Access Android Search Button functionality on Xperia Pro? (UPDATE WITH HACK FOR ROOT USERS!!)

[paul4os]

Many Android phones have a hardware search button. My Xperia Pro does not (I like it that way as I think four buttons is one too many for good ergonomics). However, some manufacturers such as Samsung implement the functionality of an Android search button by long-pressing the menu button. This feature does not seem to be present on my Xperia Pro.

I would like to request that Sony Ericsson implement this feature, allowing me to long-press on the menu to access search - hopefully this could be done in such a way that keyboard shortcuts using menu+hardware keyboard button are not interfered with.

I suspect that this would indeed interfere with the ability to access hardware keyboard shortcuts with the menu button, so therefore I would suggest the following alternatives:

- press menu + home

- hold down  the "globe" keyboard settings button on the slide-out keyboard to access search (or alternatively alt+globe)

- allow a long press of the menu button to access search only when the slide-out keyboard is closed (combined with globe option above for when the slide-out keyboard is open)

Alternatively, does anyone know how I can set this up without needing an update from Sony Ericsson? I assume there is some sort of way to re-map keys?

PS: the reason I'm asking all this is because K9-mail seems to require a hardware search button to allow me to use its search feature ( http://groups.google.com/group/k-9-mail/browse_thread/thread/53e3e5147e33aa8e ). If anyone knows how to access search in K9 without a hardware search button, then that would also be helpful.

[slimshaddy]

sorry , i meant home button :smileygrin:

[paul4os]

Thanks. Seems then to be a definite difference specific to the Pro.

[paul4os · Accepted solution]

I decided to root my phone and see if I could hack in this Search Button functionality in for myself, and I managed to do it successfully!!! I want to share this modification with other Xperia Pro users in the community.

With this mod you can just press the "Globe" key in K-9 Mail, on your home screen or in the SMS app and it will show you the search functionality!! If a text input field is active and you press "Globe" then the keyboard settings screen will appear entirely as normal. Additional functionality with no drawback!

To do the mod:

1. Root your phone (I am still using the 4.0.2.A.0.58 firmware build)

2. Edit the /system/usr/keylayout/pm8058-keypad.kl file and modify the line at the end reading "key 368 SWITCH_CHARSET WAKE_DROPPED" to read:

key 368 SEARCH WAKE_DROPPED

3. Restart your phone and enjoy the ability to easily search in K-9 Mail or the SMS app simply by pressing the "globe" key!!

See also my XDA thread:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1645593