How to avoid creation of home screen widget for your application? - android

I have an application on google play. Once user download and installs, google play use to create a home screen widgets automatically (google play->settings->Auto-add widgets is checked). Due to some technical reasons I want to avoid this creation.
Is it possible to avoid this auto creation of home screen widget programmatically(through manifest or with any other options)?
Any answers will be highly appreciated, thanks in advance.

Removing shortcut in Android uses an Intent (UNINSTALL_SHORTCUT) to
perform the task.
So first add this permission to your manifest:
<uses-permission android:name="com.android.launcher.permission.UNINSTALL_SHORTCUT" />
and in java code
private void removeShortcut() {
//Deleting shortcut for MainActivity
//on Home screen
Intent shortcutIntent = new Intent(getApplicationContext(),MainActivity.class);
shortcutIntent.setAction(Intent.ACTION_MAIN);
Intent addIntent = new Intent();
addIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_INTENT, shortcutIntent);
addIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_NAME, "HelloWorldShortcut");
addIntent.setAction("com.android.launcher.action.UNINSTALL_SHORTCUT");
getApplicationContext().sendBroadcast(addIntent);
}
So now you can call it on ur first launch (may be when ur splash screen is loading, if you have any). Now its upto you how you utilize this :)
For more info.. http://viralpatel.net/blogs/android-install-uninstall-shortcut-example/
https://gist.github.com/zeuxisoo/1008973

Related

How to detect android app shortcut is removed from the Home Screen by the user?

I am using minSdkVersion = 16 & targetSdkVersion = 25 for my app, and using the following code to create shortcuts for different Activities in my app.
private void addShortcut() {
//Adding shortcut for MainActivity
//on Home screen
Intent shortcutIntent = new Intent(getApplicationContext(),
MainActivity.class);
shortcutIntent.setAction(Intent.ACTION_MAIN);
Intent addIntent = new Intent();
addIntent
.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_INTENT, shortcutIntent);
addIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_NAME, "HelloWorldShortcut");
addIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_ICON_RESOURCE,
Intent.ShortcutIconResource.fromContext(getApplicationContext(),
R.mipmap.ic_launcher));
addIntent
.setAction("com.android.launcher.action.INSTALL_SHORTCUT");
getApplicationContext().sendBroadcast(addIntent);
}
Now if the user removes any shortcut that belongs to my app from his Home Screen, I need to set a flag in my Preferences. So, if the user removes the shortcut I need to get notified in my app. How can this be done.
using the following code to create shortcuts for different Activities in my app
No, you are using that code to request shortcuts. The user's home screen may not support such requests. The user's home screen might ask the user for confirmation, and the user might decline to add the shortcut. And on Android 8.0+, that broadcast no longer has any effect.
if the user removes the shortcut I need to get notified in my app
There is nothing in the Android SDK for this, sorry. There is no requirement for home screens to let anyone know about changes in the mix of shortcuts created via the legacy com.android.launcher.action.INSTALL_SHORTCUT broadcast.

Toast in shortcut creation in home in android

I am developing a app which will be distributed from my website. So when this app is installed the shortcut should be created in the home screen and i used the following code and it is creating shortcut icon when installed but with a toast message. I want to suppress this toast message. I am adding the function used to create shortcut home icon.
private void addShortcut() {
//Adding shortcut for MainActivity
//on Home screen
Intent shortcutIntent = new Intent(getApplicationContext(),
MainActivity.class);
shortcutIntent.setAction(Intent.ACTION_MAIN);
Intent addIntent = new Intent();
addIntent
.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_INTENT, shortcutIntent);
addIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_NAME, "HelloWorldShortcut");
addIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_ICON_RESOURCE,
Intent.ShortcutIconResource.fromContext(getApplicationContext(),
R.drawable.ic_launcher));
addIntent
.setAction("com.android.launcher.action.INSTALL_SHORTCUT");
getApplicationContext().sendBroadcast(addIntent);
}
I know the question is already asked but no answer . so i gave the question in a different way with code and Image.
Looking the google's source of InstallShortcutReceiver it seems not possible (search for Toast).
From the research in android toasting , i have found that toast from the shorcut creation cannot be removed . If you are going through google store, then there is a option for creating shortcut icon in home screen. Then the toast will not come.

