When the replenish upgraded to gingerbread one of the things that changed was the ability for third party apps to switch gps on and off.
You have to use the stock power control widget, which offers no customization at all, or use a widget to activate the menu, then turn on gps, back out and then start google maps or whatever...
This has bothered me, why wouldn't they allow a program that I could set up as a device administrator to do this? Is it because they want me to have GPS on all of the time? This update came along just as Google announced it was tracking us, no I'm sorry I mean "changing its privacy policies"... I don't like this, many apps ask for these kinds of permissions and I don't think it should be so easy to give it to them. Not to mention any battery draining issues while some game is tracking my movement.
I need control of my phone and who/what knows where it is.
So I have found a solution that is even better than the froyo GPS toggle!
It allows you to just start navigation and gps is enabled automatically, stop navigation it and its disabled!
No other programs will be able to enable it.
The app is called secure settings, but its really a plugin for tasker(paid), locale(paid), Llama(FREE) or Setting Profiles (lite/paid). All of these programs can do other cool stuff too so check out the other features...
There is an in depth forum on this matter over at XDA
If you install things in the wrong order, OR MAKE SECURE SETTING A SYSTEM FILE, it will mess up and be difficult to fix, so FOLLOW the link, READ the forum, AND DO A BACK UP BEFORE STARTING!
Below are instructions for a basic overview of what I did, there are also directions in secure settings and more info at XDA.
I used Llama(cuz im cheap), and basically what you need to do is this.
Install llama from market
Install secure settings from market,
From within secure settings install its helper program, this will save you from installing secure settings as a system app and prevent you from messing everything up.
Once everything is installed you have to go to llama and then to events.
You can leave the events that are there to play with later, or modify them to change them into this gps launcher. If you modify one, clear out the time stuff you don't need it for this.
Click on the plus sign at the bottom to add a new event.
Name it whatever you want...
Then click 'add condition'
Then 'active application'
Then 'Choose an app'
Then 'Maps" or if you are using a different one, find that one...
Then 'ok'
You have now have to set up an action to occur when your condition is met...
'add action'
'locale plugin' NOT GPS
choose 'secure setting' this may not happen as I have a few choices that you may not have...
then you need to select GPS from the pull down menu
and then 'on'
then menu and save,
That will turn on GPS every time you open maps... with only the one click to open navigation!
start a new event and repeat the process but make it so it deactivates when Maps is closed.
Hope this helps you guys out...
THANKS, to intangableobject, xda and llama!
You have to use the stock power control widget, which offers no customization at all, or use a widget to activate the menu, then turn on gps, back out and then start google maps or whatever...
This has bothered me, why wouldn't they allow a program that I could set up as a device administrator to do this? Is it because they want me to have GPS on all of the time? This update came along just as Google announced it was tracking us, no I'm sorry I mean "changing its privacy policies"... I don't like this, many apps ask for these kinds of permissions and I don't think it should be so easy to give it to them. Not to mention any battery draining issues while some game is tracking my movement.
I need control of my phone and who/what knows where it is.
So I have found a solution that is even better than the froyo GPS toggle!
It allows you to just start navigation and gps is enabled automatically, stop navigation it and its disabled!
No other programs will be able to enable it.
The app is called secure settings, but its really a plugin for tasker(paid), locale(paid), Llama(FREE) or Setting Profiles (lite/paid). All of these programs can do other cool stuff too so check out the other features...
There is an in depth forum on this matter over at XDA
If you install things in the wrong order, OR MAKE SECURE SETTING A SYSTEM FILE, it will mess up and be difficult to fix, so FOLLOW the link, READ the forum, AND DO A BACK UP BEFORE STARTING!
Below are instructions for a basic overview of what I did, there are also directions in secure settings and more info at XDA.
I used Llama(cuz im cheap), and basically what you need to do is this.
Install llama from market
Install secure settings from market,
From within secure settings install its helper program, this will save you from installing secure settings as a system app and prevent you from messing everything up.
Once everything is installed you have to go to llama and then to events.
You can leave the events that are there to play with later, or modify them to change them into this gps launcher. If you modify one, clear out the time stuff you don't need it for this.
Click on the plus sign at the bottom to add a new event.
Name it whatever you want...
Then click 'add condition'
Then 'active application'
Then 'Choose an app'
Then 'Maps" or if you are using a different one, find that one...
Then 'ok'
You have now have to set up an action to occur when your condition is met...
'add action'
'locale plugin' NOT GPS
choose 'secure setting' this may not happen as I have a few choices that you may not have...
then you need to select GPS from the pull down menu
and then 'on'
then menu and save,
That will turn on GPS every time you open maps... with only the one click to open navigation!
start a new event and repeat the process but make it so it deactivates when Maps is closed.
Hope this helps you guys out...
THANKS, to intangableobject, xda and llama!
Last edited:
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