yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Android Apps and Games] sunsero:
Now that's been a detailed explanation. :good: Hope I understood it now - I think the biggest issue with the explanation in the manual and in the settings that I had was to understand what with 10% of brightness is meant because in the manual graph the user is setting a range of 1 to 255 and this value was in percent.

Anyway, actually I want to have brightness below of that what backlight 1 offers. But for this, I do not want to set the backlight above 1. This is because I used to use PowerTutor to check if the DisplayFilter app reduces the power consumption of the display. Assuming that the values shown by PowerTutor are correct it did NOT reduce the power consumption but increasing the system backlight increased the power consumption. Therefore it would seem better to me to apply the black partial-transparent overlay only when the backlight is already at its lowest value, i.e. 1. So putting a dark overlay over a bright backlight to reduce brightness seems to me like opening a window to reduce room temperature but keeping the radiator running. :rolleyes: ;)

Is it possible to change this? There might be display technologies that actually reduce power consumption when applying a dark overlay over a bright backlight but it seems not to be like this for all technologies.

So what I want to be able to achieve is a backlight level of 1 with a 20% transparent black overlay. I'm wondering if DisplayFilter really sets the backlight because it does not seem to change the system brightness (and there would be no obvious reason for it)...

I've also tried to start the graph with 0 12 and 30 12 but when trying to start superdimming at 10% VAB still tells me that this would dim the display too much (2.21 percent) and refuses to apply this setting.

Update: I found now out that I can trick VAB to accept 2% superdim threshold by setting the values to 0 50 and 30 50 and then manually changing the graph to e.g. 0 1 and 2 2. Now I get quite the kind of superdimming I want - please don't disallow this trick ;)

I'll have to experiment however with how to also get the display darker than 1% in normal indoor light conditions - would be easier with negative graph values for superdimming I guess.
[Android Apps and Games] velis74:
Your SGS 3 mini has an AMOLED display which means that you're safe with power consumption.

I do agree however that current solution may not be the best. It is only really useful for AMOLED displays where you can have the brightness > 1 and still not waste energy (because energy is directly dependent on actual pixel lightness, not some backlight that these screens don't have).

However, the "negative values" variant is also pretty much impossible since there's no way I can tell how bright the display will actually be. At brightness 1 some displays will be so dark they are barely readable (my galaxy nexus, for example) and some will still have 20% of brightness (there have been some examples, mostly among standard LCD screens).

Perhaps the best solution would be somewhere in between: that the superdim threshold would represend screen brightness of 1 and anything below it would just strengthen the filter. Together with a "maximum super dim strength" parameter this would probably produce the best results. I'm not sure if it would be any more intuitive than current solution though. I'm open for suggestions at any time :)

Edit: just read this again and saw that this is actually the same as negative values variant... :P

That said I'm glad you made it work as you want. And no, I'm not removing that "hack". The only time the check is made is when you attempt to activate super dim. It is only intended to prevent a user from setting their screen to unreadable dark levels just by activating the feature.
[Android Apps and Games] velis74:
Actually, I'm thinking more like the superdim threshold would be the line separating positive and negative values. So if you set superdim threshold to 10%, the negative values would be in the lower 10% part of the graph.

Not likely: SGS3 (the big one) and Nexus 4 have this issue with not applying "backlight" in smooth steps. As such, there's a solution provided a few pages in this thread up, where smooth transitions are actually provided by superdim set to 100% making it the sole method of setting display brightness. Besides, no matter how high you set the superdim threshold, placing your phone under some light will produce a readable display unless you also modified the graph so that it has really low curve. But you would have to do that AFTER activating superdim thus seeing your screen go dark as you are doing it.

Edit: On second thought: if the above method is to be implemented, activating superdim would actually not do anything. Current graph would just "move" above the superdim threshold. The user would have to manually edit the graph to move it below the threshold in order to achieve super dimming. It is unlikely the user would just drag the entire graph too far below because they wouldn't even see where they are dragging if they went too far on the light scale.

