Develop Reference

Widget refresh from inside application

Good Day! I want to add text from inside application to widget, i have a main activity and it has list view and lots of text contents and it has a button to add the text to widget via shared preference, it's works fine when i close the widget and recreate it only, otherwise it's not automatically refresh.if anyone know; how to solve this please help me. here i attached the widget code below.
public class WidgetMaster extends AppWidgetProvider {
static void updateAppWidget(Context context, AppWidgetManager appWidgetManager,
int appWidgetId) {
Intent intentHome = new Intent(context, MainActivity.class);
PendingIntent pendingIntentHome = PendingIntent.getActivity(context, 0, intentHome, 0);
RemoteViews views = new RemoteViews(context.getPackageName(), R.layout.widget_master);
views.setOnClickPendingIntent(R.id.wid_home, pendingIntentHome);
final SharedPreferences sharedPreferencestoWi = context.getSharedPreferences(String.valueOf(R.string.addTextToWidgetPref), MODE_PRIVATE);
String forWidget = sharedPreferencestoWi.getString("textToWidget", "");
String dum = "add from reading";
if(forWidget.equals("")){
views.setTextViewText(R.id.dum_appwidget_text, dum);
appWidgetManager.updateAppWidget(appWidgetId, views);
} else {
views.setTextViewText(R.id.appwidget_text, forWidget);
views.setViewVisibility(R.id.appwidget_text, 0);
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);
}
}
#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
}
}

How do you update the widget from mainActivity?
In the widget configuration file you can specify a fixed update interval. The smallest update interval is 1800000 milliseconds (30 minutes).
But its better to update widget programmatically, to do this You should send a broadCast to update widget and use a
method like alarmManager or Handler for a repeating task for example you can use the following broadCast to update widget form mainActivity:
Intent intent = new Intent(this, WidgetMaster.class);
intent.setAction(AppWidgetManager.ACTION_APPWIDGET_UPDATE);
int[] ids = AppWidgetManager.getInstance(getApplication())
.getAppWidgetIds(new ComponentName(getApplication(),WidgetMaster.class));
intent.putExtra(AppWidgetManager.EXTRA_APPWIDGET_IDS, ids);
sendBroadcast(intent);

Change src image of ImageButton of Android widget programatically

I am developing an Android app with a homescreen widget, which is an imageButton, and i want the image of the button to change after its been pressed. I have tried selector in an xml file, to change the image of the button, but it changes it only when it is pressed, but it goes back when its released.
I want it to change image after it was pressed and when the code inside the WidgetProvider is executed, it changes the image back to the default one.
I tried to do it programatically(in onRecieve() method), I guess it should be something with RemoteViews but whatever i try, it doesnt work.
Could someone help my with this? I saw many people asking about it, but most of the posts were either pretty old or the solutions were not working for me.
Thank you :)

Normally you'd set the image on the surface of the ImageButton using the setImageResource method (ImageButton inherits it from ImageView), but that method isn't available for RemoteViews.
RemoteViews offers a corresponding setImageViewResource method that does what you want (as well as setImageViewBitmap and setImageViewUri depending on how you'd like to provide the image data).
The code to set the image (say, within your BroadcastReceiver's onReceive method) would look something like this:
#Override
public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
int appWidgetId = intent.getIntExtra("appWidgetId", -1);
RemoteViews views = new RemoteViews(context.getPackageName(), R.layout.main);
views.setImageViewResource(R.id.imageButton1, R.drawable.awesome_image);
AppWidgetManager appWidgetManager = AppWidgetManager.getInstance(context);
appWidgetManager.updateAppWidget(appWidgetId, views);
}
Note that the code above assumes you've added the id of the widget to be manipulated as an extra to the broadcast intent (wrapped in a PendingIntent that is sent when the user clicks the ImageButton) using the key "appWidgetId". You'll most likely want to do that in the onUpdate method of your AppWidgetProvider, like so:
#Override
public void onUpdate(Context context, AppWidgetManager appWidgetManager, int[] appWidgetIds) {
for (int i = 0; i < appWidgetIds.length; i++) {
int appWidgetId = appWidgetIds[i];
Intent intent = new Intent ("YourActionHere");
intent.putExtra("appWidgetId", appWidgetId);
PendingIntent pendingIntent = PendingIntent.getBroadcast(context, i, intent, 0);
RemoteViews views = new RemoteViews(context.getPackageName(), R.layout.main);
views.setImageViewResource(R.id.imageButton1, R.drawable.initial_image);
views.setOnClickPendingIntent(R.id.imageButton1, pendingIntent);
appWidgetManager.updateAppWidget(appWidgetId, views);
}
}

