CarLink integration with DUDU Music Widget

Salvo

In my Sisters MG, the current music on her iPhone is reflected in the native Music Widget. She has full control of her iPhone' music, even when she is not in CarPlay mode.

Does CarLink support this sort of remote control? The Music Widget can control music players other than the factory Local and Radio players; Can CarLink be modified to also function as a 3rd-Party music player?

Also, can CarLink be configured to be displayed full screen; hiding the NavBar? I do understand that the volume buttons would not be accessible.

Finally, did I see somewhere that the CarPlay "Back" Button Icon can be modified?

aurumatsu

I upvote this. Please add carlink integration so that we can control Android Auto/ Carplay via the music widget.

dogsfoot

Carlink doesn`t work in PIP mode so how would you use the widget?

Salvo

dogsfoot very good question.
You don't want to have a PIP of CarPlay, you want the buttons of the DUDU Media Widget to be able to send API calls to control CarPlay.
The CarLink2.0 App would need to be able to support the remote media control API of CarPlay.

This will allow CarLink to send MPRemoteCommandCenter API Calls to iOS Apps in CarPlay.
https://developer.apple.com/carplay/documentation/CarPlay-Audio-App-Programming-Guide.pdf

Other Factory and Aftermarket headunits have a way to send these API calls to the CarPlay interface to control media Playback. These APIs appear to only be documented for Hardware developers who are part of the MFi Program.

[https://developer.apple.com/carplay/] (CarPlay for automakers)

This will also enable @d3nisov's request for the DUDU BT-SWC to support CarLink devices.

HAccord8

I 2nd this integration

taptap

d3nisov

In addition to the request for CarPlay to work with the music widget, I would really like to ask you to consider enabling the Dudu Bluetooth buttons to work with CarPlay. Right now, they can adjust the volume, but they can’t switch tracks, and this is something that’s really missing. Without this the buttons don’t make much sense for me.

d3nisov

Is there hope that these improvements will be added to the duduos functionality development backlog?

HAccord8

d3nisov not sure, no mod has acknowledged this post yet

Salvo

d3nisov The problem is they are with third party components.
DUDU do not have the ability to add this feature to the XCarLink, just like they don't have the ability to directly fix the issues with the 360 Camera App.

They need to rely on the developers of XCarLink and the 360 App to add the features desired by users.

HAccord8

@DUDU-Meng @dudu-lai @YAOXILONG

mrve

It would be cool if this could work in a future update, maybe if the CarLink app integrates with the standard Android MediaSession APIs. It looks possible to some extent, as at least with the current version the SWC buttons skip / play / pause within CarLink.

The other nice to have would be support for CarPlay's hotspot mode, where the DUDU unit could get an internet connection via the phone automatically. The USB tethering mode didn't seem to work for me automatically, but I could be doing something wrong.

Altair571

mrve Agree that it's a good feature to have but its out of DUDU's control since these changes need to be implemented by FYT who develop and maintain CarLink and other system apps.

HAccord8

Altair571 it is not out of Dudu's control, they can work with FYT to develop if they want

Altair571

HAccord8 That’s true but as with many others things people have requested where it requires FYT input to implement, it just hasn’t happened.

FYT also has no incentive to do things unless there is widespread pressure from other manufacturers as well.

JhonnyD

I think DUDU is selling so much FYT devices thst they could do some pressure on FYT.
But i know that DUDUAUTO never would do it because FYT has the biggest CAN support...
And this is more important than the happy customers.

mrve

May not even be a matter of needing to apply pressure, it's possible if there hasn't been enough voiced customer desire for those features they haven't prioritised them in any meaningful way.

I know these units are total overkill for what could end up being a basic CarPlay mirror, but there is a lot of utility in having CarPlay connected to handle the voice assistant, phone calls, music and tethering without any additional fiddling. For me personally I would like having that established in the background while using the DUDU widget layouts to show music, vehicle status and so on.

Altair571

Had a quick look at the CarLink apk today and decompiled it.

PlayInfo (carplay/a.java) pushes to CarLinkService.i() to the bus client f590l, which is bound to com.syu.ms (action com.syu.ms.toolkit) = FYT's central media service.

new o.e(this, "com.syu.ms.toolkit", "com.syu.ms") // CarLinkService:6507
i().cmd(module=0, cmd=23, ints{10,subcode}, strings{value}) // PlayInfo

The following info: title/artist/album/cover/duration/position/playState/shuffle/repeat are published to com.syu.ms under module 0 / command 23. com.syu.ms is what the FYT native media UI should read from

For play/pause/next/prev, the bus is bidirectional as carlink already handles steering-wheel/media keys. MediaSession callbacks issue the matching cmd(...) and carlink forwards it to the phone over CarPlay/AA.

The following is available for Android Auto only but not enabled. InstrumentClusterListener + NavigationStatus.NavigationStatusListener expose:

onNextTurn(roadName, turnEnum, turnSide,maneuver-icon bitmap, …) -the turn instruction + icon
onNextTurnDistance(distance, units) - distance to turn (m/km/mi/ft/yd)
onNavigationState(...), onNavigationCurrentPosition(...), onStatus(...)
(bonus, also dormant: media album-art bitmap, and phone status + caller photo)

So it seems like most of the things needed for this to work are built in but either not completed in CarLink or not built into the music widget

jaynicole

This or allow carplay music to go full screen. I was told its an android/car play thing BUT ive had dongles ive bought that allowed full screen music with spotify and other music apps. Soni feel like it could possibly be done.

Altair571

jaynicole You issue is completely different - AA splits screen by default and can be fixed by tapping twice on the window you want to full screen.