Tasker, Mobile Data, and CDMA Phones - Any Solutions?

[Jesse]

Tasker is an amazing product that integrates well with APNDroid to
control data connection.

APNDroid and other similar programs only work on GSM phones.
CDMA phones don’t have an APN, meaning that you can’t turn off mobile
data with Tasker, or any way other than the Settings menu.

My Incredible (I assume other CDMA phones as well) has two options:
Settings > Wireless & Networks > Mobile network (use for data when
WiFi is unavailable)
Settings > Wireless & Networks > Mobile networks >Enable always-on
mobile data
Turning these off greatly increases battery life; the same concept as
APNDroid.

Does the function to alter these settings exist within Tasker and I’ve
just missed them somewhere? If it wasn’t there, it would be a great
improvement.
I haven’t found anything yet what will perform this function on a CDMA
phone.

[Zephyr]

Tasker can do this, but not by itself, just like with APNDroid. You
need a program called JuiceDefender, which will be able to disable
your data no matter what type of phone you have. Tasker comes in by
being able to send an action intent to JuiceDefender telling it to
enable or disable data, which you can control using contexts just as
normal.
When you have both programs installed and updated to the latest
versions (UltimateJuice is not required), use the Action Intent
command in Tasker (found in the Misc category). In the action field,
put:
com.latedroid.juicedefender.action.DISABLE_APN (or ENABLE_APN)
Set the category to None,
Set your first extra to tag:Tasker
And the second to reply:true
Executing this command will get JuiceDefender to turn off or on data
on command. I put this in a Task and use Perform Task to call it when
I need it; it works just as well as APNDroid used to. Let me know if
this works for you.

[Klaus]

In the future, if you have Android 2.2 (or later), you dont need
APNDroid.

I am also waiting this feature because I am using 2.2 and I don't like
APNDroid (it does not always work and has side effect [I tested this
when I got my HTC Desire]).

http://tasker.dinglisch.net/todo.html
change 'enable data access' setting in 2.2+ (no need for APNDroid)

[Jesse]

I have an archived Juice Defender on my SD card and just installed it.
I'll play around some and see what I come up with.

After running its Initial Setup, I get one "error" Mobile data control
(APN method) doesn't work.
There's no option to do anything with mobile data in the JuiceDefender
menu either.

It appears the only thing I can control here is the Auto Sync. It
doesn't appear to have any control over Mobile networks or always-on
mobile data.

The "Toggle Mobile Data" widget isn't present either.

Juice Defender's website isn't terribly clear on the issue as well.

[Brock]

I just downloaded an app called SmartBar and it seems to be able to
turn off Mobile Data (using the app's Quick Settings menu) on my
Droid. Could this help? Maybe it can be used instead of APNDroid? I'd
be interested to hear about it, if someone can figure it out.

[TechieBird]

I have an HTC Magic running CyanogenMod-5.0.8-DS. APNDroid works fine
for me on its own (switches mobile data off and on again with the
button in the app) but within Tasker it will switch my data off, but
then it gets stuck at 'off'. To keep things as simple as possible I
even created an 'on' and 'off' widget for each action - again 'off'
works fine, but won't switch back on - even switching On from
APNDroid's UI won't work. The only way to get it back is to restart
the handset or switch APN to something else and back again.

(FWIW JuiceDefender also didn't work for me - I didn't spend much time
trying to figure out details because I was hoping to use Tasker
instead, but basically it made my phone very laggy and my battery life
worse, so maybe it suffered a related problem.)

Is anyone else seeing the same? Any workarounds or solutions?

On Aug 12, 12:13 am, Brock <brock.ri...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I just downloaded an app called SmartBar and it seems to be able to
> turn off Mobile Data (using the app's Quick Settings menu) on my

> Droid. Could this help? Maybe it can be used instead ofAPNDroid?  I'd

> be interested to hear about it, if someone can figure it out.
>
> On Aug 5, 2:22 pm, Jesse <jcollierda...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > I have an archived Juice Defender on my SD card and just installed it.
> > I'll play around some and see what I come up with.
>
> > After running its Initial Setup, I get one "error" Mobile data control
> > (APN method) doesn't work.
> > There's no option to do anything with mobile data in the JuiceDefender
> > menu either.
>
> > It appears the only thing I can control here is the Auto Sync.  It
> > doesn't appear to have any control over Mobile networks or always-on
> > mobile data.
>
> > The "Toggle Mobile Data" widget isn't present either.
>
> > Juice Defender's website isn't terribly clear on the issue as well.
>
> > On Aug 4, 8:06 pm, Zephyr <mechanicalman...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > When you have both programs installed and updated to the latest
> > > versions (UltimateJuice is not required), use the Action Intent
> > > command in Tasker (found in the Misc category). In the action field,
> > > put:
> > > com.latedroid.juicedefender.action.DISABLE_APN (or ENABLE_APN)
> > > Set the category to None,
> > > Set your first extra to tag:Tasker
> > > And the second to reply:true
> > > Executing this command will get JuiceDefender to turn off or on data
> > > on command. I put this in a Task and use Perform Task to call it when

> > > I need it; it works just as well asAPNDroidused to. Let me know if
> > > this works for you.

