Trigger on stopping track recording?

[eng3]

I use an app call "GPS Logger" as a general location logger that tracks at a very low rate.
In certain circumstances, I want to record a track in Locus. During this time, I'd like "GPS Logger" to stop/pause. I can control "GPS Logger" by sending intents. I could have a task constantly poll Locus to see if it is recording a track but that sounds like it would be a waste of resources since the times I need to do this is not that often..

Alternatively, perhaps I could "override" the track record button with my own custom button (task) to start recording and send the intent to "GPS Logger" to tell it to stop.
I could do something similar when I stop, however, whenever I stop recording, I need to be able to select which folder I want the track saved so I would need the folder selection interface in Locus.
I'd appreciate any recommendations

[Falcosc]

You can constantly poll Locus as long as you keep it to 1s or above. That's what a trigger would do as well. The request is very efficient.

But normally it should be possible to have multiple apps recording at the same time.

[eng3]

constantly polling all the time won't prevent the phone from sleeping?
I might do a recording once or twice a month for a few hours.

It seems like it would make more sense if there was "start record (and stop gps logger)" button and a "stop record (and start gps logger)" button. That way it would only happen when needed. Doing the "start" task seems pretty straight forward, but I'm not sure about "stop" because I need the gui to select where to save the track

I know I can have multiple apps recording at once, but I just don't want to have two recordings of the same thing.

Anyways, I will give it a try. Is there some documentation of how to use the API? I see some of your examples, but unless there is something exactly the same as what I'm looking for, it is hard to know how to do things. (ie. poll locus to see if it is recording a track). I do see an example of how to command locus to start/stop recording.

[Falcosc]

for locus you alreay have start and stop tasks. All available options are part of the Locus Tasker plugin action task UI
For GPS Logger you have to ask the GPS Logger developer.

[eng3]

I already know what to do for GPS Logger I've found the documentation.

I'm asking about locus. I'm just asking about documentation. How do I poll Locus to see if a track is being recorded? I can see some intents and intent extra options in your examples. Otherwise, I have no idea of the names or options and their meanings.

[Falcosc]

You have 4 possibilities:
1: use Plugin ->Request sensors and stats: it does have the recording status
It would make sense to only pull the data if locus maps is running, but you have to check how reliably the tasker profiles are with detecting running background applications (I only used profiles application checks for forground applications so far) but if not, just pull it all the time, because if locus is not running you will just get empty data

2: But you can also just send the stop recording action without knowing if it does record or not: Plugin -> Execute Action Task -> Track record / Waypoint

It has Start, Stop and Toggle
So no need to use "Request sensors and stats" for checking if it is recording or not, just always send stop or toggle, depending of your usecase. Because stop does nothing if nothing is recording.

3: Or just let both record at the same time, since it doesn't make much difference if 1 or 2 apps are using GPS since GPS is awake in both use-cases.

4: use a tasker task to start and stop locus recording instead of the locus maps buttons, then you already know the state in tasker without asking locus. You can place your Tasker Task links directly into the locus UI. You can even have custom icons: https://github.com/Falcosc/locus-addon-tasker/wiki/Custom-Task-Icon-at-Locus-Panel
Or use the Run Task Icon which has even more flexibility since it is integrated everywhere in locus maps UI: https://github.com/Falcosc/locus-addon-tasker/wiki/Examples#open-navigation-in-google-maps but since "Run Task" is the icon of the plugin - you can not customize it. In the settings of the Locus addon tasker plugin you will find filters for "Run Task" to reduce the amount of visibile tasks. If only one is filtered it will directly start it instead of asking you for a pick.

[eng3]

ok thanks for clarifying. I went through all the options you listed and was able to implement them (to test once). They seem to run ok if started from Tasker. When I try option 4, I run into an issue trying to start from Locus. If I try "Run Task" (or "Run Other Task", I'm not sure if there is a difference), I select my task and it says "Can't Start Task: NoPermission". Only when starting from Locus

I tried the instructions to use app factory. I was able to create and install the apk. It seems to run ok. However when I try to add the button in locus, the app does not show up on the list.

[Falcosc]

No difference, it's just there to have 2 buttons since button count is hardcoded.
You need to enable the Allow External Access for the Run Task thing as well.

But I don't know why you can not find your app. It behaves like any other app installation.

[eng3]

Per the instructions, I did go into Tasker - Preferences - MISC, I checked "Allow External Access" which pops up to let me select "LocusTasker". It then pops up another screen that takes me to the LocusTasker App settings page. It tells me to select "Permissions" and "Additional Permissions" and asks me to "grant permission to allow the app to run tasker tasks". But I don't see this. It takes me to LocusTakser app permissions screen. In Permissions there is only "Other Permissions". In there, the closest thing I see is "Manage chain start" and I have "Allow LocustTasker to launch other apps" enabled. However, the way that usually works is that when there is an attempt, I get a popup at that time (for each app it tries to launch) to allow or deny and then if I allow, the app gets added to the list.
For example, if I look at the same page in Tasker, it lists LocusTasker and App Factory because the first time I tried running, I got a popup asking me for permission.
I feel like the permissions (or at least some of them) are correct because it works when spawned from Tasker.
Maybe the issue is with Locus not triggering the OS to ask for the permission. But since it is using your plugin, maybe your plugin isnt triggering the OS to ask for permission to launch tasker?

