How I use Tasker

March 7, 2011

A little while ago I tweeted that i'd post here about how I use the excellent Tasker application and my profiles... so here it is. :(

I use Tasker on 2 devices primarily, my phone and my tablet - i'll list them seperately. This list is forever changing - i'm always finding new ways to use Tasker. If you have ANY questions, feel free to post them!

P

Phone

Profile 'Home'

Objective: This allows me to have my phone set up differently when I am in the house compared to when I am out. The key difference is the disabling of PIN lock, which is an inconvenience at home but essential when out and about!

Condition: within 2km of my home (using Net positioning)

Actions on condition entry:
- Enable 'Remote Notifier' (to pass phone notifications to my PC)
- Turn on WiFi
- Turn off PIN lock using the Password Lock locale plugin
- Set variable '%HOME' to true
  - Actions on condition exit:
    - Disable 'Remote Notifier'
    - Turn off WiFi
    - Turn on PIN lock using the Password Lock locale plugin
    - Set variable '%HOME' to false
      
      Objective: This allows me to have a piece of data pulled from my servers every 15 minutes, which is then displayed in a notification / minimalistic text widget via a task detailed below.
      
      Condition: Uses a time condition to run every 15 minutes from 6am to Midnight
      - Actions on event:
        Run the 'webget' task I have set up (see below)
        
        Objective: This ensures that my webget task is launched on startup.
        
        Event: Device boot
        Actions on event:
        Run the 'webget' task I have set up (see below)
        
        Objective: This runs my music playback application when I get in the car and stops playback when I leave. It also faciliates storage of the car's location for use with the 'find my car' task detailed below. Finally, I am also storing away the time I disconnect from the car, so it gives me an idea of when I parked.
        
        Condition: Bluetooth with the name 'Mazda' connected
        Actions on condition entry:
        Load app 'Doubletwist' (ready for Music playback)
        
        Actions on condition exit:
        Media control stop / pause
        Beyondpod pause (in case i'm listening to Podcasts)
        Set variable %PARKEDTIME to %TIME
        Set Minimalistic Text variable 'parkedtime' to %PARKEDTIME (this then displays in the MT Widget)
        Clear variable %PARKED (which will hold the car's parked location)
        Get GPS location with 240 second timeout
        Set variable %PARKED to %LOC (GPS location)
        Set variable %PARKED to %LOCN (Network location) if variable %PARKED is not set (i.e. GPS did not get a fix)
        
        Objective: I found that the MinimalisticText widget wouldn't always be up to date with the correct time when the device is turned on, so this fixes that.
        
        Event: Display On
        Actions on event:
        Set MinimalistText variable 'parkedtime' to 'Unknown' if %PARKEDTIME is not set
        Set MinimalistText variable 'parkedtime' to '%PARKEDTIME' if %PARKEDTIME is set
        
        Objective: Since I am displaying data in a permanent notification, this allows me to force an instant refresh by clicking that notification.
        
        Event: Notification item 'Webget' clicked
        Actions on event:
        Flash message (toast) 'Updating webget'
        Run the 'webget' task I have set up (see below)
        
        Objective: This allows me to make my phone quiet at night when i'm asleep, together with kicking off a rsync backup of my photos directory to a remote server. If an incoming call comes in from my wife however (I will update this to any family!), a seperate profile raises the ringer volume. The variable set is in case I want to check night time status in other profiles.
        
