!

 

[mcchriswood]

thanks hadron.
So you are saying that i wont loose any of my icons or any folders absolutely nothing from sense??
Will i need to dl Home Switcher too keep all of these settings on sense?? and to be able too change too and fro??
Basically id like too keep my sense ERXACTLY as it is until i have tried launcher pro and decided whether i prefer it.
I dont want too have too re set up all my home pages on sense

 

[mcchriswood]

btw im still running 2.1

 

[SUroot]

You dont need home switcher to retain settings, sense does that, but you will need it to set sense back s the default launcher.

If you do go down this route, save your sense "scene" then set it to a bloank one before going to launcherpro as sense widgets will still run, using resources and ultimately, battery

 

[mcchriswood]

right so i need to download launcher pro (try it out etc see how i get on with it - no need to worry about sense setup) if i prefer it how do i disable sense widgets etc??
If i decide too change back too sense im guessing if i uninstall launcher pro sense will automatically come back as it was as my default?? or alternatively download home switcher and re set sense as the default then i can keep launcher pro rather than uninstalling it?

 

[Hadron]

I never downloaded home switcher, just used the method I described to switch launchers until I made a choice.

I cannot _absolutely_ guarantee no changes to Sense settings - I never noticed anything change, but as I didn't have your setup I can't rule out the possibility for certain. But I've just re-entered Sense for the first time in weeks and it still looks as I remember it. If you've not done so I'd suggest saving your current scene (settings->personalize->scenes), which should give you a named backup of the settings (I'd suggest doing this anyway).

I'm using 2.2 now, but did most of my experimenting when I was on 2.1, so nothing I've said depends on that.

 

[d.knight99]

Sounds about right!

Launcher Pro is just another option, you can have both installed and chop and change as you like. It won't effect sense at all, they sit next to each other and don't interact at all.

The thing I love about Lanucher Pro is the flexibility of it. Scrollable docks, no icon labels, choose the number of screens, etc etc. Have a play with it and see what you think, you may not get on with it.

In regards to HTC widgets, there are loads of alternatives out there, mostly free that will do the same jobs, in some cases even better. Switch Pro for example takes all of the HTC switches (wifi, bt etc) and combines them all into a single widget, much like the power control one you already have. However this one is customisable - you choose how many controls you want, what they do and where they go. Plus there's a flashlight one to toggles the cameras flash when you need to find your way in the dark, which is really useful! I mean yeah it is paid but it isn't much.

Give it a go and see what you think, there are loads of free switch widgets out there if you don't wanna use the one I suggested. Just have a browse.

 

[Hadron]

or alternatively download home switcher and re set sense as the default then i can keep launcher pro rather than uninstalling it?

You can switch back without home switcher (as I described earlier), it's just a bit of a faff, so not something you'd want to do very often.

 

[mcchriswood]

how do i save my current scene??
At the moment it just says - Current (unsaved)
Also im a bit lost Hadron on your method of switching back too sense or launcher pro without home switcher??
What setting setc would i need to go into

 

[Hadron]

right so i need to download launcher pro (try it out etc see how i get on with it - no need to worry about sense setup) if i prefer it how do i disable sense widgets etc??

From what DanFrance said I'd guess that selecting the "Blank Slate" scene in Sense before switching to LP would do it - that way Sense will just have 7 blank pages, so shouldn't load any widgets.

 

[Eris Ed]

Great thread! I've been thinking about trying LauncherPro for a while and these posts have helped me a lot.

If I understand correctly, I can save my current 'Sense' Scene as a custom scene, then switch to the 'Clean slate' scene to disable active apps. Then using LP I can open a new homescreen layout that I can customize and populate as I wish, and return to my original Sense scene whenever I want.

Is that right?

 

[mcchriswood]

how do i 're open sense then' rather than keep using launcher pro??
This is a great thread i agree.
For some people like myself it can all get a bit worrying and overwhelming with all the features and whats could possibly happen.
Thanks so far for all input

 

[d.knight99]

@Eris Ed

yeah pretty much. You have to understand that 'Sense' and 'Launcher Pro' are really just apps that run on top of the OS. They have absolutely no interaction with each other although if you leave lots of widgets running in sense and then switch over to LP, the sense ones will remain running (I think.)

You got it exactly right. Save your current scene then switch to a blank slate, open Home Switcher or whatever method you wish and begin using LP. Anytime you want to go back, reverse the process and select your previously saved custom scene in sense. Simples!

 

[Eris Ed]

Installed launcherPro, won't open so downloading Home Switcher.....

