Question

I’d like to make something you might call a dynamic folder which would contain a list apps filtered by e.g. id (package name) or by some part of a visible name.

So I need something like you can use for contacts:

Cursor contacts = managedQuery(ContactsContract.Contacts.CONTENT_URI,
                    new String[]{
                        ContactsContract.Contacts.DISPLAY_NAME,
                        ContactsContract.Contacts._ID
                    },
                    ContactsContract.Contacts.HAS_PHONE_NUMBER + "='1'"
                    , null, null)

but I need a query for listing apps.

I would also need a way to run an application when chosen from list.

Answer 1

You can write something like :

    PackageManager pm = this.getPackageManager();

    Intent mainIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_MAIN, null);
    mainIntent.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_LAUNCHER);

    List<ResolveInfo> appList = pm.queryIntentActivities(mainIntent, 0);
    Collections.sort(appList, new ResolveInfo.DisplayNameComparator(pm));

    int found = -1;
    for (int i = 0; i < appList.size(); i++) {
        String pack = appList.get(i).activityInfo.applicationInfo.packageName;
        if (pack.equals("com.mypackage")) // Your custom criteria comes here...
            found = i;
    }
    // Launch found application
            Intent intent = new Intent();
        intent.setAction(Intent.ACTION_MAIN);
        intent.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_LAUNCHER);
        intent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK | Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_RESET_TASK_IF_NEEDED);
        intent.setComponent(new ComponentName(appList.get(found).activityInfo.applicationInfo.packageName, appList
                .get(found).activityInfo.name));
        startActivity(intent);