Android Code Snippet Torch in CamEx2

For some reason there is no support for the torch feature in CamEx2. Add this Sub to CamEx2 (v1.31) to have a torch:

Public Sub setTorch(pbolOn As Boolean, pbolVideoRecording As Boolean)
    SetBothMaps("FLASH_MODE", FLASH_MODE.IndexOf(IIf(pbolOn, "TORCH", "OFF")))
    StartPreview(TaskIndex, pbolVideoRecording)
End Sub

 

[b4x-de]

My code above works on old Samsung and Huawei devices but not on modern devices like VIVO with Android 14. The following problem occurs:

The torch is turned off immediately before the photo is taken and does not turn on again.

I found the Camera.AbortCaptures in the Sub TakePictureNow() responsible for this behavior, but I do not understand why. Can someone please provide more insight into this? Thanks!

Btw: It does not help to set the AE Mode to "ON" before setting the Flash to "TORCH" although this can be found in some posts in Stackoverflow as a solution.

 

[Markos]

My code above works on old Samsung and Huawei devices but not on modern devices like VIVO with Android 14. The following problem occurs:

The torch is turned off immediately before the photo is taken and does not turn on again.

I found the Camera.AbortCaptures in the Sub TakePictureNow() responsible for this behavior, but I do not understand why. Can someone please provide more insight into this? Thanks!

Btw: It does not help to set the AE Mode to "ON" before setting the Flash to "TORCH" although this can be found in some posts in Stackoverflow as a solution.

I dunno if you still have this issue but I found a way to get the flash to work setting the following :

setSceneMode("ACTION")
SetBothMaps("CONTROL_AE_MODE", AE_MODE.IndexOf("ON"))

And to disable flash from always flashing after taking a snapshot

    setSceneMode("PORTRAIT")
    SetBothMaps("CONTROL_AE_MODE", AE_MODE.IndexOf("ON_AUTO_FLASH"))

The disabling of flash may only need the 1st line but havent had the desire to verify

 

[jayatomazin]

I found the Camera.AbortCaptures in the Sub TakePictureNow() responsible for this behavior, but I do not understand why. Can someone please provide more insight into this? Thanks!

I had a similar problem on Android 14, especially on new phones like VIVO. When you call Camera.AbortCaptures, it turns out, the camera resets, and the flashlight stops working. In the new versions of Android the camera has become stricter, and some of the old methods are now giving way. Try removing or replacing AbortCaptures with something less "hard", for example, wait until the camera finishes the current capture before doing anything else. I also saw the advice to use CaptureRequest.CONTROL_AE_MODE with the correct setting and explicitly include FLASH_MODE_TORCH in a single request, without interruptions.