[Galaxy S 4 i9506 Android Development] simonsalo:
Root Access / other observations

I clean flashed for the first time last night. But in preparation for this over the past few weeks I installed TWRP and rooted my device through SuperSU. I also installed Titanium and did full user app and data backups as well as tested nandroid back up and restore AND read every post in this forum so I knew exactly what I was doing so as to avoid all those lazy "NOOB" questions. (For some reason new users to flashing seem to think if they say they are new it is OK to ask lazy questions to various issues that have been answered and discussed so many times!)

S before I flashed 14.1 for the first time, while still on the stock rom, I removed my root access from inside the superSU menu. Then the first unanticipated event: I had to reinstall TWRP tar through Odin because SuperSU unroot also removes TWRP! Then I flashed the TWRP 20/11 ZIP update. So then I flashed the rom / gapps, titanium zip & Super SU together - using the multiple ZIPs option - not a good idea. This caused some minor issues. Firstly CM wanted to reformat my Micro SD and as I mentioned in an earlier post the torch didnt work and in the camera taking special effects photos seems to work - you see the effect live on the screen but the photo just come out normal.

So then I "dirty" flashed the rom over the top of itself. This fixed the SD card mounting issue and the torch but did not enable the ability for the camera to take a special effects photo. So I guess this either a user reportable bug that either Gebaya or ks01ltexx can fix or it is a limitation in our S4 cameras!? So the moral here is flash everything separately except maybe the GAPPS. But when I re-flashed the rom over the top of itself it also removed the root access created by SuperSU! So I opened Super SU and it wanted to update the binaries but failed. So I went back into recovery and then re-flashed the supersu zip and then the root access worked fine again as well as the torch and SD card. So I think if we want to only use superSU for root access and not the built in CM root method - after every dirty flash and reboot we will always need to go back into recovery and re-flash the latest superSU zip? Is there a better way? I am going on previous posts that recommend SuperSU over CM rooting. Also what is the difference between rooting apps only and apps + ADP? Is this option also buried somewhere in superSU? Primarily I am rooting for full access to Titanium backup....

So before embarking on this upgrade from 5.0.1 stock to 7.1 I did a nandroid and a full backup of all user apps and data in Titanium and restored these straight away because I had also made a flashable install of Titanium. It works a treat and even warns you that the device ID number has changed which can affect registered applications, unlock keys etc and gives you the option to put back / replace the new ID created after factory resetting and flashing. So I restored what I needed and everything - everything works seemlessly. But be careful if you restore launcher settings because then you also get back old ugly icons - like the phone icon for example!

So in summary all works well. And I am guessing ks01ltexx's latest build includes all of Gebaya's debug modifications and updates?? And from both of you who actually make this wonderful rom for us and give us the opportunity to run Nougat 7.1 it would be great to know what is the best way to root? It also appears you both have made some serious kernal modifications as well?? I would say my device runs twice as fast than it did before. I have no more lag for example when I load the camera or other memory intensive applications. And battery life is incredible. (I dont know what the rest of you are measuring when you think your battery life has decreased?)

The CM boot logo is a little boring though! Can we flash safely alternate boot animations? Can you look at the special effects issues on the camera? Can we run larger micro SDS ie 64gb or is this a hardware limitation? Can we displays seconds on the clock in the status bar? The option is there but this does not do anything?

A note on the Trebuche launcher. When you create a folder there is an option to secure / lock the folder. However this option is available without restriction and cannot be turned of. This is very dangerous if you have for example small children because if the create a pattern lock you cannot undo this and the option to recover is by adding an email only if a pattern lock is active. This is rediculous unless I am missing something. For this reason I have frozen Trebuche and re-installed the fantastic Apex launcher and I control all my app and phone access permissions through Applock by SPsoft Tools.

Another thing - it is really nice to see LTE instead of carrier specified 4G - because our devices can use long term evolution technology when available. And I know we are using the same baseband - in my case the last one released XXUDOK1 but unless I am imaging things my signal strength is better and I have greater access to LTE?!

Regards and Thanks...

Simon