VAB just turns itself off making the default system screen brightness become the active method. If you want the brightness to be unchanged, just activate the "update system brightness" option. Note though that this will also be reflected on the lock screen (that first second after turning it on and before VAB is allowed to manage brightness again).
[Android Apps and Games] sunsero:
Just noted during an incoming call that the screen is not turned off when getting close to the proximity sensor during the accepted call. Is there a way to make this work with VAB? I tried both with proximity sensor enabled and disabled in VAB (turned on proximity sensor in VAB during the call)
[Android Apps and Games] velis74:
This is strange. It works just fine on my phone no matter if I use or don't use the proximity sensor.
[Android Apps and Games] kantjer:
Working fine for me to, I don't use the proximity sensor in Velis.
[Android Apps and Games] vegdroid:
With 3.05.125 i cant install apk manually.
[Android Apps and Games] sunsero:
I'll try again with the next call, maybe it did not work because the speaker was on.
[Android Apps and Games] velis74:
Add "Package installer" to excluded apps list.
[Android Apps and Games] sunsero:
Actually it worked with speaker off, so I guess everything is fine.
[Android Apps and Games] sunsero:
I'm having one more idea for VAB:

Would it be possible to provide intents to control VAB's settings? E.g. I would like to change the camera read interval or profile depending on time, maybe location and especially on application. E.g. when watching a video in YouTube it's not necessary to adjust brightness very often.

As the app Llama allows to send intents to other apps I think this should be possible?
[Android Apps and Games] velis74:
Generally, this is supported through Locale / Tasker integration. If you want, I can add the camera read interval parameter for you - it's time I extended support for Locale anyway since the original implementation is really old and only supports about half of the current app settings :)
[Android Apps and Games] sunsero:
I see - so I tried to select a Locale plugin for something brightness related in Llama. The entries didn't show they were from VAB. When selecting one Llama told me I would have to buy Locale support. From the message it was not clear to me if Locale support was to buy for VAB or for Llama (message should be more clear). As in Llama I didn't find anything I checked in VAB and found an option to buy a Tasker/Launcher widget where in the option's description also Locale was noted. So I selected to buy to be able to see the price. However the app told me that this version does not support In-App-Buy from Google Play...
[Android Apps and Games] kubics:
Hi Velis,

last VAB doesn't work for me on S2. Updated from market and brightness does not change anymore. App is running, light measurement is working (changes visible in graph), but brightness is fixed.
[Android Apps and Games] velis74:
I will release a new version soon, that should fix this.

Is this still not working as you describe? I'm planning a patch specifically for SGS2 soon, but current version should work as well.
[Android Apps and Games] angisbregolius:
Bug on S2:

1- When VAB is installed i'm not able to install apk files(unknow sources is enabled). After many test I try to uninstall VAB and now i'm able to install apk files. after i reinstall VAB but I don't want to do it every times.

2- After wizard is really "cumbersome" to insert and "save" a new custom preset on the graph. I try 10 times every times before I am be able to do it...but I'm not totally stupid :)

3- excluded app: If I run an excluded app it start as I set system brightness(max brightness), if I turn off the display when I turn it on the excluded app return to follow VAB setting (low brightness). It happens with bike's app like "sport tracker".

I hope you can fix it.

Thank you.
[Android Apps and Games] velis74:
1. Learn to read, this has been answered just a few posts up and it's also in the FAQ: add Package installer to Excluded apps list

2. I'm not following you. Please explain more

3. This is a bug, will fix ASAP.
[Android Apps and Games] angisbregolius:
Thank you, next time I will read old post.

1- ok but why you don't include it automatically as excluded app? however i try to reinstall VAB and without add "Package installer" to Excluded apps list, apk installation work fine...I'm confused :confused:.

2- I select profile in wizard for example "Amoled" - go in graph page - modify graph and save a custom preset called "A" - after if i click the custom preset just saved "A" the graph return to Amoled curve. Do you understand me?

