Develop Reference

Android widget PendingIntent stop working when app is killed

I have been looking for a solution for this problem for a week by now.
When my app is running in background, the onclicks event on the widget work as expected.
But when the application is closed (killed by task manager), the widget's PendingIntents stop working.
How is it possible?
I think I have created the widget provider correctly.
Something is missing?
Can someone help me?
Here is my code:
- compileSdk 31
- minSdk 23
- targetSdk 31
- gradle -> "com.android.tools.build:gradle:7.0.4"
Provider class:
public class GPWidgetProvider extends AppWidgetProvider {
private static RemoteViews getRemoteViews(Context context) {
RemoteViews views = new RemoteViews(context.getPackageName(), R.layout.widget);
Intent intentHome = new Intent(context, Home.class);
intentHome.setData(Uri.parse(intentHome.toUri(Intent.URI_INTENT_SCHEME)));
intentHome.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK | Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_CLEAR_TASK);
PendingIntent homePendingIntent = PendingIntent.getActivity(context, 13, intentHome, PendingIntent.FLAG_IMMUTABLE | PendingIntent.FLAG_UPDATE_CURRENT);
views.setOnClickPendingIntent(R.id.widget_image, homePendingIntent);
return views;
}
#Override
public void onUpdate(Context context, AppWidgetManager appWidgetManager, int[] appWidgetIds) {
for (int appWidgetId : appWidgetIds) {
RemoteViews views = getRemoteViews(context);
appWidgetManager.updateAppWidget(appWidgetId, views);
}
super.onUpdate(context, appWidgetManager, appWidgetIds);
}
public static void updateWidget(Context context) {
AppWidgetManager appWidgetManager = AppWidgetManager.getInstance(context);
ComponentName widget = new ComponentName(context, GPWidgetProvider.class);
int[] appWidgetIds = appWidgetManager.getAppWidgetIds(widget);
for (int appWidgetId : appWidgetIds) {
RemoteViews views = getRemoteViews(context);
appWidgetManager.updateAppWidget(appWidgetId, views);
}
}
}
Manifest:
<receiver
android:name="<myPackage>.GPWidgetProvider"
android:enabled="true"
android:exported="true">
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="android.appwidget.action.APPWIDGET_ENABLED" />
<action android:name="android.appwidget.action.APPWIDGET_UPDATE" />
<action android:name="android.appwidget.action.APPWIDGET_DELETED" />
<action android:name="android.appwidget.action.APPWIDGET_DISABLED" />
</intent-filter>
<meta-data
android:name="android.appwidget.provider"
android:resource="#xml/widget_info" />
</receiver>
Thanks in advance.

If an app is killed by e.g. the user force-stopping, all of the services, activities, notifications, and PendingIntents from the app are cancelled. You'll only have an opportunity to recover the next time your app runs (from activity launching, receiving broadcast, etc).
This is why the system warns the user that apps may not behave properly if force-stopped.

Android Opening 2 different activity from home widget by clicking different button

