shortcuts and brightness

[badgolferman]

I finally updated my iPhone 7 to iOS 13.2.3. There are two “features” I
have questions about.

1. There is a new icon titled Shortcuts. Do any of you use that and if so
for what?

2. It seems since upgrading my Lock Screen notifications are so dim I can
barely read them. It didn’t used to be this way. I brightened the screen
intensity but it just makes everything else bright too. Is there a separate
setting for the Lock Screen brightness?

[nospam]

In article <qs0cl3$1hin$1...@gioia.aioe.org>, badgolferman

<REMOVETHISb...@gmail.com> wrote:

> 1. There is a new icon titled Shortcuts. Do any of you use that and if so
> for what?

it's *extremely* useful for automating all sorts of tasks.

[badgolferman]

Could you give me an example that YOU use?

[Lewis]

In message <qs0cl3$1hin$1...@gioia.aioe.org> badgolferman <REMOVETHISb...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I finally updated my iPhone 7 to iOS 13.2.3. There are two “features” I
> have questions about.

> 1. There is a new icon titled Shortcuts. Do any of you use that and if so
> for what?

Yes, I have over a hundred shortcuts.

Have you launched the app and looked at it?

> 2. It seems since upgrading my Lock Screen notifications are so dim I can
> barely read them. It didn’t used to be this way. I brightened the screen
> intensity but it just makes everything else bright too. Is there a separate
> setting for the Lock Screen brightness?

No.

--
I want to die in my sleep like my grandfather did, not screaming in
terror like his passengers.

[Lewis]

I have several that set the thermostats in the house to specific
temperatures.

I have one that fires when I tap an RFID tag in my car. If I am withing a
mile of my house, that turns off the lights and sets my thermostat to
"Away", but if I am more than a mile away it sends a message to my wife
telling her where I am and how long it will take me to get home.

I have one that checks the newest movies on my plex server and returns
that list.

When I sleep my morning alarm, my phone slowly turns up the lights in
my room and starts a playlist playing. When I turn off the alarm, my
phone opens Carrot Weather.

I have several that start playing specific podcasts (via Overcast).

I have one that converts USD to CAD (and one the other way). I can
select a number and run the shortcut and the number is replaced with the
converted number.

I have one that takes input and then searches my plex server for the
input and returns of to 15 matches.

I have one that moves any screenshots that are saved to my photos to a
special folder.

I have one that is completely useless that I wrote for fun that takes
input and the replays it as morse code using the camera flash. It's a
fun demo though.

When I hold the side button on my phone and say "Lumos Maxima" the
flashlight turns on to 100%.

I have one that checks to see what the newest beta builds are for iOS
(13.3 Developer Beta 3, watchOS 6.1.1 Developer beta 1).

I have one named "Dinner time" that starts a playlist on my Homepod and
sends a message to everyone telling them dinner is read and sets the
lighting in in the living room and finning room

The RFID tag on my bedside table, when tapped with my phone, turns off
the television and the lights in the bedroom and sets the lights in the
rest of the house to their overnight settings. I am meaning to, but
haven't gotten around to it yet, modify that one to behave differently
depending on the time of day.

--
I went down the street to the 24-hour grocery. When I got there, the
guy was locking the front door. I said, "Hey, the sign says
you're open 24 hours." He said, "Yes, but not in a row." --
Steven Wright

[Arlen Holder]

On Sun, 1 Dec 2019 12:45:24 +0000 (UTC), badgolferman wrote:

> 1. There is a new icon titled Shortcuts. Do any of you use that and if so
> for what?

Hi badgolferman,

I'm glad you bring up what's new with the iOS 13.x release since I, for
strategic reasons, have learned the hard way not to update iOS unless
there's something that is particularly useful to me in the iOS update.

(In actuality, there is almost never any reason to load the latest iOS
releases, and, almost always, good reasons _not_ to update to the latest
iOS release, simply because Apple themselves says they don't support the
real world (which they don't mind breaking left and right), which I live in
every day, and it's well known by now Apple has never sufficiently tested
iOS releases for bugs - where Apple prefers to ship bugs "on schedule"
instead of holding back highly insecure releases (as they did with the
broadcom fiasco where they had to beg people to overwrite the release, 10
days later, where Apple had to then DESTROY the scheduled release).

