Introduction to ADB Shell Commands

Introduction

 

A useful feature of Android Debug Bridge (ADB) is the ability to remotely control a device connected either via USB or WiFi using Shell commands e.g.

 

• adb shell input text "your_text_goes_here“    (sends text as if typed at the keyboard)
• adb shell input swipe 200 900 200 300  (generates a swipe gesture from co-ordinates 200,900 to 200, 300 ( swipe up)
• adb shell input tap 200 300  (generates a screen tap at co-ordinates 200,300
• adb shell input keyevent 4  (generates a keypress event using the table in Appendix A)

 

The values to use for the co-ordinates in the above commands can be seen easily on the device by enabling the Developer Option ‘Pointer Location’ which will then show a pointer trace and the current X,Y screen co-ordinates in the top line of the display:

 

Use Case

Combining the adb shell commands together will allow a device to be remotely controlled /configured via a PC and a command script. This allows automatic configuration of multiple devices connected to one PC via ADB which can significantly reduce the staging time required for either:

 

a) devices such as the ET1 which are not supporting the full MX functionality

b) configuring features which are not covered by the existing MX functionality e.g. Wireless hotspot

 

Note a couple of disadvantages of using this method for staging devices:

 

a) the settings are not persistent i.e. if the device is Enterprise Reset in the field, it will require restaging using the same method (or manually)

b) the UI of the device can change between OS versions e.g. some of the Settings screens for JellyBean devices are different to KitKat and it may be necessary to have two script files , one for each OS version.

 

A simple way to sequence ADB shell commands is to put them into a batch file e.g.

 

a) Configure French language settings on a TC55 JellyBean OS device:

adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.MAIN -n com.android.settings/.LanguageSettings

rem select language option

adb shell input tap 200 160

rem select UK - swipe up

adb shell input swipe 100 700 100 200

rem select France

adb shell input tap 200 780

rem return to Home Screen

adb shell input keyevent 3

 

b) Configure WiFi HotSpot on a TC 55 JB OS

adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.MAIN -n com.android.settings/.wifi.WifiSettings

adb shell input tap 40 80

rem select More

adb shell input tap 240 400

rem Enable Hotspot

adb shell input tap 240 320

adb shell input tap 240 320

adb shell input tap 240 700

adb shell input tap 240 600

rem delete existing passkey using backspace

adb shell input keyevent 67

adb shell input keyevent 67

adb shell input keyevent 67

adb shell input keyevent 67

adb shell input keyevent 67

adb shell input keyevent 67

adb shell input keyevent 67

adb shell input keyevent 67

adb shell input keyevent 67

adb shell input keyevent 67

adb shell input keyevent 67

adb shell input keyevent 67

adb shell input keyevent 67

rem set new passkey 'zebra'

adb shell input text zebra

adb shell input keyevent 4

adb shell input tap 240 770

 

ADB Over WiFi

ADB commands will work over USB or WiFi connections . To configure a WiFi connection, the device must first be connected via USB and configured for wireless via the following commands:

 

adb tcpip 5555

adb connect 192.168.0.101:5555

(Replace 192.168.0.101 with the IP address that is actually assigned to your device)

 

At this point the USB cable can be removed and commands will be sent wirelessly. Note that you can find the IP address of a device by either:

 

1. a) Go into Settings/About phone/Status and check the IP address field

 

 

1. b) Execute the following command via adb:

adb shell ip -f inet addr show wlan0

 

 

To reset the ADB connection to USB , type :

adb usb

Reconnect the USB cable and the device should be recognized again .

 

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Appendix A – Keycode table

 

adb shell input keyevent

 

 

0 --> "KEYCODE_UNKNOWN"

1 --> "KEYCODE_MENU"

2 --> "KEYCODE_SOFT_RIGHT"

3 --> "KEYCODE_HOME"

4 --> "KEYCODE_BACK"

5 --> "KEYCODE_CALL"

6 --> "KEYCODE_ENDCALL"

7 --> "KEYCODE_0"

8 --> "KEYCODE_1"

9 --> "KEYCODE_2"

10 --> "KEYCODE_3"

11 --> "KEYCODE_4"

12 --> "KEYCODE_5"

13 --> "KEYCODE_6"

14 --> "KEYCODE_7"

15 --> "KEYCODE_8"

16 --> "KEYCODE_9"

17 --> "KEYCODE_STAR"

18 --> "KEYCODE_POUND"

19 --> "KEYCODE_DPAD_UP"

20 --> "KEYCODE_DPAD_DOWN"

21 --> "KEYCODE_DPAD_LEFT"

22 --> "KEYCODE_DPAD_RIGHT"

23 --> "KEYCODE_DPAD_CENTER"

24 --> "KEYCODE_VOLUME_UP"

25 --> "KEYCODE_VOLUME_DOWN"

26 --> "KEYCODE_POWER"

27 --> "KEYCODE_CAMERA"

28 --> "KEYCODE_CLEAR"

29 --> "KEYCODE_A"

30 --> "KEYCODE_B"

31 --> "KEYCODE_C"

32 --> "KEYCODE_D"

33 --> "KEYCODE_E"

34 --> "KEYCODE_F"

35 --> "KEYCODE_G"

36 --> "KEYCODE_H"

37 --> "KEYCODE_I"

38 --> "KEYCODE_J"

39 --> "KEYCODE_K"

40 --> "KEYCODE_L"

41 --> "KEYCODE_M"

42 --> "KEYCODE_N"

43 --> "KEYCODE_O"

44 --> "KEYCODE_P"

45 --> "KEYCODE_Q"

46 --> "KEYCODE_R"

47 --> "KEYCODE_S"

48 --> "KEYCODE_T"

49 --> "KEYCODE_U"

50 --> "KEYCODE_V"

51 --> "KEYCODE_W"

52 --> "KEYCODE_X"

53 --> "KEYCODE_Y"

54 --> "KEYCODE_Z"

55 --> "KEYCODE_COMMA"

56 --> "KEYCODE_PERIOD"

57 --> "KEYCODE_ALT_LEFT"

58 --> "KEYCODE_ALT_RIGHT"

59 --> "KEYCODE_SHIFT_LEFT"

60 --> "KEYCODE_SHIFT_RIGHT"

61 --> "KEYCODE_TAB"

62 --> "KEYCODE_SPACE"

63 --> "KEYCODE_SYM"

64 --> "KEYCODE_EXPLORER"

65 --> "KEYCODE_ENVELOPE"

66 --> "KEYCODE_ENTER"

67 --> "KEYCODE_DEL"

68 --> "KEYCODE_GRAVE"

69 --> "KEYCODE_MINUS"

70 --> "KEYCODE_EQUALS"

71 --> "KEYCODE_LEFT_BRACKET"

72 --> "KEYCODE_RIGHT_BRACKET"

73 --> "KEYCODE_BACKSLASH"

74 --> "KEYCODE_SEMICOLON"

75 --> "KEYCODE_APOSTROPHE"

76 --> "KEYCODE_SLASH"

77 --> "KEYCODE_AT"

78 --> "KEYCODE_NUM"

79 --> "KEYCODE_HEADSETHOOK"

80 --> "KEYCODE_FOCUS"

81 --> "KEYCODE_PLUS"

82 --> "KEYCODE_MENU"

83 --> "KEYCODE_NOTIFICATION"

84 --> "KEYCODE_SEARCH"

85 --> "TAG_LAST_KEYCODE"