Tag Archives: Productivity

Indicate the first run after new push from Android Studio

Knowledge Base, , ,

When developing an app with a big file size the time between pressing Ctrl+F5 and having the new app instance running on a connected device can be rather long.

A timespan of around 10 seconds for a 25MB app is long enough for me to deal with other things, e.g. staging my changes in the VCS and then looking back at the device wondering whether the new version is already running or if I’m looking at the old state. Usually I then start clicking to test the new implementation when the app just closes and reopens since the upload took longer than expected.

The solution is: Add a script to AndroidStudio’s build process which closes the app immediately after pressing Ctrl+F5. This way, when you see your app screen the next time, you can be sure that you are looking at the new version.

  1. Open Android Studio → Run → Edit Configurations
  2. Select your application, scroll to the bottom to the “Before launch” section. Click Plus -> Run External Tool -> Click Plus.Set the values:
    Name: Force-stop app
    program: adb.exe
    parameters: shell am force-stopcreateTool 
  3. Make sure that the external tool runs before the Gradle-aware Make in the “Before Launch” sectionrunDebugConfigurations

P.S.: An alternative would be to auto-increment the version code with every change but that is not feasible for me since I increment my version code automatically based on my git history (more on that later).

Surface Thumbnail

Microsoft Surface: remapping keys for power users

Knowledge Base, ,

The Surface Pro 3 is a neat device but there are a bunch of user experience flaws concerning the Cover and the Pen (which we will solve in this post) such as:

  1. The Cover’s function keys F1-F12 can only be reached using the Fn button – especially annoying for developers.
  2. The Cover has no button for changing the screen brightness.
  3. The Surface Pen’s top button (the purple one) cannot be configured to open a custom program. I want the Snipping Tool to be opened.
  4. The Surface Pen lacks a “back” button, e.g. for quickly correct a wrong pen stroke in Photoshop, Mischief or similar drawing programs.
  5. I never use CapsLock – let’s map it to a different key, e.g. AltGr (this is of course not Surface-specific but a nice productivity boost nonetheless)

Solutions:

The solutions 1 & 2 are just simple keyboard shortcuts:

  1. Function key lock: Press Fn+CapsLock to toggle the behavior. Unfortunately, this introduces a new problem which will be solved in the paragraph after this:
    1. For F1-F8 I want the default to be the function keys themselves but for F9-F12 I want the reverse as default: Home, End, Page Up, Page DownSurface Pro cover: function keys
  2. Secret shortcuts for screen brightness: Fn + Del/Backspace

The remaining problems are solved by using AutoHotKey with its extensive scripting capabilities and a lively community sharing knowledge thereof.
After installing it, copy the following script to the autostart folder (e.g. under the name of EnableSurfaceProductivity.ahk) to have it running with every start. To test the effect immediately, double-click the file.

; Solution for 1b: Reverse behavior for F9-F12
; The dollar signs prevent that the hooks call themselves

$Home::SendInput, {F9}
return

$End::SendInput, {F10}
return

$PgUp::SendInput, {F11}
return

$PgDn::SendInput, {F12}
return

$F9::Send, {Home}
return

$F10::Send, {End}
return

$F11::Send, {PgUp}
return

$F12::Send, {PgDn}
return

; Solution 3: Open the Snipping Tool when double-pressing the purple button
; The script waits for the program to start and then simulates
; Win+PrintScreen which directly jumps to the selection process
#F19::
Run, "C:\Windows\Sysnative\SnippingTool.exe"
WinActivate, Snipping Tool ; This makes sure it is active
WinWaitActive, Snipping Tool
Send, ^{PrintScreen}
return

; Solution 4: Simulate Ctrl+Z when single-clicking the purple button
#F20::Send, ^z ; Left Arrow, Browser Back Button
return

; Solution 5: Map CapsLock to AltGr
CapsLock::RAlt