Develop Reference

Android Java, onResume override

I am only starting with Java/Android and trying to implement custom SDK.
I am making Capacitor plugin for android, but for now trying to do Android side logic.
I have method that I want to be able to execute on demand AndroidConfigManager.stopDetection(getActivity()); which enables/disables NFC read.
so If I execute AndroidConfigManager.stopDetection(getActivity()); I get NFC Detection Enabled in log and all is good.
However that executes every time app goes to background and resumes after. I've tried to override onPause and onResume but the way I have it doesn't seem to be doing anything.
I can't figure out how to suppress it
public class ExamplePlugin extends Plugin implements IDetectCardCallback, IITSOFrameworkCallback, ITransactionControllerCallback {
private Application app;
private Context context;
public void echo(PluginCall call) {
String value = call.getString("value");
app = getActivity().getApplication();
context = getContext();
AndroidConfigManager.initialise(app);
AndroidConfigManager.stopDetection(getActivity());
}
#Override
public void onResume(){
super.onResume();
AndroidConfigManager.stopDetection(getActivity());
// ITSOFramework.getInstance().detectCard(this, false);
}
#Override
public void onPause(){
super.onPause();
// ITSOFramework.getInstance().detectCard(null, false);
}
}

Terminating Android Timer if user doesn't use the App(Prevent running in the background)

I have a Timer in my App that infinitely runs an Animation. like this:
Timer t = new Timer();
t.scheduleAtFixedRate(new TimerTask() {
#Override
public void run() {
runOnUiThread(new Runnable() {
#Override
public void run() {
//Running Animation Code
}
});
}
}, 1000, 1000);
Now I realized that this code runs even if user click Back Button of android. if fact it runs in the background and it seems uses a lot of memory.
I need this code run ONLY if user in the app. In fact when user click on Back Button, this Timer goes to end and if user clicks on Home Button, after a while that user doesn't use the App, terminates this Timer.
What I need is to prevent using memory. Because i realized if this codes runs a while, App freezes! I need a normal behavior.

If your Activity is the last element in the BackStack, then it will be put in the background as if you pressed the Home button.
As such, the onPause() method is triggered.
You can thus cancel your animation there.
#Override protected void onPause() {
this.timer.cancel();
}
You should as well start your animation in the onResume() method.
Note that onResume() is also called right after onCreate(); so it's even suitable to start the animation from a cold app start.
#Override protected void onResume() {
this.timer.scheduleAtFixedRate(...);
}
onPause() will be also called if you start another Application from your app (e.g: a Ringtone Picker). In the same way, when you head back to your app, onResume() will be triggered.
There is no need to add the same line of code in onBackPressed().
Also, what's the point in stopping the animation in onStop() or onDestroy()?
Do it in onPause() already. When your are app goes into the background, the animation will already be canceled and won't be using as much memory.
Don't know why I see such complicated answers.

You can do it like this, in onBackPressed() or onDestroy(), whatever suits you.
if (t != null) {
t.cancel();
}
If you need, you can start timer in onResume() and cancel it in onStop(), it entirely depend on you requirement.
If a caller wants to terminate a timer's task execution thread
rapidly, the caller should invoke the timer's cancel method. - Android Timer documentation
You should also see purge and
How to stop the Timer in android?

