Where is the App/"Unknown Sources" setting???

[sava1007]

Just bought a Viewsonic g-Tablet (1.2-4349) so I can test an app I'm developing. Hit a brick wall, as there is no tick-box option in Settings / Applications named "Unknown sources". This is pretty much a standard Android OS option that allows you to load apps not from the market on the device.

I even installed a new ROM today (Mountain Laurel) thinking that might somehow show the setting the stock ROM was not; but no joy... still not available.

Is there a way to get this setting to be displayed/set on the device, or should I try to return it and just get a Samsung Galaxy?

Thanks,

G.

 

[gadgetrants]

Hey G, welcome to the forum! I have not flashed ML, so can't help you with that...but I have run both TnT Lite and Bottle of Smoke (other roebeet ROMs). Can you take a screenshot, or describe the settings/applications options? That might give me a better idea. I can tell you for sure that it shows up in the Honeycomb ROMs, BoS and Flashback (Titanium Backup requires it).

And if you return the gTab and get a Galaxy, I'll ask for you to be banned from androidtablets. NO WAIT, sorry...that's only if you buy an iPad!

-Matt

 

[sava1007]

It's (supposed to be) the top option under Settings / Applications:

 

[gadgetrants]

Ooops, minor misunderstanding. I know what it *should* look like on a functioning device...I wondered if you could take a screenshot of your settings options on the gTab under Mountain Laurel. I know BoS and Flashback have a built-in screenshot...if ML doesn't, you can also do it through the Android SDK.

I'm hoping by seeing the options, it'll jog my memory. As I recall, ML is a bootloader 1.2 update of TnT Lite, and I'm pretty sure I found the "unknown devices" option in TnT Lite.

In the meantime, here is a stab in the dark: forage through your app list, and see if you have something like a "Development" app. If so, it may offer a back door to the option.

-Matt

 

[sava1007]

Thanks for the reply, Matt; I did look in "Dev Tools" app; couldn't find any setting to allow to load from Unknown Sources. Haven't figured out how (if) I can take a screenshot on the gTablet, but here's a pic of the Application options; with no "Unknown Sources" option:

 

[gadgetrants]

Thanks for the reply, Matt; I did look in "Dev Tools" app; couldn't find any setting to allow to load from Unknown Sources. Haven't figured out how (if) I can take a screenshot on the gTablet, but here's a pic of the Application options; with no "Unknown Sources" option:
View attachment 3436

Ah, just spotted your question at xda (good move). I'm not 100% convinced it was "never" on the Froyo/GB custom ROMs. But aabbondanza's comment fits with my experience: I had no trouble side-loading in TNT Lite, or using TiB. In any case, here is a screen shot from Flashback (BoS looks the same):



EDIT: If you connect your gTab via USB and run ddms.bat, I'm pretty sure you'll have no trouble capturing the screen. In the HC ROMs, there's a neat built-in option to capture with a long-press on the recent-apps soft-button.

EDIT2: Please forgive my snobby tone, but your picture made me smile. Since I've been running BoS and Flashback, the system menus on the Froyo/GB ROMs look they're for something from ToysRUs--big and goofy! HC feels so much more "mature."

-Matt

 

[sava1007]

Thanks Matt. I just updated to Flashback and you're right --- it's there, and I did already find that Recent Apps button to do screenshots! Wow; the interface is really nice; the install was painless and all is working well.. now just have to get the device to show up in the Eclipse/SDK and I should be off to the races.

I would highly recommend anyone purchasing a new (1.2-4349) g-Tablet to just update to the Flashback-Honeycomb... an hour into using it, I'm just blown away... the browser, email, more settings/options/tweaks... it is really nice.

 

[gadgetrants]

I would highly recommend anyone purchasing a new (1.2-4349) g-Tablet to just update to the Flashback-Honeycomb... an hour into using it, I'm just blown away... the browser, email, more settings/options/tweaks... it is really nice.

Hey, since you and I are the only ones on this thread (right?), let me confess: I'm puzzled by users of other ROMs who say "I'll wait until Flashback is a little more 'ready.'" Admittedly, some important things (esp. camera and hardware acceleration) are missing, and other apps/features (e.g., Netflix) are less than perfect. But I like to warn people NOT to try BoS or Flashback! Once you do, those "other" ROMs seem so yesterday

-Matt