Develop Bugs

[Q] Can someone please help me with Tasker/lockscreen issues?

I have Googled this to death. Some sources say it can be done, some say not without root, some say not at all. I don't know what to think. I've tried so many things. I'm not a total noob, but I am certainly not as educated as you guys are about Android. I'm just learning. Please go easy on me. Also, I put this here because it seems, from my research, to be an issue with S2 and S3 phones, not Tasker itself. Please let me know, however, if you feel I should move it, Mods.
What I want to do is to disable the PIN lock on my phone when I'm at home on our wifi and in the car. No reason to unlock my phone every time I want to use it at home and I can't get voice commands to work consistently when it's locked in the van. With a teen driver watching my every move, I don't want to touch the phone.
Here are the details:
*I'm stock, unrooted
*I'd rather not root, because (unlike my Vibrant!) this phone works fine the way it is. That being said, I'd do it if it finally. Makes. This. Work!
*I've tried this with NFC tags and NFC Task Launcher
*I'm using Tasker
*I've tried it with and without Secure Settings
For the van, I always have it plugged in, so I think I can accomplish this by just setting the screen to not time out.
Home is the real issue. Sometimes I can get it to work, but it never *stays* working. I've tried turning my PIN Lock and all lockscreens off via my device settings and setting a task that triggers when I leave "HomeWifiName" to 1. Secure settings, configuration, set PIN 2. Secure Settings, configuration, keyguard enabled. It doesn't work at all. I've tried so many other variations of this I can't list them.
I wonder if I'm getting confused between the PIN and the keyguard. Is there a difference between the lockscreen and keyguard?
I'd really appreciate any advice you guys have for me.

If using the pin lockscreen, that is key guard in Tasker.
So key guard off = no lock screen at all. You don't need Secure Settings for this anymore. But you may need root.
Now, regarding your wifi near context, that doesn't work for me either. It's unreliable at best. Instead, use if connected to X wifi network as your context.
Let me know if you need any more help.

Aerowinder said:
If using the pin lockscreen, that is key guard in Tasker.
So key guard off = no lock screen at all. You don't need Secure Settings for this anymore. But you may need root.
Now, regarding your wifi near context, that doesn't work for me either. It's unreliable at best. Instead, use if connected to X wifi network as your context.
Let me know if you need any more help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much for this. I'd rather use connected not just near, so if I leave the house I'm protected.
If I do that, set it to keyguard off in Tasker while connected to our wifi, it works once or twice, but not consistently. I have the exit task to enable keyguard when I disconnect.
Am I missing something? Honestly the challenge of figuring this out has now become more important to me than actually getting it to work.

I had a profile that did this for a while, but I felt like it was a security risk. I just don't feel comfortable with that level of automation. But to each his/her own. When I typed the first post I was on my phone. On PC now so I can elaborate a bit.
New Profile > State > Net > Wifi Connected. I entered all 3 details; SSID, MAC, and IP. You can get it all right from the little scan applet that is already on your screen.
It's entry task will be Keyguard > Off
It's exit task will be Keyguard > On
So when you are connected to your home wifi, keyguard will be off. And when it disconnects, keyguard is turned back on. If this doesn't always work in this configuration, then it should be considered unreliable and not used. If this is the case, it's an issue with the app, not with your Tasker-fu. But with Tasker 4.0, you no longer need Secure Settings for a lot of things. Keyguard being one, GPS control being another big one.

Aerowinder said:
I had a profile that did this for a while, but I felt like it was a security risk. I just don't feel comfortable with that level of automation. But to each his/her own. When I typed the first post I was on my phone. On PC now so I can elaborate a bit.
New Profile > State > Net > Wifi Connected. I entered all 3 details; SSID, MAC, and IP. You can get it all right from the little scan applet that is already on your screen.
It's entry task will be Keyguard > Off
It's exit task will be Keyguard > On
So when you are connected to your home wifi, keyguard will be off. And when it disconnects, keyguard is turned back on. If this doesn't always work in this configuration, then it should be considered unreliable and not used. If this is the case, it's an issue with the app, not with your Tasker-fu. But with Tasker 4.0, you no longer need Secure Settings for a lot of things. Keyguard being one, GPS control being another big one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I really appreciate the information, the concern, and your patience. I do think this is something I'm going to have to admit defeat on. I've tried everything I can think of and the lockscreen will not stay off. It's not really a big deal to hit a few numbers when I want to get into my phone or tablet. It also keeps small, curious people out. :laugh:
I've solved the issue for in the van. I just use an NFC tag on phone cradle in the van. Since my phone is always plugged in while I'm in the van, I just set the screen timeout for 30 minutes. Problem solved.
Good to know my Tasker-fu isn't in question. I have to admit that made me laugh.

