How to manually pause Activity in Android - android

I have two Activities , A and B. I called B from A throught this code :
Intent myIntent = new Intent(this, myAcitivity.class);
myIntent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
startActivity(myIntent);
and on B , I placed a button to go back to activity A by pausing activity B. I tried to pause B so that it goes to background and go to A , but it is working. I tried
One Solution :
moveTaskToBack(true);
Instead of placing B in background , it is also placing A in background.
Any solutions ?

To override the behavior of Back Button you can override onBackPressed() method in your Activity which is called when you press the back button:
#Override
public void onBackPressed() {
moveTaskToBack(true); // "Hide" your current Activity
}
By using moveTaskToBack(true) your Activity is sent to background but there is no guarantee it will remain in the "pause" state, Android can kill it if it needs memory. I don't know why you want this behavior I think it would be better to save Activity state and recover it when you are back or simply, launch another Intent with the new Activityyou want to bring.
Or,
Use this code onBackPressed()
boolean mIsPaused = false;
final Thread workerThread = new Thread(new Runnable() {
#Override
public void run() {
doA();
checkPause();
doB();
checkPause();
...
}
}
});
private void checkPause() {
while(isPaused()) {
// you could also use the notify/wait pattern but that is probably needless complexity for this use case.
Thread.sleep(50);
}
}
private synchronized boolean isPaused() {
return mIsPaused;
}
private synchronized void setPaused(boolean isPaused) {
mIsPaused = isPaused;
}
pauseButton.setOnLongClickListener(new View.OnLongClickListener() {
#Override
public boolean onLongClick(View v) {
// disable any UI elements that need it
setIsPaused(true);
}
});
unPauseButton.setOnLongClickListener(new View.OnLongClickListener() {
#Override
public boolean onLongClick(View v) {
// re-enable any UI elements that need it
setIsPaused(false);
}
});

Android is already doing this for you. Say you are in activity A. You start activity B with:
Intent myIntent = new Intent(this, myAcitivity.class);
startActivity(myIntent);
onPause() for current activity will be called before you go to myActivity, where onCreate() gets called. Now if you press back button, myActivity's onPause() gets called, and you move back to activity A, where onResume() is called. Please read about activity life cycle in the docs here and here.
To save the state of an activity, you must override onSaveInstanceState() callback method:
The system calls this method when the user is leaving your activity and passes it the Bundle object that will be saved in the event that your activity is destroyed unexpectedly. If the system must recreate the activity instance later, it passes the same Bundle object to both the onRestoreInstanceState() and onCreate() methods.
Example:
static final String STATE_SCORE = "playerScore";
static final String STATE_LEVEL = "playerLevel";
#Override
public void onSaveInstanceState(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
// Save the user's current game state
savedInstanceState.putInt(STATE_SCORE, mCurrentScore);
savedInstanceState.putInt(STATE_LEVEL, mCurrentLevel);
// Always call the superclass so it can save the view hierarchy state
super.onSaveInstanceState(savedInstanceState);
}
And when your activity is recreated, you can recover your state from the Bundle:
public void onRestoreInstanceState(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
// Always call the superclass so it can restore the view hierarchy
super.onRestoreInstanceState(savedInstanceState);
// Restore state members from saved instance
mCurrentScore = savedInstanceState.getInt(STATE_SCORE);
mCurrentLevel = savedInstanceState.getInt(STATE_LEVEL);
}
There's more on this in the docs, please have a good read about saving/restoring your activity state here.

Related

Issue in using onStop() and onResume()

I am using onStop() to save a boolean value which I need when the activity resumes.
Here is my code:
#Override
protected void onStop()
{
super.onStop();
Bundle bundle = new Bundle();
bundle.putBoolean("value",value);
getIntent().putExtras(bundle);
}
#Override
protected void onResume()
{
super.onResume();
if(getIntent().getExtras() != null)
{
Bundle bundle = getIntent().getExtras();
value = bundle.getBoolean("value");
}
}
My issue is no matter what the value of the boolean is, my onResume() always retrieves it as FALSE. This issue only occurs if I leave my activity using the BACK button. If I press home, things seem to work fine(i.e if the boolean was TRUE then onResume() retrieves it as TRUE.
Please do help me because I don't understand why onResume() always gets the value of the boolean as FALSE even when I save it as TRUE in onStop().
I also tried onRestart(), onPause() and onBackPressed() but I still can't get the proper boolean value to be saved.
You have two issues here.
the correct way to save values during activity destruction is to use onSaveInstanceState(Bundle) and get the value from the Bundle passed to onCreate(Bundle).
Check example below:
public class SavedInstanceExample extends AppCompatActivity {
private boolean myBoolean;
#Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.activity_savded_instace_example);
if (savedInstanceState != null) {
myBoolean = savedInstanceState.getBoolean("key");
}
}
#Override
protected void onSaveInstanceState(Bundle outState) {
super.onSaveInstanceState(outState);
outState.putBoolean("key", myBoolean);
}
}
When you press the back button the activity will be finished. That means completely gone. And values saved one the methods explained above will not be there.
The way to save something to survive the Activity being finished is to save it to the disk. One common/simple way to do it is using the SharedPreferences
When the Android application opens the following activity lifecycle methods will be called.
onCreate();
onStart();
onResume();
and when you press the back button, the application will be destroyed by calling following methods
onPause();
onStop();
onDestroy();
And in the second case when you press home button the following methods will be called
onPause();
onStop();
That means your application is not destroyed completely and you can open it from recent apps so that the activity re-appears by calling
onStart();
onStop();
That is why your code works in this case.
Activity gives onSavedInstanceState() method to save your data during configuration changes or something else.
Here is the link for Android documentation for
Activity
I would suggest you to read the Google Developers Link for Activity documentation.Google Developers Activity
The OP's code is basically right. onSavedInstanceState is no good if you are not destroying the activity but, for example, replacing a fragment in an activity with another fragment and then returning to it, in which case you have to use onStop and onResume as follows. This is Kotlin and it works but the principle is the same.
override fun onStop() {
super.onStop()
val bundle = Bundle()
bundle.putBoolean("BOOL", false)
activity?.intent?.putExtras(bundle)
}
override fun onResume() {
super.onResume()
if (activity?.intent?.extras != null) {
val bundle = activity?.intent?.extras
val bool = bundle?.getBoolean("BOOL")
println("BOOL is $bool")
}
}
My Java's a bit rusty but I suspect the OP's problem might have been that he mixed up boolean and Boolean?

