Skip to content

Application

The Application category allows the administrator to manage Android applications on devices. From this category, you can perform the following actions:

Install app from APK

Define the Android applications to be installed on devices from APK files stored in the Genydeploy host computer.

To add an application:

  1. Click Add and Install app from APK.

  2. Select your application in either of the following ways:

    • Click Select from computer and browse for your APK file.
    • Click Select from device and select the device from which you wish to retrieve an application, as well as its application package name.

  3. Since Android 6.0, permissions are requested upon first use. To allow all permissions during installation, check the Grant permissions box.

  4. If you want to display a shortcut on the home screen of devices, check the Shortcut box.
  5. Click Apply.

You must then define scripts that correspond to the device models you wish to configure:

  1. Select the tab of the device model you wish to configure.
  2. In Script Library, select the script with the match rate closest to your device model1.

  3. Create or complete the script using commands listed in the right-hand panel. The use of each command is detailed in section Script Commands.

    Tip

    • When a command is added, you can drag and drop it to run the script in the order of your choice.
    • The Expert mode allows users with good knowledge of script edition to write their script directly in XML.

  4. At anytime during script creation, you can test all or part of the script by selecting the commands to be tested and clicking Test. Commands being tested are then highlighted. You can abort the test by clicking Stop.

  5. If your script runs properly, click Add to script library.
  6. Repeat those steps for other device models.
  7. Click Apply.

Install app from Play Store

Define the Android applications to be installed on devices from Google Play Store.

To add an application, click Add and Install app from Play Store. Then, select your application in either of the following ways:

  • Click Select from device and select the device from which you wish to retrieve an application, as well as its application package name.

  • Enter the package name of the application to install. From Google Play Store, it corresponds to the value shown into brackets:

    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=[com.example.myapp]

You must then define scripts that correspond to the device models you wish to configure:

  1. Select the tab of the device model you wish to configure.
  2. In Script Library, select the script with the match rate closest to your device model1.

  3. Create or complete the script using commands listed in the right-hand panel. The use of each command is detailed in section Scripts Commands.

    Tip

    • When a command is added, you can drag and drop it to run the script in the order of your choice.
    • The Expert mode allows users with good knowledge of script edition to write their script directly in XML.

  4. At anytime during script creation, you can test all or part of the script by selecting the commands to be tested and clicking Test. Commands being tested are then highlighted. You can abort the test by clicking Stop.

  5. If your script runs properly, click Add to script library.
  6. Repeat those steps for other device models.
  7. Click Apply.

Uninstall applications

Uninstall an Android application from devices.

Some system or manufacturer applications cannot be uninstalled from devices. In this case, Genydeploy disables them.

To uninstall an application, click Add > Uninstall app and select your application in either of the following ways:

  • Click Select from device and select the device from which you wish to select an application to uninstall, as well as its application package name.

  • Enter the package name of the application to uninstall. From Google Play Store, it corresponds to the value shown into brackets:

    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=[com.example.myapp]

Click Apply to validate.

Restore application backup

Backup the settings of an application from a connected device in order to further restore it on devices:

  1. Click Add and Restore app backup.
  2. Click Browse and select the device from which you want to back up the settings of an application.
  3. From the Application package name drop-down list, select the application from which you want to back up the settings.
  4. Check Back up the entire application to install the application prior to restoring its settings if it is not already installed on the device.
  5. Click Back up.
  6. On the device, confirm the backup by clicking Back up my data.

  7. To protect the backup file and thus avoid a backup restoration by an unauthorized person and the risk of having your data stolen, you can add a password in Password (optional).2

    If the password entered in this field does not match the password entered manually in the device when creating the backup, the backup restoration will fail in a silent way.

  8. Click Apply.

Set application or service

Configure an application already installed on devices or a device parameter using a custom script.

To configure an application or a parameter:

  1. Click Add and Set app or service.
  2. In Name, give the script a relevant name.
  3. Select the tab of the device model you wish to configure.

  4. Configure the script using commands listed in the right-hand panel. The use of each command is detailed in section Scripts Commands.

    Tip

    • When a command is added, you can drag and drop it to run the script in the order of your choice.
    • The Expert mode allows users with good knowledge of script edition to write their script directly in XML.

  5. At anytime during script creation, you can test all or part of the script by selecting the commands to be tested and clicking Test. Commands being tested are then highlighted. You can abort the test by clicking Stop.

  6. If your script runs properly, click Add to script library.
  7. Repeat those steps for other device models.
  8. Click Apply.

Run ADB commands

During the creation of your configuration, you may need to perform an action specific to your needs, not covered by the scope of Genydeploy. Genydeploy uses the ADB communication protocol. Therefore, this feature allows you to customize a command in order to perform a specific action.

To run a specific command:

  1. Click Add and Run ADB command.

  2. In the ADB command field, enter the command you wish to run.

    Example: Set a specific application as DeviceOwner

    shell dpm set-device-owner com.example.kiosk_mode/.AdminReceiver

  3. Click Apply.

Wait for application installation

When you install an application (e.g. an EMM application), it can require you to download other applications in parallel. This feature checks that one of those applications is actually installed before moving on to the deployment of the next feature.

To define the applications to be checked prior to proceeding with the deployment of the configuration:

  1. Click Add and Wait for app installation.
  2. In Application package name, enter the name of the application for which the installation must be checked.

  3. Select the application for which the installation must be checked in either of the following ways:

    • Click Select from device and select the device from which you wish to select an application, as well as its application package name.
    • Enter the package name of the application. From Google Play Store, it corresponds to the value shown into brackets: 
      https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=[com.example.myapp]

  4. Click Apply.

Allow unknown sources

By default, Android forbids installation of applications from outside of the Google Play Store. This feature will allow the installation of these applications in the parameters.

To enable or disable this settings during the deployment of the configuration:

  1. Click Add and Allow unknown sources.
  2. Set the Allow unknown sources switch to choose if you want to allow or forbid it.
  3. Click Apply.

Replay sequence

Automate a series of actions before having enabled ADB. To do so, you record a series of actions performed via a USB-connected mouse. The series of actions is then replayed on all devices.

For example, when you start a device for the first time, the setup wizard requests to click various options. You can record those actions in order not to repeat them on all devices.

This feature is available on Linux only.

To automate actions using the mouse:

  1. Click Add and Replay sequence.
  2. Connect your mouse to a USB port.

  3. Fill the following fields:

    • Name: Specify a name for the sequence to automate.
    • Mouse: Select your mouse.
    • Device: Select the device on which the sequence will be recorded.

  4. Click Record.

  5. From the device, perform the actions to automate.
  6. Press Q to stop recording.
  7. Click Apply.

  1. Cloud scripts are the ones pre-configured in Genydeploy, while local scripts are the ones that you previously added to the script library. ↩↩

  2. If the device is ciphered, Android will force you to use a password. ↩

Back to top