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How update UI within AsyncTask

I want download details from web and update the UI within the doInBackground(),
For that I think I must get reference to activity within that method .How can I do it or is there another way to do that? What must be the something parameter? Or can’t update UI real-time?
public class DownloadActivity extends ListActivity {
public class DownloadItems extends AsyncTask<Something,Integer,Long> {
#Override
protected Long doInBackground(DownloadActivity... params) {
Toast.makeText(params[0], getIntent().getExtras().get("location").toString(), Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
return null;
}
}
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState){
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
new DownloadItems().execute(Something);
}
}

You can either use a Handler or update your UI in onPostExecute(), which I recommend. Let your Async take care of its background logic and update the UI when that work is finished.

The best way is to simply move anything which affects UI into onPostExecute() because it's there to allow you to update the UI, it's the point of it.
There are other ways but when using AsyncTask there's really no reason not to use this.
public class DownloadActivity extends ListActivity {
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState){
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
new DownloadItems(this).execute();
}
public class DownloadItems extends AsyncTask<Something,Integer,Long> {
private Context context;
public DownloadItems(Context c){
context = c;
}
#Override
protected Long doInBackground(DownloadActivity... params) {
// Do something
return null;
}
#Override
protected void onPostExecute(Void result) {
super.onPostExecute(result);
Toast.makeText(context, context.getIntent().getExtras().get("location").toString(), Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
}
}
}

You can create a constructor for passing or adding Context as a parameter.
public class DownloadItems extends AsyncTask<Something,Integer,Long> {
Context context;
public DownloadItems(Context cntx){
context = cntx;
}
#Override
protected Long doInBackground(DownloadActivity... params) {
//Toast.makeText(params[0], getIntent().getExtras().get("location").toString(), Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
Toast.makeText(context, "String test", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
return null;
}
}
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState){
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
new DownloadItems(this).execute(Something);
}
By passing the context of the activity you can make any operation that are context related.

You can't execute UI operations in doInBackground(), you must do them in onPostExecute(). In DownloadActivity, you will create an instance of DownloadItems, and pass it the url where you want to download your stuff :
For example :
public class DownloadActivity extends ListActivity {
private void someMethod() {
DownloadItems yourTask = new DownloadItems(getApplicationContext());
yourTask.execute(yourUrl);
}
In the AsyncTask, you will do your download operations in doInBackground() and return the result so it can be handled by onPostExecute() :
public class DownloadItems extends AsyncTask<Something,Integer,Long> {
Context mContext;
public DownloadItems(Context context){
mContext = context;
}
#Override
protected String doInBackground(String... params) {
String theResult;
// download operations using url stored in params[0], and where you set theResult variable (for example...)
return theResult;
}
In onPostExecute(), you deal with the result, for example in your code above, you can call the Toast :
#Override
protected void onPostExecute(String result) {
Toast.makeText("YOUR TAG", result, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
}

You can call this in doInBackground:
runOnUiThread(new Runnable() {
public void run() {
//Your code
}
});
But isn't right... Please read the AsyncTask for more details, or use the onPostExecute to update UI...

Wait for AsyncTask to finish

Hi I'm making Login page that access MySQL database. But my Activity always runs the code that check fail/success before it finishes the AsyncTask.
I tried using asynctask.get() method, but it just freeze my UI and doesn't work.
I tried this answer that said I should call the result-checker method inside onPostExecute().
But since I need to change the TextView to show success/failed, it results in NullPointerException because I instantiate the TextView inside onCreate().
I can't move the TextView instantiation into constructor because it will return NullPointerException unable to instantiate activity ComponentInfo.
Login.java
public class Login extends Activity{
//declare global Views here
protected void onCreate(Bundle bundle){
//Setup views
}
protected void onClick(View v){
//Setup necessary variables
AsyncClass async = new AsyncClass(this);
async.execute(username, password);
}
public void checkSuccess(boolean success){
if(success)
textView1.setText("Success");
else
textView1.setText("Failed");
}
}
AsyncClass.java
public class AsyncClass extends AsyncTask<String, String, JSONObject>{
protected JSONObject doInBackground(String... params){
//access database
}
protected void onPostExecute(JSONObject json){
//read the json result
Login login = new Login();
login.checkSuccess(true);
}
}
Any solution? Thanks

