| page.title=Watch Face Complications |
| meta.keywords="wear-preview" |
| page.tags="wear-preview" |
| page.image=/wear/preview/images/complications-main-image.png |
| @jd:body |
| |
| <div id="qv-wrapper"> |
| <div id="qv"> |
| <h2>In this document</h2> |
| <ol> |
| <li> |
| <a href="#adding_complications_to_a_watch_face">Adding |
| Complications to a Watch Face</a> |
| </li> |
| <li> |
| <a href="#exposing_data_to_complications">Exposing Data to |
| Complications</a> |
| </li> |
| <li> |
| <a href="#using_complication_types">Using Complication Types</a> |
| </li> |
| <li> |
| <a href="#using_fields_for_complication_data">Using Fields for |
| Complication Data</a> |
| </li> |
| <li> |
| <a href="#api_additions">API Additions</a> |
| </li> |
| </ol> |
| <h2>See Also</h2> |
| <ol> |
| <li><a class="external-link" |
| href="https://github.com/googlesamples/android-WatchFace">Watch |
| Face sample app with complications</a></li> |
| </ol> |
| </div> |
| </div> |
| |
| <p> |
| A complication is any feature in a watch face that displays <a href= |
| "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complication_(horology)">more than hours and |
| minutes</a>. For example, a battery indicator is a complication. The |
| Complications API is for both watch faces and data provider apps. |
| </p> |
| |
| <div class="col-4of10"> |
| <img src="../images/complications-main-image.png" alt="Complications" |
| id="img-split-screen"> |
| </div> |
| |
| <p> |
| Watch faces can display extra information without needing code for |
| getting the underlying data. Data providers can supply data (such as |
| battery level, weather, or step-count data) to any watch face using the |
| API. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| Along with reviewing this page, download the Android Wear 2.0 Preview |
| Reference (see the Complications API <a href= |
| "#api_additions">additions</a>) and review the Javadoc for complications. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| Apps that provide data to watch faces for complications are called |
| "complication data providers." These apps are not responsible for controlling |
| how their data is rendered on the watch face. |
| This allows a watch face to integrate the data naturally with the |
| watch face design. |
| The consuming watch faces are responsible for drawing |
| the complications. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| Watch faces can receive complication data of |
| <a href="#using_complication_types">various types</a> (e.g. small text |
| data or icon data) and then display it. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| As indicated in the diagram below, Android Wear mediates the flow of data |
| from providers to watch faces. |
| </p> |
| |
| <img src="../images/complications-data-flow.png" width="" alt= |
| "Complications data flow" title="Complications data flow"> |
| |
| <p> |
| For creating or modifying watch faces, see <a href= |
| "#adding_complications_to_a_watch_face">Adding complications to a watch |
| face</a>. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| For writing apps that provide data to watch faces, see <a href= |
| "#exposing_data_to_complications">Exposing data to complications</a>. |
| </p> |
| |
| <h2 id="adding_complications_to_a_watch_face"> |
| Adding Complications to a Watch Face |
| </h2> |
| |
| <p> |
| Watch face developers can receive complication data and enable users to |
| select providers for that data. Additionally, Android Wear provides a |
| <a href="#allowing_users_to_choose_data_providers">user interface for |
| data source selection</a>. |
| </p> |
| |
| <h3 id="receiving_data_and_rendering_complications"> |
| Receiving data and rendering complications |
| </h3> |
| |
| <p> |
| To start receiving complication data, a watch face calls |
| <code>setActiveComplications</code> within the |
| <code>WatchFaceService.Engine</code> class with a list of watch face |
| complication IDs. A watch face creates these IDs to uniquely identify |
| slots on the watch face where complications can appear, and passes them |
| to the <code>createProviderChooserIntent</code> method (of the |
| <code>ProviderChooserIntent</code> class) to allow the user to decide |
| which complication should go in which slot. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| Complication data is delivered via the |
| <code>onComplicationDataUpdate</code> (of |
| <code>WatchFaceService.Engine</code>) callback. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| The watch face may render the data as desired as long as the expected |
| fields are represented; the required fields should always be included and |
| the data should be represented in some way. Depending on the type, some |
| of the optional fields should also be included (see the Notes column in |
| the <a href="#types_and_fields">table</a> below). |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| We provide design guidelines for our style, as a suggestion for standard |
