How to create settings app link/shortcut?

[jamaroney]

I have an Android box w/ the following launcher:



When I click on the "Settings" icon, I get this:



However, when I go to "Apps", the "Setting" icon within opens this:



I prefer the option to see both, as each has slightly different capabilities. But I installed another launcher which I prefer, and it doesn't have any preset home page shortcuts - when I'm using it, I have no obvious way to access the first "Settings" page.

I could go back and forth between launchers, but I was wondering if there's some way that I can easily access the first "Settings" page when using the other launcher.

[RiCkLaR_atvX]

First always look if there is an App that can fix your problem, the one app that comes to mind is TVAppRepo that makes shortcuts for leanback launcher, there may be more, not something I have researched fully. It makes Shortcut apks to a specific package name. The white fullscreen Android Settings package name is com.android.settings so you can make a shortcut that directs to that apk if you know the package name. The sidebar settings will be named something like TVsettings and might have a package name like com.droidlogic.tv.settings or something similar, just use file explorer to find it and view the package name.

Or use this website to make a shortcut link, which is just a small mini apk to link to original apk, website: http://atvlauncher.trekgonewild.de/

Both these methods the App or the Website are geared towards androidTV OS, but if your launcher has a built-in app drawer the linking apk should be visible and selectable.

Another thing to try if you have Root Access and aren't afraid to play around in System partition is to move the Settings.apk or TVsettings.apk from /system/priv-app/ to /system/app/ directory. This usually will make the System app that was not visible in app drawer now visible. Just make sure to reset folder and files permissions when copy/paste so they will work correctly. Examples the folder is rwxr-xr-x and files are rw-r--r-- in your system partition.

[jamaroney]

Thanks for the prompt suggestions. The sidebar settings app on my box is named com.android.tv.settings.

I installed TVAppRepo, but it can't be opened. It's there in my list of installed system apps, but the only options are "Force Stop" or "Uninstall". The same with the shortcut link I produced from the website you listed.

I have root access, and moved the TVsettings.apk to /system/app (w/ correct permissions), but that yielded no success as well.

[jamaroney]

I figured out a workaround....

I can have the sidebar settings appear if I enter the following command via terminal or SSH:

su -c am start -a android.intent.action.MAIN -n com.android.tv.settings/com.android.tv.settings.MainSettings

I set up a shortcut on my laptop to enable it easily, but it would be great if that command could be setup as an app icon directly on my box.

[RiCkLaR_atvX]

jamaroney i think I found the solution for you, and it is an App easily downloaded from Google Play:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...rtcut&hl=en_US

EDIT: QuickShortcutMaker app is old, last updated in 2014, so wasn't available to download straight to Tvbox with Pie. Workaround is to use Aurora Store to download and install on newer android systems.

[jamaroney]

Thanks for the suggestion. I had already tried that app, but it didn't create the shortcut, even though it said it had. Another similar app said that my preferred launcher - as well as the box's original launcher - didn't support the adding of shortcuts, so I think the problem lies in my system's makeup.

However, the app you mentioned helped me to get the necessary info which led me to the command I now use in my earlier post.

Given how infrequently I need to access the sidebar settings app, the command I set up will suit my needs.

[RiCkLaR_atvX]

Thanks for the suggestion. I had already tried that app, but it didn't create the shortcut, even though it said it had.
....
However, the app you mentioned helped me to get the necessary info which led me to the command I now use in my earlier post.
Given how infrequently I need to access the sidebar settings app, the command I set up will suit my needs.

Ok, I admit I didn't try to make an actual shortcut with the QuickShortcutMaker; but it works were you don't need to use the computer to submit the ADB command. Use the app to be a portal to get to the actual TVsettings.

Here is what I did: I opened the app and found and clicked the TVsettings Activity "com.android.tv.settings/com.android.tv.settings.MainSettings" then Clicked "Try" which opens the TVsettings sidebar. So, with the app being able to do that I deemed it a success, lol it worked good enough for me.

[jamaroney]

Here is what I did: I opened the app and found and clicked the TVsettings Activity "com.android.tv.settings/com.android.tv.settings.MainSettings" then Clicked "Try" which opens the TVsettings sidebar.

It worked the same way for me, and it gave me the proper info to set up a one-click SSH script for my laptop via Putty.