Automatic display rotation with ProtectSmart Accelerometer

**CompuGeek** · 11-20-2010, 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by webgraf

Yes please! Have you made a driver?
Will I be able to use it from managed code? Or native only?

Yes, I made a driver for the sensor. And yes, it can be used from native code (Windows API Code pack - Windows® API Code Pack for Microsoft® .NET Framework - Home)

I'll archive the files, upload, and post instructions in a bit.

Update

Make sure you quit any existing version of the tm2 accelerometer application before reading further. Also, delete the shortcut from the startup folder in the start menu.

First, download and run (as administrator - or the driver won't install) the ProtectSmart Sensor for your OS (32-bit or 64-bit). During install it will prompt you to allow the driver to install, allow it. This is due to my code signing certificate not being accepted for drivers.

Next, just enable the sensor in Control Panel (search for Locations and Other Sensors).

After that, any sensor capable application should work with the accelerometer data (like my updated auto-rotate application linked to below).

Developers, the x, y, and z values range from negative 1 to positive 1.

Downloads:
ProtectSmartSensor (32-bit)

ProtectSmartSensor (64-bit)

tm2 accelerometer auto-rotate - requires the sensor to work

**Zergling** · 11-21-2010, 03:01 PM

is there a way to disable HP driveguard while still keeping the accelerometer working? i have an SSD and if i walk around while playing music or video it'll start skipping cause it keeps trying to stop the SSD. i tried uninstalling the HP driver but then my screen automatically flips upside down and stays there

**wakeupneo** · 11-21-2010, 04:43 PM

Thanks for your work CompuGeek. I'll try to figure out how this could work with the diag tools now

Originally Posted by Zergling

is there a way to disable HP driveguard while still keeping the accelerometer working? i have an SSD and if i walk around while playing music or video it'll start skipping cause it keeps trying to stop the SSD. i tried uninstalling the HP driver but then my screen automatically flips upside down and stays there

That's an intersting question actually as I'll upgrade to SSD quite soon.

**Toby** · 11-21-2010, 04:49 PM

Any sugestions for possible apps, besides games?

**Agent 9** · 11-21-2010, 05:12 PM

Originally Posted by Zergling

is there a way to disable HP driveguard while still keeping the accelerometer working? i have an SSD and if i walk around while playing music or video it'll start skipping cause it keeps trying to stop the SSD. i tried uninstalling the HP driver but then my screen automatically flips upside down and stays there

I have a ssd as well, and I am using the data that was on the first page of this thread (those are the only ones that seem to work, though I have to have two instances of the Tm2 Accelerometer running for it to work)

To keep the driveguard software from stopping the drive simply go to the Control Panel/ Hardware and Sound/ HP 3D DriveGuard/ once it is launched then click "disable" for your ssd it will still send the rotational data to the Tm2 Accelerometer program)

I was wondering if you could get the program to check when the trackpad is disabled or enabled; so it can be automatically enabled/ disabled when the trackpad is.
Also would there be a way to integrate a "on/off" toggle into the "Tm2 Control" program (I assume you two would have to work together to make it work)

**CompuGeek** · 11-21-2010, 11:30 PM

Originally Posted by Agent 9

I have a ssd as well, and I am using the data that was on the first page of this thread (those are the only ones that seem to work, though I have to have two instances of the Tm2 Accelerometer running for it to work)

Have you tried the new one that uses the windows 7 sensor?

Originally Posted by Agent 9

I was wondering if you could get the program to check when the trackpad is disabled or enabled; so it can be automatically enabled/ disabled when the trackpad is.
Also would there be a way to integrate a "on/off" toggle into the "Tm2 Control" program (I assume you two would have to work together to make it work)

There is an on/off toggle, just tap the icon in the system tray. Or right click it and uncheck enable.

**Agent 9** · 11-21-2010, 11:52 PM

I tried the new one, and I am quite sure I did everything right, it just doesn't seem to work

(I'll try it again tomorrow)

And yes I know about accessing it from the taskbar. the problem is I have my taskbar set to auto hide (which has worked extremely well so far, except in this instance), and it is a bit inconvenient to have to do 3 clicks to disable/ enable auto rotation. I am sure it could be done, I was just seeing if you had any thoughts/ plans to make it automatic enable/ disable (because it would be very slick if it were).
And it would be an added bonus if the Tm2 Control program had a button to entirely disable/enable the auto rotation program, because I (and a lot of others) use it a lot.

PS: Screen rotation (automatic, button, or Tm2 Control) is waaaaay faster with a ssd... just FYI.

**Zergling** · 11-22-2010, 12:38 AM

solved my problem! i originally had the 3D driveguard driver from the first post of this topic installed, but this one isnt equipped with a control panel menu dedicated to it under hardware and sounds that gives you the option to disable it.

i tried installing a driver i found through google (This one) which actually has that option. but compugeek's program doesn't work with it. upon realizing it was an older version i tried reinstalling the one at the beginning of this thread again and i was back to square one. but then i installed the older driver over it and overwrote all the files it prompted me to and everything's been working great after. i have the option to disable the driveguard from temporarily stopping the SSD and the newest version of the auto-rotate software's up and working as well!

technically im running an older version of the driver but im not going to bother redoing it by installing the newer driver 2nd since everything seems to be working how i want it

btw for those wondering how to install the driver from the beginning of this thread, you have to extract the .cab file into a folder (i used winRAR, it wasnt doing it correctly through just windows explorer) then just go to device manager, find HP mobile data protection sensor under system devices (it's located under unknown devices if you don't have a driveguard driver already installed) and update using the folder you extracted the driver into

thank you so much for this fine piece of software compugeek, definitely makes it easier to transition into tablet mode

(is it just me or does it switch between orientations quicker with this method than using the button at the side of the screen?)

**Zergling** · 11-22-2010, 12:55 AM

one question though, with all the versions to date i find the autorotate becomes unresponsive though, i dont really mind however as pressing the hardware button while the tablet is tilted will still cause it to rotate in the correct orientation anyway, also it doesnt randomly shift orientation when i move it around in laptop mode as much. just curious if it behaves like that for everyone or if it's been staying responsive for some?

personally i believe the only thing this software is missing to be perfect is an option to have it disable automatically when the trackpad is on and if that can be implemented then to improve the responsiveness

again thank you very much for this great software

**webgraf** · 11-22-2010, 06:19 AM

Originally Posted by CompuGeek

Yes, I made a driver for the sensor. And yes, it can be used from native code (Windows API Code pack - Windows® API Code Pack for Microsoft® .NET Framework - Home)

I'll archive the files, upload, and post instructions in a bit.

Great work!!! Thank you a lot!
I have made a simple app and I have noticed that accelerometer data refreshing quite infrequent. Could you suggest a reason why?