I am relatively new to android and want to create an application that permanently overrides androids basic softkey behaviour and view (for devices with soft keys).
Some functionalities I want to implement are changing the size of the softkeys window at the bottom, change its images, and possibly change its functionality.
For example, the user can set the size to of the softkey to be "large", "medium" or "small". And I can change the functionality of the back button to open say a particular application instead of going "back".
I'm basically looking for a high level answer as to how to do this, a basic direction of what I should read/study in order to be able to accomplish this. I realise this may require root access.
Please note that I want this behaviour to change not only in my application but I want the effect to exist on all applications. If this requires the application to be running atleast at the backend, that is fine.
After doing some decent amount of search, it seems I will have to make changes in the systemUI.apk, or possibly get its source code and modify it. Is this correct?
Thanks in advance.
I don't think even root is going to be enough for the type of changes you are describing. You're going to need to edit the Android source code and build your own system image.
Well you can't override system resources because they are part of the system image.
What you are looking for is called Home Application which can be developed like any other android app no need for root , you can find an example for it in your sdk samples.
Home Sample Application.
your app would be responsible to have UI components to send the user to all of the phone functionalities which includes:
Place for wegits
Place for apps listing (menue)
Access telephony functionality (call, phone history ...)
Access settings.
Related
Hello Android developers,
Im more or less expierenced in Android programming and now i want to create an app that is allowed to access the display of another app or the activity that is less my app. Both apps should be active, should run. My app shall access the display data of the other app (also can be android system display), change it a bit and then show it again.
Is it possible without root rights?
Is there any Android support class that could help me? Which way i can go?
I hope my problem is clear and you can help me!
Ok now I have a more detailed question: How can open my app and show a transparent RelativeLayout, so that you can see what is below my app?
Thankyou a lot
Martin
If both applications are yours, you can access the other Activity using a connection between them (sockets, pipes, shared files, etc.)
If you'd like to create an overlay and display something on top of the other app, you can do that using a 'system window' popup. For example: Popup window in any app
If the other app is an arbitrary software without any modifications, such thing is not possible as it would lead to security issues. Both applications are Unix processes running in their own sandboxes without any direct communication.
In one of requirement I need to develop an application where user can launch two application in separate area of screen.
Say Application A in half of the part of screen and in rest of part other application.
I know this could not be straight way to achieve it, but is there any possibility to build such kind of app/launcher. I checked some of mobile ROM support multi application window support.
Any suggestion to achieve this.
You'd have to have this support done on system level, same way Samsung did for example. W/o this you are out of luck.
this is system level thing unless you make you own customize rom it pretty much impossible to do ,if you want to make customize rom then you will be able to do since its an system level this launcher uses system property to do so.
So I am using the Home sample to build an application that creates a second home screen for the user. The idea is to be able to have only one user account yet restrict certain access to chosen applications. I have managed to ensure that all of the applications are invisible in the XML yet I am struggling with how to change this to make certain apps visible.
Is it possible to write a whitelist of accepted apps for instance the preinstalled apps or child friendly apps for children who game using the android device and then put in a Java method to access this white list? This is the only way I can think to make it work.
If anyone knows the correct way can you please help.
Thanks.
Ok so I discovered how to do this.
In the home sample they provide a for loop in the Home.java file that covers all apps and displays them. It take a simple if statement to restrict the apps that can be viewed -
// for loop is here
if (info.activityInfo.applicationInfo.packageName.contains("com.android"))
//then the rest of the home sample is here.
Still very basic but provides me with a good enough UI so that kids cannot see apps I don't want them to.
I have a requirement for trying to develop an alternative to the current pin password security system on the android operating system. The main goal will be to try and replace the current password system with an alternative that uses one of the hardware features on the device. Is this possible as a third party? Or, would you need to go to the specific head set manufacturer to get the ability to circumvent or change the current security system?
I believe there is no API which is specifically designed to replace/be a pluging to a lock screen on Android.
However, people found several clever way of implementing it:
Replace home screen
Showing activity on top of lock screen
Take a look at these questions:
Where can I find examples or tutorials about creating a custom android lockscreen?
Customizing Android Lock Screen functionality?
I went through some posts, but most of them discuss placing a image or a string with information on it.
I however need to place button that manipulates some call features.
Is there a method to do that universally works throughout all android distributions?
(I thought to pop up custom screen with my button above usual screen. Is that good idea, or is there more straightforward way to achieve this?)
Thanks a lot
On stock devices there isn't going to be a legit way to put your own button "on" any portion of the Dialer application Activities (including incoming call screen). This kind of functionality would require the Dialer to explicitly provide an API for it. The stock system prevents applications in the background from placing their own clickable regions "on top of" whatever is currently in the foreground . (It's a good thing too, the bad reasons to do this far outweigh the legit ones.)
If you are wanting to do this you're going to have to look into building your own version of the OS that allows for it. OR potentially if you unlock your device enough to be able to install your own application that handles all of the functionality of the Dialer. Then you could provide an API for a third party application to do it(or just "bake in" your button to the Dialer) But I imagine that being able to get it all hooked up correctly to actually make your calls would be mighty difficult.