iPad How to: show cellular signal in dB instead of dots?

[Ken Kaniff]

I posted this in the iPad section yesterday but no one was biting, so I'll try here.

I have a cellular rMini (Sprint)

Does anyone know how to make the cellular signal strength show dB instead of the dots? I have had this on all my iPhones and previous phones for years, but I'm not sure how to change it on the iPad as it obviously does not have a dialer app to punch in the *3001#12345#* code.

I'm also jail broken on 8.1 so if there's a tweak already that would be awesome.

I watched a YouTube video of a Russian guy editing a .plist file by adding a couple lines of code, but-

1. I think he was only changing the WiFi to show dB and-
2. It didn't work for me anyways.

I'm not against editing a file if I need to, as long as it actually works. I'll make the necessary backup of the file of course.

Thanks!

 

[BumpyFlatline]

Are you looking for something like Numeric GSM Enabler?

 

[Ken Kaniff]

Are you looking for something like Numeric GSM Enabler?

That's what I was looking for. Thanks! Just installed on my iPad and it does work.

The only thing that would make this better is a way to make it permanent like on the phone.

 

[BumpyFlatline]

That's what I was looking for. Thanks! Just installed on my iPad and it does work.

The only thing that would make this better is a way to make it permanent like on the phone.

Sorry bro. I've never used the tweak. Glad it sorta kinda works though, I guess? Haha

When you say make it permanent, what do you mean? Like every time you respring it goes back to bars? Or does it change back more often than that?

If it's something like that, I would email the dev directly through the Cydia option and ask him if he can add that.

 

[Ken Kaniff]

Sorry bro. I've never used the tweak. Glad it sorta kinda works though, I guess? Haha

When you say make it permanent, what do you mean? Like every time you respring it goes back to bars? Or does it change back more often than that?

If it's something like that, I would email the dev directly through the Cydia option and ask him if he can add that.

It works perfectly fine as it is. I'm not sure if it goes back on respring as I haven't yet performed a respring since activating it via its toggle in settings.

What I meant about permanent-

On the iPhone, after going into field test by dialing *3001#12345#* the dots change to dB. If you then do a hard reset using the home/power buttons, it will stay as dB until you go back into field test. If you restore the phone even, it stays if you restore from a backup etc. This method of using field test is of course all available from a completely stock untouched phone, no third party apps or tweaks necessary. No jailbreak necessary.

I'd love to do THAT on the iPad is what I meant. However, I'm satisfied with this tweak you've suggested until someone pipes up and explains how to do it without a tweak.

 

[fisherking]

you could try this: with cyberduck (or something), ssh into your ipad.
go to /User/Library/Preferences, find com.apple.springboard.plist

copy that to your computer. (make an unaltered copy and save it on your computer, just in case). delete the file from the ipad, REBOOT.

open the file (i use textwranger on my mac), and find SBShowGSMRSSI
change 'false' to 'true'.

place the changed file into the same location, reboot...

this MAY or may not work (i don't have an ipad). you've got the unaltered copy in case, and, as always, proceed with care...

 

[BumpyFlatline]

It works perfectly fine as it is. I'm not sure if it goes back on respring as I haven't yet performed a respring since activating it via its toggle in settings.

What I meant about permanent-

On the iPhone, after going into field test by dialing *3001#12345#* the dots change to dB. If you then do a hard reset using the home/power buttons, it will stay as dB until you go back into field test. If you restore the phone even, it stays if you restore from a backup etc. This method of using field test is of course all available from a completely stock untouched phone, no third party apps or tweaks necessary. No jailbreak necessary.

I'd love to do THAT on the iPad is what I meant. However, I'm satisfied with this tweak you've suggested until someone pipes up and explains how to do it without a tweak.

Ahhhh ok that makes sense. Well if fisherking's suggestion does not work, you'll at least be able to use this tweak for now. Glad it works!

 

[Ken Kaniff]

you could try this: with cyberduck (or something), ssh into your ipad.
go to /User/Library/Preferences, find com.apple.springboard.plist

copy that to your computer. (make an unaltered copy and save it on your computer, just in case). delete the file from the ipad, REBOOT.

open the file (i use textwranger on my mac), and find SBShowGSMRSSI
change 'false' to 'true'.

place the changed file into the same location, reboot...

this MAY or may not work (i don't have an ipad). you've got the unaltered copy in case, and, as always, proceed with care...

Thanks, I'll give that a shot when I get back to my laptop and see what happens.