[Q] Detecting homescreen - Android Software Development

Hey guys,
In an effort to 'hack' the Sense homescreen to use a custom launch/shortcut bar, I am creating an app that needs to know if the homescreen is currently visible. With this, I need some help.
I've been looking at four possibilities to do this:
1. constantly poll the window manager for the current activity. This works, however my battery doesn't like this and it's generally bad practice.
2. Use a widget to tell the service wether it's active. Too bad, Android doesn't seem to provide some kind of event to a widget when the homescreen is opened. Strange though, as you'd say this would be very useful when updating widgets. Am I overlooking something?
3. Watch the logcat or message broadcast. This works nicely to intercept a user moving away from the homescreen at it will output this when switching activities:
08-22 12:25:28.891: VERBOSE/HtcAppUsageStats(255): (launch app, package): (People, com.android.htccontacts)
I think I could intercept that, but then there's another problem. Pressing home broadcasts this message for com.htc.launcher, however using the back key (or even software options) to move back to the homescreen do not invoke this.
4. Intercept hardware presses. This seems rather hard when you don't want to actually do something with the presses. This combined with the above method would give me a decent way to see if the homescreen is active.
But all of those methods just don't work the way I want them to. Anyone got a clue on how to accomplish this? I don't mind if I require root access or some dirty programming, by the way. After all, it's some sort of a hack.
A push in the right direction would be very welcome

Quick kick. No one knows a solution for this?
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using XDA App

If this is just for sense, have you checked the openSense sdk?
From something awesome

I haven't really looked into this, I also have no experience with widgets, but using my general knowledge in how Android works, concerning 2), does the widget not receive a visibility change? I know for LiveWallpapers there is a void VisibilityChanged(boolean visible) method that allows it to update when visible. Do Widgets not have this?

killersnowman said:
If this is just for sense, have you checked the openSense sdk?
From something awesome
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Couldn't find the documentation of it. But it must be somewhere, this is indeed another option to look into.
Metastable said:
I haven't really looked into this, I also have no experience with widgets, but using my general knowledge in how Android works, concerning 2), does the widget not receive a visibility change? I know for LiveWallpapers there is a void VisibilityChanged(boolean visible) method that allows it to update when visible. Do Widgets not have this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've tried all the event listeners I could find in the reference. I don't remember the VisibilityChanged method thou, will look into that tonight. Otherwise I might be able to build a Live Wallpaper and hook it to a service.. Interesting
Thanks both!

Related

AnyCut and BetterCut no longer work

I searched high and low on xda and on google for a solution to this and couldn't find anything.
Has anyone else noticed that anycut and bettercut no longer work with the newest EVO update? I've been trying to create shortcuts and it will say Shortcut Created even though nothing was really created. Either that or it won't say anything at all.
Is there any other solution to creating your own icons on your phone? This was one of my favorite features and it pains me that it's gone because I'm developing my own phone icon set and I kind of NEED to have that ability to test how they look on the phone...
Are there any other apps that can do this with the new EVO update? Any alternate solutions?
I didn't notice this until you mentioned it. Is there any way around this? I really want to use some custom icons.

