From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

How to create a one-tap shortcut directly to the Google Maps
"Use precise location" toggle?

I already put into my homescreen shortcuts folder, one-tap shortcuts to:
Settings > Location > Location services
and to the one-level-deeper toggle for...
Settings > Location > Location services > Google Location Accuracy=on/off

But now I want a shortcut to the far more difficult deeply-ensconced
Settings > Apps > Maps > Permissions > Location > Use precise location=on/off
adb shell pm revoke com.google.android.apps.maps android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION
adb shell pm grant com.google.android.apps.maps android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION

1. I'm on a USA Samsung Galaxy A32-5G which is not known to be rootable.
2. I have Developer Options & USB debugging enabled.
3. I have adb installed on Windows & set up for the phone.
4. I have Llamalab's Automate & Jens' Automation (but not Tasker)
5. I have Shizuku enabled (over USB Debugging).
6. I have Muntashirakon App Manager (which creates shortcuts to activities)
7. I have <cemique> Shortcut Widgets & Inspector & <krow> Intents
8. I have <trianguloy> Instant Intent & <villavalta> Intent Launcher
9. I have <maigo> Intent Viewer & <balda> IntentTask
10. I have <sika524> QuickShortcutMaker & <atolphadev> Quikshort
11. I have <panagola> App Shortcuts & <bhanu> App Shortcut Maker
12. I have <vndnguyen> Shortcut Master Lite & <any> Shortcuts
13. I have <miotti> Shortcut To URL & <deltacdev> Website Shortcut
14. I have <szalkowski> Activity Launcher & <cunnj> Activities
15. I have <alextern> Shortcut Creator & <alextern> ShortcutExecutors
16. I have <rk> Shortcut Maker & <rk> Pinned Shortcuts
17. I have <activitymanager> Activity Manager & <leedroid> Shortcutter
18. And a few other debugging tools (e.g., <draco> local adb ladb)

I found the activity that I needed to make a one-tap shortcut to.
A. I turned on the <cemique> Shortcut Widgets & Inspector
B. I toggled Settings > Apps > Maps > Location > Use precise location = on
C. Shortcut Widgets & Inspector told me this activity was invoked:
<com.google.android.permissioncontroller/com.google.android.permissioncontroller.permission.ui.GrantPermissionsActivity>
D. In Muntashirakon, I created a homescreen shortcut to that activity
E. But tapping it just flashed (because only the system can invoke it)

So we can't invoke it directly perhaps, but maybe we can get close?
--
I am not here for my ego; nor for my amusement; but to teach & learn.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

Marion wrote:

So we can't invoke it directly perhaps, but maybe we can get close?

1. In Muntashirakon AM, I look up "Permission usage"
<com.samsung.android.privacydashboard>
2. "Permission usage" has a "Main Activity"
<com.samsung.android.privacydashboard.views.MainActivity>
3. That opens a "Permission usage" page which has recent permissions
4. One of which can be "Location" & then "Maps" & "Location Permission"

Tracking that with <cemique> Shortcut Widgets & Inspector, that sequence appears to have invoked the following Activities on my Samsung Galaxy.

A. One UI Home <com.sec.android.app.launcher/com.android.quickstep.RecentsActivity>
B. Permission usage <com.samsung.android.privacydashboard/com.samsung.android.privacydashboard.views.MainActivity>
C. Permission usage <com.samsung.android.privacydashboard/com.samsung.android.privacydashboard.views.PermissionDetailActivity>
D. Permission controller <com.google.android.permissioncontroller/com.android.permissioncontroller.permission.ui.ManagePermissionsActivity>

When I use Muntashirakon AM to create that last desktop shortcut, it opens
the "Permission usage" screen, where, from there, I can sequence
a. Location (which has every app recently requesting location
b. Maps (which has a toggle for "Use precise location")

But that's three taps to access the "Use precise location" toggle. :(
i. Tap the shortcut to the permission controller activity
ii. Tap Location
iii. Tap Maps (which has the desired precise-location toggle)

What can I do to make this a single tap shortcut to get to the deeply
hidden "Maps" "Location permission" "Use precise location" toggle?
--
Helping others & learning from them is what this Usenet ng is all about.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

Marion wrote:

What can I do to make this a single tap shortcut to get to the deeply
hidden "Maps" "Location permission" "Use precise location" toggle?

