Develop Reference

Android service running but overlay activity flicks and disappears

Background info: I'm trying to create a service. I create it in my main activity. I know the service is running because the notification is showing. So the service doesn't stop at any point.
What i want to happen: when the screen is locked/turned off i want a certain activity to be displayed for when the screen is turned back on.
What is happening: first, When the screen is turned back on the main activity shows and then the activity i want shows over that. I dont want the main activity to show at all when the screen is turned on .
Then i changed a few things: and now the desired activity flickers on the main screen and then vanishes. It seems very unreliable and only comes a few times.
That should be enough info, here is the code so far (specifically onReceive())
public class OverlayService extends Service{
//IN THIS CLASS CHECK WHETHER LOCK BUTTON WAS PRESSED OR IF PHONE WHEN TO SLEEP.. UPON AWAKENING START THE OVERLAY ACTIVITY...
private BroadcastReceiver mReceiver;
private boolean isShowing = false;
#Override
public IBinder onBind(Intent intent) {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub
return null;
}
private WindowManager windowManager;
WindowManager.LayoutParams params;
#Override
public void onCreate() {
super.onCreate();
windowManager = (WindowManager)getSystemService(WINDOW_SERVICE);
//Register receiver for determining screen off and if user is present
mReceiver = new OverlayStateReceiver();
IntentFilter filter = new IntentFilter(Intent.ACTION_SCREEN_OFF);
filter.addAction(Intent.ACTION_USER_PRESENT);
filter.addAction(Intent.ACTION_SCREEN_ON);
registerReceiver(mReceiver, filter);
makeNotification();
}
void makeNotification() {
Notification notification = new NotificationCompat.Builder(this)
//TODO change icon
.setSmallIcon(R.drawable.test)
.setContentTitle("App")
.setContentText("service is running...")
.setPriority(Notification.PRIORITY_LOW)
.build();
startForeground(1, notification);
}
#Override
public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {
return START_STICKY;
}
public class OverlayStateReceiver extends BroadcastReceiver {
#Override
public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
if (intent.getAction().equals(Intent.ACTION_SCREEN_OFF)) {
Log.i("app", "load view");
showOverlayActivity(context);
}
}
}
private void showOverlayActivity(Context context) {
Intent intent = new Intent(context, OverlayActivity.class);
intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_CLEAR_TOP);
intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_SINGLE_TOP);
intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
context.startActivity(intent);
}
#Override
public void onDestroy() {
//unregister receiver when the service is destroy
if (mReceiver != null) {
unregisterReceiver(mReceiver);
}
//TODO remove view if it is showing and the service is destroy
super.onDestroy();
}
}

How to unregisterReceiver from an activity

I start a service from activity button click that fire a service class and start Broadcastreceiver and it's run in background but I want to unregisterReceiver with a button click from same activity class.it seem not working.I added receiver class to menifest.
Here is my code.
Activity button click for registerreceiver
save.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
#Override
public void onClick(View v) {
Intent svc = new Intent(this, DemoService.class);
startService(svc);
});
DemoService.class
public class DemoService extends Service {
static final String LOGGING_TAG = "MyDemo";
private static Alarm1 tickReceiver =new Alarm1();
#Override
public IBinder onBind(Intent intent) {
return null;
}
#Override
public void onStart(Intent intent, int startId){
super.onStart(intent, startId);
Log.v(LOGGING_TAG, "DemoService.onStart()");
}
#Override
public void onCreate(){
super.onCreate();
Log.d(LOGGING_TAG, "DemoService.onCreate()");
registerReceiver(
new Alarm1(),
new IntentFilter(Intent.ACTION_TIME_TICK));
}
}
Activity button click for unregisterReceiver
unreg.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
#Override
public void onClick(View v) {
DemoService demo=new DemoService();
demo.unreg();
});
And receiver class
public class Alarm1 extends BroadcastReceiver {
#Override
public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
Log.d("tag","working");
}
How can I unregisterReceiver from unreg button click.
If I click in unreg button it show me error java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Receiver not registered:

create a method for unregistering Receiver in Service class. And call the service with action like.
Intent svc = new Intent(this, DemoService.class);
svc.setAction("com.package.UN_REGISTER");
startService(svc);
and in Service class handle them in onStartCommand ()
like
if(intent.getAction().equals("com.package.UN_REGISTER")
//call your unregister method
Add action in Manifest in your service Tag
<IntentFilter>
<action name = "com.package.UN_REGISTER">
</IntentFilter>

You should use Bound Services for this. Check link for implementation and usage

If you want to correctly register and unregister a BroadcastReceiver. The BroadcastReceiver passed in registerReceiver() and unregisterReceiver() must be the same instance, so is the Context instance be invoked. Because the implement uses Context and BroadcastReceiver instances to uniquely map to a "Register operation".