How about making AsyncTask as your inner class?
So your code should look something like below.
public class Login extends Activity {
//declare global Views here
protected void onCreate(Bundle bundle) {
//Setup views
}
protected void onClick(View v) {
new AsyncClass().execute(username, password);
}
public void checkSuccess(boolean success) {
if (success) textView1.setText("Success");
else textView1.setText("Failed");
}
class AsyncClass extends AsyncTask < String, String, JSONObject > {
protected JSONObject doInBackground(String...params) {
//access database
}
protected void onPostExecute(JSONObject json) {
checkSuccess(true / false);
}
}
}

try this
protected void onPostExecute(JSONObject json){
//read the json result
Login login = (Login)context; // object that you pass to task constructor
login.checkSuccess(true);
}
Also you can add progress dialog to your task to indicate some job execution
public class BaseTask<T> extends AsyncTask<Object, Void, T> {
public Context context;
public ProgressDialog dialog;
public BaseTask(Context context) {
this.context = context;
this.dialog = new ProgressDialog(context);
}
#Override
protected void onPreExecute() {
this.dialog.setMessage(context.getResources().getString(R.string.loading));
this.dialog.show();
}
#Override
protected T doInBackground(Object... objects) {
//....
return something;
}
#Override
protected void onPostExecute(T result) {
if (dialog != null && dialog.isShowing())
dialog.dismiss();
// do something
}
}

You cannot edit the UI from the async task thread. In order to make updates to the UI thread, use the onProgressUpdate() method. This method is part of your AsyncTask class, is actually executed in the main UI Thread (I hope you use the async task as a nested class btw, since it is declared public I guess your not. You should change that). The onProgressUpdate() Method is called by the OS itself if you call publishProgress(...) inside your Async task.
A small sample:
protected JSONObject doInBackground(String... params){
publishProgress("test");
}
/**
* This method is part of the Async Task
*/
protected void onProgressUpdate(String... progress) {
login.checkSuccess(true);
}

I would use it this way, just override your onPostExecute where you need it or create a own interface
//create a object f your asyncclass and
//override the onPostExecute where you need it
mInfo = new ASYNCCLASS({
#Override
public void onPostExecute(Object result){
//doSomething something with your views!
}
}).execute();
Waiting is not the answer, because you do not know how long your Asynctask will take to end.
Code above is not tested, just pseudoce, but it should show what i mean.
Do not have my IDE round here, so if anybody would correct the brackets if neccessary would be great!
Greetz

Android: How to update an UI from AsyncTask if AsyncTask is in a separate class?

I hate inner class.
I've a main activity who launches a 'short-life' AsyncTask.
AsyncTask is in a separate file, is not an inner class of main activity
I need async task updates a textView from main Activity.
I know i can update a TextView from onProgressUpdate, if AsyncTask is a inner class
But how from an external, indipendent, async task ?
UPDATE: This looks like working :
In acitivty i call the task
backgroundTask = new BackgroundTask(this);
backgroundTask.execute();
In the constructor i've
public BackgroundTask(Activity myContext)
{
debug = (TextView) myContext.findViewById(R.id.debugText);
}
where debug was a private field of AsyncTask.
So onProgressUpdate I can
debug.append(text);
Thanks for all of you suggestions

AsyncTask is always separate class from Activity, but I suspect you mean it is in different file than your activity class file, so you cannot benefit from being activity's inner class. Simply pass Activity context as argument to your Async Task (i.e. to its constructor)
class MyAsyncTask extends AsyncTask<URL, Integer, Long> {
WeakReference<Activity> mWeakActivity;
public MyAsyncTask(Activity activity) {
mWeakActivity = new WeakReference<Activity>(activity);
}
...
and use when you need it (remember to NOT use in during doInBackground()) i.e. so when you would normally call
int id = findViewById(...)
in AsyncTask you call i.e.
Activity activity = mWeakActivity.get();
if (activity != null) {
int id = activity.findViewById(...);
}
Note that our Activity can be gone while doInBackground() is in progress (so the reference returned can become null), but by using WeakReference we do not prevent GC from collecting it (and leaking memory) and as Activity is gone, it's usually pointless to even try to update it state (still, depending on your logic you may want to do something like changing internal state or update DB, but touching UI must be skipped).