Programming help with views

I could use some help with an app I'm working on. I need to know how to control the views and work with which things are in focus. I also want it to work even while in the background so using a handler or something else is knowledge I could use help with. I've been sifting through the javadoc and multiple other forums and am pretty much stuck. Anyone with decent knowledge that would be willing to help me out should message me. Thanks in advance.
First I would move this to the Android dev forum
Android uses Intents to display and run processes. Activities are Intents (views)that you can actually see on the screen and Services are Intents that can be run in the background.
Starting on the Android dev site is really the best place to find the answers to the problems.
That and using the Android examples that come with the SDK. Good luck and I hope you were talking about Android! XD
I was talking about android so here's what i'm trying to do. I want to take in trackball movements and pretty much make it so they don't affect my program or others. I'm not sure how to make it so that requestFocus() will take whatever view is currently on the screen, capture it, and pretty much revert right back to it if the trackball is used. I've tried a lot of different things, but I have been stuck on this forever. Anyone know how to accomplish this because for the most part I think that the trackball is not documented all that well. Any suggestions would be great!
I would look at the http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/ui/ui-events.html , onTrackballEvent(MotionEvent) . You should be able to override that in your service, and just process the motion however you want and not call super.onTrackballEvent();
The problem is that although onTrackBall does captures events, it does not capture all of them. In the docs it says that the method will handle all events not already handled by a view. So I guess my question overall is how do you do just that? Take in every trackball movement no matter what view is reading it? Whether it be another app or anything else. How would I capture the remaining movements?
So after a bit more research here's what I've come up with for what I need to do. Either access the event queue or make it so any time the trackball is used, whether on the homescreen or something else, my application will be able to take these events and manipulate then as i need to. So anyone willing to help with this? I figure I need to make a thread, but how do I get it to read in other applications readings? Is this even possible?

Tasker Question.

I believe that by using Tasker, we can set up multiple task executions ata set time or situation. I haven't tried it myself but I'm planning to now. I just need some info on how to make it work. Most importantly, if it can do THIS:
LEGEND:
A = An App
B = Titanium Backup
C = Another app
IF - LAUNCH - A - THEN - LAUNCH - B - COMMAND - B - FREEZE - C.
In simple terms, is it possible to have Tasker run Titanium Backup and freeze an app whenever a designated app is launched? Basically, launching a specified app will 'trigger' Titanium Backup to be launched and freeze another app.
I hope I'm not confusing anyone.
Thanks, XDA! I'm so proud to be a part of this community.
It looks like you might be able to. I'm unfamiliar with tasker... But the dev does have something of a user manual on the site. You may want to start there.
http://tasker.dinglisch.net/userguide/en/index.html
Tried tinkering around. Couldn't get anywhere with this. Is there an existing guide somewhere in these forums that I might have missed? Can anyone please point me at the right direction? :'(
Well, I'm fairly new to Tasker myself, but there's no easy "tap, tap, scroll, tap, done" way to do it as far as I can tell. Post #3 here gives a suggested way forward (same question as yours only with a time context instead of an app) but it is quite technical and certainly beyond my understanding at this point.
Otherwise you could ask on the Tasker forum. The developer seems to answer most threads, even if only to say something's not possible.
Can I ask why you need to freeze an app on the fly like that? Maybe if you explain it a little, there could be a workaround.
selection16 said:
Well, I'm fairly new to Tasker myself, but there's no easy "tap, tap, scroll, tap, done" way to do it as far as I can tell. Post #3 here gives a suggested way forward (same question as yours only with a time context instead of an app) but it is quite technical and certainly beyond my understanding at this point.
Otherwise you could ask on the Tasker forum. The developer seems to answer most threads, even if only to say something's not possible.
Can I ask why you need to freeze an app on the fly like that? Maybe if you explain it a little, there could be a workaround.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I found out that one of my apps doesn't work when the other app is installed or active. I really liked the app in question, so I made an experiment to freeze all apps until I found the culprit. I did found it. That's why I'm trying to check if it can be achieved.
Have you tried just killing the app?
Context: Application > App A
Task: App > Kill App > App C (and most likely check "Use Root")
You may want to add an exit task to restart App C after you're done with App A.
If it works, that would stop it running in the background. The problem is that Android 2.2 and upwards have changes to stop an app being able to kill another app. It's inconsistent though - I've tested it on about 6 apps and it has worked on 2, so it's maybe worth a shot if you haven't tried.
If you or anyone else is still interested, this is easy to do. Just use the Secure Settings plugin, specifically it's Package Manager option, and disable or enable to have the same effect as freeze/unfreeze. TB isn't required.
selection16 said:
If you or anyone else is still interested, this is easy to do. Just use the Secure Settings plugin, specifically it's Package Manager option, and disable or enable to have the same effect as freeze/unfreeze. TB isn't required.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much!!!
I downloaded the sample tasker app that expires in 7 days from their website and installed it. I can run tasker, enter code and save, and the icon shows it as running when I quit out to test my code. I can't get anything to work using code examples from the wiki for simple items such as action at preset time. I am running CyanogenMod 7.2.0 is this causing my problem?

