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Waze App Useful Resources

Android Car Dock Integration

Post by canadiancow
I think the Android client should have an option to automatically start when the device is placed in a car dock, and stopped when it's removed. I generally use Google Maps Navigation for my nav needs, but I'd like to help out with sending munching/driving data to Waze.
canadiancow
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Post by canadiancow
StefanSarzio wrote:You can do that using Tasker. You can get it from tasker.dinglisch.net
I think that might result in issues with closing Waze. If Tasker could do it at all, it wouldn't be able to force Waze to do a "clean" exit. At best, it would kill the process, which could result in some issues.

It's not difficult to implement. A boolean setting, and one BroadcastReceiver listening for ACTION_DOCK_EVENT with CATEGORY_CAR_DOCK.
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Post by canadiancow
StefanSarzio wrote:
canadiancow wrote:I think that might result in issues with closing Waze. If Tasker could do it at all, it wouldn't be able to force Waze to do a "clean" exit. At best, it would kill the process, which could result in some issues.
Yes, it could - like in "a plane could crash onto your head when you leave the house".

I've been using this for weeks - and no "issues" appeared, other than Waze asking each time whether to send a crash report. But that closes on it's own.
It's not difficult to implement. A boolean setting, and one BroadcastReceiver listening for ACTION_DOCK_EVENT with CATEGORY_CAR_DOCK.
Using Tasker would have the advantage of also being able to automatically start Waze upon connecting to your car's bluetooth handsfree device. I guess there are more people that have one then there a people having a car dock.

Closing Waze the clean way could be done by Waze reacting to an broadcast intent. I already suggested that in an earlier thread.

BTW, while we're at it: Waze does not start cleanly when called from Tasker. The blue splash screen comes up and then vanishes - leaving Waze only in the notification bar.
So Tasker can't open it cleanly, or close it cleanly, and you still think it's a better option?

I'm not entirely sure about the Bluetooth option either. I use my car's stereo to play music (streamed over Bluetooth) when I'm having a barbecue. I wouldn't want Waze on there. I like the dock idea,because I can't really see any time you would have your phone in your car dock, unless you were driving.
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Post by canadiancow
StefanSarzio wrote:Yes, I still think it's a better option. As I said: not everybody is like you and has a car dock. And even fewer people will take their car to BBQs.
Well my suggestion was to make my idea configurable. Yours could be an option too.

My car is, by far, the most powerful stereo to which I have access. I don't "take it" to a barbecue. But my driveway is right beside my backyard, and as such, it's always at my barbecues :p

I think the more configurable Waze is, the better. If my suggested car dock functionality is implemented, then I will ALWAYS have Waze on when I'm driving. If it isn't implemented, then I need to remember to turn Waze on.
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Post by canadiancow
StefanSarzio wrote:Well, by just providing broadcast intents for starting, stopping (and probably even destination selection) your suggested idea would automatically be included - plus a ton of other possibilities.
That is true, and it might be the easiest way to implement.

I still like the idea of not having to use a third party application to accomplish it, but any workable solution would be nice.
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Post by canadiancow
I still think this really needs to be implemented. I drove a lot the past few days, and completely forgot I had Waze installed, so I wasn't able to contribute anything. If it had auto-started from being in my car dock, this wouldn't have been an issue.
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Post by rodion30
+1. I need this feature too. Thanks.
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Post by StefanSarzio
You can do that using Tasker. You can get it from http://tasker.dinglisch.net
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Last edited by StefanSarzio on Tue Apr 20, 2010 4:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Post by StefanSarzio
canadiancow wrote:I think that might result in issues with closing Waze. If Tasker could do it at all, it wouldn't be able to force Waze to do a "clean" exit. At best, it would kill the process, which could result in some issues.
Yes, it could - like in "a plane could crash onto your head when you leave the house".

I've been using this for weeks - and no "issues" appeared, other than Waze asking each time whether to send a crash report. But that closes on it's own.
It's not difficult to implement. A boolean setting, and one BroadcastReceiver listening for ACTION_DOCK_EVENT with CATEGORY_CAR_DOCK.
Using Tasker would have the advantage of also being able to automatically start Waze upon connecting to your car's bluetooth handsfree device. I guess there are more people that have one then there a people having a car dock.

Closing Waze the clean way could be done by Waze reacting to an broadcast intent. I already suggested that in an earlier thread.

BTW, while we're at it: Waze does not start cleanly when called from Tasker. The blue splash screen comes up and then vanishes - leaving Waze only in the notification bar.
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Post by StefanSarzio
Yes, I still think it's a better option. As I said: not everybody is like you and has a car dock. And even fewer people will take their car to BBQs.
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