In my simple example app i have 2 activity:
MainActivity.java
NewAppWidgetConfigureActivity.java
Also in my app i have class NewAppWidget.java who extends AppWidgetProvider
What i want to accomplish is this:
When i add home widget to screen, i want to open activity NewAppWidgetConfigureActivity.java first. It is ok till now, its working nice.
When i add home widget to screen, my widget has 2 buttons and one TextView.
What i want is this:
when i click first button, i want to open MainActivity.java
when i click second button, i want to open NewAppWidgetConfigureActivity.java.
However, its not working. By clicking buttons nothing happens. I try to implement solutions from other questions but i it does not working.
Here are codes:
Manifest file code:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
package="com.example.petar.mywidgetwitbuttons">
<application
android:allowBackup="true"
android:icon="#mipmap/ic_launcher"
android:label="#string/app_name"
android:supportsRtl="true"
android:theme="#style/AppTheme">
<activity android:name=".MainActivity">
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
</intent-filter>
</activity>
<receiver android:name=".NewAppWidget">
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="android.appwidget.action.APPWIDGET_UPDATE" />
</intent-filter>
<meta-data
android:name="android.appwidget.provider"
android:resource="#xml/new_app_widget_info" />
</receiver>
<activity android:name=".NewAppWidgetConfigureActivity">
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="android.appwidget.action.APPWIDGET_CONFIGURE" />
</intent-filter>
</activity>
</application>
This is code for new_ap_widget_info.xml, where i add all necessary info for my widget, including line of code where i automatically open activity NewAppWidgetConfigureActivity.java when i add widget.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<appwidget-provider xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:configure="com.example.petar.mywidgetwitbuttons.NewAppWidgetConfigureActivity"
android:initialKeyguardLayout="#layout/new_app_widget"
android:initialLayout="#layout/new_app_widget"
android:minHeight="110dp"
android:minWidth="180dp"
android:previewImage="#drawable/example_appwidget_preview"
android:resizeMode="horizontal|vertical"
android:updatePeriodMillis="86400000"
android:widgetCategory="home_screen" />
This is code for NewAppWidget.java class who extends AppWidgetProvider
package com.example.petar.mywidgetwitbuttons;
import android.app.PendingIntent;
import android.appwidget.AppWidgetManager;
import android.appwidget.AppWidgetProvider;
import android.content.Context;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.util.Log;
import android.widget.RemoteViews;
/**
* Implementation of App Widget functionality.
* App Widget Configuration implemented in {#link NewAppWidgetConfigureActivity NewAppWidgetConfigureActivity}
*/
public class NewAppWidget extends AppWidgetProvider {
static void updateAppWidget(Context context, AppWidgetManager appWidgetManager,
int appWidgetId) {
CharSequence widgetText = NewAppWidgetConfigureActivity.loadTitlePref(context, appWidgetId);
// Construct the RemoteViews object
RemoteViews views = new RemoteViews(context.getPackageName(), R.layout.new_app_widget);
views.setTextViewText(R.id.appwidget_text, widgetText);
Log.d("widget", "onUpdatePrvo: Widget testiramo");
// Instruct the widget manager to update the widget
appWidgetManager.updateAppWidget(appWidgetId, views);
}
#Override
public void onUpdate(Context context, AppWidgetManager appWidgetManager, int[] appWidgetIds) {
// There may be multiple widgets active, so update all of them
for (int appWidgetId : appWidgetIds) {
updateAppWidget(context, appWidgetManager, appWidgetId);
Intent intent = new Intent(context, MainActivity.class);
Intent intent2 = new Intent(context, NewAppWidgetConfigureActivity.class);
PendingIntent pendingIntent = PendingIntent.getActivity(context, 0, intent, 0);
PendingIntent pendingIntent2 = PendingIntent.getActivity(context, 0, intent2, 0);
// Get the layout for the App Widget and attach an on-click listener
// to the button
RemoteViews views = new RemoteViews(context.getPackageName(), R.layout.new_app_widget);
views.setOnClickPendingIntent(R.id.buttonCLICK, pendingIntent);
views.setOnClickPendingIntent(R.id.buttonCLICK2, pendingIntent2);
appWidgetManager.updateAppWidget(appWidgetId, views);
}
}
#Override
public void onDeleted(Context context, int[] appWidgetIds) {
// When the user deletes the widget, delete the preference associated with it.
for (int appWidgetId : appWidgetIds) {
NewAppWidgetConfigureActivity.deleteTitlePref(context, appWidgetId);
}
}
#Override
public void onEnabled(Context context) {
// Enter relevant functionality for when the first widget is created
}
#Override
public void onDisabled(Context context) {
// Enter relevant functionality for when the last widget is disabled
}
}
Also, when i remove this line of code from provider info, then i can open MainActivity.java on the first button click, and still can not open NewAppWidgetConfigureActivity.java by clicking second button.
android:configure="com.example.petar.mywidgetwitbuttons.NewAppWidgetConfigureActivity"
And here is full provider info code without android:configure=""
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<appwidget-provider xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:configure="com.example.petar.mywidgetwitbuttons.NewAppWidgetConfigureActivity"
android:initialKeyguardLayout="#layout/new_app_widget"
android:initialLayout="#layout/new_app_widget"
android:minHeight="110dp"
android:minWidth="180dp"
android:previewImage="#drawable/example_appwidget_preview"
android:resizeMode="horizontal|vertical"
android:updatePeriodMillis="86400000"
android:widgetCategory="home_screen" />

These easy steps could help you to resolve your problem.
App widget allows certain UI controls not everything. So check what are allowed and what are not.
https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/appwidgets/index.html#CreatingLayout
Do not extend or create a custom UI control class. Ex;- class CustomButton extends Button
I do see your Intents do not have extra parameters. That might confuse the PendingIntent compare logic internally. So add a custom Action or few extra parameters to the intent.
EX;-
Intent a = new Intent("MainActivity");
Intent b = new Intent("ConfigureActivity");

