Android: I want my menu button back instead of Action Bar...

[Zarathustra[H]]

Just installed CM11 on my LG G2 VZW. I love it. It's fast, and gets rid of all the superfluous junk in in the stock ROM.

The only thing that bugs me is that I no longer have a menu button.

Yes, I know that Google has been killing the menu button in favor of the action bar for two years now, but I really don't understand why. IMHO, the menu and back buttons were one of the huge advantages of Andrid over other mobile operating systems. The fact that I knew exactly where to go for settings/options and back in every app and didn't have to search around for where they "hid" the options, like in iOS.

I don't understand what Google was thinking in killing off one of their huge benefits.

Either way, is there a way for me to bring it back? I've tried a few different launchers, but haven't found one that lets me change the navigation bar back/home/menu buttons.

I'd appreciate any input on this.

 

[Dreamerbydesign]

On CM11 some devices have the ability to have the navigation buttons enabled... its not supported on all devices though.

 

[T4rd]

Launchers can't change the soft nav keys, it's a system process that is built into whatever ROM you're running.

This may be able to help you out though. Says not compatible with LG devices, but only ones not running AOSP ROMs (which CM is), so it should work.

 

[Zarathustra[H]]

Launchers can't change the soft nav keys, it's a system process that is built into whatever ROM you're running.

This may be able to help you out though. Says not compatible with LG devices, but only ones not running AOSP ROMs (which CM is), so it should work.

Thank you!

This promises to be very useful! Too bad it costs $1.99. I have a general policy against ever getting paid apps, but if this is the only alternative I may have to budge on that...

--Matt

 

[MrCrispy]

I'm very surprised CM11 doesn't have the ability to add nav buttons. Most AOSP rom's I've used have that feature. I'm using a softkey mod with the stock rom that lets me add a menu button (...) and recents button to the nav bar, which LG won't let you show.

 

[Trombe]

There might be a way to do something like long press multi-task button as an effective menu button. Not entirely certain if it's available for your phone specifically, I just recall doing that with an HTC One S before on CM 10.2.

 

[Zarathustra[H]]

I'm very surprised CM11 doesn't have the ability to add nav buttons. Most AOSP rom's I've used have that feature. I'm using a softkey mod with the stock rom that lets me add a menu button (...) and recents button to the nav bar, which LG won't let you show.

Well, maybe it's there somewhere, but I certainly have not found it.

I've gone through all of the system settings thus far without finding it. That being said, I am on a snapshot, not a final release, so that might explain it.

 

[teh_chem]

I felt the LG G2's stock software was superior to vanilla android in terms of usability and putting menus and settings as close to the user as possible.

But yeah, I always liked the "menu" button over the action/multi-task button in vanilla android. I think in an effort to dumb-down android and make things more-uniform, android has slowly tried to remove the menu button on the OS (and in turn, add contextual menu buttons/icons in apps). I don't like it.

 

[FnordMan]

Well, maybe it's there somewhere, but I certainly have not found it.

I've gone through all of the system settings thus far without finding it. That being said, I am on a snapshot, not a final release, so that might explain it.

If by "menu button" you mean the vertical "..." then i'm 100% certain CM11 does have it in there given I added it back to the bar down there on my Sprint G2 running CM11.
Hit up Settings -> Interface -> Buttons and Layout (near the bottom under a "Navigation Bar" heading)

 

[Domini]

I felt the LG G2's stock software was superior to vanilla android in terms of usability and putting menus and settings as close to the user as possible.

But yeah, I always liked the "menu" button over the action/multi-task button in vanilla android. I think in an effort to dumb-down android and make things more-uniform, android has slowly tried to remove the menu button on the OS (and in turn, add contextual menu buttons/icons in apps). I don't like it.

I don't even see how it would make it dumbed down. The menu button in the nav bar is easier then having to go to the top of my screen to access options. What was wrong with long pressing the home button to access the running task?

 

[MrCrispy]

Android used to have home, back, menu and search, and it was consistent.

But Google can't leave well enough alone, the list of things they keep changing is huge - capacitive vs soft keys, button layout, search in apps/menu, menu button, sd card support.

Result - every phone and oem has their own implementation, apps and user experience is fragmented, and everyone is confused.

 

[Zarathustra[H]]

If by "menu button" you mean the vertical "..." then i'm 100% certain CM11 does have it in there given I added it back to the bar down there on my Sprint G2 running CM11.
Hit up Settings -> Interface -> Buttons and Layout (near the bottom under a "Navigation Bar" heading)

How do you like that. I must have gone top to bottom clicking into (I thought) every menu option, but I must hvae pulled a brain far on this one!

Thank you for pointing that one out!

 

[Zarathustra[H]]

How do you like that. I must have gone top to bottom clicking into (I thought) every menu option, but I must hvae pulled a brain far on this one!

Thank you for pointing that one out!

Hmm. Looks like I can add and remove buttons, but not change how they behave. Once removing the recent apps and relacing with a menu button, long pressing home, still goes to google now, instead of recent apps, which I don't care for.

I could add a dedicated recent aps button, but then there are 4, they are smaller and home is no longer centered...