Mode Switcher

[sconix]

This is old thread for Beta development of Mode Switcher. For the new thread please go here.

I have been developing software called Mode Switcher which tries to bring Mode (kind of profiles) support for WebOS. With this application it's possible to create and manage Modes. At this point Mode can control the following things:

- Wallpaper
- Instant messaging status
- Message sound setting
- Ringer mode and volume
- System sounds state and volume
- Display brightness, timeout and touchstone screen mode
- State of Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/GPS/Data/USBnet connections
- Applications to be opened
- Network type and data/voice roaming

The mode can be activated manually or to be set to activate automatically on trigger events. Supported trigger events are:

- Placing phone on touchstone charger
- Connecting phone on usb or wall charger
- Certain time on certain days (weekdays, weekends, every day)
- Based on location, if GPS is enabled
- Battery level
- Connecting to a device with certain bluetooth profile.

When the trigger events occure a popup launcher is displayed with start, mode selection and cancel buttons. If mode is configured to start automatically there is a timer on start action and if no then on cancel action. If opposite trigger happens (phone removed from charger etc.) the popup contains close action instead of the start action.

Application makes it possible to create launchpoints into app launcher for manual activation / deactivation of modes. Mode can change the wallpaper so you know which mode is on. In addition there is a patch for the top bar which adds a menu for manual activation and showing list of modes and their states and the name of current mode in place of carrier text (the patch will be optional, all the features work also without the patch, but it makes it much simpler to see mode state / switch modes).

To make it more clearer for what this can be used for. For example you can create a Night Mode which will be automatically activate when you place the phone into touchstone charge for example between 22:00-04:00. The mode could for example hold settings for disabling GPS, setting IM mode to offline, setting silent mode on and starting timepiece application. Or you could create car mode which would be activated between 09:00-22:00 when placed on touchstone either automatically or only manually. The car mode could set GPS and Bluetooth on and start music and map applications. The apps can be set to be closed when deactivating the mode if they weren't already open.

Currently I am trying to finish all the features and make sure that everything works. Those who cannot wait for the final release there's now a beta release available. The beta release is available from WebOS Internals testing feed. Stable 1.0.0 release should happen soon when the app comes available in public feed.

For current bugs and upcoming features can be seen here.

The triggers and setting groups are separate "extensions" so if someone wants to develop new trigger or setting group for the Mode Switcher it is possible. The extension can be even made as a separate package. Contact me for more info and short documentation.

There is a manual made by tobias funke available for new users that should help understanding all the features of Mode Switcher.

Donations are appreciated since I am doing this alone on my spare time (the little I have currently).

[lbgshi]

That's a good idea. I'll look forward to this.

[supercluver]

YES YES YES YES YES!!! This sounds like what I've been waiting for! Coming from WinMo, I had PhoneAlarm, which had "profiles" which were a lot like the "modes" you are describing. They would activate on certain events and would control the different radio settings (phone, bluetooth, wifi), ringer and system volumes, and open or closed programs.....

Awesome, I have SO missed having something like that. I loved having a Home, Work, Car, and Night profile (or mode). I had mine set to switch at specific times for every day, it was SO useful.

I will gladly help this project in ANY WAY that is needed. I'll volunteer time for testing, or money to continue work on the project. Just let me know.

[sconix]

Thanks. I will get the software ready for beta testing during next week. I still need to do more testing by myself and create a simpler patch that only adds the Mode Switcher related changes to the top bar. Since my current patch also adds "today" menu for the center part of the top bar (where the clock is) from where you can see todays and tomorrows calendar events. And the current version of the patch also alters the device menu and application menu behavior so it most likely would conflict with other top bar related patches. I will publish the ipk's in this thread during next week and testers are of course welcome at that point. I will also add a donation button at the same time, so if somebody feels like donating they are welcomed to do so.

[spud101]

This sounds great!! Looking forward to try it.

[cdbillups]

Just bumping this back to the front page. Would really like to see this app in the catalog.

[jrhodgebot]

This sounds incredibly useful. Some of the features are long overdue (such as certain profiles being triggered by location - "work mode" for example).

Some features sound "Pre only" and would be exciting (such as multiple cards/apps opening when a certain profile is triggered - such as the car mode example by OP).