        Condition: Time is between midnight and 6am
        Actions on condition entry:
        Set ringer volume to 4
        Set notification volume to 0
        Set variable '%NIGHT' to true
        Run the 'rsync pictures' task I have set up (see below)
        
        [*]Actions on condition exit:
        [*]Set ringer volume to 7
        [*]Set notification volume to 7
        [*]Set variable '%NIGHT' to false
        
        Profile 'Vanessa Calling'
        
        Objective: This ensures that my phone ringer volume is always at maximum if a call comes in from the wife! :(
        
        Condition: Incoming call from contact Vanessa (my other half)
        [*]Actions on condition entry:
        [*]Set variable %VOLRPREV to %VOLR (this allows me to restore the ringer volume on task exit)
        [*]Set ringer volume to 7
        
        [*]Actions on condition exit:
        [*]Set ringer volume to %VOLRPREV
        
        Task: Webget
        
        Objective: This allows me to have a piece of data pulled from my servers every 15 minutes, which is then displayed in a notification / minimalistic text widget.
        
        Actions:
        [*]HTTP Get content from specified webpage with MIME type yexy
        [*]If %HTTPR = 200 then create a permanent notification containing the retrieved text (%HTTPD)
        [*]Set the Minimalistic Text variable 'webget' to %HTTPD
        
        Task: Find Car
        
        Objective: This let's me navigate back to my parked car!
        
        Actions:
        [*]Open Map in mode 'Navigate To' Lat/Long of variable %PARKED
        [*]Set the Minimalistic Text variable 'webget' to %HTTPD
        
        Task: Lamp On
        
        Objective: This turns a lamp on from my device using a ByeByeStandby internet controller (details in this topic as to how I do it!).
        
        Actions:
        [*]Flash message (toast) 'Turning on lamp'
        [*]HTTP Get my custom script on a web server which sends a ByeByeStandby 'on' command to the lamp
        
        Task: Lamp Off
        
        Objective: This turns a lamp off from my device using a ByeByeStandby internet controller (details in this topic as to how I do it!).
        
        Actions:
        [*]Flash message (toast) 'Turning on lamp'
        [*]HTTP Get my custom script on a web server which sends a ByeByeStandby 'on' command to the lamp
        
        Task: rsync Pictures
        
        Objective: This backs up all my pictures to a remote server.
        
        Actions:
        [*]Launch a 'rsync backup' job to sync device's pictures folder on SDcard to my remote server
        
        Tablet
        
        On my Tablet I use most of the above profiles, plus I have the profiles below for battery optimisation. Basically, I want to save as much battery as possible on my tablet and I don't need it to do anything when i'm not using it. So, 1 minute after I finish using it, WiFi and mobile data are turned off. When I turn it back on, it turns on WiFi and mobile data, but then turns off mobile data if wifi connects successfully.
        
        Profile 'Display On'
        
        Event: Display On
        [*]Actions on event:
        [*]Set WiFi on
        [*]Turn off Airplane mode
        [*]Wait 5 seconds
        [*]Run 'webget' task
        
        Profile 'Display Off'
        
        Event: Display On
        [*]Actions on event:
        [*]Wait 1 minute
        [*]Set WiFi off if screen is off
        [*]Turn on Airplane mode if screen is off
        
        Profile 'WiFi Connected'
        
        Event: WiFi Connected
        [*]Actions on event:
        [*]Radio off (turn off phone)

March 7, 2011

Some great tips in there, thanks!

Do you favour net / cell location over SSID then?

When I use cell towers, Locale counts 38 towers in range in my house, yet my signal is still dire... Obviously easier for me to use SSID :(

And from a Server Admin's POV - is that the stuff you get pulled from via WebGet by any chance? Might be an interesting way to check on my server, CPU loads, etc...

March 7, 2011

Like these. =)

I have only simpler things like when I'm at work it stops syncing, sets to silent and texts twitter to turn off txt updates. When I'm in the car it enables a profile to read outloud incoming texts (unfortunately, not been able to get my car (Ford Kuga) to work in Bluetooth a2dp only mono Bluetooth headset so can't stream music or podcasts, and it doesn't handle these incoming texts as phone calls so doesn't interrupt my music or radio - in fact I have also disabled the text reading when I'm listening to podcasts as the two just clash terribly).

Would love to use it to push messages to my sony ny watch using openwatch, but not figured that out yet...