ExtensibilityApp class in WP 8.1 Silverlight

Hi all,
If you've read the text that USED to exist here before, scratch that. Big Thanks to @Sunius1 for clarifying what I thought was a win. Due to this, I DID find something interesting in regards to the ExtensibilityApp class (Windows.Phone.System.LockscreenExtensibility.ExtensibilityApp). I happened to also find a hidden capability "ID_CAP_SHELL_DEVICE_LOCK_UI_API" (Seems to be a locked CAP because it only works on Emulator. I get a deployment error on my if I try including this capability). I suspected that these two worked together, but I wanted to make sure of this.
Before we get started, read through the documentation from this site: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/lib...lockscreenextensibility.extensibilityapp.aspx.
We have the following methods:
BeginUnlock
EndUnlock
GetLockPinpadHeight
IsLockScreenApplicationRegistered
IsSystemOverlayApplicationRegistered
RaiseToastNotifications
RegisterLockScreenApplication
RegisterSystemOverlayApplication
UnregisterLockScreenApplication
UnregisterSystemOverlayApplication
EDIT: After the release of the Live Lock Screen app, my speculations about the ID_SHELL_CAP_DEVICE_UI_API capability and the ExtensibilityApp object were correct. Thanks to @jessenic for finding out a good bit of info on this with me.
It seems that in order to get this working, we have to add an Extension to the WMAppManifest.xml
<Extension ExtensionName="LockScreen_Application" ConsumerID="XXXXX" TaskID="_default" ExtraFile="Extensions\\LockAppExtension.xml" />
In the LockAppExtension.xml:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<x:Extension xmlns:x="urn:LockApp">
<AppID>AppNameForLockScreen</AppID>
</x:Extension>
As usual, Microsoft doesn't really give us much in terms of documentation.. Probably because it isn't meant to be used by the normal developer Confirmed: For now we have to actually ask for permission in order to use the cap. As to whether we'll get that granted? Who knows....
All of these methods have no parameters at all, but I can almost guarantee this has to do with having an application that can control the lock screen.
This thread will be for efforts in breaking this open and seeing whether we can create lockscreen applications..
Homebrew Lockscreen Apps:
Lockscreen App by @-W_O_L_F-
There are actually two Windows.winmd files in Windows Phone SDK, one for Silverlight 8.1 apps and one for Jupiter 8.1 phone apps (located in C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Phone Silverlight Kits\8.1\ and C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Phone Kits\8.1\). There's only one the phone. And some APIs support only one app type (it's phone limitation it seems: faking .winmd file results in Platform::InvalidOperationException, saying you cannot use that API from this app type). That explains why the one on the phone has more APIs available than either of for single app type.
As for LockscreenExtensibility - it's documented, just not available for Jupiter apps:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/lib...ows.phone.system.lockscreenextensibility.aspx
Sunius1 said:
There are actually two Windows.winmd files in Windows Phone SDK, one for Silverlight 8.1 apps and one for Jupiter 8.1 phone apps (located in C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Phone Silverlight Kits\8.1\ and C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Phone Kits\8.1\). There's only one the phone. And some APIs support only one app type (it's phone limitation it seems: faking .winmd file results in Platform::InvalidOperationException, saying you cannot use that API from this app type). That explains why the one on the phone has more APIs available than either of for single app type.
As for LockscreenExtensibility - it's documented, just not available for Jupiter apps:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/lib...ows.phone.system.lockscreenextensibility.aspx
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well that is very good to know! Thanks for the clarification. The best part is that I was actually able to compile without receiving an error (somehow).
I found something that may be of use in order to get the LockscreenExtensibility working (I just tried on a Silverlight 8.1 app and got access denied).
<Capability Name= "ID_CAP_SHELL_DEVICE_LOCK_UI_API"/> <----. Can't be used OOTB
EDIT: I just tested this in the Emulator and it really IS the capability that the LockscreenExtensibility needs in order for it to work.
snickler said:
I found something that may be of use in order to get the LockscreenExtensibility working (I just tried on a Silverlight 8.1 app and got access denied).
<Capability Name= "ID_CAP_SHELL_DEVICE_LOCK_UI_API"/> <----. Can't be used OOTB
EDIT: I just tested this in the Emulator and it really IS the capability that the LockscreenExtensibility needs in order for it to work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I assume this is the thing Rudy Hyun used to create the lockscreen app at Build?
TheInterframe said:
