[APP][2.1+] Notify Me! (notifications on the lock screen) v1.9.1 16.12.13 [GPL]

[TpmKranz]

Notify Me!
v1.9.1 16.12.2013

Did you ever look at an iOS device as it got a notification? Have you ever noticed that the screen lights up and that the notification can be displayed on the lock screen and thought that you would love to see that happen on your Android™ device? Well, I did and thus created this app - my first complete Android™ app.
It lets you create a list of apps that are allowed to light the screen up and show their notifications on it as a popup in front of your lock screen. You may restrict the creation of the notification popups per app and decide to only show notifications that contain keywords of your choice. Everything that it takes for it to work is its activation as an AccessibilityService.
But enough words are spoken now, here are some screenshots for you:

• Main screen
  
  ​
• App's settings
  
  ​
• Add app screen
  
  
  [*]And an actual notification
  

  ​

If you think that this is what you want to use, grab the latest release here or via the QR-code below - it's free (as in "free beer").

If you want to have a look at the source code, you can do this at Google Code, because this software is also free software (yes, "free" as in "freedom"), released under the GPLv3.

Oh yeah, as some (or most?) of you seem to highly appreciate that software doesn't contain ads, here comes the best thing for you: this app is ad free - on the one hand because I don't know how to incorporate ads in an app (and am way too less interested in doing so to find out how to achieve this) and on the other hand because I do this as a hobby and mostly for myself, I'm not out for making money with it. If you feel like this deserves a reward of some kind, there is a donate button, but
I would highly appreciate if someone could come up with an icon that I can use for this app, as I'm not much of a graphics guy and I've no idea for an icon myself.

Questions left? Just give it a try and I'm sure they will be answered. If not: this is a forum, leave your questions here, I'll do my best to answer them. Bug reports, ideas for the future and an icon are also welcome. :good:
Until then, enjoy! Yours TpmKranz.
Android is a trademark of Google Inc.

 

[TpmKranz]

Additional information

Changelog:

• v1:
  Initial release.
• v1.1:
  If you want to view a notification, you no longer have to unlock the screen manually (unless you have a secure lock screen, of course).
  I removed logcat messages that were forgotten in the last release, including one that could infringe your privacy, so you better update.
• v1.2:
  Notification popups should be fixed now, they also resemble the actual notifications more.
• v1.3:
  Added ability to use a slider to interact with the notification popup. This is not completely mature, yet. It is usable and I didn't encounter any bugs, but it doesn't look very good at the moment.
  Lowered minimum SDK version to 7 (runs on Android 2.1 now).
• v1.4:
  Made slider background customizable (defaults to 0xffffff on Android < 3, 0x181818 otherwise).
  App picker is now sorted alphabetically.
• v1.5:
  Added ability to control if a notification lights up the display.
  Added ability to default to an expanded view of a notification.
  Squashed some bugs.
• v1.6:
  Added option for aggressive popups.
  Added custom screen timeout for popups.
  Reduced frequency of app list reloads.
  Merged NotificationActivities (should have fixed bugs).
  Added icon!!! Thanks to XDA Senior Member thesparky007!
• v1.7
  Increased frequency of checks for a working accessibility service.
  Added localizations for German, Spanish (thanks, XDA Senior Member alejobog), Polish (thanks, XDA Senior Member trurl3) and Chinese (thanks, XDA Junior Member zxc123coke).
  Changed icon, thank you XDA Junior Member taylorcoffelt!
• v1.8
  Added option to lock popup's orientation (locked by default).
  Added option to allow Notify Me! to work during a call.
  Added blacklist/whitelist switch to keyword filter.
  Fixed some force closes.
  Optimized keyword filtering.
  Removed obsolete translations (Chinese, Polish, Spanish).
  Added new translation (Italian).
• v1.9
  (Hopefully) fixed AccessibilityService (except the speech output, that's Samsung’s thing)!
  Fixed bugs (especially on ICS).
  Optimized aggressive popups and orientation locking.
  Re-added Spanish, Polish and Chinese translations.
  Added Turkish translation.
• v1.9.1
  Fixed 'missing slider interface and app lock-up' bug.

 

[ZordanKV]

Just tested it, looking good!

Must have app! :good:

Only "problem" that I saw was not unlocking phone after tapping "View" on popup.
And is it possible to hide text from buttons seen on this screen http://i.imgur.com/anWg7Yx.png ? It is large and most of it can't be seen.

 

[TpmKranz]

Just tested it, looking good!

Only "problem" that I saw was not unlocking phone after tapping "View" on popup.
And is it possible to hide text from buttons seen on this screen http://i.imgur.com/anWg7Yx.png ? It is large and most of it can't be seen.

I already have an idea how to implement an unlock feature - give me some minutes and v1.1 could have it.
I don't think it would be possible to remove the text from the buttons, or at least it would be quite complicated and unreliable, as it's actually just the notification's View put in a Dialog and there is a high degree of freedom for developers to create an expanded notification's View - long story short: I don't think it's possible to exactly locate the button's Views and empty the text there, but I could give it a try, eventually.

