Meta-Life Data Hub on HarmonyOS 6: Share Kit, Anti-Peep & Light Field UI Implementation

Project Background and Positioning

The Xiangji (响记) application, originally a university graduation project, was rebuilt on HarmonyOS 6 and won the HarmonyOS incentive award and innovation scene award. The app positions itself as a "meta-life data transfer station and memory bank" , moving beyond traditional file managers like Documents. Unlike conventional file-container logic that requires manual upload of PDFs or Word documents, Xiangji handles heterogeneous metadata — web links, temporary images, voice memos — without format conversion, creating a closed loop of collect–organize–share .

Core Differentiation: Metadata vs. File Containers

Traditional file managers focus on CRUD and classification of files, forcing users to convert scattered information into files (screenshots, copy-paste) before management. Xiangji leverages HarmonyOS system-level sharing (tap-to-share, drag-and-drop, AirDrop-like transfer) to act as a universal data hub. Users share any data type directly into Xiangji via the system share sheet, eliminating context switching between apps for annotation, scheduling, or forwarding.

Technical Implementation: Share Kit as Data Backbone

System Share Handling

All sharing flows — same-device app-to-app, cross-device tap-to-share (碰一碰), and proximity-based AirDrop (隔空传送) — rely on the unified systemShare.SharedData structure. The app registers supported data types in src/main/module.json5 under skills:

"abilities": [
  {
    "name": "EntryAbility",
    "srcEntry": "./ets/entryability/EntryAbility.ets",
    "skills": [
      {
        "actions": ["ohos.want.action.sendData"],
        "uris": [
          {"scheme": "file", "utd": "general.text", "maxFileSupported": 1},
          {"scheme": "file", "utd": "general.png", "maxFileSupported": 1},
          {"scheme": "file", "utd": "general.jpeg", "maxFileSupported": 1}
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
]

On launch, the UIAbility processes incoming Want parameters via systemShare.getSharedData(want), converting each SharedData record into the app's internal SelfSaveData model. The conversion distinguishes plain text (handled by solvePlainTextData) from other types ( solveData), with error logging via BusinessError.

import { AbilityConstant, UIAbility, Want } from '@kit.AbilityKit';
import { window } from '@kit.ArkUI';
import { systemShare } from '@kit.ShareKit';
import { BusinessError } from '@kit.BasicServicesKit';

export default class EntryAbility extends UIAbility {
  onCreate(want: Want, launchParam: AbilityConstant.LaunchParam): void {
    solveSharedData(want);
  }
}

function solveSharedData(want: Want) {
  let srRecords: systemShare.SharedData = await systemShare.getSharedData(want);
  let res: Array<SelfSaveData> = [];
  try {
    for (let srr of srRecords) {
      let m: SelfSaveData = new SelfSaveData();
      let utd = srr.getType();
      if (uniformTypeDescriptor.getTypeDescriptor(utd).belongsTo(uniformTypeDescriptor.UniformDataType.PLAIN_TEXT)) {
        m.solvePlainTextData(...);
      } else {
        m.solveData(...);
      }
      res.push(m);
    }
    console.warn(`sharedRecord to selfSaveData add success len:${res.length}`);
  } catch (e) {
    console.error(`sharedRecord to selfSaveData failed:${JSON.stringify(e as BusinessError)}`);
  }
  return res;
}

Cross-Device Tap-to-Share (Phone ↔ PC/2-in-1)

HarmonyOS 6 extends Share Kit with harmonyShare for PC/2-in-1 reception. The receiver registers a dataReceive listener, declares supported UTDs (OBJECT, FILE) with high counts, and processes incoming SharedData using the same conversion logic:

import { uniformTypeDescriptor as utd } from '@kit.ArkData';
import { systemShare, harmonyShare } from '@kit.ShareKit';
import { common } from '@kit.AbilityKit';

export async function harmonyShareDataReceive(windowClass: window.Window) {
  if (canIUse("SystemCapability.Collaboration.HarmonyShare") && deviceInfo.deviceType == "2in1") {
    harmonyShare.on('dataReceive', {
      windowId: windowClass.getWindowProperties().id,
      capabilities: [
        { utd: uniformTypeDescriptor.UniformDataType.OBJECT, maxSupportedCount: 999 },
        { utd: uniformTypeDescriptor.UniformDataType.FILE, maxSupportedCount: 999 }
      ]
    }, (receivableTarget: harmonyShare.ReceivableTarget) => {
      receivableTarget.receive(fileUri.getUriFromPath(globalContext.getContext().filesDir), {
        onDataReceived: (srRecords: systemShare.SharedData) => {
          // same conversion logic as above
        },
        onResult: (resultCode: harmonyShare.ShareResultCode) => {}
      });
    });
  }
}