I assume this is the thing Rudy Hyun used to create the lockscreen app at Build?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I speculate that this is what he's using. I bet there's more going on that we have yet to figure out. It also could be that the base class EXISTS, but the full implementation isn't available yet. Who knows.
snickler said:
I speculate that this is what he's using. I bet there's more going on that we have yet to figure out. It also could be that the base class EXISTS, but the full implementation isn't available yet. Who knows.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, Yes that makes sense. I wonder if there are any other "half-baked" API's in the SDK?
Edit: I Know it sounds stupid but honestly I think we should have a thread dedicated to finding odd API's (Just found one: Windows.Phone.System.SystemProtection, nothing terribly useful though)
TheInterframe said:
Ah, Yes that makes sense. I wonder if there are any other "half-baked" API's in the SDK?
Edit: I Know it sounds stupid but honestly I think we should have a thread dedicated to finding odd API's (Just found one: Windows.Phone.System.SystemProtection, nothing terribly useful though)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
there are also some hidden APIs in the current SDK for 3D Touch-enabled Apps!
From WP Central:
Some of the features include APIs for gestures, side interactions and even heat maps.
Crazy stuff.
Believe it or not, some of these APIs for developers are in the current SDK, they're just not visible. What this mean though is developers will have access to this 3D Touch technology for their apps. It also means that Microsoft will have a small batch of third-party apps supporting this 3D Touch technology on launch day.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
source: http://www.wpcentral.com/microsofts-next-flagship-windows-phone-november-3d-touch
Yea, even though those 3D touch APIs may be available, they're not particularly useful, as they require special hardware to work.
Sunius1 said:
Yea, even though those 3D touch APIs may be available, they're not particularly useful, as they require special hardware to work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is true. Sort of of a side question though, has anyone made a OEM account and looked over the API documentation there? There maybe some useful things we could learn about WP and maybe further a jailbreak for all WP devices....
TheInterframe said:
That is true. Sort of of a side question though, has anyone made a OEM account and looked over the API documentation there? There maybe some useful things we could learn about WP and maybe further a jailbreak for all WP devices....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
API isn't much useful as long as you cant really use most of functions due to policies.
ultrashot said:
API isn't much useful as long as you cant really use most of functions due to policies.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, Yes that makes sense....
http://www.wpcentral.com/joe-belfiore-announces-new-updates-sheds-details-lock-screen-app
Sounds like there will be a dev preview update to enable lockscreen functionality quite soon. Joe also mentioned keeping the lock screen in memory. So 512 MB devices won't get the functionality soon....
Good stuff. Another question: can apps show the action center? Because I want code an app to show notifications on lockscreen. Thanks
Marocco2 said:
Good stuff. Another question: can apps show the action center? Because I want code an app to show notifications on lockscreen. Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
something to force the volume/music control on the lock screen to automatically open would be really useful as well
Updated first post with some more data since the Live Lockscreen App debuted yesterday. There's more I didn't get into, but I want others to dig in and find out
I suppose we can only speculate how it works at this point, but if I had to guess, it goes like this:
1. You have 2 projects in your LockScreenApp solution, one for the application to register the lockscreen, and the second one for the actual lock screen application.
2. The former would use ExtensibilityApp APIs to register the the second one, coupled with the manifests so it's all "valid".
3. The second application is just a another app that is able to process input and draw whatever it wants on the screen. That would explain why there's a delay at it starting when you press lock screen button while the phone is sleeping (probably it's a time for .NET to startup? Direct3D app should be able to start much faster).
Although this is only speculation, I think this makes sense, because that's how background tasks work on Windows, at least. I wonder though, why Microsoft is not releasing the APIs to be used in public - are they afraid somebody will make a lockscreen application that will drain the battery fast or something?
Sunius1 said:
I suppose we can only speculate how it works at this point, but if I had to guess, it goes like this:
1. You have 2 projects in your LockScreenApp solution, one for the application to register the lockscreen, and the second one for the actual lock screen application.
