Develop Reference

Start activity from inside thread

INTRODUCTION
I have an activity that processes some functions. Inside this activity, the main process is one thread that makes the processing of these functions.When the processing is done, it should call to another activity to start another diferent process.
This is my thread inside the main activity:
CODE
private static void DetectionThread (byte[] data, int width, int height, final Context context) {
mData = data;
mWidth = width;
mHeight = height;
mThread = new Thread() {
#Override
public void run() {
try {
//MAKES THE PROCESSING
//If it's right, continues to next code...
MotionDetectionActivity.gameStarted = true;
gameLaunched = true;
return;
}
} catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
} finally {
processing.set(false);
/*HERE MUST INIT THE ACTIVITY WITH INTENT*/
if (MotionDetectionActivity.gameStarted == true && gameLaunched == true) {
gameLaunched = false;
Intent gameIntent = new Intent(context, GameActivity.class);
context.startActivity(gameIntent);
}
processing.set(false);
}
}
};
if (MotionDetectionActivity.gameStarted == false) {
mThread.start();
}
}
QUESTION
Well, the thing is that i'm not getting the desired result. When initializing the GameActivity, it is not showing this activity's layout, and there are some functionalities that are not initialized, f.e. I do this to initialize the TTS:
private static TextToSpeech tts;
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.game);
tts = new TextToSpeech(this, this);
//Iniside main method
tts.speak("Initializing...", TextToSpeech.QUEUE_ADD, null);
The thing is that it doesn't talk.

Use AsyncTask instead of Thread, and call the another activity in the onPostExecute method
public class MyAsync extends AsyncTask<Void, Void, Void>
{
#Override
protected void onPostExecute(Void result) {
super.onPostExecute(result);
//start the next activity here
}
#Override
protected Void doInBackground(Void... params) {
//your task goes here
return null;
}
}

how to make a asynctasc work and dismiss after sometime?

I have a asynctask and I want to make it to be canceled after some time, 60 sec for example.
I think I have to it inside a while statemant, but I dont know how to count the time.

Here is my idea:
public class ThreadWithAutoCancel extends AsyncTask<Void, Void, Void> {
public ThreadWithAutoCancel(int timeOut) {
WatchDog watchDog = new WatchDog(this);
watchDog.execute(timeOut);
}
#Override
protected Void doInBackground(Void... params) {
// Do the job
return null;
}
class WatchDog extends AsyncTask<Integer,Void,Void>{
private long startTime;
private AsyncTask task;
public WatchDog(AsyncTask taskToStop){
task = taskToStop;
}
#Override
protected void onPreExecute(){
startTime = System.currentTimeMillis()/1000;
}
#Override
protected Void doInBackground(Integer... params) {
while(System.currentTimeMillis()/1000 < startTime+params[0]){
}
task.cancel(true);
return null;
}
}
}

After starting the AsyncTask, hold a reference to it and call cancel on it 60 seconds later, perhaps on a UI Thread Handler. Inside your doInBackground method you will have to make sure you return if isCancelled returns true. I hope the following snippet will help:
public class MyActivity extends Activity {
private Handler mHandler;
private AsyncTask<?, ?, ?> mTask;
#Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
mHandler = new Handler();
}
#Override
protected void onPostResume() {
super.onPostResume();
mTask = new MyCustomTask();
mTask.execute(1, 2, 3);
mHandler.postDelayed(new Runnable() {
#Override
public void run() {
mTask.cancel();
}, 60L);
}
}
And inside your custom task:
public class MyCustomTask extends AsyncTask<Integer, Float, String> {
#Override
protected String doInBackground(Integer... params) {
String output = "";
for (Integer i : params) {
// Check status for each param
if (isCancelled()) {
return output;
}
...
}
}
#Override
protected void onCancelled(String result) {
// This bit runs on the UI thread
...
}

