Tasker is a very powerful program for Android devices that lets users have complete control over the automation of their phones.
I have seen a lot of fragmented threads about different profiles and requests for help. So I have decided to make a thread to collect profiles and advice for people from different devices to use (hopefully in an easy to understand English!). Also, I'm not a huge Tasker wiz! I just hope that everyone can contribute in one place for everyone at xda. So please send me/the contributor a PM if you see a post that is wrong.
Contents:
Post #2 - Links to submitted guides/profiles
Post #3 - Basics of Tasker
*Disclaimer*
I do not have ownership (whole or part thereof) of the Tasker Android Application. This guide is for educational purposes only. I, or any contributor to the guide, is not responsible for any faults (software or hardware) resulting from following the instructions set out in this guide.
Tasker is available from the Android Market or in trial form from the website
Admins: If this thread is unnecessary please delete and let me know, thanks.
Submission of Profiles:
If you have a profile that you would like to share, please put it into this standard form so that people can more easily understand what to do:
##(example 1)##
Profile: "Wifi at home"
Context:
Variable "HOME" [matches] "1"
Wifi-near [(SSID of home/work/school wireless network)]
Activity:
Wifi [ON]
Mobile Data [OFF]
Mobile APN Enabled [OFF]
Exit Activity (if any):
Wifi [TOGGLE]
Mobile Data [ON]
Mobile APN Enabled [ON]
##(end example 1)##
OR if you want to submit a walk-through as well:
##(example 2)##
Tap Context
Add
Application
Google Maps
...etc
##(end example 2)##
Absolute Beginners:
If you are completely new to Tasker, you need to check out the Tasker website and wiki.
The program may seem unwieldy and complicated at first for those who do not have programming experience - I certainly found it a little intimidating at first - but once you play around with it, it helps a lot. The guides on the wiki and on the website are a little confusing, so hopefully this thread will help decode some of the settings/profiles into plain English.
The wiki is worth checking out for the walkthroughs and downloadable profiles - so take your time to check it out!
duckredbeard has also pointed out that there is a google group for Tasker which is supported by the developer himself. So if you need some trouble shooting, check that out too.
Turning GPS on only for GPS apps and then turning them off again
Automagically switching wifi on and off
...slowly building more. post to contribute!
Here are some basics that every beginner needs to know (or if you just need reminding).
Profile:
Not much explanation needed. A profile contains all the required settings for a particular purpose - it is usually recommended that you give your profile a name that makes sense (e.g.: "Wifi at home" for turning on/off your wifi when you are near your house). A profile has:
Contexts
Tasks
Exit Tasks (not always)
Contexts:
A Context is basically an on/off switch for your Tasker profile - something that tells Tasker that a certain thing has happened/is happening and so Tasker should do something about it. When you tap "new" in Tasker and have given your profile a name, you will be given some choices for your Context. A Context can be:
Application (profile is activated by the opening of an app)
Time (this can be through a time interval or a set time frame)
Day (profile activation based on which day/month you are on)
Location
State (of your phone)
Event (something that has happened to the phone)
Tasks:
Once your profile has been triggered by your Context, you want it to do something - this can be switching on Wifi, or locking your phone, or turning on the GPS, launch an application, etc. You have amazing control over what your phone does! You will need to explore the different options in order to understand the kind of control you have.
Exit Tasks:
An exit task tells Tasker what to do once your Context is no longer true (e.g.: you are no longer near your wifi network). You can tell Tasker to switch things back on that you might have turned off (or vice versa). You do not need to have an exit task, but sometimes it is useful. You CANNOT have an Exit Task if your Context is an Event.
Monitoring your context:
Some contexts (like "Location") require Tasker to recognise when it is in a certain area or not - this is how Tasker does it.
To find a wifi network using the "Wifi-Near" context, Tasker switches on your wifi briefly (specified in "Menu -> Preferences -> Monitor -> Wifi Timeout Seconds") and scans the wifi networks available. After the specified amount of seconds has passed, Tasker will then switch off the Wifi scanning. Tasker begins scanning for wifi networks again after another time interval (specified in "Menu -> Preferences -> Monitor -> Wifi Scan Seconds"). Obviously the more you scan the more battery you use, but also the more responsive Tasker will be. And obviously the shorter amount of time you spend scanning for networks, the more battery you save, but you also have a lower chance of connecting to a network. Tasker can only do this wifi-scanning if you have set your Wifi to [TOGGLE] or [ON] - it will not do it if you have set your Wifi to [OFF].
GPS is a much more accurate way to find your location, but obviously much more battery intensive. Settings are much the same as the Wifi ones and are found in "Menu -> Preferences -> Monitor". Tasker can only update your GPS location if you have set your GPS to [TOGGLE] or [ON] - it will not do it if you have set your GPS to [OFF].
Network Location is the least battery intensive, but also the least accurate. Tasker checks your network location according to the time specified in "Menu -> Preferences -> Monitor -> Network Location Check Seconds".
...more to come.
--just in case--
Using GPS only when needed:
In normal use, apps like Weather, Places, Latitude, etc, only need to know which suburb/cell tower you are using. If you have your GPS switched on, then it becomes a huge waste of battery. Here is how to set it so that your GPS switches on when you use a GPS app, and then to switch it off again when you exit that app.
Profile: "GPS on"
Context:
Application
Google Maps
Locations
Navigation
...etc
Tasks:
GPS [ON]
Exit Tasks:
GPS [OFF]
Automagically switching wifi on and off
The Easy Way:
Profile: "Wifi at home"
Context:
- Wifi-Near [(Set as your work/home/school/etc SSID and MAC address - do this by long-pressing on the dialog box for Tasker to scan for you)]
Tasks:
- Wifi [ON]
Exit Tasks:
- Wifi [OFF]
This method has Tasker checking for your wifi network according to the settings you placed in:
"(Tasker Home Screen) Menu -> Preferences -> Monitor"
However, this theoretically leads to more battery usage because Tasker is always checking for your wifi network even when you are nowhere near your wifi network. You could always have it check your location using your GPS, but this is even worse for your battery. A way to reduce this battery drain is to lower your "Wifi/GPS Timeout" setting and increase your "Wifi/GPS Scan" setting. This will cause Tasker to check for wifi networks/GPS location for a smaller duration and less frequently - the downside is that Tasker will be less responsive when you enter into your wifi network (eg: if you set Tasker to check once every 10 minutes, then you might have to wait 10 minutes before Tasker kicks this profile into gear)
Slightly more complicated way:
This requires 2 profiles.
