Start SqueezePlayer on Startup

Some people are requesting me to provide an option to start SqueezePlayer automatically on startup.

Well actually this is already possible now as Android is a very cool an open platform, so I decided to write a small tutorial about how to achieve what you want.

The easy way “Automate It”

There is a very cool (free) application on the store called “AutomateIt” .
It allows you to automate almost everything on your devices – and this also includes automatically starting Apps at boot time.

There are several other Apps on the store allowing similar things, but AutomateIt beats them all, as it is sooo intuitive, one cannot believe it.

So just start this App, and tap “Add New Rule”. You are asked for a “trigger” where you just need to choose the autostart trigger.
The App then asks you for an “Action”, where you choose the “Start App” action. You will be presented a list of Apps and SqueezePlayer will be among them.

Final step is giving your new Rule a name – called it whatever makes sense to you, DONE !

Well now this was the easy part – be warned – the next two hours you will play with all the other features of AutomateIt.

This solution has one caveat though: The SqueezePlayer App main screen will be visible after you boot …

More Advanced “Tasker”

Tasker is an App like AutomateIt. Looks more clunky, but is much more powerful. It also costs a little bit, but if you want to get rid of the main screen of SqueezePlayer after booting up, I’m not aware of another possibility right now.

The steps are actually the same: we will need to configure a trigger (i.e. “at boot”) and an action/task (i.e. “start SqueezePlayer”).
As the action, please choose “Misc -> Send Intent”. We will use this one to automatically start SqueezePlayers hidden service (opposed to the mainscreen).
Such Intents do have a lot of field, you only need a few:
Package: de.bluegaspode.squeezeplayer
Class: de.bluegaspode.squeezeplayer.playback.service.PlaybackService
Target: Service

DONE!

Once you get the hang of it, it’s really to setup different things as well.
Some users for instance don’t like that SqueezePlayer shuts down after 15minutes on batteries. With Tasker you can send the Intent  every 10 minutes, SqueezePlayer resets it’s 15min shutdown timer then.

14 Responses to “Start SqueezePlayer on Startup”

  1. Normen Says:

    What about an option within the App deciding if the player should shutdown after 10 min?
    Using tasker is a little bit heavy…
    Orange Squeeze costs money…

  2. stefan Says:

    The problem is, that keeping SqueezePlayer on all the time drains the batteries pretty much (as the Squeezebox protocol demands, that I keep the network connection up and running all the time)
    When the devices is powered SqueezePlayer doesn’t apply the 10min timer by he way.

    When people do use Tasker to keep the App alive, they do it on their own risk. By providing an official option it would look like I’d endorse keeping SqueezePlayer on all the time even when only on batteries. This is why right now I hesitate to provide such an option.

    Cheers
    Stefan

  3. Slim Says:

    Valid Point Stefan, but it will not hurt to add that option plus a warning message.
    PS: Great work !
    Cheers
    Slim

  4. Slim Says:

    by the way do you have list of intents supported by your app ?
    Cheers
    slim

  5. stefan Says:

    Well there is only one intent on SqueezePlayer – the one to start it and keep alive.

  6. Christian Says:

    +1 to keeping the app persistent and alive. My old HTC is in kitchen and is connected to power. The annoying thing is, i have to wake the device if i want to listen to music – meaning i have grab it out of its hiding behind stuff – kinda defeats the purpose if you ask me. So a solution to tjis would be highly appreciated! 🙂
    Otherwise i love the app, great work 🙂

  7. stefan Says:

    Hi Christian,

    SqueezePlayer shouldn’t turn itself off, when the device is powered and not only running on batteries.
    Does you whole device maybe get into some standby mode (and thus shutting down WiFi)?

    Kind Regards
    Stefan

  8. Timo Says:

    Is it possible that squeezebox Player keeps always on/available?

  9. stefan Says:

    Timo – SqueezePlayer should be keeping on, when the device is powered.
    As an alternative you can configure Tasker to ‘ping’ SqueezePlayer every 10 minutes (based on the setting described in this article). Then it will keep on forever as well.

    Kind Regards
    Stefan

  10. TML Says:

    How can I stop the squeezeplayer service with tasker?

    BTW Thank you for the HowTo!!

  11. TML Says:

    I found the solution:
    Run as root:
    am force-stop de.bluegaspode.squeezeplayer

  12. stefan Says:

    Hi,

    other than force stopping SqueezePlayer there is not other official way.

  13. Joost Says:

    Hi Stefan,

    Great app, works well for me. Will you include an intent to close / turn off SqueezePlayer? Because force stopping isn’t a very elegant solution (and will it release all wakelocks?) Thanks!

    Regards,
    Joost

  14. stefan Says:

    Hi Joost,

    as far as I know force stopping doesn’t have any negative implication. WakeLooks will be removed by Android.

    Cheers
    Stefan