Broadcast Receiver not receiving

I know this question comes here fairly often, but I've looked through probably 20 stack overflow questions already and haven't been able to find a solution. I'm fairly certain it's something simple I'm doing wrong but I'm pretty new to Android and this assignment is due in 7 hours or so.
Everything works up until the receiver being called. Here's the call, from a service
Intent intent = new Intent(getApplicationContext(), MainActivity.WatchReceiver.class);
intent.putStringArrayListExtra(CHANGEKEY, changedURLs);
LocalBroadcastManager.getInstance(getApplicationContext()).sendBroadcast(intent);
Now here's the receiver, nested inside the main activity
public class WatchReceiver extends BroadcastReceiver {
#Override
public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
Log.d(null, "broadcast received");
markAsChanged(intent.getStringArrayListExtra(WatchService.CHANGEKEY));
}
}
And the main activity's on start function, where I register the receiver
#Override
protected void onStart() {
super.onStart();
// Bind to LocalService
wr = new WatchReceiver();
markedAsChanged = new ArrayList<Integer>();
LocalBroadcastManager.getInstance(getApplicationContext()).registerReceiver(wr, new IntentFilter());
Intent intent = new Intent(this, WatchService.class);
sc = new ServiceConnection() {
#Override
public void onServiceConnected(ComponentName name, IBinder service) {
wb = (WatchService.WatchBinder) service;
}
#Override
public void onServiceDisconnected(ComponentName name) {
wb = null;
}
};
bindService(intent, sc, Context.BIND_AUTO_CREATE);
}

Explicit Intents do not work with registerReceiver(), whether you are calling registerReceiver() on a Context (for system-level broadcasts) or on an instance of LocalBroadcastManager (for local broadcasts).
Instead:
Define an action string (e.g., final String ACTION="com.dellosa.nick.ITS_HUMP_DAY";)
Use that action string when creating the Intent to broadcast (new Intent(ACTION))
Use that action string when creating the IntentFilter (new IntentFilter(ACTION))

Go to previous activity from BroadcastReceiver?

I need to close the current activity from a broadcast receiver. I'm not sure how to call finish from it, maybe there is a way to simulate a "Back" key keypress. Any implementation will be fine as long as it does the job.
#Override
public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
// How can I finish the current activity here?
}

At your broadcast receiver write:
YourCurrentActivityName.this.finish();
Or you can terminate the front activity with this.finish(); so the last open in stuck comes to front.
Update:
Code for first case:
Use of broadcast receiver to terminate activity at back stack:
public class ActivityFirstName extends Activity {
private BroadcastReceiver mFinishReceiver;
#Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.main);
// other code
if (mFinishReceiver == null) {
IntentFilter intentFilter = new IntentFilter();
intentFilter.addAction("com.example.ACTION_TERMINATE");// a string to identify your action
mFinishReceiver = new BroadcastReceiver() {
#Override
public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
// How can I finish the current activity here?
if ("com.example.ACTION_TERMINATE".equals(intent.getAction())) {
ActivityFirstName.this.finish();
}
}
};
registerReceiver(mFinishReceiver, intentFilter);
}
// other code
}
#Override
protected void onDestroy() {
super.onDestroy();
if (isFinishing()) {
if (mFinishReceiver != null) {
unregisterReceiver(mFinishReceiver);
}
}
}
}
And the front/current running activity, the sender of the broadcast:
public class ActivitySecondName extends Activity {
#Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.second);
// code code code
final Button button = (Button) findViewById(R.id.button_id);
button.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
#Override
public void onClick(View v) {
// Perform action on click
terminateBackActivities();
}
});
}
private void terminateBackActivities() {
Intent i = new Intent("com.example.ACTION_TERMINATE"); // the two action strings MUST be same
// i.putExtra(...); // to send extra data
sendBroadcast(i);
}
}

