Create persistent app with only sms as user input/output - General Questions and Answers

Hi,
The guys at androidcentral suggested I ask you guys for help so here we go.
I have created an app (purely for personal use) which can be started and stopped by the user but otherwise has no user interaction. It monitors accellerometer and gps data, reacting to certain events, and communicates with the user only via SMS. It is currently running on an Alcatel 5003D (cheap and cheerful) which is permanently powered so the battery is always at 100%.
The problem is that after a few days (about 3) the app dies - I am guessing that Android kills it. How can I prevent this from happening? From what I have read the existence of a foreground process should do the trick. Can I have a process which does nothing or do I need to reconfigure the current app workload so that the foreground process does some useful work? Or is there another solution?
I am an experienced software engineer but my Android knowledge is limited to what I have taught myself in the past year. I started tinkering with Android at the start of the pandemic partly to produce something useful and partly out of interest, so I guess you have to say that I definitely fall into the amateur category - at least as far as Android is concerned. So, lots of learning/understanding still to do. I don't need explanations in words of one syllable but it might be better not to assume I understand all the terminology.
Regards.

Create an Android service that runs the Android app in question.
Look also here:
Android Services with Examples - Tutlane
Android services with examples. In android services are used to perform long-running operations in the background like playing music, etc. android service methods, android skeleton service
www.tutlane.com

jwoegerbauer said:
Create an Android service that runs the Android app in question.
Look also here:
Android Services with Examples - Tutlane
Android services with examples. In android services are used to perform long-running operations in the background like playing music, etc. android service methods, android skeleton service
www.tutlane.com
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
Thanks for the link - looks like a bunch of useful info there. I'll go away and have a play. When I have something that works (or maybe doesn't) I'll let you know.
Regards.

tcs1752890 said:
Hi,
Thanks for the link - looks like a bunch of useful info there. I'll go away and have a play. When I have something that works (or maybe doesn't) I'll let you know.
Regards.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi All,
Well, I finally managed to produce an app which runs exactly as required with no user input - all I/O being via SMS. This runs beautifully for about 3-4 weeks, pinging me with a status via SMS daily, then throws up a message on screen which says "User interface not responding". The app is suspended at this point waiting for someone to tap "wait" or "stop". It seems to be a variable time the app runs before doing this - somewhere around 4-6 weeks.
Just as you think you have it licked Android stamps all over you again in its size 12 boots!
Any suggestions on how to subdue this beast?
Regards.

Related

[APP] Task Identifier [Android 2.1 and up!!!]