2. The former would use ExtensibilityApp APIs to register the the second one, coupled with the manifests so it's all "valid".
3. The second application is just a another app that is able to process input and draw whatever it wants on the screen. That would explain why there's a delay at it starting when you press lock screen button while the phone is sleeping (probably it's a time for .NET to startup? Direct3D app should be able to start much faster).
Although this is only speculation, I think this makes sense, because that's how background tasks work on Windows, at least. I wonder though, why Microsoft is not releasing the APIs to be used in public - are they afraid somebody will make a lockscreen application that will drain the battery fast or something?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think its that but most likely the fact that the API is un-optimized, some of the facts you stated (i.e. Slow start up, documentation is lacking) etc... The fact the OS needs to be updated to show a section telling the user what lock screen app has taken over (since the setting page doesn't now)
Edit: Remember what Joe said about keeping the lockscreen in memory and 512MB devices might not be supported for that reason? Yeah seems like they aren't doing that since you can see the resume time for the lo screen is wayyy to much
Sunius1 said:
I suppose we can only speculate how it works at this point, but if I had to guess, it goes like this:
1. You have 2 projects in your LockScreenApp solution, one for the application to register the lockscreen, and the second one for the actual lock screen application.
2. The former would use ExtensibilityApp APIs to register the the second one, coupled with the manifests so it's all "valid".
3. The second application is just a another app that is able to process input and draw whatever it wants on the screen. That would explain why there's a delay at it starting when you press lock screen button while the phone is sleeping (probably it's a time for .NET to startup? Direct3D app should be able to start much faster).
Although this is only speculation, I think this makes sense, because that's how background tasks work on Windows, at least. I wonder though, why Microsoft is not releasing the APIs to be used in public - are they afraid somebody will make a lockscreen application that will drain the battery fast or something?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are correct. Two projects: One is the settings page, which is the main entrypoint of the app when it's opened from the start menu and the second one is the actual lockscreen app.
The settings page uses the ExtensibilityApp APIs to register the second one as a lock screen application. That second application is another 8.1 Silverlight app that uses a LockScreen_Bridge WinRT component that has native access to read what is shown on the lockscreen from the WP Settings item.
It then uses some storyboards to make it do different things as you're swiping up and down on the LayoutRoot grid. It does use a timer so that's where that little lag comes from.
The only background stuff it's doing is latching on to system events ("Start button being touched for example").
I can see where MS would be protective of this. They DID say that they would be releasing a public version of the API at some point. I'm hoping it's not one of the situations that leaves it public only when they've approved you to be able to use it.
It does suck that it's restricted to 8.1 Silverlight though. I could see some Music Apps wanting to take advantage of the lockscreen like this.
snickler said:
You are correct. Two projects: One is the settings page, which is the main entrypoint of the app when it's opened from the start menu and the second one is the actual lockscreen app.
The settings page uses the ExtensibilityApp APIs to register the second one as a lock screen application. That second application is another 8.1 Silverlight app that uses a LockScreen_Bridge WinRT component that has native access to read what is shown on the lockscreen from the WP Settings item.
It then uses some storyboards to make it do different things as you're swiping up and down on the LayoutRoot grid. It does use a timer so that's where that little lag comes from.
The only background stuff it's doing is latching on to system events ("Start button being touched for example").
I can see where MS would be protective of this. They DID say that they would be releasing a public version of the API at some point. I'm hoping it's not one of the situations that leaves it public only when they've approved you to be able to use it.
It does suck that it's restricted to 8.1 Silverlight though. I could see some Music Apps wanting to take advantage of the lockscreen like this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Quite interesting...!
The API in itself is quite powerful, custom lockscreens with weather animations are possible! http://wmpoweruser.com/wp8-1-live-l...amazing-lock-screen-weather-animations-video/