This works for me.
public class widget_wordss extends AppWidgetProvider {
private static final String ACTION_SIMPLEAPPWIDGET = "ACTION_BROADCASTWIDGETSAMPLE";
private static final String ACTION_SIMPLEAPPWIDGET1 = "ACTION_BROADCASTWIDGETSAMPLE1";
public boolean widg = false;
static void updateAppWidget(Context context, AppWidgetManager appWidgetManager, int
appWidgetId) {
RemoteViews views = new RemoteViews(context.getPackageName(),
R.layout.widget_main_words);
Intent intent = new Intent(context, widget_wordss.class);
Intent intent1 = new Intent(context, widget_wordss.class);
intent.setAction(ACTION_SIMPLEAPPWIDGET);
intent1.setAction(ACTION_SIMPLEAPPWIDGET1);
PendingIntent pendingIntent = PendingIntent.getBroadcast(context, 0, intent,
PendingIntent.FLAG_UPDATE_CURRENT);
PendingIntent pendingIntent1 = PendingIntent.getBroadcast(context, 0, intent1,
PendingIntent.FLAG_UPDATE_CURRENT);
views.setOnClickPendingIntent(R.id.btnOpen, pendingIntent);
views.setOnClickPendingIntent(R.id.btnayar, pendingIntent1);
appWidgetManager.updateAppWidget(appWidgetId, views);

How can i update a widget only when i press a button in an activity from within the main app

I have made an app consisting of 5 activities . I just wanted to know how I could update a widget only when I press a button in the present in an activity in the main app

You need a reciever for your widget declared in the manifest.xml:
<receiver
android:label="MyIP Widget"
android:icon="#drawable/ic_launcher"
android:name="Widget" >
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="android.net.conn.CONNECTIVITY_CHANGE" />
</intent-filter>
<meta-data android:name="android.appwidget.provider"
android:resource="#xml/example_appwidget_info" />
</receiver>
That block should be inside the application block.
In my example the widget updates upon connectivity state change. You can replace that with a custom intent. And, from your activity, you need to send that intent to update the widget, something like this:
Intent i = new Intent();
i.setAction(CUSTOM_INTENT);
context.sendBroadcast(i);
where
public static final String CUSTOM_INTENT = "jason.wei.custom.intent.action.TEST";
you can pick the name that you want.
And make sure to add the same name in the reciever:
<action android:name="jason.wei.custom.intent.action.TEST" />
UPDATE:
to receive you broadcast, you need this method in your Widget class
public class Widget extends AppWidgetProvider {
...
#Override
public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
super.onReceive(context,intent);
AppWidgetManager appWidgetManager = AppWidgetManager.getInstance(context.getApplicationContext());
ComponentName thisWidget = new ComponentName(context.getApplicationContext(), Widget.class);
int[] appWidgetIds = appWidgetManager.getAppWidgetIds(thisWidget);
if (appWidgetIds != null && appWidgetIds.length > 0) {
onUpdate(context, appWidgetManager, appWidgetIds);
}
}
The code above may look a bit complex but it is needed to update all the instances of your widget (the user may have your widget on different home screens or even at one screen).
As you can see, it calls the onUpdate method, where you set the actions you want to be executed to update the widget:
#Override
public void onUpdate(Context context, AppWidgetManager appWidgetManager,
int[] appWidgetIds) {
super.onUpdate(context, appWidgetManager, appWidgetIds);
//your update code here
}