[Q] My screen locks too often (requiring pattern or pin very often). Why?

I'm curious if anyone else has had this issue. I have to enable a PIN or pattern lock to allow a corporate secure wifi network setting to be saved and for something else (I think for my bank app). From the G4 settings it seems like you can set it to NOT lock when turning off with power button (last option), and a 30 minute timeout before it auto-locks. Yet despite that, mine still seems to lock requiring a pattern input and not just a swipe if I leave it on the table for just a minute. What am I missing?
Thanks all!
Verizon LG G4 VS986, stock.

CPngN said:
I'm curious if anyone else has had this issue. I have to enable a PIN or pattern lock to allow a corporate secure wifi network setting to be saved and for something else (I think for my bank app). From the G4 settings it seems like you can set it to NOT lock when turning off with power button (last option), and a 30 minute timeout before it auto-locks. Yet despite that, mine still seems to lock requiring a pattern input and not just a swipe if I leave it on the table for just a minute. What am I missing?
Thanks all!
Verizon LG G4 VS986, stock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
These settings are under Lockscreen. Right at the end. It should work, unless you have another app controlling locking.

Exactly.. it "should work"... but it isn't. It insist on locking all the time.. Could the fact that I"m connected to said secure WIFI cause that?? (vs just having an entry for it)

You could try going under the setting for Security - Phone administrators. Look if there is something that is controlling phone lock.
I know for my example, I must enable PIN locking, but my phone administrator for that account enables up to 30 minutes before forcing lock. So as long as I uncheck the setting for "Lock phone immediately on power button," my phone will immediately be unlocked within a 30 minute window where I don't need to enter my PIN.

KingFatty said:
You could try going under the setting for Security - Phone administrators. Look if there is something that is controlling phone lock.
I know for my example, I must enable PIN locking, but my phone administrator for that account enables up to 30 minutes before forcing lock. So as long as I uncheck the setting for "Lock phone immediately on power button," my phone will immediately be unlocked within a 30 minute window where I don't need to enter my PIN.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right, that's what I'm going for / expecting. I have 3 in there, Android Device Manager, Support & Protection (Verizon thing it looks like) and AirDroid. Only Android Device Managers is checked ON. ADM can obviously affect the lock screen and can change the lock password, but I don't see anything else which would affect this timeout being ignored. hmmmm
(Thanks, BTW!)

I was looking at my Smart Lock section and read the blurb about On-body detection, which was the only Smart Lock I had enabled. It says "Just unlock once and your device stays unlocked as long as you keep holding your device or carry it on you." .... "Your device will lock when it detects that it's been set down"..!! So, I've now turned on-body detection OFF as, in this case, it's working against me. Seems it's not too well integrated with the other options (ignores the Security Lock Timer).
If I don't post back, it's probably working as hoped.

Disabling on-body detection has definitely solved my issue with the G4 locking shortly after setting it down on the desk.
SOLVED

Why does it seem like my Lock Screen only works half the time? Not on trusted network

It seems like half the time when I unlock my phone (not using fingerprint), the lock screen won't be there. Is it based on a time-out feature? I'd like to have it there 100% of the time.
The phone isn't connected to any trusted networks or whatever HTC/android calls it that disables the lock screen.

Not sure all I know is when you use a password or fingerprint you can set how often you want it to lock

If you go into Settings then Security there are options for how long the screen is off before it automatically locks, it's set ridiculously high stock, at least for me. There is also an option in there to make the power button instantly lock, which is off by default. This drove me crazy too.

New Samsung settings and GPS

On android devices it was always possible to switch localisation services and GPS separately.
You could keep localisation services turned on (with wifi and phone) and turn off GPS to spare battery.
Now with android pie and new smasung settings it is all or nothing as there is onlys one setting :
I can turn on localisation and it turns on GPS
But if you turn it off, it disables everykind of localisation : GPS but also wiifi ...
Has anyone noticed this and is there a workaround ?

