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Tuning your phone’s calculator

I use calculators a lot, but I don’t always have one with me. Yet my phone is always in my pocket. I should use it, but the calculator on Sony Ericsson phones is rubbish, we all know that. But this problem can be fixed!

The first thing we need is the replacement, a new calculator, which is a java application:
JvoCalc.
We also need the original menu.ml file of the phone, you can get it following this tutorial, or using JDFlasher, also you can download it from the internet, or extract the FS (tpa/preset/system/menu). Menu.ml file is not the same on different phone types, so you must get it yourself.
You need XS++ (FSX), or Far Manager / JDFlasher to upload the new menu.ml file we are going to make.
Optionally, you should obtain a good text editor, with syntax-highlighting (xml), try this: Notepad++.

1. Upload the calculator to the phone and install it, as you install any other java application (File transer mode or MyPhoneExplorer).

2. Open your menu.ml file in the text editor of your choice. From now on, I’m going to use Notepad++.
Click the Language menu, and select XML.
first screenshot of notepad++

Now search for calc (with Ctrl+F), and you will find the following text:

<element id=“Application_Calculator_Id”>
<label type=“name” textid=“MENU_CALCULATOR_TXT” />
<label type=“helptext” textid=“MENU_CALCULATOR_HLP” />
<icon pos=“left” source=“internal”>CALC_CALCULATOR_MENU_ICN</icon>
<link type=“internal” />
</element>

The line we are about to modify is: <link type=“internal” />, replace it with
<link type=“java” javasuitename=“JvoCalc” javasuitevendor=“Jvojava” javasuitepoint=“JvoCalc”/>

Now it looks like this:

<element id=“Application_Calculator_Id”>
<label type=“name” textid=“MENU_CALCULATOR_TXT” />
<label type=“helptext” textid=“MENU_CALCULATOR_HLP” />

<icon pos=“left” source=“internal”>CALC_CALCULATOR_MENU_ICN</icon>
<link type=“java” javasuitename=“JvoCalc” javasuitevendor=“Jvojava” javasuitepoint=“JvoCalc”/>
</element>

Save the file and upload it to tpa/preset/system/menu folder (as menu.ml) or read on.

Optional, yet useful!
You can also customize how the phone calls the menu item for Calculator, for example, call it “Professional Calculator”.

You have to modiy <label type=“name” textid=“MENU_CALCULATOR_TXT” />, to have
<label type=“name”><text>Professional Calculator</text></label>.

So it will look like:

<element id=“Application_Calculator_Id”>
<label type=“name”><text>Professional Calculator</text></label>
<label type=“helptext” textid=“MENU_CALCULATOR_HLP” />

<icon pos=“left” source=“internal”>CALC_CALCULATOR_MENU_ICN</icon>
<link type=“java” javasuitename=“JvoCalc” javasuitevendor=“Jvojava” javasuitepoint=“JvoCalc”/>
</element>

You can do the same trick on helptext if you want to, that is the text that you see when you press the right soft key in the menu.

Save this file and upload it to the given place.


Note: When you are renaming in <text> tags, you cannot use Central European Characters, if you want to use them, you must use HTML character codes, but only with numbers so the aacute will only work if given with its ASCII code, not the aacute word itself.

JvoCalc inserts an operator when you press * and a dot when you hit #. When you press the right soft key, you can insert e, pi, squre root, sin, cos and many others.

That’s it, now you have a far better calculator on your phone.

original calculator to jvocalc screenshot and modded menu

Regards,
Peti

Posted in Pimping.


34 Responses

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  1. pratik says

    cool …. can we use notepad or word???
    or firefox ??
    sorry 4 this stupid question.

  2. Peti says

    To edit menu.ml? No, notepad and word maybe, but I doubt Firefox can be used as a text editor.

  3. iceanddark says

    keep getting this error “error occur in the menu.ml file. this may render the menu unusable”

  4. Akshay says

    then its either incorrect editing on your part
    or incorrect tutorial here !
    tutorial to me seems fine… check again please

  5. iceanddark says

    ok… fixed…it should be ” and not โ€œ

  6. iceanddark says

    sry error in previous post…it should be ” and not โ€œorโ€

  7. Peti says

    The tutorial is all right, it worked for me. ๐Ÿ˜›

  8. Akshay says

    Peti dude nicely advertises the programs that he uses … lol

  9. Peti says

    Yes sure. ๐Ÿ˜‰ If you are looking for a flawless file manager for Windows, check Total Commander Ultima Prime – http://tcup.pl/ . ๐Ÿ˜€

  10. Nazgulled says

    Is there a better looking Java calculator than the one recommended here?