!!!If you have Android 2.1 the app now is in the market!!!
Android 2.2 and higher are also still supported
This is not another Auto Task Killer, no.
Thanks for all the help from everyone! We've moved into a lite and full version now on Android 2.2 and 2.3 phones.This is a new program which allows the user to specify alert levels to phone tasks and give you insight into what your phone is really doing. Make a call, ever wonder what apps may be listening? What's going on when you phone is in standby? In creating this, I will say that I've been surprised a few times at what is really going on. I want any and all feedback as well as we are trying to make this into something special. I am the actual developer of this app.
The full version has:
-Common Names and Actual Application Icons
-No Ads
-Access to all App Settings
-Ability to change alert level from List Tasks
-Removed Internet and Location Permissions
And we have a slew of other features planned for only the full version, but we don't want to spill the beans on those quite yet, but they will enhance the tool greatly!
Both versions now have the new UI as well.
Anyone who had the beta should be notified to upgrade to the lite version now.
Download Task Identifier Lite from your phone:
market://search?q=pname:com.task.identifier
Download Task Identifier Full from your phone:
market://search?q=pname:com.task.identifier.full
I've also attached a QR Code to scan for both versions. Or just search for Task Identifier in the market.
I hope you all find this useful and enjoy!!
smart work
notowork said:
smart work
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks!
10
Hehe, I like how the only comment for the app (5 stars and "awesome" as comment) is currently by a user named 'x2k'. Hmmm.
I've just installed it and it's been less than a minute and I got an alert from an app that no longer needs to sync...So I disabled it (every little bit of non-sync means longer battery life!).
So far it's looking very promising! I'll definitely report back on my experiences!
Okay, first big thing...
Can you please resolve the cryptic app names to their more friendly name variants?
It's hard to read and make out the com.blah designations.
Thanks!
So far it seems like a cool app. I've been using WatchDog for ages to alert me when an app misbehaves.
But I'm confused about this app. When would you want to be using this? Can you give an example?
I'll keep it installed and see how it goes. Thanks.
Paul22000 said:
So far it seems like a cool app. I've been using WatchDog for ages to alert me when an app misbehaves.
But I'm confused about this app. When would you want to be using this? Can you give an example?
I'll keep it installed and see how it goes. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for trying. This is more of an app to alert you as to what your phone is doing, ie what loads at a given point in time on your phone.
x2kjosh said:
Thanks for trying. This is more of an app to alert you as to what your phone is doing, ie what loads at a given point in time on your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. I'm playing around with it and actively trying to make notifications pop up I opened Facebook and Google Reader started, as did Maps. Weird.
Which brings me to a question: how do we know whether the task started was CAUSED by the current app I'm using, or Android just randomly started it?
For example, it's possible Facebook opened Maps in order to try to get my location, but I don't see the connection between Facebook and Google Reader. Which is why I ask if it's random, or the app I'm using is causing other tasks to run.
Paul22000 said:
Thanks. I'm playing around with it and actively trying to make notifications pop up I opened Facebook and Google Reader started, as did Maps. Weird.
Which brings me to a question: how do we know whether the task started was CAUSED by the current app I'm using, or Android just randomly started it?
For example, it's possible Facebook opened Maps in order to try to get my location, but I don't see the connection between Facebook and Google Reader. Which is why I ask if it's random, or the app I'm using is causing other tasks to run.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've found when you start doing things you see patterns. On my old Eris while I was testing this, every time I made a phone call, ebay would start! Glad it seems to be working for you! Thanks!
Great thanks
wael0x said:
Great thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're welcome.
Sounds like a great troubleshooting tool. Nice work!
I'm liking this app more and more. A few more comments and requests.
Comments
* I like the main app window. Large fonts, long-press to get quick-help or short press to go to the item. Nice
* Screen off app start notification, nice!
Requests
1. Possible to get more detail about why or how an app was triggered? Like, was it triggered by a service? another app? etc. And did the triggered app take any actions? Like sending network traffic or queried the GPS and such?
2. The 'Setup Alerts' window is hard to read through, could you maybe add color so all the status 'Green' items have the word 'Green' in green font and so on?
Just added a 5 star rating on Market, keep up the good work!
Namuna said:
I'm liking this app more and more. A few more comments and requests.
Comments
* I like the main app window. Large fonts, long-press to get quick-help or short press to go to the item. Nice
* Screen off app start notification, nice!
Requests
1. Possible to get more detail about why or how an app was triggered? Like, was it triggered by a service? another app? etc. And did the triggered app take any actions? Like sending network traffic or queried the GPS and such?
2. The 'Setup Alerts' window is hard to read through, could you maybe add color so all the status 'Green' items have the word 'Green' in green font and so on?
Just added a 5 star rating on Market, keep up the good work!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the suggestions. Those are features we truly will consider adding as it will just make the tool even better. Thanks!
There will probably be updates from time to time through the market
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA App
First of all, thanks for a great app.
I really like the fact that it reports on tasks/processes started while the screen was off!
I have some suggestions though:
1: When I click the icon in the app list to open the menu, it just shows the "Starting monitor" message and nothing else. I have to open an app to get the message in the pull down bar and click on that to start the application it self.
2: On my Samsung Galaxy S i9000 the layout of the application is just a bit to long for a full screen. We are talking about 1 cm or something.
3: I would very much like a log, so that I can check back, what applications started during screen off, and at what time/date.
4: The way the Android memory management works, I guess it's normal for Android to start and application/process to memory by itself from time to time. Is it possible to show this somehow? For what is interesting here is when an application is launching another application or process, and not when Android memory management is putting an application in memory.
Thanks for your great work, I'm looking forward to further updates to the application!
Just saw this on the front page and thought it looked pretty interesting. Installed a few minutes ago, but so far I like it. Not too intrusive with the pop-up.
As Namuna posted though it would be nice to get more detail.
Also to have the actual app name rather than com.xxx.
Really good work.
Installed.
I like the idea that we can see what tasks are really doing in the background. But as noted by some above, the notifications are a bit cryptic at the moment.
After installing and running the app, I started updating some of my other apps in App Market and my phone crashed. This has not happened before and I seems from my layman eyes that too many things might have been running in the background.
When the phone restarted, it too forever for anything to be displayed and the 3 widgets I had on the homescreen refused to load up. Again it seems to me that this app is popping up too many notifications - I have now stopped the app from starting up and running on start up.
I don't know whether this is unique to me or not though. I am running the app on Samsung Galaxy S (international) on stock Froyo with LauncherPro.
Still, I like this app and will use it more. Keep up the great work and many thanks.
Edit : just checked app settings again, and although I explicit unchecked app running on phone startup, the box is checked again. I unchecked the box and pressed save again. Re-entered app settings and the box is checked again. Am I missing something?
This looks very interesting.. So it's installed and ready for testing
Thank you very much for that app, it's awesome. I agree with the recent posters that the name of the app in addition to the com.blah.blubb would be a great help to identify the task. Also I'd like to see a possibility for a logfile.
Keep up the good work!
EDIT: I can hardly read the small, dark font when setting task levels since I use almost the very darkest display settings to save battery. So being able to chose the font color would be great but has absolutely no priority. Again: great app!Using it all day long now and I am surprised what tasks are being started!

