[HowTo][7"] Tablet UI (and MORE!) on Stock JB Based (up to 4.1.2 only)

Caldair

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Dec 28, 2008
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I must say that the new official JB from Samsung is a great rom, really snappy and beautiful, but my enjoyment of it has been hampered (until now!) with the silly "phablet" interface and its ridiculous placement of buttons, etc. The flashable mods kicking around on the forum do not work for me on this build, and have their own caveats anyway...

So... A new way:

First let me say that this method is a little tedious but the final results are well worth it IMO.
*If you want the quickest, easiest TabletUI on rooted stock then see this post*

Secondly, I will not be responsible for any damage to your device. The modifications work for me. You use them at your own risk.

Ok. Now what you'll all want to see! Here are several thousand words worth of pictures:



So how did I do this you ask? Well my friends come along and I'll explain.

First my device info: P3113 running stock 4.1.1 from here, rooted with CF-Auto-root and running official CWM 6.0.2.3.

**This should work for anyone with a P31XX tablet running a rom with a stock samsung JB kernel. (Probably won't have good results with a rom that has been heavily graphically modified already.)See confirmations below.**

Prerequisites:
Your device Must be rooted and have busybox. (Edit: Having a backup launcher installed before you start is a good idea in case TouchWiz craps out temporarily)

1> We are going to install the Xposed Framework. Follow these instructions completely(steps 1-6) and if you want check out the original thread here and don't forget to thank these guys as all the credit goes to them!
Don't be afraid that this was originally for the GSII it works perfectly on my Tab 2.

2> Now that you have the Xposed framework all set up run Xposed App Settings and navigate to Touchwiz Home, select it and in the next window enable the toggle in the top right to allow modification of its properties. Now set the DPI to 160, leave the other options, click save, then yes.

3> Follow the process in 2> to set Google Play Store to 160 DPI. (This is important. We are going to change the system DPI and this will kinda break Play Store otherwise!)

4> Using your method of choice edit your build.prop. Modify this entry and only this entry:
Code:
ro.sf.lcd_density=160
to read:
Code:
ro.sf.lcd_density=133
5> Now reboot your device (I also wiped cache/dalvik but I don't think its necessary).

I don't think you should have any of the issues i did with Touchwiz. But if you do have it FC repeatedly you can do like I did: used Search gesture from home screen (swipe up from buttons back/home/etc) searched for Nova Launcher and installed via Play Store, opened, tapped "Just Once" when asked about default launcher. Then killed Touchwiz App, wiped its cache/data and rebooted then set Touchwiz as default again.
6> Disable the Quick launch softkey by Settings/Display/Quick launch. This is to avoid graphical overlap in portrait mode, but it is purely cosmetic and you can keep quick launch active if you prefer. (If you want to instead remove the mini app launcher arrow check out this post. Thanks ketut.kumajaya!) Also you may want to set large font by Settings/Display/Font Size.

7> Go through your apps 1 by 1 to see if they look alright with the 133 DPI or if you need to revert to the default 160. Follow the procedure in step 2> for each app you wish to change. For some system apps (Settings for example) you will need to reboot for the changes to take effect.

8> Enjoy your tablet again! And you can even have some fun playing around with app-specific DPI settings. You may find, like I did, that you prefer almost all of your apps in the 133 DPI mode, ie Gmail, Youtube, Contacts, Calendar, Maps, Browser, Settings.


Some additional info:
As an added bonus with Xposed App Settings you can now control the screen DPI and size for almost any application independently of the system/OS. This means that in some cases you can use an app in either tablet or phone mode and use the different resources for each! Have fun playing around with applications and get them tweaked to your preference!

If you want to you can adjust the DPI for System UI. This can get you larger system buttons and notifications/shade. However the width of the nav bar does not scale with the buttons so there are graphical inconsistencies.

Don't adjust any settings for Android System with Xposed as this will lead to System UI FC's (which are a pain in the ass!)

I have only tested this on Stock P3113UECLK7 but my gut tells me that this procedure should work on all 7" Tab 2's running stock. You will just have to be brave like I was and try it out for yourself!
Update: working on P3100 as well(thanks sozofriend1234!)
Update: working on P3110! Thanks haller!
Update: working (and looking sweet!) on kwbr espresso 3110! Thanks artoner974!
Update: Working with KK-Boot Custom Boot Image! Big thanks to karaern for being brave and trying this! (I was too chicken myself;), but I am running it now and it is Awesome! Thanks ketut.kumajaya for KK!)