I'm not a fan of the always enabled GPS
I really do not like this at all. I have typically always kept GPS off as far back as Jellybean, favoring Locations battery saving mode, unless I needed navigation or something like that. GPS is power hungry and there's no reason to have to have it always enabled. I know Pie is supposed to help with battery usage and I honestly can't judge whether or not it really does yet as this is day two for me.
Pie is supposed to prevent apps from accessing sensors in the background but I've read that this doesn't apply to GPS so this whole thing is probably part of a marketing thing giving Google as well as app devs the ability to monetize ads based on specific location of us the users. Location is frequently wrong about where I am anyway, showing me a street over and even though I have WiFi and Bluetooth scanning enabled. As a result, my Safe Unlock no longer works when I'm home (only location I have enabled) which sucks. With Oreo I saw this somewhat often and only after I had been home for a while would the Safe Unlock work properly and I accepted this as a consequence of having Location in battery saving mode but now I'm not sure. I just no that with Pie, so far, Safe Unlock hasn't functioned once. My designated home WiFi that I'm on as I type should cause Safe Unlock to do it's thing but it's not. Maybe Location or Safe Unlock are broken. I have seen reports of both regarding Pie so I can't blame it in Samsung. I guess I'll have to try to figure out which of these features is broken.
I'm not sure if this is related to the Location issue but I also noticed that Samsung+ is not working for me. When I first tried to open it I got a notification that I need to have location enabled, I agreed (it was anyway), then I was shown a red screen with error or format codes that force closed faster than I could decipher it. This could be related or could have been broken in an update. Other than for ad purposes, and I don't recall seeing any other than Samsung ads in the Samsung app, I don't know why Samsung+ needs to access location services as it only works in the US and the network tells the app I'm in the US as well as the tower I'm accessing. I suppose it's another attempt to collect user info related to WiFi, Mac address and Bluetooth. I only got the "enable location" request the first couple of times I tried opening the app but the red error screen and FC both still occur. I tried to get a screenshot but I could only manage about half of the screen before it FC'd. I attached the partial pic. It's the bottom half of the screen. When it closes, the app window seems to slide up like when you close apps in the recents view. This brings up another complaint...Screenshot is slow to respond so events like this are next to impossible to capture. I'll have to get a camera out and try.

dronarg said:
On android devices it was always possible to switch localisation services and GPS separately.
You could keep localisation services turned on (with wifi and phone) and turn off GPS to spare battery.
Now with android pie and new smasung settings it is all or nothing as there is onlys one setting :
I can turn on localisation and it turns on GPS
But if you turn it off, it disables everykind of localisation : GPS but also wiifi ...
Has anyone noticed this and is there a workaround ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I noticed this. I use 'Tasker' app as a workaround. I set Location Mode to High Accuracy when using Navigation apps, and set to Battery Saving after closing the Navigation app. You can also just create a widget on home screen to toggle Location Mode to High Accuracy or Battery Saving.
I confirmed this setting by using 'Power Toggles' app widget. When the GPS toggle in widget is highlighted, it means on High Accuracy mode, if not highlighted it's on Battery Saving mode.

dronarg said:
On android devices it was always possible to switch localisation services and GPS separately.
You could keep localisation services turned on (with wifi and phone) and turn off GPS to spare battery.
Now with android pie and new smasung settings it is all or nothing as there is onlys one setting :
I can turn on localisation and it turns on GPS
But if you turn it off, it disables everykind of localisation : GPS but also wiifi ...
Has anyone noticed this and is there a workaround ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have yet to notice any adverse battery performance since I've been on pie and I've been on it since the start of the official betas. I was annoyed at first because I had always used battery save mode but really it's been a non issue for me.

Lock Screen and Waze After Shutting Off Display

Running android 11 on my Samsung s20+. When I running waze I usually turn off the display when I am on the highway to save battery. When I tap to wake up the screen it always starts from the lock screen. Even if I have my bluetooth paired and added as trusted device, I can never get waze to stay on top.
How can I make sure waze stays on top and bypasses the annoying lock screen. In Waze pref I already have stay on top set.

i was having this similar issues. from what i was told theres no way to turn off the lock screen.. therefore theres no way to have an app overcede the lockscreen. if someone has a way id like to know as well.

cloves said:
Running android 11 on my Samsung s20+. When I running waze I usually turn off the display when I am on the highway to save battery. When I tap to wake up the screen it always starts from the lock screen. Even if I have my bluetooth paired and added as trusted device, I can never get waze to stay on top.
How can I make sure waze stays on top and bypasses the annoying lock screen. In Waze pref I already have stay on top set.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In the secure lock settings, there is a setting "lock instantly with side key" unchecking this stop the auto lock.