You can simply call this.finish();

Assuming from your comment that the BroadcastReceiver is not an internal class of the activity, here is what you should do: Rather than having the broadcast receiver in a separate class, define it inside your activity like so:
private BroadcastReceiver mFinishReceiver = new BroadcastReceiver(){
#Override
public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent){
YourActivity.this.finish();
}
};
Then, you will want to register the receiver in onResume() as such:
#Override
public void onResume(){
super.onResume();
registerReceiver(mFinishReceiver, new IntentFilter(yourIntentAction));
}
You will also want to unregister this receiver in onPause() so you don't leak it:
#Override
public void onPause(){
super.onPause();
unregisterReceiver(mFinishReceiver);
}
Then you can remove the other receiver that had its own separate class and also remove its definition in the manifest. The above example will ensure that you can always call finish() with no issues because the receiver is only registered when the activity is running, as it is internal to the activity's class.
EDIT: Change the methods to onCreate() and onDestroy() rather than onPause() and onDestroy(), according to madlymad's comment.

The ActivityManager class can give you the current foreground activity (even if it's not from your app). The getRunningTasks methods will give you a list of the running tasks, the first element of the list being the most recent launched activity.Unfortunately,this method will just give you an object of type RecentTaskInfo , not the activity itself, so there is no way to call its finish() method,I believe :/
On the other hand, if you want to close the current activity from your app, you can implement a static variable on a personal class that each activiy would set in their onResume() method. This way you will always know what activity is the current one. But I guess it's not what you are looking for.
Edit: The getRunningTasks is just intended for debug purposes, as says the doc..

As suggested by other answers you can simply call finish() on the activity in the broadcast receiver code or you can even trigger a back button press key event yourself.
this.dispatchKeyEvent(new Keyevent(ACTION_DOWN, KEYCODE_BACK));

Not sure about whether this is helpfull to you or not but its help me once and i think thats a same case here so i am answering for you.
Whenever the broadcast receiver get call, you can navigate to any activity by clicking on that broadcast message.
Just like:
#Override
public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
// My Notification Code
notificationManager = (NotificationManager)context.getSystemService(Context.NOTIFICATION_SERVICE);
int icon = R.drawable.app_icon;
//System.out.println("The ID Number is: "+Long.parseLong(intent.getData().getSchemeSpecificPart()) );
contentText = intent.getStringExtra("MyMessage");
System.out.println("The Message is: "+intent.getStringExtra("MyMessage"));
CharSequence text = "Your tax amount due period";
CharSequence contentTitle = "Tax Toolbox";
long when = System.currentTimeMillis();
intent = new Intent(context, MenuPageActivity.class); // here i am calling activity
intent.putExtra("sixMonth", "sixMonth");
intent.putExtra("messageSixMonth", contentText);
PendingIntent contentIntent = PendingIntent.getActivity(context, 1, intent, PendingIntent.FLAG_UPDATE_CURRENT);
notification = new Notification(icon,text,when);
long[] vibrate = {0,100,200,300};
notification.vibrate = vibrate; // To vibrate the Device
notification.ledARGB = Color.RED;
notification.ledOffMS = 300;
notification.ledOnMS = 300;
notification.defaults |= Notification.DEFAULT_LIGHTS;
//notification.flags |= Notification.FLAG_SHOW_LIGHTS;
notification.setLatestEventInfo(context, contentTitle, contentText, contentIntent);
notificationManager.notify(com.project.TaxToolbox.NotificationConstants.NOTIFICATION_ID_SIX_MONTH, notification);
}
Now, on the onCreate() of that activity you have to identify whether it is call by Notification or not.
As like:
NotificationManager notificationManager = (NotificationManager)getSystemService(Context.NOTIFICATION_SERVICE);
System.out.println("The Extra for twoMonth is: "+getIntent().hasExtra("twoMonth"));
System.out.println("The Extra for sixMonth is: "+getIntent().hasExtra("sixMonth"));
System.out.println("The Extra for EveryMonth is: "+getIntent().hasExtra("everyMonth"));
if(getIntent().hasExtra("sixMonth")){
notificationManager.cancel(NotificationConstants.NOTIFICATION_ID_SIX_MONTH);
final AlertDialog alert3 = new AlertDialog.Builder(MenuPageActivity.this).create();
alert3.setTitle("Tax Toolbox");
alert3.setMessage(getIntent().getExtras().getString("messageSixMonth"));
alert3.setButton("OK", new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {
public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which) {
return;
}
});
alert3.setIcon(R.drawable.app_icon);
alert3.show();
// here you can do anything more or close the activity.
}
Not sure but might be helpfull to you.
Feel free to comments if it help you.