[Q] How to set intent on the Nook Simple Touch to open "Reading Now"?

I am not at all a wizard in code, so if anyone could help me set an intent to open "reading now" on the Nook Simple Touch, that would be really helpful. I'm using it to have a "reading now" link on my desktop with an app. It lets me copy and paste any intent I want into it, and I thought this one would be handy. The app is Desktop VisualiseR.
ALinkToTao said:
I am not at all a wizard in code, so if anyone could help me set an intent to open "reading now" on the Nook Simple Touch, that would be really helpful. I'm using it to have a "reading now" link on my desktop with an app. It lets me copy and paste any intent I want into it, and I thought this one would be handy. The app is Desktop VisualiseR.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have it, but not with me. Search the forum for Reading Now. It's there somewhere. Or when I return from vacation...
Edit: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=20046625&postcount=5
nmyshkin said:
I have it, but not with me. Search the forum for Reading Now. It's there somewhere. Or when I return from vacation...
Edit: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=20046625&postcount=5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks brother. I appreciate it.
No hurry on a response, but I'm still trying to figure this out.
So what I'm trying to do is use Desktop VisualizeR to open the reader via the "Reading Now" Intent. I am making a very simple and intuitive browser like the one you have made, @nmyshkin for my friends and family who are not at all techie.
Here that post you referred me to below:
ros87 said:
No, not directly in Reader, but you can do it like this:
Code:
am broadcast -a com.bn.nook.launch.LAST_BOOK -n com.bn.nook.home/.HomeBroadcastReceiver
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here is a desktop I'm playing with. These images won't be the final product, but I would like to make an eye image that directly opens "Reading Now"
In the Desktop VisualizeR Widget, I go to "Select Action"-->"Clipboard" (with this exact text copied in the clipboard without quotes: "am broadcast -a com.bn.nook.launch.LAST_BOOK -n com.bn.nook.home/.HomeBroadcastReceiver" )
All I get are two options which pertain to "MX Player" which is merely a video player I have installed. Choosing either one of these and tapping to widget to run it yields no results. Is there a particular way to format the intent for Desktop VisualizeR to run it?
By the way, this homescreen thing is looking awesome! Here is what I've got now!
So I've been messing with using SMWidgets to create a shortcut with the "Eye" symbol on my desktop using this procedure here:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1509030
Here were my results:
I was disappointed to find that the reader app did not launch, and the Script Manager app stayed with that message. I don't honestly know what it means. Anyone know what would be better to input?
ALinkToTao said:
In the Desktop VisualizeR Widget, I go to "Select Action"-->"Clipboard"/B]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just got into Cairo. You've been busy. To my knowledge the clipboard does not work on the NST, at least not for me, so there's one thing.
I can easily create an app with Tasker that does the Reading Now thing. But not without my NST. Would that work?
nmyshkin said:
Just got into Cairo. You've been busy. To my knowledge the clipboard does not work on the NST, at least not for me, so there's one thing.
I can easily create an app with Tasker that does the Reading Now thing. But not without my NST. Would that work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It would, for sure!
I have gotten the clipboard to work in the attempt to do this! It works with the attached keyboard app "Multiling Keyboard". There is an option to switch to a keyboard that has arrow keys, select all, copy, paste, cut, delete, etc.
nmyshkin said:
Just got into Cairo. You've been busy. To my knowledge the clipboard does not work on the NST, at least not for me, so there's one thing.
I can easily create an app with Tasker that does the Reading Now thing. But not without my NST. Would that work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What might be better is if you're going to use tasker, to send me a backup of the macro that you create for the reading now action. That may suffice instead of writing a whole new app. I will probably install tasker since I already have so many tasker apps running it may save some RAM that way, not sure. I can also use tasker for other options on the desktop like toggling wifi etc. The attached version of tasker is the one I know is the latest and best for the NST.
