Develop Bugs

[Q] Why do applications autostart?

Here's a list of apps that are open when my phone is just turned on:
Paperdroid
Greed2
Market
NewsRob
Tasker
Google Mail
News
Wifi Manager
Gallery
Colornote
Footprints
Messages
Nimbuzz
Clock
twicca
Skebby
fring
FM Radio
Music
Stocks
Except a few system ones (Gmail, Messages..), why do apps open even if I never used them? Especially the HTC ones (Stocks, Footprints), they are really annoying apps I never opened.
Can this be solved somehow? It may not use resources or battery but I don't understand why I can't decide what to open.
It feels like the Windows system tray, bunch of stuff often stuck there autostarting with no way of removing it (if not by using 3rd party programs).

i was about to post the same question. Just dont understand why they start when i got my sync set to manual

totally agree that all these apps/services or whatever you call just annoying as they are started without user permission. Hv raised a similar thread some time ago, and Im not expert on such issues, but as far as I understand, the only way to get rid of them is -unfortunately- passing through root & custom roms.. No way out to stop them from being run automatically especially the Sense ones. However, acc to more advanced users or developers, they are not so "dangerous" in terms of battery consumption, nor any other impact on system as long as user do not activate and use them. For those which requires synching e.g. stocks, news, facebook, peep etc. it is enough to keep autosynch option disabled, thus it is no longer needing to think/care about them, that's it. But if the point is to ensure more room available in the internal memory, then -as said- the only solution is flashing rom with any 3rd party rom like cyanogen, modaco, defrost, ........
Me? still stuck with the official froyo on my unbranded, unrooted Desire (since April 13th)

iLHaNroID said:
totally agree that all these apps/services or whatever you call just annoying as they are started without user permission
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
when you download them you give them all the permissions they need, if you dont like the way a program behaves ..... simple dont download it

Wow that's helpful, simply don't download stock and peep and others.how come I did not think about it???
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App

it starts them, cause it has enough memory to cacche them.
so when you want to launch them, they open fast. simple as that.
when do people stop worrying about memory and all this. android handles that very well. no reason for watching memory and running programs even.

koichirose said:
Can this be solved somehow? It may not use resources or battery but I don't understand why I can't decide what to open.
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Click to collapse
Put simply, the reason why these start at boot is because they are set to receive the ACTION_BOOT_COMPLETED intent.
Allows an application to receive the ACTION_BOOT_COMPLETED that is broadcast after the system finishes booting. If you don't request this permission, you will not receive the broadcast at that time. Though holding this permission does not have any security implications, it can have a negative impact on the user experience by increasing the amount of time it takes the system to start and allowing applications to have themselves running without the user being aware of them. As such, you must explicitly declare your use of this facility to make that visible to the user.
Constant Value: "android.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED"
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Click to collapse
Bear in mind that 99.99% of Android users will never know that this has happened, or that these processes were started. So, if they want to use Stocks, Peep, or whatever, they don't need to make a conscious decision to have the app start automatically - it just does.
Whilst I'm sure Google could build in an official API to allow you to control this behaviour, it would only be of benefit to a very tiny minority of users.
Regards,
Dave

Thank you for the explanation.
All I want would be an option to disable autostart.
I found it in fring, for example, and would like to see other developers add this option as well.

The only bad impact you could have is that boot time could be a couple of seconds longer for every application that starts. Otherwise, that memory it occupies will be freed the second the system needs it and CPU-wise, those applications are staying idle in the background

koichirose said:
All I want would be an option to disable autostart.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here. Android has a slightly ridiculous amount of processes and apps running in the background all the time, and while they in theory shouldn't put a strain on the battery when they're not using the CPU, I'm beginning to think that they do since battery life on Android usually is awful, no matter how many precautions you take.

MapleDouglas said:
Same here. Android has a slightly ridiculous amount of processes and apps running in the background all the time, and while they in theory shouldn't put a strain on the battery when they're not using the CPU, I'm beginning to think that they do since battery life on Android usually is awful, no matter how many precautions you take.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
exactly, no matter how many precautions you make, so you are basically saying it doesn't matter how many apps are "running"... It makes no difference whether memory is used by an app or not.
Read this article to understand it better: http://www.droid-den.com/android-guides/android-guide-should-i-use-a-task-killer

le3ky said:
exactly, no matter how many precautions you make, so you are basically saying it doesn't matter how many apps are "running"... It makes no difference whether memory is used by an app or not.
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Click to collapse
With "precautions" I wasn't referring to killing processes, but general battery saving precautions, many based on common sense. I agree that task killers never should be used, unless a specific app has frozen and is given you trouble. But you can just go to Android's own Applications screen for that.