Android Widget Service Class to bind Collection not being Called By Provider

Please bear with me because I am new to Android development.
I am building a widget that opens up a Configuration Activity upon placement on the home screen. When I am finished configuration and have pressed "done", the widget provider (onUpdate) is supposed to call the widget service class to bind a list of drawables to a gridview. However, the service class is not being called and the gridview is coming up empty. Any help on this is appreciated, code is included below:
*Note: i have a main.xml that has the gridview in it and another xml that has the template (imageView and textView) the gridview cell.
Manifest:
<service android:name=".WidgetService" android:permission="android.permission.BIND_REMOTEVIEWS" android:exported="false" />
<receiver android:name=".WidgetProvider" android:label="#string/app_name">
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="android.appwidget.action.APPWIDGET_UPDATE" />
</intent-filter>
<meta-data android:name="android.appwidget.provider" android:resource="#xml/button_widget_provider" />
</receiver>
Provider:
public class WidgetProvider extends AppWidgetProvider {
public void onUpdate(Context context, AppWidgetManager appWidgetManager, int[] appWidgetIds) {
for (int i=0; i < appWidgetIds.length; i++){
Intent intent = new Intent(context, WidgetService.class);
intent.putExtra(AppWidgetManager.EXTRA_APPWIDGET_ID, appWidgetIds[i]);
intent.setData(Uri.parse(intent.toUri(Intent.URI_INTENT_SCHEME)));
RemoteViews remoteViews = new RemoteViews(context.getPackageName(), R.layout.main);
remoteViews.setRemoteAdapter(appWidgetIds[i], R.id.gridview, intent);
appWidgetManager.updateAppWidget(appWidgetIds[i], remoteViews);
}
super.onUpdate(context, appWidgetManager, appWidgetIds);
}
......(omitted code)}
Service:
public class WidgetService extends RemoteViewsService {
#Override
public RemoteViewsFactory onGetViewFactory(Intent intent){
return new VZRemoteViewsFactory(this.getApplicationContext(), intent);
}
}
class VZRemoteViewsFactory implements RemoteViewsService.RemoteViewsFactory{
public VZRemoteViewsFactory(Context context, Intent intent){
thisContext = context;
appWidgetId = intent.getIntExtra(AppWidgetManager.EXTRA_APPWIDGET_ID, AppWidgetManager.INVALID_APPWIDGET_ID);
}
public void onCreate(){
// code to add drawables to list here
}
public RemoteViews getViewAt(int position){
RemoteViews remoteView = new RemoteViews(thisContext.getPackageName(), R.layout.vzwidget_item);
// setting the image view resource this way for now just for testing
remoteView.setImageViewResource(R.id.launcher_icon, R.drawable.vzicon);
remoteView.setTextViewText(R.id.textview, "test");
return remoteView;
}
.....(omitted code)}
Thank You!

From my experience (and looking at my own just written widget) - OnUpdate is called right when the configuration activity is launched, and after you publish the results from this activity, the following intent action is given to the appWidgetProvider - android.appwidget.action.APPWIDGET_UPDATE_OPTIONS (tested on jellybean).
This might not be the most proper way to handle this, but this is how I am handling this -
when the configuration activity publishes the result - I start up my remote view service and start sending views with the proper widgetid.

Android broadcast receiver not firing up for updating AppWidget

I am trying to test my app Widget and have registered the receiver in the manifest as follows:
<receiver android:name=".MyUtilityWidget" android:label="#string/widget_name">
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="android.appwidget.action.APPWIDGET_UPDATE" />
</intent-filter>
<meta-data android:name="android.appwidget.provider" android:resource="#xml/widget_config" />
</receiver>
The MyUtility code:
public class MyUtilityWidget extends AppWidgetProvider {
#Override
public void onUpdate(Context context, AppWidgetManager appWidgetManager, int[] appWidgetIds) {
my Main Code here.... (widget stuff)
}
My widget starts and executes once fine (hence I leave the code out of here). However the broadcast receiver is not working and I receive no broadcasts. In fact LogCat shows the intent is never executed. So, my code block only executes once on apk deployment and never again (widget text shows, but never updates every 30m as I have set).
Config here...
<appwidget-provider xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:minWidth="146dip"
android:minHeight="72dip"
android:updatePeriodMillis="1800000"
android:initialLayout="#layout/widget_message"
/>
Also updatePeriodMillis cannot be less than 30 minutes? This is a very annoying issue when debugging, as I have to wait around 30 minutes each run to check if the intent fired!
Any help appreciated.

You need to grab hold of your widget via RemoteViews and update it accordingly. It doesn't just update automatically.
Try something like this:
AppWidgetManager appWidgetManager = AppWidgetManager.getInstance(this
.getApplicationContext());
ComponentName thisWidget = new ComponentName(getApplicationContext(),
MyWidgetProvider.class);
int[] allWidgetIds2 = appWidgetManager.getAppWidgetIds(thisWidget);
final int N =allWidgetIds2.length;
// Perform this loop procedure for each App Widget that belongs to this provider
for (int i=0; i<N; i++) {
int appWidgetId = allWidgetIds2[i];
RemoteViews widgetView = new RemoteViews(getPackageName(), R.layout.widget_layout);
widgetView.setTextViewText(R.id.some_text_view, "some text");