Active App Lollipop fix

Lollipop stopped the getRecentTasks API from working. Fortunately, they made a replacement this time as detailed here. It's not exactly the same, and it's a little bit more work/code to figure out the most recent app. Anyway, it works again! Hooray!

Llama.1.2014.11.20.2330

• Active app condition works again

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Lollipop Silent Fix

So it appears that Android's audio APIs have gone completely wonky in Lollipop. Vibrate mode seems to be basically dead... it must now be up to individual apps as to whether they want to vibrate or not, rather than having a system-level override/setting for apps to check. And silent mode has the bug discussed in the previous post.

Anyhew, this is a temporary(?) fix that no longer uses the Ringer Mode API to set the device to Silent. Lollipop treats that as 'priority notifications mode'. Instead, Llama now just sets the volume levels to zero.

Llama.1.2014.11.18.2216

• Llama now sets volume levels to zero for your silent profile, rather than activating silent mode. Meh.

You probably don't need to install this if you aren't running Lollipop :)

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Llama menu

Not much exciting in this release. Llama's ageing UI doesn't play nice with some phones that have no physical menu button, and don't show the legacy on-screen menu button. This version puts the items that are in the menu-button menu into the Llama button's list of menu items.

Llama.1.2014.04.23.2244

• Llama? button's menu now shows menu items that appear in the old-skool Android menu button popup menu

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Toasty Llama

I've added a quick and simple feature to Llama. You can now pop up toast messages (those are the grey boxes towards the bottom of the screen) as part of events. You may want to use these to debug your events or maybe as a quick and simple reminder to do something. You can also get them to show the values of Llama variables. This will be useful if you use the toggle, increment or decrement variable actions. To show a variable surround it by two hashes. e.g. The value is ##blah##

Llama.1.2014.02.05.2110

• Added Toast action so you can show messages, including Llama variables
• Added option to vibrate when unlocking profiles
• Fixed call state problem when ringing

Usual deal... back up your Llama settings before installing test versions

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Merry Bugfix Christmas Llama

This version fixes a few issues with Llama.

Llama.1.2013.12.24.2118

• Fixed bug caused by weird Bluetooth device names
• Ignore cells that are Integer.MAX_VALUE, since they are clearly wrong
• When a profile is locked until a certain time, and then you relock to that profile again, Llama will just adjust the unlock time, rather than cancelling the lock altogether.
• Updated Russian translations

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Little Llama Update

Some small updates... nothing too exciting!

• Ability to stop queued sounds with the play a sound action
• Headset condition can differentiate between a headset that has a microphone or no microphone
• Can now import from a Llama URL, since clicking Llama links is flakey :(
• Updated Russian translations

As always, backup your data before installing test versions

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Market time!

It's market time again! ...or at least it will be in a few hours for 10% of you. Staged roll-outs are lovely. Of course, if you're reading this blog your probably aware that you can get the exact same version from the link below. This version contains all the stuff from the previous versions as well as....

Llama.1.2013.08.10.2211

• Updated French translation
• Nexus 4 -1:-1:-1 cell ID between every cell change fix

Enjoy!

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Llama flight

In Android 4.2 airplane mode was made a system setting, so Llama couldn't change it without root access. After 4.3 Llama can no longer use normal API calls to send the broadcast that needs to be dispatched after changing the airplane mode setting. Therefore, Llama now sends this broadcast using root access and the am command.

Here's an Android issue tracker item that's related.

Llama.1.2013.07.29.2227

• Fixed flight mode in Android 4.3 (still requires root access)
• Added Brazilian translation
• Updated French translation

As usual, backup your data before installing test versions.

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Llama vs S4: Round Two

I've had some luck getting Llama to play nicely with the Galaxy S4's default messaging app notification tones. Llama will now try and detect if your phone is an S4 and apply sound profiles slightly differently. This is exposed as a tickbox in Llama's settings named 'Use deprecated vibrate API'. Galaxy S4 owners should have this setting unticked. Llama should set it automatically the first time you run this new version. If you have a Galaxy S4 and it isn't ticked please send me your phone's 'Model number' under About in your phone's settings app.

In Android 4.1+, the setVibrateSetting was deprecated. This API was great... it allowed you to set vibrate differently for ringer and notifications. It also seemed to turn off notification vibrations globally, depending on how an app would read this setting. Anyway, it's gone now... but Samsung's stock SMS app must have still been reading its value and then interpreting the value differently to every other app under the sun. If you don't have a Galaxy S4, you can just leave it ticked and Llama will behave exactly as before.

Llama.1.2013.06.24.2008

• Galaxy S4 notification fix (hopefully)
• Updated German and spanish translation

Please export and backup your Llama data before installing test versions!

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Traditional Llama

Llama now speaks Traditional Chinese. Thanks to Hector Lin! Not much else to report really. I still don't know why the S4's built-in SMS app notifications don't play nice with Llama, but I do know that it doesn't affect every S4. I can only suggest you install it and see how you get on.

Llama.1.2013.05.23.2031

• Added Chinese (Traditional) translations
• Updated Japanese translations
• Notification mode can now be set to normal for Android 4.1+

As usual, backup your settings before installing test versions just in case you have to go back to the Play Store version.

