App that detects external screen and changes DPI when it connects, reverts DPI when it disconnects?

[bloblo]

I have ordered & obtained the Gemini HDMI cable which even with a "limited" android system is one of the most awesome things ever! However, there is one major reason why using the screen feels a little meh: everything is HUGE.

Now I could change the DPI in the settings but that would change them permanently even if the screen disconnects, right?

Therefore, I'm looking for an app that will automatically observe & detect when HDMI becomes active and change to another custom set of DPI/scale, and revert back when the screen disconnects.  Does anyone know an app that can do that?

[spook]

I have ordered & obtained the Gemini HDMI cable which even with a "limited" android system is one of the most awesome things ever! However, there is one major reason why using the screen feels a little meh: everything is HUGE.

Now I could change the DPI in the settings but that would change them permanently even if the screen disconnects, right?

Therefore, I'm looking for an app that will automatically observe & detect when HDMI becomes active and change to another custom set of DPI/scale, and revert back when the screen disconnects.  Does anyone know an app that can do that?

I have 2 suggestions you could try:

1. You can use Tasker to change the DPI based on certain triggers. I have mine set to change the dpi when certain apps open (such as Outlook and other apps that benefit from a higher DPI). It then changes the DPI back when the app closes. I'm not 100% sure, but you could probably set it to change DPI when an external screen is connected

2. You could use an app called Sentio Desktop. It kind of replaces your launcher when it detects an external screen. It's a pretty cool launcher as it looks a lot more "desktopy" and it is much more mouse friendly. It also automatically adjusts the dpi to make it higher (then lower once you quit)

Either way, you need to give the app permission to be able to change the DPI. You need to do this using ADB. It's pretty easy, but it involves connecting your Gemini to your computer (you don't need root). Sentio has a pretty good tutorial on how to do this. Hope this helps!

[bloblo]

Thanks for the ideas! Sentio I already tried before I had the HDMI adapter, and it seemed too buggy to me. I would constantly get in and out of the "Sentio View" and in general it seemed to work pretty badly. As for the adb shell, if anyone is curious: you don't actually need to access it externally, with root & termux and the right command on stackoverflow (it is quite lengthy but it exists) you can actually launch into the real full-blown system/adb shell right on the device itself! Pretty useful to poke around the internals without external help

Tasker sounds very interesting, I'll take a look!  

Edit: also another note regarding Sentio, I am actually quite happy with side by side even in Desktop use. I think it's not a bad paradigm. Just the huge fonts is what bothers me (or on the other end, using tiny fonts also in mobile mode when I'm using it on the run with internal screen, because I picked them for external HDMI screen use)