You can do this using handler. For example this code will show "Completed" on TextView with R.id.mytext after asynctask will execute for 60 seconds:
final int FINISH = 1;
Thread waitingThread;
MyAsyncTask myAsyncTask;
Handler mHandler = new Handler() {
public void handleMessage(android.os.Message msg) {
if (msg.what == FINISH)
{
myAsyncTask.cancel(true);
((TextView) findViewById(R.id.mytext)).setText("Completed");
}
};
};
// ...
#Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
{
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
waitingThread = new Thread(new Runnable() {
#Override
public void run() {
try {
TimeUnit.SECONDS.sleep(60);
mHandler.sendEmptyMessage(FINISH);
} catch (InterruptedException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
});
myAsyncTask = new MyAsyncTask();
myAsyncTask.execute();
waitingThread.start();
}
private class MyAsyncTask extends AsyncTask<Void, Void, Void> {
#Override
protected Void doInBackground(Void... params) {
while (true) {
// do something
}
}
}

Splash Screen not working with Thread

I write a Splash Screeen to run at the boot time of application
public class SplashScreen extends Activity {
ImageView imgView;
int[] imgID = new int[]{R.drawable.frame0, R.drawable.frame1, R.drawable.frame2, R.drawable.frame3,
R.drawable.frame4, R.drawable.frame5, R.drawable.frame6};
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.splash);
imgView = (ImageView) findViewById(R.id.imgSplash);
new Thread(new WelcomeScreen()).start();
}
private class WelcomeScreen implements Runnable {
#Override
public void run() {
try {
for (int i = 0; i < imgID.length; i++)
{
imgView.setImageResource(imgID[i]);
sleep(500);
}
} catch (InterruptedException e) {
}finally {
Intent intent = new Intent(SplashScreen.this,LoginActivity.class);
startActivity(intent);
finish();
}
}
}
}
It getting error "Sorry the application has stopped unexpectedly" . I don't know why . Somebody can help me ????

you can not set the resource for yuor ImageView inside a thread different from the UI Thread.
you can use runOnUiThread. It takes as paramter a runnable, and post it in the UI Thread queue. There, the UI thead takes it and update your ImageView. All in all your runnable will become:
private class WelcomeScreen implements Runnable {
#Override
public void run() {
try {
for (int i = 0; i < imgID.length; i++)
{
final int resuorceId = imgID[i];
runOnUiThread(new Runnable() {
#Override
public void run() {
imgView.setImageResource(resuorceId);
}
});
sleep(500);
}
} catch (InterruptedException e) {
}finally {
Intent intent = new Intent(SplashScreen.this,LoginActivity.class);
startActivity(intent);
finish();
}
}

You can not access your views from Thread.
You will need to put your code imgView.setImageResource(imgID[i]); in runOnUiThread
use like:
runOnUiThread(new Runnable() {
#Override
public void run() {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub
imgView.setImageResource(imgID[i]);
}
});
Thanks

You can not change something in UI from non-UI thread so replace this you code:
imgView.setImageResource(imgID[i]);
to:
runOnUiThread(new Runnable() {
#Override
public void run() {
imgView.setImageResource(imgID[i]);
}
});

//try code this way...
public class SplashScreen extends Activity {
private Intent launchIntent;
private Thread splashThread; //used for perform splash screen operation
private int splashTime = 10000, sleepTime = 50; //used for threading operation
private boolean active = true; //used for touch event
#Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.splashscreen); //Set splashscreen.xml here
try {
splashThread = new Thread() { // Creating Thread for splash the screen
#Override
public void run() { // run method implemented to perform threading operation
try {
int waitTime = 0; //counter for threading
do {
sleep(sleepTime); //delay for specific time
if (active)
waitTime += 100;
//write your image code here that display your no. of images
} while (active && (waitTime < splashTime)); //Check touch condition and counter
} catch (Exception e) {
// to handle runtime error of run method
Validation.displayToastMessage(SplashScreen.this, e.toString()); //Call static method of class ToastMessage
}
finish(); //finish current activity
startJustCoupleActivityScreen(); //Call below defined function
}
};
splashThread.start(); //start thread here
} catch (Exception e) {
message("SplashScreen : "+ e.toString()); //Call static method of class ToastMessage
}
}
public void startJustCoupleActivityScreen() {
launchIntent=new Intent(SplashScreen.this,JustCoupleActivity.class); //call Next Screen
startActivity(launchIntent); //start new activity
}
#Override
public boolean onTouchEvent(MotionEvent event) { //onTouch Event
//on touch it immediate skip splash screen
if(event.getAction()==MotionEvent.ACTION_DOWN) active=false; //Check Touch happened or not
return true;
}
public void message(String msg)
{
Validation.displayToastMessage(SplashScreen.this, msg); //display Error Message
}
}