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Llama bug fix

This version fixes a bunch o bugs from the last version.

Llama.1.2013.04.24.2337

• Fixed Android Intent action bug
• Fixed event filtering tickboxes not working
• Event filtering shows a message when you have no conditions
• Event filtering works with conditions stashed in an AND/OR
• Event history tells you what conditions triggered an event in an AND/OR, rather than saying the AND/OR itself

As usual, back up your settings, cos I can't code properly ;)

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Llama Triggers

Llama's events fire when all of the conditions in an event are true (i.e they show as green), and one of those conditions caused a 'trigger' to occur (if you're quick you may see this as a green underlined condition in Llama's Events tab). A trigger is something like the moment you enter your home, or the moment it becomes 7pm. However, there are times when you'd only want Llama to run the actions when a certain condition is triggered.

Llama now lets you decide which triggers can cause an event to fire. You can modify this under the 'advanced' part of the event editor. If you deselect a condition, it will still be checked to see if the event should fire, but it will never cause the actions to be run (another condition will need to do that). By default all conditions added to an event will act as triggers, unless you edit the event to say otherwise.

...and there's some bug fixes and smaller changes in this version too.

Llama.1.2013.04.21.1651

• Trigger filtering for events
• Fixed possible crash caused by airplane mode condition
• Fixed airplane mode condition not working from the last version
• Intent action string extras can now use variable names. Use double-hashes. e.g. ##variablename##
• Llama home-screen shortcuts will no longer show any previous Llama activities that you may have had open (Android 3+ only). You'll need to recreate your shortcuts, as the flag for this is stored by your launcher, not Llama :'(

This version tweaks the event saving format of Llama, so backup your data before moving to this version just in case you have to uninstall it.

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MCC Llama

A few months have passed and I figured I should actually write a blog post. The main change in this version is Llama can now let you make events bassed off MCC and MNC. These are Mobile Country Code and Mobile Network Code, and lets your identify the phone network you are connected to. This will allow you to determine which country you are in, as well as a different way to check if you are roaming or not. Since I live in London, far away from any border, I haven't been able to test it 'in the field' (maybe I should go on holiday more?), so any feedback on how well it works is appreciated!

There's a few other changes too...

Llama.1.2013.03.29.2027

• MCC/MNC condition
• Added 'contentDescriptions' for accessibility, so blind people can use Llama easier
• Google Play bumped up their maximum in-app purchase price, so there's a new crazy donation option. If any one ever uses this:
  • You have far too much money!
  • Thanks! ;)
• Fixed scrolling problem in SignalLevelCondition
• Less crashy on ROMs with weird WiFi permissions
• Wireless charging added to charging condition
• Updated Japanese, Russian and Polish translations. Thanks guys!
• Keyboard now forced open in more text fields
• Added android.permission.ACCESS_SUPERUSER permission, which has a scary message on the Play Store install page. This may get relegated to something like the CALL_PHONE build of Llama, since I can predict the influx of 'OMFG WTF SUPERUSER' comments. Llama won't request it unless you use an action that requires it, so we shall see...

As usual, export your Llama data before installing test versions.

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Signal Strength Llama

The version contains one new condition and a handful of bug fixes.

The documentation for GSM signal levels is pretty good. However, I can't say the same for CDMA or TDMA networks. If your phone is a CDMA or TDMA phone please let me know how you get on with the signal strength condition.

Llama.1.2013.01.07.2205

• Roaming condition is alive
• Change ringer/silent/vibrate setting in profiles can be used without volumes again
• Wifi MAC address beacons also store their network name. Looks ugly for the mo.
• Devices with dodgy WiFi drivers/software no longer crash Llama because of the UPDATE_DEVICE_STATS permission problem. Instead, Llama will show an error notification.
• When checking if volumes have changed, Llama will now wait a bit after the call ends, because some phones were still reporting the wrong volume levels.
• Stop learning an area if it's deleted

As usual, back up you Llama data before installing test versions.

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Just a couple o' tweaks

Just a couple o' tweaks

Llama.1.2012.12.24.1708

• Tweaked how profiles are changed for ICS/Jelly Bean. These Android versions are slightly weird in that they set the phone to 'vibrate mode' if Llama sets the ringer volume to zero.
• 2G/3G action now CM10.1 friendly
• 'Ongoing notification without icon' setting now uses the nice 'minimum priority notification' available in Android 4.2

As usual, backup your settings before running test versions, just in case things are broke.

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Nearly market time again

A few small changes before a market release which I hope to do soon. The good thing about Christmas time is I have lots of time off real-work, so I can do stuff like this :)

Llama.1.2012.12.17.1125

• Fixed cryptography issue with Android 4.2 and screen lock password action
• Updated German translation
• Time-between timepicker container now scrolls horizontally if there's not enough vertical space. On Jelly Bean the timepickers themselves are vertically scrollable, which causes problems when they are placed in a vertically scrollable container
• A little bit of work done to multithreading Llama. It's still disabled by default, but when enabled it'll pop up a 'thinking' dialog when Llama's service is busy, rather than freezing the UI and showing a horrible ANR dialog. Not all parts of Llama run on the right threads at the mo, so this will still be crashy when enabled.
• No longer spams the crap out of logcat... which isn't much use any more since it requires root to grab every log message in the system
• Fixed background colour of some list dialogs when you have a weird system colour theme

As usual, backup your settings before running test versions, just in case things are broke.

