Release Notes

Android 4.0+ Devices

17/01/2017: v4.9u4

• bugfix: App context was responding to input methods (Android 7.1.1)
• bugfix: setting project icon wasn't showing apply button
• bugfix: app creation: don't show Disable action in kid app foreground notification
• bugfix: action Array Set: wasn't handling variables in Values parameter
• bugfix: was not checking permission READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE correctly
• bugfix: action Copy File: error pre-checking file properties in some situations
• bugfix: scene editor: some elements were crashing on editing if 'show over other apps' system permission was denied
• bugfix: writing external storage: was only checking first permission grant
• change: event Package Updated also triggers on update of Tasker (and kid app own) package

05/01/2017: v4.9u3

• bugfix: attempted fixes for various dev console errors, please contact developer if crash not fixed
• bugfix: action Set Wallpaper: storing both lock and launcher together was causing monitor crash
• bugfix: app creation: action Set Wallpaper needs permission READ_CONTACTS
• bugfix: File actions: crash checking some types of permission grant on external media
• change: File actions: only use new Android Document File interface on Android 6.0+
• change: increased priority on boot signal from Android to 999, forsaken attempt to improve startup time
• change: apply button in action bar in main screen: create auto-backups if requested in prefs

31/12/2016: v4.9u2

• change: ammend Variable Set actions in old format coming from external app callers
• change: File actions: don't use new Android Document File interface for reading files
• change: state Media Button: when grabbing, don't use new Android API, was causing problems with Wear devices
• bugfix: File actions: misplaced warnings/errors
• bugfix: action Variable Convert: wasn't correctly resolving target variable name
• added: asus alarm package
• added: scene element Image, Alpha parameter can be specified with variable
• added: action Media Button Events: added Use New API parameter when grabbing (Android 6.0+)

22/12/2016: v4.9u1

• added: Menu / More / Android Settings for common service toggling etc
• bugfix: action Display Brightness: pre-KitKat devices, was changing brightness but giving error
• bugfix: crash starting scene edit when can't retrieve homescreen wallpaper
• bugfix: crash with package changes or boot on some devices
• bugfix: crash using ipack icons for notifications (please reselect icons)
• bugfix: action Show Scene: wasn't respecting unchecked Continue Task Immediately parameter
• bugfix: reading notifications: was possible to respond twice if both accessibility and notificaton listener services enabled
• attempted bugfixes for developer-console reported errors
• developers: changed JSON replacement to avoid double-quotes start and end

20/12/2016: v4.9

Highlights

• network access control per-app for Android 6.0+, otherwise all-apps
• actions in File category: support for new external SD access API (Android 5.1+)
• Android 7.0 bugfixes and additions
• added Portuguese (Brazil) translation (many thanks to Breno Rafael Corrêa)

Added

• action Say To File: parameter Use Network
• action System / Power Mode (root only, Android 5.0+)
• main screen, scene long-click options: direct element edit (and straight back to main screen)
• main screen, task long-click options, play option
• main screen, scenes tab menu: Destroy All
• long-click of home icon in main screen: show menu instead of just toggling
• action Variable Set, parameter Recurse Variables
• action Array Set
• state Pen Out (Samsung SPen)
• state Pen Menu (Samsung SPen Air Button menu)
• action Show Scene: Show Over Keyguard parameter, defaults to true
• action Share Fle
• action List Files: parameter Sort
• action Play Music: parameter Continue Task Immediately, default to yes
• actions Notification LED/Vibrate/Sound: parameter Repeat Alert
• event: Notification Removed (Android 6.0+)
• action Set Wallpaper: parameter Type (Android 7.0+)
• main screen action bar: apply-and-save icon (when changes have been made, not in beginner mode)
• action File / SQL Query: DB file queries, file direct or Android URI
• action Net / Network Access: allow/deny network access globally or based on app selection
• action Tasker / Set Tasker Pref: added control of Run Log, System Logging and SD Logging
• events Alarm/Alarm Done: added OnePlus clock package
• action Settings / Quick Settings: show Quick Settings panel (Android 4.2+)
• action Settings / Developer Settings
• action Input / Long Power Button: show long-power press menu (Android 5.0+)
• action Input / Back Button: simulate Back button press (Android 4.2+)
• action App / Show Recents: show recent apps dialog (Android 4.2+)
• action App / Toggle Split Screen: toggle whether current app is in split screen mode (Android 7.0+)
• action Test Element: test for depth
• action Show Scene: overlay scenes: action edit screen: take to relevant settings screen when permission is disabled (Android 6.0+)
• actions modifying system settingse: action edit screen: take to relevant settings screen when permission is disabled (Android 6.0+)
• Menu / More / Grant Document Tree Access (Android 5.1+, where external media available)
• task edit: when tested task fails, show contents of %err and %errmsg at end of log snippet
• file selection dialog: buttons to go to root of primary storage volume (and external if present)

