car dock over ride landscape mode

**droidianslip** · 09-10-2011, 02:15 PM

Okay so far i love my new bionic but I am unhappy that I cannot have the phone in portrait mode when I have it in the car dock, even if it is physically oriented in portrait mode.

I have tried a couple of custom docks and even tried the google car home apk. One or two allowed me to turn the orientation to portrait for the dock home screen but still all my apps were in landscape mode.

I use google music in the car constantly and prefer to view it in portrait mode as landscape mode hides the notification bar. I also prefer navigation in portrait mode.

But this phone seems to be locked in landscape mode the second I put it in the car dock even if I exit the car dock home screen.

Anyone have any ideas on how to fix?

**ChevyNovaLN** · 09-10-2011, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by droidianslip

Okay so far i love my new bionic but I am unhappy that I cannot have the phone in portrait mode when I have it in the car dock, even if it is physically oriented in portrait mode.

I have tried a couple of custom docks and even tried the google car home apk. One or two allowed me to turn the orientation to portrait for the dock home screen but still all my apps were in landscape mode.

I use google music in the car constantly and prefer to view it in portrait mode as landscape mode hides the notification bar. I also prefer navigation in portrait mode.

But this phone seems to be locked in landscape mode the second I put it in the car dock even if I exit the car dock home screen.

Anyone have any ideas on how to fix?

I'm just guessing here, but on my OG Droid stuff like that happened because the docs had magnets in them and it would switch accordingly. If they're still using that type of control to switch the display you're stuck unless you make your own mount.

**droidianslip** · 09-10-2011, 06:52 PM

Originally Posted by ChevyNovaLN

I'm just guessing here, but on my OG Droid stuff like that happened because the docs had magnets in them and it would switch accordingly. If they're still using that type of control to switch the display you're stuck unless you make your own mount.

on my og droid the dock triggers the car dock too, but it doesn't lock the phone into landscape mode.

It seems the bionic when it goes into the car dock is locking the phone into landscape mode, over riding the automatic orientation setting.

I am sure there is a software change that can be made. I can tell the bionic to launch the google car home app as default when it goes into the dock - I just also need to figure out how to tell it to stay in automatic orientation mode.

**ChevyNovaLN** · 09-10-2011, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by droidianslip

on my og droid the dock triggers the car dock too, but it doesn't lock the phone into landscape mode.

It seems the bionic when it goes into the car dock is locking the phone into landscape mode, over riding the automatic orientation setting.

I am sure there is a software change that can be made. I can tell the bionic to launch the google car home app as default when it goes into the dock - I just also need to figure out how to tell it to stay in automatic orientation mode.

Does it do this with the Settings-->Display--Auto-Rotate Screen set to 'unchecked' ?

**droidianslip** · 09-11-2011, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by ChevyNovaLN

Does it do this with the Settings-->Display--Auto-Rotate Screen set to 'unchecked' ?

the auto rotate stays checked.

I tried un-checking it and putting it in the dock immediatly turns it landscape.

I also tried a couple of screen lock apps last night to no avail.

seems they have it locked down

**chevyman29** · 09-11-2011, 01:24 PM

well just do what i did open the dock up and cut the yellow and green wire i believe . it still will charge but the car dock will not launch .

**fogflyer** · 09-11-2011, 04:33 PM

Originally Posted by chevyman29

well just do what i did open the dock up and cut the yellow and green wire i believe . it still will charge but the car dock will not launch .

Does that mean that the docks do not utilize magnets to activate the different programs?
If that is the case, having the phone in a case should have no effect on it activating, correct?

**PhontomF** · 09-11-2011, 05:04 PM

I noticed this as well. I always used my OG Droid in portrait mode when docked and would definitely prefer that if possible.

chevyman, how hard is it to open up the dock and cut those wires? Did you get that information from a forum thread somewhere? Got a link? Thanks!

**chevyman29** · 09-11-2011, 09:05 PM

its 4 screws that you take out . and no magnets . and i just did the trial and error method on witch wires to cut .

**PhontomF** · 09-11-2011, 09:12 PM

Originally Posted by chevyman29

its 4 screws that you take out . and no magnets . and i just did the trial and error method on witch wires to cut .

ok thanks!

**unclemike#ac** · 09-11-2011, 11:35 PM

I found that having a Motorola car charger connected to the dock, but not connected to a power source, prevents the phone from detecting the dock. It may detect the dock (and go into landscape mode) if you supply power afterwards, but I didn't try that (I'm trying to drain my battery in one fell swoop).