Your ideas inspire me to do more =)

Dr_Nick

Edited March 7, 2011 by dr_nick

March 7, 2011

Does anyone have a link to a really good tutorial on how to use Tasker?

As I am trying to implement some of these, but not getting very far.

What I would like to do is:

When 1Km from Home:

*Turn WiFi On

* Switch network mode from 3G/2G to 2G only

When further than 1Km from Home:

*Turn WiFi Off

*Switch network mode from 2G only to 3G/2G

I think I have the Turn WiFi on when 1Km from home sorted, but have no idea how to add other variables, and also how to do the opposite when > 1Km from home?

Thanks

Stew

Edit

OK, I think I have most of the Above sorted, however, I want to add a task to increase the Volume if the other half rings, but I can't understand what this bit means:

Actions on condition entry:

Set variable %VOLRPREV to %VOLR (this allows me to restore the ringer volume on task exit)

Set ringer volume to 7

Actions on condition exit:

Set ringer volume to %VOLRPREV

Specifically the setting variables?

Edited March 7, 2011 by StuMcBill

March 8, 2011

OK, I thought I had this sussed so when I got 1Km from home, it would turn off WiFi and enable 2G/3G, however, I drove away from my house last night and it didn't work. The "Home" profile had been disabled though.

I have some screenshots of my setup, any help would be appreciated.

My Criteria for "Home"

WiFi On / WiFi Off

WiFi On Setting

WiFi Off Setting

3G On / 3G Off

2G Only

2G/3G

I did have Tasker switched on last night, but it is off in these screenshots!

March 8, 2011

You don't need the 'IF' bit, as those entry and exit actions only fire when the 'close to home' condition is met.

P

March 8, 2011

You don't need the 'IF' bit, as those entry and exit actions only fire when the 'close to home' condition is met.

P

Cheers Paul

I will give it a go!

Enjoy the CR-48! :(

March 9, 2011

OK, I have another question.

I have the "Home" profiles set up with:

When Home:

*WiFi On

*2G Only

When Away from Home:

*WiFi Off

*2G/3G

However, I have set up a "Low Battery" profile, so when I have less than 20% Battery the device would turn off WiFi and Mobile Data. It seems to work sometimes, however, it seems to switch between "Home" and "Low Battery" on its own so, is there anyway I can give the "Low Battery" higher priority over the "Home" profile?

Stewart

March 9, 2011

IIRC there's a priority field?

P

March 9, 2011

I feel inspired now to document my own profiles.

Having used Tasker for some time now, and Locale before that, I am much impressed with it and the ammount of control / automation that it gives you.

I should mention that I use both a HTC Desire and a Dell Streak. The Desire is my 'Phone' and is my main tool. the Streak supplements it and has only a Data Contract just now.

HOME

Condition : Wifi Near

Entry Tasks:

Variable Set %HOME to 1

Wifi On

Wifi Sleep Never

Wifi Net Reconnect

Silent Mode Off

Ringer Volume 7

Notification Volume 7

CELL NEAR HOME Profile set OFF

Exit Tasks :

Variable Set %HOME to 1

Wifi Set Off

CELL NEAR HOME Profile set ON

WORK

Condition : Calendar Entry

Entry Tasks:

Variable Set : %WORK to 1

Silent Mode on

Vibrate on Notify on

Variable Set %WAITING to 0

Driving Profile set off

Roaming Profile Set off

Exit tasks:

Variable Set : %WORK to 0

GPS Set on

Wifi Set on

Roaming Profile set on

Driving Profile set on

Roaming

Condition : Not Wifi Near

Entry Tasks :

Set Home Profile to off

Notification / Ringer volume 4

GPS On

Exit Tasks

Set Home Profile on

GPS Off

Wifi On

CELL NEAR HOME

Condition : Cell Near

Entry Task :

Set Wifi On

Headphones

Condition : Headset Plugged

Entry Task :

Shortcut Music app

Turn On

Keyguard Off

Exit Task :

Music Stop

Go Home

I will just give a brief run down of the rest...