However, I did look up what these reputed new "shortcuts" are, in iOS 13.x.
o Features of iOS 13: Shortcuts (Note this is based on iOS 13.0.)
<https://sixcolors.com/post/2019/09/13-features-of-ios-13-shortcuts/>

The best news is that Apple, one by one, is playing catchup to Android, in
that Android has had a similar (more powerful) feature for quite some time:
o Tasker: <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.dinglisch.android.taskerm>
Total Automation, From Settings to SMS.
<https://www.androidauthority.com/how-to-use-tasker-199872/>

* Triggers: App, Time, Day, Location, Hard/Soft State, Event, Shortcut, QS
Tiles, Widget, Timer, Plugins
* Actions: 200+ built-in, plugin support
* Tasks: loops, variables, conditions
* Scenes: design your own screen overlays
* App Creation: create your own standalone apps to share or sell! (Android
2.3+)

Trial: https://tasker.joaoapps.com/dl
Starter Guides: https://tasker.joaoapps.com/guides.html
Pre-made projects: https://forum.joaoapps.com/index.php?resources/
Official Support Forum: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/tasker
Community full of people willing to help: https://www.reddit.com/r/tasker/
Queries, Problems: see Menu / Info / Support in-app

It's not possible to fix problems reported via Play Store Comments...

**** Actions By Category ****

[not all actions available on all devices]

* ALERT: Flash, Notify LED/Sound/Vibrate, Cancel Notification, Popup
Timed/WithTaskIcons/Names, Torch, Vibrate, Vibrate Pattern
* APP: Calendar Insert, Go Home, Kill App, Load App, Open Map
(/StreetView/Nav)
* AUDIO: Alarm/Call/DTMF/Media/Notif./Ringer/System Volume, Haptic Feedback
Toggle, Mic Mute, Notification Pulse, Notification(<4.1)/Ringer Vibrate
(<4.2 or root), Silent Mode, Speakerphone, Sound Effects toggle
* DIALOG: 28 System Settings dialogs
* DISPLAY: Auto-Brightness, Close System Dialogs, Keyguard, Keyguard
Pattern, Display Brightness, Display Off Timeout, Display Rotation, Set
Wallpaper, Stay On, Status Bar (expand/collapse), System Lock
* FILE: Browse Files, Directory Create/Delete/Move, File
Copy/Delete/Move/Open, Write To File, Read Line, Read Paragraph, Zip/Unzip
File
* INPUT: Button, Dpad (root only), Type (root only), Input Method Select,
Soft Keyboard (show)
* MEDIA: Media Button Events (grab), Media Player Control, Music File/Dir,
Play/Forward/Back/Stop, Photo/Series/TimeSeries, Record Audio, Record Audio
Stop, Ringtone, Scan Card
* MISC: (Broadcast) Action Intent, Component Intent, Get Location, GPS
Status (<2.3 or Cyanogen/submod), Run (ASE) Script, Say, Say To File, Shut
Up, Search For, Set Clipboard, Reboot (root only), Set CPU (root only) Set
Timezone
* NETWORK: Airplane Mode (<4.1 or root), Autosync, BT, BT ID, Compose
Email, Browse URL, HTTP GET, HTTP POST, Mobile Data (on/off), Mobile Data
2G/3G (Cyanogen only), USB Tether, WiFi Toggle, Wifi
Disconnect/Reassociate/Reconnect, Wifi Sleep, Wifi Tether, Wimax Toggle
* PHONE: Call, Call Log, Call Block/Divert/Revert, Compose MMS/SMS,
Contacts, End Call, Radio, Send SMS, Send Data SMS, Silence Ringer, Take
Call
* TASKER: Change Icon Set, If, End If, Goto Action, Perform Task, Profile
Toggle, Query Action, Set Widget Icon, Set Widget Label, Stop, Wait, Wait
Until
* VARIABLES: Set, Clear, Inc, Dec, Query, Randomize, Split, Join, List
* 3RD PARTY: Android Notifier, Astrid, BeyondPod, JuiceDefender
Data/Toggle, Gentle Alarm, NewsRob, OfficeTalk, SleepBot, SMS Backup+,
TeslaLED, WidgetLocker

**** States ****

Airplane Mode, BT Connected, Calendar Entry, Docked, Headset Plugged,
Incoming Call, Keyboard Out, Light Level, Media Button, Missed Call, Mobile
Network, Device Orientation, Power, Various Sensors, Signal Strength,
Unread Text, Variable Value, Wifi Network, Wifi Near

**** Events ****

Alarm Clock/Done, Date Set, Time/Date Set, Timezone Set, Display:
Off/On/Unlocked, File Closed/Deleted/Modified/Moved/Opened/Attributes
Changed, Camera/Search Button Long-Press, Card Mounted/Removed/Unmounted,
Gesture,Missed Call, Phone Changes, Received Text, SMS Send
Success/Failure, Battery Changed/Full/Low/Overheating, Device Boot, Device
Shutdown, Storage Low, Locale Changed, New/Removed/Updated Package,
Wallpaper Changed, Button Gadget Clicked, New Window, Notification,
Notification Clicked, Zoom Click, Variable Cleared/Set, K9 Email Received,
Gentle Alarm, Kaloer Clock, OpenWatch, Reddit Notify, Screebl, Widget
Locker

Note: Tasker uses the BIND_DEVICE_ADMIN permission in order to provide the
System Lock functionality.

