How to set a Qt app for Android as a Launcher?

[a.burks]

Creating a Qt and QML app for Android is very convenient with Qt Creator. It’s perfect for quick prototypes. Is it also possible to setup a Qt app as an Android Launcher. I have realized, that Qt Creator creates the Android project structure in the build directory, that includes the AndroidManifest.xml file.

In Android Studio it’s quite simple to setup an app as a launcher by a small modification for the intend filter:

<intent-filter>
    <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
    <category android:name="android.intent.category.HOME" />
    <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
</intent-filter>

Can I configure my Qt project in a way, that modifies this intend filter?

[SGaist]

Hi,

AFAIK, you can generate the AndroidManifest.xml for your project within the sources. You can then modify it the way you want it.

[a.burks]

@sgaist Thanks for your reply. Sounds promising. How can I set up a manifest file? I had a look at the Qt Notifier example project. I assume the following parts of the .pro file are relevant I have to add to my .pro file:

QT += quick androidextras
ANDROID_PACKAGE_SOURCE_DIR = $$PWD/android-sources
OTHER_FILES += \
   android-sources/AndroidManifest.xml

A have also seen, that Qt Creator is able to parse the manifest file and display a form. Here I can define the app name and app icon. Very useful. However the form doesn’t allow to edit the activity and intent filter. So I have to open the text editor.

Do you have a suggestion how to create a manifest file? I may take the one, that is automatically created during the build process of my project?

[SGaist]

See the Editing Manifest File section in the Android deployment part of the Qt Creator documentation.

[a.burks]

@sgaist Perfect. This works. Thanks

[J.Hilk]

@a-burks great that it works for you, don't forget to use the topic tools to set the topic to solved 😉

[a.burks]

@j-hilk Thanks. I'll do. I just have to test editing the Manifest file to define the app as a launcher. I realized, that I have to switch from the form view to the text view of this file in Qt Creator.

[Pablo J. Rogina]

This post is deleted!

[bassoudilus]

Hi All,

I'm also new to this topic,

I used the same intent defintion in androidmanifest xml file but Android is not considering my app to be a launcher app (nothing happens when I press on home button)

    <activity android:name="org.qtproject.qt.android.bindings.QtActivity" android:configChanges="orientation|uiMode|screenLayout|screenSize|smallestScreenSize|layoutDirection|locale|fontScale|keyboard|keyboardHidden|navigation|mcc|mnc|density" android:label="-- %%INSERT_APP_NAME%% --" android:launchMode="singleApp" android:screenOrientation="unspecified" android:exported="true">
        <intent-filter>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN"/>
            <category android:name="android.intent.category.HOME"/>
            <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT"/>
        </intent-filter>
        <meta-data android:name="android.app.lib_name" android:value="-- %%INSERT_APP_LIB_NAME%% --"/>
        <meta-data android:name="android.app.arguments" android:value="-- %%INSERT_APP_ARGUMENTS%% --"/>
        <meta-data android:name="android.app.extract_android_style" android:value="minimal"/>
    </activity>
    <provider android:name="androidx.core.content.FileProvider" android:authorities="${applicationId}.qtprovider" android:exported="false" android:grantUriPermissions="true">
        <meta-data android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS" android:resource="@xml/qtprovider_paths"/>
    </provider>
</application>