Drive the app via Intents using BroadcastReceiver

[GrazianoCapelli]

Currently the app is driveable with Hotkeys (#168), we could add also the possibility to drive it with Intent. We could define custom actions and listen for them with the ActionsBroadcastReceiver.

Define a custom action is easy. For example, to start recording:

Add the action filter to AndroidManifest.xml:

<receiver android:name=".ActionsBroadcastReceiver"
    android:exported="false">
    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.ACTION_SHUTDOWN" />
        <action android:name="eu.basicairdata.graziano.gpslogger.ACTION_START_RECORDING" /><-- ADDED THIS LINE /-->
    </intent-filter>
</receiver>

Add the case management to ActionBroadcastReceiver.java:

case "eu.basicairdata.graziano.gpslogger.ACTION_START_RECORDING":
    // Start Recording
    // Code copied from GPSActivity.onKeyUp
    if (!GPSApplication.getInstance().isStopButtonFlag() && !GPSApplication.getInstance().isRecording())
        GPSApplication.getInstance().setRecording(true);
    break;

Add the action and register into the receiver in GPSApplication.java onCreate:

...
IntentFilter filter = new IntentFilter(Intent.ACTION_SHUTDOWN);
filter.addAction(Intent.ACTION_SCREEN_OFF);
filter.addAction(Intent.ACTION_SCREEN_ON);
filter.addAction("eu.basicairdata.graziano.gpslogger.ACTION_START_RECORDING");        // Register the action
registerReceiver(broadcastReceiver, filter);
...

This way the app can be driven via intents, also in background, with task automation apps. The code here above has been successfully tested with MacroDroid:

The implementation of this feature is possible only if the permission to access the background location is granted.

[Offerel]

Is this feature available in the current stable release? I have tried to send the intent visible in the screenshot, but nothing happens.

[GrazianoCapelli]

No, at this time the feature has not been implemented because it would require the background location permission.

PS: I noticed just now that I didn't answered your question, thus sorry for the late answer!