| complications, but developers can use their own styles or incorporate the |
| data into the watch face in different ways. |
| </p> |
| |
| <h3 id="allowing_users_to_choose_data_providers"> |
| Allowing users to choose data providers |
| </h3> |
| |
| <p> |
| Android Wear provides a user interface (via an Activity) that enables |
| users to choose providers for a particular complication. Watch faces can |
| call the <code>createProviderChooserIntent</code> method to obtain an |
| intent that can be used to show the chooser interface. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| This intent must be used with <code>startActivityForResult</code>. When a |
| watch face calls <code>createProviderChooserIntent</code>, the watch face |
| supplies a watch face complication ID and a list of supported types. The |
| types should be listed in order of preference, usually with types |
| offering more information, such as ranged value, given higher preference. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| When the user selects a data provider, the configuration is saved |
| automatically; nothing more is required from the watch face. |
| </p> |
| |
| <h3 id="user_interactions_with_complications"> |
| User interactions with complications |
| </h3> |
| |
| <p> |
| Providers can specify an action that occurs if the user taps on a |
| complication, so it should be possible for most complications to be |
| tappable. This action will be specified as a <code>PendingIntent</code> |
| included in the <code>ComplicationData</code> object. The watch face is |
| responsible for detecting taps on complications, and should fire the |
| pending intent when a tap occurs. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| It may be infeasible to make some complications tappable (e.g., in the |
| case of a complication that fills the entire background of the watch |
| face), but it is expected that watch faces accept taps on complications |
| where possible. |
| </p> |
| |
| <h2 id="exposing_data_to_complications"> |
| Exposing Data to Complications |
| </h2> |
| |
| <p> |
| A complication data provider is a service that extends |
| <code>ComplicationProviderService</code>. To respond to update requests |
| from the system, your data provider must implement the |
| <code>onComplicationUpdate</code> method of the |
| <code>ComplicationProviderService</code> class. This method will be |
| called when the system wants data from your provider - this could be when |
| a complication using your provider becomes active, or when a fixed amount |
| of time has passed. A <code>ComplicationManager</code> object is passed |
| as a parameter to the <code>onComplicationUpdate</code> method, and can |
| be used to send data back to the system. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| In your app's manifest, declare the service and add an intent filter for |
| the following: |
| </p> |
| |
| <pre> |
| android.support.wearable.complications.ACTION_COMPLICATION_UPDATE_REQUEST |
| </pre> |
| <p> |
| The service's manifest entry should also include an |
| <code>android:icon</code> attribute. The provided icon should be a |
| single-color white icon. Vector drawables are recommended for the icons. |
| An icon should represent the provider and will be shown in the provider |
| chooser. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| Include metadata to specify the supported types, update period, and |
| configuration action, if required; for details, download the Android Wear |
| 2.0 Preview Reference and see the keys listed for the |
| <code>ComplicationProviderService</code> class (in the Javadoc; see |
| <a href="#api_additions">API Additions</a>). |
| </p> |
| |
| <h3 id="update_period"> |
| Update period |
| </h3> |
| |
| <p> |
| Your provider can specify an update period using the following metadata |
| key in the manifest: |
| </p> |
| |
| <pre> |
| android.support.wearable.complications.UPDATE_PERIOD_SECONDS |
| </pre> |
| <p> |
| This should be set to as long a time as possible, as updating too |
| frequently may impact battery life. Note that update requests are not |
| guaranteed to be sent with this frequency. The system does apply a |
| minimum update period, and in particular, updates requests may come less |
| often when the device is in ambient mode or is not being worn. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| You can alternatively use a "push style" to send updates, rather than |
| requesting updates on a fixed schedule. To do so, you can set the update |
| period to 0 so scheduled update requests do not occur (or set it to a |
| non-zero value) and use a <code>ProviderUpdateRequester</code> to trigger |
| calls to <code>onComplicationUpdate</code> as required. |
| </p> |
| |
| <h3 id="provider_configuration"> |
| Provider configuration |
| </h3> |
| |