[Q] Some Stupid Questions/Gripes About Android OS

I've used an Android tablet for about a year now, and although I've put in a lot of time to make it useful and controllable, it still has a lot of troubling mysteries. I have a few questions for developer types that hopefully will help shed some light on things:
1. Why don't applications feature a "Close" button? In both Windows and GNU/Linux with a GUI, you get a neat little "X" at the top right of the window. Usually, when you click this, the application terminates. Is that so much to ask for on Android? The means of closing apps on Android seem to be entirely up to the devs and there doesn't appear to be a standard way at all. Some of the apps I've used on Android don't have any way to close them whatsoever, with the exception of killing them from a task manager or the "Manage Apps" section of settings.
2. Why do many of these programs suddenly and mysteriously start running entirely on their own? It's terribly frustrating for me to kill an app and in a half an hour find it there on the task manager list again, running without my having asked for it to do so. Where is this controlled? If there is some sort of task scheduler making this happen, why can't I easily see a list of scheduled tasks and choose which ones to run or not to run?
3. For programs that *are* running in the background (the ones I *want* to have running), why is it that they usually don't have some sort of taskbar icon to indicate at a glance that they are still running?
4. Why can't I see everything that's loading when the tablet starts? I guess I'm asking to see a logcat screen instead of a splash screen. GNU/Linux distros don't usually hide everything from the end user, so why isn't it optional on an Android tablet? Even in custom ROMS all I get are neat looking splash screens, not a terminal interface on boot.
5. Why doesn't a decent firewall application yet exist for Android? All I seem to be able to find are really coarse ones like Droidwall, where it's an all or nothing proposition (allow/block). I'd like to be able to control protocols, ports, zones and individual IP addresses and ranges like a good firewall on Windows or GNU/Linux allows. I am constantly under suspicion that someone is doing something on my tablet without my even being aware of it.
6. Why are permissions for applications so difficult to control? Maybe I don't want some stupid game getting a look at my contacts list. I realize I can just uninstall the game, but so many apps seem to tap into stuff that they shouldn't be allowed to, I feel like some sort of permissions control should be a default standard thing in Android. Instead all there seems to be are a couple of apps on the market that may or may not work.
7. Do any of you developers feel dissatisfied about the state of Android, and does Google take your feedback seriously?
8. Are there any forks of the Android OS that don't rely on Google for anything? I'm not 100 percent sure about the difference between a GNU and an Apache license. How much of the OS is closed-source? Is it enough to prevent a true, fully open-sourced Android-based OS from being made?
Sorry if any of these questions sound stupid, but even though Android is supposed to be more open than iOS, it's still not open enough for my tastes. I actually feel safer using Windows than Android, and that's just not how it should be. Am I alone in this feeling?
Ok. I would honestly say you should have gone with a Windows tablet if you want all those... It's not a computer. It's a mobile device running a mobile os. It's not gonna be a full blown computer.
McMick said:
I've used an Android tablet for about a year now, and although I've put in a lot of time to make it useful and controllable, it still has a lot of troubling mysteries. I have a few questions for developer types that hopefully will help shed some light on things:
1. Why don't applications feature a "Close" button? In both Windows and GNU/Linux with a GUI, you get a neat little "X" at the top right of the window. Usually, when you click this, the application terminates. Is that so much to ask for on Android? The means of closing apps on Android seem to be entirely up to the devs and there doesn't appear to be a standard way at all. Some of the apps I've used on Android don't have any way to close them whatsoever, with the exception of killing them from a task manager or the "Manage Apps" section of settings.
2. Why do many of these programs suddenly and mysteriously start running entirely on their own? It's terribly frustrating for me to kill an app and in a half an hour find it there on the task manager list again, running without my having asked for it to do so. Where is this controlled? If there is some sort of task scheduler making this happen, why can't I easily see a list of scheduled tasks and choose which ones to run or not to run?
3. For programs that *are* running in the background (the ones I *want* to have running), why is it that they usually don't have some sort of taskbar icon to indicate at a glance that they are still running?
4. Why can't I see everything that's loading when the tablet starts? I guess I'm asking to see a logcat screen instead of a splash screen. GNU/Linux distros don't usually hide everything from the end user, so why isn't it optional on an Android tablet? Even in custom ROMS all I get are neat looking splash screens, not a terminal interface on boot.
5. Why doesn't a decent firewall application yet exist for Android? All I seem to be able to find are really coarse ones like Droidwall, where it's an all or nothing proposition (allow/block). I'd like to be able to control protocols, ports, zones and individual IP addresses and ranges like a good firewall on Windows or GNU/Linux allows. I am constantly under suspicion that someone is doing something on my tablet without my even being aware of it.
6. Why are permissions for applications so difficult to control? Maybe I don't want some stupid game getting a look at my contacts list. I realize I can just uninstall the game, but so many apps seem to tap into stuff that they shouldn't be allowed to, I feel like some sort of permissions control should be a default standard thing in Android. Instead all there seems to be are a couple of apps on the market that may or may not work.
7. Do any of you developers feel dissatisfied about the state of Android, and does Google take your feedback seriously?
8. Are there any forks of the Android OS that don't rely on Google for anything? I'm not 100 percent sure about the difference between a GNU and an Apache license. How much of the OS is closed-source? Is it enough to prevent a true, fully open-sourced Android-based OS from being made?
Sorry if any of these questions sound stupid, but even though Android is supposed to be more open than iOS, it's still not open enough for my tastes. I actually feel safer using Windows than Android, and that's just not how it should be. Am I alone in this feeling?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Well, its a mobile OS and it would be rather annoying to have a close button on every (even most) apps. No mobile OS has had a close button
2. That's an app problem, the developer either wanted the app to do that for some function, or they made some mistake in creating causing that to happen.
3. There would be too many apps, and I doubt people want extra notifications in the status bar just informing them what's running. For example, my friends Stratosphere has a status notif whenever WiFi is connected, and it annoys the crap out of me whenever I use it.
4. Probably, because people don't care... remember Android (like WP and iOS) are supposed to appeal to consumers as a phone for "facebook, games, and internet," and if the splashscreen/bootanimation was a logcat, people would just go "wut?" Also, as smartphones get faster and faster, so does bootup time. And there wouldn't be enough time to read what's on the logcat before it fully boots and you're at the lockscreen
5. Ask the devs.
6. Once again, dev thing. They are entitled to putting whatever permission they want, and Google isn't going to stop them. Just think about it though, most people don't care about permissions. iOS doesn't display them (even though they are there) and people download apps like there's no tomorrow anyway.
7. I read somewhere that the main designer of Android was "40% complete" at ICS. It gets me excited at what's next to come, since 4.0+ is already pretty amazing.
8. I'm too retarded to understand this question
Sent from my DROID2 using xda premium
As gagdude said for 1-7.
8. There's the Chinese Aliyun OS which looks and feels a lot like Android but doesn't rely on Google - but I would't try it. You could try Ubuntu Linux if your device supports it.
Android needs to be like apple with updates time to close source this already and just have one phone already
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
Reopened, but if it gets unproviding and or heads Off Topic, well then I will readdress this thread.....
Thank you and you can Thank user: Syncopath
gagdude said:
No mobile OS has had a close button
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wrong, PocketPC 2002, which I used for 10 years on my HTC Wallaby, had a close button for every application.
@McMick, many of your points struck a chord with me and I have often asked myself the same things since migrating to Android from Pocket PC 2002 on my HTC Wallaby. Certainly points 1, 3, 7 and 8.
Since I jumped from PPC 2002 to Android 2.3.6 I've had the same thoughts. And I was for instance surprised to see that only now (Galaxy Note 2) are the very first steps being taken towards multiple windows.
I agree with point 4 too. On a PC (Linux or Windows) you can choose whether you see what's starting (BIOS and OS boot) or prefer a reassuring animation.
5. I have Avast!Mobile Security which has what is reckoned to be one of the best firewalls for Android, but even that only has, as you say, block or allow (individually for WiFi, 3G and mobile network).
6. The trouble with limiting permissions for apps is that if they can't get the access they want, they won't work. Personally I use the app Privacy Blocker which works around that by feeding the apps you choose not to allow to snoop nonsense information.
However it's not enough just to stand on the sidelines and issue one's wishes to "the developers". The point and the spirit of XDA-developers is that we can all start modifying things if we want to. So instead of saying "Why can't I" the thing to do is to start reading and learning and seeing if you might not after all just be able to ... do something yourself when it comes to your device.
Every Android developer does what appeals to them, which is why there is such a wonderful diversity of ROMs and apps for Android, particularly here on XDA.
So get stuck in and start trying to change things on your own device for a start. On point 5 for instance, you do see a logcat screen when you boot into recovery mode, so perhaps there's a way to display that when booting. If you do get started on modifications in the directions you indicate, I shall certainly follow progress with interest.
Thanks to BigJoe2675.
syncopath said:
Wrong, PocketPC 2002, which I used for 10 years on my HTC Wallaby,
However it's not enough just to stand on the sidelines and issue one's wishes to "the developers". The point and the spirit of XDA-developers is that we can all start modifying things if we want to. So instead of saying "Why can't I" the thing to do is to start reading and learning and seeing if you might not after all just be able to ... do something yourself when it comes to your device.
Every Android developer does what appeals to them, which is why there is such a wonderful diversity of ROMs and apps for Android, particularly here on XDA.
So get stuck in and start trying to change things on your own device for a start. On point 5 for instance, you do see a logcat screen when you boot into recovery mode, so perhaps there's a way to display that when booting. If you do get started on modifications in the directions you indicate, I shall certainly follow progress with interest.
Thanks to BigJoe2675.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
---------------------------
PocketPC 2002, which I used for 10 years :crying::crying: sorry for this....
syncopath said:
Wrong, PocketPC 2002, which I used for 10 years on my HTC Wallaby, had a close button for every application.
@McMick, many of your points struck a chord with me and I have often asked myself the same things since migrating to Android from Pocket PC 2002 on my HTC Wallaby. Certainly points 1, 3, 7 and 8.
Since I jumped from PPC 2002 to Android 2.3.6 I've had the same thoughts. And I was for instance surprised to see that only now (Galaxy Note 2) are the very first steps being taken towards multiple windows.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, but I wasn't born in 2002.
Lol jk I was, but I wasn't "born" to technology back then. I got my first phone only 3 years ago or so... and that just makes it seem that close buttons are now obsolete (on Mobile OSes, at least
Sent from my DROID2 using xda premium
gagdude said:
OK, but I wasn't born in 2002.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL as I believe they say these days. I forgive you instantly! I am amazed by your over 1000 posts in about 4 months.
McMick said:
4. Why can't I see everything that's loading when the tablet starts? I guess I'm asking to see a logcat screen instead of a splash screen. GNU/Linux distros don't usually hide everything from the end user, so why isn't it optional on an Android tablet? Even in custom ROMS all I get are neat looking splash screens, not a terminal interface on boot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The app [root] live logcat by the one and only Chainfire [/hyperbole] should fix this. There are free and paid versions. Something to check out if you're rooted. Please let us know of the results. Added on edit: from Google Play.
syncopath said:
LOL as I believe they say these days. I forgive you instantly! I am amazed by your over 1000 posts in about 4 months.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh no that just means I'm a loser and I spend too much time on xda
Sent from my DROID2 using xda premium
@bigjoe,
bigjoe2675 said:
PocketPC 2002, which I used for 10 years :crying::crying: sorry for this....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't quite understand this message, probably due to my inability to correctly interpret emoticons (reverse autism?). Anyway, thanks for re-opening this one because I
think what is being discussed here is worthwhile. Given the pressure of spammer-threat I think the OP should respond soon (or anyone else). Otherwise it will be understandable if you close the thread if you prefer.
bigjoe2675 said:
Reopened, but if it gets unproviding and or heads Off Topic, well then I will readdress this thread.....
Thank you and you can Thank user:
Syncopath
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think I understand your priorities as moderator. This is of course a thread near the "top" of XDA and as such will far more readily attract spammers and other lowlife than further down in the more comfortable device threads where I am more used to posting. So you will want to quickly close any thread that seems to be becoming stale. Right?
@gagdude
gagdude said:
Oh no that just means I'm a loser and I spend too much time on xda
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think so, over 200 thanks didn't come from nowhere!
This is off subject having prob w/ no boot sound for boot anim
Sent from my Huawei-H867G using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Coming from Windows Phone & need advice...TIA