Device Security Kit: Automatic Anti-Peep Protection

Traditional privacy modes rely on passive password gates. Xiangji integrates dlpAntiPeep from Device Security Kit to actively detect shoulder-surfing and blur sensitive content. The implementation checks the system switch, subscribes to dlpAntiPeep events, and applies a custom mask layer on the window when DlpAntiPeepStatus.HIDE fires:

import { dlpAntiPeep } from '@kit.DeviceSecurityKit';
import { window } from '@kit.ArkUI';
import { common } from '@kit.AbilityKit';

export function openDlp(uIContext: UIContext) {
  if (canIUse("SystemCapability.Security.DlpAntiPeep")) {
    try {
      dlpAntiPeep.isDlpAntiPeepSwitchOn().then((value) => {
        if (value) {
          dlpAntiPeep.on('dlpAntiPeep', async (dlpAntiPeepStatus: dlpAntiPeep.DlpAntiPeepStatus) => {
            if (dlpAntiPeepStatus == dlpAntiPeep.DlpAntiPeepStatus.HIDE) {
              try {
                let windowClass: window.Window = await window.getLastWindow(uIContext);
                let windowId: number = windowClass.getWindowProperties().id;
                await dlpAntiPeep.setAntiPeepMaskLayer(windowId);
              } catch (error) {
                console.error(`setAntiPeepMaskLayer failed. error code is ${JSON.stringify(error)}`);
              }
            }
          });
        }
      }).catch((err: BusinessError) => {
        console.error(`isDlpAntiPeepSwitchOn fialed catch:`, JSON.stringify(err));
      });
    } catch (err) {
      console.error(`isDlpAntiPeepSwitchOn fialed`, JSON.stringify(err));
    }
  }
}

This adds proactive privacy with only dozens of lines, reducing development cost while guarding data in real time.

UI Design Kit: Light Field Visual Effects

HarmonyOS 6's UI Design Kit introduces hdsEffect for point-light illumination. Xiangji uses PointLightIlluminatedType and PointLightSourceType to toggle border-only vs. border-plus-content glow and bright vs. none source states, creating immersive feedback on interactive elements:

import { hdsEffect } from '@kit.UIDesignKit';

@State isLight_0: boolean = false;

build() {
  Column() {
    Stack() {
      SymbolGlyph($r("sys.symbol.ohos_photo"))
        .fontSize(24)
    }
    .hoverEffect(HoverEffect.Highlight)
    .width(40)
    .height(40)
    .borderRadius(20)
    .backgroundBlurStyle(BlurStyle.Thin)
    .onClick(() => {})
    .visualEffect(new hdsEffect.HdsEffectBuilder()
      .pointLight({
        illuminatedType: this.isLight_0 ? hdsEffect.PointLightIlluminatedType.BORDER_CONTENT : hdsEffect.PointLightIlluminatedType.BORDER,
        sourceType: this.isLight_0 ? hdsEffect.PointLightSourceType.BRIGHT : hdsEffect.PointLightSourceType.NONE
      })
      .buildEffect()
    )
  }
  .width('100%')
  .height('100%')
}

HdsNavigation: Responsive Navigation with Built-in Visuals

Multi-device adaptation traditionally requires separate navigation layouts per form factor. The HdsNavigation component from UI Design Kit provides out-of-the-box dynamic effects (flowing light), strict HarmonyOS Design System compliance (layered icons, Symbol resources, light/shadow), and configurable width ranges. Unlike the base Navigation component which demands custom title/tool bars, HdsNavigation exposes a titleBar property with scrollEffectOpts for gradient blur, transition blur, or standard blur — all cross-device consistent:

import { HdsNavigation, HdsNavigationAttribute, ScrollEffectType } from '@kit.UIDesignKit';
import { LengthMetrics } from '@kit.ArkUI';

@Entry
@Component
struct Index {
  build() {
    HdsNavigation() {
      // content area
    }.titleBar({
      style: {
        scrollEffectOpts: {
          enableScrollEffect: true,
          scrollEffectType: ScrollEffectType.GRADIENT_BLUR
        }
      },
      content: {
        title: { mainTitle: '主标题', subTitle: '子标题' }
      }
    })
  }
}

This cut Xiangji's multi-end navigation development cycle dramatically while delivering polished visuals.

Development Retrospective

The team concludes that premium UX stems not from disruptive features but from precise pain-point insight and microscopic technical refinements. HarmonyOS 6 kits — Device Security Kit, UI Design Kit, Share Kit — appear as independent modules, yet when fused with real scenarios they produce a compounding experience greater than the sum of parts. The OS absorbs complexity (cross-device transport, anti-peep detection, design-system-consistent components), freeing developers to polish user-facing details. This ecosystem model lowers entry barriers for small-to-medium apps, enabling a virtuous cycle of resource concentration on UX. Xiangji will continue deepening HarmonyOS integration, optimizing data-flow efficiency, privacy, and interaction granularity, believing every subtle technical refinement builds the foundation for ultimate user experience.