FYI, I set the following additional apps to 160 DPI:

Camera (necessary, I think)
Polaris Office (highly recommended)
Peel Smart Remote (highly recommended)
Internet (put it back because quick control was just too small)
MiniTaskcloserService (fixes transparent line through popup task closer!)
Photo Editor (Had an FC while editing that went away after I set it bak to 160)


Probably some other system apps need to be changed but I have a lot of them frozen or uninstalled.

Update: Using Xposed App Settings, set System UI to 134 DPI and reboot, to make your notification shade (popup) look like it should...

...again! (notice the filled bar for screen brightness, "indicator lights" under power control toggles)


Update: Check this post to see how to get back ALL the filled slider bars!(ie: volume popup indicator)

The only graphical irregularities I see are the mini apps dock being funny looking/cut in landscape and small mini app launcher arrow. (*if you use the filled slider fixes here)

Check out my 170 Dpi TouchWiz! I think it fills the screen nicely at this scale.


Get the Split or Floating keyboard from the Tab2 10.1! Check this post!

Update: Now that you have Xposed Framework running on your device there are other modules besides Xposed App Settings that you have at your disposal. Check them out right here. I am currently using the Alternate App Picker from here. It replaces the popup that asks about default apps which in JB requires you to tap "Just Once" every time with the one from ICS that just has the "Default" tick box! Install any modules like with Xposed App Settings, ie: Install apk, then enable it in Xposed Framework Installer and reboot. :highfive:

Edit: Changed the recommended dpi setting for build.prop from 130 to 133. This is the highest you can set it and keep the tablet ui and,to me, it just seems like everything looks good at this setpoint. Updated Screens with 133 dpi.
 

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Caldair

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I did this and now Touchwiz now force closes, I have the 3113. Any suggestions?
Did you try this?

I don't think you should have any of the issues i did with Touchwiz. But if you do have it FC repeatedly you can do like I did: used Search gesture from home screen (swipe up from buttons back/home/etc) searched for Nova Launcher and installed via Play Store, opened, tapped "Just Once" when asked about default launcher. Then killed Touchwiz App, wiped its cache/data and rebooted then set Touchwiz as default again.
The same thing happened to me the first time I booted but I had not set the DPI for TouchWiz to 160 with Xposed App Settings. Make sure that you set the DPI value to 160 for touchwiz (once you have another launcher temporarily installed) then wipe cache/data for TouchWiz, reboot and then activate Touchwiz again.
 

pupochek

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Jun 17, 2011
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6> Disable the Quick launch softkey by Settings/Display/Quick launch. This is to avoid graphical overlap in portrait mode, but it is purely cosmetic and you can keep quick launch active if you prefer. Also you may want to set large font by Settings/Display/Font Size.
I don't see this setting (Quick launch) on rooted stock, will it appear at some point?
 

Caldair

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Dec 28, 2008
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I don't see this setting (Quick launch) on rooted stock, will it appear at some point?
I guess I didn't look to see if the setting was there before the dpi change. But it was definitely there after I had the tablet UI running. Do you have the extra (4th) button on the nav bar all the time? I don't know what to tell you if the screenshot button is there but not the option to set it. You could maybe try to set the dpi of the Settings apk to 160dpi with Xposed App Settings, reboot and see if it shows up then.

Edit: The option is not there until you have tablet ui active.
 
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sozofriend1234

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Feb 19, 2010
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Error flashing zip in 1st step

1> Follow these instructions completely(steps 1-6) and if you want check out the original thread here and don't forget to thank these guys as all the credit goes to them!
Don't be afraid that this was originally for the GSII it works perfectly on my Tab 2.
Hi,

I have 3100 on stock 4.1.1 but I could not install the zip file in step 1 using CWM. 1st the sig verification failed and after that warning the installation aborted. Disabled the sig verification as well but the installation aborts as soon as it starts. :crying::crying::crying:

Any help would be much appreciated. :good:

Got it working by installing the APK attachment from original thread. Thanks a ton.

Can you please help me with the dpi settings for the phone app please. As I made the settings for phone to be 160 dpi but it still shows a bit compressed.
 
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Caldair

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Hi,

I have 3100 on stock 4.1.1 but I could not install the zip file in step 1 using CWM. 1st the sig verification failed and after that warning the installation aborted. Disabled the sig verification as well but the installation aborts as soon as it starts. :crying::crying::crying:

Any help would be much appreciated. :good:

Got it working by installing the APK attachment from original thread. Thanks a ton.