**PhontomF** · 09-12-2011, 02:50 PM

Originally Posted by srgolub

PhontomF - any luck cutting those 2 wires? I'm tempted to do it myself but wanted to see if anyone else had any luck first. I'm almost positive the magnet that activates landscape mode is located in the power connector the phone slides on to so I'm not sure how cutting 2 wires could change that...but if it works, I'd definitely try it. Thanks.

No but I found a way to get around it w/o cutting wires. Plug the car charger into the dock w/o plugging it into the power socket in you car, insert the phone into the dock, start the navigation software, then you can plug the power in and it won't go into car mode from then on. It's kind of a pain but at least it works.

**srgolub#IM** · 09-12-2011, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by PhontomF

ok thanks!

PhontomF - any luck cutting those 2 wires? I'm tempted to do it myself but wanted to see if anyone else had any luck first. I'm almost positive the magnet that activates landscape mode is located in the power connector the phone slides on to so I'm not sure how cutting 2 wires could change that...but if it works, I'd definitely try it. Thanks.

**chevyman29** · 09-12-2011, 08:44 PM

ok update , dont cut the two wires mine stopped working today took it back apart checked it out couldnt make it work . sorry for the confusion and possible bad info . also there is no magnets i wish there was .

**PhontomF** · 09-12-2011, 09:13 PM

what the heck ....why did my answer to srgolub get placed before his question? hahahaha

thx for the update chevyman. sorry to hear your dock is busted

**droidianslip** · 09-13-2011, 10:52 AM

Thanks to the folks looking for and finding cures for this.

I am hoping to find something that doesn't involve cutting wires or pulling the charger and putting it back in later.... I still want the phone to recognize the dock and launch car home and keep the screen on and all that, I just want it to be able to display in both orientations.

I noticed the other day that some apps which only show in portrait mode still show in portrait mode if launched from the car dock, this has me hoping that this is fix-able at a software level.

Would be interested to know if people who have rooted and removed the blur smart dock still have this behaviour?

as I am thinking that may be next the solution.

**chevyman29** · 09-13-2011, 04:15 PM

im rooted and tried to freeze all sorts stuff to keep car dock from launching all to no avail . i was able to keep car dock from launching but couldnt stop landscape from happening .

**dstetter** · 09-15-2011, 09:40 AM

Anyone make any progress on this? I have tried to launch the Google Nav app without the power cord plugged in and portrait works but the moment I plug power in it immediantly goes to landscape. I am not sure which Nav app would stay portrait mode if plugged into the dock without power, but both the Nav and Google Maps automatically switch to landscape as soon as power is applied.

I aggree, a software update may be the only way to fix this.

**Boodahpimp** · 10-05-2011, 08:32 PM

I have found that unplugging the car dock before inserting the Bionic sometimes works and sometimes doesn't (after first rooting and freezing the car dock app). Note that on my phone, having navigation started before plugging the dock in always forces landscape mode.

My current working theory is that if any of the dock apps (car or home) are running, or if any navigation apps are running, the phone will revert to landscape when plugging the dock in. I'm trying to confirm this by checking the Task Manager prior to each insertion in the dock. If any of these apps are running (including VZ Navigator, which I never use), I kill them prior to insertion. I'll continue to post my findings.

**mikeffi** · 10-15-2011, 10:03 PM

Has anyone figured out how the nav mode is triggered? I had my motorola nav dock apart the day it arrived but could not locate the magnet I was hoping to remove.I much prefer using the navigation screen in the portrait orientation.

While I had it apart I managed to lose the spring that holds the power button in place. Luckily it seems to work ok without it.

**dhendriksen** · 10-16-2011, 08:16 AM

There is no magnet. It has to do with how the USB port is pinned out.

**droidianslip** · 10-17-2011, 02:42 PM

I have yet to figure out a work around for this.

**mwyarm** · 11-12-2011, 08:21 PM

I am looking for a solution. In fact I would be prefer the option to disable the navigation dock from opening and just using the dock for charging purposes only. I have another preferred app to assist with me navigating. Any solutions to disable the navigation application?

**ArmchairMango** · 04-08-2012, 10:18 AM

I tried lots of different car dock apps and a bunch of car dock blockers, the only app that I have found so far that works to keep the orientation portrait instead of landscape for my Droid 3 non-rooted Verizon when placed in the car dock is "display orientator"