Is there a free way to stop applications from starting up?
This can be accomplished with a cheap app Autostarts, but I would rather not pay.

i'm trying the trial of startup manager, blocks some but not all. looks like it just kills the process once it's started tself. gonna get rid, and just use the task manager i have now.
it doesnt matter if it only makes a small difference, it's (for me anyway) about control, no different that on the PC
i have plenty of RAM in my PC but i wont allow every single program to have something start itself at bootup. it;s annoying. that's why i use msconfig to kill em.
that's what we need for android.

I don't know of other programs, but autostarts works quite well, and it's not that expensive, as I recall.

snudel said it all: stop worrying about memory.. i was a long time iphone user. on iphone memory is a nightmare.. soh on desire i was all the time fc'ing app's, them i notice the problem wasnt memory os the great number of opened apps, but me.. now they run on background, open fast, the mem management is awesome, they dont seen to utilize any noticeable amount of battery.. so, before changing the system, try changing yourself..

[Q] Disable certain apps from launching on their own without a task killer?

Is there an app that can edit app launch preferences, not just run and kill the apps as they start? Or is there a file that can be edited to keep certain apps from launching on their own? Thank you!

I think you can use Titanium Backup to "freeze" apps, but I don't know if that is persistent or it resets upon reboot. You could give it a shot.

TB does keep them from loading once you freeze the app.

Autostarts.
Sent from my HTC SUPERSONIC

So TB doesnt just kill them as they start it actually tells them not to load?

+1 for Autostarts.

Raillery said:
So TB doesnt just kill them as they start it actually tells them not to load?
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Click to collapse
No, it freezes them so that the phone doesn't know they exist (they're not installed any more), so their launch-on-boot entries aren't there any more.
In other words, if you freeze them, they're not installed any more, so you can't use them.

does any one have a list of the app that can be frozzen without disruption the use of the phone? also im ussing LP so the sense can go too? if yes what are the sense apps

[Q] WTF is "HTC Loggers" and why won't it force close?

I searched the forums, I searched google. There is no answer, but maybe my Google-fu isn't good enough.
Note: This is included with the new EVO update. It always runs in the foreground and there is nothing you can do to kill it.
Does anyone know what HTC Loggers is? These are the permissions you must allow it:
Location - Fine (GPS) location
Development tools - enable application debugging limit number of running processes, make all background applications close
Network communication - full internet access
Storage - modify/delete SD card contents
System tools - Display system-level alerts, make application always run, prevent phone from sleeping, read system log files
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I already am rooted (S-OFF) and I want to freeze the app with Titanium. I want to know if anyone else has frozen/deleted it and with what effects. Also, WTF is this app?

It is sort of like catlog. When you unhide it and run it it gives you a list of available logs to view.... eg radio/wimax/system/application.
I assume you are running the latest OTA to be seeing this?
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

Yeah, I am running the latest OTA. Can I freeze it in Titanium App? I don't like the idea that at any time my radio usage can be sent to HTC or whoever gets the information.

such assholes
you know, I like HTC but this is bull****... I just froze the app in Titanium (yes rooted) and it STILL was running, so I chuck norris'd it's ass
DON"T DO THAT
it freaks out and tries like twice per second to load the loggers app. f*k.
so apparently there's some other process that's constantly trying to load/communicate with it.
and yes, it is logging - my gps icon keeps popping up every few seconds, wasting my f*king battery
SERIOUSLY WTF

noticed it too yesterday on phone. what is it exactly tracking?

It's reasons like this that make me love AOSP. No Sprint or HTC crap on my phone.

it tracks any bugs or force closes on your phone. Nothing bad.

aimbdd said:
it tracks any bugs or force closes on your phone. Nothing bad.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It probably tracks what porn sites you visit too.

HOW do you unhide it to see the logs?

aimbdd said:
it tracks any bugs or force closes on your phone. Nothing bad.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nothing bad??? Muahahahahahhh!!!!
http://www.androidpolice.com/2011/10/01/massive-security-vulnerability-in-htc-android-devices-evo-3d-4g-thunderbolt-others-exposes-phone-numbers-gps-sms-emails-addresses-much-more/

+1 on above post, also look here ... http://infectedrom.com/showthread.php/559-Vunerability-1-Android-Security-Elevation
don't forget to wipe..

There's a thread in the evo3d android developmemt forum by TrevE that extensively covers this subject.
Its an eye opener.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1247108
~ I'm a fungi

[Q] Help, stop apps from running...