Profile 1: "Home"
Contexts:
- Cell Near [(press 'scan' to let Tasker find out what cell towers are near you)]
Tasks:
- Set variable "%HOME" = [1] (this is a variable i defined myself)
- Wifi [TOGGLE]
Exit Tasks:
- Set variable "&HOME" = [0]
- Wifi [OFF]
Profile 2: "Wifi at home"
Contexts:
- Variable "%HOME" matches [1]
- Wifi-Near [(SSID of home/work/school/etc)]
Tasks:
- Wifi [ON]
- Mobile Data [OFF]
- Mobile APN Enabled [OFF]
Exit Tasks:
- Wifi [TOGGLE]
- Mobile Data [ON]
- Mobile APN Enabled [ON]
(you can also enable Auto-Sync if you wish)
Explanation:
This method can theoretically save battery and increase the responsiveness of Tasker. It does it by only enabling the Wifi-scanning when you are within a certain cell-tower(s) area. Since checking for your location via the mobile network does not require much battery (and also since your phone is automatically doing it for your weather app anyway), you can set your Network Scan time to something quite low (I have it at 15 seconds). Once you are in the general area, then Tasker begins to look for your wifi network. Because you are not always searching for the wifi network, you can increase the frequency of the searches and also increase the duration of the search.
This does require a bit of testing - I find that it works quite well, but that could just be my area. Have a go and see what you find.
dont mean to cut down your efforts here, but: http://tasker.wikidot.com/
It will be nice to use this thread as a helpful discussion area on programming tasker as their does not to be such a place on the tasker wiki site.
Maybe you can help to achieve this state.
Is it possible to have several IF variables?
Ie.
Between hours 21:00 - :06:30 Reduce phone ringer to 2
If Location (network operator) = Home
and Power is connected
and phone has been idle for 30mins.
I have been playing with Tasker but having no programing experience it is difficult for my brain to wrap around how I would achieve this.
any hints?
TopShelf10 said:
dont mean to cut down your efforts here, but: http://tasker.wikidot.com/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah, I'm aware of the wiki - but the wiki doesn't answer all the questions and I feel it isn't organised very well (not that this would be organised any better). Plus, a forum opens things up to discussion and sharing, which I'm sure a lot of people will appreciate. feel free to contribute!
Daft Templar said:
It will be nice to use this thread as a helpful discussion area on programming tasker as their does not to be such a place on the tasker wiki site.
Maybe you can help to achieve this state.
Is it possible to have several IF variables?
Ie.
Between hours 21:00 - :06:30 Reduce phone ringer to 2
If Location (network operator) = Home
and Power is connected
and phone has been idle for 30mins.
I have been playing with Tasker but having no programing experience it is difficult for my brain to wrap around how I would achieve this.
any hints?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe that if you put all of those 'variables' into one profile and make them all contexts, then you would be able to do that. But don't forget to set your task priorities properly!
Have you tried:
Code:
Profile: (profile name)
Contexts:
- Time [21:00-06:30]
- Wifi-Near [(your home SSID)] (also see my post about how to reduce wifi-searching to increase battery life)
- Power [Any/AC/USB]
Tasks:
- Ringer Volume [Level 2, (Sound, Display if you want as well - good for debug)]
Exit Tasks:
- Ringer Volume [(whatever you like your volume level to be at)]
I am not sure how to do your "Phone Idle" condition as I have never had to use it before - I suppose that you could always set another 2 profiles:
1 to countdown to 30 minutes which then sets a variable (say, "Timer") equal to 1 and has a context that tells it to run the profile every time "Timer" = 0; the other profile would have set "Timer" = 0 every time the Display turned on. You could then add a "Timer [matches 1]" context to your original profile, and that should work.
This seems like a rather roundabout way to do it, but that's what I can think of at this time. Let me know if you would like me to post up the instructions to do that though.
If anyone else has a better idea, let me know!
I think when using tasker (particularly with lots of profiles) It is important to keep things as simple and clean as possible. Otherwise if certain tasks start becoming too dependant on other tasks it will either reduce your ability to program new tasks or Things will start going pear shaped.
For Example. If I were to program the phone with Wifi-Near to Enter silent mode It will affect any other Tasks I have going with the Wifi, Either it being Turn wifi Off Or stop searching or Even If My network goes down. I think (if possible) it would be better to use a different more non varried method of location if you know what I mean. I think it would go for any other tasks you would want to program as well. Keep things simple and very direct, It will also help you too trace back and find problems if needed later down the track as well.
Daft Templar said:
I think when using tasker (particularly with lots of profiles) It is important to keep things as simple and clean as possible. Otherwise if certain tasks start becoming too dependant on other tasks it will either reduce your ability to program new tasks or Things will start going pear shaped.
For Example. If I were to program the phone with Wifi-Near to Enter silent mode It will affect any other Tasks I have going with the Wifi, Either it being Turn wifi Off Or stop searching or Even If My network goes down. I think (if possible) it would be better to use a different more non varried method of location if you know what I mean. I think it would go for any other tasks you would want to program as well. Keep things simple and very direct, It will also help you too trace back and find problems if needed later down the track as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
whilst it is good to try and keep things simple, sometimes more complex profiles lead to more efficient use of battery. Or sometimes a simple task may need certain exceptions so that it fits around our lives. Remember that Tasker should be making our phones do what we want, how we want it - we want to try and avoid the "i'll get used to it" line as much as possible.
When using complex profiles (or even profiles that may end up conflicting each other), the use of priorities for your task is very important. For example - when my "wifi at home" profile gets switched off, it turns my wifi onto [TOGGLE]. BUT if I leave the cell-tower area near my house at the same time, it tells it to turn wifi onto [OFF]. Since these are conflicting tasks, I have given my wifi [OFF] a higher priority than [TOGGLE], and so Tasker does what I want. As with any programming, sometimes convolution is unavoiable - in those instances make sure that you keep your line of logic clear (some people like to use flowcharts for programming, but i think that's a bit excessive for Tasker - each to their own though!)
is there a way to tell when music is playing?