3- ok thanks.
[Android Apps and Games] sunsero:
It has happened now several times to me that apps unexplainably disappeared from the list of excluded apps. It has happened with package installer and now also with the camera app. Other apps remained excluded.

Btw it would be good if the items in the list were a bit smaller, with almost 300 apps in the list it's hard to get to the ones to exclude when there are only 6 entries visible at once.
[Android Apps and Games] sunsero:
After re-excluding the camera app now I had to re-exclude the package installer app which was definitely excluded before.
[Android Apps and Games] sunsero:
One useful improvement would be if when the user turns the screen on (which happens here by releasing the proximity sensor by an app called Simple Cover Lock) the camera would be read immediately to adjust the brightness.

As it's now the lock screen is for a few seconds very dark until the brightness it's adjusted by VAB.
[Android Apps and Games] velis74:
This is how long it takes for the app to obtain that one single picture. It starts taking it immediately when screen turns on...
[Android Apps and Games] sunsero:
But this is just for the first picture it seems, isn't it? Initially I had a camera read interval of 1 second and brightness changes seemed to cause adjustments almost immediately. If this is so would it be possible to have a preset for the used lux value until the first picture it's available. Or maybe could it use the average value of the last two readings, at least when the proximity sensor is turned off. Average because of cover lock.
[Android Apps and Games] velis74:
Enable proximity sensor. Then readings after cover wont be remembered
[Android Apps and Games] sunsero:
Now the display is still shortly flickering very bright in a room without any other light sources than the mobile's display each time when showing the lockscreen before it gets dimmed. Couldn't VAB apply immediately the previous brightness until there's a camera reading available? The DisplayFilter app I used to use never caused any flickering so I guess it's possible.
[Android Apps and Games] kubics:
Hi. Finally I found something... As I wrote before, light reading was working fine, but no brightness changes applied. Now I found, that it only works if "Optional update system brightness setting" is enabled. This was not needed before.
[Android Apps and Games] velis74:
VAB does remember the last reading, but it's possible that with cameras I have a bug where the value remembered would be the one where phone was already covered. Will test and see.

It would seem you might have something running that overrides VAB.
[Android Apps and Games] sunsero:
Thanks, btw I've got only the front camera activated...
[Android Apps and Games] velis74:
I have fixed the layout so that 50% more are shown on screen. I could go even further, but it started to look really crammed :)

An even better solution would be to add search :angel:

Will publish as soon as I get cameras working again - I am rearranging the code to work more reliably as primary source of lightness data.

I'm still investigating the issue of dissapearances from the list. I thought I solved that problem already :p
[Android Apps and Games] velis74:
This seems like a twilight zone issue to me. It's just like the main brightness provider remains the system handler, but system handler doesn't respond to setting the value :confused::confused::confused: You must have some other app which is tracking system brightness and it runs AFTER VAB.
[Android Apps and Games] sunsero:
Looking forward to the new version, hoping especially rearranging the camera code will also fix the issue with not using the last detected brightness while no valid current brightness is available. :)
[Android Apps and Games] velis74:
Will make sure this works as well.
[Android Apps and Games] kubics:
After a long investigation ;) it seems now that it was caused by AOKP Statusbar brightness slider that is enabled by default. I am not using it but maybe I unintentionally swiped on statusbar when opening notification or toggles drawer and in that moment it control over brightness handling.

Sorry for bothering with this...
[Android Apps and Games] velis74:
3.08.130 (18.6.2013)

wizard now suggests turning camera support on when no light sensor present

camera support fixes:

[**]front camera (or back if front doesn\'t exist) is automatically activated

[**]FIX: camera is detected, but settings screen says there is no camera

[**]FIX: when turning screen off, last sensor reading would be set to 0

FIX: sometimes apps disappear from excluded list

FIX: When screen turns on into an excluded app, VAB still activates

I'm hoping this works as intended - the changes to camera code are quite extensive :P

The fix is only uploaded to OP for now. Would be glad of any feedback.
[Android Apps and Games] sunsero:
Many thanks for this new version, I've been looking so much forward to it!