how to change background image periodically in android

in my app in android, i need change background image in image view on 10 seconds once. so that i call a Async Task within a run method. when I execute the app it crashes.
It gives the Caused by: java.lang.RuntimeException: Can't create handler inside thread that has not called Looper.prepare() Exception to me.
I know I have to use Thread, but I do not know how to do so properly. Please help me.
This is my code sample:
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.main);
.................
new Thread()
{
public void run()
{
while(true){
try
{
Thread.sleep(5000);
}
catch (InterruptedException e)
{
e.printStackTrace();
}
count = count + 1;
new ImageChange().execute();
}
}
}.start();
} // OnCreate End
class ImageChange extends AsyncTask<Void, Void, Void>
{
protected void onPreExecute() {
}
protected void onPostExecute(Void unused) {
iv1.setImageBitmap(b1);
iv2.setImageBitmap(b2);
}
protected Void doInBackground(Void... arg0) {
switch(count){
case 1:
b1 = BitmapFactory.decodeFile(f1.getAbsolutePath());
b2 = BitmapFactory.decodeFile(f2.getAbsolutePath());
break;
case 2:
b1 = BitmapFactory.decodeFile(f2.getAbsolutePath());
b2 = BitmapFactory.decodeFile(f1.getAbsolutePath());
break;
default :
count = 0;
b1 = BitmapFactory.decodeFile(f1.getAbsolutePath());
b2 = BitmapFactory.decodeFile(f2.getAbsolutePath());
break;
}
return null;
}
}

You're calling the AsyncTask from a worker Thread. This way it has no access to the UI thread. You probably should consider using a Handler.

Probably, the problem is that you must execute the ImageChange.doInBackground() method in the UI thread. Try to change your code like this:
class ImageChange extends AsyncTask<Void, Void, Void> {
Activity act;
public ImageChange(Activity act) {
this.act = act;
}
protected void onPostExecute(Void unused) {
iv1.setImageBitmap(b1);
iv2.setImageBitmap(b2);
}
protected Void doInBackground(Void... arg0) {
switch(count) {
case 1:
helperMethod(f1.getAbsolutePath(), f2.getAbsolutePath());
break;
case 2:
helperMethod(f2.getAbsolutePath(), f1.getAbsolutePath());
break;
default :
count = 0;
helperMethod(f1.getAbsolutePath(), f2.getAbsolutePath());
break;
}
return null;
}
private void helperMethod(String a, String b) {
act.runOnUIThread(new Runable() {
public void run() {
b1 = BitmapFactory.decodeFile(a);
b2 = BitmapFactory.decodeFile(b);
}
});
}
}
Note that you must pass an Activity to the ImageChange class constructor. It means that you have to call the asyncTask in this way:
new ImageChange(this).execute();
Also consider the possibility of using the class TimerTask
EDIT: Change the Activity part of your code with this:
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.main);
.................
new ImageChange().execute();
} // OnCreate End
And add the while(true) to the ImageChange class:
protected Void doInBackground(Void... arg0) {
while(true) {
try {
Thread.sleep(5000);
} catch (InterruptedException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
count = count + 1;
switch(count) {
...
}
}
return null;
}
EDIT2: You can solve the problem about onPostExecute inserting the code that must be execute after each iteration inside the while loop:
protected Void doInBackground(Void... arg0) {
while(true) {
try {
Thread.sleep(5000);
} catch (InterruptedException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
count = count + 1;
switch(count) {
...
}
act.runOnUIThread(new Runnable() {
public void run() {
iv1.setImageBitmap(b1);
iv2.setImageBitmap(b2);
}
});
}
return null;
}
The code you insert inside the while loop must run in the UI thread; in fact, every onPostExecute method of the AsyncTask class runs on UI thread.

i solved the problem by using Handler Thread.