Ok first off I do not need the whole lecture on Linux and how Android is supposed to work. I have had this phone for almost a year and you can say that all you want, but my results are different. I want a way or program to keep programs from automatically booting and running in the background. I have been using Go Launcher Ex and have Launcher Pro and SPB running in the background when they were never opened. No, I do not want to uninstall them as I have paid for them and like to keep them updating and check on them once in awhile to see the improvements. And that was just an example. There are also plenty of other apps running in the background I just do not need running all the time and automatically, and I will close them and they reload. So no lectures on how your phone is made to run like this, because I notice from my own personal use that when you close more programs the phone runs way smoother with less lag, no matter how it is "supposed" to work. So is there a program or something I can do or use to stop these programs from running automatically until I choose to run them? Please help.
SyndicateROM Frozen 1.2
Genocide EC05 Kernel 2.0 |1.4GhzOC|UV|VoodooSound10|VoodooColor|DualBoot
journaling off
EG22 modem
V6 SuperCharger! Update 9 Beta 3

Sdx stock app remover, remove all the services you don't want
Sent from my spare Droid since my epic got jacked. PM me if you want to sell yours.

I don't want to remove them, just keep them from running when they aren't being used. I mean really, if you only use some of them say once a week, do they really need to be taking up RAM making your phone lag everyday. What happened to having control over what is running, it is YOUR phone right?

Can't you just freeze what you want and then unfreeze when you want to us them?

Hey, would that work??? I remember reading that you could freeze apps. What program was that? Interesting... but really, I found a bunch of threads on angry users because we don't have control over what starts. Why can't the program just be there, until you decide to start it?

I use My Backup Pro but I read that Titanium works too. As to why...there is a long list of questions that could follow that intro...we are stuck accepting it.

Yeah, I've heard they want to track us and all that crap. I found a program called "Autostarts" that claims it does what I am looking for. Paid the .94 cents and am about to check it out. Thanks for the idea though. Freezing and unfreezing something just to use it sounds like a pain, just don't want them running for no reason.

Both MyBackUp Pro and Titanium Pro will freeze apps (tried both and like Titanium best because you can see what is frozen in the list and MyBackup does not have this). Either way you must keep USB Debugging checked for them to work properly, but that's no problem. Every once and a while you may notice something not working properly and you have to unfreeze ("Defrost") some apps to stop the force closing if this happens...for instance one of them was preventing me from changing my ringtones (I suspect I froze one of the media apps or music player, etc). Also you can use Titanium to remove apps or bloatware but since it keeps a list of all apps removed (assuming you did a Titanium backup) you can reinstall it thru Titanium.

I have Titanium and LOVE it as a backup. I love the option to individually install and uninstall things. It gives you more choice/power over your device. But I'd hate to have to freeze things just to keep them from running when they shouldn't be. It's amazing with all these programmers and smart people out there, that there isn't one easy solution to this problem.

You could also go against your own rant and learn how to close apps correctly and stop blaming the system. I never have apps re-open, so I don't understand this phenomenon. If you're unwilling to solve your own problem, so am I.

The Root said:
You could also go against your own rant and learn how to close apps correctly and stop blaming the system. I never have apps re-open, so I don't understand this phenomenon. If you're unwilling to solve your own problem, so am I.
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Click to collapse
Let me ask....why does maps or amazon remain open all the time, when I never open them in the first place. But yet there they are...even after a reboot. What you call a "phenomenon" I see as just another day in the life of the Epic. So what do you have running that doesn't allow these apps to open. It certainly has nothing to do with the closing procedure, seeing as I never opened them in the first place
Sent from my SPH-D700 using xda premium

Dunno, I back or exit out and nothing but basic google services runs in the background with swype, launcherpro, and something else. That's it. I freeze nothing, I app kill nothing.

The Root said:
You could also go against your own rant and learn how to close apps correctly and stop blaming the system. I never have apps re-open, so I don't understand this phenomenon. If you're unwilling to solve your own problem, so am I.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It sounds like he's talking about the apps that just start up on their own, not the ones he has opened. The solution is to freeze them or delete them or install a custom ROM that left them out.

Well that was very nice and helpful of you. Either you are very well educated and know something almost no one else seems to know, or you're a complete idiot. I have found numerous threads on this subject and have not found one answer. This is no lazy ass, I cannot Google, and I am not putting out any effort to help myself question. I have done a lot of searching. Task Managers don't work, cause the apps just restart themselves. So if you are a computer God, then why not actually be helpful instead of being a jerk and wasting time posting in this thread. It IS a question and answer thread, I do not believe I am out of line here.

