Android – creating simple service

Feb 01, 2012 Darko Goles Android development 30 Comments

When you look at my posts on this blog, you will, besides few posts about WordPress and Zend find most articles about Symfony2 development.
Well, now things are about to change slightly.
Depending on next project needs and features, I will maybe start to write about Magento platform like other developers here on the blog, but in this transitional times between projects I have to do, let me write about some other platform that I am planning to use and to master knowledge about: Android platform.

This is my first android touches so, please don’t be too strict in comments. Keep in mind that I will do my best! 🙂

So, let’s start.

What is Android service anyway?

“A Service is an application component representing either an application’s desire to perform a longer-running operation while not interacting with the user or to supply functionality for other applications to use.”

You guessed, that definition came from http://developer.android.com/reference/android/app/Service.html.

One more thing about service in Android:
Service is NOT a separate process
Service is not a Thread

Please keep this in mind when trying to develop multithreading application …

Let’s get to work.

Assuming that we have created basic android project, here is our activity:

//AndroidservicetutorialActivity.java
package com.inchoo.tutorial;
 
import android.app.Activity;
import android.os.Bundle;
 
public class AndroidservicetutorialActivity extends Activity {
    /** Called when the activity is first created. */
    @Override
    public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.main);
    }
}

Let’s create simple service:

Create class called FirstService in your namespace, make it extends Service class and Eclipse will guide you to import necessary namespaces and also to add unimplemented methods (onBind):

package com.inchoo.tutorial;
 
import android.app.Service;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.os.IBinder;
 
public class FirstService extends Service{
 
	@Override
	public IBinder onBind(Intent arg0) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return null;
	}
 
}

Now we will override two more methods: onStart and onDestroy, so our FirstService class looks like this:

package com.inchoo.tutorial;
 
import android.app.Service;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.os.IBinder;
 
public class FirstService extends Service{
 
	@Override
	public IBinder onBind(Intent arg0) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return null;
	}
 
	@Override
	public void onStart(Intent intent, int startId) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.onStart(intent, startId);
	}
 
	@Override
	public void onDestroy() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.onDestroy();
	}
 
}

Don’t forget to add this service declaration in your AndroidManifest.xml in order to be set up properly:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
package="com.inchoo.tutorial"
android:versionCode="1"
android:versionName="1.0" >
 
<uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="7" />
 
<application
android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"
android:label="@string/app_name" >
<activity
android:name=".AndroidservicetutorialActivity"
android:label="@string/app_name" >
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
 
<category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
</intent-filter>
</activity>
<service android:name=".FirstService" ></service>
</application>
 
</manifest>

Let’s add log to find out when service is started and destroyed and also we will immediately stop service after starting like someone from Google said somewhere: “Be nice to other applications, start your service, do whatever you need to do and then stop the service after that”…

Finally out FirstService.java class looks like this:

package com.inchoo.tutorial;
 
import android.app.Service;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.os.IBinder;
import android.util.Log;
 
public class FirstService extends Service{
 
	private static String TAG = "Inchoo.net tutorial";
 
	@Override
	public IBinder onBind(Intent arg0) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		return null;
	}
 
	@Override
	public void onStart(Intent intent, int startId) {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.onStart(intent, startId);
		Log.d(TAG, "FirstService started");
		this.stopSelf();
	}
 
	@Override
	public void onDestroy() {
		// TODO Auto-generated method stub
		super.onDestroy();
		Log.d(TAG, "FirstService destroyed");
	}
 
}

And now it’s time to start it from our Activity (AndroidservicetutorialActivity.java):

package com.inchoo.tutorial;
 
import android.app.Activity;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.os.Bundle;
 
public class AndroidservicetutorialActivity extends Activity {
    /** Called when the activity is first created. */
    @Override
    public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.main);
 
        startService(new Intent(this, FirstService.class));
    }
}

Start your android application and if you look inside LogCat you will find this lines:

Hope this helps someone :-). Cheers.