Coming from a couple years on the Windows platform mandated by the office but now they allow Android & I chose LG G3 - but there are some things on the Windows phone I miss and can;t find solutions for on the LG...
1 > The Nokia 920 had a great way of displaying the time on the time out screen - can't get that to work at all on the LG with any app..
2> The Windows platform will read texts to me while in the car on Bluetooth. There is an droid app called ReadItToMe but it is awfully inconsistent. I had heard the Samsungs come with svoice that do this well...anything similar for the LG?
3> Windows had a way of killing apps automatically in the background and keeping just 5 or so open...this allowed the battery to last for an entire day for over two years. I can not figure out how to do this on the LG. I dl Advanced task killer but it seems more manual than auto...maybe my fault.
Thanks for any productive input!
DPLOY said:
Coming from a couple years on the Windows platform mandated by the office but now they allow Android & I chose LG G3 - but there are some things on the Windows phone I miss and can;t find solutions for on the LG...
1 > The Nokia 920 had a great way of displaying the time on the time out screen - can't get that to work at all on the LG with any app..
2> The Windows platform will read texts to me while in the car on Bluetooth. There is an droid app called ReadItToMe but it is awfully inconsistent. I had heard the Samsungs come with svoice that do this well...anything similar for the LG?
3> Windows had a way of killing apps automatically in the background and keeping just 5 or so open...this allowed the battery to last for an entire day for over two years. I can not figure out how to do this on the LG. I dl Advanced task killer but it seems more manual than auto...maybe my fault.
Thanks for any productive input!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Welcome to android and in answer to your questions:
1. What you are referring to is a feature of some Nokia Lumia Windows Phones called Glance Screen and I have not seen any android phone with this feature. Sorry but I don't know of any apps that can do this as this currently appears to be hardware specific to the Lumia line of phones.
2. I believe the phone has the capability built in under "System Settings" "Sound", "Message/call voice notifications". There is an option for it to read text messages it loud. I think once you turn it on, it is on all the time though and not exclusive to bluetooth. If you are willing to buy an app and learn how to use it (depending on your knowledge it may be a steep learning curve), Tasker may be able to create a profile that sets the conditions under which this turns on.
3. This is an area of contention. I personally will no longer use Task killers. For the most part, various research and tests I have found states that it has no positive impact on the battery, and in some cases, actually makes worsens it. Android does a good job of managing memory and many of the active tasks should be left running (i.e. google services, weather, and/or any app you may want to keep in sync or have widgets for). In my opinion, ATK's only potential "good" use would be to kill a rogue app but you can do that without the program. I would focus more on the apps syncing in the background and how often they do so, along with other common things such as screen brightness, to get better battery life. For me, I will swear by Greenify over task killers (I am rooted so it is very effective) because certain persistant apps can be hibernated and can be set up to do so automatically when the screen shuts off. With Greenify, the apps remain hibernated while the screen is off and for the most part when the screen is on, unless I open the apps. An example is Facebook for android. I personally do not care about notifications received on my phone for my FB account. Even though I have chat, notifications, and contact sync off, FB persists to run as an active background process (not to be confused with cached background processes which get dumped as android needs active RAM). With Greenify, this is not an issue.
Thanks aybarrap1! I see you are in Jax near me - thanks for helping a local out!
I will try Greenify asap. Also - in the stock contact app how do you copy (or forward) someone's contact information & text it to someone else? WP made this easy but I can not figure it out...
THANKS AGAIN aybarrap1!
DPLOY said:
Thanks aybarrap1! I see you are in Jax near me - thanks for helping a local out!
I will try Greenify asap. Also - in the stock contact app how do you copy (or forward) someone's contact information & text it to someone else? WP made this easy but I can not figure it out...
THANKS AGAIN aybarrap1!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Open messaging, open the thread of the person you want to send TO (or create a new message), tap the paper clip button to the left of the text box to get a list of things to attach, then tap contact and select the contact to forward
DPLOY said:
Thanks aybarrap1! I see you are in Jax near me - thanks for helping a local out!
I will try Greenify asap.
THANKS AGAIN aybarrap1!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad to be of assistance. I don't think you will be disappointed with Greenify. Keep in mind you need to be rooted to be able to hibernate system apps.