Whichever is easier for you to do is whatever works for me. I really appreciate your help, and hope you have a wonderful and unforgettable trip in Cairo.
ALinkToTao said:
What might be better is if you're going to use tasker, to send me a backup of the macro that you create for the reading now action. That may suffice instead of writing a whole new app. I will probably install tasker since I already have so many tasker apps running it may save some RAM that way, not sure. I can also use tasker for other options on the desktop like toggling wifi etc. The attached version of tasker is the one I know is the latest and best for the NST.
Whichever is easier for you to do is whatever works for me. I really appreciate your help, and hope you have a wonderful and unforgettable trip in Cairo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, when I get home. In the meantime you might try just
com.bn.nook.launch.LAST_BOOK
as the intent. Seems like that's what's in the RN Menu app, although that might be in a shell which I'm not seeing. Not sure of the intent format for DesktopVisualizer.
nmyshkin said:
Yeah, when I get home. In the meantime you might try just
com.bn.nook.launch.LAST_BOOK
as the intent. Seems like that's what's in the RN Menu app, although that might be in a shell which I'm not seeing. Not sure of the intent format for DesktopVisualizer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank! I'll try that and let you know.
ALinkToTao said:
I was disappointed to find that the reader app did not launch, and the Script Manager app stayed with that message.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't have to put the component name in, that is no "-n com.bn....."
The broadcast receiver component might have changed in different versions.
The newer Nooks seem to use com.bn.nook.intent.action.OPEN_LAST_READ_BOOK
ALinkToTao said:
What might be better is if you're going to use tasker, to send me a backup of the macro that you create for the reading now action. That may suffice instead of writing a whole new app. I will probably install tasker since I already have so many tasker apps running it may save some RAM that way, not sure. I can also use tasker for other options on the desktop like toggling wifi etc. The attached version of tasker is the one I know is the latest and best for the NST.
Whichever is easier for you to do is whatever works for me. I really appreciate your help, and hope you have a wonderful and unforgettable trip in Cairo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, so here is a simple little app and the xml task file that is used to create it. You can, of course, assign a different icon using DesktopVisualiser.
Awesome, man! I will try it!
ALinkToTao said:
I have gotten the clipboard to work in the attempt to do this! It works with the attached keyboard app "Multiling Keyboard". There is an option to switch to a keyboard that has arrow keys, select all, copy, paste, cut, delete, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've installed this but can't figure out what to do with it! The first "step" (1. Enable Multiling) says it cannot do an autosetup so see the FAQ. This I did, but nowhere can I find anything about how to proceed with the app
Any pointers on set-up or somewhere you can point me that actually tells you how to do it?
@nmyshkin Here's a way to easily access the copy paste function when typing: In the multiling app go to "keyboard settings" then go to "gestures" each section you see here refers to a different swipe on the keyboard ims over the keys when its active. I know the second one programs a swipe to the right and the fourth is a swipe left. Program one of these to "toggle mode". Swipe your gesture when ims is active.
You will see what you want here.
Swipe again to switch back to QWERTY keyboard.
Try that.
ALinkToTao said:
@nmyshkin Here's a way to easily access the copy paste function when typing: In the multiling app go to "keyboard settings" then go to "gestures" each section you see here refers to a different swipe on the keyboard ims over the keys when its active. I know the second one programs a swipe to the right and the fourth is a swipe left. Program one of these to "toggle mode". Swipe your gesture when ims is active.
You will see what you want here.
Swipe again to switch back to QWERTY keyboard.
Try that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I finally figured all that out. My big hurdle was how to get the NST to use the keyboard instead of stock. It can be done using sqlite but I ended up using Nook Color Tools for the first (and last) time and in the process initiating an erase/deregister which made me very unhappy