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
I want to use Tasker to switch off data/wifi when the screen is switched off, then switch data/wifi back on again when the screen is on, but only if they were previously on. Is this possible?
skulk3r said:
Tasks:
GPS [ON]
Exit Tasks:
GPS [OFF]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Exit Task is unneeded. For all On/Off toggles, Tasker returns them to their original state on exit automatically.
Michealtbh said:
I want to use Tasker to switch off data/wifi when the screen is switched off, then switch data/wifi back on again when the screen is on, but only if they were previously on. Is this possible?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As far as I know, your phone will automatically switch off your wifi when you have your screen off (unless you installed a mod/app that forces it to stay open). I believe that Tasker (by default) will switch it off unless you have put wifi to [TOGGLE]. However, if you wanted to be completely sure, you can always use variables.
ie: you can make a profile that sets a variable (say, "WifiON") to 1. and then when you make a "screen on" event profile, make it Wifi [ON] IF WifiON [matches 1].
Izkata said:
The Exit Task is unneeded. For all On/Off toggles, Tasker returns them to their original state on exit automatically.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh wow, I must have completely missed that! Thanks for the help =] Feel free to continue to share/post guides.
sundar2012 said:
is there a way to tell when music is playing?
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't found it on Tasker - but then, I don't really know Tasker as well as some other people here. You could always try to use the launching of the Music app as a context, or use the headphones plugged in event as a context?
If you haven't been to the google group for tasker, you should go NOW. It is moderated by the developer himself. He answers questions every day, including updates on what to expect on the next version. There are dozens of users on that group that can and will help you with the infinite number of things Tasker can do for you.
Head over to http://groups.google.com/group/tasker/topics?gvc=2 and read a few pages. It is likely that your questions have already been answered.
Whenever Ive previously tried Tasker it savages my battery...
All I had it doing was at a certain time turn on mobile data, open rss reader (so it updates) then play a beeping .mp3
Just wanted a flashy alarm clock to get to grips with it. but always see 25% less available battery with it installed than without...
duckredbeard said:
If you haven't been to the google group for tasker, you should go NOW. It is moderated by the developer himself. He answers questions every day, including updates on what to expect on the next version. There are dozens of users on that group that can and will help you with the infinite number of things Tasker can do for you.
Head over to http://groups.google.com/group/tasker/topics?gvc=2 and read a few pages. It is likely that your questions have already been answered.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
oh wow. thanks for that. I'll chuck it up on the first few posts.
Would still like this to be a share-some-love discussion though!
Coedy said:
Whenever Ive previously tried Tasker it savages my battery...
All I had it doing was at a certain time turn on mobile data, open rss reader (so it updates) then play a beeping .mp3
Just wanted a flashy alarm clock to get to grips with it. but always see 25% less available battery with it installed than without...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what is your device? I have seen improved battery life with my HTC Desire Z - I usually only had about 30-40% battery at the end of the day with light texting, some calls and web surfing. Now i have about 60%! Although that's not completely Tasker - I do have SetCPU to underclock during screen off times.
Did you turn the mobile data back off?
Yep, had it to turn off mobile data and then enable wifi when I close the news app.
(I usually keep wifi on 24-7 if Im at home that day).
I say it took about 25% of my battery because I usually get 36 hours with everything on (except BT) and with tasker going I only got slightly over 24hours... (maybe like 26 or 28?)
Its a HTC Hero btw. Maybe ive just tuned it so that its at its optimum battery for me and my situation? I just think its weird that whenever I use Tasker within the next 2 days the battery has dived down to 20 something hours from around 35+
Related
It's hard to describe what Tasker can do, as there's not much it can't do. I try to describe it like a high-level interface to the Android API. You can adjust hoards of Android settings programmatically based on Events (application, time, date, location, event, gesture).
Personally, I do some of the following:
Passively upload my GPS location to my website every 10m
Have the phone get fairly loud when I'm a home
Quiet when I'm at work
Nearly Muted when I'm in a meeting (matches a Calendar event)
Muted with Autosyncing disabled at Night while I sleep
Disable Rotation on my etext reader to work around a bug in the ereader which loses my position in my book when it rotates!
Make the screen brightness and sounds high when I'm running Waze (gps program) on AC power (plugged into car charger)
... more little things!
All of this is done using an easy to use GUI to build matching contexts and a task to execute when matched. There are lots of samples to start with on the website, and very easy to write your own. Basically it's a graphical programming language that anyone could use.
It's on the market as of today, and the website is here: http://tasker.dinglisch.net/
I have zero connection to the author besides an extremely happy user, decided I would post this here because he's exited beta testing and on the market now.
Here's even a few more examples of things that can be done, pasted from the website.. Still only the tip of the iceberg on things it can do:
passcode-lock sensitive applications (e.g. for child safety)
change phone settings by
application: long screen timeout in a book reader
time: screen brightness lower in the evening
location: ringer volume high at the office, turn off ke yguard at home
wake up with a random song from your music collection
Text-to-speech; read out loud: incoming SMS/ phone number, WiFi/Bluetooth status, when it's time for an appointment, when the battery is low etc etc (Android OS 1.6+ only)
launch a music application when your music SD card is inserted, otherwise a file browser
start the day with a particular application showing
change all your home icons and wallpaper every day, or in particular locations
turn the phone upside down to return to the home screen, tilt 90 degrees to the left and back to toggle speakerphone during a call
create a Home widget to
toggle bluetooth/wifi on/off
launch wireless settings dialog
show a menu of tasks to choose
send an emergency SMS with your GPS location
remap camera etc buttons to other applications, or show a menu of applications and/or actions
decrypt/encrypt and/or zip/unzip application data on the fly when an application is launched/exits
pause music playback while in a particular application, restart on exit
change the Home icon for any application
take a time-lapse photo series (possibly 'secretly')
make a regular backup of a file on the SD card
track your phone location via SMS in case of theft
extend the use of the media button on your headset: take a picture from a distance or go to the previous media track with a long press
record call times and destinations to the SD card
show a popup when an SMS arrives from a particular phone number
setup a birthday SMS to be sent months before it happens so you don't forget
record battery levels over time to a file on SD card
make automatic recordings of what you say during phone calls to SD card
during the night, turn on airplane mode to conserve battery/reduce radiation, but turn it off every 15 minutes to check for SMS/voicemail.
setup a vacation SMS message, with different messages for different callers
launch a music application when headphones are connected
Hrmmm, there's not much reviews for the app. I'm interested in trying out but I wish there was a trial or something.
