Android Question [SOLVED] How to determine user's system navigation mode (BACK button or side swipe)

[JackKirk]

I would like to improve my apps interaction with users.

Specifically in the area of "the BACK button".

At the moment, when necessary, I just prompt the user "Please tap BACK button" or similar.

And my assumption is they will be using either 2 or 3 button navigation and therefore will have a BACK button to tap.

But if they are using gesture navigation (on my Pixel3 [Settings] > [Accessibility] > [System controls] > [System navigation] > [Gesture navigation]) then this assumption is wrong and I should adjust my prompt to something like "Please swipe left or right from edge of screen to go back" or similar.

So I want to be able to establish what mode of system navigation is in use.

I have had no luck searching the forums and googling gave me:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/74091225/get-status-of-system-navigation-bar-in-android

the last answer is:

This method detects if the gesture navigation mode is enabled.

public static boolean isGestureNavigationMode(ContentResolver content) {
return Settings.Secure.getInt(content, "navigation_mode", 0) == 2;
}

You can know if the user is using the gesture navigation mode simply by calling the method on a Boolean object. Example:

boolean gestures = isGestureNavigationMode(this.getContentResolver());

If the Boolean gestures is true the user is using navigation mode otherwise no.

which looks promising but googling "isGestureNavigationMode" gives nothing of value.

I am rapidly getting out of my pay grade, any help appreciated...

 

[Spavlyuk]

isGestureNavigationMode is the name given by the author of the answer so it's unlikely google will give you good results. Try the following.

Dim ContentResolver As Object = Null.As(JavaObject).InitializeContext.RunMethod("getContentResolver", Array())
Dim NavigationMode As Int = Null.As(JavaObject).InitializeStatic("android.provider.Settings.Secure").RunMethod("getInt", Array(ContentResolver, "navigation_mode"))
Log(NavigationMode)

 

[drgottjr]

and from google settings source (for above):

* Navigation bar mode.
	* 0 = 3 button
	* 1 = 2 button
	* 2 = fully gestural

 

[JackKirk]

Thanks Spavlyuk and drgottjr - tried your suggestions out and they work as advertised.

2 spot on answers inside 12 hours - the B4X forums are brilliant!