How To: Set Launcher Page based on Location / Wifi / Time with Tasker integration > current

Total Launcher (TL) is exceptionally customizable but does not natively handle complex, multi-context profiles, such as “at this location and during this time”.

Total Launch can natively set pages or wallpaper but not when the user wants to link that launcher action to a time or location (conditions).

When conditions are required, automation apps such as Tasker or MacDroid (and others) are required.

Tasker can also transmit (broadcast) any variables it creates to Total Launcher (see …) but that is not used in this currently discussed process since the Total Launcher plug-in for Tasker specifically automates the following actions:

  • Folder
  • Launcher action
  • Send variable
  • To a selected page (< to be used in this process)
  • Window

The scenario for this project/procedure is:

The user wishes to have TL's screen (page) changed to a pre-configured page when:

* At a predetermined location

  • Home
  • Work
  • Church

* Connected a specific wifi signal

  • Home
  • Work
  • Church

* At a predetermined time of day

  • Home > default, any time when not at work or church
  • Work > Monday through Friday 9am-5pm
  • Church > no time condition has been linked to this location

When any of the above conditions conflict with each other, the user will be notified on screen and select which condition is to be used.

This How To guide is broken into three parts:

Create three simple tasks (the “what to do” parts) to be triggered by the conditions (the “When it is to happen” part) specified in 3 profiles

Step A: Create the “Action” tasks in Tasker which will communicate to TL for changing the page to Home

  1. Open Tasker and go to the Task tab (upper menu)
    1. Tap the + button (upper right corner) to create a new task
      • The user may wish to differentiate the Tasker task associated with Total Launcher. This is done here by prefacing the Tasker task name with “TL”
    2. Name it: TL Set Page - Home
    3. After naming the task, the dialog will show the Task Edit
    4. tap + to add an action.
    5. From the dialog list produced
      • Select: Plugin
      • Select: Total Launcher
      • Select: To a selected page.
    6. In the Action Edit dialog “Select Page” field, select the desired page for this action, in this case Home (or the exact name or number of the page configured in TL as the default home page). The user is returned to Task Edit dialog
  2. Add a second task: tap +
    1. From the dialog listing
      • Select Variables
      • Select Variable Set
    2. In the Variable Set dialog:
      • Set Name to: %CurrentContext
      • Set To to Home
  3. Back out of the Task Edit dialog to save it.

Step B: Create the “Action” tasks in Tasker which will communicate to TL for changing the page to Work

  1. In the Task tab (upper menu)
    1. Tap the + button (upper right corner) to create a new task
    2. Name it: TL Set Page - Work
    3. After naming the task, the dialog will show the Task Edit
    4. Tap + to add an action.
    5. From the dialog list produced
      • Select: Plugin
      • Select: Total Launcher
      • Select: To a selected page.
    6. In the Action Edit dialog “Select Page” field, select the desired page for this action, in this case Work (or the exact name or number of the page configured in TL as the default work page). The user is returned to Task Edit dialog
  2. Add a second task: tap +
    1. From the dialog listing
      • Select Variables
      • Select Variable Set
    2. In the Variable Set dialog:
      • Set Name to: %CurrentContext
      • Set To to Work
  3. Back out of the Task Edit dialog to save it.

Step C: Create the “Action” tasks in Tasker which will communicate to TL for changing the page to Church

  1. In the Task tab (upper menu)
    1. Tap the + button (upper right corner) to create a new task
    2. Name it: TL Set Page - Church
    3. After naming the task, the dialog will show the Task Edit
    4. Tap + to add an action.
    5. From the dialog list produced
      • Select: Plugin
      • Select: Total Launcher
      • Select: To a selected page.
    6. In the Action Edit dialog “Select Page” field, select the desired page for this action, in this case Church (or the exact name or number of the page configured in TL as the default church page). The user is returned to Task Edit dialog
  2. Add a second task: tap +
    1. From the dialog listing
      • Select Variables
      • Select Variable Set
    2. In the Variable Set dialog:
      • Set Name to: %CurrentContext
      • Set To to Church
  3. Back out of the Task Edit dialog to save it.

After repeating all of these steps there will be three tasks that will be called by any profile (condition) to be created in the next step: * TL Set Page - Home * TL Set Page - Work * TL Set Page - Church

Now create the profiles (the “when”) that will trigger the tasks from Step A-C. A variable will be added to track the user’s current state which is essential for Step G.

