[App] BattMonX (Droid X Battery State Monitor via LED Status)
BattMonX is a battery monitoring utility that can indicate the current state of your phone's battery via a status bar icon (all phones) and/or the LED indicator (many phones).
You can select/assign a different color to the status bar icon and/or LED indicator (if enabled and supported) for each of BattMonX's two main monitoring modes:
- by charging state
* full / charged
* charging
* discharging
- by each 10% range in battery percent-charged
Additionally, you can monitor, for each of the above modes:
* high battery temperature
* low battery percent charged
Note: when enabled, the above two modes:
- take precedence over all others
- have selectable thresholds
- optional vibrate or sound alerting
OTHER APP HIGHLIGHTS & FEATURES
- selectable LED on, off, or blink action
- LED color tester
- auto-restart after boot option
- battery temperature and voltage reported in notification shade pulldown
- option for rooted phones to have LED turn on even when screen is on
- now shows 1% change in percent-charged for Droid X
- v2.6 supports four timed-range suspend schedules
LED STATUS COMPATIBILITY
The LED function of this app will not work on all phones. For example, the Samsung Vibrant and Captivate do not have LED indicators. Some phones only have a two-color LED (the HTC Eris and Evo 4G both have a green/amber LED; the Epic 4G supports a red/blue LED) which might allow for partial functionality from this app (especially if rooted).
LED functionality works wonderfully for the Motorola Droid-class phones (original Droid, Droid X, Droid 2, Droid 2 Global, Milestone). If your phone has a multi-color LED indicator and you have problems get the app to work, please contact me for debugging options.
Guys, just a quick thread bump to let everyone know that v1.3 is out with a set-on-boot menu option.
I've also updated the screenshots in the first post.
Currently working on some new features and fixes (just noticed a new issue--not sure if its a bug or not: when you clear your notifications from the notification pull-down, the app seems to be disabled; edit: turns out, this is only temporary--the app will resume setting the LED at the next polling-interval. I'm sure this is because the app works using the LED notification API, so its not entirely unexpected or undesirable. I'm going to try to code and test something that will allow the app to handle either case (i.e., keep running (or re-run) when notifications are cleared).
Cheers and thanks to everyone's support, feedback, and suggestions.
Last edited by scary alien; December 19th, 2010 at 07:06 PM.
Reason: update issue w/clearing notifications
Just wanted to let everyone know that v1.4 is out and includes the ability to monitor for a low-battery condition. You can set a percentage threshold at which the LED will be turned on (or not) to a selected color and optionally have it blink.
I've also added five new colors to select from for setting the LED to the various battery states.
Here's the change log:
version 1.4:
* supported optional low-battery status indicator:
- action: none, LED on, LED blink
- threshold: 10%, 20%, 30%, or 40%
- LED color
* supported new LED colors in addition to the original red, green, blue, yellow, and OFF:
- dark orange
- orange
- dark violet
- dark green
- deep sky blue
version 1.6 just uploaded to Market: now works w/SMS text notifications
All,
Just a quick thread-bump to let everyone know about the latest release of the app: version 1.6 now works with SMS text notifications!
So now, you should be able to run the app all of the time and still get notified when a text message comes in.
The timeliness of the seeing the SMS notification is still dependent on the polling interval you are using, but app steps aside when the SMS notification comes in and then resumes when its been acknowledged (by reading the text) or cleared (by the notification pull-down's Clear button).
Please note that the app doesn't actually control the color or blinking status of the SMS text notification, my app just allows it to come in and been seen--so I cannot change its color or behavior (sorry).
I also added the option / ability to make the LEDs blink (or stay on like before) for the charging / discharging / charged state like the functionality I added for the low-battery condition in v1.4.
Anyway, I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday!
Enjoy the app and its recent changes--I very much appreciate everyone's feedback and support!