Not trying to be a jerk. You started out by saying you wanted different results without changing your behavior. That may not be possible. I don't know what apps you have running. Deleting an extra launcher won't stop you from downloading it later when you want to use it. Are you using the back button or built in exit button from within the app? What apps are reopening? Exiting an app using the home key will not close it. I need more info to help and less ranting.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

No, I understand the back button exits the app while the home key only "pauses/minimizes" it. And, as others have said, certain apps such as maps start up on their own. I have beautiful widgets, maps, SPB, Launcher Pro, Perfect Task Switcher, etc. etc., all running in the background at boot. It's not about me starting them, they start themselves. And even when you close them, they just restart. Why do we not have the control? There has to be a way. I do have certain apps I would prefer to run in the background, as they are used more frequently, but not just whatever apps feel like running should run on their own. Why should I have to uninstall them. Say maps for instance. It is handy to have, but really how often will I need it. So I want it there for convenience just in case. So why should it be constantly running in the background. It only needs to run every month or two or whatever it may be when I choose to use it. It's not a hard concept, but this seems to be the flaw of Android from what I have read in many forums.

Running in the background is a subjective phrase. Some run a tiny piece so they'll launch quicker or the app data may just be up behind the scene. It doesn't always mean the app is fully running. Words with friends won't close at all. I don't keeo apps that behave like that. One reason some apps stay open has to do with the memory manager. Froyo and gb are more advanced in that department.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

[Q] Removing Google Apps & Default Apps

I'm just wondering if removing some of the default that come pre installed google apps like gmail, playbook, play games ...or even the default calendar apps is going have any impact on the perfomance on the whole phone system or even the battery life.
It's kinda irritating to see apps that's in the app drawer that i dont use....plan to uninstall them off with titanium backup

eijnaix said:
I'm just wondering if removing some of the default that come pre installed google apps like gmail, playbook, play games ...or even the default calendar apps is going have any impact on the perfomance on the whole phone system or even the battery life.
It's kinda irritating to see apps that's in the app drawer that i dont use....plan to uninstall them off with titanium backup
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if they aren't running and never run (in the foreground or background) they won't impact battery life. if they are running you could stop them or freeze them with titanium. the only other difference they make is cluttering up the app drawer and taking up space in the storage.

BlueC78 said:
if they aren't running and never run (in the foreground or background) they won't impact battery life. if they are running you could stop them or freeze them with titanium. the only other difference they make is cluttering up the app drawer and taking up space in the storage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for the info, but removing them would be a better ...yeah ?

eijnaix said:
thanks for the info, but removing them would be a better ...yeah ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Removing them, if you never use them won't make any difference at all, you might as well use the "hide" feature in the app drawer.
Removing some LG apps might make a difference, as some of them run even if you never actually use them, but the google apps will only run if you actually open them.
On a side note, I never understand why people buy android phones (especially top of the line, flagship phones!) and then remove almost every trace of Google from them, isn't it kind of defeating the whole point?

Lennyuk said:
Removing them, if you never use them won't make any difference at all, you might as well use the "hide" feature in the app drawer.
Removing some LG apps might make a difference, as some of them run even if you never actually use them, but the google apps will only run if you actually open them.
On a side note, I never understand why people buy android phones (especially top of the line, flagship phones!) and then remove almost every trace of Google from them, isn't it kind of defeating the whole point?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I uses dropbox over google drive......dont need google music or play bookstore... but uses youtube, map a lot though
I don't suppose android is just about google...isnt it ?

Lennyuk said:
On a side note, I never understand why people buy android phones (especially top of the line, flagship phones!) and then remove almost every trace of Google from them, isn't it kind of defeating the whole point?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the beauty of Android over iOS: you don't HAVE to use Google apps if you don't want to. Being able to uninstall any app should come by default on all ROMs.
I remember the big trial Microsoft has lost when it tried to force all users to use Internet Explorer in Windows. In Europe, they had to add it optionally, and provide way to remove it / download alternative software. Something similar might force Google to do the same in the future (and Apple, LG, Samsung, HTC, etc.)

As far as removing unnecessary core system apps, I've always used Root App Delete with no issues. It does require root but works perfectly to remove any unnecessary apps you don't want. Once I receive my G3 I plan on immediately rooting the phone and using Root App Delete to get rid of any bloat I don't want.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=zsj.android.systemappremover&hl=en

eijnaix said:
I uses dropbox over google drive......dont need google music or play bookstore... but uses youtube, map a lot though
I don't suppose android is just about google...isnt it ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
exactly where is my point too, dropbox, youtube and google maps, well gmail etc, but dont wanna use g music, newstand, search, google plus etc. there should be an option to delete them without root!