Disclaimer: This might not be the 100% best way to do this and it might be considered bad practice by some.
I have used the below code in a production app and it works. I have however edited it (removed app specific references and code) into a basic sample that should give you a very good start.
The static mIsAppVisible variable can be called anywhere (via your App class) in your app to check if code should run based on the condition that the app needs to be in focus/visible.
You can also check mIsAppInBackground in your activities that extend ParentActivity to see if the app is actually interactive, etc.
public class App extends Application {
public static boolean mIsAppVisible = false;
...
}
Create a "Parent" activity class, that all your other activities extend.
public class ParentActivity extends Activity {
public static boolean mIsBackPressed = false;
public static boolean mIsAppInBackground = false;
private static boolean mIsWindowFocused = false;
public boolean mFailed = false;
private boolean mWasScreenOn = true;
#Override
protected void onStart() {
applicationWillEnterForeground();
super.onStart();
}
#Override
protected void onStop() {
super.onStop();
applicationDidEnterBackground();
}
#Override
public void finish() {
super.finish();
// If something calls "finish()" it needs to behave similarly to
// pressing the back button to "close" an activity.
mIsBackPressed = true;
}
#Override
public void onWindowFocusChanged(boolean hasFocus) {
mIsWindowFocused = hasFocus;
if (mIsBackPressed && !hasFocus) {
mIsBackPressed = false;
mIsWindowFocused = true;
}
if (!mIsWindowFocused && mFailed)
applicationDidEnterBackground();
if (isScreenOn() && App.mIsAppVisible && hasFocus) {
// App is back in focus. Do something here...
// this can occur when the notification shade is
// pulled down and hidden again, for example.
}
super.onWindowFocusChanged(hasFocus);
}
#Override
public void onResume() {
super.onResume();
if (!mWasScreenOn && mIsWindowFocused)
onWindowFocusChanged(true);
}
#Override
public void onBackPressed() {
// this is for any "sub" activities that you might have
if (!(this instanceof MainActivity))
mIsBackPressed = true;
if (isTaskRoot()) {
// If we are "closing" the app
App.mIsAppVisible = false;
super.onBackPressed();
} else
super.onBackPressed();
}
private void applicationWillEnterForeground() {
if (mIsAppInBackground) {
mIsAppInBackground = false;
App.mIsAppVisible = true;
// App is back in foreground. Do something here...
// this happens when the app was backgrounded and is
// now returning
} else
mFailed = false;
}
private void applicationDidEnterBackground() {
if (!mIsWindowFocused || !isScreenOn()) {
mIsAppInBackground = true;
App.mIsAppVisible = false;
mFailed = false;
// App is not in focus. Do something here...
} else if (!mFailed)
mFailed = true;
}
private boolean isScreenOn() {
boolean screenState = false;
try {
PowerManager powerManager = (PowerManager) getSystemService(POWER_SERVICE);
screenState = powerManager.isInteractive();
} catch (Exception e) {
Log.e(TAG, "isScreenOn", e);
}
mWasScreenOn = screenState;
return screenState;
}
}
For your use you might want to create a method in your activity (code snippet assumes MainActivity) that handles the animation to call the t.cancel(); method that penguin suggested. You could then in the ParentActivity.applicationDidEnterBackground() method add the following:
if (this instanceof MainActivity) {
((MainActivity) this).cancelTimer();
}
Or you could add the timer to the ParentActivity class and then not need the instanceof check or the extra method.

Handle calls of onStart and onStop only from outside my app

I want to make a cloud synchronization everytime my app is brought to front and a second time if the app disappears in background.
So I overwrote the onStart and onStop event methods of my activity:
#Override
protected void onStart() {
super.onStart();
doSync();
}
#Override
protected void onStop() {
doSync();
super.onStop();
}
Ok, that works fine for me but I found out that these methods are also called if I start a new activity (f.e. SettingsActivity.class) within my app (onStop) and come back to the main activity (onStart).
Is there a good way to ignore the calls of my own activities and only react on calls from "outside", f.e. I only want to synchronize if the user stops the app by pressing the home button and I also want to synchronize only if the user returns to the app by starting it from the app dreawer or app switcher?
+++ SOLUTION +++
Now I found a solution for my problem and I want to share it. Maybe it's not the best way because it's no SDK-based functionality but it works and it's quite simple.
I declared a flag, set it to false when the activity is created. Everytime I start another activity in the same app, I will set the flag to true and check its state in onPause and onResume.
public class MainActivity extends Activity {
private boolean transition;
#Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
transition = false;
}
private void startSettingsActivity() {
transition = true;
Intent intent = new Intent(this, SettingsActivity.class);
startActivity(intent);
}
private void doSync() {
// all steps for the cloud synchronization
}
#Override
protected void onResume() {
super.onResume();
if (!transition) {
// this is the case the user returns from
// the app drawer or app switcher or starts
// the app for the first time, so do sync
doSync();
} else {
// this is the case the user returns from another
// activity, so don't sync but reset the flag
transition = false;
}
}
#Override
protected void onPause() {
if (!transition) {
// this is the case the user presses the home button or
// navigate back (leaves the app), so do final sync
doSync();
} else {
// this is the case the user starts another activity, but
// stays in the app, so do nothing
}
super.onPause();
}
}

How to display a toast message in only one activity?