As I see it, I think we have the following options for a one-tap toggle.

a. Chasing Samsung's hidden activities (which need extras we can't supply)
b. Use Automate + Shizuku to run the pm grant / pm revoke commands.
c. Use Automate + LADB to run the pm grant / pm revoke commands.
d. Jens' Automation app: can also run shell commands
e. Termux + Shizuku (script the pm grant/revoke commands in a .sh file)
f. Bixby Routines (but that will be Samsung specific & not general use)
g. AppOps + Shizuku (allows us to flip app permissions)
h. Permission Manager X + Shizuku (allows us to flip app permissions)

In order of worst to best, I think this is a defensible sorting.
a. Samsung's hidden activities require intent extras I don't have
f. Bixby Routines can do zero-tap automation but specific to Samsung
e. Termux + Shizuku (powerful, but perhaps too much overkill)
d. Jens' Automation can run shell commands but weak on shortcuts
c. Automate + LADB (redundant to Automate + Shizuku)
h. Permission Manager X + Shizuku (useful for manual control)
g. AppOps + Shizuku (a couple of taps unless we use profiles
b. Automate + Shizuku (directly runs pm grant / pm revoke commands)

Unless someone has a better idea, I'm might soon try to use Automate +
Shizuku since Automate can expose flows as homescreen shortcuts.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

Marion wrote:

Unless someone has a better idea, I'm might soon try to use Automate + Shizuku since Automate can expose flows as homescreen shortcuts.

After extensive trial and error, even with Shizuku, my unrootable Samsung device on Android 13 still blocks DIRECT one-tap external access to hidden system activities, such as attempts to DIRECTLY launch either of these:
<com.google.android.permissioncontroller/
com.google.android.permissioncontroller.permission.ui.GrantPermissionsActivity>
...or...
<com.google.android.permissioncontroller/
com.android.permissioncontroller.permission.ui.ManagePermissionsActivity>

It seems that GrantPermissionsActivity is the 'system dialog' that appears when any app requests any runtime permission that the user must grant or deny.

Meanwhile, ManagePermissionsActivity is the 'settings UI' that enables us
to manage an app's permissions such as toggling precise location for Maps.

I'm not an expert, but so far, even with Shizuku, my unrootable Samsung
on Android 13 blocks DIRECT external invocation of these activities.
GrantPermissionsActivity = system dialog
ManagePermissionsActivity = settings UI

As far as I can tell, here's the difference between the two types above.

GrantPermissionsActivity = system dialog
A temporary window created by Android itself.
It appears on top of the current app when that app requests a permission.
For example, when Google Maps prompts for "Allow" or "Deny".
It's a short-lived modal window you must respond to before continuing.

ManagePermissionsActivity = settings UI
A screen (aka activity) that shows inside the Android Settings app.
It lets the user review and change permissions at any time.
For example the screen where we toggle Google Maps precise location.
It's a persistent screen the user navigates to that can be revisited.

It seems that both GrantPermissionsActivity (system dialog) and ManagePermissionsActivity (settings UI) exist inside the permission
controller package where, so far, all my attempts to invoke them
DIRECTLY from outside the system didn't work, even with Shizuku.

I'm not ready to conclude this, but it may be that those activities
can't be launched by a 1-tap shortcut on unrooted Samsung Android 13.
Settings > Apps > Maps > Permissions > Location > Use precise location

The most promising alternative approach seemed to be perhaps non-runtime control directly to the Google Maps runtime through shell commands like:
adb shell pm revoke com.google.android.apps.maps android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION
adb shell pm grant com.google.android.apps.maps android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION
But, when run on the local device, those commands seem to require the
shell user to have the same privileges adb has when connected from a PC.

