Automagic vs Tasker (Long Comparison)

[Desmanto]

Just recently (June 2017) when tasker appear with beta version for material design revamp, i read it on several websites. Not to read the news which I have know it already, but to read the comments of the readers. There I found out several alternatives to tasker, which I have ignored for years. From those several apps, i research further and found out most tasker user will switch to automagic automagically without any lost in most function. Because automagic can utilize most of tasker plugin without any additional step. The other close competitor will be AutoMate, which is very similiar to Automagic. But AutoMate need to have plugins, which is the things that I want to minimize.

I used to be tasker's user for 3 years, have created about 50+ tasks. Not quite an achievement, but at least it helps a lot in my daily activities. The first time I wanna switch to automagic, I can't find complete list why Automagic is more powerful than tasker. I have to find in a lot website to compare them pieces by pieces.

Even after tried it and created the first simple flow, I still doubt whether it is worth my time to migrate all my tasks. It will be painful, my tasker personality scream and try to drag me down. The first thing that makes me switch is the Control UI, which is similiar to Autoinput, but much easier. After that, I've committed to switch and that is a long story which is probably too boring to post it here.

Because I haven't found any long comparison between automagic vs tasker in anywhere, so I decided to post it here. The version compared : Tasker 4.9u4 vs Automagic Automation 1.33.0. In case anyone have doubt in switching (just like me before), then hopefully this lists will help them to decide.

Pros :
01. First thing first, of course because of Control UI. It has been a painful things to be done in tasker, even using autoinput. The delay make the task inconsistent and feels not responsive. But automagic has this function built-in. Now every flows which use Control UI has been much simpler and easier to be created.
02. UI event trigger is something that can create magic. One of the my favourite flows after switching to Automagic is to rename numbering file with single tap only. So far, it is always painful to give number to series of videos. Every rename needs to select the file > menu > rename > tap at the front name > type the number and OK. Imagine doing this for 40 times.
03. Flowchart style really helps in creating flow and debugging. Even though I have no problem with tasker row style, but after using automagic, the flow style feels more intuitive. If I share my flow, it will easier to be understood. Testing the flow is as easy as connecting and deleting elements to be run seperately for the error part. In tasker, debugging needs to skip using goto action, which is awkward because need to remember the action number. Or need to disable individual action, which then need reenable after testing.
04. Debug dialog, to check all available variable, include global ones. In tasker, I usually use the Flash message and put in each of the variable there. Debug dialog is more powerful, I can see the variable as long as I want, can be edited/copied. I can track each variable and check where the error comes from.
05. Automagic can create toast message too, but using different name : Notification on Screen. The toast message can be adjusted further to different position. There is even trigger to detect the toast message! Tasker can create custom toast message too.... But need autotools
06. There is Launch shortcut activity, tasker still need to install autoshortcut
07. User activity, which is from google. But tasker need to install autolocation
08. Built-in Barcode Scanner, which support QRcode. I have long for this feature in tasker, without the nedd of autobarcode.
09. Support screenshot and screenrecording. Tasker was so powerful but still need autoinput to do it.
10. Combine images. Because of this action, I can complete unfinished screenshot cleaner project from tasker. Tasker can modify image, but can't combine image. This feature can be useful for watermarking, timestamp or just auto sensor sensitive info from screenshot
11. Almost all tasker plugins work fine in automagic. So for anyone worry about this (as me too), you can still use tasker plugin in case automagic can't do it (which tasker can't too)
12. Built-in webserver for HTTP request. This is very similiar to server ultimate trigger server. Autoremote also works similiarly. I plan to reimplement the flow, and if it is posibble, then I probably can uninstall autoremote too. (which save another plugin resource)
13. Sound level trigger, can detect noisiness of the room. Tasker can do it too, with the help of autovoice...
14. Set System setting, which can directly modify system, secure, global database setting. Tasker still have to use secure setting.
15. For variable, automagic seems to be more difficult at first. Because all variable have to be processed using script/expression, which is nightmare for beginner user. Need at least basic programming skill to understand it. In tasker, there several actions can be used to process the variables. More advanced processing need autotools. But from my experience, even though the processing was seperated into several action in tasker, it is still difficult for general user to understand the flow. So, if both are difficult, I would choose the one which has it all, without the need of additional plugin.
16. Scripting in automagic turns out to be more flexible than tasker variable actions. Every script has the explanation and parameter. 1 script with 10 lines in automagic can be 10 seperated actions in tasker. If script requires 200 ms to be finished, tasker 10 actions would require 2 seconds to be finished. Automagic Scripting is faster.
17. Built-in regex tester. For all this time, I only ever use regex once in tasker. I have to test the regex in another website and another app. With regex tester, testing the regex is much easier. There are several complex data parsing that I can't finish using tasker, now has been done in automagic.
18. Built-in intent receiver, which is similliar to autoshare. The minus is there is no command choice as in autoshare. But still, tasker don't have it built-in right? Automagic can use autoshare if needed. But I have workaround for this, using Input dialog - Single Choice Menu. The result is very similiar to command choice in autoshare. Each command only need new condition checking. Tasker can create input dialog too.... using autotools.
19. Automagic don't have the action to execute flow with parameter. Task can call other task using parameter from the parent task. This is important feature, as in widget, every action can only have single action. For multi action, we have to execute flow, but need to pass some parameter depends of the element on widget. I have workaround for it using the pair of send broadcast and trigger general broadcast. Send broadcast can be injected with extra data, which will become the parameter for the executed flow.
20. Resource friendly. By using only single app, automagic (one to rule them all), of course it will be lighter than using tasker but still need to install 4-7 plugins to achieve the same thing. We can save a lot of resources, starting from storage usage, RAM usage, battery usage, active service, until the total cost.

