NewLC - autostart on boot on version 9 - Comments

Re: autostart on boot on version 9

t_m — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 10:59:19 +0100

The SLM API will be supported by future releases of the platform. What is no longer possible is to hijack the recognizer framework for start-on-boot purposes.

As for using the SLM API on emulator I have never tried that ... sorry.

Re: autostart on boot on version 9

davidmaxwaterman — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 10:52:32 +0100

Quote from: t@m

FYI: http://discussion.forum.nokia.com/forum/showpost.php?p=264638&postcount=17

Since using a recogniser to boot an application won't be supported soon, any idea about how to get the startup api working on the emulator?

Max.

Re: autostart on boot on version 9

t_m — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 10:48:34 +0100

FYI: http://discussion.forum.nokia.com/forum/showpost.php?p=264638&postcount=17

Re: autostart on boot on version 9

davidmaxwaterman — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 09:58:26 +0100

does the startup api work on the emulator?

I have a daemon that uses the startup api and it works fine on the phone, but we can't get it to work on the emulator.

Is there some (further) trickery involved?

Max.

Re: autostart on boot on version 9

gavin — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 17:15:10 +0100

The grapevine tells me that changes might be made to disable the ability of recognizers to auto-start applications in future s60 versions.
It looks like developers will be forced to use the start-up list API, so it might be a good idea to start investigating it now.

Gavin

Re: autostart on boot on version 9

petxolobo — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 12:21:49 +0100

Hi,

Thanks for your replies.

It looks to me like recognisers are the way forward. Gavin has already said that heÂ’s done it and it works and itÂ’s signed (as have others in other posts) so that is swinging it for me.

I accept that a poorly written recogniser can cause problems on the phone. In the past I can understand this being a real concern but on version 9 the recogniser would need to be signed so I am assuming that this problem simply goes away. If it doesnÂ’t work and / or causes other problems on the phone I assume it wonÂ’t get signed. In the same way IÂ’m thinking that all possible objections to misappropriation of recognisers must also go away (although t@mÂ’s comment about the forums having posts about faulty auto-start recognisers would seem to contradict that. Are these examples on version 9? If so how are they getting through the signing process?).

However if we assume that my recogniser is not faulty (either because it wouldnÂ’t get signed if it was or because I wouldnÂ’t release my product until it works correctly) it does seem to be the case that recognisers do everything that I want (see original requirements at the start of this thread) and nothing else does.

PL

Re: autostart on boot on version 9

gavin — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 16:32:40 +0200

Quote from: t@m

I really think that one would need a very good reason for using the recognizers and so far I have not seen any such reason therefore for me the start-up list is the only valid option. Maybe Gavin can explain why he is still using the recogs on S60 3rd ...

"If it isn't broken, don't fix it"

Our recognisers have been in use for years across all Symbian OS versions and work on emulators, techview, s60 (all versions) and UIQ (all versions). Using new APIs would cost developer time, tester time and would introduce differences between platforms that are currently the same.

If I were to write a new s60v3-only app then I might use the startup list, but as things stand there is no reason for me to modify working software, particularly when there are advantages to using identical code on UIQ3, S60v3 and Techview.

Gavin

Re: autostart on boot on version 9

t_m — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 15:57:45 +0200

It was obvious from the beginning that a start-on-boot feature would be needed on Symbian/S60. Since it was not provided developers (including me) have turned to recognizers and solved the problem that way. So where is the problem? Well, do a search on any Symbian development forums and you will find posts about phones jammed by faulty "auto start" recognizers. And the results you see are only those reported by developers. Imagine now how many end-users had the same problem running such insufficiently tested apps.

So a dedicated API was needed (and in fact was provided by Symbian as an add-on) in order to make sure that the app is started at the right time, in a protected way (so that the phone is not necessarily affected by an eventual app malfunction) and in a more easier to code way.

Nokia's start-up list is just a implementation of that principle. There is no coding needed, only a registration file placed in the right location, and the application is started after the OS boot sequence is completed and all the sensitive applications already up and running. But more importantly, the limitations imposed by the API will make sure that the auto started app is safe and robust.

In conclusion you have two choices, both working, but with various security and complexity implications.

I really think that one would need a very good reason for using the recognizers and so far I have not seen any such reason therefore for me the start-up list is the only valid option. Maybe Gavin can explain why he is still using the recogs on S60 3rd ...

HTH,
t@m

Re: autostart on boot on version 9

gavin — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 11:03:04 +0200

I haven't used the start-on-boot API, but we use recognizers across all versions of Symbian, and they satisy all your requirements, including start on install and emulator. Our recognizer code is identical between UIQ3 and S60v3 (and even Techview).
Our apps are also Symbian Signed, (mis)using recognizers is currently no impediment to signing.

Hope this helps,

Gavin

Re: autostart on boot on version 9

paul — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 23:20:51 +0200

The fact is that the startup list API guarantees that the base services have started in a deterministic manner.

So for example if you want to send an SMS at startup, by using the Startup list API you are guaranteed the ETel framework (and all core systems) have finished initializing

Re: autostart on boot on version 9

NumptyAlert — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 21:53:02 +0200

I don't know the answer. But what a great posting - clearly stating what your requirements are rather than what you think the solution is (and most people's ideas of what they think the solution is are total bollocks) and asking how to implement that.
Also lots of evidence of background research.

I wish I knew the answer as you deserve one. I think in the future I will stop answering anybodies questions on here unless they are as good as yours.

This should be turned into a sticky as an example of how to post a sensible question.

autostart on boot on version 9

petxolobo — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 15:02:53 +0200