[closed] Android 7 Multi-Window GPS Functionality

[Yemble]

I do not believe that this is a problem specific to AQ, but I am trying to narrow down the options for the root cause...

I have used multi-window support successfully on my Note Pro tablet on a number of different Android versions, both stock Samsung and experimental CyanogenMod. Stock Samsung always allowed me to open two GPS based apps, eg. AQ and OSMAND+, allowing both to track live using the GPS concurrently. The experimental CM 13 multi-window, when it worked, also allowed the same concurrent GPS functionality.

However, now that I have implemented Lineage OS 14.1 on my tablet, with its official Android 7.1.1 multi-window support, I have noticed that only one of the two apps (activated with a tap) can acquire a GPS signal. Tapping on the other app, disables the GPS on the current app. This makes multi-window pretty useless for navigational purposes.

I have tried this with several combinations of different apps using GPS and they all behave the same (with one notable exception), ie. only one app can access the GPS at any given time. However, I have also proved that the second app is not "frozen", since I can run a uTube video in one window, whilst tracking with the GPS in the other!

The notable exception is GPS Status, which continues to acquire satellites in the second window when AQ has active GPS in the first window. So maybe this is an app issue after all, both for AQ and OSMAND+, etc.?

Can you tell me whether this is expected behaviour for Android 7.1.1 multi-window, or whether it is more likely to be a bug in Lineage OS?

[Yemble]

After some experimentation with this I now believe that I understand the issue. AQ has a setting that allows it to keep the GPS active when operating in the secondary window. This setting is "Disable in background", which needs to be unchecked. So, by inference, Android 7 multi-window treats the app running in the secondary window as a background app, which, by default will disable the GPS connection unless told otherwise by the app itself.

So AQ can handle this scenario, but other GPS apps, such as OSMAND+ cannot, since they do not have an equivalent option to keep the GPS active in background.

So for AQ and OSMAND+ to access the GPS simultaneously, OSMAND+ MUST be in the primary window. Although a PITA, at least this gives 50% of the solution.

[Psyberia-Support]

Hi again Yemble and thanks for this update.
I think that Google faced a real problem with multi-window (maybe it's why I took so long to see this feature in the stock Android).
On one hand, all apps that are not active (ie displaye in foreground) are required to stop all battery consuming actions (ie use sensors - listen to GPS or compass, access the Internet, etc.). On the other hand, only one application can be active at the same time...
It seems they chose to keep only one application active, but it means that all other think they are in background and stop active actions...
I guess you should see the compass being disabled when AQ is not the focused app anymore...
I haven't read the android documentation concerning this new feature yet, so I'm not sure about the right way to handle this new situation...
Best regards

[Yemble]

Actually, other that GPS Status, AQ appears to be the only mapping app (that I have tested), that handles Nougat multi-windows correctly. It is the other apps, including Google Maps, that do not. Seems to me that you could teach Google (and the others) a thing or two !!!

Although I find it surprising that OSMAND+ does not appear to have a run in background option, I am more frustrated by TomTom GO Mobile which does. Unfortunately, when TT is in the secondary window, regardless of whether this background option is on or off, it just locks up!

I've yet to try ViewRanger, but that is not an app that I would ever run simultaneously with AQ.