It doesn't mean automagic is superior in all feature. There are still something tasker can do better. I want to be objective, but it seems some of the cons are biased.

Cons :
1. Automagic seems to be less popular. I don't know why, but so far I only heard about tasker being promoted everywhere if we are talking about automation app. The tutorial available for automagic can be counted using fingers, while tasker's tutorial can have season 1, season 2, part 1 part 2 until infinity. The forum which support tasker also far more than automagic. That's why i was inspired to create the thread at my local forum, to help to support automagic while learning it along the way.
2. Can't execute flow with parameter. As explained above
3. Can't have multi trigger with AND logic. All triggers will be OR logic. Tasker can limit the profile to event and state, which will be only executed if both are true (AND logic). But of course, trigger + condition in automagic will achieve the same thing, but with different concept.
4. Can't export flow as seperated apk. Tasker has app factory. But I don't miss this feature, as the apk exported is so unoptimized that I won't consider it as a finished app.
5. Custom Widget in Automagic is still way behind scene in tasker. Scene can add so many different elements to create a very professional-looking UI. But somehow I also don't miss this feature. Scene is very complex and takes extra time to edit and configure it. Even Custom widget also quite complicated already. If we have to design a very complicated scene, I think it is better to developed android app directly on PC. I use automagic to automate task, not to create a very complex UI/App.
6. Latest tasker update (5.0) finally use material design, included 900+ icon pack. Automagic still use old design and limited icon support. But it's OK, i prefer functionality over UI. But please add more built-in icons.



The more I play with automagic, the more I fall in love with it. It takes about 4 days to read the whole documentation, to make sure i get a big picture what automagic can do. Of course I can't remember everything, but when I need something, I can vaguely remember I've read it somewhere.

It took 3 days (only at night) to migrate about 30+ of my tasker profile/task, 1 week to move almost all of the important ones. The things which need additional app/plugin when using tasker, now can be done by automagic alone (My whole life is a lie!) I have uninstalled 4 plugins and several redundant apps, since it can be done in automagic already. I wish I have switched to Automagic 3 years ago.

Previously, I just hope that in every update, tasker will implement the actions those need plugins into built-in action. But i just realized if they do it, they will kill the plugins out there. Probably it is one of the reason that tasker will keep relying on plugins. The strong point in the past is now the weak point, too much dependant on plugins. While automagic has been implementing most functions built-in, and I hope it continues to do so.

I am so excited with automagic that i even go as far as starting Automagic thread at our local forum. It is in Indonesian casual language, so google translate probably will give a bunch of error. The thread link : https://kask.us/iqTnO

[xdauser]

Welcome to the club. I'm former Tasker user as well. There is no way turning back to Tasker, once you see how fast, easy, and flexible Automagic is + great support from dev.

Can't execute flow with parameter

Try to use global variable which is visible to all flows in Automagic.

Can't have multi trigger with AND logic

There is workaround for multiple triggers and "AND" condition. All you have to do is when using trigger assign global variable when condition is met lets say to value 1 and using different flow with multiple condition actions "if" to check variables accordingly for certain value. You can always request dev to implement this feature in any future version of Automagic

[Desmanto]

Welcome to the club. I'm former Tasker user as well. There is no way turning back to Tasker, once you see how fast, easy, and flexible Automagic is + great support from dev.

Can't execute flow with parameter

Try to use global variable which is visible to all flows in Automagic.

Can't have multi trigger with AND logic

There is workaround for multiple triggers and "AND" condition. All you have to do is when using trigger assign global variable when condition is met lets say to value 1 and using different flow with multiple condition actions "if" to check variables accordingly for certain value. You can always request dev to implement this feature in any future version of Automagic

Yeah, never go back anymore.

Thanks for the suggestion, it will be alternative way to do it, and seems to be easier. The widget action is to set the value of the GloVar, then the main flow will use GloVar trigger and extract the value from the widget. But it will be nice to have the execute flow with parameter, which has been requested in another thread.

For AND trigger I have sorted it out. The above pros and cons actually translated from my post 2 weeks ago, so a bit outdated. Actually tasker also has the similiar method, it just don't show us what happened at the background. Automagic's trigger has been defined as "event", which occured instantly. Only condition can check the "state". So tasker event AND state AND date, is actually the same as Automagic's Trigger AND Condition state AND Condition date/time range. We only need to chain as many condition as needed.

I never understand the difference between event and state when using tasker. But after switching to Automagic, it seems my mind was clearer. Probably because I have been typing the long manual for my friends at another forum. In the process, I have learnt a lot of new concept.

[husky]

Hi Desmanto,

Upon reading your findings, the item 19- Passing parameters caught my attention. As former IBM guy, the logic is a bit different when programming in Assembler.

Perhaps I'm not understanding your concept of passing parameters from flow 1 to flow 2,3... etc.

I was thinking about the following picture:

Flow 1: Some calculations are made and the result will be used in other flows. Correct me if I'm wrong, but what is your take if I define the result as global_result_of_calculation for example?

Any flow as I understand it, will be able to access the field as "global_result_of_calculation" and as I see it, you just passsed a parameter to the next flow and so forth

in Assembler, the convention" is to create a list of parameters (parm1,2,3...) load the address of the parameters in the General Purpose Register named R1
or simply 1 and branch to the subroutine that will use the list.( you can assign name the registers (0-15) any name.

About Intent. I do not know how these Intents work so I might be shooting myself in the foot with my big mouth

Regards

Husky

[Desmanto]

Hi Husky,

This comparison has been a bit outdated. I have retyped a more complete version which doesn't sound too harsh to tasker (as in this thread).
And in the new article, the parameter passing has been solved. I have explained here viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7004&start=10#p19370
It is my bad as I don't tested it properly since the first time.

You can pass any variable to another flow, simply by using/declaring them first in the parent flow. When the called flow return to parent flow, any changes to the variable will be returned as well, if "return value" is checked.
Widget parameter passing also can be detected by using the x y cell.

I wanna complete the article with more screenshot to compare both app. But the screenshots grow up to 100+. The text has been finished, only need several revision. But the screenshot part takes longer than I imagined (and quite boring to stitch and rearrange it). And not to mention, I am getting distracted by the new toys. Had to set a dateline for myself. Or I would never finish it.

Regards,
Desmanto

[husky]

Hi there Desmanto,

Don't go too hard on yourself. It brings unnecessary stress.

One thing at a time will take you as far as you want/need to go.

I'll read the topic from your link and see if I can learn more.




Ragards


Husky