Ok....i give...need some solid information.

I have googled and searched my fingertips to the bone. Whenever i ask a technical question, i get answers from the clueless and the blind. I am beginning to hate this game.
So here we go. Stock android 4.4.2 ....rooted. How do you control which apps autostart and load in the background? Right now I have been trying to kill the Music app. Nothing works. It always restarts. So that means there is a sticky setting in some file somewhere in the system that needs to be edited that more than likely can not properrly be controlled from the childish controls android offers. In windows this is controlled in the registry and the startup process. Where is this in android? Why does no one share this information?
Yes i know it's dangerous. Yes i know not to putts around in the operating system. But if youre rooted, give us the data to control things.
So i await a learned response that probaly only one of the "developers" can answer. Because it sure as s€£%t ain't out there to be found.
Signed, royally frustrated
I'm reminded of that saying "You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." Not sure why your posts are so charged but many seasoned developers and posters aren't going to engage in conversation with someone who uses condesending and self righteous tones.
I've never seen detailed posting of how it works, nor do I care to know, but by installing Greenify you can effectively control what you wish to control. Greenify allows you to hibernate applications keeping them asleep until manually called.
Some applications have associated services that are used by other parts of the system or other applications and therefore stay loaded to provide that service. If you also install Xposed Framework it will allow Greenify to inject itself further to keep applications that you choose to hibernate from being called upon by other applications (facebook for example has services that often get called upon by other applications for various reasons and so it can be hard to keep hibernated).
Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk
muzzy996 said:
I'm reminded of that saying "You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." Not sure why your posts are so charged but many seasoned developers and posters aren't going to engage in conversation with someone who uses condesending and self righteous tones.
I've never seen detailed posting of how it works, nor do I care to know, but by installing Greenify you can effectively control what you wish to control. Greenify allows you to hibernate applications keeping them asleep until manually called.
Some applications have associated services that are used by other parts of the system or other applications and therefore stay loaded to provide that service. If you also install Xposed Framework it will allow Greenify to inject itself further to keep applications that you choose to hibernate from being called upon by other applications (facebook for example has services that often get called upon by other applications for various reasons and so it can be hard to keep hibernated).
Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am sorry. I did not intentionally want to come off as charged or spraying vinegar. Quite the opposite. But I have found, after reading tons of post, that we are living in the land of the blind and hardly anyone with sight is actually participating or for that matter even providing a modicum of usefull data. Beginning to think that I don't blame them.
It seems, after deep searching and research that children are actually in charge. What other explanation can you give for an operating system that is struggling with "basic" features found in DOS or windows 3.1 from 20 years ago. Similar to the slow evolution of linux, itself which only now, barely, is win xp like in its features after decades as a skeletal nightmare to load and setup.
You may not have caught the news a few months ago, but Samsung was floating the idea of abandoning android for a flavored and skinned version of linux for future devices, both phones and tablets.p, starting with the China market.
Tell me that Microsoft did not head that off by providing reciprocal licensing to Samsung for windows 10 to abandoning linux. Would not be suprised if we start seeing win10 handsets in the near future here.
Once android looses support from major manufacturers, then it is DEAD.
Read every other post and you will see the lament about the quality of google store apps.
So when I ask a specific, technical question requiring a precise answer.....which requires actual proframming skill.....which has yet to appear...you can see how the lack of response to that colors the situation.
If I offended anyone, I apologize. I get excited sometimes. Repeatedly slamming ones head against the wall, figuratively tends to make you anxious.
At this rate, my raw participation on these boards may be curtailed if I continue with this sense of useless effort.
Sorry to make anyone upset. You can let the kids back in the room. I think there is ice cream.
Have you considered freezing the processes you want to prevent from running with Titanium Backup?
ShadowLea said:
Have you considered freezing the processes you want to prevent from running with Titanium Backup?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Titanium backup would work. The other option since you are rooted is to just remove the offending music app. I don't mind the samsung music app, but I don't find it absolutely necessary either. You could also uninstall the updates and force stop the app. That should also keep it from starting.
Another option that I haven't looked at completely but might work is the app "tasker" that lets you assign certain apps to start only when you want them too. So you could have the music app start only when you tap on media files. But I haven't tried this myself.
The problem currently with asking technical questions about the note pro is that it's a low selling device from 2014 so it just doesn't get much action on the forums anymore. It's a bummer for such a great device but that's how it is.
mjkurke said:
Titanium backup would work. The other option since you are rooted is to just remove the offending music app. I don't mind the samsung music app, but I don't find it absolutely necessary either. You could also uninstall the updates and force stop the app. That should also keep it from starting.
Another option that I haven't looked at completely but might work is the app "tasker" that lets you assign certain apps to start only when you want them too. So you could have the music app start only when you tap on media files. But I haven't tried this myself.
The problem currently with asking technical questions about the note pro is that it's a low selling device from 2014 so it just doesn't get much action on the forums anymore. It's a bummer for such a great device but that's how it is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Low selling are not the words. More like abandoned. Samsung has moved away. My questions where android specific. "Freezing" apps, using a convoluted set of more apps to control unwanted apps, ridiculous. It is all ridiculous. Either root gives control or it does not.
I want full control, what runs, what doesn't, what runs in the background. Is that not why we root? So a comprehensive list of whats what WOULD RREEEAAAALLLLYYY HELP.
I am alone in the wilderness screaming at the trees demanding to know why it rains.
Do you understand?
Options like freezing in Titanium or using Greenify have already been addressed. Tasker is good for starting things but not so good at keeping things killed, not the proper tool to use for the job of keeping apps from loading.
My strategy:
1) Freeze anything that's safe to freeze that I know I'll never use in Titanium first. That way they never pre-cache into memory.
2) Greenify applications that I rarely use so that they don't pre-cache, taking care not to greenify applications that need to stay loaded to operate properly (like email clients, weather apps or messaging apps).
In the end on a clean boot my application/precache list is full of my commonly used apps. I worry not about how much free RAM I have, as long as the list of apps in RAM/cache is populated with the stuff that I commonly use.
NOW, all of that said if you're looking for something that works like windows startup manager then installing Xposed Framework and then BootManager is the way to go. I've done this in the past but find that employing freezing and greenify is good enough for my own needs so I've stopped.
globalsearch said:
Low selling are not the words. More like abandoned. Samsung has moved away. My questions where android specific. "Freezing" apps, using a convoluted set of more apps to control unwanted apps, ridiculous. It is all ridiculous. Either root gives control or it does not.
