[Feature request] Open homepage using the "back" button on post opened from link

[KaKi87]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe. When opening a post from a link, clicking the in-app "back" button will exit the app.

Describe the solution you'd like Open the homepage instead.

Describe alternatives you've considered None

Additional context None

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Thanks

[tylerbwong]

Added as a user setting in f614d11.

[KaKi87]

Thanks, please notify me once released.

[tylerbwong]

@KaKi87 Could you briefly explain some of the use-cases for wanting to remain in the app if hitting back after clicking a deep link?

The reason for the current functionality is mainly because I use a search engine to find questions, and it makes more sense to return to that search after hitting back from a question. Curious to know why you'd prefer to remain in the app instead.

[KaKi87]

The reason for the current functionality is mainly because I use a search engine to find questions

Me too. Secondly, when clicking on questions linked from GitHub issues, Discord conversations, etc.

Could you briefly explain some of the use-cases for wanting to remain in the app if hitting back after clicking a deep link?

After reading a question :

• I might want to go to settings to log in so I could submit a reply or comment ;
• I might want to make a/another search directly on SO, or ask a question myself ;
• I might want to go to settings just to change the theme ;
• I might want to go to settings to go to this very repository to report an issue I might have encountered ;
• Etc.

it makes more sense to return to that search after hitting back from a question

Yes, but Android's back action will continue to fullfill that need.

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Additionally, the same behavior will occur when clicking notifications.

[tylerbwong]

@KaKi87 Thanks for the great feedback! I've made it the permanent default in 2.1.1 (Awaiting approval from Google or non-play version available through the release page now)

[KaKi87]

Hello there, Looks like I got the update. The back button opens homepage as expected, however, so does Android's back action (e.g. gesture or bottom bar), while it should open the previous app like it used to. Thanks

[tylerbwong]

Hey there! Could you possibly send a video of the behavior? Thanks!

[KaKi87]

[tylerbwong]

I see, thanks for the video. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be making any further changes as I've tried to follow the documentation for navigation as closely as possible. See up and back are identical within your app's task. A few other popular apps I use also implement the same behavior.

[KaKi87]

@maniac103 Your implementation of this feature on OctoDroid works well, how did you do it ?

[maniac103]

@KaKi87 Implementing it is easy and probably not the problem. The question is what one wants to happen. Judging from the link above Google changed the guidelines at some point: when I did the Octodroid implementation, the guidelines said 'Up does hierarchical navigation, while Back does temporal navigation' [1]... which, compared to 'both buttons do the same thing' makes more sense to me. But one can't really argue against following the current guidelines, I guess 🤷‍♂️ [1] Nowadays I can only find a copy of that page ... here is a copy of a different related page.

[tylerbwong]

Sorry for the very late reply, but circling back to this (turns out I can't read):

When your app is launched using a deep link on another app's task, Up transitions users back to your app’s task and through a simulated back stack and not to the app that triggered the deep link. The Back button, however, does take you back to the other app.

I'll keep this issue open until it's fixed.

[tylerbwong]

Fixed in fd4864b

[KaKi87]

Please notify me once this is released.

Thanks