I’ve been trawling ways of launching an android app (actually Amazon Music) from within HR and am stuck.
I’ve come across mentions of intents and hyperlink buttons. I’m not sure what a hyperlink button is so am stuck on the first hurdle. Can anyone explain or give me an example I can pick apart please.
I also have considered Tasker but didn’t want to jump to yet another complexity on several phones unless that is the only way to go.
Any advice appreciated
Thanks
Provided you are using something prior to Android 11, you are on the right track with a simple button using intent. You will need to know the “package name” of the app you are wanting to launch. There are apps that you can install on your device that will list them for you. Attached is a screen shot of how I lauch and app called MPD Remote.
Android 11 will not allow you to do this however.
The app “Package Name Viewer” will give you the info you need for the app you want to launch.
Thanks. That makes sense.
However I’m on android 12 unfortunately. I guess that has the same limitation as 11?
Is tasker the only path open to me or is there something more ‘built in’ or direct?
I need to get keep this working on at least two android devices and want to avoid multiple packages (eg Tasker) that need to be kept in sync/up to date if at all possible.(One of the devices is my wife’s. That needs to just work - no fiddling!)
To get the package name, you can just go to the device’s Settings, then Apps, and scroll down to your desired app (the app’s display name will be the package name). Note that the package name is case sensitive.
(And Tasker is well worth it. Once set up, it does not require maintenance.)
Once installed, does Tasker require an internet connection for it to work on devices?
My objections to tasker were a few - but mainly to do with being from yorkshire (and tight!) :
I will look into it.
Its another thing to install/buy/maintain on multiple devices. I currently have two users on 3 android devices so that is probably two licenses. I don’t want to get into the pain of “here’s another update for your phone” issue with my wife. Once every few months is more than enough!
The internet question is a valid one - except that if we have no internet we also have no Amazon music so it probably doesn’t matter! All the in house control smart home stuff works on the LAN alone without internet so that’s Ok but music streaming is different.
Tasker only requires the internet initially to install and verify the license. After that, it only requires the internet when doing internety things. Taker is very versatile, and is a vital part of my home automation (including working along side THR).
Oh, one other thing: Tasker has the capability of export and importing its code, so I only have one Tasker code base that is duplicated on all of my tablets and phones. Makes maintenance of multiple devices easy.
Thanks, it does sound promising. I will have a play with tasker but I’ll get everything else working first with a manual button (A label with text that says ‘Please open amazon music’). When I get that far I’ll add tasker functionality as needed.
The hifi system consists of NAS based squeeze server, various players and DACs, amazon music, wiim mini streamer etc and the plan is all this to work together seamlessly.
I would say that the learning curve with Tasker is on par with the learning curve of THR (wait, why are those guys running from the room screaming?)
Tasker has great support, both from the developer and from fellow users, just like THR. Do not be afraid of posting questions on the Tasker support groups.
I now have everything else about home remote working as I want apart from the fact that I want an easy way of switching to the music app (Wiim app on android. not amazon app as I originally had thought). I do this manually at the moment but a button one of the home remote screens would be nice.
Next step tasker. I have had a very quick initial look but understanding what I need to do what isn’t very clear. I have a question or two first:-.
To make a button in Homeremote open (or switch to) Wiim app is the only thing I need to purchase the tasker app itself as a one off purchase?
Or do I need to purchase additional plugins?
Is there any repeat license fees needed?
Now that you have Tasker installed, check out the Home Remote plugin titled “Simple Tasker Plugin”. It has App launching built in.
Thanks but I think you misunderstand my concerns. I am totally comfortable with everything home remote related but tasker is a different question and I’m sorry to ask what may seem like a naïve question!
I have trawled through tasker app and plugin on play store. I can’t tell from that what bits I need and how much they cost - AND if they are one off payments or a recurring license.
It seems it might be like going into a store and paying for something - they then stop you leaving the store until you pay for a monthly license on the item you just thought you had bought!
Sorry, I did misunderstand your question. Tasker and the “Auto” plugins are a one time purchases. And once purchased, they can be installed on multiple devices (assuming the devices are using the same Google account, and installing from the Google Play store).
You might notice that each “Auto” plugin has an individual license, but you can purchase the group license and get them all (which is worth it). I have started using more of those plugins that I originally anticipated.
I seem to recall that Joao created a monthly license setup as an option, but the one time purchase is still available.
ANSWERED. Thanks!. That’s the sort of info I wanted
Andy
Sounds like you need Tasker and the AutoRemote plugin for Tasker to use the HR Tasker plugin?
I’ve never used AutoRemote before. I was using TNES plugin for Tasker, for sending HTTP commands from my Vera controller to Android devices / Tasker to run Tasker tasks. Still works well.
However was interested in how to launch other apps again from within HR dashboard etc.
If you follow the instructions in the Simple Tasker Plugin, you should be okay. AutoRemote is the easiest way for outside applications to communicate with Tasker, so it is one of the more useful Tasker plugins. I also use it for my Alexa interface.
Since AutoRemote is simply receiving commands from internally, AutoRemote’s setup should be quite simple.
If you want to see how Tasker launches apps, look into the Tasker code supplied with the plugin.
Have got tasker and autoremote lite installed. (Android 12) Have created and run a task in tasker to run my wiim streamer app - that’s ok so far. I then downloaded the HR plugin and also the profiles for tasker.
I’m stuck on the following - in the order of importance:
a) Have spent a couple of hours messing around with autoremote and hr plugin and can’t get anything going. If I click a HR button (on android) setup to say hello I get failed to connect to 127.0.0.1:1817. In tasker both Hremote and homeremote profiles have red triangles
b) I can’t find a way of creating a task to run a url - either directly or via chrome shortcut. (My local music is on logitech media server and the browser material skin is far better than any app I have found. I want a button in HR via tasker - to open the url or a shortcut to it.)
Where do I start looking next ?
Thanks
Andy
Partly solved. It didn;t like autoremote lite. Uninstalled that and installed the paid version of autoremote - it partly works now as the say hello worked once.
