Tasker lite?

[Ron H]

I've had a Droid X for about three months, and have been following these forums for about four. I've really learned a lot.

I'm looking for a very lite version of Tasker, if one exists. I know it's a very complex and in-depth program, and I just don't need that much.

I use Google My Tracks to chart my hikes, but often forget to turn on GPS when I start the program. I'd like an app that would turn on GPS automatically whenever I start My Tracks, like Tasker would.

Does anything like that exist?

Thanks,
Ron

 

[amlothi]

Would need more details about what you would want a "Tasker Lite" app to do. No such version of tasker exists, so you'd likely need a different app for every function you want to perform.


Why don't you leave GPS on all the time? Your phone doesn't use it unless an app that requires GPS is running in the foreground. Just leave the setting enabled, and that way it's available any time you open My Tracks.

 

[Ron H]

Thanks for your response. I know there isn't an actual lite version of Tasker, but I was hoping there might be something similar - like the dozens of different calendar apps available, for example.

Specifically, I want it to turn on the phone's GPS function whenever I start the Google My Tracks. I believe this is the type of thing Tasker does, and I'm hoping there are similar apps on the market.

 

[UncleMike]

I say this half jokingly, but the closest thing to Tasker Lite is Locale. Unfortunately it costs more.

Regarding leaving GPS on all the time - I've seen apps use GPS when they are not the foreground app, so there's no guarantee that some other app won't drain your battery.

 

[BookLover]

Try Setting Profiles. They have a light version that only allows one rule activated at a time. The full version allows multiple rules activated at one.

I have Setting Profiles Full (pd) but ended up purchasing Tasker this weekend.

Everything that Setting Profiles can do, Tasker does, and then some.

Even though the learning curve is steep, Tasker has a lot of support via forums, wiki, etc.

If you like Setting Profiles, eventually you'll want something like Tasker. In the end if you end up buying both, you'll only be out about $7, the cost of lunch

I can tell you that there seems to be more users on Tasker, so you probably could lean on this forum alone for programming help on Tasker. Not so with Setting Profiles.

If you don't know anything about programming, then you might want to start with the lite version of Setting Profiles, then purchase the paid version and see if that meets your needs. Setting Profiles may be all you need if your needs are not sophisticated. To use Tasker, you do need to understand If-Then statements and variables. If you never took any programming in HS or College, it might too overwhelming. In which case, Setting Profiles should suffice.

Good luck.

 

[Ron H]

BookLover, thank you for your excellent and detailed answer.

I tried Setting Profiles lite, but I couldn't make it work with an app (My Tracks) like I needed (and I think Tasker will do). It's not the $ for the app, I just want one to do this one thing.

 

[BookLover]

BookLover, thank you for your excellent and detailed answer.

I tried Setting Profiles lite, but I couldn't make it work with an app (My Tracks) like I needed (and I think Tasker will do). It's not the $ for the app, I just want one to do this one thing.

Once you figure out how to do your one thing, you'll want to do more, believe me.

Glad I could help.

 

[CriticalCritic]

Once you figure out how to do your one thing, you'll want to do more, believe me.

Glad I could help.

+1

@Ron, don't worry about the app being capable of doing more than you want. Look at it like it does exactly what you want it to do, plus bonus options! As far as I know, there is no app on the market that is limited to changing phone settings triggered ONLY by launching certain apps, because it would fail in comparison when people realized that Tasker does exactly that plus much more.

Just go for Tasker, you will find more uses for it and you'll love it when you do Go to the tasker website, they have a free trial (7 days I think).

 

[Ron H]

+1

@Ron, don't worry about the app being capable of doing more than you want. Look at it like it does exactly what you want it to do, plus bonus options! As far as I know, there is no app on the market that is limited to changing phone settings triggered ONLY by launching certain apps, because it would fail in comparison when people realized that Tasker does exactly that plus much more.

Just go for Tasker, you will find more uses for it and you'll love it when you do Go to the tasker website, they have a free trial (7 days I think).

Thanks, I think you're convincing me...

 

[sillysquid]

I bought Tasker for exactly the same reason to turn gps on and off for the apps that need it.
If you go the direct purchase option through the website you get a few more features and I think it's slightly cheaper, you get the updates through the app.

Heres a link for the comparisions of the Market and direct versions ...

 

[A.Nonymous]

Honestly, it's ridiculously simple to set up what you want inside Tasker. If you don't want/need the more advanced functions of the app, just don't use them.