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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Lollipop Llama Lameness

Another Android update, another load of stuff that behaves weird or doesn't work any more. These aren't fixed yet, and probably can't be fixed until someone figures out a workaround or another hack.

• When changing screen lock password to blank, Lollipop will still show you the numeric keypad and you need to press enter. This was always a bit of a hack, but it's probably an oversight that it doesn't show the slide lock... the Android security settings screen thinks it is in slide lock mode, but the lock screen doesn't.
• Llama's notification appears on the lockscreen. You can set Llama to 'on going notification no icon', which hides it from the lock screen, but also hides the icon which you might be using to see what profile is active. It'd be nice if notifications had a flag saying "this really isn't exciting enough to appear on a lock screen, but should still show an icon".
• Silent profiles put the device in priority notification mode, but setting the profile back to normal does not change the notification priority mode. This one appears to be a bug.
• Airplane mode... yep, still can't be changed by apps... probably requires root still. (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻)
• Mobile data... also broken, Llama has always been naughty by using an API that it shouldn't be using anyway. Fortunately, there's a shortcut/locale-plugin if your phone is rooted.
• UPDATE 20th Nov - getRecentTasks no longer works in Lollipop. This means the Active App condition won't work any more for security reasons. Fine, but what about those of us that like to automate our phones? Meh. There might be hope though!

I'll keep my eye on things, but don't expect a fix any time soon. I'm not sure I want to put Lollipop on my main device yet... I've grown far too attached to Xposed modules, and the changes in Lollipop don't excite me enough to give those up!

No-donation Llama

Due to some recent changes in the Play Store’s policies Llama no longer has a donation app, nor in-app purchases.

Instead, if you like Llama you should donate to some charities. Even if you don’t like Llama you should donate to charity too. It gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling inside!

Thanks for all the support over the last four years. I still plan to work on Llama, but as you may have noticed, the updates have been much less frequent recently. Hopefully nothing in Android L breaks stuff catastrophically, but I’m sure Google will do their usual removal of useful device-control APIs (*cough* airplane mode)

Llama.1.2014.10.23.0945

• Remove donation IAPs
• Notification action now expands variables
• Don't crash when decoding a dodgy Locale Plugin intent

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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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500,000 Llamas

Just a quick post to say thanks for the Llama love over the past two years and a bit, and for recommending it to all your friends.

Llama's download counter has just clicked over 500,000, which is rather awesome... and also making me think I should have charged a quid for it. Ah well! :D

Here's to many more happy years of Llama-ing, cheers!

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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And we're back.... for now

If you have a system volume defined in one of your profiles Llama will now set it before doing anything else. This means the system volume is likely* to get changed by your ringer volume if you have one defined in a profile. It also means that when Llama asks for silence, it won't then be forced into vibrate mode by the system volume setting.

* ringer and system volume are now linked for some versions of Android and some ROMs

If you have problems, email me. If lots of you have problems Llama's going to hibernate again until everyone and their phone is happy :)

Llama.1.2012.12.29.1412 is on the Play Store (in about 30 mins to 1 hour.)

Llama's having a quick break

Llama's off the market for now while I investigate a pain-in-the-butt problem involving silent mode, vibrate mode and the dreaded System Volume level.

Changing the system volume in Jelly Bean now changes the ringer volume. I can't find anywhere in the Android SDK that documents this, which is rather infuriating. Feel free to look through here and see if you can spot it.

Changing the ringer volume (or the system volume since they are now related) will flick a silent phone to vibrate, even if the new ringer volume is zero. So everyone that previously had a fairly sensible 'set system volumes to silent' may now find your phone will vibrate.

Fun fun fun.

Why were previous versions of Llama behaving? Because it was naive, and literally dumped out the values from a profile to the AudioManager. Now Llama tries to be slightly smarter about setting the values... e.g. if you choose a Silent ringer mode, it will set the volumes to zero, rather than the values you picked from the profile. However, this exacerbates the problem described above.

Anyhew...

I think it's fixed in this version, but no doubt there's some manufacturer out there that has tweaked their version of Android to have a system volume. Ideally, I'd want to hide the system volume from the profile editor if you're running Jelly Bean, but since there's now no way of knowing if a device supports system volumes or not it will have to stay :'(

I'll put this version on the market tomorrow morning, when I can fire-fight any more stupid that may arise.

Llama.1.2012.12.29.0128

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It'd be awesome if you could let me know if the above version works for you... ideally activating a loud, silent and vibrating profile, and letting me know if the volume icons changes to the correct one. Cheers!

It's market release day!

I've just pushed the most recent version of Llama to the Play store.

Llama.1.2012.12.28.1222

• Japanese translation
• Vibrate mode in ICS/Jelly Bean now handled as a special case, so that it changes more reliably
• Warning about using system volume in ICS/Jelly Bean... it seems to affect ringer volume :(

Head to the Google Play store to pick it up! (That last sentence is a bit optimisitic though... it takes about half hour for the update to appear in the Play store :)