Empties Folders

[jefboyardee]

Another is it just me: I have several folders to save space; links, contacts, seldom-used apps, etc. But every few days they show up empty. Sometimes all of them, sometimes a few, sometimes just one... what could I possibly be doing to cause this?

Not only that, but sometimes when I move a desktop icon, it either disappears or winds up in a folder, a folder not necessarily on that page. What’s more, if I power off and on this seems to work better for while... something be goofy.

 

[jefboyardee]

I give up. I’ve had to re-populate my folders about ten times now and remove icons that just happened to wind up in them. All folders to the trash... hopefully an OS upgrade cures this, as I otherwise like them.

 

[Shadowfyre]

I got my Optimus S about a week ago (also my first smartphone), so take what I say with a grain of salt.

I was seeing the issue with icons disappearing a couple days ago. I rebooted my phone and that problem went away.

I think switching IDs will wipe the folders.

I originally set my phone up with with the Clean ID and set up a bunch of folders. A couple days later, I went looking for Sprint TV and downloaded the Entertainment ID (I figured TV = Entertainment, right? I guess Sprint doesn't think so). When I switched back to my Clean ID, all my folders were wiped out, but the other apps were right where they were supposed to be. I figured I did something wrong.

I did some more research and found that Sprint TV is in the Sprint ID. I finally got around to downloading and installing that ID last night then switched back to my Clean ID. When I got up this morning and wanted to check the news I found my bookmarks folder was empty - as were all my other folders.

I have no idea how to protect the contents of the folders when switching IDs.

 

[CarrieK]

I believe that you can actually have more than one ID, it is just that you may be active on the last ID you added if that makes sense. If I remember correctly, on your main screen when you power on, you will see a Sprint ID logo icon, and if you tap on it then you get to that particular ID. The reason I can't tell you 100% for certain is because I am rooted and running a custom ROM so I haven't dealt with the Sprint ID's in a while. But I recall when I first got the phone of seeing a screen that had the Clean ID (which is the one I had installed first) and Entertainment ID squares on it and you could switch back and forth between ID's. Maybe someone who has a stock phone could check that out for you. I would look at my husband's but I'm at work right now. Hope that helps anyway

EDIT: OK, on the main screen when you first turn on the phone you will see in the bottom center three logos, Phone, Home, and ID logo. I believe (still without looking at an actual phone...I found a pic online of one with the main screen on) that if you push that ID logo you will see a screen that has icons of the different IDs you have installed. I'll bet that is where your stuff is Ok, on the choose ID screen you will see all of your Sprint IDs and you can just pick the one you want to use.

 

[jefboyardee]

Hmm... I tried loading a folder, tapping ID and choosing Clean again, just to see. The folder contents remained intact. Then I tried a different ID then switching back to Clean, and by golly, the folder was empty. I suppose the recent maintenance upgrade would’ve done the same thing. So the folders only work if you leave everything else alone.

 

[sonicbluemustang]

Yip that ID stuff is crap. SPRINT should be ashamed for this It also eats up what little space you have. You'll have to keep one so keep Clean. Uninstall all packs you can get ADW Launcher or Pro Launcher. Also install Homesmack so you can default your launcher.
ADW also lets you lock your desktop and has Sense.

 

[jefboyardee]

Yip that ID stuff is crap.

Without getting into alternative launchers for now, what happens if I just uninstall Sprint ID, accessed on the “All” page of Manage applications? The uninstall icon is sitting right there, daring me to tap it.

Never mind, I think... just found a thread called “Removing Sprint ID?” on that other forum that discusses how rooting is required to remove core software and other stuff I know better to avoid.

 

[jefboyardee]

Okay, back to the hollow folders pleez... I’ve hunted all over the android forums, the market and such, and nobody but me seems to have this problem. Or am I the only person that uses folders? Got to the point where I had to give them another chance, but with dread.

 

[Shineon]

My wife has this phone and she cannot add an app the screen(s) and when she highlights an app to move it, it goes back into All App's. It sounds like it has something to do with the ID's. I changed her ID and it seemed to work....for a day or two. It is doing the same thing now.
Any advice?