Vulpix said:
Hrmmm, there's not much reviews for the app. I'm interested in trying out but I wish there was a trial or something.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hadn't looked at his market version yet, but it shouldn't need validation for 14 days..
He sells it on the market and off of the market. If nothing else you could install it from his website. I'll ask on his forum, it shouldn't require purchasing to use immediately.
Everytime I try it I get a FC when setting up my profiles, and I lose all my changes. Gets annoying fast. I uninstalled and did refund.
Knether said:
Everytime I try it I get a FC when setting up my profiles, and I lose all my changes. Gets annoying fast. I uninstalled and did refund.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Weird, I've seen that like once when I first tried it.. You might want to get on his forums and see what he can do to help fix it, as if you're interested I don't think there's anything else out there that does anywhere close to what Tasker does.
Come to think of it, yes, I did see that maybe 2-3 times, especially when first messing around, but I haven't seen it in weeks, even though I've set up multiple profiles since then. Interesting. You could always set up some stuff, Apply, re-enter the app. At that point it's saved. If it crashes, you won't lose anything. However it'd be good to get logs from alogcat or such to figure out the crash problem.
Awesome.. tasker is too good and much better than locale and setting profiles (though UI could get a bit better)... I've been waiting for it to arrive on the market..
I guess I'm the only person who has troubles with the app.. ::sigh:: I want to love it..
I've actually been using the app for a little over two weeks, and I've found it to be indispensable! GPS drains my battery too fast, so I love coordinating tasks with calendar events in conjunction with network-based location. Not to mention auto starting GPS for specific apps and then shutting GPS back off when I exit said app. There are simply SO many uses for tasker, and its compatible with locale plug-ins.
Btw. Try using Foxy Ring's ambient noise feature to auto adjust ringer volume. It works great when constantly moving from quiet study areas into a loud common room.
Does anyone know how I can set up Tasker to switch to 2G at midnight and then back to 3G/H at 8am?
I have looked throught the options and I can see the settings for 2G, but when I add Time as the 1st context I then can't find anything relating to 2G for the next context.
I understand it's probably just me being thick but if any one could help it would be much appreciated!
Loving this app otherwise, well worth the small fee.
Thanks.
CitizenLee said:
Does anyone know how I can set up Tasker to switch to 2G at midnight and then back to 3G/H at 8am?
I have looked throught the options and I can see the settings for 2G, but when I add Time as the 1st context I then can't find anything relating to 2G for the next context.
I understand it's probably just me being thick but if any one could help it would be much appreciated!
Loving this app otherwise, well worth the small fee.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure, Tasker doesn't have a "Default" profile, when a profile ends it returns what settings it changed back to what they previously were.. So if it's H going into your night profile, switch off 3G, then when the profile is over it'll return to H. The big difference here is that most likely you're going to have to run an external program, maybe APNDroid or something, to toggle 2G/3G, as apparently it's not in the API directly and Tasker can't do it. So you have an entry task and an exit task.
Yep, I just looked for apps that can do this, they all launch the option in the menus, can't do it directly... So doing this doesn't seem (directly) possible, but maybe there is something out there.. I just glanced. http://www.cyrket.com/search?q=3g&market=android
Profile
Context: Time 00:00 to 08:00
Enter Task
Run Program APNDroid (?)
Exit Task
Run Program APNDroid (?) (to toggle it back on, since it's not a setting here)
Found a nice review and guide for tasker here:
http://lifehacker.com/5599116/how-to-turn-your-android-phone-into-a-fully+automated-superphone
Looks powerful, and superior to locale.
psych2l said:
Found a nice review and guide for tasker here:
http://lifehacker.com/5599116/how-to-turn-your-android-phone-into-a-fully+automated-superphone
Looks powerful, and superior to locale.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I kind feel sorry for Locale Tasker has it 100x over, plus it can use Locale plugins.
I haven't done much digging, but... maybe someone could help me with this one:
I have the Samsung vibrant which does not have a hardware camera button. Would there be a way to use this app to remap the power button when in the camera.app to use it as the shutter button?
Thank you
Anyone else having force closes when trying to set backgrounds for app menus? Don't dig the bland menu background that comes stock in the app.
Great app except the fact it is using 1/4th of my battery for two profiles.
UrbanMuppet said:
Great app except the fact it is using 1/4th of my battery for two profiles.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have something misconfigured or you have insanely good battery usage then. I have Tasker using the GPS every 10 minutes, uploading that GPS data to my website. It reminds me every 2 minutes of missed email, phone calls, sms... It goes speakerphone if I flip it on a call. It changes profiles for home, work, work meeting, running GPS in the car... I think I have a profile to wash the dishes too, but I'm waiting on an enhancement from Pent to make that one function.
Seriously, post on his forum with the exact context and task, I bet something is done wrong.
Man I still have difficulty trying to make Tasker do simple things because I'm not really savvy with such stuff...
I have been trying to get Tasker to automagically switch keyboards based on orientation for like a few days now, no luck. I want to have Swype when in portrait mode, and then a custom HiRes keyboard in landscape...
can anyone help with this or if someone has done it already, please lend some advice...
Also, maybe this thread can become the official Tasker profile thread, if not, maybe a sticky with user created profiles?
ImSoHungry said:
Also, maybe this thread can become the official Tasker profile thread, if not, maybe a sticky with user created profiles?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Been trying to a place where people dump their profile examples for the inept people who can't work out half the settings, like myself
Tasker works perfectly on my phone: HTC Desire, stock ROM, official Android 2.2 update
My profiles:
Profile: Running Navigation
Context: Application: Load app Sygic
Tasks:
- Misc: GPS ON
- Audio: Set Media Volume to max
- Display: Set Brightness to 200
- Set Speakerphone to ON
Profile: Silencing Hidden Caller-ID
Context: State: Incoming Call
Tasks:
- Audio: Set Ringer Volume to 0 - if %CNUM ~ 0
- Audio: Set Vibrate to OFF - if %CNUM ~0
Note: for the second profile, you need to use at least 1.0.6 beta 5 (%CNUM bug fixed).
So as some of you may know there is an app for android called Tasker and it is by far the most powerful app out to date.
"Tasker is an application for Android which performs Tasks (sets of Actions) based on Contexts (application, time, date, location, event, gesture) in user-defined Profiles, or in clickable or timer home screen widgets.
This simple concept profoundly extends your control of your Android device and it's capabilities, without the need for 'root' or a special home screen"
As powerful and amazing as this app is, it's pretty hard to use unless your very tech savvy and I have been searching the Net for some how-to guides but their doesn't seem to be much out there. So I wanted to create this thread and have people post their own little tips/mods that they have set-up with Tasker so that newbies such as my-self can have a place to go if they need help getting Tasker to perform certain functions.
I just download the app last night and haven't had much time to mess with it yet, but once I get the hang of it I will start posting what I'm doing.
Anybody that uses Tasker please feel free to add on to the thread and lets make this the ultimate "How-to" guide for people trying to unlock the full potential of this amazing app.
How long did it take you to develop this app?
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
firemedic1343 said:
How long did it take you to develop this app?
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@OP, one that I made that I find useful scans the SD card for new media whenever it's mounted.
PROFILE:
Event - Card Mounted (Priority: Normal, Card Title: <blank>, Frequency: 1)
Task - Media -> Scan Card
Task - Alert -> Flash (Text: Scanning for new media..., Long: <unchecked>, If: <unchecked>)
This one turns off the lockscreen when using Music or Pandora (you have to make two separate profiles!)
PROFILE:
Application - Music/Pandora
Task - Display -> Keyguard (Set: Off, If: <unchecked>)
I also spent a lot of time developing a task that would turn airplane mode on for 45 minutes, turn it off for 15 minutes, then turn it back on and repeat until stopped. Everything works except Tasker stops all timers when the phone sleeps, so unless I want to put a partial wake-lock on it (which would defeat the whole battery-saving purpose of the profile in the first place), it doesn't work
Gregalous said:
@OP, one that I made that I find useful scans the SD card for new media whenever it's mounted.
PROFILE:
Event - Card Mounted (Priority: Normal, Card Title: <blank>, Frequency: 1)
Task - Media -> Scan Card
Task - Alert -> Flash (Text: Scanning for new media..., Long: <unchecked>, If: <unchecked>)
This one turns off the lockscreen when using Music or Pandora (you have to make two separate profiles!)
PROFILE:
Application - Music/Pandora
Task - Display -> Keyguard (Set: Off, If: <unchecked>)
I also spent a lot of time developing a task that would turn airplane mode on for 45 minutes, turn it off for 15 minutes, then turn it back on and repeat until stopped. Everything works except Tasker stops all timers when the phone sleeps, so unless I want to put a partial wake-lock on it (which would defeat the whole battery-saving purpose of the profile in the first place), it doesn't work
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Both setups seem very useful, ima check them out. Thanks for the input!
About the one you can't get to work. I'm pretty sure I actually saw something similar to it the other day on another website, not 100% sure though. I think it was a profile that allowed you to basically turn off all of you're data and have it come back on for a short period of time to gather texts and stuff...
Ima going to look for it for you to see if i can find it...
In the mean time I found a few useful profiles here http://lifehacker.com/5606284/three-handy-tasker-profiles-from-our-readers
I would post them but theres actually quite a bit if you look in the comments and the post itself.
Once I think of something "original" i'll post it
You also might want to check the official Tasker pages. There is also a Wiki with step-throughs (link on left side of main page).
http://tasker.dinglisch.net/
This is the only app I have been able to find that will let you remotely turn the GPS on. IMO that alone was worth the money, now I don't have to waste time writing an app for it.
I've been working on something to activate the GPS and send the phone's location, available wifi networks, etc, over a text message. Haven't figure out how to make it update the GPS location or turn on 3G yet though. Anyone know anything about android bridge scripts and if they would be able to do this?
Vegasden said:
You also might want to check the official Tasker pages. There is also a Wiki with step-throughs (link on left side of main page).
http://tasker.dinglisch.net/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow. thanks a lot for the link. i have been looking for some sort of wiki or help for tasker for a while now but apparently I wasn't looking in rite places.
Thanks again.
Also, Mobile Defense, if installed in system apps allows you to remotely turn on gps and track your phone, however, they have temporarily closed down the beta. I've always had it on my android phones and it's pretty amazing. Much better than lookout for tracking your device.
tasker is a great app. i use it on a dialy basis. save so much battery life
SiL3nTKiLL said:
tasker is a great app. i use it on a dialy basis. save so much battery life
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What works for you? Some example scripts please please. thanks.
Here is more info on tasker setup.
I tried some of these and they worked great.
http://lifehacker.com/5601133/push-...d-to-awesome-heights-with-these-tasker-setups
http://lifehacker.com/5599116/how-to-turn-your-android-phone-into-a-fully+automated-superphone
maps to start gps and gps logger
hi everyone,
i'd like to start maps, and have:
- Gps turned on
and
-an app called GpsLogger to start.
The problem i get is that, once Gps is turned on and GpsLogger is opened, if i get back to Maps by long-pressing the home button the whole automation starts again, leading me to GpsLogger again..
Could anyone help please?
Thanks!
I downloaded Tasker the other day to accomplish one thing only. I wanted my wife to be able to get through to me whenever she called me. I work shift work so my phone is set to Silent at odd times when I am resting, so the various dings and rings don't interrupt my sleep. Fearful of her not being able to get a hold of me in an emergency, I set this up:
Profile: Priority Call (named by me)
Context: Incoming Call - Very simply, I used the magnifying glass to select her contact from my phone, and it input her name in the box.