As expected, Apple didn't create the technology; they simply bought it:
"Formerly the third-party app Workflow, Shortcuts was bought by Apple and
integrated with iOS last year - but it was a first step."

Apparently, Apple is using this purchase for strategic modernization:
"This is Apple’s vision of how user automation will work in iOS"

Since you're new to Shortcuts, you shouldn't have too many teething pains,
but those already using them will have issues, according to that article:
"With Shortcuts in iOS 13, I’ve gotten at least a taste of that feeling,
because upgrading to iOS 13 required me to do some work to get my Shortcuts
working again. That’s life on the cutting edge, and the changes are for the
better, but be warned—you may have to do some work to get your Shortcuts
functioning to your liking on iOS 13."

I searched for a momentfor what was in the updated version of iOS, but most
hits were for the original 13.0 version, so I left this post at that.

It's pretty clear Apple is playing catchup to Android, which is fine, as
iOS users deserve automation as much as Android users do, don't you think?

Please let us all know what you find useful with these new "Shortcuts" in
iOS 13.x, so that we all benefit from your actions.

--
Usenet works well when adults purposefully helpfully share information.

[badgolferman]

Thank you for the examples. I can see that I will not need this new app
since I’m not wired into the Apple ecosystem as you are.

[Lewis]

In message <qs1mda$1hf2$1...@gioia.aioe.org> badgolferman <REMOVETHISb...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Thank you for the examples. I can see that I will not need this new app
> since I’m not wired into the Apple ecosystem as you are.

So you do not have an iPhone?

--
I get the feeling that some people's idea of heaven is an "I told you
so" T-shirt - mmalc

[nospam]

In article <qs1mda$1hf2$1...@gioia.aioe.org>, badgolferman

> since I雋 not wired into the Apple ecosystem as you are.

it's not wired into apple, unless you want it to be.

plex certainly isn't apple, nor is currency conversions, thermostat
settings, lighting and of course, rfid tags, which one of the resident
trolls insists cannot be done on an iphone.

[nospam]

In article <qs1kla$u0h$1...@news.mixmin.net>, Arlen Holder

<arlen.geo...@is.invalid> wrote:

> The best news is that Apple, one by one, is playing catchup to Android, in
> that Android has had a similar (more powerful) feature for quite some time:
> o Tasker:

not even remotely close. tasker is a toy in comparison.

[Arlen Holder]

On Mon, 02 Dec 2019 07:41:14 -0500, nospam wrote:

>> The best news is that Apple, one by one, is playing catchup to Android, in
>> that Android has had a similar (more powerful) feature for quite some time:
>> o Tasker:
>
> not even remotely close. tasker is a toy in comparison.

Hi nospam,

The new iOS "Shortcuts" may or may not be better/worse than "Tasker".
o *It would be interesting to compare Android vs iOS automation.*

The problem with you "saying" anything is your credibility is worthless.
o Based on your record, a coin toss would be as accurate as you prove to be.

In addition, there are many other choices, on Android, than just Tasker.
o 10 Best Tasker Alternatives for Android Automation (2017)
<https://techwiser.com/tasker-alternatives/>
o 5 of the Best Alternatives to Tasker for Android (2016)
<https://www.maketecheasier.com/tasker-alternatives-for-android/>
o 10 Tasker Alternatives to Automate Your Android (2012)
<https://android.appstorm.net/roundups/utilities-roundups/tasker-alternatives-to-automate-your-android/>
etc.

*Still, it would be interesting to compare iOS vs Android automation.*

I ran a quick search to see what pundits think about tasker:shortcuts
<https://duckduckgo.com/?q=tasker+versus+shortcuts>

But there's not much (yet) out there, if anything, on the differences.
o iOS Shortcuts from a Tasker user's perspective (April 2019)
<https://www.pocketables.com/2019/04/ios-shortcuts-from-a-tasker-users-perspective.html>
"First off, Tasker is, and probably always will be, more powerful than
Shortcuts. This is primarily because Shortcuts has very few action
triggers, all of which are manual. You can ask Siri to run a Shortcut
(similar to a Tasker task), run it manually in the app, from a widget, from
a share extension, or using a URL scheme. There's not even a time trigger,
let alone the myriad of other triggers on Tasker, ranging from calendar
events to device sensors and incoming push messages from other services.
Apple is anal about that sort of background processing, and that hasn't
changed in 12 iOS versions. As a result, Shortcuts is inherently a lot less
automated than Tasker."

Bear in mind that this comparison was written by someone who strongly feels
iOS is more useful to him as a teacher than Android, and, in fact, he gave
up on Android, for iOS long before he wrote that article condemning iOS
Shortcuts when comparing it to Android Tasker.

It seems, as is almost always the case with you apologists, your entire
belief system is comprised of exactly zero (0) facts, nospam.

If not, simply post a reliable cite that compares Shortcuts to Tasker.

--
The main problem with apologists is their belief systems are imaginary.