By the way, I am going to try to move all of the configuration stuff currently in the menus to the "shared preferences" settings (that will look like the Settings configuration menu we all know and love).
v1.7 just uploaded to Market (very useful fixes and improvements)
version 1.7 changes include:
- added strategy to auto-recover from Android auto-killing the app's service; should make the app much more stable and without unwanted shutdowns
- replaced multiple menu settings w/standard Settings/Preferences menu item
- dynamically determine battery status directory (I did this to see if the app would work on more phones (with mixed success); should allow for users that don't see that the app was written for the Droid X to at least see if it will work on their phone (does not appear to work on a stock HTC Evo 4G, HTC Droid Eris))
- re-instituted screen lock to portrait mode to prevent orientation change from causing FCs
- fixed integer parsing issue causing some reported crashes (probably just experienced by non-Droid X phones)
- added option for 3 minute polling-interval
- added larger range for low-battery percentage threshold
- fixed issue where LED would not blink when charging
Anyway, if you have any issues, comments, questions, etc., please contact me at scary.alien@gmail.com.
I've just published version 1.8 to the Market...I've updated the first post with the new information and updated screenshots.
This version has some nice new features and improvements. Change log for 1.8 includes:
- supported new experimental features:
* ability to keep LED on while the screen is on(root only)
* support white LED color[only works in conjunction with the root-only "LED is Always ON" experimental feature]
- updated w/better strategy for dynamically locating battery state and LED notification files to TRY to support non-Motorola Droid phones
- added 'Suspend' feature to screen to turn off LED and pause battery status monitoring until resumed (un-checked)
- added strategy to make app more timely/responsive to SMS text notifications and preference/setting changes
- fixed set-on-boot and charging-color preference mis-match and other minor preference/settings issues (this was causing a few folks issues...if you still have an issue, try an un-install and fresh re-install--this will clear-out the saved preferences)
- supported amber LED color in addition to the original red/green/blue LED colors (provided your LED firmware supports it)
Anyway, this version should be much more stable and responsive than the prior versions (although v1.7 was pretty solid ).
This will be a huge hit if you figure out a way to encorperate SMS, MMS, e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, Missed call, google voice, etc... notifications all in one. Good luck!
Also, post a QR code for the link in the market in the first post.
This will be a huge hit if you figure out a way to encorperate SMS, MMS, e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, Missed call, google voice, etc... notifications all in one. Good luck!
Also, post a QR code for the link in the market in the first post.
Thank you for the feedback.
lol, until just yesterday I hadn't really considered handling other types of notifications other than the battery state . How would you want to see such notifications (i.e., all via the LED indicator?..differentiated by color or blinking action?).
Also, I had the QR code in the first post (it was hidden under a show/hide button--but I've now made it display all the time and thank you for pointing out that it needed to be shown).
I would say the blinking action. maybe a double or triple blink for sms. just a thought.
Thanks for the feedback--I do appreciate it!
You mean a blinking action for non-battery state related notifications? ('cause the app will do blinking in non-'LED is always on' mode for the various battery states).
I haven't expanded / extended the app to really handle other notifications as of yet...right now, it steps-aside when an SMS text notification comes in and allows that notification control of the LED until its cleared or acknowledged (then, the battery state monitoring resumes).
I'm not very up on the programming side of things, but I downloaded the app in HOPES that this app might be a good solution to using non motorola (aftermarket) batteries in the DX since the wonderful folks (at motorola??) were so KIND to eliminate that feature in the newer versions of android os.
The pre-2.0 android OS worked fine with aftermarket batteries on the DX, but now since the update, aftermarket batteries are not supported..
Is there any way you can make your app support non motorola batteries for the DX?
I'm not very up on the programming side of things, but I downloaded the app in HOPES that this app might be a good solution to using non motorola (aftermarket) batteries in the DX since the wonderful folks (at motorola??) were so KIND to eliminate that feature in the newer versions of android os.
The pre-2.0 android OS worked fine with aftermarket batteries on the DX, but now since the update, aftermarket batteries are not supported..
Is there any way you can make your app support non motorola batteries for the DX?
It would be VERY helpful if you could!
g34rh34d (nice, by the way ),
First off, welcome to Android Forums!
I looked in to this back in late November with member bankswood who had the same concerns about aftermarket batteries:
I think the consensus was that Motorola added something to the 2.2 OTA update that kept the Droid X from "accepting" (i.e., charging) an aftermarket battery--or possibly just ones that don't have temperature and voltage sensors that the Moto / Android software can detect and work with.