Is there a better way of checking how activity was finished in onDestroy than setting a flag?

I want to call foo() every time my activity is destroyed, unless it is destroyed as result of clicking on a specific menu option (that eventually calls finish()). Currently I do this by calling foo() on default in onDestroy, unless a FLAG is set to true, where FLAG is set when I intercept the click on the menu option.
Is there a better way of doing this than setting a flag? Perhaps some way I can attach a tag to Android's finish() so that I can see the reason? Normally I would just try to call foo where it applies, but I can't account for every reason an activity might be destroyed.
Further caveat is that I would prefer not to make changes to base class (RootActivity)
public abstract class RootActivity extends Activity{
private flag someCondition;
#Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState){
//...
}
// ...
public void startJob(JobAction.Id jobaction){
if (!jobaction.someCondition){
return;
}else{
startSomeLongAsynchronousJob(someCondition);
finish(); //If this is why onDestroy happened in subclass, I dont want to call foo()
}
}
#Override
public boolean onOptionsItemSelected(MenuItem item){
//...
startJob(JobAction.SOMEENUM); //Startjob is being called in the superclass
}
//...
}
public class SpecificJob extends SomeClassThatExtendsRoot{
private boolean FLAG = false;
#Override
public void onCreate(Bundle bundle){
super.onCreate(bundle);
//...
}
// ... some code ...
#Override
public onDestroy(){
if (!FLAG){ //Check if it was finish() that did this
foo();
}
super.onDestroy();
}
#Override
onOptionsItemSelected(MenuItem item){
super.onOptionsItemSelected(item);
if (item.getItemId()==r.id.DONTCALLFOO){
flag=true;
}
}
}
You have to override onSaveInstanceState in your activity.
#Override
protected void onSaveInstanceState(Bundle outState) {
Log.d("ApplicationFlow","onSaveInstanceState was called. System destroy your activity");
foo();
super.onSaveInstanceState(outState);
}
It is always called when the activity is destroyed by the system, and not by you (when you call finish()).
The purpose is give to user a chance to save some state in Bundle outState parameter. This bundle will be passed to onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) to the user restore the state, when the activity is going to be recreated.
See documentation

Not able to restore saved instance of activity

Here is my GamePlay Activity code
public class GamePlay extends Activity implements OnClickListener {
private boolean disableSound = false;
//.....
//Code Code
//.....
#Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
//.....
//Code Code
//.....
}
#Override
public void onSaveInstanceState(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onSaveInstanceState(savedInstanceState);
// Save UI state changes to the savedInstanceState.
// This bundle will be passed to onCreate if the process is
// killed and restarted.
savedInstanceState.putBoolean("disableSound", disableSound);
}
#Override
public void onRestoreInstanceState(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onRestoreInstanceState(savedInstanceState);
// Restore UI state from the savedInstanceState.
// This bundle has also been passed to onCreate.
disableSound = savedInstanceState.getBoolean("disableSound");
Menu menu = (Menu)findViewById(R.menu.tic_tac_toe);
MenuItem toggleSoundItemMenu = menu.findItem(R.id.toogle_sound_menu);
if(disableSound)
toggleSoundItemMenu.setTitle(R.string.toggle_sound_off_label);
else
toggleSoundItemMenu.setTitle(R.string.toggle_sound_on_label);
}
//other functions and code
}
Now on game restart I am restarting the activity. Following code is inside the onClickListener() withing appropriate case
case R.id.game_play_restart_button:
Intent restartActivity = new Intent(this,GamePlay.class);
finish();
startActivity(restartActivity);
break;
But still the state does not persist. I disable the sound and restart the game then sound turns back on which is the default behavior. What am I missing? Any suggestion is appreciated.
The savedInstanceState bundle is kept by the system as long as the activity hasn't been destroyed by the system.
When you call finish, you destroy the current activity, and the bundle that comes with it.
That's the reason why you can't get your boolean back.
You should consider passing this boolean as an extra in the intent like:
restartActivity.putExtra("disableSound", disableSound)
And then on the onCreate of your activity:
getIntent().getBooleanExtra("disableSound", false)
Please note that the last parameter false is just a default value. You can set it to true if that's the behaviour you want.