[Pent]

In the 1.0.8 beta there is a new Mobile Data command that doesn't use
APNDroid. However, BossMan has reported that it doesn't 'stick' very
well. I don't know if that's a general problem, give it a try.

Pent

[UncleMike]

The one time I tried it so far, it worked fine and stayed set for 1
hour before I reversed the setting.

[BossMan]

Hi,

it reverted for me when various events happened, like plug/unplug
power and disconnect from wifi. At the moment I returned to the
APNdroid solution:)

BR,
A.

[Jesse]

@Brock: I got SmartBar as well. Maybe I saw it on Lifehacker.

It appears to successfully turn of my mobile data. According to that
app, if you have the wifi on the mobile data automatically turns off.
The phone does seem to want to turn the mobile data back on though,
especially if I'm looking at the wireless settings menu.

Getting this one to work with Tasker the same as APNDroid would be
great. Though FroYo may eliminate some of these issues. I hope to know
at the end of the week.

@Pent/BossMan: I'm on v1.0.7m if that makes a difference. Perhaps
what I noticed from SmartBar explains your on/off issue some? Didn't I
see something about e-mailing developers to persuade them to build
their apps to work with Tasker?

[Pent]

Jesse,

did you try Mobile Data in the Tasker beta ?

Pent

[Jesse]

Nope. I did look for it just now and didn't find it. If you can point
me to the apk, I'll install it manually.

[UncleMike]

http://tasker.dinglisch.net/download.html

[Pent]

Actually I'm going to take it out for the next stable release because
it seems it doesn't stick.

Pent

[Tim]

Bummer...I guess I should have spoken up earlier...I've had pretty
good success with it. I used some of the old profiles on the "juice
defender" Wiki and changed them to "Mobile Data" instead of "Mobile
APN"...

I only have it run when I'm at the office, as I'm sitting at a
computer all day anyway. And since Tasker knows I'm at work, it turns
it off automatically...so it's much better than using Juice Defender
which I have to manually enable and disable (and I swear JD causes
sync problems for gmail).

Hope we can work out a solution!

TIM

Droid - 2.2 (it worked on 2.1 too)

[Pent]

> Bummer...I guess I should have spoken up earlier...I've had pretty

> good success with it.  I used some of the old profiles on the "juicedefender" Wiki and changed them to "Mobile Data" instead of "Mobile
> APN"...

Sorry about that.

I had heard lots of reports of 'doesn't stick' and only a couple of
'seems to stick' so I didn't want to have a storm of negative comments
on the
market.

Pent

[Liam Arbetman]

Does the "Mobile Data" option (non-APN version) in the beta control
the "Settings > Wireless & Networks > Mobile network" setting or the

"Settings > Wireless & Networks > Mobile networks >Enable always-on

mobile data" setting. If it's the latter then maybe that's why it's
not "sticking" since other apps can still wake the data connection.
Ideally I'd like to have both options available in tasker.

[DavidR]

the Mobile Data setting in the beta version of Tasker *worked* w/ my
CDMA Incredible.

i was able to set up a task which turned off WiFi and 3G over night
(and I checked that it in fact DID turn off both)

now, with the update, i have no direct option and am a little
disappointed that a feature that help push be to buy Tasker is now
gone.

i simply don't see why Tasker just can't do the equivalent unchecking
the Mobil Network checkbox in the settings???

[Pent]

> i simply don't see why Tasker just can't do the equivalent unchecking
> the Mobil Network checkbox in the settings???

Obviously that would be best, but there's no call to do it in the API.
The Android gods sometimes have strange ideas about what apps should
or shouldn't be able to do.

Mobile Data is back next beta, maybe today.

Pent

[Pudding]

Sweet! As soon as this thing can turn my mobile data on/off it will
be my favorite app :) Thanks for all the hard work!