Task: Silent Mode - Mode set to OFF
This profile checks all incoming calls and then turns Silent Mode OFF and allows the call to ring through. When the call is done, the phone returns to Silent Mode. NOTE: I also had to set up a separate task to turn the phone to silent in the first place. For some reason, Tasker would not recognize the phone as being in "Silent Mode" if I used the volume down button to put it in silent mode. So I just added a shortcut to the Tasker task of putting the phone to silent on my homescreen. Now when I go to bed, I hit the shortcut and I am able to be undisturbed until I wake again, unless my wife calls. I could see this being very useful for people with teenagers that are out or babysitters with children.
This task can also be useful if you sleep at defined hours, because you can set the phone to automatically turn to silent at X hour, and turn silent mode off at X hour. Just some ideas.
I am now searching for ways to completely automate the phone by making it turn on my GPS and Bluetooth when I am away from home, as well as turn these off and turn my wifi on when I am at home. Several attempts with no knowledge of this app have been unsuccessful so far. More to follow.
Robert
OnDutyTactical said:
I downloaded Tasker the other day to accomplish one thing only. I wanted my wife to be able to get through to me whenever she called me. I work shift work so my phone is set to Silent at odd times when I am resting, so the various dings and rings don't interrupt my sleep. Fearful of her not being able to get a hold of me in an emergency, I set this up:
Profile: Priority Call (named by me)
Context: Incoming Call - Very simply, I used the magnifying glass to select her contact from my phone, and it input her name in the box.
Task: Silent Mode - Mode set to OFF
This profile checks all incoming calls and then turns Silent Mode OFF and allows the call to ring through. When the call is done, the phone returns to Silent Mode. NOTE: I also had to set up a separate task to turn the phone to silent in the first place. For some reason, Tasker would not recognize the phone as being in "Silent Mode" if I used the volume down button to put it in silent mode. So I just added a shortcut to the Tasker task of putting the phone to silent on my homescreen. Now when I go to bed, I hit the shortcut and I am able to be undisturbed until I wake again, unless my wife calls. I could see this being very useful for people with teenagers that are out or babysitters with children.
This task can also be useful if you sleep at defined hours, because you can set the phone to automatically turn to silent at X hour, and turn silent mode off at X hour. Just some ideas.
I am now searching for ways to completely automate the phone by making it turn on my GPS and Bluetooth when I am away from home, as well as turn these off and turn my wifi on when I am at home. Several attempts with no knowledge of this app have been unsuccessful so far. More to follow.
Robert
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here you go...
These two pages on the Tasker Wiki will show you how to do a lot of what you want, and even find stuff you didn't know you needed.
http://tasker.wikidot.com/profile-index
http://tasker.wikidot.com/step-throughs
Hi,
i would like to have an app that makes android syncs all accounts only when screen is off
cant finf one that is able to do that ? even googled or searched the market.
thanks
Try llama... Add condition "screen off" then action "account sync"
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kebab.Llama
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4g with Beats Audio
AndroidNeophyte said:
Try llama... Add condition "screen off" then action "account sync"
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kebab.Llama
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4g with Beats Audio
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hmm but i hope it doesnt always sync when i turn the screen off :-/
lets try
edit: great app man... thanks
but got a problem
now the phone always syncs when screen is off
everytime
:-/
just want it to sync only when screen is of ... but in the schedule not everytime screen is off ...
do you have a tipp
Hmm... You can put a time in the condition so it will only sync at a certain time.... use "time between". I haven't played too much with the sync feature for llama yet.... Sorry if I not much help...
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4g with Beats Audio
Llama is ok but i prefer Tasker. Worth every cent.
ymirsson said:
Llama is ok but i prefer Tasker. Worth every cent.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
can tasker say to accounts just and only sync when screen is off ?
ahhh ^^ i cant deal with tasker ... how can i select wlan on when i am home ?
cell id ? ahhh ^^
with llama i can make it say something when it does something ... does it work with tasker too `?
dont find the option
Hello guys! I read this thread because I'm looking for a solution to a kind of similar problem.
I find it inconvenient that Wifi must always be set either ON of OFF, when Wifi is ON, it is constantly using the connection and reduces battery life enormously! When Wifi is OFF, it does never sync, and you have to enable your Wifi yourself everytime you want to check for your email. It makes me feel like I'm 20 years back, where you had to dial-in for checking your e-mail once a day.
Is it possible to work out a solution with the 2 app mentioned before (llama, tasker)?
JethroCl said:
Hello guys! I read this thread because I'm looking for a solution to a kind of similar problem.
I find it inconvenient that Wifi must always be set either ON of OFF, when Wifi is ON, it is constantly using the connection and reduces battery life enormously! When Wifi is OFF, it does never sync, and you have to enable your Wifi yourself everytime you want to check for your email. It makes me feel like I'm 20 years back, where you had to dial-in for checking your e-mail once a day.
Is it possible to work out a solution with the 2 app mentioned before (llama, tasker)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
oh damn ... tasker is heavy ... but you can even cook a meal with it ... trust me
it can do everything ^^
oh god damn i need a video tutorial or something damn
i want to enable wifi when i am at home
disable wifi when i am not at home
enable bluetooth and a app when in dock mode
disable it afterwards
can someone explain how to do that
the app is to heavy for me
You may find the Google Group and/or the Wiki helpful.
I can provide you with some examples, but that has to wait till tomorrow.
If you don't want to wait - there are hundreds of profiles and tutorials around the www and i'm sure you'll find a few here on xda
€: Noticed the german flag: Try this site
i can wait ... if you have also some nice new ideas or scripts
let me know
Syncing with screen off is not a good idea!
It will make sure your phone cannot get into deep sleep mode, and thus consumes ALOT of power!
Giblet-dono said:
Syncing with screen off is not a good idea!
It will make sure your phone cannot get into deep sleep mode, and thus consumes ALOT of power!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
oh damn ... thats a good hint thanks
but i still need some tips i think
i make my phone say ... batt fully loaded when its charging and batterie is full
but it repeats rondomly after a few minutes or so ... how can i make the notification only one time ?