This app sounds fantastic, I'll be watching it closely -- and making sure others are aware!!

[sconix]

I will be making an alpha release tomorrow here in this thread. In this version I have disabled the actual device configuration changing (since it isn't fully functional / tested by me yet). So everything else is working and functional but when mode gets activated/deactivated the phones settings aren't changed. So basically you can test the mode activation triggers etc.

If somebody could test it in phone it would be nice. I have only partly tested it in real device since I am still waiting for that European version of 1.3.5 WebOS Doctor. The app itself of course works in older versions too but I am not too keen on altering the top bar patch for older versions. I Hope to get the beta version ready by this weekend, but it would be nice to already have some feedback about the modes activation configuration/functionality.

[liv4rc51]

+1
Looking forward to this!!!

[supercluver]

Can't wait to test this out!

[sconix]

Unfortunately I noticed that WebOS Doctor 1.3.5.2 was out for European Pre. I could not resist installing it right away on my phone. I just finished re-installing everything and the time is already 03:00. So I think I will catch some sleep now and do quick testing of the application on my phone tomorrow evening and then put the alpha version available here. Sorry, I don't usually eat my promises, but my mind is week when it comes to new version of WebOS

[gollyzila]

I have a feeling people aren't that interested right now because the alpha version has no functionality for the average user. But rest assured, this is app will boom to the top once it's in beta.

[sconix]

Yes I know, but the alpha was out there just in case that there would have been one person that could have helped out by testing. Since the mode activation/deactivation is the part of the code that really needs the testing. The actual configuration changing code is trivial compared to the logic behind automatically activating the modes.

[sconix]

BETA release! Future versions should be fully compatible with this version which means you can update the versions safely without losing mode switcher configuration etc.

[sconix]

Got hungry and woke up in the middle of the night so here you go. Screenshot of the patch. Now back to sleep

First pic in the screenshot is the mode menu (top left top bar corner). The second one is the "today" menu (by pressing time in the top bar). Third is the device menu which of course has the wifi menu also but in emulator it doesn't show up. Fourth is the application menu which is now in full width (for now it has to be since I could not find a away to get the z-index of the all 4 menus to work properly so only one menu visible at a time, I actually like it this way dont need to see the top bar all the time). Fifth just to show that you can access top bar when card is minimized.

The first item in mode menu isn't updating yet since I haven't decided what will be the final info that is shown there.

The second patch will only add the mode menu (first pic) without the airplane mode toggle. And the third patch of course doesn't add anything visually.

[newone757]

when will this be in preware?

[sconix]

As soon as I get those TODO items and possible bugs knocked down. Which means maybe in week or two. BTW the packages are already in Preware format which means that they show up in Preware and can be uninstalled from there and of course updated too when the app hits the homebrew catalog. I just noticed that the category is not right in the package so I will update the package tonight (version 0.6.1). After that it will show up properly in Preware. Also will fix one bug that I found just now...

I have already cleaned up the code and tried to make it so that the needed changes are minimal when knocking out those TODO items. The only thing why I will be keeping this as BETA and out of the Preware is that this is my first app and want to be sure that the app works before handing it out to the masses.

[Walhalla2k]

I´m going to test it.. and if it is at least so usable as it sounds.. going to donate!!

BTW: maybe you should add the beta release to the first post...

or at least a direct link to the beta post

[sconix]

At least I want to make the software as usable as possible and well integrated with WebOS. So please report if you find any usability issues or have any suggestions how to improve the app.

[Walhalla2k]

starting the testing process.. but I was thinking... the trigger events.. you stated it can be gps, if enabled.. could it also be via BTS (location services)? and maybe could the trigger work not in the exact moment it is triggered, but after a "countdown"? why... I would like to have triggered via BTS my BT. One trigger would be, if I arrive home, I would like to disable the BT. But not when I enter in the radius - I drive by car home. the BTS radius can be sometimes even 1km (0.5 mile). So it takes sometime from the moment I enter the radisu till I exit my car. So it would be great If I could set, after triggering the mode "HOME" stay 10 minutes in the previous mode and then switch. So I will really have time to arrive home and it wouldnt disconnect a conversation going throu the cars handsfree