What do you mean by go to settings and map their buttons? There is a well-defined keycode for search; you shouldn't need to ask the user to map that to anything.
Anyway, our recommendation is to assume the search button isn't there and always have another way to start a search. In practice many users won't be aware they can search if you are only relying on the hardware button. (Good argument for that button going away...) On Fri, Sep 30, 2011 at 4:51 AM, Latimerius <l4t1m3r...@googlemail.com>wrote: > > On Fri, Sep 30, 2011 at 1:07 PM, Mark Murphy <mmur...@commonsware.com>wrote: > >> On Fri, Sep 30, 2011 at 6:25 AM, Latimerius <l4t1m3r...@googlemail.com> >> wrote: >> > Having no way to check seems unfortunate to me. I mean, a lot of people >> > bemoan Android "fragmentation" and the need to check before you use a >> > feature (and to provide a fall-back if you can't). I don't mind any of >> > that, but not even being able to check really takes the problem to the >> next >> > level ... >> >> You should not be relying up on the existence of SEARCH, CAMERA, or >> other optional buttons. You should be having other means of >> accomplishing those same ends. >> > > Sure, I'm not relying upon it. I do have other means. I'm just saying > being able to check for hardware would enable me to spare some users having > to go to settings and map their buttons if they have any. > > Plus, to be honest I don't see much of a reason not to include a way to > check for a button. > > SEARCH is supposed to invoke a search. When using SEARCH for search, >> have an on-screen mechanism to invoke search (action bar button, menu >> choice, etc.) in addition to supporting the SEARCH button for invoking >> search. That's not only to benefit those who lack SEARCH but those who >> forget there's a SEARCH button (I almost never use mine, for example). > > > I'm not using the Search button to search in this case. This is just part > of a dev UI until on-screen controls are finished. > > Having said that however, it will also say that using hardware buttons is > likely to give a more pleasant user experience so it would be worth > considering even for the end user interface. > > Anyway, things are the way they are so I guess this is mainly just idle > talk ... ;-) > > Thanks! > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "Android Developers" group. > To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en > -- Dianne Hackborn Android framework engineer hack...@android.com Note: please don't send private questions to me, as I don't have time to provide private support, and so won't reply to such e-mails. All such questions should be posted on public forums, where I and others can see and answer them. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