| <p> |
| If required, a provider can include a configuration activity that is |
| shown to the user when the user chooses a data provider. To include the |
| configuration activity, include a metadata item in the provider service |
| declaration in the manifest with a key of the following: |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| <code>android.support.wearable.complications.PROVIDER_CONFIG_ACTION</code> |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| The value can be an action of your choice. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| Then create the configuration activity with an intent filter for that |
| action. The configuration activity must reside in the same package as the |
| provider. The configuration activity must return <code>RESULT_OK</code> or |
| <code>RESULT_CANCELED</code>, to tell the system whether the provider |
| should be set. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| The configuration activity may also be used as an opportunity to request |
| any permissions required by the provider. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| For details, download the Android Wear 2.0 Preview Reference (see |
| <a href="#api_additions">API Additions</a>), containing the Javadoc, and |
| see the following in the <code>ComplicationProviderService</code> class: |
| </p> |
| |
| <pre> |
| METADATA_KEY_PROVIDER_CONFIG_ACTION |
| </pre> |
| |
| <h2 id="using_complication_types"> |
| Using Complication Types |
| </h2> |
| |
| <p> |
| Complication types determine the kinds of data shown in a complication. |
| For example, the <code>SHORT_TEXT</code> type is available when the key |
| data is a short string. In the example of the <code>SHORT_TEXT</code> |
| type, optional data are an icon and a short title. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| Data providers use these complication types differently from the way |
| watch face providers use these types: |
| </p> |
| |
| <ul> |
| <li>A data provider chooses the types of complication data to supply. For |
| example, a step count provider might support the |
| <code>RANGED_VALUE</code> and <code>SHORT_TEXT</code> types, whereas a |
| "next meeting" provider might support the <code>SHORT_TEXT</code> and |
| <code>LONG_TEXT</code> types. The data provider also chooses which |
| optional fields of those types to include. |
| </li> |
| |
| <li>A watch face provider chooses how many complication types to support. |
| For example, a round complication on a watch face might support the |
| <code>SHORT_TEXT</code>, <code>ICON</code> and <code>RANGED_VALUE</code> |
| types, whereas a gauge on the watch face might support only the |
| <code>RANGED_VALUE</code> type. |
| </li> |
| </ul> |
| |
| <p> |
| A <code>ComplicationData</code> object will always have a single |
| complication type. Each complication type has required and optional |
| fields. Generally, a required field represents the primary piece of data; |
| most types take their name from the required field. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| A given type may include different sets of fields. For example, |
| <code>SHORT_TEXT</code> may be just a single piece of text, or a title |
| and text, or an icon and text. A complication that supports a given type |
| must be able to display all the expected variants. However, some optional |
| fields do not need to be displayed (see the <em>Notes</em> column of the |
| table below). For example, the Short title field of the |
| <code>RANGED_VALUE</code> type is not required so that, for example, |
| gauges can be shown without including text. |
| </p> |
| |
| <h3 id="examples_of_complication_types"> |
| Examples of Complication Types |
| </h3> |
| |
| <p> |
| The following shows examples of complication types: |
| </p> |
| <img src="../images/complication-type-exs.png" width="" alt= |
| "Complication types" title="Complications types - examples"> |
| |
| |
| <h3 id="types_and_fields"> |
| Types and fields |
| </h3> |
| |
| <p> |
| The following table describes the types and fields of the |
| <code>ComplicationData</code> object. |
| </p> |
| |
| <table> |
| <tr> |
| <th style="width:175px"> |
| Type |
| </th> |
| <th style="width:175px"> |
| Required fields |
| </th> |
| <th style="width:175px"> |
| Optional fields |
| </th> |
| <th> |
| Notes |
| </th> |
| </tr> |
| |
| <tr> |
| <td> |
| SHORT_TEXT |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| Short text |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| Icon<br> |
| Short title |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| Exactly one of Icon/Short title is expected to be shown if either or |
| both are provided. |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| |
| <tr> |
| <td> |
| ICON |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| Icon |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| Used when text is not needed.The icon is expected to be single-color, |