Can you please help me with the dpi settings for the phone app please. As I made the settings for phone to be 160 dpi but it still shows a bit compressed.
I am glad that you got it working! :good: Unfortunately My device does not have calling/wireless so I do not have a visible phone app to expiriment on. Possibly setting the dpi to 160 and set the screen resolution (with the drop down list next to dpi in Xposed App Settings) to 600x1024? Sorry but other than that I think you will just have to expiriment yourself. Good luck :fingers-crossed:.

PS Good to know that this will work on devices other than p3113. Thanks for diving in and trying it out!
 
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Caldair

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The Xposed Framework is a very powerfull mod with add on modules available allowing you to control many facets of your device. Check out the updated first post to learn more, including how to get the ICS style default app picker screen and never tap "Just Once" again!!
 

Caldair

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Dec 28, 2008
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Fixed transparent line in Popup Task Manager!



Just use Xposed App Settings to set MiniTaskcloserService DPI=160.

Updated first post/screenshots.

:cowboy:

P.S. I have been running Music Player at 120dpi and I really like the look! Bigger album art in now playing window! Lookin' good.
 

sickysticky

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Apr 13, 2012
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Re: [How To][P31XX] Tablet UI on Stock JB / Stock Based (+ Per App DPI Control AND MO

Hey to all

Got this going on the gtab2, pretty sic

Was wondering if there is a way to get the vol bar to light up instead of the dot?

Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk HD
 
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Caldair

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Dec 28, 2008
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Hey to all

Got this going on the gtab2, pretty sic

Was wondering if there is a way to get the vol bar to light up instead of the dot?

Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk HD
I hadn't noticed before but you are right; the volume indicator popup doesn't have the filled bar like it should! :confused: I will look into this... but don't hold your breath because I bet that is part of systemui...:fingers-crossed:
 

Caldair

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Dec 28, 2008
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Was wondering if there is a way to get the vol bar to light up instead of the dot?
So... I can get the volume bar to light up by increasing the dpi of Android System... but doing this breaks System UI so you have no buttons or notification area. Sorry, I don't see a fix coming for that.:(
See down a couple posts!:)

But! You can get the filled slider back for screen brightness in the notification shade by setting System UI to 134 dpi with xposed app settings!:laugh: going to add this to first post
 
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Caldair

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I like TouchWiz. But it always bothered me how much of the screen it wasted, left completely blank except for wallpaper.

Well I decided to take that space back! (Some of it anyway!!) :silly:

Say Hello to TouchWiz @ 170 DPI:


If you want this then use the method in the first post to set TouchWiz Home to DPI: 170 with Xposed App Settings. Preempt Touchwiz's FC by using the link to settings for TouchWiz in the top corner of Xposed App Settings to clear data and Force Stop TouchWiz Home. (after saving your changes in Xposed of course;))

Also, if you update Xposed Installer and Xposed App Settings you can set the font scale on a per app basis! In the pictures above TouchWiz is set to 120%.
 

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Caldair

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Dec 28, 2008
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Anyone Feel Like Sliders??

Scratch that last about not being able to get this
back!

To get back your volume pop filled slider you must do this:

1. Using newest version (0.2 now) of Xposed Application Settings; Set System UI to 134 DPI and set Screen (dp,px): to 800x1280 and Save. (you can tick xlarge res also, not sure if it makes a dif. and not necessary)

2. Use Xposed A.S. to set Android System to 134 DPI and Save. (xlarge res optional again)

3. Reboot. (With the option to wipe cache/dalvik)

Just be prepared for the regular TouchWiz nonsense, but I think I avoided it:D!

Now the "cost" of this change is that the Mini App Laucher Dock ends up looking like this in landscape:

Weird spacing and shifted right and cut of 3/4's of the way across the screen.

Plus the Mini App Launcher arrow that resides on the nav bar shrinks

I actually see this as a positive though!

Also as a result of setting System UI to 800x1280 you will get the following improved appearances (in addition to the vol slider):
Improved Portrait Mini App Launcher appearance;

and Improved Notification Shade appearance (larger text/better icons);



Now, for my next trick...;) Every Other Filled Slider I could find!

There are a couple in Settings. First Settings/Sound/Volume:

and Second, Settings/Display/Brightness:


To get these back you need to use Xposed A.S. to set Settings DPI to 134, Save and reboot(/kill settings)!*

And, Last but definitely not least Task Manager has a filled slider in the RAM manager tab:

(and 2 other ones in the Storage tab, not pictured, that this fixes too!)

To see these bars again use our best friend Xposed App Settings to set Task manager to 134 DPI and Save. Done.*

*As a side note you could set Settings and/or Task manager anywhere from 134 to 160 DPI, if you prefer the larger "stock" appearance, and still have the filled slider bar.


Enjoy! :victory:
 

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