 

[jefboyardee]

Turning off/on usually helps or at least no harm in trying.

 

[jefboyardee]

Well, I couldn?t live without folders so I put the new batch on their own page, for what that?s worth. The icons therein were behaving pretty well, until the spring weather got them mating -- they triplicated themselves.

Still think OS folders, which should be programming 101, are not even half-baked here. There are no other kinds of desktop folders available. I even tried to get one from Astro onto the desktop, no dice, of course.

Sorry to bore y?all with this, just trying to get someone to tell me what?s wrong with this.

 

[Ez Duzit]

I have the same problem with the icons disappearing if I try to move them. Then they sometimes show up in a folder on a different screen. Whats weird, is once the vanishing icons show up in a folder the problem goes away for awhile and I can move icons around again. Then the problem suddenly reappears. This only affects 2 spots on my phone. In other words, I can move icons around ok, but if I try to move an icon to either of those 2 spots that's when the icon vanishes as soon as I remove my finger. I first noticed this right after I installed that upgrade in Feb. The one that supposedly fixes the SD card issue. (the sd card issue that I never had a problem with until after the dam upgrade). Now maybe it wasn't the upgrade. Maybe that was just coincidence. The only other thing I think it might be is the screen protector. I'll be taking off the one that's on it and replacing it with a good one from Skinomi. So I'll try it without a screen protector for a bit and see what happens.


Edit- And yeah the BS with the folders when changing user id's is really annoying. Defeats the whole purpose. Until I read this post I really thought I had a defective phone.

 

[jefboyardee]

Thank you Ez, misery loves company and all that. I’ve had to give up on folders for the umpteenth time, just have desktop icons for stuff I want handy, the browser’s bookmarks and the app button for stuff I don’t.

 

[jefboyardee]

Just found Folder Organizer. It seems to remember what I put in, even enduring a power off/on. But it wants me to more organized than I set out to be, and I have to pay two bucks to edit already-filled folders. Ain’t gonna pay to work around something that the OS should do aleady...

Now that I know I’m not the only one with an OS problem that shouldn’t be happening, who do I bich to? Mr Android? Mr Sprint?

 

[jefboyardee]

Okay, try this and reply, then I’ll give up:

Create a folder. Open it. Open the apps menu and drag the first twelve apps into the folder. Turn off the phone. Turn on the phone. Open the folder. Do you see twenty-four apps in there?

 

[Ez Duzit]

I don't have a problem with missing shortcuts in folders unless I switch to a different sprint ID. Since I want to use folders, I don't bother messing with Sprint ID's anymore. Yeah it's a little annoying I can't use a feature on my phone, but then again it's not really that big a feature, so I just won't use it.
I do still have the problem where if I try and move a shortcut to either of two places the shortcut disappears as soon as I lift up my finger.
I took off the screen protector so I know it's not caused by that. I'm thinking it's just a defect in the glass, or a glitch in the software, possible brought on by apps I've downloaded. I may do a full restore of the phones OS just to rule that out. But I'm pretty sure that's not it.

Sigh... sometimes I really miss my old phone.

 

[jefboyardee]

I get forbidden locations too where the icons disappear. If I power off/on that usually helps for a while. I have no screen protector.

Apparently we?re just waiting for an upgrade and hoping we?re not the only ones that see the problem.

 

[jefboyardee]

Update 2.2.2, 3/19/11: So far, it’s passing my folder torture tests, which includes overloading them, taking a count, rebooting, taking another count. Could it be that they fixed it?

 

[64fairlane]

if I remember right folders can't be organized alphabetically, but rather by the order in which it was added to the folder.

I went with the "folder organizer" app a few months ago and have never looked back. Yes, it is unfortunate that you have to pay for an app that you shouldn't need, but the app is fantastic. You can customize everything about the folder and also put folders within folders. You can backup all your settings to your SDcard and restore if you change phones or reset your device.

 

[jefboyardee]

Could it be that they fixed it?

Nope. Further torturing brought back the dupli- tripli- cating thing. Oh well. I might try Folder Organizer again out of frustration, but it seemed to overdo things, to me at least.