I want full control, what runs, what doesn't, what runs in the background. Is that not why we root? So a comprehensive list of whats what WOULD RREEEAAAALLLLYYY HELP.
I am alone in the wilderness screaming at the trees demanding to know why it rains.
Do you understand?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am starting to suspect you have greatly misunderstood the meaning of root access. From what it sounds like, you seem to think it miraculously gives you access to settings and functions that non-rooted users can't see. Which is why you can't seem to get the answers you seek.
There is no such thing as a root-menu. Android does not have that functionality build into its GUI.
Root access simply means administrator access to the system's root directories. Hence the word Root.
You will always need additional apps and software to root access to change functionality. Titanium Backup, Xposed, SuperUser/SuperSU, etcetera.
If you want those options in the system, you'll need a customROM.
ShadowLea said:
Root access simply means administrator access to the system's root directories. Hence the word Root.
You will always need additional apps and software to root access to change functionality. Titanium Backup, Xposed, SuperUser/SuperSU, etcetera.
If you want those options in the system, you'll need a customROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right and even with a custom ROM you can't run away from using 3rd party utilities to make the tweaks. Custom is usually a good start though as they are typically debloated. Civato's is good for lightly modified stock with xposed baked in.
Sent from my SM-N910T3 using Tapatalk
Now we are getting somewhere. So what you have all told me is that stock android, even when rooted, is still a sandbox with all kinds of limitations to customization. Even with apps to tweak some of it.
This is the nail in the coffin for me and android then. Im not in the least interested in all those custom roms where there is always some shortcoming or lack of support for a feature that does not work properly.
Thanks all. I am done.
globalsearch said:
Now we are getting somewhere. So what you have all told me is that stock android, even when rooted, is still a sandbox with all kinds of limitations to customization. Even with apps to tweak some of it.
This is the nail in the coffin for me and android then. Im not in the least interested in all those custom roms where there is always some shortcoming or lack of support for a feature that does not work properly.
Thanks all. I am done.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
for what its worth I do have your answer, better late than never right?
anyways android is built on a linux kernal and normally access to the linux command line does not come pre-installed to keep normal people from messing up their system.
so you will need to download a terminal emulator app if you don't already have one if you plan to do this from android. (Alternatively you can do it from the android debug bridge while connected to a computer if preferred)
First you will want to get the package name for the app you want to disable.
you can do this with a root file browser app by going to system / Data / App and then finding the package you want to disable.
however since it sounds like you want to do this manually we will go over the terminal process:
open a terminal window.
type: su
Hit: enter
the terminal will ask you for root access, go ahead and grant it.
to list the android packages type: pm list packages
hit: enter
This will show a list of the installed packages (Apps)
find the ones you want to disable.
now type: pm disable insertpackagename
hit: enter
for example to disable youtube type: pm disable com.google.android.youtube
Hit: Enter
that's it.
you will likely want to restart your launcher or even just restart the tablet afterwards as most launchers don't constantly poll for disabled apps so it will need a refresh.
also you probably already realise this so I apologise if its redundant but make sure you know what you are disabling
as with any linux environment disabling system packages and packages that another application is dependant on can cause trouble.
firefly6240 said:
for what its worth I do have your answer, better late than never right?
anyways android is built on a linux kernal and normally access to the linux command line does not come pre-installed to keep normal people from messing up their system.
so you will need to download a terminal emulator app if you don't already have one if you plan to do this from android. (Alternatively you can do it from the android debug bridge while connected to a computer if preferred)
First you will want to get the package name for the app you want to disable.
you can do this with a root file browser app by going to system / Data / App and then finding the package you want to disable.
however since it sounds like you want to do this manually we will go over the terminal process:
open a terminal window.
type: su
Hit: enter
the terminal will ask you for root access, go ahead and grant it.
to list the android packages type: pm list packages
hit: enter
This will show a list of the installed packages (Apps)
find the ones you want to disable.
now type: pm disable insertpackagename
hit: enter
for example to disable youtube type: pm disable com.google.android.youtube
Hit: Enter
that's it.
you will likely want to restart your launcher or even just restart the tablet afterwards as most launchers don't constantly poll for disabled apps so it will need a refresh.
also you probably already realise this so I apologise if its redundant but make sure you know what you are disabling
as with any linux environment disabling system packages and packages that another application is dependant on can cause trouble.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Finally. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
globalsearch said:
Low selling are not the words. More like abandoned. Samsung has moved away. My questions where android specific. "Freezing" apps, using a convoluted set of more apps to control unwanted apps, ridiculous. It is all ridiculous. Either root gives control or it does not.
I want full control, what runs, what doesn't, what runs in the background. Is that not why we root? So a comprehensive list of whats what WOULD RREEEAAAALLLLYYY HELP.
I am alone in the wilderness screaming at the trees demanding to know why it rains.
Do you understand?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just thought I would clarify a bit here, I know how confusing it can be coming from windows, I made the switch myself not so many years ago and had a lot of the same questions.
to explain root, the closest comparison I have imperfect as it may be is that root access is similar to windows admin access.
the noticeable difference in a lot of cases is what comes pre-installed.
for example in windows if you have an admin account it automatically unlocks access to the command prompt which was already pre-installed.
in android root access gives you the option to use a terminal but often one is not pre-installed, in fact even a file manager is often not included.
this is actually not a limitation of android so much as a limitation put in place by the specific device manufacturer as to what comes pre-installed.
for example a lot of cheap android tablets running google AOSP (Android open source Project) code actually do come with terminal apps and in some cases even come pre-loaded with root access.
in comparison a lot of more well known devices do not come with this pre-loaded to prevent people from breaking things. (For a windows comparison, its hard to delete the system32 folder without admin access, a file browser and command prompt right?)
As far as samsung abandonment, its a bit trickier there.
Basically what you would normally be used to is the Microsoft scenario.
1. Microsoft - Microsoft makes the OS but it runs on hardware made by others.
a. hardware issues go to the hardware manufacturer for as long as they support it.
b. OS updates are handled by Microsoft, they have more or less full control of the OS as it is closed source.
2. the Samsung Scenario - The hardware is made by the manufacturer, the bootloaders are locked, the OS is made by Google and then tweaked by the manufacturer.
a. all official updates come through the manufacturer (In this case Samsung) after google releases the open source code, samsung then alters it as they like and then they release an update.
b. Samsung is the sole support for the hardware and software as google no longer supports the software for the most part after its been altered.