[cool raul]

hi. Just want to jump in here. I installed the new beta but can't find
the mobile data task. Where is it? (I'm very tried and about to fall
asleep)
Also, switchpro has a switch that I use to turn data on/off. Works
perfectly.

[cool raul]

Never mind. I did not install the beta. Now I have it installed right.

[Ian]

So do you use Tasker in conjunction with switch pro?

[no email needed@gmail.com]

Just to add in, I have an Evo on Sprint obviously, and I have a task
to use GPS to fix location, then turn off "Mobile Data APN" and
connect to WiFi, then revert that when I leave work. It works fine. I
do have APNdroid installed. I am running version 1.0.8m.

If I understand correctly it should not be working for me right? I am
running 2.2 Froyo.

[cool raul]

No, not in conjunction. I use switch pro for power management.
Basically to toggle on off data, gps, wifi, brightness,etc. Is pretty
good and worth money if just for the data toggle for cdma phones.
Actually if anyone knows a switch program that toggles data and also
can switch between 2g and 3g, let me know.

By the way, the mobile data on off task on the last beta was working
good for me. Too bad the beta expired. Can i get another copy?

[Jeff]

The last Tasker release notes (14/9/2010: v1.0.9) said this was added:

"action Mobile Data for CDMA phones"

I see the action and I tried it on my Droid Incredible (2.2) but
nothing happens.

Do I have a problem or do I misunderstand what that feature really
means?

[Pent]

> "action Mobile Data for CDMA phones"
>
> I see the action and I tried it on my Droid Incredible (2.2) but
> nothing happens.
>
> Do I have a problem or do I misunderstand what that feature really
> means?

If it's on in Android settings, Tasker should be able to turn it off.

Next version I have another mobile data attempt too :-)

Pent

[Hilikus]

Pent, you say

"Obviously that would be best, but there's no call to do it in the
API. "

I've heard that before, but then how can there be a widget in my phone
to control mobile data? I'm using an HTC Legend. This widget is in
sync with the checkbox in settings/wireless & networks; which means it
is integrated with the OS, it actually turns mobile data on or off, it
is not some hack like APNDroid where the OS thinks mobile data is
still on but it just doesn't work due to the "broken" APN.

Your new method works on my phone but again, it is not in sync with
the OS, i.e. mobile data in settings is still checked, the widget
still shows as being ON but mobile data doesn't work (which is the
expected result, but the fact that is it not recognized/in sync with
the OS gives me some problems)

[Pent]

> "Obviously that would be best, but there's no call to do it in the
> API. "
> I've heard that before, but then how can there be a widget in my phone
> to control mobile data?

Because if you write the OS you can do anything you want.

If you don't write the OS, you have to rely on what it makes available
and gives permissions for.

Pent

[Hilikus]

i don't understand
HTC didn't write the OS
are you saying HTC tweaked the OS to have a way to control mobile
data?
My point is, if a widget can, why can't an app (tasker in this case)
use the same method? i dont know how widgets work but i imagine they
also have to go through the API to do things, is this assumption
incorrect?

[Mark Otway]

HTC take android and compile it for their device, adding extra functionality as they go. So to some degree, yes, they wrote the OS.

[Pent]

> are you saying HTC tweaked the OS to have a way to control mobile
> data?

Yes. Well, they gave their widget a special permission.

> My point is, if a widget can, why can't an app (tasker in this case)
> use the same method? i dont know how widgets work but i imagine they
> also have to go through the API to do things, is this assumption
> incorrect?

They can use interfaces that can't be accessed by normal apps and be
given
permissions that normal apps don't have.

In this case, the permission is WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS, which is needed
by any app that wants to change that setting, but isn't granted to
normal apps.

Top marks for persistence, but I hope I've convinced you that it's not
trivial now :-)

Pent

[UncleMike]

I've always wondered about this, but accepted that if you could do it
in a better way, you would. I'm glad to see the explanation though.
Thanks.

[Nickname unavailable]

I have a Sprint Evo 4G and trying to get Tasker set up to be a good
replacement for JuiceDefender, but can't for the life of me get it to
work. Has anyone else with a CDMA device got this to work reliably
and if so, how? Thanks...

[Hilikus]

got it
thanks for the explanation Pent

i heard the API to control mobile data is available in 2.2. can anyone
with 2.2 tell me if this is already being used in Tasker and I don't
see it because i have 2.1 or if it is still not implemented

Thanks guys

To the last guy, i've heard the modile data off action (not mobile
APN) works fine with CDMA phones

On Oct 5, 8:43 am, Pent <tas...@dinglisch.net> wrote: