Add --start-app

Add a command line option --start-app=name to start an Android app by
its package name. For example:

    scrcpy --start-app=org.mozilla.firefox

The app will be started on the correct target display:

    scrcpy --new-display --start-app=org.mozilla.firefox

Co-authored-by: Simon Chan <1330321+yume-chan@users.noreply.github.com>

app/data/bash-completion/scrcpy

@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ _scrcpy() {
         -s --serial=
         -S --turn-screen-off
         --shortcut-mod=
+        --start-app=
         -t --show-touches
         --tcpip
         --tcpip=

app/data/zsh-completion/_scrcpy

@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ arguments=(
     {-s,--serial=}'[The device serial number \(mandatory for multiple devices only\)]:serial:($("${ADB-adb}" devices | awk '\''$2 == "device" {print $1}'\''))'
     {-S,--turn-screen-off}'[Turn the device screen off immediately]'
     '--shortcut-mod=[\[key1,key2+key3,...\] Specify the modifiers to use for scrcpy shortcuts]:shortcut mod:(lctrl rctrl lalt ralt lsuper rsuper)'
+    '--start-app=[Start an Android app]'
     {-t,--show-touches}'[Show physical touches]'
     '--tcpip[\(optional \[ip\:port\]\) Configure and connect the device over TCP/IP]'
     '--time-limit=[Set the maximum mirroring time, in seconds]'

app/scrcpy.1

@@ -493,6 +493,10 @@ For example, to use either LCtrl or LSuper for scrcpy shortcuts, pass "lctrl,lsu
 
 Default is "lalt,lsuper" (left-Alt or left-Super).
 
+.TP
+.BI "\-\-start\-app " name
+Start an Android app, by its exact package name.
+
 .TP
 .B \-t, \-\-show\-touches
 Enable "show touches" on start, restore the initial value on exit.

app/src/cli.c

@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ enum {
     OPT_GAMEPAD,
     OPT_NEW_DISPLAY,
     OPT_LIST_APPS,
+    OPT_START_APP,
 };
 
 struct sc_option {
@@ -805,6 +806,12 @@ static const struct sc_option options[] = {
                 "shortcuts, pass \"lctrl,lsuper\".\n"
                 "Default is \"lalt,lsuper\" (left-Alt or left-Super).",
     },
+    {
+        .longopt_id = OPT_START_APP,
+        .longopt = "start-app",
+        .argdesc = "name",
+        .text = "Start an Android app, by its exact package name.",
+    },
     {
         .shortopt = 't',
         .longopt = "show-touches",
@@ -2695,6 +2702,9 @@ parse_args_with_getopt(struct scrcpy_cli_args *args, int argc, char *argv[],
             case OPT_NEW_DISPLAY:
                 opts->new_display = optarg ? optarg : "auto";
                 break;
+            case OPT_START_APP:
+                opts->start_app = optarg;
+                break;
             default:
                 // getopt prints the error message on stderr
                 return false;
@@ -3123,6 +3133,10 @@ parse_args_with_getopt(struct scrcpy_cli_args *args, int argc, char *argv[],
             LOGE("Cannot request power off on close if control is disabled");
             return false;
         }
+        if (opts->start_app) {
+            LOGE("Cannot start an Android app if control is disabled");
+            return false;
+        }
     }
 
 # ifdef _WIN32

app/src/control_msg.c

@@ -183,6 +183,10 @@ sc_control_msg_serialize(const struct sc_control_msg *msg, uint8_t *buf) {
         case SC_CONTROL_MSG_TYPE_UHID_DESTROY:
             sc_write16be(&buf[1], msg->uhid_destroy.id);
             return 3;
+        case SC_CONTROL_MSG_TYPE_START_APP: {
+            size_t len = write_string_tiny(&buf[1], msg->start_app.name, 255);
+            return 1 + len;
+        }
         case SC_CONTROL_MSG_TYPE_EXPAND_NOTIFICATION_PANEL:
         case SC_CONTROL_MSG_TYPE_EXPAND_SETTINGS_PANEL:
         case SC_CONTROL_MSG_TYPE_COLLAPSE_PANELS:
@@ -308,6 +312,9 @@ sc_control_msg_log(const struct sc_control_msg *msg) {
         case SC_CONTROL_MSG_TYPE_OPEN_HARD_KEYBOARD_SETTINGS:
             LOG_CMSG("open hard keyboard settings");
             break;
+        case SC_CONTROL_MSG_TYPE_START_APP:
+            LOG_CMSG("start app \"%s\"", msg->start_app.name);
+            break;
         default:
             LOG_CMSG("unknown type: %u", (unsigned) msg->type);
             break;
@@ -333,6 +340,9 @@ sc_control_msg_destroy(struct sc_control_msg *msg) {
         case SC_CONTROL_MSG_TYPE_SET_CLIPBOARD:
             free(msg->set_clipboard.text);
             break;
+        case SC_CONTROL_MSG_TYPE_START_APP:
+            free(msg->start_app.name);
+            break;
         default:
             // do nothing
             break;

app/src/control_msg.h

@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ enum sc_control_msg_type {
     SC_CONTROL_MSG_TYPE_UHID_INPUT,
     SC_CONTROL_MSG_TYPE_UHID_DESTROY,
     SC_CONTROL_MSG_TYPE_OPEN_HARD_KEYBOARD_SETTINGS,
+    SC_CONTROL_MSG_TYPE_START_APP,
 };
 
 enum sc_screen_power_mode {
@@ -110,6 +111,9 @@ struct sc_control_msg {
         struct {
             uint16_t id;
         } uhid_destroy;
+        struct {
+            char *name;
+        } start_app;
     };
 };
 

app/src/options.c

@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ const struct scrcpy_options scrcpy_options_default = {
     .mouse_hover = true,
     .audio_dup = false,
     .new_display = NULL,
+    .start_app = NULL,
 };
 
 enum sc_orientation

app/src/options.h

@@ -310,6 +310,7 @@ struct scrcpy_options {
     bool mouse_hover;
     bool audio_dup;
     const char *new_display; // [<width>x<height>][/<dpi>] parsed by the server
+    const char *start_app;
 };
 
 extern const struct scrcpy_options scrcpy_options_default;

app/src/scrcpy.c

@@ -907,6 +907,25 @@ aoa_complete:
         init_sdl_gamepads();
     }
 
+    if (options->control && options->start_app) {
+        assert(controller);
+
+        char *name = strdup(options->start_app);
+        if (!name) {
+            LOG_OOM();
+            goto end;
+        }
+
+        struct sc_control_msg msg;
+        msg.type = SC_CONTROL_MSG_TYPE_START_APP;
+        msg.start_app.name = name;
+
+        if (!sc_controller_push_msg(controller, &msg)) {
+            LOGW("Could not request start app '%s'", name);
+            free(name);
+        }
+    }
+
     ret = event_loop(s);
     terminate_event_loop();
     LOGD("quit...");

server/src/main/java/com/genymobile/scrcpy/control/ControlMessage.java

@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ public final class ControlMessage {
     public static final int TYPE_UHID_INPUT = 13;
     public static final int TYPE_UHID_DESTROY = 14;
     public static final int TYPE_OPEN_HARD_KEYBOARD_SETTINGS = 15;
+    public static final int TYPE_START_APP = 16;
 
     public static final long SEQUENCE_INVALID = 0;
 
@@ -155,6 +156,13 @@ public final class ControlMessage {
         return msg;
     }
 
+    public static ControlMessage createStartApp(String name) {
+        ControlMessage msg = new ControlMessage();
+        msg.type = TYPE_START_APP;
+        msg.text = name;
+        return msg;
+    }
+
     public int getType() {
         return type;
     }

server/src/main/java/com/genymobile/scrcpy/control/ControlMessageReader.java

@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ public class ControlMessageReader {
                 return parseUhidInput();
             case ControlMessage.TYPE_UHID_DESTROY:
                 return parseUhidDestroy();
+            case ControlMessage.TYPE_START_APP:
+                return parseStartApp();
             default:
                 throw new ControlProtocolException("Unknown event type: " + type);
         }
@@ -155,6 +157,11 @@ public class ControlMessageReader {
         return ControlMessage.createUhidDestroy(id);
     }
 
+    private ControlMessage parseStartApp() throws IOException {
+        String name = parseString(1);
+        return ControlMessage.createStartApp(name);
+    }
+
     private Position parsePosition() throws IOException {
         int x = dis.readInt();
         int y = dis.readInt();

server/src/main/java/com/genymobile/scrcpy/control/Controller.java

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import com.genymobile.scrcpy.AndroidVersions;
 import com.genymobile.scrcpy.AsyncProcessor;
 import com.genymobile.scrcpy.CleanUp;
 import com.genymobile.scrcpy.device.Device;
+import com.genymobile.scrcpy.device.DeviceApp;
 import com.genymobile.scrcpy.device.Point;
 import com.genymobile.scrcpy.device.Position;
 import com.genymobile.scrcpy.util.Ln;
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@ import android.view.KeyEvent;
 import android.view.MotionEvent;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
+import java.util.concurrent.ExecutorService;
 import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
 import java.util.concurrent.ScheduledExecutorService;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
@@ -61,6 +63,7 @@ public class Controller implements AsyncProcessor, VirtualDisplayListener {
     private static final int POINTER_ID_MOUSE = -1;
 
     private static final ScheduledExecutorService EXECUTOR = Executors.newSingleThreadScheduledExecutor();
+    private ExecutorService startAppExecutor;
 
     private Thread thread;
 
@@ -79,6 +82,7 @@ public class Controller implements AsyncProcessor, VirtualDisplayListener {
     private final AtomicBoolean isSettingClipboard = new AtomicBoolean();
 
     private final AtomicReference<DisplayData> displayData = new AtomicReference<>();
+    private final Object displayDataAvailable = new Object(); // condition variable
 
     private long lastTouchDown;
     private final PointersState pointersState = new PointersState();
@@ -129,7 +133,12 @@ public class Controller implements AsyncProcessor, VirtualDisplayListener {
     @Override
     public void onNewVirtualDisplay(int virtualDisplayId, PositionMapper positionMapper) {
         DisplayData data = new DisplayData(virtualDisplayId, positionMapper);
-        this.displayData.set(data);
+        DisplayData old = this.displayData.getAndSet(data);
+        if (old == null) {
+            synchronized (displayDataAvailable) {
+                displayDataAvailable.notify();
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     private UhidManager getUhidManager() {
@@ -288,6 +297,9 @@ public class Controller implements AsyncProcessor, VirtualDisplayListener {
             case ControlMessage.TYPE_OPEN_HARD_KEYBOARD_SETTINGS:
                 openHardKeyboardSettings();
                 break;
+            case ControlMessage.TYPE_START_APP:
+                startAppAsync(msg.getText());
+                break;
             default:
                 // do nothing
         }
@@ -571,4 +583,68 @@ public class Controller implements AsyncProcessor, VirtualDisplayListener {
 
         return data.virtualDisplayId;
     }
+
+    private void startAppAsync(String name) {
+        if (startAppExecutor == null) {
+            startAppExecutor = Executors.newSingleThreadExecutor();
+        }
+
+        // Listing and selecting the app may take a lot of time
+        startAppExecutor.submit(() -> startApp(name));
+    }
+
+    private void startApp(String name) {
+        DeviceApp app = Device.findByPackageName(name);
+        if (app == null) {
+            Ln.w("No app found for package \"" + name + "\"");
+            return;
+        }
+
+        int startAppDisplayId = getStartAppDisplayId();
+        if (startAppDisplayId == Device.DISPLAY_ID_NONE) {
+            Ln.e("No known display id to start app \"" + name + "\"");
+            return;
+        }
+
+        Ln.i("Starting app \"" + app.getName() + "\" [" + app.getPackageName() + "] on display " + startAppDisplayId + "...");
+        Device.startApp(app.getPackageName(), startAppDisplayId);
+    }
+
+    private int getStartAppDisplayId() {
+        if (displayId != Device.DISPLAY_ID_NONE) {
+            return displayId;
+        }
+
+        // Mirroring a new virtual display id (using --new-display-id feature)
+        try {
+            // Wait for at most 1 second until a virtual display id is known
+            DisplayData data = waitDisplayData(1000);
+            if (data != null) {
+                return data.virtualDisplayId;
+            }
+        } catch (InterruptedException e) {
+            // do nothing
+        }
+
+        // No display id available
+        return Device.DISPLAY_ID_NONE;
+    }
+
+    private DisplayData waitDisplayData(long timeoutMillis) throws InterruptedException {
+        long deadline = System.currentTimeMillis() + timeoutMillis;
+
+        synchronized (displayDataAvailable) {
+            DisplayData data = displayData.get();
+            while (data == null) {
+                long timeout = deadline - System.currentTimeMillis();
+                if (timeout < 0) {
+                    return null;
+                }
+                displayDataAvailable.wait(timeout);
+                data = displayData.get();
+            }
+
+            return data;
+        }
+    }
 }

server/src/main/java/com/genymobile/scrcpy/device/Device.java

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package com.genymobile.scrcpy.device;
 import com.genymobile.scrcpy.AndroidVersions;
 import com.genymobile.scrcpy.FakeContext;
 import com.genymobile.scrcpy.util.Ln;
+import com.genymobile.scrcpy.wrappers.ActivityManager;
 import com.genymobile.scrcpy.wrappers.ClipboardManager;
 import com.genymobile.scrcpy.wrappers.DisplayControl;
 import com.genymobile.scrcpy.wrappers.InputManager;
@@ -12,9 +13,11 @@ import com.genymobile.scrcpy.wrappers.WindowManager;
 
 import android.annotation.SuppressLint;
 import android.content.Intent;
+import android.app.ActivityOptions;
 import android.content.pm.ApplicationInfo;
 import android.content.pm.PackageManager;
 import android.os.Build;
+import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.os.IBinder;
 import android.os.SystemClock;
 import android.view.InputDevice;
@@ -214,9 +217,7 @@ public final class Device {
         List<DeviceApp> apps = new ArrayList<>();
         PackageManager pm = FakeContext.get().getPackageManager();
         for (ApplicationInfo appInfo : getLaunchableApps(pm)) {
-            String name = pm.getApplicationLabel(appInfo).toString();
+            apps.add(toApp(pm, appInfo));
-            boolean system = (appInfo.flags & ApplicationInfo.FLAG_SYSTEM) != 0;
-            apps.add(new DeviceApp(appInfo.packageName, name, system, appInfo.enabled));
         }
 