c. it takes a lot of time and work for samsung to develop an update and push it out and then deal with all of the issues that come with updating the OS.
d. its often easier to leave a device that comparatively very few people bought on an OS that they knew was usable rather than spend all the time and money updating it and dealing with all of the related issues.
With that in mind this tablet has been out for about 2 years now which is a huge amount of time for this type of hardware.
All that being said Samsung very recently released the update to android 5.1.1 for this tablet
so it is definitely not abandoned yet, in fact its had more attention than even other devices by the same manufacturer but I suspect 5.1.1 will be the last official update we see.
if you have one of the note variants with an unlockable bootloader as well as a bit of time on your hands I would very much recommend trying a custom rom if you are worried about samsung abandonment.
you may have to try several different ones though, as you'll find a mix of roms that may seem almost half baked, more alpha release style but are cutting edge (I like those ones myself) to roms that are even more stable than the original.
My apologies if some of this is redundant information, I just thought I would throw in my two cents in case it helps
Two points . . for what its worth . . 1) the use of package manager's disable command effectively does the same thing that freezing in Titanium does, the main difference being that you're using a GUI to do it (there can be differences in how the apps are flagged though and using the pm command means not having to rely on yet another app); 2) disabling/freezing means you'll be unable to ever launch said application unless you enable the app again manually (using the package manager PM commands or Titanium).
Main reason in my initial response I didn't go straight to freezing/disabling apps is because that approach isn't exactly the same thing as managing startup in the context of the example given about managing what apps start up on boot in Windows (i.e. msconfig command and unchecking startup options). When someone takes an app out of startup in Windows the software isn't permanently disabled (unavailable) it is merely prevented from preloading when the system is started. So . . in reference to the music app referred to in the original post, if the goal is to be able to use the stock music app but just not have it load itself into memory on its own then the solution isnt disabling it or freezing it, its to hibernate it with something like Greenify or prevent it from starting using something like Boot Manager and Xposed Framework.
Firefly6240 got exactly what I was asking for. Freezing and hybernating, et al, is not total control. When i kill an app and i want it gone. I want it gone. Example, the google music, google books and google films. I gave stopped, killed even "uninstalled" in Purify and in Kingroot. On random reboot, the buggers are back. Fireflys solution is ceasars thumbs down. Wonderful. He understood the TOTAL control I was looking for.
Also, i loaded android terminal to run the commands.
By the way, Knox and EML are next on my list.
Thanks again firefly6420
globalsearch said:
Firefly6240 got exactly what I was asking for. Freezing and hybernating, et al, is not total control. When i kill an app and i want it gone. I want it gone. Example, the google music, google books and google films. I gave stopped, killed even "uninstalled" in Purify and in Kingroot. On random reboot, the buggers are back. Fireflys solution is ceasars thumbs down. Wonderful. He understood the TOTAL control I was looking for.
Also, i loaded android terminal to run the commands.
By the way, Knox and EML are next on my list.
Thanks again firefly6420
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK good, then I misunderstood the question. Hibernation has its place, it's just not what you wanted, you wanted complete uninstallation basically.
Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk
like it or not, OEMs, even Google cannot just give the public ready-made controls to such things because the way a lot of (non-essential but) pre-installed apps are designed they depends on other apps being present and/or running.
AppOps was a classic example cuz once ppl found it and made public how to take advantage, a lot of dependant apps and services were affected and people called in to their OEMs complaining of broken phones when it was simply tinkered permissions.
there is no mobile OS more robust than android. all have their forms of depth, appeal, features and restrictions but none embrace admin access & leaving open the ability to do it more than android (just need the carrier and sometimes OEM to leave the bootloader the hell alone lol)
if you want a smartphone with admin privileges out-of-the-box and full control of all system services etc, I would recommend an Ubuntu phone. they're about a year into commercial availability which is still kinda fringe but stable and will lack certain major perks of owning either iOS (yuck!) or Android. there is a couple Ubuntu/android dual boot phones out there too, and that comes with the issue of storage space after holding 2 OS's
in another year or 2 Ubuntu phones should be more plentiful and bring over some popular apps and active development but I don't anticipate seeing it take off quite like other mobile OS's cuz when it comes to feeding the masses, more options and less restrictions can have the same effect as asking an 80 year old to put in an address on your navigation in the car while you're on the highway. it's a learning curve simple to some that seems too simple not to understand but can be bad for business.
I think android and iOS beat this problem initially because when they started, there weren't any other well-established alternatives. BlackBerry and some fringe PDAs were about it...
Note pro 12.2
I was/am dealing with the Note Pro 12.2 specifically. Not other handsets. This device is coming up on two years and support has been waning. When I bought it all was well. Less than a few months later the damned KitKat update came and suddenly I found myself without proper access to the external sd card, that had worked perfectly when i purchased the unit. I was furious. Especially when we where being told that it was for our own good and google was pushing internal memory over external. Damn them. I bought samsung BECAUSE it had the sd slot. And when Samsung did not provide the fix to the platform.xml file I was livid. 5.01 came out and Samsung destoyed support for most external blue tooth keyboards. And so it goes, one stupid blunder after another. Their updates destroyed my workflow.
So yes, damned right I want full control of my device, because they have shown they have NO regard for our needs and DO NOT ADDRESS our concerns. Just buy our stuff and shut up. Well in this case, i was sold a product that they later incapacitated.
I can not abide with that. I tried so hard not to root, for a year and a half. I shut off automatic updates on EVERYTHING because even updates from google play would sometimes destroy a goid priducy. I started saving apks from versions of apps that worked. I stayed stock 4.4.2 because everything worked but the sd write. How many threads do we have here where people upgraded to marshmellow and then begged to get back to kitkat? Last week after reading thread after thread of problems and convoluted fixes and a gazillion rom versions each of which has its own imperfections and then reading that the new samsung tablet was released windows 10. I knew it was over.
At that moment the decision was inevitable. I rooted and IMMEDIATELY fixed the sd write issue. And i unrooted. Two days of random reboots and i roited again, this time to take the bull by the hirns and control this thing. I became increasingly frustrated with the lack of displayed technical knowledge here at xda and the tons pf advice from also clueless posters. I tried everything. Even got scolded by an admin who has been here less time than me. (Follow the rules, follow the rules...don't you dare to ask the important questions)
Not till the reply from firefly6240. Now he knows something. And he shared a little with me. Which i greatly appreciated. I have a direction now. And the tweaks I have done have increased my battery tije, the screen reojse time and overall improvement of the environment. All on 4.4.2.
I still have some minor issues, but google and android code monkeys WILL NO LONGER CONTROL MY DEVICE, MY PROPERTY.
It is time people take control of the ELECTRONIC items which we purchase with OUR hard earned money and stop letting manufacturers turn those devices into nothing more than sales portals to make more money and deny us control or the ability to JUST SAY NO.