Club : Use GPS to detect when I am in my local social Club, set the ringers to a reasonable level and use HTTP Post to checkin via the foursquare API.

VIP Caller : Other than when I am at work, allow certain numbers to always ring.

RECIEVED Text :- (Only responds to my GF texts)

If Im driving - respond with a message saying this,

If im at work respond with a message saying this

If my phone is on Silent, respond saying this.

Uses the 'waiting Vairable' to ensure a maximum of one auto text per hour

TXT Forward - Forward any texts recieved on my desire to my Streak if it is Charging (Other than at night)

Missed Call - Send my Streak a text with the name and time of any calls recieved whilst charging (Other than at night)

Driving - Triggers when GPS Speed > 10mph Sets the %Driving Variable to 1

Charging - Sets the Charging variable to 1, unlocks the phone, dims the screen and starts the nightclock app

GPS Apps - Switches GPS on for use by apps that need it. eg Copilot, Maps, foursquare etc

STARTUP - Sets all user variables correctly

Face down Silence - Easy way for me to silence the phone briefly

Meeting - Use in association with my Club profile - check if I have a meeting there and silence the phone appropriately.

(Early)Night (Lie In) 3 Profiles that silence the phone for night time, the early and lie in profiles fire up if the phone is put on charge between 8pm-11pm, and from 8am - 10am This is because I work shifts.

On my Streak, my Headphone Profile gives me a menu of music / media apps to select. An option I also have as a widget.

I also use tasker with its Widget option for the following:

Debug - Flash on screen the profiles that are active, then all the (user) variables current values

2G Toggle - Widget set up to toggle between 2g and 3g - changes the Icon and text depending on what is active.

Rotate - Widget set up to toggle auto rotate setting - changes the Icon and text depending on what is active.

Silence - Widget to toggle silent mode. Changes the Icon and text appropriately.

I hope this gives you an idea of how I use tasker - Im sure I have some profiles I dont need any more - I have a lot currently disabled, but these are the things I do with it and its running sweet for me!

If you want to know how I manage something just ask.

March 9, 2011

IIRC there's a priority field?

P

Launched Task Priority?

Stewart

Edit

mhewitson - What do you mean by "Variable Set %HOME to 1"

Edited March 9, 2011 by StuMcBill

March 10, 2011

Launched Task Priority?

Stewart

Edit

mhewitson - What do you mean by "Variable Set %HOME to 1"

Tanker allows you to create variables for any purpose you like. I always have a variable set for each profile. It means I can do conditional checks.

Do something only if I'm at home ( home variable set to 1)

March 15, 2011

OK, I have another question regarding Tasker.

I have it set up at the moment so that when my Home WiFi network is connected my phone switches to 2G only mode and when my Home WiFi disconnects it switches back to 2G/3G mode. This is working fine!

However, I would like it to ignore this if I am on a Call. I would like it to keep the network the same regardless of the WiFi connection state while on a call.

I was on a call in my home earlier today (WiFi connected - network in 2G), and I walked to a WiFi blackspot in my home, the WiFi disconnected, the call was ended and the network went to 2G/3G mode.

Is there anyway to do this?

Thanks

Stew

March 16, 2011

OK, I have another question regarding Tasker.

I have it set up at the moment so that when my Home WiFi network is connected my phone switches to 2G only mode and when my Home WiFi disconnects it switches back to 2G/3G mode. This is working fine!

However, I would like it to ignore this if I am on a Call. I would like it to keep the network the same regardless of the WiFi connection state while on a call.

I was on a call in my home earlier today (WiFi connected - network in 2G), and I walked to a WiFi blackspot in my home, the WiFi disconnected, the call was ended and the network went to 2G/3G mode.

Is there anyway to do this?