Giblet-dono said:
Syncing with screen off is not a good idea!
It will make sure your phone cannot get into deep sleep mode, and thus consumes ALOT of power!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That depends highly on your sync frequency and what you might or might not additionally control via Tasker.
then tall me how to do it
i want the normal schedule what i set up in every account ... i wish that everything about sync is normal ... the only thing that should not happen is - dont sync when screen is on .
i tried that ... i even got the synker plugin
but i disabled sync when screen is on and enabled it when screen is off ...
and it syncs everytime screen is off ... thats not what i want ...
understand me ??
Code:
Profile 1:
- Context: Display off
- Task: set Variable to 1, turn AutoSync, BT, WiFi and Data off
Profile 2:
- Context: Display on
- Task: set above Variable to 2, turn AutoSync, BT, WiFi and Data on
Profile 3:
- Context: above Variable matches 1 and a (for example) 1h timer
- Task: WiFi, Data and AutoSync on, set a waittimer to sth. like 2min. then turn everything off
Well, thats a minimalistic version of what i do and very basic.
Maybe you can combine it via an exit-Task into only one profile, but i like to be flexible via Variables.
Possible extensions:
- WiFi will only get turned on, when you parsed a known SSID into a variable (i.e.: don't turn wifi on, if you won't get a connection)
- "Disply off" Profile (and Task) runs only on battery (i.e.: Display and connections stay on in Power plugged/Dock mode)
- Include CPU frequency & governor control
- Reduced CPU frequency when Display off only if you don't play media (music)
- Control your WiFi connection via location/cell towers und turn it off if you not near them
- mobile data off if wifi is connected
- ...
ymirsson said:
Code:
Profile 1:
- Context: Display off
- Task: set Variable to 1, turn AutoSync, BT, WiFi and Data off
Profile 2:
- Context: Display on
- Task: set above Variable to 2, turn AutoSync, BT, WiFi and Data on
Profile 3:
- Context: above Variable matches 1 and a (for example) 1h timer
- Task: WiFi, Data and AutoSync on, set a waittimer to sth. like 2min. then turn everything off
Well, thats a minimalistic version of what i do and very basic.
Maybe you can combine it via an exit-Task into only one profile, but i like to be flexible via Variables.
Possible extensions:
- WiFi will only get turned on, when you parsed a known SSID into a variable (i.e.: don't turn wifi on, if you won't get a connection)
- "Disply off" Profile (and Task) runs only on battery (i.e.: Display and connections stay on in Power plugged/Dock mode)
- Include CPU frequency & governor control
- Reduced CPU frequency when Display off only if you don't play media (music)
- Control your WiFi connection via location/cell towers und turn it off if you not near them
- mobile data off if wifi is connected
- ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nice
we have to stay in contact
will shoot you some questions later
thanks
A common complaint among Android users is short battery life. As we all now, Google’s platform has numerous benefits, but state-of-the-art features and constantly being connected seem to come with one drawback: comparatively large battery consumption.
I don’t suggest that you should stop taking advantage of the things that make Android great, such as streaming music players that allow you to walk around with millions of songs in your pocket, location-aware apps, background updates or all the wireless options. Still, if you’re frustrated by how often you need to connect your charger, it’s good to know what types of apps and activities that eat the most battery, so you can make an active decision whether or not it’s worth the extra juice. Use the GPS Wisely
The GPS uses the battery like there’s no tomorrow. Location-aware software is one of Android’s many fortes, but they can be real battery drainers. The Power control widget is useful for switching the GPS on and off, and you should keep an eye on your notification bar: an icon will appear whenever the GPS is activated.
Turn off Bluetooth When You’re Not Using It
Perhaps an obvious tip, but it’s best to disable Bluetooth whenever you’re not actually using it. The quickest way to switch Bluetooth off and on is via a widget on your homescreen.
Disable Wireless Network Positioning
When your device learns your location via wireless network triangulation, it requires less battery than if it had used the GPS. But using both methods simultaneously will of course use the most power. The GPS can handle location tasks by itself, albeit a bit slower. Also, wireless network positioning is used to gather anonymous Google location data in the background, which will drain the battery further. You can turn it off from Settings > Location > Use wireless networks.
Switch off Wi-Fi, or Keep it Always On
If you’re close to a reliable WLAN during the better part of the day, having Wi-Fi always turned on may be favorable from a battery point of view, since the Wi-Fi radio uses less battery than the 3G radio. And when Wi-Fi is on, 3G is off. You can confirm Wi-Fi always stays on by going to Settings > Wireless networks > Wi-Fi Settings. Press the Menu button, tap on Advanced, Wi-Fi sleep policy and select the Never option.
On the other hand, if you’re not close to a strong Wi-Fi signal for extended periods of time, disable Wi-Fi from a homescreen widget or from Settings > Wireless networks > Wi-Fi. Disable Always-On Mobile Data
The Always-On Mobile Data option is on by default, and can be disabled from Settings > Wireless & networks > Mobile networks > Enable always-on mobile data. It allows your phone to be connected non-stop, but does it need to be? I have disabled the setting, and I still get push Gmail and even Google Talk seems to perform as usual, as well as the few apps I have that use automatic updates. However, if you have a lot of apps that regularly connect to the Internet, disabling this option may actually be a bad idea, since turning the data connection on and off will require more energy than simply having it on all the time.
Kill 3G if Your Phone Often Struggles to Find It
When your Android attempts to decide which signal to lock on to, it strains your battery. If your phone often switches between GSM and 3G in your area, it can be preferable to simply disable 3G altogether, and hence abolishing the need for your phone to try and find a suitable network. Go to Settings > Wireless & networks > Mobile networks > Network mode > GSM only. Use a Quick Screen Timeout
After a certain time of inactivity, your screen is automatically turned off, and that’s the Screen Timeout. To use such a low value as 15 seconds can be annoying, but one minute is on the other hand likely too long. I use 30 seconds. You can alter this option from Settings > Screen & display > Screen timeout. Turn Down the Screen Brightness
Android’s Automatic brightness (Settings > Screen & display > Brightness) setting is recommended. If your phone doesn’t have this option, set a reasonable value at roughly 30 % and see if that suits you.