Just installed 3.08 about ten minutes ago and camera support still seems to work and does actually quite better with the previous brightness remembered.

Only issue I've noticed do far is that I installed an APK from downloads and during the package installer shown VAB was closed. The strange thing however was that VAB continued to work after closing i.e. the brightness continued to be adjusted. :D

---------- Post added at 07:30 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:22 AM ----------

It seems not all of VAB continued to work after the close, actually it did not superdim using the overlay anymore.
[Android Apps and Games] lou2s:
Hi, I wonder if the newer version will be updated through playstore? Thanks for the great apps!

Sent from my Boeffla I9300
[Android Apps and Games] kantjer:
Of course it will, after it has been tested.

That's why it's released here first so we can test it before being released.
[Android Apps and Games] velis74:
Great to hear that :)

:confused: OK, so initially I say to myself: "this is because you have package installer in excluded apps and VAB deactivated itself for the installer.

The added text though hints that there might be a problem with re-activating the overlay, but I'm not sure how that would be possible since I update the overlay fully on each update. Need to look into it.

It will be ASAP. I just didn't want to update play store with such a massive re-write of code. There was a good chance my testing missed a fatal bug or two :angel: Seems that's not the case now but in the mean time, the APK in the OP is the same as it will be in the play store...
[Android Apps and Games] Cyda:
I just wanted to say thanks to velis74 for this great app. I've tried a few brightness apps but always ended up removing them after not being happy with their performance, however, this app is a keeper for me and has earned it's place on the 'immediately install after flashing a rom' app list. :good:
[Android Apps and Games] sunsero:
V3.08 does not seem to work reliably, suddenly it seems to stop adjusting the screen brightness. This happened now several times today. Once I just had to start the VAB app, the other time I had to start it and toggle auto brightness in the main screen to off and then to on again, then it worked for a while (some minutes) again.
[Android Apps and Games] velis74:
Added to TO DO list

Oh, thanks, will look into it right after I complete presets. Almost done :D

I would most definitely not call that "all good". I just checked my own phone and the app isn't even listed in battery stats. Can you tell me what phone is that?
[Android Apps and Games] Christiancs1969:
S2 RR 308 dori beta 3

s2 RR 308 dori
[Android Apps and Games] kroz:
runing aokp galaxy s2, it was also present on the battery graph, looking forward for the update, i envy you for the app was not being present on your graph, will test more how it goes, :)

i only changed presets to amoled then the rest is default settings,
[Android Apps and Games] velis74:
I will try to get my paws on a friend's SGS 2, but I think she's running stock. Not sure. I'm suspecting either the sensors may be "a bit" livelier on that phone or the phone doesn't properly report screen off.
[Android Apps and Games] kantjer:
I'm also having 8% usage by this app on my S2
[Android Apps and Games] feroxxx:
tested app two phones.

1.galaxy tab(p1000) cm10

2.htc wildfire s cm9

works great even lux auto brightness.thanks alot.

please add an option for check brightness.

example: check level only wake up, dynamically or periodically.

with this option app works better i think.

sorry for english:(
[Android Apps and Games] andryyyy:
I had a SGS2 before, I remember problems with the sensors on AOKP/AOSP. They never really worked like they should, just on stock.

But that's like 2 or 3 month back.
[Android Apps and Games] kroz:
yes as what i have said before, it is so responsive, every move i make, backlight reacts, it would be better if what you experienced and n your phone will be also applied on others, but even though my battery reacts with this app, i am still using it coz the functionality simply rocks, ;)
[Android Apps and Games] :
Well after testing longer the jumping is something I have noticed also, it becomes an epileptics worst nightmare :D

Whilst good it does make the phone into a strobe light, hopefully with the transitions implimented this will help calm the effect.
[Android Apps and Games] scarmon25:
Great app man. I have the GNex as well and the auto brightness deal of only increasing brightness and not decreasing is annoying on stock. This app solves that and seems to work seamlessly with the stock auto brightness. You just enable it and let it go. That's what makes a great app. Minimal user control needed. Just install and go. Keep up the great work man.
[Android Apps and Games] Christiancs1969:
Not a condition to use in jest:mad:please edit out;)

s2 RR 308 dori
[Android Apps and Games] velis74:
Finally, uploaded the new version to the market.