Thanks

Stew

try this

Event: Phone Offhook: Variable Set, %INCALL, 1

Event: Phone Idle: Variable Clear %INCALL

Then add state Variable Value to your toggle profile specifying Isn't

Set %INCALL.

March 16, 2011

try this

Event: Phone Offhook: Variable Set, %INCALL, 1
Event: Phone Idle: Variable Clear %INCALL

Then add state Variable Value to your toggle profile specifying Isn't
Set %INCALL.

I don't really understand the Variables in Tasker? Any chance of a step-by-step?

March 17, 2011

I don't really understand the Variables in Tasker? Any chance of a step-by-step?

there is 2 kind of variable for tasker.

1. built in variable - http://tasker.dinglisch.net/userguide/en/variables.html

2. custom variable - meaning you can set anything so it will recall when event occur.

for above solution, you can change variable from %INCALL to %StuMcBill

example

event time

1. variable set to 1, %TESTING

2. flash text "Testing Flash"

3. wait 2 minutes

4. variable add 1, %TESTING

5. go to action 2 if %TESTING < 3

for above example, Flash text will be flash 2 times. action 5 will loop to action 2 two times but when it come to action 5 back, Variable if already more than 2, so it will skip action 5. and task stop.

hope this will help.

March 17, 2011

there is 2 kind of variable for tasker.

1. built in variable - http://tasker.dinglisch.net/userguide/en/variables.html
2. custom variable - meaning you can set anything so it will recall when event occur.

for above solution, you can change variable from %INCALL to %StuMcBill

example

event time
1. variable set to 1, %TESTING
2. flash text "Testing Flash"
3. wait 2 minutes
4. variable add 1, %TESTING
5. go to action 2 if %TESTING < 3

for above example, Flash text will be flash 2 times. action 5 will loop to action 2 two times but when it come to action 5 back, Variable if already more than 2, so it will skip action 5. and task stop.

hope this will help.

Thanks, don't have my phone on me at the moment, but I will try this later on this afternoon and let you know how I get on!

Stew

March 17, 2011

I'm just learning tasker. I want an app to load when ever my screen goes dark but I don't want it to happen when ever I'm on a phone call. The first part is easy, but I think i'm misunderstanding something about variables. ???

March 18, 2011

I'm just learning tasker. I want an app to load when ever my screen goes dark but I don't want it to happen when ever I'm on a phone call. The first part is easy, but I think i'm misunderstanding something about variables. ???

you need to have 3 profile. Phone offhook, phone idle and screen dark.

you can use as below.

Event: Phone Offhook: Variable Set, %INCALL, 1

Event: Phone Idle: Variable Clear %INCALL

Then add state Variable Value to your toggle profile specifying Isn't

Set %INCALL.

event

screen dark

1. load app if %INCALL Isn't set

March 18, 2011

Thanks, don't have my phone on me at the moment, but I will try this later on this afternoon and let you know how I get on!

Stew

Stew,

Have you test? If yes, let me know the result.

March 18, 2011

Works perfect! Thanks!

March 18, 2011

How are people getting tasker to toggle between 2g and 3g? I cant figure it out and didnt think it was possible, see here:

http://groups.google.com/group/tasker/brow...9f8647cb0a5dff3

March 18, 2011

Stew,
Have you test? If yes, let me know the result.

Sorry mate, its been a long couple of days (managed to bugger up a Rom flash and had a job getting it working properly again - still getting everything up and running again!)

March 21, 2011

How are people getting tasker to toggle between 2g and 3g? I cant figure it out and didnt think it was possible, see here:
http://groups.google.com/group/tasker/brow...9f8647cb0a5dff3

to toggle between 2g and 3g you need to have cm7 rom or at least gb rom that running cm7 code.

March 28, 2011

I still can't seem to figure out these variables!

I just don't know where to input and apply them?

Where do I go from this screen?

Do I press the screwdriver / spanner button?

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