How to create a standalone Android application with Aware Applications sensor

I recently had to create a standalone android application with Aware applications sensor. I summed up the steps in this post for a reference.

  • Add the following variable to build.gradle (Project: Application) (it should be added just before buildscript{}) project.ext { aware_libs = (System.getenv("aware_libs") as String ?: "development-SNAPSHOT") }
  • Add Aware in build.gradle (Module: app). In order to do that inside the dependencies curly braces put: api "com.github.denzilferreira:aware-client:$aware_libs"
  • Add jitpack repository in build.gradle (Module: app). For that inside repositories curly braces add: maven { url 'https://jitpack.io' }
  • Inside values folder create bools.xml file containing the following: (please remember these are all tags, they are not being displayed in my blog, but I will fix it later once I have) < ?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"? > < resources> < item name="accessibility_access" format="boolean" type="bool">true</ item> < item name="standalone" format="boolean" type="bool">true</ item> </ resources>
  • 5. Override < service> tag in the Manifest file < application> tag: < service android:name="com.aware.Applications" android:enabled="true" android:exported="true" android:permission="android.permission.BIND_ACCESSIBILITY_SERVICE" tools:replace="android:enabled"> < intent-filter> < action android:name="android.accessibilityservice.AccessibilityService" /> < category android:name="android.accessibilityservice.category.FEEDBACK_GENERIC" /> </ intent-filter> < meta-data android:name="android.accessibilityservice" android:resource="@xml/aware_accessibility_config" /> </ service>
  • Add permissions inside the Manifest file before the < application> tag: < permission android:name="com.aware.READ_CONTEXT_DATA" android:description="@string/read_permission" android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher_settings" android:label="Read AWARE's Context data" android:protectionLevel="normal" /> < permission android:name="com.aware.WRITE_CONTEXT_DATA" android:description="@string/write_permission" android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher_settings" android:label="Write to AWARE's Context data" android:protectionLevel="normal" />
  • Within the MainActivity (or service) where you want to use the sensor, start Aware: either using the intent: Intent aware = new Intent(this, Aware.class); startService(aware); or simply calling: Aware.startAWARE(this);
  • Start the Applications sensor: Aware.setSetting(this, Aware_Preferences.STATUS_APPLICATIONS, true); Applications.isAccessibilityServiceActive(getApplicationContext());
  • Set Applications sensor observer: Applications.setSensorObserver(new Applications.AWARESensorObserver() { @Override public void onForeground(ContentValues data) { Log.d(TAG, data.toString()); } @Override public void onNotification(ContentValues data) { } @Override public void onCrash(ContentValues data) { } @Override public void onKeyboard(ContentValues data) { } @Override public void onBackground(ContentValues data) { } @Override public void onTouch(ContentValues data) { } });

    • Your application should be working fine now.

    Written on March 13, 2018