Android 7.0 Soft Chewy Center doesn't understand DND Priority Only

[cavepainter]

I'm now running Android 7.0 Nougat /Soft Chewy Center/ whatever on my Droid Turbo 2.

I receive regular texts from acquaintances, leads, biz contacts, etc. In the old days (three days ago), I could keep my phone set to DND Priority Only. This way, only my starred contacts could get through via phone, and the only sound notifications pushed through for all messaging apps and gmail were from my starred contacts. It kept me sane morning, noon, and night.

With the new, improved and highly @#$&ing customizable v7.0 Messenger app, notifications for texts is either ON or OFF. Two speeds. So the app doesn't give two damp poops about my Priority Only setting.

But, of course, we should all be happy that you can set the notifications for each individual freaking text that comes in...which I don't care about. Now my notifications are going off with each new text from every contact and non-contact.

ALL I WANT is for Messenger to accept the Priority Only status. Can't do it. Every option is notifications on or off.

I am royally pissed. I have a dear friend with PTSD who is in crisis mode...and I really don't need to jump every time I get a possible client lead via text on my phone.

Sorry this is so long. Any help would be appreciated.

Grazie,
Allie

 

[dontpanicbobby]

Try starring them again.
Your OS has changed. Stuff happens.
Google changed things. Changed things a lot.
Check if your Google contacts still have priority.

 

[rdsok]

Perhaps this will help you understand the changes better so you can get it working as you want ( after learning about the changes )

https://www.howtogeek.com/260225/androids-confusing-do-not-disturb-settings-explained/

 

[cavepainter]

Try starring them again.
Your OS has changed. Stuff happens.
Google changed things. Changed things a lot.
Check if your Google contacts still have priority.

Did that first. Even re-did that a second time. The problem is in how it's all programmed.

 

[cavepainter]

Perhaps this will help you understand the changes better so you can get it working as you want ( after learning about the changes )

https://www.howtogeek.com/260225/androids-confusing-do-not-disturb-settings-explained/

Thanks but I've been through all that.

Let me rephrase the problem:

With the old version, Android would see a starred contact come through according to your wishes and immediately recognize it, then run around blowing horns, banging drums and generally calling the text or email to your attention. I loved all the (old) features of Do Not Disturb...loved them, hugged them, squeezed them and called them George. It was a great way to deal with my ex-husband when he got into That Mood.

The new app now requires you to select your notifications at the app level -- push out a notification? Notification plus sound? All that jazz. I receive the notifications, but the app is inflexible at this level here: Sound or no sound. Period.

Soft Chewy Center DOES allow the user to customize the notification desires per contact. So, for each text thread currently going, I can find my starred contacts and set them to SOUND: YES, PLEASE! (Just a note here: Am I the only one who finds it annoying that an upgrade requires the user to do MORE work to accomplish the same thing as before? Apparently, yes.)

Again, this all comes down to ON or OFF. New texts coming in have to be dealt with one at a time for starred contacts. In other words, I DON'T receive sound notification for starred contacts until they come in, I notice them, and set the text thread preference accordingly.

This, to me, feels completely un-intuitive. Instead of having a smart phone, I now have a "hold my hand and walk me through it, Human," phone.

*sigh*

 

[rdsok]

The version name is Nougant... not Soft Chewy Center...

I understand you are attempting to be derogatory ... but to me that attempt is actually looking childish instead. Call it what it is if you wish others to actually know what you are talking about or you will confuse others instead.

The ability to customize the OS is Androids main advantage over iOS which limits it's users typically to doing it just one way. The downside to providing customization is the added complexity it also brings with it. Implementing a new feature in the OS will also bring a certain time frame before the applications can also start supporting the new feature.

The purpose for the new Do Not Disturb was to provide more granularity because a lot of users were not happy with the sweeping method the earlier method was using. Adding that customization will naturally also bring more complexity.

I've actually read similar comments on how confusing it is implemented... in fact that article I linked to has a title that states just that. So it certainly isn't an issue that just you have by any means. The only reason you may not be reading about it much yet, is that not a lot of users even knew the previous "Do Not Disturb" features were even there, so they weren't using them ( I know I wasn't even though I knew about it ).

