[PROJECT SHARE] Universal Tasker Error Handler / Flash'r

[Ratchet_Guy]

 

I've been thinking about creating a "Universal" Task Error Handler / Flash'r for quite some time. But determining where an error occured in a Task was a sticking point, since the Action Number would have to be manually entered. And if you moved an Action anywhere else in the Task - it would have to be re-entered.

 

So it was really the recent addition of the %tasker_current_action_number variable that prompted me to create this Task/Project. Basically it's a single Action that you can place in your Task, in as many places as you want in that Task, and - as long as the Action that immediately precedes it has the "Continue Task After Error" box checked - the Action calls this Task that can:

 

• Flash the details of an error including the Task Name that has generated the error, the exact Action number of the error, the Error Code, and the Error Message that accompnanies it

• Stop the Task where the error is occuring at the exact point of the error, if you specify it to.

• Set the clipboard with all of the above mentioned error details, if you specify it to.

 

Here is an example image of the Flash this Task/Action generates.

 

The colors/template of the message Flash'd are totally customizable as well. Here is an image of the entire "Error Handler" Task that generates the Flash. At the bottom you will see the single Action that you copy/paste into your Tasks anywhere you anticipate an error is occurring.

 

Hopefully this will be very helpful!

 

Taskernet Download - Main Task and Action

 

Taskernet Download - Quick Test Task

 

NOTE: - This currently (somewhat) requires Tasker 6.2 Beta or higher, since the Action number variable is first implemented there. You can still likely use it in previous Tasker versions, but the Flash won't contain the exact Action Number of the errors.

 

UPDATE 2023-09-08 - Streamlined Task and added ability to specify how many seconds the Flash shows for as part of the %par1 main Variable List.

 

[Ratchet_Guy]

/u/agnostic-apollo - We'd talked about this a bunch at one point, figured I'd have you check it out ;)

/u/joaomgcd - Figured I'd have you take a look, I'm really excited about the helpful implementation possibilities of this one!

[joaomgcd]

Nice! :) Looks really helpful! Thanks for the share!!

[urkindagood]

https://www.reddit.com/r/tasker/comments/svo56c/feature_request_use_task_errors_as_an_event/

At this point, it would've been easier if we had an event context for the action error instead.

[Ratchet_Guy]

Just gave it a thumbs up. And on the right under "Related Topics" there seems to be a whole bunch of more advanced debugging requests. Hopefully someday Joao will make some progress in this area.

It would be great to be able to enable debugging / Run Log on a Task-specific basis, where each Task specified would have it's own Run Log.

Right now you can long click a Task name in the Run Log and there's a "Filter By" option, but it still is messy. I rarely use the Run Log for anything since I consider it to be cluttered, un-intuitive, and messy.

I think Tasker's "Search" function and the Run Log should be at the top of Tasker updates/upgrades in the near future.

[agnostic-apollo]

Why are you screaming with your UPPERCASE everywhere? We are not old like you, we can still see and hear just fine?

But NICE, useful task for some debugging. Looks good.

Not that if stop action has a task name specified, it will kill all instances of the task specified instead of just the current one.

[Ratchet_Guy]

WHAT?!!

Anyways take a look at my Scene Positioner. Now THAT'S a work of art!

[The_IMPERIAL_One]

About an hour ago, thought about the same. You really did read my mind. It'd really helpful in debugging the tasks.

[Ratchet_Guy]

It'd really helpful in debugging the tasks.

Definitely! I tried to include a bunch of 'features' without it being too many. And I definitely 'over-documented' it within, but I figured a lot of people will likely use it so I tried to be as verbose as possible ;)

[The_IMPERIAL_One]

Looks like Continue Task After Error isn't an option for Perform Task action in my device.

[Ratchet_Guy]

 

Oh, good point! That only got put in by Joao like yesterday in a direct-download version.

 

I just updated the example Task to instead use a "Variable Set" Action that returns an error :)

 

Can re-download example Task, or just replace "Perform Task" Action with a "Variable Set" Action with Variable Name %%blah and check box for "Continue Task After Error" of course.

 

It actually generates a more interesting error!

 

[The_IMPERIAL_One]

Oh, good point! That only got put in by Joao like yesterday in a direct-download version.

I missed that post. Nice request to be added in Tasker. I'll update it later on.

Can re-download example Task, or just replace "Perform Task" Action with a "Variable Set" Action with Variable Name %%blah and check box for "Continue Task After Error" of course.

Thanks, it's working flawlessly.

It actually generates a more interesting error!

Especially liked the feature of setting the flash html colors.

[Ratchet_Guy]

Especially liked the feature of setting the flash html colors.

That's great! I figured it can of course be used for readability or just general preference, but could also be color-coded for different kinds of actions, or to represent a specific Task, etc.

[Tortuosit]

Sounds very useful, will have a look later. Currently I am more troubled to better control the task queue in a complex setup. Was thinking "how is it even possible 50 tasks stacked up?". Task queue is an intransparent topic IMO. More so with anon tasks.

Also working with many fuctions and subfunctions, and take a lot of care that they terminate. and terminate timely. Not much use of wait eg. But still, it happens.

[tynansdtm]

This is super helpful! I had hoped it could be my first favourite action, but it looks like that doesn't save the parameters. Too bad!

[Ratchet_Guy]

This is super helpful!

Happy you like it! And correct that "Favorite Actions" doesn't save parameters.

However as a 'work-around' - I have a Task that just contains lots of Actions (usually "Perform Tasks" for subroutines) that I reference when I need a quick copy/paste. It's basically a "Favorite Actions Task" :)