30 comments

Luis ladino says:

26-09-2016 at 1:54

Very poor explantions.

Reply
Rana Hyder says:

20-09-2016 at 7:02

Its very Helpful,
Thanks for sharing, many beginners will start from here.

Reply
Rana Hyder says:

20-09-2016 at 7:00

Its very Helpful,
Can I add layout xml file to service? When service is running the layout should on top. Is it possible?

Reply
Rav Smith says:

22-06-2016 at 10:25

Thanks for helping me to understand basic concepts. As a beginner in Android programming your post help me a lot.

Reply
irteza says:

09-05-2016 at 7:28

sir I just want to know whether this service will be able to run in background forever even my app is closed or my phone is in sleep mode.

Reply
saran says:

28-11-2015 at 11:20

HI
This was a precise tutorial. Thanks

Reply
Luke says:

19-05-2015 at 10:11

Hello,
I have problem with a service. I start the service with BroadcastReceiver it checks the state of network if it is connected it dims the screen brightness. When I run the app on mz Tablet with Kitkat 4.4.2 everzthing works great even when I remove app from Recent. On my HTC Desire phone also Running KitKat 4.4.2 everzthing works fine until I remove the app from Recent list then, although he Service still runs the change of network state does not affect the screen brightness. Anyone can help?

Reply
Luke says:

19-05-2015 at 10:10

Hello,
I have problem with a service. I start the service with BroadcastReceiver it checks the state of network if it is connected it dims the screen brightness. When I run the app on mz Tablet with Kitkat 4.4.2 everzthing works great even when I remove app from Recent. On mz HTC Desire phone also Running KitKat 4.4.2 everzthing works fine until I remove the app from Recent list then, although he Service still runs the change of network state does not affect the screen brightness. Anyone can help?

Reply
Avinesh says:

05-12-2014 at 13:49

A good tutorial but my requirement is : Can’t we launch an activity from a service ? If so, will the service keep running in background and the activity in foreground ?

Reply
Greg says:

02-10-2014 at 5:43

Thanks for the tutorial

I have a question. I have developed Windows services and now want to develop an Android service. I understand how Windows services work and was hoping there are parallels in Android. For example, when I start a service in Windows, it remains running until the system is turned off (or the service is specifically stopped or removed).
Is the same true for Android ? For example, if I develop an app which has an activity with a button. When the button is pressed, it starts the service. If the Activity stops will the service also stop.
If this is so, is there a way of developing a background service that just continues running. I am thinking of a data collector which just continues to run in the background.

Reply
Giridhara Kalkere says:

09-09-2014 at 11:49

Hello,
I have a design problem here.
I am working on a android platform customized for my needs and specifications. I have two external devices which communicates to this platform over UART (send and receive control commands). and there is a protocol to follow to construct the control packets. Now I am stuck with designing HAL and service layer to implement the protocol. and then multiple apps use that service to control the devices.

Will be very great and lucky to get the feed back from you. much appreciate.

Thanks and Regards,
Giri

Reply
Takreem says:

17-05-2014 at 16:35

nice and understandable tutorial 🙂

Reply
Arash says:

30-01-2014 at 0:34

This was a precise tutorial. Thanks

Reply
Aasif Abrar Khan says:

26-12-2013 at 10:54

when i should start my service in seperat process or when not should

Reply
Rashmi says:

12-09-2013 at 10:31

Thanks a lot.

Very good tutorial for beginner in services.

Reply
K says:

21-08-2013 at 4:06
```
super.onStart(intent, startId)
```
Has been depreciated, omit the line.
Reply
Asif Nawaz says:

19-08-2013 at 7:14

Thanks…..
it is a big tutorial for learning about service

Reply
sanghati mukherjee says:

18-07-2013 at 15:37

how to stop the service from activity

Reply
satishkumar says:

12-06-2013 at 4:38

how to i check service is available or not in my all activity classes

Reply
Vinicius says:

21-03-2013 at 1:09

Thank you, helped a lot! 🙂

Reply
vaibhav nimbalkar says:

26-01-2013 at 5:11

plz help me ,how to connect facebook in android . i am trying for that but not run that application.

