Add app shortcuts

[psh]

Android app shortcuts seem like a natural way to launch the app and go directly to

• Nearby places
• Upload from gallery
• Take a picture

It should be a matter of configuration rather than large amounts of code - adding a shortcuts.xml and making sure that we can launch directly into the given activities. I am so-so about "Upload from gallery" and think just taking a photo or going to the nearby list might be the most important.

[misaochan]

Cool, I actually had no idea we could do that! What SDK level does that require?

Personally "Upload from gallery" is the option that I use more than 80% of the time in the app, I would be for keeping that in. :)

[psh]

If the app targets Android 7.1 (API level 25) or higher you can use app shortcuts. The gradle.properties currently has us set to a minimum of 15, and target of 25, so we are good (though we might want to think about bumping the minimum up as API 15 represents only 0.7% according to Google)

I think one killer feature of app shortcuts is that users can create "pinned shortcuts" - an icon directly on the launcher that jumps directly into the app. If you use the upload from gallery 80% of the time, this would let you jump there in one tap!

Google have some pretty specific guidance on the icons that should live on the shortcuts. Someone with more artistic talent that me should create the icons. :-)

Google's documentation - https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/ui/shortcuts.html

[psh]

Updated the screenshot - icons and starting point for shortcuts.xml are on a branch, should someone else want to pick this up and play around with it - https://github.com/psh/apps-android-commons/tree/app-shortcuts

[misaochan]

Sounds great to me. Happy to review if anyone wants to pick this up. :)

[mebr1416]

@psh, looking into this..

[deepak-thakur]

how can i contribute ? i am a beginner with few months of experience with android.

[mebr1416]

I have left this issue for now.

[nicolas-raoul]

@deepak-thakur Feel free to fix this issue, see https://github.com/commons-app/apps-android-commons/wiki/Volunteers-welcome%21 :-)

[adikul30]

@nicolas-raoul Can i work on this issue or anyone else has already been assigned ?

[nicolas-raoul]

@adikul30 Seems like @deepak-thakur is not around for now, so feel free to give it a try, yes :-)

[tanvidadu]

@adikul30 u working on this ? In case not, @nicolas-raoul I like to work on this issue.

[nicolas-raoul]

@tanvidadu No progress updates from @addshore so feel free to give it a try, yes :-) Please post progress updates every few days, thanks!

[tanvidadu]

@psh i checked your branch for creating apps shortcut. Looks as good starting point. Can I work on your branch ?