Analogy ( even if it's a poor one )... If I were given a choice of a world with vanilla ice cream only... or one with 31 flavors... I'd pick the 31 flavors every time but I also know that I'd stand at the counter much longer trying to decide which one I wanted.

Adding features with many options will naturally bring with it more complexity. But by having that complexity, I'm more likely to have things setup more like I'd want them. Of course, it'd be nice if they had come up with a more elegant method ( if one even exists ) and they will likely tweak this one in time. At least they are trying to provide the customization options that their users are asking instead of just forcing us with only a single choice.

 

[cavepainter]

Hi, rdsok!

The version name is Nougant... not Soft Chewy Center...

Yes, the first sentence of my post called it such -- and the subject line refers to version 7.0.

I understand you are attempting to be derogatory ... but to me that attempt is actually looking childish instead. Call it what it is if you wish others to actually know what you are talking about or you will confuse others instead.

Interesting choice of words -- again, I did refer to it as V7.0 throughout the original post...but let's come back to the words "derogatory" and "childish" later...

The ability to customize the OS is Androids main advantage over iOS which limits it's users typically to doing it just one way. The downside to providing customization is the added complexity it also brings with it. ...
<major snip>
...Analogy ( even if it's a poor one )... If I were given a choice of a world with vanilla ice cream only... or one with 31 flavors... I'd pick the 31 flavors every time but I also know that I'd stand at the counter much longer trying to decide which one I wanted.

Not a poor analogy at all ...

... Adding features with many options will naturally bring with it more complexity. But by having that complexity, I'm more likely to have things setup more like I'd want them. Of course, it'd be nice if they had come up with a more elegant method ( if one even exists ) and they will likely tweak this one in time. At least they are trying to provide the customization options that their users are asking instead of just forcing us with only a single choice.

You've mentioned "complexity" numerous times and that is where we're at in the arc of this particular tech evolution: I believe there comes a point where we design apps or software or OSs to provide a high level of customization, and then a tipping point at which the intuitiveness we are striving for fails under the weight of the complexity created. Yes, they will likely tweak in response to user feedback and the pendulum will swing back (we hope) towards the intuitive side from the highly complex side. It is the bane of any developer's existence (not just in the tech biz) to make as many people happy as possible while trying not to piss off or alienate too many others.

Now, returning to this:

I understand you are attempting to be derogatory ... but to me that attempt is actually looking childish instead. Call it what it is if you wish others to actually know what you are talking about or you will confuse others instead.

I actually wasn't attempting to be derogatory. Clearly, I struck a nerve to elicit the response you provided. From my viewpoint, I started working with tech long before the Information Superhighway came along, back when we had intra-company proprietary communications systems, worldwide, because there was no such thing as electronic mail. Long before forums, as you know, there were bulletin boards with simple Courier font, nested sentences reflecting conversations on a boring blue screen. I was on those. I'm kinda old(er).

I've seen how hard developers work behind the scenes, seen sleepless nights, watched friends and family worry about their jobs because of a glitch or a bug that can't be worked out by the deadline, watched them scan thousands of lines of code with an ulcer forming...and then to have the end result of their hard work referred to as "Lollipop" or "Marshmallow" or "Nougat" churns my stomach. You guys create what is the backbone of modern society's communication system, apps on which businesses rely every day...and someone names the end result like it's a new type of candy. You are not creating a children's game. The names chosen for each new OS upgrade don't reflect the work you do, nor does it treat the end user with respect for having any intelligence whatsoever.

</rant>

P.S. Thank you for the input. At least you confirmed that I'm not missing something in how the new system is set up. Now, I've got to get back to work.

Cheers,
Allie

 

[lunatic59]

Have you tried (deep breath) settings>sound>do not disturb> priority only allows>messages>from starred contacts only? and then putting it priority mode?