    I mean, I don’t need a professional calculator on my phone (but that could be cool) but I don’t really like the look and how the default calculator works and I was looking for a better one.

    I tried JvoCalc and didn’t like it at all..

  11. Peti says

    This is the best I could find. :S
    But as soon as I find something better, I will modify the tutorial.

  12. amigo says

    hey guys!! can you suggest some cool applications for k800i like bt hack, world clock, converter etc and where can i get those? just want to ask also if there’s a way to store more messages to your “saved messages” folder? maybe you should also post a video tutorial for this coz its hard for noobs like me? thanx and sorry for my english!!!

  13. Akshay says

    hi amigo.
    no way to increase stored message beacuse it clogs the phone processor badly..
    applications you can download them from getjar.com

    we don’t usually discuss about applications here.
    but may be we will if we need to do so.
    at our forum.. yes we talk about them also.

  14. amigo says

    many thanx akshay for your quick response!! btw i’m a little bit confuse in this tutorial coz it says ” we need the original menu.ml”. what menu.ml are you reffering to? is this the menu.ml that can be replaced by menu modding or changing the icons of the phone? so for example i’ve already uploaded the iphone menu in my phone, do i have to upload again the original menu.ml so that i can perform this tutorial for my calculator? sorry, i haven’t tried patching my k800i coz it’s CID53. please inform us if the newest version of X++ that supports CID53 is available already. More power to you!!

  15. Peti says

    That menu.ml should be the one on the phone right now. So if you are using iPhone stuff, you should edit and upload that menu.ml.

  16. amigo says

    oh, so you mean everytime i replace/mod my phone’s menu, i should edit the menu.ml that comes along with the menu pack? thanx a lot man!!

  17. Peti says

    Yes, of course, the pack needs its own menu, and this trick needs modification in the current menu.

  18. King says

    sory dude.. but i keep getting the error… “error occur in the menu.ml file. this may render the menu unusableโ€ and my settings icon dissappears.. ๐Ÿ™

  19. bhuvan says

    King
    problem in ur menu.ml
    coding is not the way it should be..

  20. King says

    bhuvan… is der anyway to crack down this prob? cuz i realli need to use a proper calculator …. so can you make a proper menu.ml file for me?? cuz if i go according to tutorial.. an error occurs..
    my cell is K850i, latest firmware.
    regards.. hope you solve my problem ๐Ÿ™‚

  21. bhuvan says

    King
    what error comeS?

  22. Richie says

    How do u find the Javasuitepoint for an application in order to use it in the main menu? I have Opera in my main menu but I want other applications how do I find the suitepoint?

  23. bhuvan says

    Richie
    the same way it is given here
    if app do not shows it…then the rendor may b not that good company like opera developers are

  24. me2kimi says

    hi bhuvan, how about if i wanna use another calc app intead of calc? what should i type to replace jvocalc in ”?

    thanks

  25. bhuvan says

    me2kimi
    dude its all akshay;s trick and he is off for few days!
    do one thing
    go to our support forum
    i dont remmber…we can browse through a java application’s property and get all the info…but i seriously forgot!!!

  26. me2kimi says

    hi bhuvan, i’ve tried it yesterday. but my setting menu disappeared from main menu. huhu. ok, i’ll try to browse the forum. thanks alot

  27. bhuvan says

    me2kimi
    lol!
    menu editing is fun!
    copy whole settings coding from original menu.ml and paste in edited one!
    ull get
    u can even add new things

  28. marcus says

    hey bhuvan i was gonna ask about that… how can u add a next item??? i hav a translator and i want 2 put it in can u help me out??

  29. bhuvan says

    marcus
    next item?
    i am not getting u

  30. marcus says

    i mean next item as in feature eg the calculator or the light or the calendar… i want 2 know if i could add another thing to those in the organiser folder

  31. bhuvan says

    marcus
    u mean u wanna add any of the organizer’s item to to main menu?
    well go to our forum
    or here
    http://www.menu-ml.co.cc/

    its all one of the crew member’s work here

  32. marcus says

    yea thats exactly what i mean
    thanks a lot man

  33. ?????? ????? says

    ? ???? ???-?? ??????? ? ???? ??? ???? ??? ??????????. ? ???? ??? ????????? ?????

  34. Edhem says

    mabie you know how to change font on w200..
    if you knoww can you tell me…please