 

[TpmKranz]

I already have an idea how to implement an unlock feature - give me some minutes and v1.1 could have it.
[...]

Version 1.1 is out, now it unlocks when you view a notification.
EDIT: "here" now links to the correct version (v1.1).

 

[DeviousFusion]

Version 1.1 is out, now it unlocks when you view a notification.
EDIT: "here" now links to the correct version (v1.1).

You are amazing. Just the thing I have been hunting for so long.

Thanx buddy..!

---------- Post added at 05:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:48 PM ----------

Ok...noticed something in v1.1
The notification is there for a second or two, and suddenly it disappears and all I see is the lockscreen.

I am using CM10 on LG-P690

EDIT: This also happens if multiple notifications are received one after the other.

 

[ZordanKV]

v1.1 working fine for me. :good:

 

[gobz]

Re: [APP; 2.2+] Notify Me! (notifications on the lock screen) v1.1 3.3.13 [GPL]

Just what I wanted. You made my app of the day!

"If I could I would, but I can't so I shan't."

 

[TpmKranz]

[...]
Ok...noticed something in v1.1
The notification is there for a second or two, and suddenly it disappears and all I see is the lockscreen.

I am using CM10 on LG-P690

EDIT: This also happens if multiple notifications are received one after the other.

v1.1 working fine for me. :good:

For me, too. So the notification sound (vibration, etc...) fires off, the screen lights up, the notification popup appears, then disappears and never comes back again? And all without ANY interaction from you?
EDIT: Yeah, found the reason. I'm working on a fix.
EDIT2: It's a protection for cases when the system can't retrieve a notification's View to just don't show a popup (for which the View would be needed). I could reproduce it with Facebook Messenger's notifications - can you tell me which apps' notifications cause this for you?

 

[DeviousFusion]

Just tested it, looking good!

Only "problem" that I saw was not unlocking phone after tapping "View" on popup.
And is it possible to hide text from buttons seen on this screen http://i.imgur.com/anWg7Yx.png ? It is large and most of it can't be seen.

I already have an idea how to implement an unlock feature - give me some minutes and v1.1 could have it.
I don't think it would be possible to remove the text from the buttons, or at least it would be quite complicated and unreliable, as it's actually just the notification's View put in a Dialog and there is a high degree of freedom for developers to create an expanded notification's View - long story short: I don't think it's possible to exactly locate the button's Views and empty the text there, but I could give it a try, eventually.

Those Icons are dependent on the messaging app. I use Sliding Messaging Pro, which gives me the freedom to remove those buttons. Nothing of that sort is present in the stock app.

---------- Post added at 08:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:59 PM ----------

Just tested it, looking good!

For me, too. So the notification sound (vibration, etc...) fires off, the screen lights up, the notification popup appears, then disappears and never comes back again? And all without ANY interaction from you?
EDIT: Yeah, found the reason. I'm working on a fix.
EDIT2: It's a protection for cases when the system can't retrieve a notification's View to just don't show a popup (for which the View would be needed). I could reproduce it with Facebook Messenger's notifications - can you tell me which apps' notifications cause this for you?

Whatsapp does that.
Hey Facebook won't work.

 

[gobz]

Re: [APP; 2.2+] Notify Me! (notifications on the lock screen) v1.1 3.3.13 [GPL]

Hello, Ive been testing it and have following things to say:
In next build could u sort app names alphabetically and make overall size a lil bigger?
If u can implement themes, it would be awesome.
One ques:Are missed calls notified? I havent found phone.apk in the list but Ive added contacts.apk and Im not notified of missed calls.

Good job and pl keep this available for 2.2+:thumbup:

"If I could I would, but I can't so I shan't."

 

[Dream_Team]

Hello !
As an ex iOS user, I miss notifications all the time on my phone, even with the LED. This app is almost perfect.
I'd just like for the notification to disappear when the screen locks itself again, and have no button at all (since it already unlocked itself in my pocket, and I don't like using a code).
Since I'm a developer too, I might code it myself and throw an icon in the mix.

 

[TpmKranz]

Those Icons are dependent on the messaging app. I use Sliding Messaging Pro, which gives me the freedom to remove those buttons. Nothing of that sort is present in the stock app.

---------- Post added at 08:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:59 PM ----------

Whatsapp does that.
Hey Facebook won't work.

The notification popups seem to be under control now, updated version is on its way. EDIT: It's up now!
(Facebook Messenger) (WhatsApp)

Hello, Ive been testing it and have following things to say:
In next build could u sort app names alphabetically and make overall size a lil bigger?
If u can implement themes, it would be awesome.
One ques:Are missed calls notified? I havent found phone.apk in the list but Ive added contacts.apk and Im not notified of missed calls.

Good job and pl keep this available for 2.2+:thumbup:

"If I could I would, but I can't so I shan't."