EDIT: so, Home Switcher is giving me 3 choices:

1. HTC Sense
2. LauncherPro
3. Orange Homescreen

Looks simples! lol! I assume I can make LP the default, and if I want Sense back I do it using Home Switcher again? It's much easier than I thought!

 

[Hadron]

how do i save my current scene??
At the moment it just says - Current (unsaved)

Press the menu key while looking at that menu - it will pop up one option, "save".

Also im a bit lost Hadron on your method of switching back too sense or launcher pro without home switcher??
What setting setc would i need to go into

Settings->Applications->Manage Applications. Choose "running" applications and find your current default launcher. Select it, and scroll down - there will be a "launch by default" section, with a "clear defaults" button highlighted.
Press that, then press the handset's home key - with no default assigned to it, it will ask you what you want to do. To change the default, select the tick box at the bottom of the list, then select the new default launcher.

It's possible that some of the menu names may have changed slightly between 2.1 and 2.2, but I don't think anything changed beyond recognition. Have a look at the menu now - if Sense is your only home app you probably won't have the option of clearing a default, but you should be able to see the box.

 

[d.knight99]

OK maybe this will help.

Lets say you have Astro installed. For those of you that don't know, Astro is a file browser that simply allows you to look through the files on your phone as you would with a computer. If you download an image from the web and try and open it, Android will ask you which app you want to use to open the image, the stock image viewer or the Astro image viewer. If you only had the stock one, no dialog would appear as there is really only 1 option. You can also select a default on this dialog. Say, always open in the stock viewer if you like.

Sense and LP work in a similar way. Without LP, everytime you click the home button the action (click the home button) is completed by opening sense. Installing LP adds a conflict; the action could now be completed in 2 different ways. All you do is set the default to either sense or LP. When you want to change back, you change the default.

 

[SUroot]

Home switcher is so easy though. May aswel use it. Its a tiny app.

 

[Eris Ed]

Got it running now It's really easy! Tommorow's job is playing with Icons, changing the launcher bar icons will be first. I already know how to use FolderOrganiser, can I use this on LP in the same was as with Sense? I assume there is no difference?

 

[SUroot]

Yes you can.

 

[mcchriswood]

right think i have got it at last.
So i can install LP.
how would i then set this as default?? that way everytime i click the home button (far left) it will take me to the launcher pro ui rather than sense.
If i select sense as default it will take me too the sense ui when i click the home button.How would i set this as default??
I cant find sense in my running apps or apps in general??
Is it actually easier with home switcher??
If following hadrons method by clicking 'clear defaults' this will not clear any of my saved scenes will it??
Also if im using LP and its set as my default and i choose too uninstall it will i automatically go back too sense and can choose my previously saved scene??
Sorry i know i am being hard work

 

[mcchriswood]

Eris ed can you run me thorugh how you went about doing this tonight please?? and can you double check with me you can re open sense and use it as your defualt with yopur previosuly saved scene?

 

[SUroot]

Yes home switcher is much easier. You open it, it lists all your launchers then you click the "SET AS DEFAULT" button next to the launcher you want as default. Then next time you press home, that is what will launch. To change back, repeat steps.

 

[Eris Ed]

OK maybe this will help.

Lets say you have Astro installed. For those of you that don't know, Astro is a file browser that simply allows you to look through the files on your phone as you would with a computer. If you download an image from the web and try and open it, Android will ask you which app you want to use to open the image, the stock image viewer or the Astro image viewer. If you only had the stock one, no dialog would appear as there is really only 1 option. You can also select a default on this dialog. Say, always open in the stock viewer if you like.

Sense and LP work in a similar way. Without LP, everytime you click the home button the action (click the home button) is completed by opening sense. Installing LP adds a conflict; the action could now be completed in 2 different ways. All you do is set the default to either sense or LP. When you want to change back, you change the default.

Excellent explanation, that makes perfect sense

 

[Eris Ed]

Eris ed can you run me thorugh how you went about doing this tonight please?? and can you double check with me you can re open sense and use it as your defualt with yopur previosuly saved scene?

Save your current scene and open a clean slate scene.

1. Download LauncherPro
2. Download Home Switcher
3. Start Home Switcher
4. Select LauncherPro from the list
5. Check out your new homescreen!
6. Press the Home button
7. Select Sense from the list
8. You are back where you started.
9. Menu > Scenes > select your saved custom scene

If you want to make the change permanent, you choose to make LauncherPro the default action from the Home Switcher list. Pressing the Home button after that will take you to LauncherPro homescreen.

If you want to change the default back to Sense, open Home Switcher and make Sense the default. Pressing the Home button after that will take you to the Sense homescreen.

Until you select a Default homescreen, pressing the Home button will present you with a choice between Sense and LauncherPro.