How can I add my application's shortcut to the homescreen upon app installation? [duplicate]

This question already has answers here:
How can I place app icon on launcher home screen?
(6 answers)
Closed 5 years ago.
I want to create my app's shortcut/launcher icon on the homescreen as soon as I install my app (even before I start it). Is that possible? How might I do that?
Since ICS, you can do like this:
public void createShortCut(){
Intent shortcutintent = new Intent("com.android.launcher.action.INSTALL_SHORTCUT");
shortcutintent.putExtra("duplicate", false);
shortcutintent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_NAME, getString(R.string.shortcutname));
Parcelable icon = Intent.ShortcutIconResource.fromContext(getApplicationContext(), R.drawable.icon);
shortcutintent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_ICON_RESOURCE, icon);
shortcutintent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_INTENT, new Intent(getApplicationContext(), EnterActivity.class));
sendBroadcast(shortcutintent);
}
Please also refer to the source code of launcher at: this link
Edit : If somebody would miss reading comment so adding following line.
This requires "com.android.launcher.permission.INSTALL_SHORTCUT" permission
You forgot to add permissions:
<uses-permission
android:name="com.android.launcher.permission.INSTALL_SHORTCUT" />
<uses-permission
android:name="com.android.launcher.permission.UNINSTALL_SHORTCUT" />
Great tutorial here:
http://androidforbegineers.blogspot.in/2014/01/android-home-screen-shortcut.html#!
NOTE: This answer is now wrong. See, for instance, Robin's answer for a way to do this.
As far as I know, an app cannot force itself onto the home screen. It gets added to the app list that the launcher app maintains, but the home screen is generally under user control. Giving apps the ability to clutter up the home screen would be an open invitation for abuse.
If you install your application, neither your application, nor any services or other processes are active! Android want's the user to make the first step in "opening" the application. You are not able to install a shortcut directly! Thats the answer. Notice: On most devices the launcher will create a shortcut for your application itself.
Can you install shortcuts in runtime after the user has somehow started your app at least once? : yes (see Robins answer).
Is there a workaround?
Maybe, but no good one.
Update, Another hint: If you have already an application on the device of the user. (For example if your second app that gets installed is the key for "going pro" or something), then you actually can start the second application from the first one, without the user has started the second app ever (and add a shortcut).
Create function to call intent of shortcut:
private void criarAtalho() {
Intent shortcutIntent = new Intent(getApplicationContext(), SplashScreen.class);
shortcutIntent.setAction(Intent.ACTION_MAIN);
Intent addIntent = new Intent();
addIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_INTENT, shortcutIntent);
addIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_NAME, "nomeDaApp");
addIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_ICON_RESOURCE, Intent.ShortcutIconResource.fromContext(getApplicationContext(), R.mipmap.ic_launcher));
addIntent.setAction("com.android.launcher.action.INSTALL_SHORTCUT");
addIntent.putExtra("duplicate", false); //may it's already there so don't duplicate
getApplicationContext().sendBroadcast(addIntent);
}
write on OnCreat the call of function:
if(!getSharedPreferences("APP_PREFERENCE", Activity.MODE_PRIVATE).getBoolean("IS_ICON_CREATED", false)){
criarAtalho();
getSharedPreferences("APP_PREFERENCE", Activity.MODE_PRIVATE).edit().putBoolean("IS_ICON_CREATED", true).commit();
}
set the permissions on manifest:
<uses-permission
android:name="com.android.launcher.permission.INSTALL_SHORTCUT" />
First, add permission for adding shortcut to manifest:
<uses-permission
android:name="com.android.launcher.permission.INSTALL_SHORTCUT" />
Then, call the function below.
public void createShortcut(){
Intent intentShortcut = new Intent("com.android.launcher.action.INSTALL_SHORTCUT");
intentShortcut.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_NAME, getString(R.string.app_name));
Parcelable appicon = Intent.ShortcutIconResource.fromContext(getApplicationContext(), R.drawable.ic_launcher);
intentShortcut.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_ICON_RESOURCE, appicon);
intentShortcut.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_INTENT, new Intent(getApplicationContext(), MainActivity.class));
intentShortcut.putExtra("duplicate", false);
sendBroadcast(intentShortcut);
}