| and may be tinted by the watch face. |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| |
| <tr> |
| <td> |
| RANGED_VALUE |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| Value<br> |
| Min value<br> |
| Max value |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| Icon<br> |
| Short text<br> |
| Short title |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| Optional fields are not guaranteed to be displayed. |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| |
| <tr> |
| <td> |
| LONG_TEXT |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| Long text |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| Long title<br> |
| Icon<br> |
| Small image |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| Title is expected to be shown if provided. |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| |
| <tr> |
| <td> |
| SMALL_IMAGE |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| Small image |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| A small image has one of two styles: <em>photo style</em> or <em>icon |
| style</em>. Photo style means it should fill the space and can be |
| cropped; icon style means it should not be cropped and may be padded. |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| |
| <tr> |
| <td> |
| LARGE_IMAGE |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| Large image |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| This image is expected to be large enough to fill the watch face. |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| </table> |
| |
| <p> |
| In addition, the following two types have no fields. These two types may |
| be sent for any complication slot and do not need to be included in a |
| list of supported types: |
| </p> |
| |
| <table> |
| <tr> |
| <th style="width:175px"> |
| Type |
| </th> |
| <th style="width:175px"> |
| Required fields |
| </th> |
| <th style="width:175px"> |
| Optional fields |
| </th> |
| <th> |
| Notes |
| </th> |
| </tr> |
| |
| <tr> |
| <td> |
| NOT_CONFIGURED |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| None |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| None |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| Sent when a provider has not yet been chosen for a complication. |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| |
| <tr> |
| <td> |
| EMPTY |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| None |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| None |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| Sent by a provider when there is no data to display in a |
| complication, or sent by the system when nothing should be shown in a |
| complication. |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| </table> |
| |
| <h2 id="using_fields_for_complication_data"> |
| Using Fields for Complication Data |
| </h2> |
| |
| <p> |
| The fields of a <code>ComplicationData</code> object have different |
| functions. For example, a text field contains the primary data while a |
| title field is descriptive; a step count complication might have a text |
| field value of "2,543" with a title field value of "steps." |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| The following table contains descriptions of the fields in a |
| <code>ComplicationData</code> object. The fields may or may not be |
| populated, depending on the complication type. |
| </p> |
| |
| <table> |
| <tr> |
| <th style="width:175px"> |
| Field |
| </th> |
| <th> |
| Description |
| </th> |
| </tr> |
| |
| <tr> |
| <td> |
| Short text |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| Primary text field for small complications. Should not exceed 7 |
| characters. |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| |
| <tr> |
| <td> |
| Icon |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| A single-color image representing the data or the source of the data. |
| Must be tintable. Vector drawables are recommended for this field. |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| |
| <tr> |
| <td> |
| Short title |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| Descriptive field for small complications. Should not exceed 7 |
| characters. May only be meaningful in combination with <em>Short |
| text</em>. |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| |
| <tr> |
| <td> |
| Long text |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| Primary data field for large, text-based complications. |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| |
| <tr> |
| <td> |
| Long title |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| Descriptive field for large, text-based complications. May only be |
| meaningful in combination with <em>Long text</em>. |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| |
| <tr> |
| <td> |
| Value |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| A numerical (float) representation of the data. Expected to be |