In Locus, when I click "Add link to app", there is a message at the top "Since Android 11+ Locus Map is not allowed to recognize all apps in your device so the list may be incomplete" There is a refresh button that causes the list to become much longer, it seems to add system apps, but the app factory ones are not listed. I found this link https://medium.com/androiddevelopers/package-visibility-in-android-11-cc857f221cd9 If I understand this properly, whatever Locus is querying for needs to match the intent filter specified by app factory. It sounds like something locus needs to address (or app factory).

[Falcosc]

Did you click the ✓ symbol after fixing the external access?
And Plugin Permissions need to look like this:

@algil do you have any tips? I have no idea why start tasks via locus does work on our devices and not at his.

[algil]

If those permissions are definitely applied then I don't know any reason why it would not work.

I don't understand the part about "For example, if I look at the same page in Tasker, it lists LocusTasker and App Factory because the first time I tried running, I got a popup asking me for permission" . I don't see any such list in my Tasker app permissions. Instead I only see it in the LocusTasker permissions and there I can click on "see all apps with this permission".

Also statement about 'I have "Allow LocusTasker to launch other apps" enabled' - is that the exact wording ?? It should say "allows the application to ask Tasker to run both user-defined and its own tasks" which has a different meaning.

Maybe that is just some variation in what is displayed between Android versions.

So it would be useful to know: Phone type (manufacturer/model) ; Android Version
OP to provide screenshots of what is actually seen.
Also directly check actual permissions - install something like APK Analyzer and then check "Used Permissions" tab. Or else connect phone to PC and use ADB commands.
LocusTasker should have permission "net.dinglisch.android.tasker.PERMISSION_RUN_TASKS"

BTW - the "Add Link to App" doesn't work for a random app because Locus does not have the QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES permission, unlike Tasker which does - probably the google-bots would not allow that for a navigation app.

[eng3]

I'm using a Xiaomi 14 Ultra so their HyperOS 2.0.108.0 which is basically a skin over Android 15

Here's the screen I see when I goto "Permissions" from the app settings page.

Here is the next screen:

And after I click: Manage Chain Start:

From what I have observed, chain start is how they define letting one app start another. Once enabled here, if I have one app try to start another, I will get a popup to "Allow Always" or "Deny". If I do "Allow Always", it shows up in that list.

Here is the output of APK Analyzer:

As for "Add Link to App", I think if there is a way to modify the manifest of the app created from apk factory, I could get it to show up on the list.

[algil]

Apologies, but I think the APK Analyzer is not showing whether that permission has actually been granted.

The screenshots from your phone are unfamiliar to me - maybe Android 15 has changed it.... anyway from looking at them I would still question whether the needed permission has actually been granted.

The only way I know to check for sure, and to grant it if missing is to use ADB. If you don't have that setup yet then it's worth doing anyway.
If not then instructions how to do it are here:-
https://www.xda-developers.com/install-adb-windows-macos-linux/

In summary:-
Enable Developer Mode on phone, then enable USB Debugging option.
Download ADB platform tools (https://developer.android.com/tools/releases/platform-tools), unzip to folder, open command window at that folder
Connect phone to PC using USB cable (ensure phone unlocked)
Run command 'adb devices'
On phone accept the prompt which should appear.

Then when connected , in the command prompt run command:-
adb shell dumpsys package falcosc.locus.addon.tasker

About two thirds of the way down the output there should be a section "requested permissions:" and should include "net.dinglisch.android.tasker.PERMISSION_RUN_TASKS"

Then a little further "runtime permissions:" and that should include something like:-
net.dinglisch.android.tasker.PERMISSION_RUN_TASKS: granted=true, flags=[ USER_SET]

If it's missing or else it says "granted=false" then that would explain your problem.

To fix that run:-
adb shell pm grant falcosc.locus.addon.tasker net.dinglisch.android.tasker.PERMISSION_RUN_TASKS

Then try it again in Locus. Also take a look at the app permissions in the phone settings and see if it now shows it.

[eng3]

Yes, I'm familiar with settings permissions via ADB, I've needed to do that with other apps.
I tried that and it worked!
I also changed my app to check "is_track_recording" and use that to decide whether to start or stop so I dont need two separate apps (start and stop). Then no need for two different buttons so no need to make an apk with app factory to differentiate them.
So it's working now.
One question, My task is using "Request sensors and stats" to get is_track_rec_recording then using that in an if block. Is this necessary? if I just use is_track_rec_recording, will it automatically go get the status and populate the variable?

I guess I'll have an issue if I ever want to add another task to locus though.
There are some bugs they refuse to fix though I can't think of a way that tasker would help.

[Falcosc]

Run Task is able to populate variables, but %is_track_rec_recording is not part of it. And Tasker variables will not populate itself on request. You need to execute a task like Request sensors and stats to populate it.

If you have multiple Tasks on the same Run Task button, it opens a list to choose from.
If you want to have more buttons, a question why Locus does not see generated apps anymore would be your best chance, since App Factory is likely be able to provide the missing attributes.