On my unrooted Samsung, my local shell user doesn't have those privileges. Worse, even Shizuku doesn't seem to be able to grant those privileges.

Shizuku might elevate permissions for a Pixel, but when I try to use it
for pm grant or pm revoke on Maps' fine location permission, Samsung's security model appears to be blocking those calls (AFAICT).

While my original plan went to hell, apparently due to Samsung's
strict added permission issue, my latest next-level plan may be to
add a Settings intent that opens the Maps app info page.
Settings > Apps > Maps > Permissions
Unfortunately, from there we still need to tap Permissions, then
Location, and only then can we toggle precise location on or off.

Hence, my next step may be to explore whether an intent can open the
Maps app info screen to reduce the tap count from 6 taps to 3 taps.

For that, maybe an intent such as ACTION_APPLICATION_DETAILS_SETTINGS
with the Maps package name can be used. If successful, this would
create a shortcut that lands directly on the Maps app info page in
Settings. That may be the closest shortcut available sans root access.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

On 2025-11-01, Marion <mariond@facts.com> wrote:

How to create a one-tap shortcut directly to the Google Maps

Why use google maps?

I strongly recommend OSMAND+ available on FDroid. You down load the map
info for the regions you require and all your map use is local to your
phone, even route planning and directions.

And frankly google maps suck! The actual mapping is not that useful and
omits lots of info - it relies on you choosing to plan a route to your destination, calculated at google, so that google has even more info
about you.

OSMAND+ is based on OpenStreetMap data and, certainly in my region, that
info is far far superior to google maps. It even often is better than
Ordnance Survey here in the UK, certainly at street level.

"Use precise location" toggle?

I already put into my homescreen shortcuts folder, one-tap shortcuts to:
Settings > Location > Location services
and to the one-level-deeper toggle for...
Settings > Location > Location services > Google Location Accuracy=on/off

But now I want a shortcut to the far more difficult deeply-ensconced
Settings > Apps > Maps > Permissions > Location > Use precise location=on/off
adb shell pm revoke com.google.android.apps.maps android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION
adb shell pm grant com.google.android.apps.maps android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION

1. I'm on a USA Samsung Galaxy A32-5G which is not known to be rootable.
2. I have Developer Options & USB debugging enabled.
3. I have adb installed on Windows & set up for the phone.
4. I have Llamalab's Automate & Jens' Automation (but not Tasker)
5. I have Shizuku enabled (over USB Debugging).
6. I have Muntashirakon App Manager (which creates shortcuts to activities) 7. I have <cemique> Shortcut Widgets & Inspector & <krow> Intents
8. I have <trianguloy> Instant Intent & <villavalta> Intent Launcher
9. I have <maigo> Intent Viewer & <balda> IntentTask
10. I have <sika524> QuickShortcutMaker & <atolphadev> Quikshort
11. I have <panagola> App Shortcuts & <bhanu> App Shortcut Maker
12. I have <vndnguyen> Shortcut Master Lite & <any> Shortcuts
13. I have <miotti> Shortcut To URL & <deltacdev> Website Shortcut
14. I have <szalkowski> Activity Launcher & <cunnj> Activities
15. I have <alextern> Shortcut Creator & <alextern> ShortcutExecutors
16. I have <rk> Shortcut Maker & <rk> Pinned Shortcuts
17. I have <activitymanager> Activity Manager & <leedroid> Shortcutter
18. And a few other debugging tools (e.g., <draco> local adb ladb)

I found the activity that I needed to make a one-tap shortcut to.
A. I turned on the <cemique> Shortcut Widgets & Inspector
B. I toggled Settings > Apps > Maps > Location > Use precise location = on
C. Shortcut Widgets & Inspector told me this activity was invoked:
<com.google.android.permissioncontroller/com.google.android.permissioncontroller.permission.ui.GrantPermissionsActivity>
D. In Muntashirakon, I created a homescreen shortcut to that activity
E. But tapping it just flashed (because only the system can invoke it)

So we can't invoke it directly perhaps, but maybe we can get close?