Create a common Activity class and extend this common class from all activities, that way you can have a centralized code. Have a register the broadcast receiver in onStart of the activity and unregister in onStop that way only one activity, the one which is visible will be registered for the broadcast intent.
Sample code:
public class BaseActivity extends Activity {
/*
* (non-Javadoc)
*
* #see android.app.Activity#onCreate(android.os.Bundle)
*/
#Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
registerReceiver(receiver, new IntentFilter(YOUR_INTENT_FILTER));
}
/*
* (non-Javadoc)
*
* #see android.app.Activity#onStop()
*/
protected void onStop(){
unregisterReceiver(receiver);
}
/*
* (non-Javadoc)
*
* #see android.app.Activity#onStart()
*/
protected void onStart(){
super.onStart();
registerReceiver(receiver, new IntentFilter(YOUR_INTENT_FILTER));
}
private BroadcastReceiver receiver = new BroadcastReceiver() {
/*
* (non-Javadoc)
*
* #see
* android.content.BroadcastReceiver#onReceive(android.content.Context,
* android.content.Intent)
*/
#Override
public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
onBackPressed();//on back pressed simply calls finish()
}
};
} // End of BaseActivity
// End of File

Try using:
Intent i = new Intent(context,intent.getClass());

Follow the instructions from gezdy on How to get current foreground activity context in android? to ensure you can get a reference to the current activity from anywhere in your application.
From there you can call .finish() to close the current activity.

Place finish(); after u completed all the tasks in onReceive() of BroadcastReceiver class as below:
#Override
public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
// Do all the tasks onReceive of BroadCast Receiver
finish(); // This finishes the current activity here....
}

Android - New Intent starts particular method

I want to start one of my existing activities and force the activity to call a specific method after it starts. Is this possible?
Can I define a method that should be called after creating the activity inside my Intent?
For example, something like:
Intent intent = new Intent(this, com.app.max.Home.class.myMethod);

No, I don't think you can have something like this:
Intent intent = new Intent(this, com.app.max.Home.class.method);
but you can do this:
Intent intent = new Intent(this, com.app.max.Home.class);
intent.putExtra("methodName","myMethod");
startActivity(intent);
and then in the called activity (where you need to start the method), you can take the intent and decide which method to call like this:
#Override
protected void onNewIntent(Intent intent) {
super.onNewIntent(intent);
if(intent.getStringExtra("methodName").equals("myMethod")){
mymethod();
}
}

Hello You can't call a particular method from intent but alternately you can use a service from intent and your requirement will be done.
Intent intent = new Intent(this, MyService.class);
and in MyService.class
public class MyService extends Service {
#Override
public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {
yourParticularMethod(); //do your task and stop the service when your task is done for battery saving purpose
context.stopService(new Intent(context, MyService.class));
return super.onStartCommand(intent, flags, startId);
}
#Override
public IBinder onBind(Intent intent) {
return null;
}
}
and register this service in your manifest file like this
<application>
<service android:name=".MyService" />
.
.
</application>

I solve this issue by using onCreate instead of onNewIntent.
Activity A:
Intent intent = new Intent(this, com.app.max.Home.class);
intent.putExtra("methodName","myMethod");
startActivity(intent);
com.app.max.Home Activity:
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.home);
if(savedInstanceState == null)
{
Bundle extras = getIntent().getExtras();
if (extras == null)
{
//Extra bundle is null
}else{
String method = extras.getString("methodName");
if (method.equals("myMethod"))
{
//Call method here!
}
}
}
Hope this solution solve your problem

You question seems interesting, but there is no way you can do it using Intent. You have to understand that when you start an activity, it goes through a life cycle which is : onCreate()->onStart()->OnResume(). So what you can do is start that method from onResume() like this:
#Override
protected void onResume() {
super.onResume();
myMethod();//start your method from here
}
I'm just trying to help,give me some more information about your problem if this approach does not solve your problem.