1.10.21

* Profiles (save the brightness graph under your own selected name)

* Jitter control to prevent excessive brightness updates (Disabled by default)

* Brightness smoothing to make the transitions smoother (Set to 500ms by default)

* Minor bug / functionality fixes (particulary the FC when modifying graph at far right)

Updated front page.

I think profiles are implemented relatively OK barring all the FCs they will cause, but I should just mention that jitter control and averaging are insanely crude so I apologize for any inconveniences they may cause.

This wasn't tested much at all so I hope it doesn't just spoil the fun. Need to stop promising too much too soon :D

Now I need to hit the sack, have to get up in 4 hours - enjoy the update.
[Android Apps and Games] lou2s:
Thanks for the hard work! Updated right away from the market, and found that....the lux reading is always zero, and there is no track on the graph anymore...

Will try reinstalling again...

Edit: Suddenly it works again but the brightness changes very frequently
[Android Apps and Games] lou2s:
The new version works sometimes but not all the time. This is a screen capture a few minutes after I went from indoor to under the sun. The lux reading is still zero and there is no red bar for me to adjust.
[Android Apps and Games] velis74:
Uploaded a fix. 1.10.24

Hope it solves the issues
[Android Apps and Games] andryyyy:
wow, nice update! :) thank you! everything is working as expected so far. i will test the profiles later.. :)
[Android Apps and Games] kroz:
transition is better, will test battery impact now,
[Android Apps and Games] velis74:
I haven't done anything about sgs 2 battery yet.
[Android Apps and Games] kroz:
oh i see, thanks for the heads up...
[Android Apps and Games] lou2s:
Thanks for the update! Looks like the bug is fixed!
[Android Apps and Games] velis74:
Wait, you're saying the previous version worked fine in this respect?

This is my single most annoying issue with cameras: they just stop working. I thought this new version made things better, but the opposite seems to be the case :( I even added some additional safeguards for when this happens so that the operation would be restored ASAP.

Do you have your phone rooted BTW? I'd love to see logcat of this. If not, I'll try to get someone to lend me their phone.
[Android Apps and Games] sunsero:
Yes, with VAB 3.05 auto brightness never stopped updating - I could rely that it would update again after the update interval passed. Sorry, my mobile is not rooted.
[Android Apps and Games] lklaus:
I could not test it very thoroughly today, but I also thought it behaving funny sometimes. My phone's rooted, I could do some tests tomorrow. Do you need some special logcat commands, or just plain vanilla? What should I test?
[Android Apps and Games] velis74:
I just need logcat output around the time it stops reading cams. The code is so heavilly logged I should get an idea about what's wrong fast. Hopefully :)
[Android Apps and Games] velis74:
I think I may have found the culprit(s). I was trying too aggressively to have the SurfaceView available and was creating it a few times too many :) As a result, one view was killing the other as they replaced each other. OP updated with the fix. Play store updated as well.
[Android Apps and Games] sunsero:
Thank you, just updated to the new version. I've noticed to things:

1. The lux value displayed in the main screen is now always 0.Screen brightness is updated however.

2. This was in yesterday's version as well - when the screen turns on the display is shortly brighter - might be the overlay is not initialized yet?
[Android Apps and Games] velis74:
1. :confused::confused::confused: One doesn't go without the other. Are you sure you have camera enabled in settings? I have just re-checked on my phone and readings were updated normally.

2. I haven't been changing that code. How long does that "shortly" take? It does take a while to create the overlay, but IMHO not that long. My GNex is fast enough for me never to notice the delay.