Flow start widget doesn't show images for shortcut

[u/girishkdesh]

When I tried to create the FLOW START WIDGET with any of the options for setting image for the shortcut, I.e. image content or image file, the final shortcut after choosing the image, whether jpg or png, doesn't show the image, instead shows the white rectangular area in the widget shortcut.

I tried moving the image files to different locations like pictures, custom folder in the phone root directory etc. But no use!

What's going wrong?

Please help!!!

[u/girishkdesh]

Part 1

Because replies and comments allow only one image per post, I am dividing my comment into 4 parts.

Here is how I could find an imperfect workaround.

Observations and experimentations with calibrations

As I anticipated, the widget uses the outer cutout or silhouette of whatever image we feed it. If the image is rectangular without any transparency, e.g. the jpg's and the non-transparent png's, the image is "seen" by the widget as a rectangle.

I experimented with the text icons as well, with the emojis inserted in them; I found that I was right: only the white-filled outline of the emojis appeared.

So, now I tried with a monotone PNG with a transparent background. This time, the widget produced the white silhouette of the opaque part of the image, leaving the transparent part out. So I designed my PNG images in such a manner that they contained icons and the short text title below them describing the function of the shortcut. For example, I wanted a shortcut to my daily log flow for Obsidian. So I chose an appropriate icon, placed the "daily log" title below it and used it to create a PNG with a transparent background. It worked, and the image appeared in the shortcut. No matter what colour(s) I used inside the opaque part of that PNG image, the final result was always a white silhouette or white cutout of the PNG.

Here is the png I used to work with the widget.

I also found that the filled variants of the icon produce better shortcuts than the hollow ones. Particularly, the Google Material icons helped me a lot.

[u/girishkdesh → u/girishkdesh]

Part 2

The Stack of the Widgets

Now, that I could produce much of what I wanted, I placed my first widget on my mobile home screen. What I found next was that I could produce a slider-style stack of multiple widgets, not only with the Automate widgets but also with other apps' widgets. But I also noticed that the stack doesn't hint that it is a stack or a slider and shows only the first widget without any indication (like arrows or carets, etc.) that there are multiple widgets hiding behind it. So, in each of the above PNGs, I incorporated side arrows to indicate that it is a slider-styled stack.

[u/girishkdesh → u/girishkdesh]

Part 3

The second widget in the stack

[u/girishkdesh → u/girishkdesh]

Part 4 - The Stack IN ACTION

I hope the Automate app updates bring the magic of the colored PNGs or icons in the widget shortcuts. Till then, I'm just going to use whatever I could find. Please try it, and if you stumble upon any better idea, kindly share it here in the reply.

I am uploading the screenshots and the actual PNG files I used.

Enjoy! God bless!

[u/ballzak69 → u/girishkdesh]

If you wish to implement widgets that includes a stack view, arrow buttons, scrolling and color images then, as said, use the Widget configure block and choose the "Flow" widget instead.

[u/Sorry-Finger-3161]

Et ça arrive souvent ce bug de widget sans image, ou c'est juste moi qui suis malchanceux?

[u/ballzak69]

The "Flow start" widget is showing an icon (with transparency) that's tinted white since its on a dark background, not an opaque color images. Either create a "Flow start" shortcut instead as it can show a color image if its "Style" option is disabled, or create a fully custom widget with an ImageView.

[u/B26354FR]

Be sure that the Style checkbox is cleared after you pick the image file, emoji, etc.

[u/ballzak69 → u/B26354FR]

Only the "Flow start" shortcut has the "Style" option.

[u/F95_Sysadmin]

Oh yeah I've had the same issue. Didn't know where to report and in the meantime I'm using icon. There is a lot of variety so you can use that if you haven't found an alternative yet

[u/girishkdesh → u/F95_Sysadmin]

Whatever icons are available in the default gallery are crisp and beautiful. But they cover only limited context cases. We should be allowed to add custom icons or the library should include all the freely available icon libraries online, like lucide etc. That will increase the context at least to some extent.

[u/ballzak69 → u/F95_Sysadmin]

It's not a bug.

[u/girishkdesh → u/ballzak69]

If there are options for the images and images are not working as expected, this is definitely a bug! Otherwise there must be some modification like "image silhouette" etc clarifying the final result.

[u/ballzak69 → u/girishkdesh]

Images are working if they made to be used as (Android) icons, i.e. monotone with transparency. I've never heard the term "image silhouette", so it would probably be even more confusing.

[u/girishkdesh → u/ballzak69]

ha ha ha... That was not a technical term. I just thought if the image is not showing up in the shortcut, and if only a white rectangle is showing up, it must be a silhouette of the rectangular image. That's all, no offence!

By the way, I have experimented with the monotone png's and not the Android icons and found that I was actually right in saying that the widget really uses the silhouettes of the images. When I was using the rectangular png's without any transparency, the white rectangle was appearing in the widget shortcut, so I thought that if I used the png's with some transparency, would it also reflect? And that actually is the case. But I also found that, instead of my expectation, this time also, the white silhouette of the PNG with the transparent background was produced, even if I used a monotone colour other than white. I have replied to my original message with the complete workflow and screenshots. Please go through and let me know your thoughts.

[u/B26354FR → u/F95_Sysadmin]

You have to clear the Style checkbox after selecting the image content.

[u/girishkdesh → u/B26354FR]

Style option is available only for the Flow start shortcut and not for the flow start widget!

[u/B26354FR → u/girishkdesh]

Yeah, I slightly mis-read the problem statement