Reply
dangtuanson says:

27-11-2012 at 5:09

You can see follow posts for my requirement :

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4637821/how-to-analyze-incoming-sms-on-android

and

https://github.com/jewel/unnagroid

Reply
dangtuanson says:

27-11-2012 at 4:59

Sorry, My English is terrible.

I’m new in Android, my problem is: I want to delete incomming SMS with phone number “903823929” immediately any time my phone’s runing. How can i create service for this requirement. I try follow codes but … it’s error.

Please, help me.

There’s source code for “Auto delete incomming SMS” with phone numeber : “903823929”:

private void deleteNags(Context context) {
ContentResolver cr = context.getContentResolver();
Uri inbox = Uri.parse( “content://sms/inbox” );
Cursor cursor = cr.query(
inbox,
new String[] { “_id”, “thread_id”, “body”, “address”},
null,
null,
null);
if (cursor == null)
return;
if (!cursor.moveToFirst())
return;
//int count = 0;
do {
//String body = cursor.getString( 2 );
String adr = cursor.getString(3) ;
if( adr.indexOf( “903823929” ) == -1 )
continue;
long thread_id = cursor.getLong( 1 );
Uri thread = Uri.parse( “content://sms/conversations/” + thread_id );
cr.delete( thread, null, null );
//count++;
} while ( cursor.moveToNext() );
//message( “Deleted: ” + count );
}

And Source code for “Detect incomming SMS”:

public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
Bundle bundle = intent.getExtras();
Object messages[] = (Object[]) bundle.get(“pdus”);
SmsMessage smsMessage[] = new SmsMessage[messages.length];
for (int n = 0; n < messages.length; n++) {
smsMessage[n] = SmsMessage.createFromPdu((byte[]) messages[n]);
}
// show first message
Toast toast = Toast.makeText(context, "Received SMS: " + smsMessage[0].getMessageBody(), Toast.LENGTH_LONG);
toast.show();
try {
Thread.sleep(10000);
// ????
deleteNags(context);
// ????
} catch (InterruptedException e) {
// TODO Auto-generated catch block
e.printStackTrace();
}
}

Reply
Nitin Vaghela says:

19-11-2012 at 12:58

Really awesome. Your step is very much appreciable for new android application developers.

Reply
Magento123 says:

31-10-2012 at 8:11

Hello Guys,

I am stuck in a issue where i think you people can help me out,
I am having a site and the app for the same on my iphone.
For the price i have created a attribute which displays the iphone price for only the people who have iphone installed and not on the site.
But when a person checkouts the general price is displayed in the admin sales ,but it should be the iphone price there.
Please help me out.

Till now ,
i have tried to get the condition that if the product has iphone price , then it will overwrite the general price , but i want to limit this condition to app only. Is there any way i could get if the app is being used or the site is being used.

Or any alternate for the above condition. Please help

Regards
Thanks in advance

Reply
Haider Ali says:

19-10-2012 at 8:13

Thanks.

Precise tutorial for beginner in services.

Haider

Reply
Darko Goles says:

22-08-2012 at 13:30

You should create at least one main activity from where you will start service, but you dont have to implement the UI.

Reply
Darko says:

22-08-2012 at 12:26

Great tutorial!!!
I was looking how to start service and
this is the best solution I found.

One question, is it possible for service to be running even if you kill activity or to start just service without activity.

Thanks in advance

Reply
Omer Ahmed says:

06-05-2012 at 13:19

Excellent tutorial, thumbs up!
thanks for taking time.

Reply
Hennie says:

07-04-2012 at 10:38

This is the best service tutorial currently on the web!!

Reply

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