Location based tasks

[BeanMeUp]

I'm new to tasker so I suspect that I'm missing something big here. I'm trying to have tasker turn on WiFi and turn off mobile data when I get home based on a location state. Also I can't seem to find a way to export a profile description like task descriptions below.

the profile I'm using has a net & gps fix for "home" accurate to 6m or so when I actually collect it but then it defaults back to 200m

Display on monitoring is

 Application:600ms

Wifi scan:120 seconds

GPS Check: 120 seconds

Network location: 30 seconds

GPS Timeout: 90 seconds

Display Off Monitoring

All Check is 300 Seconds

Timeout 60 seconds

I originally thought that when I get home I make it into the house before an accurate enough fix can be collected, but I have the opposite task for when I leave home. It isn't a matter of my not being visible for GPS either. I use it as a mileage tracker and speedometer in my car, So it is always is a cradle.

WiFi On/Mobile Off (12)

A1: WiFi [ Set:On ] 

A2: Mobile Data [ Set:Off ] 

A3: Popup [ Title:Task Text:WiFi on/ Mobile data off Background Image: Layout:Popup Timeout (Seconds):2 Show Over Keyguard:On ]

I have another task that is supposed to work after this one takes effect: when i get home and Wifi is connected to my home network it is supposed to disable my lock screen. This was take directly from Lifehacker to the letter and I still can't make it work, or the inverse of that when it isn't connected to my personal network.

Disable Lock (4)

A1: Secure Settings [ Configuration:Clear Password Package:com.intangibleobject.securesettings.plugin Name:Secure Settings ] 

 

[BeanMeUp]

My phone isn't rooted. HTC EVO 46 LTE

[Wes Stacey]

There are multiple ways to do locations in Tasker, You seem to be using the most battery intensive methods here.

Take a look at the Location without Tears section of the user guide.

. Also I can't seem to find a way to export a profile description like task descriptions below.

Go preferences in Tasker an make sure you have beginner mode disabled, then you should be able to long press on a profile and "Export as Description"

[Wes Stacey]

There are multiple ways to do locations in Tasker, You seem to be using the most battery intensive (however most accurate) methods here.

Check out the Location without Tears Section of the user guide it gives a pretty good breakdown of the different methods.

 Also I can't seem to find a way to export a profile description like task descriptions below.

Go to Preferences > UI and make sure you have "Beginner Mode" unchecked, then you should be able to Long press the profile name and export the description.

[Wes Stacey]

Here's the link for the Location Without Tears section of the user guide

[BeanMeUp]

Thanks Wes,

I already unchecked beginner mode (forgot to post that), and I've read the location without tears, and I agree about the intensive battery use, I'm not terribly worried about that except when I'm at work at which point I've got a profile to inactivate the other. Either way, I can't get it to work at all. I thought about trying a wifi near state, but that kind of invalidates the purpose of the profile, and I want more accuracy than a cell near or net states can give.

As for the profile description, when I long press a profile, I get a check box at the top, an option to rename the profile, delete it, profile properties, and the 3 dot menu that give me options to clone, lock, or select all. Nothing at all about exporting.

[Wes Stacey]

I thought about trying a wifi near state, but that kind of invalidates the purpose of the profile,

 

It doesn't actually, If you use the option "Toggle Wifi" on Wifi near context, if Wifi is currently off, it will turn on the Wifi antenna every so often (how often is controlled by Preferences > Monitor > Wifi Scan Seconds defaults to 120 seconds i believe) get a wifi scan then turn wifi back off. If during one of those scans it picks up the specified network it will run the enter tasks. If one of those actions is to to turn on Wifi, then Wifi is turned on. :-)

I want more accuracy than a cell near or net states can give.

I'd suggest a Cell Near+Wifi Near for the best accuracy/battery saving profile.

 

As for the profile description, when I long press a profile, I get a check box at the top, an option to rename the profile, delete it, profile properties, and the 3 dot menu that give me options to clone, lock, or select all. Nothing at all about exporting.

 

"Export" should be an option in that drop down menu. Make sure you are in the profiles tab...

Either way, I can't get it to work at all

I think we need to focus on getting your profile export to work, it's hard to debug something you can't see.

[BeanMeUp]

I'm missing something then.

I really appreciate the help.

[Wes Stacey]

OHHHHHH ok, there is your issue, you can only export NAMED profiles, it doesn't look like any of yours have been named.

