Android Question app dock

[John Decowski]

i want to make an app that will dock a portion of the top screen and allow other apps to run underneath. But I would like the region to be redefined underneath. other words, have the app underneath open within the region supplied below and appear normal (top not chopped).

 

[Semen Matusovskiy]

Do you talk about https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/ui/multi-window ?

 

[John Decowski]

That is close to what I want. I am building An app for my motorcycle speedo, tach , fuel etc. but want to be able to open google maps or Waze but still be able to watch gauges.

But don’t need half of the screen just a small portion

 

[Semen Matusovskiy]

I am afraid that you want to do something impossible.
Try to find an application, which does exactly what you want. Probably, it will be possible to understand how it works.

Multi-windows is not a good solution anyway.
1) Android 7+ only
2) applications are able to prevent this mode (for example, my bank's application detects this mode and refuse to work due to sequrity reasons.

More or less realistic - to use notifications.

 

[John Decowski]

I am afraid that you want to do something impossible.
Try to find an application, which does exactly what you want. Probably, it will be possible to understand how it works.

Multi-windows is not a good solution anyway.
1) Android 7+ only
2) applications are able to prevent this mode (for example, my bank's application detects this mode and refuse to work due to sequrity reasons.

More or less realistic - to use notifications.

My app will be on a dedicated tablet nothing else will be used. I want to experiment with the split window mode if I can define the sizes. Android 7 not a problem since this tablet will be permanently mounted to my bike .

 

[Semen Matusovskiy]

In general multi-windows require nothing.
User in any moment can press Overview ("square") button per some seconds and OS will set multi-window mode.
You can resize windows, using fingers.

I tried to set defaultHeight / defaultWidth etc in manifest. According to my observations, Android does what it wants.

 

[John Decowski]

Or is there a way to make a sidebar to the left or right that will display the gauges on top of foreground app

 

[Semen Matusovskiy]

To create SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW is not a problem. But another apps do not know that your app takes a part of the screen.

 

[John Decowski]

Hmm may be a bit of a compromise

 

[Jeffrey Cameron]

If your goal is to have maps and Waze you could consider just adding a tab with multiple webviews under your instrument panel and navigating directly to those webpages (or even use the maps library for that portion).

 

[John Decowski]

May end up trying to make something like this work https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/sd-floating-button-standout.80847/#content

Would like to float mph and fuel and water temp

 

[Semen Matusovskiy]

Some monthes ago I made experiments to show status of my background service (it sends files to webserver).
I attached the latest test. Finally I did not integrate this code, but maybe in future.

Note, panel is moveable. You can touch it in any place (except Button) and to move.

 

[John Decowski]

Thanks I’ll have to take a look this weekend