--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

Marion wrote:

Hence, my next step may be to explore whether an intent can open the
Maps app info screen to reduce the tap count from 6 taps to 3 taps.

Think of an Android Intent as a little instruction slip we hand to the
system that says "please do this action, with this data." The system then figures out which program or component can handle it.

The intent I'm considering uses the action
ACTION_APPLICATION_DETAILS_SETTINGS
with the data
package:com.google.android.apps.maps.

When the system receives this intent it launches the Settings activity
that shows the info page for that app. From there, we can tap
Permissions, then Location, then toggle the precise location option.

This is an explicit intent because we are naming the exact component we
want to open. An implicit intent would be more like saying "show me any
app that can view a map," and the system would present a chooser of apps
that can handle that action.

For example, with a PC attached over USB, the adb command might be
adb shell am start -a android.settings.APPLICATION_DETAILS_SETTINGS \
-d package:com.google.android.apps.maps

But inside the intent, that same set of commands turns into something like
startActivity(new Intent(Settings.ACTION_APPLICATION_DETAILS_SETTINGS,
Uri.parse("package:com.google.android.apps.maps")));

The adb shell form is useful for testing because it lets us simulate the
intent from a connected PC without writing any code. The startActivity form
is what an Android app would actually call inside its own process to launch
the same system activity.

Intent intent = new Intent(
Settings.ACTION_APPLICATION_DETAILS_SETTINGS,
Uri.parse("package:com.google.android.apps.maps")
);
startActivity(intent);

Muntashirakon App Manager (AM) can create shortcuts but this failed
because the shortcut needs "extras" that AM doesn't give to them.
1. In Muntashirakon App Manager, I searched for "settings"
2. There are many. I selected "com.android.settings".
3. I went to its Activities list top find these three.
com.android.settings.applications.InstalledAppDetails
com.android.settings.applications.InstalledAppDetailsTop
com.android.settings.applications.InstalledAppOpenByDefaultActivity
4. But when I press "Launch", it just blinks.
5. Likewise with the shortcut created by "Create shortcut".

So that failed.

We need a tool that lets us explicitly set both Action & Data.
Action: android.settings.APPLICATION_DETAILS_SETTINGS
Data: package:com.google.android.apps.maps

It seems that QuickShortcutMaker, Activity Launcher, Intent Launcher &
Instant Intent can probably create a shortcut with Action & Data.

It turns out QuickShortcutMaker can make pinned or static shortcuts.
I prefer static because it works even if the creator is removed.

So I'll try that next.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

Jim Jackson wrote:

How to create a one-tap shortcut directly to the Google Maps
"Use precise location" toggle?

Why use google maps?

Good question. I must not have been clear at defining the problem set.
That's my fault.

The problem set we're solving is completely irrespective of the map app.
The "precise location" toggle is the problem; not the map app using it.

I have every free map app installed on my system that is known to man.
I've written entire tutorials on all the map apps, including OSMAnd~.

I strongly recommend OSMAND+ available on FDroid. You down load the map
info for the regions you require and all your map use is local to your phone, even route planning and directions.

You make good choices, as I am extremely familiar with OSMAnd~ maps.

The greatest thing about OSMAnd~ is that it's offline by default.
But it still has the exact same problem of the precise-location toggle.

And frankly google maps suck! The actual mapping is not that useful and omits lots of info - it relies on you choosing to plan a route to your destination, calculated at google, so that google has even more info
about you.

I fully agree with you that it would be nice to have an alternative to
Google Maps, but unfortunately, the address lookup on OSMAnd~ sucks.