Step D: Create the Main Context (condition) Profile of linking Home WiFi and Geo-location to the previously created actions

  1. In Tasker main menu, go to the Profile tab (top menu)
    1. Tap +
      • In the open dialog name it Home
    2. From the drop-down dialog list
      • Select State
      • Select Net
      • Select WiFi Connected
    3. The State Edit dialog opens
      • In the SSID field, enter the name of the home wifi name exactly as shown by the home router or the user’s android device notification bar
        • Alternatively, Tasker SSID field has a 🔍 icon which, if selected, will list all saved wifi ssids on the user’s device. Select from that list.
          • In this procedure, a placeholder (Home) is used, but use the Home’s actual wifi ssid.
  2. Back out of this dialog. Tasker will then show a listing of all tasks in the user’s Tasker
    1. Select from that list the task to link to this action. In this case the first task created, here called TL Set Page - Home is selected.
  3. Notice the profile is temporarily named “*Wifi Connected” but long-press on the WiFi Connected state (the left context) which was just made.
    1. This will open a dialog list:
      • Select Add (+)
      • Select either
        • Location
          • An existing: If by chance a previously saved geo-location has been made, the location will show in the dialog listing. Select that… otherwise
          • New: Select New Location to open a map which can be zoomed (dragged and pinched) to the geographical location desired. Tap the location to select it
        • An input dialog opens to enter its label
          • Here the home location is being identified so the label “Home” is entered. Tap the check mark (✔).
      • The input dialog closes and “Wifi Connected” is now shown as “Home” (on the left side of “TL Set Page - Home”)

This Step D.xxx has created an OR condition: profile is active if user is on Home wifi or at Home the home geo-location.

Step E: Create the Main Context (condition) Profile of linking Work WiFi, Geo-location, and time to the previously created actions

  1. In Tasker main menu, go to the Profile tab (top menu)
    1. Tap +
      • In the open dialog name it Work
    2. From the drop-down dialog list
      • Select State
      • Select Net
      • Select WiFi Connected
    3. The State Edit dialog opens
      • In the SSID field, enter the name of the home wifi name exactly as shown by the work router or the user’s android device notification bar
        • Alternatively, Tasker SSID field has a 🔍 icon which, if selected, will list all saved wifi ssids on the user’s device. Select from that list.
          • In this procedure, a placeholder (Work) is used, but use the Work's actual wifi ssid.
  2. Back out of this dialog. Tasker will then show a listing of all tasks in the user’s Tasker
    1. Select from that list the task to link to this action. In this case the first task created, here called TL Set Page - Work is selected.
  3. Notice the profile is temporarily named “*Wifi Connected” but long-press on the WiFi Connected state (the left context) which was just made.
    1. This will open a dialog list:
      • Select Add (+)
      • Select either
        • Location
          • An existing: If by chance a previously saved geo-location has been made, the location will show in the dialog listing. Select that… otherwise
          • New: Select New Location to open a map which can be zoomed (dragged and pinched) to the geographical location desired. Tap the location to select it
        • An input dialog opens to enter its label
          • Here the home location is being identified so the label “Work” is entered. Tap the check mark (✔).
      • The input dialog closes and “Wifi Connected” is now shown as “Work” (on the left side of “TL Set Page - Work“)
  4. Now add the time context: Still in the Profile tab, long-press on the Work Connected state (the left context)
    1. A dialog list opens:
      • Select Add (+)
      • Select Time
      • The Time Edit dialog opens:
        • Set From: 9:00 AM
        • Set To: 5:00 PM
        • Every: do not touch
  5. Back out and return to the profile dialog
  6. Tap and hold the profile Work Connected
    1. A dialog list opens
      • Select Add (+)
      • Select Month Day
      • From the drop down (v) select Week
      • Tap each normal work day (here: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday)
  7. Back out and Tasker will request which task to link (this is an Enter task … what happens when first connecting)
    1. Select TL Set Page - Work from the list
  8. Again, long-press on the profile’s task just created (TL Set Page - Work)
    1. A dialog opens, select
      • Select Add Exit Task ← (what happens when losing the connection)
        • Select the existing TL Set Page - Home task from the list (since this is to be the default)
  9. The Work profile is completed

This Step E has created an OR conditions: profile is active if user is on Work wifi or at the Work geo-location or at the prescribe time. When the user leaves the work location or the work wifi connection is ended, Total Launcher is unaware that has happened unless Tasker says so. This is where an Exit Task linked to the default “to a selected page” (Home) is communicated.

Step F: Create the Main Context (condition) Profile of linking Church WiFi and Geo-location to the previously created actions

  1. In Tasker main menu, go to the Profile tab (top menu)
    1. Tap +
      • In the open dialog name it Church
    2. From the drop-down dialog list
      • Select State
      • Select Net
      • Select WiFi Connected
    3. The State Edit dialog opens
      • In the SSID field, enter the name of the church wifi name exactly as shown by the church router or the user’s android device notification bar
        • Alternatively, Tasker SSID field has a 🔍 icon which, if selected, will list all saved wifi ssids on the user’s device. Select from that list.
          • In this procedure, a placeholder (Chruch) is used, but use the Church’s actual wifi ssid.
  2. Back out of this dialog. Tasker will then show a listing of all tasks in the user’s Tasker
    1. Select from that list the task to link to this action. In this case the first task created, here called TL Set Page - Church is selected.
  3. Notice the profile is temporarily named “*Wifi Connected” but long-press on the WiFi Connected state (the left context) which was just made.
    1. This will open a dialog list:
      • Select Add (+)
      • Select either
        • Location
          • An existing: If by chance a previously saved geo-location has been made, the location will show in the dialog listing. Select that… otherwise
          • New: Select New Location to open a map which can be zoomed (dragged and pinched) to the geographical location desired. Tap the location to select it
        • An input dialog opens to enter its label
          • Here the home location is being identified so the label “Church” is entered. Tap the check mark (✔).
      • The input dialog closes and “Wifi Connected” is now shown as “Church” (on the left side of “TL Set Page - Church”)

This Step F has created an OR condition: profile is active if user is on Church wifi or at the Church geo-location.