If the phone's software/firmware cannot detect the circuitry in the battery, then it won't be happy. We think this is how some vendors are producing the batteries for a lot less money--no circuitry inside them that will monitor and report the voltage and temperature.
That's our theory anyway...I wish I could help (and I'll be that the aftermarket battery manufacturers do too -- I'll bet that if there was a software hack, that they would have already tried to provide this so that they could sell more batteries).
Uploaded version 2.2 of the app to the Market last night. Here's the highlights:
- added more strategies for making the app more responsive when screen off & unplugged (I implemented a partial wakelock for one minute after the screen is turned off)
- added 'Set LED Colors by Percent Charged' feature (i.e., you can assign a different color to each 10% range of battery percent-charged)
- added 'Rainbow Mode' (under Fun Stuff) to cycle through the various LED colors
- added 'Keep CPU On' feature to allow you keep the CPU awake/on when the screen is turned off (this is only true when monitoring is active); *** Warning *** this will consume more battery!
- added preset-color buttons to LED color tester (easier to test main colors)
LED colors by percent seems not to work. Other than that, keep up the good work!
Hmmm...are you sure that you have the Monitor by Pct Charged checkbox is checked in the Percent Charged Settings screen? (you can also double-check to see what everything says in the Current Settings screen where I try to list all of the settings in one handy place).
If this wasn't the problem, we could always try to capture a logcat of the app's messages to see what might be going on. Also, I have a new (v2.3) version of the app that allows you have the ability to set a blinking action for the monitor-by-pct-charged mode (won't work with the screen on, though) that I can send you to have you test if you are willing.
Let me know.
P.S. thank you for the kind words and encouragement!
Just wanted to let everyone know that my newest version is now up on the Market.
Enjoy!
RECENT CHANGES (version 2.4 - 26-Mar-2011):
- app should now work on all Android devices by using system intents (now the default setting) vs. reading battery status files (still supported)
- supported low-battery condition sound or vibrate alert
- supported high battery temperature monitoring similar to low-battery monitoring (especially useful for those who overclock or tether)
- notification changes: make app launch when pull-down notification selected; option to allow notification to be cleared; add battery temperature & voltage to notification shade details
- make low-battery & high-temp monitoring independent from the two main monitoring modes
- show change log at first/fresh install
- revised menus to reference 'status' instead of 'LED' to indicate support of both status bar icon and LED
- fixed issue w/LED color none/off not showing status bar notification
- supported logging of trace messages to SD card file for debugging if needed
Okay guys, this version corrects some of the weird restart issues brought to light in the last version. Sorry for any trouble you might have had...it took me quite a while to debug, re-code, and re-test this.
Cheers and enjoy!
Here's the change log.
Version 2.7 - 22-May-2011:
- revised and improved service start/suspend/shutdown and notification clear handling
- cleanup current settings display and other logged values (especially debugging info)
- lots of minor cleanup and improvements
- turned off debug msg logging by default for fresh installs (option to enable is still present)
Version 2.9 of BattMonX has been uploaded to the Market. This version includes code to auto-recognize the 1% charge_counter file used on many Motorola phones. It also addresses the product-name changes that CyanogenMod ROMs impose that kept prior versions of this app from recognizing a Moto Droid family phone and auto-identifying their battery status and LED notification files.
Donate version of this app will be uploaded shortly.
Cheers and thanks for everyone's support and kind feedback.
RECENT CHANGES
Version 2.9 - 09-Jul-2011:
- improve auto-identification of charge_counter file (especially for Moto Droid X's running CM7;
this should also help other phones that support the charge_counter file)
- several minor updates and fixes
Version 2.8 - 13-Jun-2011:
- minor fixes to better support Moto Droid phones recent GingerBread 2.3 update:
* auto-recogize GB's different LED directory (w/o needing to manually locate files)
* fix LED-always-on reboot issue for Moto Droid's running GingerBread
* if you have problems or experience unusual issues coming from v2.7, please try an un-install and re-install
[App] BattMonX (Droid X Battery State Monitor via LED Status)
).
-- I'll bet that if there was a software hack, that they would have already tried to provide this so that they could sell more batteries).
