1.60 as Launcher

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Wed May 03, 2017 5:30 pm
roussell offline
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1.60 as Launcher

Ok, so I'm salivating at the prospect of using DomoPad as a launcher. I'm trying to set up a control page with URI links to other apps as I would in iOS, however I can't figure out the scheme to save my life! Is there a way to launch an intent from a uri scheme, or should I be doing this a different way? I've tried:

intent://{intent to launch}
{intent}:

Google has been zero help to me, iOS stuff all over the place, but nothing for Android. Is what I'm trying even possible? If not, what would you recommend as a way to launch other Android apps from within Domppad?

Terry

Posted on
Wed May 03, 2017 9:56 pm
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Re: 1.60 as Launcher

I hadn't given much thought (yet) about an intuitive way to launch applications from the user's perspective... but something better than Android's current handling would be ideal. Currently I pass along the URL to the Android system as a VIEW request. So any application that registers a URL scheme and is marked as "browseable" could be invoked. Unfortunately, I don't know if there is an easy way to get that information...

Technically, it would look something like:
Code: Select all
intent://scan/#Intent;scheme=zxing;package=com.google.zxing.client.android;end

(the above example is from the Google developer docs)

I'm kind of thinking a bit friendlier approach, though, would be for the app to expose its own custom scheme such as "launch://[app package name]" and instead of a specific intent, just request the app as if from the home launcher. What thinks you on that?

Adam

Posted on
Thu May 04, 2017 6:40 am
roussell offline
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Re: 1.60 as Launcher

RogueProeliator wrote:
... I'm kind of thinking a bit friendlier approach, though, would be for the app to expose its own custom scheme such as "launch://[app package name]" and instead of a specific intent, just request the app as if from the home launcher. What thinks you on that?
Adam


That sounds good, Adam. This is getting exciting!

Terry

Posted on
Thu May 04, 2017 11:13 pm
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Re: 1.60 as Launcher

Just released a new version to beta that allows launching any application from a control page (applies to all, not just running as a Home screen). Just choose the "Client action" of "Go to External URL" and use the format:

launch://[package name]

For example, on my Pixel to launch the standard clock application, I use:
launch://com.android.deskclock

Adam

Posted on
Fri May 05, 2017 8:12 am
roussell offline
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Re: 1.60 as Launcher

Adam this is freaking brilliant! It's working great! Using a combination of the Google Play apks, LauncherHijack V2, and DomoPad, I can make the Fire Tablet act just like a dedicated interface for Indigo!! The only thing is that the tablet still boots to the lockscreen (can't change that without rooting), but a simple swipe takes me to DomoPad. I'll have to post a how to this weekend. Start to end it's 10-15 minutes tops with no rooting, just awesome.

The only thing I noticed, is that the control page with the app launcher buttons had to be viewed in Native node, rather than Web format -at first(?). If the page was viewed in Web Format the launch:// would not work; upon taping a button linked to a launch:// action, the screen would blank out for a couple of seconds and the return to the previous list of control pages. I long-pressed the control page that has the launcher icons on it, and selected "View In Native Display" and it worked from that point forward, even across reboots, AND even with Control Page Options --> View Method still set to Web format in Settings. Do the individual long-press view options persist independently and override the "master" view settings? Kinda cool if it does, as I've been thinking about a hacked web format page to display a color picker for Hue. That's why I had DomoPad set to Web format in the first place.

Anyway, thanks again, this is one of the best parts of Indigo!! Matt, Jay - are you guys paying attention???? Hire this man and give him the Mobile and Control Page builder sections of Indigo!!

Terry

Posted on
Fri May 05, 2017 9:46 am
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Re: 1.60 as Launcher

Adam this is freaking brilliant! It's working great! Using a combination of the Google Play apks, LauncherHijack V2, and DomoPad, I can make the Fire Tablet act just like a dedicated interface for Indigo!! The only thing is that the tablet still boots to the lockscreen (can't change that without rooting), but a simple swipe takes me to DomoPad. I'll have to post a how to this weekend. Start to end it's 10-15 minutes tops with no rooting, just awesome.

That would be cool -- and the same basic guide would likely work on the "el cheapo Chinese tablets" that several have been buying - just skip the Google Play installation sections. So the Fire cannot turn off the lock screen or just after reboot?

as I've been thinking about a hacked web format page to display a color picker for Hue. That's why I had DomoPad set to Web format in the first place.

Honestly, I'd love to drop the Web View section as it is a PITA sometimes when Google updates things (since it is a browser, you have to deal with browser and security changes, for instance). I did not explicitly handle the loading of application in there before I sent it to beta, but I have that change done, I believe. You may have run into some cached handler having loaded it once in Native mode - not sure there TBH.

I've been thinking about a hacked web format page to display a color picker for Hue. That's why I had DomoPad set to Web format in the first place.

Or you could just request that we build a color picker into DomoPad and not have to go Web view. #justsayin'. There are a few features that simply won't work in the Web View mode that make it less than ideal. Popup control pages, any future custom logic to require a login/PIN to access features, etc.

Anyway, thanks again, this is one of the best parts of Indigo!! Matt, Jay - are you guys paying attention???? Hire this man and give him the Mobile and Control Page builder sections of Indigo!!

LOL, thanks for the vote of confidence -- I'm glad people are using and enjoying the app!

Posted on
Fri May 05, 2017 11:38 am
roussell offline
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Re: 1.60 as Launcher

So the Fire cannot turn off the lock screen or just after reboot?

