Tasker to detect application
running in background
We used to be told
that tasker is only capable of detecting foreground application, if the app
gets into background running, it would see it as exit.
Is it? Is there
anything we can do to work this out?
Yes, there is a
workaround, actually just sorts this out. It proves again how tasker can change
our lives.
Okay, let us get
into business.
First of all, you
may launch an application, eg. QQ for Pad, which I usually play it often in my
android pad.
And then, get back
to the system settings, tap on the section of application, check running
service, allright, you will see the icon of QQ is currently running, tap again
to get into details. Right now, you will be able to see the running process or
service for the app. In this case, QQ for Pad, it’s
com.tencent.android.pad:service. Apparently it is a background service.
Stage 2, since we
have got the proper running process/service name, what should we do next? No
worries. Open tasker, create a new task, in the action part, select script-run
shell, command: pgrep com.tencent.android.pad:service, use root checked, stored
result in %PID.
Please note, pgrep
is a linux command, which could get the process ID from the proper package
name. %PID is a user-defined variable to store PID.
Once we got the
PID, we can move onto the next stage.
Stage 3, get back
to the launcher desktop, open RE explorer, look into the root folder, find the
folder of “proc”, tap to get into and pull down the list slowly, you will see a
folder with the name exactly the same as the PID you just got.
Okay, get into
this folder, and you will find a file name: oom_adj, open it as a text file,
you will see one certain digit, most likely it is 2.
Based on android
default RAM control system, if the digit stored in oom_adj is 1 or 2, it means
the app is currently running in background, if it is greater than 2, it means
it is nolonger running or already cached.
Well, now, you
guys may probably get to know my intention on how to detect an app is running
in background.
Stage 4, from this
stage, we will see how to get the digit from the proper oom_adj file. And actually
we may simply just put stage 2 which we get PID from app package combined in
here. Tasker, create a task, in the action part, select script-run shell,
command: Cat /proc/$(pgrep com.tencent.android.pad:service)/oom_adj, use root,
checked, stored result in %OOMADJ
If you are still
confused how exactly to set up the complete profile, please be patient and
follow my instruction below.
Example:
Profile:
Context:
application: QQ for pad
Action 1: net-mobile
data, set on --------this is to open network once qq is
running in foreground which tasker application context fired.
Action 2:
net-wifi-set on (Optional, depends on if necessary)
Action 3:
script-run shell, command: Cat /proc/$(pgrep
com.tencent.android.pad:service)/oom_adj, use root, checked, stored result in
%OOMADJ
Action 4: task-if,
% OOMADJ ~ 1/2
Action 5:
task-wait, 20 minutes -----------------
loop in 20 minutes, so it won’t drink the battery too much.
Action 6:
variable-variable clear, %OOMADJ
Action 7:
task-goto, action number 3 --------------- via this action, even if QQ
for Pad is running from foreground into background, the whole tasks part would
still working in loop until the app has exited.
Action 8:
task-else
Action 9:
net-mobile data, set off --------------if QQ is nolonger running or
cached, just cut the network off to save data stream.
Action 10:
net-wifi-set off (Optional, depends on if necessary)
So I will only know if a background app is running every 20 minutes. Eventhough I like the technical skill of your solution I conclude that continuous (meaning instantly or every second) checking if an app is active (foreground of background) isn't possible.
ReplyDeleteHi,
Deleteto check if an app is running in background continuously every second, that is possible if using python script instead.
it probably could drain your battery, as a side effect.
to check app if it is running in foreground, tasker itself already supports this.
Cathy