Years ago I wrote a tutorial to do a one-shot address lookup on Google Maps using code, and then injecting the GPS location into OSMAnd~ routing.

But that was cumbersome (and I did it, at that time, to save on data).

OSMAND+ is based on OpenStreetMap data and, certainly in my region, that info is far far superior to google maps.

I also agree with you on the "concept" of open street maps, but, what
Google maps has that nobody else easily has, is accurate traffic data.

Sure, I wrote tutorials for how to get traffic data OUTSIDE of Google Maps,
but the reality is you still need routing to take traffic into account.

It even often is better than
Ordnance Survey here in the UK, certainly at street level.

Like you, I deplore Google Maps, but the two things Google Maps does better than OSMAnd~ is the address lookup and traffic (in my humble opinion).

One other point, which is unrelated to this problem set, is that the
OSMAnd~ topographic backcountry maps are horrid compared to USGS maps.

But that's no worse than OSMAnd~ topo maps are because Google Maps
topographic views, while pretty, are horrid when zoomed to usable levels.

I wrote tutorials on how crappy the OSMAnd~ topo maps were compared to the
free USGS topo maps, but the USGS maps are only available for the US.

So for folks on the other side of the pond, OSMAnd~ topo maps may be the
best that you have freely available & then they're just what you get.

In summary, I dislike Google Maps as much (or more) than you do, and while
I love OSMAnd~ for what they're trying to do, the main reason I still use Google Maps is for
a. Address lookup
b. Traffic (and traffic routing)

I never log into the Google Maps app (ask me to tell you what horrid things happen the instant you make that mistake) so I can't download them offline.

But even so, this problem of "precise location" affects *many* apps!

*SatStat*
<https://gitlab.com/mvglasow/satstat>
<https://f-droid.org/packages/com.vonglasow.michael.satstat/>

*Avenza Maps* Offline Mapping by Avenza Systems Inc., In-app purchases
Free, ad free, 4.6 star, 72.6K reviews, 1M+ Downloads
<https://www.avenza.com/avenza-maps/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.Avenza>
<https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id388424049>

*Paper Maps* by Abbro Inc, In-app purchases
Free, ad free, 5K+ Downloads
<https://www.paper-maps.com/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ca.abbro.androidmap>
<https://apps.apple.com/app/nextmap/id1147385120>

*OuterSpatial* by OuterSpatial
free, ad free, requires gsf, rated 3.4 out of 113 reviews @ 10K+ Downloads
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.trailheadlabs.outerspatial>
<https://www.outerspatial.com/>
<https://apps.apple.com/us/app/outerspatial/id1254161962>

*GPS Waypoint Finder* by keuwlsoft
free, ad free, gsf free, 3.9 star, 1.35K reviews, 100K+ Downloads
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.keuwl.gpswaypoints>

*Parked Car* by Myroslav Kolodii
free, ad free, requires gsf, 4.4 star, 179 reviews, 10K+ Downloads
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.unagit.parkedcar>

*GPS to SMS* - location sharing by Tralchonok Labs
free, ad free, gsf free, 3.6 star, 787 reviews, 100K+ Downloads
<https://github.com/tral/GPS2SMS>
<http://xdaforums.com/devdb/project/?id=7537#downloads>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ru.perm.trubnikov.gps2sms>
<https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/app-2-2-gps-to-sms-location-sharing.2994187/>

SOS Alert (send SOS message & GPS to 5 contacts)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.main.contacts.smsmanager
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

On 11/1/25 12:47 PM, Jim Jackson wrote:

Why use google maps?

I strongly recommend OSMAND+ available on FDroid. You down load the map
info for the regions you require and all your map use is local to your >phone, even route planning and directions.

And frankly google maps suck! The actual mapping is not that useful and >omits lots of info - it relies on you choosing to plan a route to your >destination, calculated at google, so that google has even more info
about you.