Sorting the app picker alphabetically is something I've been thinking about since my first app picker, but I never got a good idea how to achieve it. It will be implemented if I get a flash of genius for this problem. Themes? I don't actually know what you want to theme. Sure, if you find the right app in the picker, your missed call notification will be caught by this app, given that the screen is off or locked when the notification is spawned.

Hello !
As an ex iOS user, I miss notifications all the time on my phone, even with the LED. This app is almost perfect.
I'd just like for the notification to disappear when the screen locks itself again, and have no button at all (since it already unlocked itself in my pocket, and I don't like using a code).
Since I'm a developer too, I might code it myself and throw an icon in the mix.

Making notifications disappear when the screen gets locked again would be no problem, I guess, but I don't know what you mean by the "no button at all" thing. Anyways, I would love to get an icon!

 

[Dream_Team]

Making notifications disappear when the screen gets locked again would be no problem, I guess, but I don't know what you mean by the "no button at all" thing. Anyways, I would love to get an icon!

By no button at all, I mean removing "Dismiss" and "View". More like iOS, you see ? There are no buttons, and the action requires you to slide on the icon. i'll pull the code and play with it this afternoon.

 

[TpmKranz]

By no button at all, I mean removing "Dismiss" and "View". More like iOS, you see ? There are no buttons, and the action requires you to slide on the icon. i'll pull the code this afternoon.

Ah, I see. Sliding the icon would be a little too iOS for me, apart from the fact that I don't have the slightest clue how to implement something like this. Having no buttons could be quite stylish, if I think about it, but I don't know if a slider would be the right thing for this job. If you have some clever idea, please let me know.

 

[LRC1710]

Re: [APP; 2.2+] Notify Me! (notifications on the lock screen) v1.2 3.3.13 [GPL]

I definitely love the idea of this app, it needs some work but sure it's a great start, in having and issue, when I get an sms, I click expand, then I click "read" so it will mark it as read, instead of vanishing, the screen flickers and the notification appears again, like I never hit "read" only way of actually get rid of it is by clicking view :s

Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

 

[TpmKranz]

I definitely love the idea of this app, it needs some work but sure it's a great start, in having and issue, when I get an sms, I click expand, then I click "read" so it will mark it as read, instead of vanishing, the screen flickers and the notification appears again, like I never hit "read" only way of actually get rid of it is by clicking view :s

Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

Your issue has something to do with the way this app works. It is not intended to react to clicks on that buttons. The popup just intends to be an exact recreation of a notification, including buttons, etc... plus the "Dismiss", "Expand/Collapse" and "View" buttons. By tapping one of the notification's own buttons, the actual notification could disappear, but as I can't know for sure how the notification-spawning app's developer implemented the expanded notification, it would be quite premature to just dismiss the popup on an interaction. To achieve this, you don't necessarily have to hit "View", that's actually the purpose of the "Dismiss" button. As you are on 4.2, you can also tap outside the popup to dismiss it.

 

[Dream_Team]

If you have some clever idea, please let me know.

Oh I'm not fond of the slide icon like iOS, I just mean a way to prevent accidental touches on these buttons

I don't know how public the API is, but I like the lockscreen ring. Slide left to dismiss, Right to view.
The phone app uses the same (well, maybe it just tells the lockscreen that it is ringing ...)
Maybe it's possible to use it without adding a lot of code.

 

[LRC1710]

Re: [APP; 2.2+] Notify Me! (notifications on the lock screen) v1.2 3.3.13 [GPL]

Oh I'm not fond of the slide icon like iOS, I just mean a way to prevent accidental touches on these buttons

I don't know how public the API is, but I like the lockscreen ring. Slide left to dismiss, Right to view.
The phone app uses the same (well, maybe it just tells the lockscreen that it is ringing ...)
Maybe it's possible to use it without adding a lot of code.

Great idea, this is the way it should be +1

Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

 

[TpmKranz]

Oh I'm not fond of the slide icon like iOS, I just mean a way to prevent accidental touches on these buttons

I don't know how public the API is, but I like the lockscreen ring. Slide left to dismiss, Right to view.
The phone app uses the same (well, maybe it just tells the lockscreen that it is ringing ...)
Maybe it's possible to use it without adding a lot of code.

The DeskClock (alarm) app uses it, too (at least in 4.2) but I don't know how it's implemented and digging in Android's sources will surely bring up something with an API level >= 17 (if public at all, as you mentioned).
A short Google search brought me to this: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/8629535/implementing-a-slider-in-android
I can imagine that it can be bent for this, but I'm not sure how this will look. You see, I try to make the app look like it belongs to the system it's used on, thus only use designs that adapt theirselves to the used platform, e.g. the android.R.drawable resources, which are provided by the framework the app is running on. I don't think that it will be possible to create a slider which easily integrates in the user interface of every Android flavor. Do you have a concrete idea at the moment? If not, I would start brainstorming about the SeekBar approach.