check if any bluetooth device connected

[torcolia...@gmail.com]

Hi there,
I'm having trouble using the "bluetooth device connected?" block: i can only check if a specific device is connected (using device name and/or mac address), but that's not what i need... I also tried to save in a variable the mac address and check if it's blank or any other value... But this too is not working. I'm using a nexus 5 with KitKat.
Thanx in advance for your help

[Automate developer]

What are you trying to do?

If you leave the "device name" and "device address" fields empty the block should proceed when any device connects, or disconnects.

[torcolia...@gmail.com]

I'm trying to check if any device is connected... I'm leaving name and mac address fields blank, but even when a device is connected the max address variabile results an empty string.
Here you can find the .flo I developed

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vk7ht1mgjugmis3/Bluetooth%20auto.flo?dl=0

[Automate developer]

Try using the "Blutetooth device connected" as the decision block it i, there's no need for the extra "Expression true" block after it.
What the output variables are assigned when a decision is false, isn't really documentet. Currently, most block assigns null to them, but i may change that soon.

Also, your flow are polling the state every 3 minute. Don't use polling, its not recommended nor required, and it will unnecessarily drain the battery.

If you wait a for a BT device to connect or disconnect, a single "Bluetooth Device connected" block with the proceed option set to "When changed" will suffice.

[Alessandro Torcoli]

I already tried to use the "Bluetooth device connected?" block by its own, but it doesn't work if I leave blank name and mac addrees... It forces me to choose a device or simply it takes the "no" path, but I don't want to choose a device, I want it to work for any device. I think I'm not rhe only one with this issue, 'cause other flows I downloaded from the community use a cycle to verify if any of the device paired in the past is connected.

My flow is polling every 3 minutes because I want it to turn bluetooth on and verify if there is any device to connect to, if not I want it to turn the bluetooth off again, so the block has to work in "immediately" mode and not in "when changed".

Thanks again for your help

[Automate developer]

Checking the "address" variable from both the YES and NO path coming from the "Bluetooth device connected" block is basically the same as using a single "Bluetooth device connected" block, it's just using unnecessary blocks.

A device can never be connected if Bluetooth is disabled. The following flow should turn BT off when a device disconnects:
            :
+-----------+
|           |
|  When BT device connected?----+
|           |                   |
+-----------+               Disable BT
|                               |
+-------------------------------+         

           

On Monday, December 22, 2014 11:02:02 AM UTC+1, Alessandro Torcoli wrote:

I already tried to use the "Bluetooth device connected?" block by its own, but it doesn't work if I leave blank name and mac addrees... It forces me to choose a device or simply it takes the "no" path, but I don't want to choose a device, I want it to work for any device. I think I'm not rhe only one with this issue, 'cause other flows I downloaded from the community use a cycle to verify if any of the device paired in the past is connected.

My flow is polling every 3 minutes because I want it to turn bluetooth on and verify if there is any device to connect to, if not I want it to turn the bluetooth off again, so the block has to work in "immediately" mode and not in "when changed".

Thanks again for your help

[Alessandro Torcoli]

Sorry pal, I think you are focusing on the wrong detail. 

I tried to check the address from both the yes and no path 'cause the "bluetooth device connected block" is not working as I suppose it should when I don't select a name and/or mac address: I thought it should exit the YES path if any bluetooth device was connected, the NO path if none is connected... But unless I fill in a name or mac address is always getting out on the NO path, so I tried to check by myself if, at least, the block would fill the variable.

So, answer my question: how am i supposed to check if any device is connected by bluetooth? And please, don't tell me to use that block by itself cause it's not working.

[Automate developer]

This is how the "Bluetooth device connected" should work, unless there's a bug:

With proceed "When changed"; the YES path will be followed when a device connects. If you return to the block with the device still connected, the NO path will be followed when a device disconnects. If address and/or name are set it only triggers when that specific device connects/disconnects, if neither address nor name are se,t then when any device connects/disconnects.

With proceed "Immediately"; the YES path is followed when a/the device is currently connected, and the NO path if a/the is not currently connected.

I'll investigate if there any bug.

On Monday, December 22, 2014 10:46:08 PM UTC+1, Alessandro Torcoli wrote:

Sorry pal, I think you are focusing on the wrong detail. 

I tried to check the address from both the yes and no path 'cause the "bluetooth device connected block" is not working as I suppose it should when I don't select a name and/or mac address: I thought it should exit the YES path if any bluetooth device was connected, the NO path if none is connected... But unless I fill in a name or mac address is always getting out on the NO path, so I tried to check by myself if, at least, the block would fill the variable.

So, answer my question: how am i supposed to check if any device is connected by bluetooth? And please, don't tell me to use that block by itself cause it's not working.

[Rob Lund]

I'm seeing behavior similar to the OP.  When I use the "When changed" option of the "Bluetooth device connected?" block, and with blank address and name and type, I don't get a proceed when either 1 of my 2 devices connect.

Is this feature broken?  I'd rather not loop continuously to check.

[Henrik "The Developer" Lindqvist]

It's only with Proceed "Immediately" what the block uses a hack, with Proceed "When changed" it just awaits the proper system broadcast. Try using the Broadcast receive block with action "android.bluetooth.device.action.ACL_CONNECTED" or "android.bluetooth.device.action.ACL_DISCONNECTED" to check if the system sends it accordingly.

[Rob Lund]

So actually, I discovered a bug in my flow.  Your Proceed "When Changed" is working perfectly.  I had put a Bluetooth Enabled block before this one and had it accidentally set to "When Changed" as well.  Duh!  I change that one to "Immediately" and now my whole flow is working very nicely.

Thanks!