Miss the ability to play youtube videos in the app

**Brandito** · 05-28-2012, 08:18 PM

Anyone find a work around for this? On my OG evo I could get a popup to play a video in the app or the browser. I know this has to do with the apply lawsuit but it'd be nice if they'd have given an option in the app associations for youtube videos.

**a22matic** · 05-28-2012, 08:50 PM

Yep, it happened to me too Brandito. I haven't played around enough with it yet, but would like to know of there's a workaround... This definitely has to do w/the lawsuit.

**Hurleygm** · 05-28-2012, 09:14 PM

Also used to be able to open a twitter app from an @name in an email.

Sent from my HTC EVO 4G LTE using Android Central Forums.

**Mophomania** · 05-28-2012, 10:29 PM

Not sure if its just this phone, or android itself, but I thought it was just my tablet that had this problem. I use greader to read all my stuff, and using it on the photon, it worked perfectly. A YouTube vid would be in the article, you click on it and it would play in the YouTube app. On my Sammy 7.0+ tablet, it was very hit and miss. I would actually have to click on the see in browser icon, click on the video, and maybe then would it pull up on the you tube app. Now, on my Ltevo, I have to click on go to browser, and when I click on the video, it automatically goes to the YouTube web page and plays there. Which sucks, because I'm using chrome beta. I say this sucks, because once the video is over and I hit the back button to get back to reading my next article...I get told that greader has unexpectedly stopped. DAMN YOU HTC MODDIFIED MULTITASKING!!!! And APPLE!!!

Sorry for the rant. Just frustrating to have such an awesome phone hobbled by political beurocratic greed and stupidity. Maybe, just maybe, there will be a workaround.
sent from my wicked EVO ONE using mind beam.

**luimoran** · 05-29-2012, 03:18 PM

Found a workaround if you have root.

Go to system/apps and remove HTCLinkifydispatcher.apk. It worked for me.
I tried disabling it, but that option is not allowed through manage apps.

EDIT: CREDIT: I found this workaround over at XDA:

**cloak.n.dagger** · 05-29-2012, 03:24 PM

Hmmm... I launched the YouTube app and played one of the main videos listed and it played right inside the app (in landscape and portrait mode). Wonder why mine works the way it should?

**luimoran** · 05-29-2012, 04:19 PM

Originally Posted by cloak.n.dagger

Hmmm... I launched the YouTube app and played one of the main videos listed and it played right inside the app (in landscape and portrait mode). Wonder why mine works the way it should?

Yes, that works fine. What the OP was referring to is when you click a link and it launches the browser instead of the app.

**Brandito** · 05-29-2012, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by luimoran

Found a workaround if you have root.

Go to system/apps and remove HTCLinkifydispatcher.apk. It worked for me.
I tried disabling it, but that option is not allowed through manage apps.

EDIT: CREDIT: I found this workaround over at XDA:

I am rooted, any possible repercussions to this method? Will re-adding the file revert things back to normal should I encounter any side effects?

**henderjr** · 05-29-2012, 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by Brandito

I am rooted, any possible repercussions to this method? Will re-adding the file revert things back to normal should I encounter any side effects?

Yep you'll be fine. I'd recommend just renaming the file with a bogus extension (like .bak for backup or .old) and leaving it where is or move it to your sd card so you can put it back if you need to.

**billyapd21** · 05-29-2012, 09:52 PM

I would love to find a work around for non rooted users. HTC should make that an option on the apps menu or something.

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

**kronosqq** · 05-30-2012, 12:56 AM

I'm not sure why those options aren't coming up, but from my understanding of the Apple "patent" it's only related to tapping on phone numbers and having it bring up options, not any of the app selection stuff in this thread.

**Mikey47** · 05-30-2012, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by kronosqq

I'm not sure why those options aren't coming up, but from my understanding of the Apple "patent" it's only related to tapping on phone numbers and having it bring up options, not any of the app selection stuff in this thread.

No, it's not just phone numbers, it's "structured text". That includes email addresses, urls, phone numbers, etc.

HTC's solution was to create "app associations", and personally I like this better. But HTC does not go fine grained enough, they only do "URLs", they need to differentiate on type of URL, like YouTube.com, twitter, etc.

Actually should be easy for them to fix in an update.