onCreate being called on Activity A in up navigation

So I have an Activity A and an Activity B. I want Activity A to be able to navigate to Activity B with the press of a button. That works, but when I use the up navigation(the home button in the action bar) to navigate back to Activity A, onCreate() is called again and the old information that the user typed in is lost.
I've seen: onCreate always called if navigating back with intent, but they used Fragments, and I'm hoping not to have to redesign the entire app to use fragments. Is there any way I can stop onCreate() from being called every time Activity A becomes active again?
This behavior is totally fine and wanted.
The system might decide to stop Activities which are in background to free some memory.
The same thing happens, when e.g. rotating the device.
Normally you save your instance state (like entered text and stuff) to a bundle and fetch these values from the bundle when the Activity is recreated.
Here is some standard code I use:
private EditText mSomeUserInput;
private int mSomeExampleField;
#Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
// TODO inflate layout and stuff
mSomeUserInput = (EditText) findViewById(R.id.some_view_id);
if (savedInstanceState == null) {
// TODO instanciate default values
mSomeExampleField = 42;
} else {
// TODO read instance state from savedInstanceState
// and set values to views and private fields
mSomeUserInput.setText(savedInstanceState.getString("mSomeUserInput"));
mSomeExampleField = savedInstanceState.getInt("mSomeExampleField");
}
}
#Override
protected void onSaveInstanceState(Bundle outState) {
super.onSaveInstanceState(outState);
// TODO save your instance to outState
outState.putString("mSomeUserInput", mSomeUserInput.getText().toString());
outState.putInt("mSomeExampleField", mSomeExampleField);
}
You can make the up button behave like pressing back, by overriding onSupportNavigateUp()
#Override
public boolean onSupportNavigateUp() {
onBackPressed();
return true;
}
If you want to navigate from child to parent without recreating the parent (calling onCreate method), you may set the android:launchMode="singleTop" attribute for the parent activity in your AndroidManifest.xml

Multiple activity instances problem

In my application I have an activity class A that has a listview with a cursor adapter.
From A I can go to the activity B, by pressing a button. From B I can go back to A by pressing a button (not by pressing the BACK button). This means that a new instance of the A activity is created.
From this point, if I press the BACK key, the current A activity is destroyed and B is popped. And if I press BACk again the initial A activity is popped. I hope it is clear.
My problem is that when the second A activity is destroyed, the database connection is reseted, in a static manner. So in the end, when the initial A activity is displayed, the listview will be empty.
My question is: should I try to have a single instance for the A activities, or shoud I change the database connection (to link it with the activity instance)?
Thanks a lot
Gratzi
First Of All In class A which is carrying your ListView . on clicking any Listview call the startActivity method for the Class B Activity without calling any finish().
I hope which is you are already doing.
Now in the Second Activity The button (Not the Back Button) you are using for calling Activity A . in its clickListener for calling Activity A dont call the startActivity(intentForA) instead call the finish(); for ending the Activity B. this will resume the A activity which is paused..
I hope this will help
You will need to create 3 Activities rather than 2.
Have a MAIN activity that does not really display anything.
So You have Activity A that is your main activity that can handle the connection to the DB etc.
Then Activity B and C can be the A and B that you have used.
Activity A (Main activity) can have a static instance of itself so you can refernce it's
Variables etc -OR- you can pass data from one activity to the other using Intent.put, etc.
I prefer the global static instance way as I'm a little old school on Java.
Edit:
Forgot to mention, to handle the 'closing' of the app, either Activity B or C must also close Activity.
public class ActivityA extends Activity {
ActivityA act_a_instance;
public int some_integer = 22;
#Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
act_a_instance = this;//Now you can reference this Activity outside
//Your creation stuff etc
}
}
public class ActivityB extends Activity {
#Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
//Your creation stuff etc
//Reference stuff from ActivityA like so :
int temp_integer = ActivityA.act_a_instance.some_integer;
}
#Override
public void onClick(View v) {
switch (v.getId()) {
case R.id.options_back:
startActivity(new Intent(this, ActivityC.class));
break;
}
}
#Override
protected void onStop() {
finish();
super.onStop();
}
}
public class ActivityB extends Activity {
#Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
//Your creation stuff etc
}
#Override
public void onClick(View v) {
switch (v.getId()) {
case R.id.options_back:
startActivity(new Intent(this, ActivityB.class));
break;
}
}
#Override
protected void onStop() {
finish();
super.onStop();
}
}
Use below code hope this will solve your problem
Intent i = new Intent(B.this, A.class);
i.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_CLEAR_TOP);
startActivity(i);

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