If the purpose is to let only starred contacts get notifications through, then that should do it (at least it does for me)

For the record, nougat isn't soft and chewy just at the center. (And I chuckled more at calling MM notifications "George")

 

[rdsok]

And I was chuckling at calling us "you guys" as if we were working for Google and not just standard users.... [facepalm]

Well, it's not worth my time to go on... not when the OP is just wanting to complain and not even attempt to understand the reasoning behind the change

 

[Thom]

What is missing is that things do become more and more complicated as time goes on and option after option is added.

Eventually there is a spinoff where a minimal capability version is created and is maintained in parallel with the maximum capability version.

The unique thing about Android is that the apps Tasker and MacroDroid exist to allow users to gain control over their devices without learning to program.

My bottom line ... Android is the best environment and is of course not perfect. It fosters healthy competition.

... Thom

 

[cavepainter]

Have you tried (deep breath) settings>sound>do not disturb> priority only allows>messages>from starred contacts only? and then putting it priority mode?

If the purpose is to let only starred contacts get notifications through, then that should do it (at least it does for me)

Hey lunie,

So (deep breath) yes. That's what used to do it under the old 6.0 Squishy Blob of White Chemicals Usually Roasted Over a Fire on a Stick...I would even get the star in my notification bar. After V7.0 came out, no star...just the DND symbol. I didn't touch anything because I figured I wouldn't need to re-set anything...but then quickly realized that all incoming texts were popping in with sound notifications. After playing around with it for far too long (and resetting my DND/Priority Only a few too many times as well), I realized I had to set the Messages app to no notifications, then go through my text threads, find my starred contacts, and manually set each one in the threads themselves.

In the end, these changes make DND/Priority Only pretty much useless for the Messages app. The bright side is that it pushes me to move my priority contacts to Signal...which those contacts won't mind one bit. Then I'd just keep two different notification settings (one for each app). Itty bitty PITA.

For the record, nougat isn't soft and chewy just at the center. (And I chuckled more at calling MM notifications "George")

Haha! Now if you now the origins of that phrase (in other words, where Bugs Bunny got it from), you'll really be showing your age.

And I was chuckling at calling us "you guys" as if we were working for Google and not just standard users.... [facepalm]

And why is it a "facepalm"? Why not "foreheadpalm"?

Well, it's not worth my time to go on... not when the OP is just wanting to complain and not even attempt to understand the reasoning behind the change

Oh, do go on! I was just getting the popcorn out! I realize I did say "you guys" in reference to the developers...but you can jump in there as well if you wish.

I do understand the reasoning for the change...but again, it's makes a moot point of the blanket DND/Priority Only if each incoming text has to be handled individually.

I did ask for help with the issue. I was not looking merely to complain.

 

[lunatic59]

 

[doogald]

Well, undergroundchamberdecorator, I hope that you find a way to get this to work for you.

 

[Hadron]

Well, it's not worth my time to go on... not when the OP is just wanting to complain and not even attempt to understand the reasoning behind the change

The problem was that the article was about Marshmallow, while the OP's problem is with changes when "upgrading" from Marshmallow to Nougat.

Unfortunately not having ever used Nougat I can't offer any advice.

I've seen how hard developers work behind the scenes, seen sleepless nights, watched friends and family worry about their jobs because of a glitch or a bug that can't be worked out by the deadline, watched them scan thousands of lines of code with an ulcer forming...and then to have the end result of their hard work referred to as "Lollipop" or "Marshmallow" or "Nougat" churns my stomach.

I doubt that many of the people working on the OS have a problem with silly codenames though, any more than Ubuntu developers object to the alliterative animals. Heck, as a physicist I worked for a decade on an international scientific project named after a fictional elephant, and the other year we renamed an electronic module after a theropod dinosaur, and I don't think that any of us saw these bits of levity as disrespectful to the work we were doing.

That said, I enjoyed the "soft chewy centre", and will from now on think of my phone's OS as "sugar on a stick"

 

[Thom]

I use the number and not the name.

7.0 has a great new capability for all users ... two apps on the screen at the same time. Like a website showing things for sale in one half an your favorite calculator (mine is RealCalc) in the other half.

... Thom