Having trouble with the dictionary plugin at the moment. I have the keyboard app in system/app but installed the dictionary plugin as normal. Maybe that was a mistake.
But...it's almost back to where it was before the event, then I'll make a more current backup.
Edit: I finally got the dictionary plugin so that it's not whining about memory issues, but it does not seem to do anything.
More importantly, I can only seem to select ALL when using copy/paste. Is there a way to select only part of something? Also the function does not work in all contexts, for example in Documents to Go.
Edit-Edit: Well, I figured out the selection process for copy/paste. Who knew the "shift" key was needed to bound the area to copy? I'm sure this keyboard can do lots of things but it's profoundly lacking in any material to explain how they can be done. Still can't get the word suggestions to work, which is probably just as well since I immediately turn that off on my other devices.
I tried to get word suggestions to work for that keyboard, as it's my go-to keyboard on my Atrix 4g, but it never worked for me on the NST. If it did, that would be my daily user. I use ICS keyboard which actually has autocorrect. It's the only one I know of that works for it. If multiling had autocorrect, I wouldn't switch between the two on the NST.
ALinkToTao said:
I tried to get word suggestions to work for that keyboard, as it's my go-to keyboard on my Atrix 4g, but it never worked for me on the NST. If it did, that would be my daily user. I use ICS keyboard which actually has autocorrect. It's the only one I know of that works for it. If multiling had autocorrect, I wouldn't switch between the two on the NST.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mmm....OK. Whilst looking for an "ICS keyboard" in the YalpStore I was bemused to find that while I had typed "ics keyboard" what appeared in the search box was "Icarus keyboard". First time I noticed something like that and exactly why I always turn this "feature" off on all my devices. Perhaps removing the plugin will squelch that behavior.
Meanwhile, can you give me a link for the ICS keyboard you mention?
Edit: On further investigation, there is definitely auto"correction" going on as I type. What is missing is the typical display of potential substitutions and therefore any way to specify a choice. It just does what it wants by its own arcane rules.
In addition to having the English plugin installed, in the Settings for the Multiling keyboard under "Word suggestion settings" I originally had the first three selections checked as well as "Quick fixes" and "User dictionary". For me, this produced the behavior described.
I was able to stop auto"correct" by unchecking the first two options. This greyed-out everything else in the category.
nmyshkin said:
Mmm....OK. Whilst looking for an "ICS keyboard" in the YalpStore I was bemused to find that while I had typed "ics keyboard" what appeared in the search box was "Icarus keyboard". First time I noticed something like that and exactly why I always turn this "feature" off on all my devices. Perhaps removing the plugin will squelch that behavior.
Meanwhile, can you give me a link for the ICS keyboard you mention?
Edit: On further investigation, there is definitely auto"correction" going on as I type. What is missing is the typical display of potential substitutions and therefore any way to specify a choice. It just does what it wants by its own arcane rules.
In addition to having the English plugin installed, in the Settings for the Multiling keyboard under "Word suggestion settings" I originally had the first three selections checked as well as "Quick fixes" and "User dictionary". For me, this produced the behavior described.
I was able to stop auto"correct" by unchecking the first two options. This greyed-out everything else in the category.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm so sorry I haven't responded to your request for this. I've been busy building a house (a tiny house) to live in for my girlfriend and I. It's coming along very well, I have to say.
I've attached the apk file.
ALinkToTao said:
I'm so sorry I haven't responded to your request for this. I've been busy building a house (a tiny house) to live in for my girlfriend and I. It's coming along very well, I have to say.
I've attached the apk file.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. I'll take a look at it. I gave up on the other alternate keyboard. While it was able to copy and paste within an app, it didn't seem to have true clipboard capabilities to carry a line of text or a URL from one app to another. That's what I'd really like.

Categories

Resources