GPS tracking girlfriend and myself

Hi!
I'm looking for a really simple app or hack to track an android. There are way too many apps out there to find the right one and the ones I tried were horrible (big, advertising, data collection...).
The built in "locate my android" through google devicemanager works as of now, but we would like an app that does the following:
- displays a track on a map with dots with timestamps
- keeps a history of the track - a few days is enough. More than 5min update intervall isn't necessary and only when moving.
- updates ideally only when actively using GPS or after it detected movement for an hour or so, stays quiet and doesn't consume battery and activate GPS unnecessarily.
- doesn't do anything when not asked for (except sending updates of position if position changed), like notifications, activating GPS, ads
Purpose is to see quickly where people are or last were. Precise times and locations are only needed for moving targets (and then navigation is likely being used and GPS active anyway) so you can tell when someone will arrive roughly.
I have Xprivacy and could control rogue apps to some extent, but my girlfriend doesn't and I'd like an app that doesn't need accounts and wants access to other data.
Molvol said:
Hi!
I'm looking for a really simple app or hack to track an android. There are way too many apps out there to find the right one and the ones I tried were horrible (big, advertising, data collection...).
The built in "locate my android" through google devicemanager works as of now, but we would like an app that does the following:
- displays a track on a map with dots with timestamps
- keeps a history of the track - a few days is enough. More than 5min update intervall isn't necessary and only when moving.
- updates ideally only when actively using GPS or after it detected movement for an hour or so, stays quiet and doesn't consume battery and activate GPS unnecessarily.
- doesn't do anything when not asked for (except sending updates of position if position changed), like notifications, activating GPS, ads
Purpose is to see quickly where people are or last were. Precise times and locations are only needed for moving targets (and then navigation is likely being used and GPS active anyway) so you can tell when someone will arrive roughly.
I have Xprivacy and could control rogue apps to some extent, but my girlfriend doesn't and I'd like an app that doesn't need accounts and wants access to other data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This kind of thing not authorized here on XDA.
Ashwinrg said:
This kind of thing not authorized here on XDA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you mean? I thought this is Q&A for questions like this! Nothing unethical here, as I said there are tons of apps for family/friends tracking. I just want a very simple one with mapview and a little history. And I got frustrated with trying out contenders which didn't do anything close to what I wanted in a simple way. So I hope someone had better luck than me and will share their experience.
Something like Life360 might be what you're looking for.
Try browsing around other related apps on the play store.

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