Live Wallpapers Will Use More Power than a Static Background
Oh yes, live wallpapers can be awesome. But they will obviously use precious battery juice, albeit evidently not as much as one could think, talking the eye-candy into consideration and what they can do. Have an AMOLED Display? A Dark Wallpaper Will Spare the Battery
When having dark backgrounds, phones with AMOLED display will use less power, because each pixel on OLED screens is photoemissive and will actually generate its own light. Since there’s no need for a backlight, the pixel can essentially turn off its light source and go total black. As a result, you can save a teeny-weeny bit of energy by having a dark or black background on AMOLED screens. Use Widgets Wisely
A few days ago, we mentioned 10 cool homescreen widgets, and it’s great that Android supports them. Most widgets will only have a negligible effect on your battery life, but those that automatically pull info from the interwebs can be power hogs. Use Reasonable Intervals for Automatic Updates
I personally don’t need to have automatic updates on my phone, except for emails that I want to be notified of the moment they arrive. I prefer launching the apps at my convenience and see what’s new. Most applications that connect to the Internet have an option to update upon launch, and that’s all I need. By lowering the update intervals, or by even turning them off completely, you can definitely make your battery last longer. I recommend that you reduce them to your own minimum values.
If you have an Android phone with HTC Sense, you can make sure the HTC Mail Client, the HTC Weather App, Facebook, Flickr, Stocks and Twitter update themselves as often as you want them to. This is mainly done from Settings > Accounts & sync. It’s also a good idea to look over third-party apps that grab data from the Internet, particularly the official Facebook app and the various Twitter apps, since they usually have background updates on by default.
Streaming Apps Will Use a Lot of Battery
In a recent Droid vs Droid special, Andrew did a rundown of music streaming apps, and I certainly don’t think you should avoid this type of application on your phone. But bear in mind that software that stream audio and similar apps will use plenty of power. Learn What’s Been Drinking the Juice
Unless you have the doubtful pleasure of still running Cupcake, you can check out a built-in Android feature that tells you precisely how much your apps use the battery. You can then start using battery drainers less often, or simply uninstall them. Go to Settings > About phone > Battery > Battery use and press the items in the list for further info. You can also use JuicePlotter to analyze usage patterns.
I have gotten good results by making the tweaks and changes above, and I hope you will too. Do you know of any more tricks that can make our dear Android stay on his feet a bit longer before it needs to be charged? In case you don’t want to keep all this in mind, an app such as JuiceDefender is a good option
Use setcpu app or any other one that involves controlling CPU and set a profile to make your CPU very low(this one helps a lot but your gonna notice a little lag when your unlocking your screen)
Y U WANNA KNOW FROM WHERE SENT??
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1830576
And do not use task killer. I think it's one of the reason that drain your battery quickly
all pretty good tips.
I have a problem on my phone where the cpu will not enter deep sleep mode but im sure its my fault. It says the android system is taking alot of battery in battery usage.
I would highly suggest staying away from any task killing related software, they generally aren't good for Android and can lead to problems down the road. There's an application called Juice Defender on the Google Play store and it's been working for me. I can easily turn off battery hogs like GPS and 3G while your device is inactive.
Closed, redundant thread
hi, guys.
"wake my android pro" is an app that turns on the screen for 500ms every T period, where T is user defined. Problem is i am worried about screen wearing too soon, with all those fire ups.
Next choice is never turning the screen off. That's another component spending its life. I would rather avoid it.
"Regpon" is another app. It keeps wifi working with a wifi wakelock, less than a partial wakelock it seems. Then, anything not concerning wifi is beyond it. I have tried it but it doesn't satisfy my need [EDIT: keeps cpu active and wifi active while WLAN is connected, only. Despite its "link to wifi status" option, it always ends when wlan disconnects]
There is another app, whose name isn't coming to me right now. wakelockcontrol, maybe [EDIT: the correct name is "Wake Lock - PowerManager"]. It supposedly employs a wake lock. The user would be able to pick the depth of the wakelock. Unfotunately, it achieves even less than regpon in my device.
Finally, if you can point me to a standalone screen on switch, I'll work with that. In other words, a simple app that I can execute programatically with llama or automateit and which only turns the screen on with one tap [EDIT: Llama has this feature built in. It would be nice to get a stand alone app, though]
ty.
I found another [incomplete] solution: Settings>Developer options>Stay awake
If you think that serves the sole purpose of keeping the screen on, you are misinformed. "Stay awake" has a wakelock, probably less than partial too. I have found it as effective as Regpon, only more stable.
I am still seeking for help.
PS: It amazes me I can`t find any simple "turn device on" application. Heck, I wouldn`t know how to do it in tasker without locale, either. Llama does it pretty well, tough.
PARTIAL SOLUTION reached
I arrived at a partial solution:
0) WiFi module is always on (as in turned on, not active)
1) keepconnonapp keeps llamaapp active
2) Llama is able to detect wlan connection and turn screen on accordingly
3) Whenever wifi is connected, regponapp keeps CPU active for Skype and Csipsimple
4) If kept active both Skype and Csipsimple are able to reconnect automatically.
I consider this solution as partial because it requires interaction between many applications, which might deem it unstable.
DESCRIPTION:
keepconnon: app. Sends "packets" /) to a user defined server. Keeps wifi on when screen is off, but CPU can't be kept alive for neither Skype nor Csipsimple. CPU stays active enough for Llama to run.
regpon: app. Keeps the wifi and cpu ON (as in active, cpu is active) even when the screen is off. Details are unknown. Its wakelock is only effective when there is an active connection, as in: [if left alone] after you disconnect from wlan the device can't reconnect automatically.
Llama: app. Automation application with built in screen turn on (otherwise you should use tasker with a locale plugin)
PURPOSE
To use a tablet as a base phone. Must handle incoming calls even if screen is off. Must be able to recover from modem resets. Having in mind that screen will remain turned off most of the time. Must work in a non-rooted device.
EXPECTED SOLUTION
Run a service that keeps CPU and WiFi active under all circumstances.
I expected this to have been a lot easier, eh he. Still waiting for opinions, haha.