| depicted relative to the bounds the <em>Min value</em> and <em>Max |
| value</em> fields (but not required to be between those bounds). |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| |
| <tr> |
| <td> |
| Min value |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| The lower bound for the range within which <em>Value</em> should be |
| depicted. Only meaningful in combination with <em>Value</em> and |
| <em>Max value</em>. |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| |
| <tr> |
| <td> |
| Max value |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| The upper bound for the range within which <em>value</em> should be |
| depicted. Only meaningful in combination with <em>Value</em> and |
| <em>Min value</em>. |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| |
| <tr> |
| <td> |
| Small image |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| A small image to represent the data or the source of the data. May be |
| full color. Not expected to fill the entire watch face. |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| |
| <tr> |
| <td> |
| Large image |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| An image with sufficient resolution to fill the watch face. May be |
| full color. |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| </table> |
| |
| <h3 id="providing_time-dependent_values"> |
| Providing time-dependent values |
| </h3> |
| |
| <p> |
| Some complications need to display a value that relates to the current |
| time. Examples include the current date, the time until the next meeting, |
| or the time in another time zone. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| Providers of such data should not need to update a complication every |
| second/minute to keep those values up to date. Instead, they can specify |
| the values as relative to the current date or time. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| Providers can use the builders in the <code>ComplicationText</code> class |
| to create these time-dependent values. |
| </p> |
| |
| <h2 id="api_additions"> |
| API Additions |
| </h2> |
| |
| <p> |
| The Complications API includes new classes in the Wearable Support |
| Library. For more information, download the <a href= |
| "{@docRoot}wear/preview/start.html#get_the_preview_reference_documentation"> |
| Android Wear 2.0 Preview Reference</a>. |
| </p> |
| |
| <ul> |
| <li> |
| <code>ComplicationData</code> |
| <ul> |
| <li>Parcelable (using a Bundle internally); immutable |
| </li> |
| |
| <li>Represents all types of complication data |
| </li> |
| |
| <li>Includes a Builder for instance creation |
| </li> |
| </ul> |
| </li> |
| |
| <li> |
| <code>ComplicationText</code> |
| <ul> |
| <li>Used to supply text-based values in a |
| <code>ComplicationData</code> object |
| </li> |
| |
| <li>Includes options for time-dependent values, whose text value |
| depends on the current time |
| </li> |
| </ul> |
| </li> |
| |
| <li> |
| <code>ComplicationProviderService</code> |
| <ul> |
| <li>Extends <code>Service</code> and includes callback methods to |
| respond to the complication system |
| </li> |
| |
| <li>Callback methods are all called on the main thread |
| </li> |
| </ul> |
| </li> |
| |
| <li> |
| <code>ComplicationManager</code> |
| <ul> |
| <li>A wrapper for the complication manager service, for use by |
| providers |
| </li> |
| |
| <li>Allows providers to send complication data to the system |
| </li> |
| </ul> |
| </li> |
| |
| <li> |
| <code>ProviderChooserIntent</code> |
| <ul> |
| <li>Non-instantiable utility class |
| </li> |
| |
| <li>Includes a method that a watch face can call for starting a |
| provider chooser (to allow a user to configure complications) |
| </li> |
| </ul> |
| </li> |
| |
| <li> |
| <code>ProviderInfoRetriever</code> |
| <ul> |
| <li>Can be used (by watch face configuration activities) to retrieve |
| the current data provider information (app, provider name, icon) for |
| all complications belonging to a watch face |
| </li> |
| </ul> |
| </li> |
| |
| <li> |
| <code>ProviderUpdateRequester</code> |
| <ul> |
| <li>Can be used by data provider apps to trigger calls to |
| <code>onComplicationUpdated</code> in their provider service, to |
| enable the push of updates |
| </li> |
| </ul> |
| </li> |
| </ul> |
| |
| <p> |
| Additionally, the <code>WatchFaceService.Engine</code> class contains the |
| following new methods: |
| </p> |
| |
| <ul> |
| <li> |
| <code>setActiveComplications</code> |
| <ul> |
| <li>Should be called by the watch face to tell the |
| <code>ComplicationManager</code> object what complication slots are |
| available and what types are supported |
| </li> |
| </ul> |
| </li> |
| |
| <li> |
| <code>onComplicationDataUpdate</code> |
| <ul> |
| <li>Called by the <code>ComplicationManager</code> object to send |
| complication data to the watch face |
| </li> |
| </ul> |
| </li> |
| </ul> |