**olsonn** · 05-30-2012, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by Mikey47

No, it's not just phone numbers, it's "structured text". That includes email addresses, urls, phone numbers, etc.

HTC's solution was to create "app associations", and personally I like this better. But HTC does not go fine grained enough, they only do "URLs", they need to differentiate on type of URL, like YouTube.com, twitter, etc.

Actually should be easy for them to fix in an update.

^^^ This! HTC needs to go into greater detail, *much* greater detail. Shouldn't all the "set as default" information/applications also be displayed in the App Associations? For instance, SMS/MMS (texts) isn't in the App Associations. HTC should have this "feature" be a one-stop-shop for as many things as possible.

**be the droid** · 06-23-2012, 04:49 AM

I get and share a lot of youtube links, and too noticed the undesired link handling change in this phone, so this was of particular interest...

Originally Posted by luimoran

Found a workaround if you have root.

Go to system/apps and remove HTCLinkifydispatcher.apk. It worked for me.
I tried disabling it, but that option is not allowed through manage apps.

EDIT: CREDIT: I found this workaround over at XDA:

I'm rooted and was happy to see the workaround you posted, except now the links don't work at all.

Touch, tap, squeeze...nada. Just sits there like it's not a link.

FYI, I tested the functionality using a link in a text message (the messages app). Before removing the file, it went to the browser youtube page. After, it does nothing.

UPDATE: one more test...this time from gmail. Ok, that works. Weird, so the failure is just in the messages app. Maybe I'll try an aftermarket sms app.

Anyone else notice this problem?

UPDATE 2: downloaded Handcent and the links work fine. I chose that over GO SMS since it's less than half the size. Now if I can only get the unread text indicator on the icon...

**kbp08tls** · 06-23-2012, 05:44 AM

Originally Posted by be the droid

I get and share a lot of youtube links, and too noticed the undesired link handling change in this phone, so this was of particular interest...

I'm rooted and was happy to see the workaround you posted, except now the links don't work at all.

Touch, tap, squeeze...nada. Just sits there like it's not a link.

FYI, I tested the functionality using a link in a text message (the messages app). Before removing the file, it went to the browser youtube page. After, it does nothing.

UPDATE: one more test...this time from gmail. Ok, that works. Weird, so the failure is just in the messages app. Maybe I'll try an aftermarket sms app.

Anyone else notice this problem?

UPDATE 2: downloaded Handcent and the links work fine. I chose that over GO SMS since it's less than half the size. Now if I can only get the unread text indicator on the icon...

Removing the apk is not the solution. Restoring the functionality requires build.prop edits.
Here's a flashable zip if you're uncomfortable directly editing the file:

Here's instructions to do it manually:

I did the manual method and did not remove the apk. Everything works fine now. When you get the menu, tap your choice with your middle finger as a salute to Apple

Sent from my EVO using Android Central Forums

**be the droid** · 06-23-2012, 06:57 AM

Originally Posted by kbp08tls

Removing the apk is not the solution. Restoring the functionality requires build.prop edits.
Here's a flashable zip if you're uncomfortable directly editing the file:

Here's instructions to do it manually:

I did the manual method and did not remove the apk. Everything works fine now. When you get the menu, tap your choice with your middle finger as a salute to Apple

Sent from my EVO using Android Central Forums

Thanks, you're awesome!

I tried it the manual way first. That didn't work (I'm sure I messed something up). Tried the "flash a zip" method using Quick Boot into recovery mode, then got the red exclamation. I couldn't restart or power off...thought I bricked it.

Then it rebooted on it's on a few minutes later and voila! It's working. Go figure?

I definitely need to do some more reading before trying any more hacks like this.

**kbp08tls** · 06-23-2012, 07:33 AM

Do you have a custom recovery?

When manually editing a build.prop, make sure you set permissions first.
I use ES File Explorer. Other file explorers should have similar options.
1. Menu-> settings-> scroll down to mount file system and tap the button to make /, /system writeable.
2. You should copy your stock build.prop into another directory and rename it something like build.bak so you can restore if you screw something up.
3. Go to /system, tap build.prop, open with the editor and make the changes. When you back out you should see confirmation that the file was saved successfully.
4. Very important: remember to unmount /system in settings.
5. Reboot. You might see something to the effect of Android updating on initial reboot. This is normal; just let it proceed.
6. ???
7. Profit!

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