It's been a few years since I took a trip so things may be different now.
But what I really liked about Google was the road warnings. Speed traps,
real time traffic conditions ahead, etc. And it takes a lot of regular
people on the road ahead to enter those warnings into Google. I've never
used the competition but wonder if there is enough folks using them to
provide adequate warnings. Or do they even have the capability?
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

On 2025-11-01 22:13, AJL wrote:

On 11/1/25 12:47 PM, Jim Jackson wrote:

Why use google maps?

I strongly recommend OSMAND+ available on FDroid. You down load the
map info for the regions you require and all your map use is local to
your phone, even route planning and directions.

And frankly google maps suck! The actual mapping is not that useful
and omits lots of info - it relies on you choosing to plan a route to
your destination, calculated at google, so that google has even more
info about you.

It's been a few years since I took a trip so things may be different now.
But what I really liked about Google was the road warnings. Speed traps,
real time traffic conditions ahead, etc. And it takes a lot of regular
people on the road ahead to enter those warnings into Google. I've never
used the competition but wonder if there is enough folks using them to provide adequate warnings. Or do they even have the capability?

TomTom does, to some extent. Depends on the city. You have to pay for
this service, maybe (not sure). And agree to share your own data,
otherwise you do not receive the aggregate information they generate.
But the information they collect stays solely inside TomTom.
--
Cheers, Carlos.
ES🇪🇸, EU🇪🇺;
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.mobile.android

Marion wrote:

It turns out QuickShortcutMaker can make pinned or static shortcuts.
I prefer static because it works even if the creator is removed.

After a few dead ends (e.g., QuickShortcutMaker can't make custom
shortcuts), I used Shortcut Maker 4.2.2 <rk.android.app.shortcutmaker>

This created a custom shortcut that I had full control over.
1. Open Shortcut Maker 4.2.2 <rk.android.app.shortcutmaker>
2. On the main screen, tap the purple "Intents" icon
That will display all the pre-defined intent templates
that are installed on your device to hook into things.
3. Tap the + in a box icon at the top.
That will display an "Edit Intent" form
Action =
Package Name =
Class Name =
Data =
Mime Type =
Extras =
Flags =
Categories =
4. Set only Action & Data
Action = android.settings.APPLICATION_DETAILS_SETTINGS
Data = package:com.google.android.apps.maps
5. Tap Save (which is the checkmark icon at the top right).
6. Your new intent will appear where you can fix a few things
[Try this Shortcut]
Intents (tap to edit the label) -> Maps App Info
Icon (tap to edit icon)
Open with Default (tap to change)
Intents = package:com.google.android.apps.maps
(this line is just repeating the data field)
Shortcut Lock = off
Shortcut Fix = on
[Create Shortcut]
7. Tap the "Create Shortcut" button.
8. It will allow cosmetic edits
9. And then it will ask you to place it on your homescreen
10. When you tap it, it goes to the Google Maps "App info" screen.
11. Place this into your shortcuts folder on your home screen.
12. I placed mine alongside my shortcuts to "Location services"
and "Improve Location Accuracy" to check them easily.

If you want to repeat this process above for other apps to set the precise location, the only thing you change is the package name in the Data field.

For example:
For SatStat:
Data = package:com.vonglasow.michael.satstat
For OSMAnd~
Data = package:net.osmand.plus
For GPS to SMS
Data = package:ru.perm.trubnikov.gps2sms

Given there are a billion intents on any given Android device, to FIND your intent, a year from now, inside of Shortcut Maker, will be miserable.

You can't find them by label or searching on the label.
Nor by adding key/value pairs in Extras.
Nor even piggybacking on the Data URI since Android ignores them!
Data = package:com.google.android.apps.maps#abcdefg
Data = package:com.google.android.apps.maps?tag=abcdefg

So you just have to know how to recreate them if you can't find them.

Save this, and you can open up anything your system will let you.
In a single tap.
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