Bugfixes

• %TRUN: with no tasks running, 'Set' condition would return true
• app creation: debug flag wasn't turning on various debug options in prefs of kid app
• main screen, simple yes/no dialog if the disclamer is cancelled on a TV, some people were having problems with the action bar
• main scene, scenes list wasn't updating scene status dynamically
• actions using scenes: they weren't showing over the keyguard where appropriate (Android 5.0+)
• action failing wih Continue On Error checked was being marked as condition failure in Run Log
• event Notification, variable %NTITLE more reliable (Android 6.0+)
• event Notification: more matching parameters (Android 6.0+)
• Edit Text Element, Focus event: added a small delay for the element gaining focus to allow handling clashes when examining the (scene-local) %focused variable
• app creation: action Test Net: needed ACCESS_WIFI_STATE permission
• location context: wasn't allowing direct entry of negative GPS coordinates
• app creation: action HTTP Head: needed INTERNET permission
• app creation: action Notification Pulse: needed WRITE_SETTINGS permission
• action Morse: possible timing bug and more logging
• action Element Depth: variables weren't being handled for Depth parameter
• action HTTP Head: fixed spurious warning about parameter types
• action Show Scene: overlay scenes were crashing when 'Draw Over Other Apps' setting was disabled (Android 6.0+)
• actions writing system settings: catch permission denial and other exceptions
• app creation: wasn't adding BODY_SENSOR permission for heart rate state/var
• export/reimport of built-in scenes: was giving error
• matching phone numbers with CG: was producing spurious warnings when number was not a contact
• Java Object: deleting specific objects was producing exception
• action Set Wallpaper: image degradation on wallpaper restore
• Ipack icons in notifications showing wrong icon or crashing in Android 7.0+
• text in elements of builtin scenes was not appearing until the element was edited (Android 7.0+)
• Notify actions: actions: was allowing icon selection from Ipacks, which doesn't work
• actions Say, SayToFile: with Continue Immediately Checked, initialization would sometimes not complete before end of task so speech never came
• action Java Function: object names can now include digits, except at start
• media button handling: use new API (Android 7.0+)

Changes

• app creation: abbreviated user-specified permissions become completed (e.g. WRITE_SETTINGS -> android.permission.WRITE_SETTINGS)
• app creation: settings (Display Timeout etc): ask for permission dynamically
• app creation: overlay scenes: ask for permission dynamically
• human-readaable export of event contexts: include Stop Event flag if set
• app creation: kid app: Debug flag also turns on Run Log for kid
• action Airplane Mode: available for root users (Lollipop+)
• scene editor: edit element, if last element edited was also this one, start in the last tab and position in tab
• editing scene element from search result: returns direct to search result instead of going via scene edit
• actions Create Scene, ShowScene: don't complain about unknown scene, prob just didn't make it yet (still marked as a warning)
• improved icon selection presentation
• enable Intent Received events to block external calls to run a task, if the Stop flag is set
• action Mobile Data: on rooted devices, attempt to use svc via shell (Android 5.0+)
• action Mobile Data: mark as unavailable for non-rooted devices (Android 5.0+)
• event Notification, variable %NTITLE: require Notification Listener service on, instead of Accessibility service (Android 6.0+)
• variable %LOCACC: reports now to 2 decimal place, fixed rounding
• action Status Bar: use Accessibility Service if possible (Android 4.1+)
• action Delete File: removed Shred Level parameter for Android 5.1+, not supported in new Android API
• Prefs / UI / Lock Code: increased max length to 15
• Prefs / Action / Widget Task Priority removed in favour of being able to configure individually in task properties
• task edit screen: don't stop execution of new tasks when task causes an app switch
• notification with Ipack icons are shown direct from Tasker instead of via Ipack app
• actions taking variable name as alternative to number: allow direct number entry instead of requiring var name
• app creation: if a webview is being exported, include the maps key parameter in kid config, user could load map in webview

Removed

• Notify actions: Number parameter no longer supported (Android 7+)
• Prefs / Monitor / Custom Pulldown Layout (Android 6.0+)

Developers

• TaskerPlugin.java: added setKeyEncoding() and Host.getKeysWithEncoding() to enable the host to replace variable values without breaking any internal structure, where present. Currently only JSON supported.
• Ipack build files: modified to support build on most recent SDK versions
• Variable Set action has an extra parameter (see above). Please consider using the plugin interface to interact with Tasker and avoid similar problems in the future.

Android 1.6+ Devices

Additions

Bugfixes

• action Take Picture: was never using auto-focus, switch to auto-focus when camera parameters specify it
• scene elements Text/TextEdit/Button: local variable as Text/Label field wasn't being replaced

Changes

Removed