[Feature Request] Show sticky notification when app is active

[valerieashborne]

Show sticky notification in notification tray, when app is currently active (meaning user toggled switch in app).
The notification could have button to stop/start.
The body of notification could show current amount of people the user is helping, amount of upload/download traffic.

The notification should be configurable, meaning user can easily disable it or never enable in the first place, since it might be reveal that user have something to do with tor network, which may be problematic.

[sdsantos]

Show sticky notification in notification tray, when app is currently active (meaning user toggled switch in app). The notification could have button to stop/start. The body of notification could show current amount of people the user is helping, amount of upload/download traffic.

The notification should be configurable, meaning user can easily disable it or never enable in the first place, since it might be reveal that user have something to do with tor network, which may be problematic.

Android requires the app to show a notification to run a background service when the app is closed. But unless the user actually enables the app notification permission, that notification stays hidden.

So, if you go the app settings inside the Android settings, you can grant the app notification permission and start seeing a permanent notification (just with how much people you are helping). And if you revoke the permission, it should go away.

But since a notification is required, it's harder to turn this into configuration inside the app. The only way to disable it would be to revoke the permission inside the Android settings, the app can't do it for you. Maybe this will stay as an hidden feature until we write a more complete FAQ for the app.

[valerieashborne]

Does app could open notification settings of said app in android? I think, some apps do that when they want user to give notification permission.

If so, this could be used to guide user.

Maybe this will stay as an hidden feature until we write a more complete FAQ for the app.

Yes, but be aware that close to nobody will read that FAQ, especially if it requires to read it outside of app itself. Maybe this could be briefly and more organically explained in app.

[sdsantos]

Does app could open notification settings of said app in android? I think, some apps do that when they want user to give notification permission.

If so, this could be used to guide user.

From what I could find, you can only take users to the Android app settings screen, and not to the Notifications settings screen directly. They have to tap that option themselves, which does not help much the usability of things.

Plus, that permission was only introduced on Android 13. So for older versions, we still need to show the foreground service notification, and we can't use that trick to hide it. 😬

Maybe this will stay as an hidden feature until we write a more complete FAQ for the app.

Yes, but be aware that close to nobody will read that FAQ, especially if it requires to read it outside of app itself. Maybe this could be briefly and more organically explained in app.

I know, I guess it would be something like the About screen, just expanded.

Maybe the best compromise is Settings configuration, only for Android 13+ users. The setting would ask for notifications permissions to enable, or explain everything to disable, and open the Android app settings. 🤷