Install launcher icon in home screen once

When a user installs an Android app, a launcher icon is created in the apps menu. Many users I talk to expect that when they install an app, an icon should appear automatically on their home screen ("launch pad").
A lot of apps achieve this somehow. My preference would be to have a window appear on install asking the user "Do you want to add a shortcut?" If that's not possible, any code that auto-adds the shortcut will do.
Android gives a bunch of code here: http://developer.android.com/resources/samples/ApiDemos/src/com/example/android/apis/app/LauncherShortcuts.html
It is implied that adding this code (and the related xml) to your project will do the trick. But it does not have the effect I want. It seems the code provided is passive, and I need to trigger it somehow.
So my question is:
How do I trigger the installation of a shortcut, and how do I make sure it happens only once, preferably triggered by some kind of "app install" event?
PS:
A complicating factor is that I am building my app using PhoneGap, meaning the main activity is not "Activity" but "DroidGap".
Intent shortcutIntent = new Intent(getApplicationContext(), HomeScreen.class);
shortcutIntent.setAction(Intent.ACTION_MAIN);
Intent addIntent = new Intent();
addIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_INTENT, shortcutIntent);
addIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_NAME, "AIMS ICD");
addIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_ICON_RESOURCE,Intent.ShortcutIconResource.fromContext(getApplicationContext(), R.drawable.aims));
addIntent.putExtra("duplicate", false);
addIntent.setAction("com.android.launcher.action.INSTALL_SHORTCUT");
getApplicationContext().sendBroadcast(addIntent);
In the example, it returns the intent in setResult(...). I believe you need to run sendBroadcast(intent) to trigger installation of the shortcut.
The class DroidGap extends Activity so you can just add in the code from the link you provided to add a shortcut.

How to add bookmarks(URL) on the home screen for android

I have tried adding a bookmark on the home screen manually. Need some help on doing it programatically. Thanks.
This works for me -
Add to permission to manifest
<uses-permission android:name="com.android.launcher.permission.INSTALL_SHORTCUT" />
Use the following code:
public void createGoogleSearchShortcut(Context context) {
String urlStr = String.format(context.getString(R.string.homescreen_shortcut_search_url), context.getString(R.string.app_id));
Intent shortcutIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW, Uri.parse(urlStr));
// shortcutIntent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_CLEAR_TOP);
Intent intent = new Intent();
intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_INTENT, shortcutIntent);
// Sets the custom shortcut's title
intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_NAME, context.getString(R.string.search));
// Set the custom shortcut icon
intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_ICON_RESOURCE, Intent.ShortcutIconResource.fromContext(context, R.drawable.ic_action_search));
intent.putExtra("duplicate", false);
// add the shortcut
intent.setAction("com.android.launcher.action.INSTALL_SHORTCUT");
context.sendBroadcast(intent);
}
Please note: I strongly suggest asking the user before adding the bookmark. Adding bookmarks to his home screen without his permission is "not polite"...
I'm not sure what you mean by bookmark. Maybe this tutorial could help?
http://www.tutorialforandroid.com/2009/04/open-urlwebsite-from-android.html
This is an application that starts up the browser pointing to a web page. Is this what you had in mind?
Emmanuel
Check out the (poorly documented) action INSTALL_SHORTCUT. You'll need the respective permission, as explained in that link

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