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Llama bean point one one

Not much exciting... a few bug fixes and a tweak

Llama.1.2012.12.06.1244

• Notification is now low priority for Jelly Beaners
• Fixed a stupid that was stopping call-state from working. (I turned it off and forgot to turn it on again)
• Dodgy shortcuts/intents no longer crash Llama when it tries to run them

Export settings before installing, etc etc etc :)

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Llama Bean point one

This version mostly contains some more bugfixes for Jelly Bean 4.2+. Here's some detail for my fellow nerds.

• Android now reports WifiInfo.getBSSID as 00:00:00:00:00:00 when there is no WiFi network connected. Previous versions of Android return null.
• Accessibility services now require android.permission.BIND_DEVICE_ADMIN permission (thanks for the tip Patrick C!).
• The following broadcast intents now required an 'exported' BroadcastReceiver: android.bluetooth.device.action.ACL_CONNECTED, android.bluetooth.device.action.ACL_DISCONNECTED, android.bluetooth.device.action.FOUND, android.bluetooth.adapter.action.DISCOVERY_STARTED and android.bluetooth.adapter.action.DISCOVERY_FINISHED.

In addition to that stuff, Llama now also lets you increment, decrement and toggle variables as part of the 'set Llama variable' action. Another user mentioned that Samsung phones now moan whenever an app tries to use a http:// intent. This was causing problems for Llama's NFC functionality, since it was listening for NFC tags tagged with http://llama.location.profiles/nfc. Llama will now format tags as the rather nonsensical llamaloc://llama.location.profiles/nfc. Any existing tags will still work.

Llama.1.2012.12.03.2145

• Variable increment/decrement/toggle
• NFC now writes as llamaloc:// rather than http://
• Play sound action can now optionally store sounds are direct path, rather than content URIs with flakey Media database IDs which change between ROMs/factory-resets
• Fixed wifi network connection check for Wifi Off (if not connected) action
• LlamaAccessibilityService permission added for 4.2
• Bluetooth ACL intents now directed at an exported BroadcastReceiver, so it behaves in 4.2. This fixes Bluetooth conditions, and experimental the Bluetooth locations

As usual, backup your settings before installing. If anyone still has an Android 2.3 device lying about I'd be interested to hear if the changes to the BroadcastReceiver affected anything. Ta!

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Llama bean

This release fixes a couple of problems with airplane mode and Wifi in Jelly Bean 4.2.

First off... the Wifi one. Llama stopped being able to tell what Wifi network was connected, which also had the knock-on effect of not knowing when a specific network was disconnected. This is because the API now returns the network name in double-quotes. My phone (which is still running 4.1.2) doesn't have the network name in double-quotes. Llama's simple string comparison was failing. Another crash was caused by a wifi network being able to have an empty-string named Wifi network. Easy to fix, lets move on!

Airplane mode now requires root. Yep, you read that correctly... an API that has been really simple to use and implement since Android 1.5 (or at least 2.1 when I first started coding for Android) now requires you to use root access to change it. Who knows why? Maybe it was deemed a security risk. I can live with that. What I don't understand is why there is now no way for normal apps to change it. People like Android because they can customise and use apps to automate airplane mode. Llama didn't originally change airplane mode, but you guys asked for it. People want to change airplane mode Google!

There should be a standard Android permission that lets apps change airplane mode, however everyone knows no one bothers to read the permissions on the market, so that won't help. What should really have happened is that airplane mode should require Device Administrator access, like the lock screen or turning off the screen. That way people will be forced to confirm what apps can change airplane mode when they first use that action, rather than having to root their phones.

Oh well, mini rant over.

Llama.1.2012.11.21.2235

• Airplane mode now uses root in Android 4.2+
• Fixed wifi name connected/disconnected problem
• Fixed blank-named wifi crash
• Fixed active apps list being null rather than empty crash
• Fixed stupid bug when delay was less than a minute
• Llama now broadcasts com.kebab.llama.VARIABLE_CHANGED intent on changes
• Text entry dialogs now open keyboard automatically. Yay!

As usual, backup your data before using test versions just in case you need to revert to the market version.

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Roaming Llama

This version of Llama has a roaming condition, so you can perform events when you enter or leave roaming. Unfortunately, my phone only lets me use one network, so I can't see if it works properly in all situations. If someone could install it and let me know how it works, that'd be great.

Llama.1.2012.06.10.1501

• Roaming condition
• Chinese translation! Thanks athena-秋风
• NFC bug fix... the invisible NFC activity that gets launched when you place a tag on your phone was lingering around longer than it should have
• Ability to delete named NFC tags in Llama's settings
• You can now disable Llama's NFC watching skills in Llama's settings, if you want to use some other NFC app

As always, export your Llama data before installing it just in case you need to go back to the market version.

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