         return apps;
@@ -242,4 +243,45 @@ public final class Device {
 
         return pm.getLeanbackLaunchIntentForPackage(packageName);
     }
+
+    private static DeviceApp toApp(PackageManager pm, ApplicationInfo appInfo) {
+        String name = pm.getApplicationLabel(appInfo).toString();
+        boolean system = (appInfo.flags & ApplicationInfo.FLAG_SYSTEM) != 0;
+        return new DeviceApp(appInfo.packageName, name, system, appInfo.enabled);
+    }
+
+    @SuppressLint("QueryPermissionsNeeded")
+    public static DeviceApp findByPackageName(String packageName) {
+        PackageManager pm = FakeContext.get().getPackageManager();
+        // No need to filter by "launchable" apps, an error will be reported on start if the app is not launchable
+        for (ApplicationInfo appInfo : pm.getInstalledApplications(PackageManager.GET_META_DATA)) {
+            if (packageName.equals(appInfo.packageName)) {
+                return toApp(pm, appInfo);
+            }
+        }
+
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    public static void startApp(String packageName, int displayId) {
+        PackageManager pm = FakeContext.get().getPackageManager();
+
+        Intent launchIntent = getLaunchIntent(pm, packageName);
+        if (launchIntent == null) {
+            Ln.w("Cannot create launch intent for app " + packageName);
+            return;
+        }
+
+        launchIntent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
+
+        Bundle options = null;
+        if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= AndroidVersions.API_26_ANDROID_8_0) {
+            ActivityOptions launchOptions = ActivityOptions.makeBasic();
+            launchOptions.setLaunchDisplayId(displayId);
+            options = launchOptions.toBundle();
+        }
+
+        ActivityManager am = ServiceManager.getActivityManager();
+        am.startActivity(launchIntent, options);
+    }
 }

server/src/main/java/com/genymobile/scrcpy/util/LogUtils.java

@@ -160,11 +160,15 @@ public final class LogUtils {
         return set;
     }
 
-    @SuppressLint("QueryPermissionsNeeded")
-    public static String buildAppListMessage() {
-        StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder("List of apps:");
 
+    public static String buildAppListMessage() {
         List<DeviceApp> apps = Device.listApps();
+        return buildAppListMessage("List of apps:", apps);
+    }
+
+    @SuppressLint("QueryPermissionsNeeded")
+    public static String buildAppListMessage(String title, List<DeviceApp> apps) {
+        StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder(title);
 
         // Sort by:
         //  1. system flag (system apps are before non-system apps)

server/src/main/java/com/genymobile/scrcpy/wrappers/ActivityManager.java

@@ -118,8 +118,12 @@ public final class ActivityManager {
         return startActivityAsUserMethod;
     }
 
-    @SuppressWarnings("ConstantConditions")
     public int startActivity(Intent intent) {
+        return startActivity(intent, null);
+    }
+
+    @SuppressWarnings("ConstantConditions")
+    public int startActivity(Intent intent, Bundle options) {
         try {
             Method method = getStartActivityAsUserMethod();
             return (int) method.invoke(
@@ -133,7 +137,7 @@ public final class ActivityManager {
                     /* requestCode */ 0,
                     /* startFlags */ 0,
                     /* profilerInfo */ null,
-                    /* bOptions */ null,
+                    /* bOptions */ options,
                     /* userId */ /* UserHandle.USER_CURRENT */ -2);
         } catch (Throwable e) {
             Ln.e("Could not invoke method", e);

server/src/test/java/com/genymobile/scrcpy/control/ControlMessageReaderTest.java

@@ -399,6 +399,27 @@ public class ControlMessageReaderTest {
         Assert.assertEquals(-1, bis.read()); // EOS
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void testParseStartApp() throws IOException {
+        byte[] name = "firefox".getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
+
+        ByteArrayOutputStream bos = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
+        DataOutputStream dos = new DataOutputStream(bos);
+        dos.writeByte(ControlMessage.TYPE_START_APP);
+        dos.writeByte(name.length);
+        dos.write(name);
+        byte[] packet = bos.toByteArray();
+
+        ByteArrayInputStream bis = new ByteArrayInputStream(packet);
+        ControlMessageReader reader = new ControlMessageReader(bis);
+
+        ControlMessage event = reader.read();
+        Assert.assertEquals(ControlMessage.TYPE_START_APP, event.getType());
+        Assert.assertEquals("firefox", event.getText());
+
+        Assert.assertEquals(-1, bis.read()); // EOS
+    }
+
     @Test
     public void testMultiEvents() throws IOException {
         ByteArrayOutputStream bos = new ByteArrayOutputStream();