In an application I am developing I have some code that attempts to submit information to the internet. If the connection can not be made, I pop up a toast message instructing the user to check the network connection.
Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "Check network connection.", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
The problem I have is the toast message comes up no matter what the user is looking at! Even if the user is in a different app and my app is running in the background! This is not the desired behavior as I send a notification to the user if network activity fails. I only want the toast message to appear if the user is in the activity that is generating the network activity. Is there a way to do this?
If this is not possible my idea was to just put some kind of visual element in my activity - rather than display a toast message.
Thank You!

You can use a boolean class member in order to keep track of activity state changes.
public class YourClass extends Activity {
private boolean mIsResumed = false;
#Override
public void onResume() {
super.onResume();
mIsResumed = true;
}
#Override
public void onPause() {
super.onPause();
mIsResumed = false;
}
public boolean isResumed() {
return mIsResumed;
}
}
Then you can use something like this:
if (isResumed()) {
//show Toast
}

Use a dynamic BroadcastReceiver. Your background service will broadcast an Intent when something happens. All of your app's activities will register a dynamic BroadcastReceiver which will listen for these events. When such event occurs it will show a toast. When none of your activities are running nothing will happen.
Inside your service
public static final ACTION_SOMETHING = BuildConfig.APPLICATION_ID + ".ACTION_SOMETHING";
public void doSomething() {
// ...
// Show toast if app is running. Or let the app react however you please.
LocalBroadcastManager.getInstance(this).sendBroadcast(new Intent(ACTION_SOMETHING));
// ...
}
Of course you can put additional information in the Intent as extras and access them in the BroadcastReceiver.
Inside your activities
private final IntentFilter onSomethingIntentFilter = new IntentFilter(MyService.ACTION_SOMETHING);
private final BroadcastReceiver onSomething = new BroadcastReceiver() {
#Override
public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
// This check seems redundant but it's not. Google it.
if (MyService.ACTION_SOMETHING.equals(intent.getAction()) {
// Show toast here.
}
}
};
public void onResume() {
super.onResume();
// Start listening for events when activity is in foreground.
LocalBroadcastManager.getInstance(this).registerReceiver(onSomething, onSomethingIntentFilter);
}
public void onPause() {
super.onPause();
// Stop listening as soon as activity leaves foreground.
try {
LocalBroadcastManager.getInstance(this).unregisterReceiver(onSomething);
} catch (IllegalArgumentException ex) {}
}
You may want to pull this code to a common activity parent, a BaseActivity, so you don't repeat yourself.
This is a common case of Provider-Subscriber pattern. Another implementation would be an EventBus.

Keeping it simple, try adding a boolean flag in Activity and set its value as true in onResume & false in onPause. Then display the toast if the boolean flag is true.

Best way to implement "check if app comes from background" in android

I have been reading the answers in other post about this topic, but i have not found what is the best of all the approaches.
This is my approach i have now, but i do not know if it worst all the time (as far as i tested every worked for my) or if there is a better way.
public class FatherClass extends Activity {
private static int activities = 0;
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState, String clase) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
}
protected void onRestart()
{
super.onRestart();
if(activities == 0){
Log.i("APP","BACK FROM BACKGROUND");
}
}
protected void onStop(){
super.onStop();
activities = activities - 1;
}
protected void onStart(){
super.onStart();
activities = activities + 1;
}
}
Explanation: the onStart is executed one the activity is "visible" and the onStop when the activity is "not visible". So when your APP (it says APP not activity) goes to background all the activities are "not visible" so they execute the onStop method, so the idea behind this is to add one each time an activity es started, and subtract one each time an activity es hided, so if the value of the variable "activities" is 0 "zero" that means that all the activities that where started in some point are now not visible, so when you APP returns from background and executes the onRestart method on the activity in "front" you can check whether comes from background or is just restarting an activity.
I would appreciate some feedback regarding this topic.