HMT Custom Configuration Basics

As of Release 10.2.0/10.4.0, device owners are now able to directly modify some specific functions on the HMT:

  • Apps that appear on the Home Screen (up to 5 possible)
  • Storage locations for Camera photos and videos
  • Visible folders shown in My Files
  • Programs available in My Programs
  • Functions available in My Controls
  • Languages available in the Language Selector and their icon

Each configuration change is started using the same method (detailed below); refer to each configuration feature page below for expected json information.

Prerequisites

To make modifications to a configuration file, you must have the following:

  1. Computer (Windows or Mac – if on Mac, the Android File Transfer application is also required)
  2. Text Editor Application on that computer (could be as simple as Notepad or TextEdit)
  3. MicroUSB cable

Alternatively, you may push the files using ADB, Android Studio, or the tool of your choice.

How to:

  1. Power on the HMT and connect it to the computer via the microUSB cable
  2. View the file structure of the HMT (Windows: File Explorer and Mac: Android File Transfer)
  3. Navigate to the indicated folder and find the specified configuration file (with file extension .json)
  4. Copy the file to the computer and open with your text editor of choice*
  5. Make your edits to the configuration file and save it in the same format (changing format can make the file unrecognizable to the Android system)
  6. Copy the modified configuration file back to the original location on the HMT
  7. Configuration changes should take effect almost immediately, but for those that don’t a power cycle of the device is recommended.

*Bear in mind that some text editors may add extra, unseen characters/text when saving files unless the user is very careful to prevent this. More comprehensive text editors like Microsoft Word are known to do this and can’t be recommended for this use as a result. Making a backup of your original configuration file is also advised when possible.

Troubleshooting

If your new configuration does not take effect, you should check/try the following:

  • Look for typos or extra symbols/characters, or extra spaces/missing spaces
  • Check your file name – the HMT system will only look for the specified file name and anything else will be ignored
  • Check your file location – a configuration file in the wrong place will be ignored
  • Check that your modifications are valid – for example, if you add a program to the Home Screen but that program is not actually installed on the device you will see no change to the Home Screen based on configuration alone
  • Check your file format/encoding
  • Restore the default configuration and try again

Restoring Default Configurations

Default settings are located in system folders that cannot be accessed without developer tools, so any modifications you make in custom configuration files can easily be undone without compromising your HMT. To restore the default settings for any configuration setting you have altered, you may do one of the following:

  1. Change the custom config file to match the system default settings (default settings can be found in many of the examples provided here)
  2. Move the custom config file for that setting to a new location that isn’t being used for configuration
  3. Rename the custom config file away from the specified name
  4. Delete the custom config file from the HMT

Useful Links

Android File Transfer – https://www.android.com/filetransfer/

RealWear Explorer – Download & More Information

ADB Documentation – https://developer.android.com/studio/command-line/adb