Android: TimerTask scheduled for repetition getting fired only once

Ok this is a very weird problem I am having, and I'm pretty sure that I am messing up somewhere, but I can't quite figure out where.
What I am trying is -
Schedule a Timer to execute a TimerTask every five seconds
The TimerTask in turn executes an AsyncTask (which in this case simple sleeps for a second before returning the static count of the number of AsyncTasks).
Finally, the aforementioned count is updated in the UI.
And of course, the appropriate Handlers and Runnables have been used to post asynchronous messages from other threads to the UI.
This code executes only once. I expect it to fire every 5 seconds. Here's the code.
Note: I had no idea what to do with the Looper. I put it there after trial and error!
public class TimerAsyncMixActivity extends Activity {
public static final String TAG = "TimerAsyncMix";
static int executionCount = 0;
Handler mHandler = new Handler();
#Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.main);
new Timer().schedule(new MyTimerTask(this), 0, 5000);
}
class MyAsyncTask extends AsyncTask<String, Void, Integer>{
#Override
protected Integer doInBackground(String... params) {
try {
Thread.sleep(1000);
} catch (InterruptedException e) {
// TODO Auto-generated catch block
e.printStackTrace();
}
return ++executionCount;
}
#Override
protected void onPostExecute(Integer result) {
mHandler.post(new UpdateUiThread(TimerAsyncMixActivity.this, result));
super.onPostExecute(result);
}
}
}
class MyTimerTask extends TimerTask{
private TimerAsyncMixActivity tma;
public MyTimerTask(TimerAsyncMixActivity tma) {
this.tma = tma;
}
#Override
public void run() {
Looper.prepare();
Log.d(TimerAsyncMixActivity.TAG, "Timer task fired");
tma.new MyAsyncTask().execute();
Looper.loop();
Looper.myLooper().quit();
}
}
class UpdateUiThread implements Runnable{
int displayCount;
TimerAsyncMixActivity tma;
public UpdateUiThread(TimerAsyncMixActivity tma, int i) {
this.displayCount = i;
this.tma = tma;
}
#Override
public void run() {
TextView tv = (TextView) tma.findViewById(R.id.tvDisplay);
tv.setText("Execution count is : "+displayCount);
}
Can anyone point me to what I'm doing wrong?

techie, this is how I implemented similar things. I'm won't claim that this is the best way, but it has worked for me and doesn't look too bad.
I have the following code in my activity. I create an async task when the activity starts and I stop it onPause. The AsyncTask does whatever it needs to do, and updates the UI on onProgressUpdate() (which is run on the UI thread, so there's no need to use a Handler).
private Task task;
#Override
protected void onPause() {
task.stop();
task = null;
}
#Override
protected void onResume() {
task = new Task();
task.execute();
}
private class Task extends AsyncTask<Void, String, Void> {
private boolean running = true;
#Override
protected Void doInBackground(Void... params) {
while( running ) {
//fetch data from server;
this.publishProgress("updated json");
Thread.sleep(5000); // removed try/catch for readability
}
return null;
}
#Override
protected void onProgressUpdate(String... values) {
if( ! running ) {
return;
}
String json = values[0];
//update views directly, as this is run on the UI thread.
//textView.setText(json);
}
public void stop() {
running = false;
}
}

Do not use a timer. If your phone goes to sleep, the timer is suspended too. Use AlarmManager.