At this point Total Launcher will automatically change pages when the user arrives at a location and crucially will change back to “Home” when the user leaves Work or Church.

A step must be created to handle conflicts when conditions occur simueltaneously apnd provide an optional override notification capability to the user. In other words, this is a solution to a specific problem: What if it is 10 PM, but the user is still at work? What “page” should the launcher be on? The optional solution will cause a screen notification which asks the user to select the desired “page” setting for the launcher.

Step G: Create an additional profile that activates during the “Home” time (5p-9a). This profile's only job is to check the %CurrentContext variable and ask the user what to do if there is a conflict

  1. In Tasker's main profile tab
  2. Tap +
  3. An input dialog opens to listing conditions
    • Select Time
      • Set From 5:0:0 PM
      • Set To: 09:00 AM (for 5p-9a).
      • Every: do not change
  4. Back out. Tasker will open a dialog asking for the selection of a task to link to the profile
    1. Select New Task (at the top)
      • Name: Conflict Resolver
    2. Tap the checkmark to activate the name
  5. The Conflict Resolver Task Edit screen opens for the following actions to be entered:
    1. Action 1: Check if you are at work
      • Tap + to add the action
      • At the bottom (filter):
        • Input If and then select If
      • In Condition: %CurrentContext ~ Work [the ~ is used for “Matches”, no spaces and note where capitalization is used]
      • Back out. If Tasker presents a 3 selection dialog, pick If
    2. Action 2: Show the override menu
      • Tap +
      • The Select Action Category dialog opens
        • Select Alert
        • Select Menu
          • Insert the Title: It's after 5 PM, but you seem to be at work. Which launcher page should be active?
            • Note: Tasker’s Title expects a brief capitalized few words, but override this by un-capitalizing when necessary.
          • In Items:
            • Tap +
              • In Label: enter Home
            • Tap + again
              • In Label: enter Work
            • The default 9-dot square icon is the default for each. However, to change the default icon just tap that icon, pick an icon set on the user device from the list shown, and pick any icon to replace the default.
      • Back out
    3. Action 3: Check if the selection was Home
      • Now in the Conflict Resolution Task Edit dialog, tap +
      • The Select Action Category opens
        • At the bottom (filter):
          • Input If and then select If
            • In Condition: %tap_label ~ Home [the ~ is used for “Matches”, no spaces and note where capitalization is used]
      • Back out of the screen to the Conflict Resolution Task Edit tab. If Tasker presents a 3 selection dialog, pick If
    4. Action 4: If Home is selected, have the launcher set the page to Home
      • tap +
      • The Select Action Category dialog opens
        • At the bottom (filter):
          • Input Perform Task then select Perform Task
        • In the Perform Task Action Edit dialog
          • Name: TL Set Page - Home
      • Back out of the screen to the Task Edit Tab
    5. Action 5: Set an alternative if the prior “If” action is activated
      • Now in the Conflict Resolution Task Edit dialog, tap +
      • The Select Action Category dialog opens
        • At the bottom (filter):
        • Input Else and select Else
      • Back out of the screen to the Conflict Resolution Task Edit tab. If Tasker presents a screen “Insert Action” with 3 selections, select “Else”
    6. Action 6: Check if the selection was Work
      • Now in the Conflict Resolution Task Edit dialog, tap +
      • The Select Action Category dialog opens
        • At the bottom (filter):
        • Input If and select If
          • In Condition enter: %tap_label ~ Work
      • Back out of the screen.
    7. Action 7: If Work was selected, have the launcher set the page to Work
      • Tap +
      • The Select Action Category dialog opens
        • At the bottom (filter):
          • Input Perform Task and select Perform Task
        • In the Perform Task Action Edit dialog
          • Name: TL Set Page - Work
      • Back out of the screen to the Conflict Resolution Action Tab
    8. Action 8: Close the If
      • Tap +
      • The Select Action dialog opens
        • At the bottom (filter):
        • Enter End and select End If
    9. Action 9: Use default page (Home) if not at Work during time condition check
      • Now in the Conflict Resolution Task Edit dialog, tap +
      • The Select Action Category dialog opens
        • At the bottom (filter):
        • Input Else and select Else [This “Else” pairs with Action 1. It means “It's after 5 PM AND %CurrentContext is NOT Work (it's Home, Church, or undefined)]
    10. Action 10: Set the page to Home (default)
      • Now in the Conflict Resolution Task Edit dialog, tap +
      • The Select Action Category dialog opens
        • At the bottom (filter):
          • Input Perform Task and select Perform Task
        • Name: TL Set Page - Home
    11. Action 11: End the If block since all actions in Conflict Resolution are complete
      • Now in the Conflict Resolution Task Edit dialog tap +
      • The Select Action Category dialog opens
        • At the bottom (filter) input
          • Input End and select End If

This finishes Step G and the full procedure.