Pent: kid app issue linked with tasker

[Phil Bilton]

Hi pent,

I've made an app that uses the intercept intent sent from a 3rd party app to tasker. It then fires of which ever action that is assigned.

It all works well at this point. To test it I sent it out to a few people. It only works on one other person's device, he also has tasker. No one else can get it to work.

I've got the option to run in the foreground but this does not help. When I'm testing the kid app, I disable the profile still in tasker itself. The app works perfectly.

However, if I disable tasker using the icon on the main screen, my app does not work. Is it because I have tasker set to allow external access, yet I can't set that in the kid app?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Phil

[Pent]

I've made an app that uses the intercept intent sent from a 3rd party app to tasker.

It's probably specifying some Tasker component in the intent, then it will not go
to your kid app.

Pent

[Phil Bilton]

I thought the kid app is completely separate from tasker. When I have the profile disabled in tasker that receives the intent, the app profile still works. The only time it does not work is when tasker is disabled.

[Phil Bilton]

I've had a thought and just checked to confirm. If I leave tasker enabled but disable the profile in tasker, my app still works as it should.
If I leave the tasker profile disabled, but untick allow external access in tasker, my app does not work.
So I've looked to see if there is any action I can add in my task to set this so I can add it to the app but there is not.
My app essentially needs to allow external access.

[Pent]

I've made an app that uses the intercept intent sent from a 3rd party app to tasker.

You can't intercept an intent sent directly to Tasker from another app. That would
be a major security problem in Android.

Your kid app will not receive the intent no matter what settings you change in Tasker.

When you say 'the kid app works', I think you are seeing Tasker 'working'.

Pent

[Phil Bilton]

If it's tasker working would there not be entries into the log?
Also if I send just the apk to another user who has tasker, it works.
Just to clarify, all my profiles for this project are turned off.

Some how the app is getting the go ahead from tasker when tasker enable access is checked, even if the tasks and profiles are not present in tasker.

What would I need to do to get this to work? Would I have to get the Dev to change the intent that is sent to a broadcast intent?

[Pent]

If it's tasker working would there not be entries into the log?

Which log ?
 

Also if I send just the apk to another user who has tasker, it works.

Which supports what I'm saying... it's Tasker doing the work, not your
app.
 

Just to clarify, all my profiles for this project are turned off.

But the external app is sending a task to run (I presume).
 

Some how the app is getting the go ahead from tasker when tasker enable access is checked, even if the tasks and profiles are not present in tasker.

The intent is going to Tasker. If you block external access, the intent from the external app is not being processed by
Tasker.
 

What would I need to do to get this to work? Would I have to get the Dev to change the intent that is sent to a broadcast intent?

Tasker should not be specified directly.  If it is. You have never given me any details of
the intent. But that seems to fit your description.

Pent

[Phil Bilton]

Sorry for being a bit vague with all this.

The tasker log file is empty when I run my app and the fact that on someone else device it works with just the apk of the app and tasker enabled, not the profile or tasks.

The intent that is sent from watchmaker is
net.dinglisch.android.tasker.ACTION_TASK
Which then runs a task that trigger actions based on %task_name. The tasks don't actually exist. I just run actions based on the name using if statements.

[Phil Bilton]

Would the intent work if we got the watchmaker developer to change the intent to a broadcast intent?
Also would a video of what I'm trying to explain help, if so I'll get one together this evening?

[Pent]

net.dinglisch.android.tasker.ACTION_TASK

Which then runs a task that trigger actions based on %task_name. The tasks don't actually exist. I just run actions based on the name using if statements.

Ah, I remember this thing now.

If the dev is using the TaskerIntent library, then either the library itself or the dev's app itself
is probably checking if Tasker is installed before sending the intent.

Pent

[Phil Bilton]

Ok, thanks pent. There is me and one other who have messaged the Dev to see if anything can be changed. He has also just messaged me the following:

think ive nailed the issue.. Tasker registeres a provider service, (Intent Provider) which then offers the facility for apps seeking out apps using locale protocol. http://www.twofortyfouram.com/developer

My guess here is, Pent would need to add a facility for the kid app, upon the need ofc, to include that service so that when the kidapp launches, it can provide the service Tasker uses to execute tasks.

[Phil Bilton]

Pent,

I've recorded a video of my app running and perform the tasks when the intent is sent whilst my tasker profile is disabled. I also cleared the log before hand to show no entries.
The actions that are triggered is WiFi on and off as you can see in the notification tray, music play and then finally Google maps.

https://youtu.be/AoKrDxCO7Us

So this is why I was saying somehow the kid app is getting the go ahead from tasker.

Would adding the taskerintent library to the kid apps be feasible?

Kind regards
Phil

[Phil Bilton]

I've just had word from the watchmaker developer that watchmaker just sends the intent, it does not check it tasker is installed or not.

[Ian Grody]

Hey guys,

This is something I've been looking at for some time as well and have a little bit more information to chime in on.

According to the developer, as pointed out, doesn't test if Tasker is installed. It just fires off an Intent.

It's been said as well that it uses the standard Tasker Intent com.twofortyfouram.locale.intent.extra.BUNDLE

Essentially, to put it simply, is we are wanting kid apps to have 'external access' so that any Tasks embedded in them can be executed from apps that broadcast the Intent in such a fashion.

Thanks.

[Ian Grody]

Forgot to point out, however, when using this said app to 'list' Tasker tasks, and no Tasker installed, logcat reveals "No Content Provider found for com.dinglisch.taskerm" so I suspect the app is now using directed Intents....