Nope, I guess Amazon disabled turning off the lock screen since it shows ads on the lock screen. It'd be nice if when you pay the extra $20 to remove lock-screen ads, they'd return the functionality, but they don't. It's a minor annoyance at this point as once mounted on the wall they are rarely rebooted, or locked. There's no password (unless you set one), so it's just a swipe to open.

Or you could just request that we build a color picker into DomoPad and not have to go Web view.

Consider it requested! I know you were waiting to see what M&J might be doing with regard to CP and designer changes, but as an interim step, I liked what we discussed a while ago; custom coded values in a variable or some other Indigo control that would be translated into a different control in DomoPad. perhaps a ColorPicker device that in the Indigo CP designer just shows a default static image to be used as a place holder, but gets translated into a real color picker device in DomoPad. You could do the same with lists boxes , or have some sort of variable substitution such that when DomoPad encounters a variable on a CP containing the value
Code: Select all
{listbox: [Item 1(selected), Item 2, Item 3, Item 4][linecolor=00FF00, linewidth=2px, font=Tahoma, fontsize=18]}

It would display
Screen Shot 2017-05-05 at 12.33.00 PM.png
Screen Shot 2017-05-05 at 12.33.00 PM.png (7.29 KiB) Viewed 4633 times

You could even do the same with multi-line boxes and and html windows (which would be great for viewing camera streams)!!!

So official requests: :wink:
Color Picker
Multi-line select boxes
HTML window

LOL, thanks for the vote of confidence -- I'm glad people are using and enjoying the app!


Anytime man, thanks for the awesome addition to Indigo!
Terry

Posted on
Thu May 11, 2017 11:25 am
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Re: 1.60 as Launcher

roussell wrote:
It's a minor annoyance at this point as once mounted on the wall they are rarely rebooted, or locked


I guess I'm dumb, or just super new to Android/Fire (both might be true too) but how do you set the Fire to not go to a lock screen? I don't see it in Settings.

SmartThings refugee, so happy to be on Indigo. Monterey on a base M1 Mini w/Harmony Hub, Hue, DomoPad, Dynamic URL, Device Extensions, HomeKitLink, Grafana, Plex, uniFAP, Fantastic Weather, Nanoleaf, LED Simple Effects, Bond Home, Camect.

Posted on
Thu May 11, 2017 12:04 pm
roussell offline
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Re: 1.60 as Launcher

Enable developer options, I'm going from memory but its something like:

Settings-->Device Options, then scroll down to the the serial number field (I think that's the one) and tap it like 7-8 times. It will give you a "taps left" countdown at some point and then enable developer options. Click on developer options and there is a setting to Stay Awake when charging. Enable that one.

Terry

Posted on
Thu May 11, 2017 12:25 pm
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Re: 1.60 as Launcher

Not sure on the fire, but most of Google owned ones you use the Build Number field. So if Terry's suggestion does not work, try same thing on that field.

Posted on
Thu May 11, 2017 12:54 pm
roussell offline
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Re: 1.60 as Launcher

RogueProeliator wrote:
Not sure on the fire, but most of Google owned ones you use the Build Number field. So if Terry's suggestion does not work, try same thing on that field.


Maybe it is the Build Number - it's some kind of number field :lol: , I'm going from a rusty memory so I am most certainly forgetting something. Just scroll to the bottom and start tapping man!

Terry

Posted on
Thu May 11, 2017 1:22 pm
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Re: 1.60 as Launcher

Found it! Thanks.

SmartThings refugee, so happy to be on Indigo. Monterey on a base M1 Mini w/Harmony Hub, Hue, DomoPad, Dynamic URL, Device Extensions, HomeKitLink, Grafana, Plex, uniFAP, Fantastic Weather, Nanoleaf, LED Simple Effects, Bond Home, Camect.

Posted on
Fri May 12, 2017 10:43 am
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Re: 1.60 as Launcher

Checking the Play Store, I don't see anything called Laucher Hijacker. Anyone have a source?

Never mind: https://github.com/BaronKiko/LauncherHijackV2/releases

SmartThings refugee, so happy to be on Indigo. Monterey on a base M1 Mini w/Harmony Hub, Hue, DomoPad, Dynamic URL, Device Extensions, HomeKitLink, Grafana, Plex, uniFAP, Fantastic Weather, Nanoleaf, LED Simple Effects, Bond Home, Camect.

Posted on
Tue May 16, 2017 10:23 pm
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Re: 1.60 as Launcher

For those guys trying out the app in the Home Launcher mode... how goes it? So far it is working pretty well on my console that I have configured in that manner, but haven't tried to do a ton with it.

Posted on
Wed May 17, 2017 7:29 am
roussell offline
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Re: 1.60 as Launcher

RogueProeliator wrote:
For those guys trying out the app in the Home Launcher mode... how goes it? So far it is working pretty well on my console that I have configured in that manner, but haven't tried to do a ton with it.


It's working great for me, sorry I haven't reported sooner. My wife has had an appendicitis thing, and then an unrelated car accident (no injuries, just car damage), I fell off of a ladder changing a floodlight (it buckled and collapsed actually), and my oldest daughter is graduating high school this week so I haven't had a lot of time to play lately, but I do have a couple Fires running the most basic of "launcher home pages" and haven't noticed any issues at all.

Possible feature request: How hard would it be to implement a "click" sound on any screen tap? Sometimes the other humans in my house get impatient if things take longer than a microsecond to respond when they tap a button and will smack it repeatedly... :? I was thinking that some type of immediate feedback that they actually pressed something would help to curb that behavior. Just a thought.

Terry

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