Using Interface
1) Create one Interface
public interface OnDataSendToActivity {
public void sendData(String str);
}
2) Implements it in your Activity
public class MainActivity extends Activity implements OnDataSendToActivity{
#Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
new AsyncTest(this).execute(new String[]{"AnyData"}); // start your task
}
#Override
public void sendData(String str) {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub
}
}
3) Create constructor in AsyncTask(Activity activity){}
Register your Interface in AsyncTask file
and call interface method as below.
public class AsyncTest extends AsyncTask<String, Integer, String> {
OnDataSendToActivity dataSendToActivity;
public AsyncTest(Activity activity){
dataSendToActivity = (OnDataSendToActivity)activity;
}
#Override
protected void onPostExecute(String result) {
super.onPostExecute(result);
dataSendToActivity.sendData(result);
}
}
Here, your OnPostExecute will call after all task done by AsyncTask and will get "result"
as a parameter, returned by doInBackground(){ return "";}.
While "dataSendToActivity.sendData(result);" it will call activity's overrided method "public void sendData(String str) {}".
An edge case to remember: Be sure to pass this, i.e. you current activity's context to AsyncTask and not create another instance of your activity, otherwise your Activity will be destroyed and new one is created.

Make an static function in your activity class passing context in it to update your text view and then call this function in your AsynkTask class to update.
In Activity class:
public static void updateTextView(){
//your code here
}
In AynckTask class call this function.

Just pass the context (activity or whatever) to your AsyncTask in a constructor and then in onSuccess or onProgressUpdate call whatever you need on the context.

I wrote a small extension to AsyncTask for this kind of scenario. It allows you to keep your AsyncTask in a separate class, but also gives you convenient access to the Tasks's completion:
public abstract class ListenableAsyncTask<Params, Progress, Result> extends AsyncTask<Params, Progress, Result>{
#Override
protected final void onPostExecute(Result result) {
notifyListenerOnPostExecute(result);
}
private AsyncTaskListener<Result> mListener;
public interface AsyncTaskListener<Result>{
public void onPostExecute(Result result);
}
public void listenWith(AsyncTaskListener<Result> l){
mListener = l;
}
private void notifyListenerOnPostExecute(Result result){
if(mListener != null)
mListener.onPostExecute(result);
}
}
So first you extend ListenableAsyncTask instead of AsyncTask. Then in your UI code, make a concrete instance and set listenWith(...).

The Question has already been answered, still im posting how it should be done i guess..
Mainactivity class
public class MainActivity extends Activity implements OnClickListener
{
TextView Ctemp;
#Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
{
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
Ctemp = (TextView) findViewById(R.id.Ctemp);
doConv = (Button) findViewById(R.id.doConv);
doConv.setOnClickListener(this);
}
#Override
public void onClick(View arg0) // The conversion to do
{
new asyncConvert(this).execute();
}
}
now in the async class
public class asyncConvert extends AsyncTask<Void, Void, String>
{
SoapPrimitive response = null;
Context context;
public asyncConvert(Context callerclass)
{
contextGUI = callerclass;
}
.
.
.
.
protected void onPostExecute(String result)
{
((MainActivity) contextGUI).Ctemp.setText(result); // changing TextView
}
}

/**
* Background Async Task to Load all product by making HTTP Request
* */
public static class updateTExtviewAsyncTask extends AsyncTask<String, String, String> {
Context context;
ProgressDialog pDialog;
String id, name;
String state_id;
//--- Constructor for getting network id from asking method
public updateTExtviewAsyncTask(Context context,String id,String city)
{
context = context;
state_id = id;
city_name = city;
}
/* *
* Before starting background thread Show Progress Dialog
* */
#Override
protected void onPreExecute()
{
super.onPreExecute();
pDialog = ProgressDialog.show(context, "","Please wait...", true, true);
pDialog.show();
}
/**
* getting All products from url
* */
protected String doInBackground(String... args)
{
return null;
}
/**
* After completing background task Dismiss the progress dialog
* **/
protected void onPostExecute(String file_url) {
YourClass.UpdateTextViewData("Textview data");
}
}
// place this code inside your activity class and also declare updating textview static
public static void UpdateTextViewData(String tvData)
{
tv.setText(tvData);
}

