Start an Android application via a shell script?

Question

Is it possible to start an actual Android application from the command line in Android? For example, say I'd simply like to start/bring to the front my calendar. Is there a way that I can do this like:

startapp com.google.calendar

Answer 1

Using adb, I believe it is possible:

am [start|instrument]
am start [-a <action>] [-d ] [-t <mime_type>]
[-c <category> [-c <category>] ...]
[-e <extra_key> <extra_value> [-e <extra_key> <extra_value> ...]
[-n <component>] [-D] [<uri>]
am instrument [-e <arg_name> <arg_value>] [-p <prof_file>]
[-w] <component>

for example we have android program with Manifest as under:

<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
 package="com.app1.android.xtract">
  <application android:icon="@drawable/icon">
   <activity class=".Contact" android:label="@string/app_name">
    <intent-filter>
    <action android:value="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
    <category android:value="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
   </intent-filter>
  </activity>
 </application>
.
.
</manifest>

To run the code issue command like this (in one line):

am start -a android.intent.action.MAIN -n com.app1.android.xtract/com.app1.android.xtract.Contact