This always throws me off because i always name everything i create.

Name your profiles then you should be able to export them. I suggest you name everything, it makes things so much easier.

[BeanMeUp]

Alright Wes, Your sticktoitiveness is really helpful, Here's what I have so far.

Profile: Home WiFi (11)

Priority: 10 CoolDown: 0

Location: 41.740444 / -111.821319 / 200.0m

Enter: WiFi On/Mobile Off (12)

A1: WiFi [ Set:On ] 

A2: Mobile Data [ Set:Off ] 

A3: Popup [ Title:Task Text:WiFi on/ Mobile data off Background Image: Layout:Popup Timeout (Seconds):2 Show Over Keyguard:On ] 

Exit: WiFi Off/Mobile On (19)

A1: WiFi [ Set:Off ] 

A2: Mobile Data [ Set:On ] 

A3: Popup [ Title:Task Text:WiFi Off/Mobile data on Background Image: Layout:Popup Timeout (Seconds):5 Show Over Keyguard:On ] 

[Wes Stacey]

Ok so what exactly is the issue?

Is it the Enter Task or exit Task that isn't firing? Are you using Network or GPS in that location context?

[BeanMeUp]

Enter task won't fire. On your recommendations, I've gone to a net/Wifi context.

[Wes Stacey]

Does that work?

[Scott Bean]

No. On several occasions now, I take my phone and put it in the cradle in my care and several miles from my house nothing has happened. The accuracy at which i'm getting a location fix is <50m and the radius defaults back to 200m. 

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[Wes Stacey]

Is this on the Cell/Wifi profile or the Location context?

There shouldn't be anything like that on Cell Near or Wifi near?

[Scott Bean]

To the best of my knowledge it is in the location context. i'm not completely sure that I have cell near wifi near set up correctly.

[Wes Stacey]

That is Network Location and it is only going to be slightly more accurate than Cell near (and it requires you to have a data connection, unlike Cell Near). I found that i had to go to 2-3 KM range in order to get it to activate reliably whenever I'm at the location. There is NO WAY that a network location is going to be as accurate as <50m

Cell Near will be a list of Cell towers, and Wifi near will have your home Wifi information.

Cell Near is going to have a WIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDE range that it activates in, Basically if your phone is connected to any of the cell towers on the list, Cell near will activate.

Wifi Near is going to be more accurate. Like i said before it will toggle wifi (if set) and check the nearby wifi networks.

Combining the two means that once you are in your neighborhood, Cell near activates and only then does Wifi Near start toggling Wifi and checking networks. When you make it home it then sees the network and activates bringing the profile active and running the enter tasks.

The issue you may see is that while this profile will work pretty well when you ARRIVE at the location there may be significant delay in registering that you have LEFT said location.

Wifi Near can take up to 240 seconds (4 minutes) after you've left the location to deactivate, if you've left the wifi scanning at the default of 120 seconds. In order to deactivate a Wifi Near context, Tasker has to have 2 consecutive scans without seeing any of the specified networks.

This to prevent profiles from constantly being activated and deactivated while on the edge of a Wifi network's range where getting scans without seeing the network every so often is common.

So assuming that for the frist 5 minutes after you've left the house you are still in Cell Near Range (a single tower's range is measured in Miles so this isn't uncommon) it could take as long as ~5 minutes for Tasker to register that you've left the house.

If you have some way of registering that you are in the car (Built-in Bluetooth, car dock, or you bought one of these like i did) you can setup a car profile and then add an extra "Profile Not Active" context to your location profile, then it won't even START looking for any of the location contexts until your car profile goes inactive, which will usually be in your driveway, then Cell Near immediately activates, and Wifi Near begins to scan and immediately sees the home Wifi so the Location profile will activate almost Immediately after you shut off the car (or remove the phone from the dock).

And when you go to leave your car profile does go active and immediately deactivate the location profile triggering the exit tasks on the location profile.

Hope this helps.

[Scott Bean]

Wes, sincerely, thank you for your help, This should get me going on a number of other profiles too.

[Brandon Horwath]

There is NO WAY that a network location is going to be as accurate as <50m

Mine is actually. Within 30m easily, daily.

[Wes Stacey]

You must live in an area with a pretty high density of Cell towers then.

[Brandon Horwath]

You must live in an area with a pretty high density of Cell towers then.

Lmao. Indeed.