Refresh Game Score TextView using AsyncTask

I am writing a board game in Android where the UI consists of textViews for the scores (CPUScore and PlayerScore). The problem I have is that the UI does not update the score from its initial value when onCreate is called. I have looked at similar questions and the solution most suggested is to use AsyncTask to update the UI thread in the background. However I did not find a solution that dealt explicitly with how to use textViews in AsyncTask.
Here is my attempt:
#Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
//....
setContentView(R.layout.main_layout);
//.....
//------------ textViews declared here don't refresh -------------------
TextView playerScoreForm = (TextView) findViewById(R.id.PlayerTotalScore);
playerScoreForm.setText(Integer.toString(PlayerTotal));
playerScoreForm.invalidate();
TextView CPUScoreForm = (TextView) findViewById(R.id.CPUTotalScore);
CPUScoreForm.setText(Integer.toString(CPUTotal));
CPUScoreForm.invalidate();
//--------------------------------------------------------------------------
//AsyncTask method:
new updatePlayerScore().execute(PlayerTotal);
new updateCPUScore().execute(CPUScoreForm);
}
The AsyncTask subclasses:
private class updatePlayerScore extends AsyncTask<TextView, Void, Void> {
#Override
protected TextView doInBackground(TextView... params) {
// what to put here??
}
return playerScoreForm;
}
#Override
protected void onProgressUpdate(Integer... values) {
//??
}
protected void onPostExecute(Integer result) {
playerScoreForm.setText(Integer.toString(result));
}
}
private class UpdateCPUScore extends AsyncTask<TextView, Integer, Integer> {
// same syntax as updatePlayerScore
}
Question:
how do I transfer the textViews that I declared in the onCreate method to the AsyncTask method? I am stumped. I am fairly new to Android development.

a) I'm pretty sure you shouldn't need to invalidate the TextViews after you set them; Android should do that automagically.
b) In theory you'd set your TextView references to be member variables and then reference them in onPostExecute instead of passing them into doInBackground. doInBackground in turn will take whichever bits of data enable you to calculate the new score. What you would do on doInBackground is whatever action would cause a new score to be calculated. The return value from doInBackground gets passed into onPostExecute. You would then update the TextView (now a member variable) with this data in onPostExecute. Does that make sense? You haven't actually posted any code here that would update those score values.
See here for a quick example.
private TextView myScoreView; //initialized in onCreate as you do above.
#Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
//....
setContentView(R.layout.main_layout);
//.....
myScoreView = (TextView) findViewById(R.id.PlayerTotalScore);
myScoreView.setText(Integer.toString(PlayerTotal));
new updatePlayerScore().execute(1,2); //parameters for calculation
}
private class updatePlayerScore extends AsyncTask<Integer, Integer, Integer> {
#Override
protected TextView doInBackground(Integer... params) {
int score = params[0] + 2 * params[1];
return score;
}
#Override
protected void onProgressUpdate(Integer... values) {
//if you want to provide some indication in the UI that calculation
//is happening, like moving a progress bar, that's what you'd do here.
}
#Override
protected void onPostExecute(Integer scoreCalculationResult) {
myScoreView.setText(Integer.toString(scoreCalculationResult));
}
}
Edit: If you don't want to do the calculation logic in doInBackgroundThread, you probably just want to use:
runOnUiThread(new Runnable(){
#Override
public void run(){
myScoreView.setText(PlayerScoreValue);
}
});
Or:
myScoreView.post(new Runnable(){
#Override
public void run(){
myScoreView.setText(PlayerScoreValue);
}
});

You can pass the TextView in the constructor of the AsyncTask and update it from the onPostExecute method
private class updatePlayerScore extends AsyncTask<Void, Void, Integer> {
private TextView view;
public updatePlayerScore(TextView textView){
this.view = textView;
}
#Override
protected Integer doInBackground(Void... params) {
int score = 0;
//do you calculation the
return score;
}
protected void onPostExecute(Integer result) {
view.setText(Integer.toString(result));
}
}
note: if you Activity configuration change for any reason i.e the user rotate the device and the you AsyncTask hasn't finish it task the update of you TextView will not be updated so you should retain an instance of you AsyncTask and update the the TextView

SyncTask in separate class, reach my views

I have Asynch in a separate class, and I need to change setText on some of the TextViews
How this possible?
OR should I keep AsyncTask inside my Class?
private class DownloadImageTask extends AsyncTask<Object, Void, AdModel> {
#Override
protected AdModel doInBackground(Object... params) {
return getAd();
}
protected void onPostExecute(AdModel result) {
textTitle.setText(result.getTitle());
}
}

You could create a constructor for your AsyncTask that takes a reference to your activity. You might want to be careful about not leaking your activity reference by nulling it out from within your AsyncTask when it's done.

private class DownloadImageTask extends AsyncTask {
private TextView text;
DownloadImageTask(TextView txtToUpdate) {
text = txtToUpdate;
}
#Override
protected AdModel doInBackground(Object... params) {
return getAd();
}
protected void onPostExecute(AdModel result) {
text.setText(result.getTitle());
text = null;
}
}
or ..better... create listener interface, which You will invoke at onPostExecute. Implementation of listener interface should update TextView.