Can start sync intent with any kind of action. Created two new manifest actions for starting sync from third party apps like Tasker

astrid/AndroidManifest.xml

@@ -253,7 +253,12 @@
         <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
       </intent-filter>
     </activity>
-    <service android:name="com.todoroo.astrid.gtasks.GtasksBackgroundService"/>    
+    <service android:name="com.todoroo.astrid.gtasks.GtasksBackgroundService">
+      <intent-filter>
+        <action android:name="com.todoroo.astrid.gtasks.SYNC" />
+        <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
+      </intent-filter>
+    </service>        
     <receiver android:name="com.todoroo.astrid.gtasks.GtasksSyncActionExposer">
       <intent-filter>
         <action android:name="com.todoroo.astrid.REQUEST_SYNC_ACTIONS" />
@@ -437,7 +442,12 @@
     </activity>
     <activity android:name="com.todoroo.astrid.producteev.ProducteevLoginActivity"
               android:theme="@style/Theme" />
-    <service android:name="com.todoroo.astrid.producteev.ProducteevBackgroundService"/>
+    <service android:name="com.todoroo.astrid.producteev.ProducteevBackgroundService">
+      <intent-filter>
+        <action android:name="com.todoroo.astrid.producteev.SYNC" />
+        <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
+      </intent-filter>
+    </service>
     <receiver android:name="com.todoroo.astrid.producteev.ProducteevStartupReceiver">
       <intent-filter>
         <action android:name="android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED" />

astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/gtasks/GtasksSyncActionExposer.java

@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import com.todoroo.andlib.service.DependencyInjectionService;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.api.AstridApiConstants;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.api.SyncAction;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.service.AstridDependencyInjector;
-import com.todoroo.astrid.sync.SyncBackgroundService;
 
 /**
  * Exposes sync action
@@ -38,7 +37,7 @@ public class GtasksSyncActionExposer extends BroadcastReceiver {
         if(!gtasksPreferenceService.isLoggedIn())
             return;
 
-        Intent syncIntent = new Intent(SyncBackgroundService.SYNC_ACTION, null,
+        Intent syncIntent = new Intent(null, null,
                 context, GtasksBackgroundService.class);
         PendingIntent pendingIntent = PendingIntent.getService(context, 0, syncIntent, PendingIntent.FLAG_UPDATE_CURRENT);
         SyncAction syncAction = new SyncAction(context.getString(R.string.gtasks_GPr_header),

astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/gtasks/auth/GtasksLoginActivity.java

@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@ import com.todoroo.astrid.gtasks.GtasksBackgroundService;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.gtasks.GtasksPreferenceService;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.service.AstridDependencyInjector;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.service.StatisticsService;
-import com.todoroo.astrid.sync.SyncBackgroundService;
 import com.todoroo.gtasks.GoogleConnectionManager;
 import com.todoroo.gtasks.GoogleLoginException;
 import com.todoroo.gtasks.GoogleTasksException;
@@ -172,7 +171,7 @@ public class GtasksLoginActivity extends Activity {
      * Perform synchronization
      */
     protected void synchronize() {
-        startService(new Intent(SyncBackgroundService.SYNC_ACTION, null,
+        startService(new Intent(null, null,
                 this, GtasksBackgroundService.class));
         finish();
     }

astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/gtasks/sync/GtasksSyncProvider.java

@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ import com.todoroo.astrid.gtasks.GtasksTaskListUpdater;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.gtasks.auth.GtasksLoginActivity;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.service.AstridDependencyInjector;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.service.StatisticsService;
-import com.todoroo.astrid.sync.SyncBackgroundService;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.sync.SyncContainer;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.sync.SyncProvider;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.utility.Constants;
@@ -55,17 +54,17 @@ import com.todoroo.astrid.utility.Flags;
 import com.todoroo.gtasks.GoogleConnectionManager;
 import com.todoroo.gtasks.GoogleLoginException;
 import com.todoroo.gtasks.GoogleTaskService;
-import com.todoroo.gtasks.GoogleTaskService.ConvenientTaskCreator;
 import com.todoroo.gtasks.GoogleTaskTask;
 import com.todoroo.gtasks.GoogleTaskView;
 import com.todoroo.gtasks.GoogleTasksException;
+import com.todoroo.gtasks.GoogleTaskService.ConvenientTaskCreator;
 import com.todoroo.gtasks.actions.Actions;
 import com.todoroo.gtasks.actions.GetTasksAction;
 import com.todoroo.gtasks.actions.ListAction;
 import com.todoroo.gtasks.actions.ListActions;
+import com.todoroo.gtasks.actions.ListCreationAction;
 import com.todoroo.gtasks.actions.ListActions.TaskBuilder;
 import com.todoroo.gtasks.actions.ListActions.TaskModifier;
-import com.todoroo.gtasks.actions.ListCreationAction;
 
 @SuppressWarnings("nls")
 public class GtasksSyncProvider extends SyncProvider<GtasksTaskContainer> {
@@ -190,7 +189,7 @@ public class GtasksSyncProvider extends SyncProvider<GtasksTaskContainer> {
             Intent intent = new Intent(activity, GtasksLoginActivity.class);
             activity.startActivityForResult(intent, 0);
         } else {
-            activity.startService(new Intent(SyncBackgroundService.SYNC_ACTION, null,
+            activity.startService(new Intent(null, null,
                 activity, GtasksBackgroundService.class));
             activity.finish();
         }

astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/producteev/ProducteevLoginActivity.java

@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ public class ProducteevLoginActivity extends Activity {
      * Perform synchronization
      */
     protected void synchronize() {
-        startService(new Intent(ProducteevBackgroundService.SYNC_ACTION, null,
+        startService(new Intent(null, null,
                 this, ProducteevBackgroundService.class));
         finish();
     }

astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/producteev/ProducteevSyncActionExposer.java

@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ public class ProducteevSyncActionExposer extends BroadcastReceiver {
         if(!ProducteevUtilities.INSTANCE.isLoggedIn())
             return;
 
-        Intent syncIntent = new Intent(ProducteevBackgroundService.SYNC_ACTION, null,
+        Intent syncIntent = new Intent(null, null,
                 context, ProducteevBackgroundService.class);
         PendingIntent pendingIntent = PendingIntent.getService(context, 0, syncIntent, PendingIntent.FLAG_UPDATE_CURRENT);
         SyncAction syncAction = new SyncAction(context.getString(R.string.producteev_PPr_header),

astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/producteev/sync/ProducteevSyncProvider.java

@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ public class ProducteevSyncProvider extends SyncProvider<ProducteevTaskContainer
             Intent intent = new Intent(activity, ProducteevLoginActivity.class);
             activity.startActivityForResult(intent, 0);
         } else {
-            activity.startService(new Intent(ProducteevBackgroundService.SYNC_ACTION, null,
+            activity.startService(new Intent(null, null,
                     activity, ProducteevBackgroundService.class));
         }
     }