A simple but not elegant way is:
boolean isButtonSelected = false;
..
button.setOnClickListener(buttonListener);
..
OnClickListener buttonListener = new OnClickListener() {
#Override
public void onClick(View arg0) {
if(isButtonSelected ){
isButtonSelected = false;
button.setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.buttonOff); // or setImageResource(..);
} else{
isButtonSelected = true;
button.setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.buttonOn);
}
}
};

Android working with views in widget

I am trying to make a widget for my app, and I want it to be with a buttonm progress bar and text view, which would later be changed, so I need to somehow work with the views themselves, like I can from an activity, show a view, hide a view, change a button background etc...
I tried tweaking with the sample code from the Android documentations, but I can only start an activity with this
public class WidgetProvider extends AppWidgetProvider {
#Override
public void onUpdate(Context context, AppWidgetManager appWidgetManager, int[] appWidgetIds) {
super.onUpdate(context, appWidgetManager, appWidgetIds);
final int N = appWidgetIds.length;
for (int i = 0; i < N; i++) {
int appWidgetId = appWidgetIds[i];
Intent intent = new Intent(context, ActivityMain.class);
PendingIntent pendingIntent = PendingIntent.getActivity(context, 0, intent, 0);
RemoteViews views = new RemoteViews(context.getPackageName(), R.layout.widget_layout);
views.setOnClickPendingIntent(R.id.sync_button, pendingIntent);
appWidgetManager.updateAppWidget(appWidgetId, views);
}
}
#Override
public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
super.onReceive(context, intent);
}
}
Does the widget need to be connected to an activity in order to make actions (connect to the internet, write in the database, write in the objects of the apps instance (if there is one))? And can I work with views the way I am asking?

Outside of setting on-click PendingIntents on views, there isn't much you can do inside of a widget. The standard recipe is:
Make a PendingIntent that sends a broadcast (PendingIntent.getBroadcast()) and set it on the appropriate view in your widget.
In the BroadcastReceiver that receives the intent, you update the widget to show a spinner and start a Service to do whatever long-running work you want to do (e.g connect to the internet).
Once that work is done, you can update your widget again and remove the spinner.

Android multiple widgets - multiple functions

So, I'm developing an app, that has 5 main functions. I want to make widgets for these functions - each widget provides one function. I've made the 5 layouts, the 5 provider properties xml, and the 5 AppWidgetProvider class. In each provider class I've implemented the onUpdate() method, as you can see in the code below. And sure I have registered them in the manifest file.
My problem is, when I click on one of the widgets, it calls the other widgets onUpdate method too and only the last one starts the service. How can I make the 5 widget independent?
One of the provider class:
public class myWidgetProvider extends AppWidgetProvider {
#Override
public void onUpdate(Context context, AppWidgetManager appWidgetManager, int[] appWidgetIds) {
final int N = appWidgetIds.length;
for (int i = 0; i < N; i++) {
int appWidgetId = appWidgetIds[i];
String label = appWidgetManager.getAppWidgetInfo(appWidgetId).label;
Intent intent = new Intent(context, WidgetService.class);
intent.putExtra(Constants.FUNCTION, Constants.F1);
PendingIntent pendingIntent = PendingIntent.getService(context, 0, intent, PendingIntent.FLAG_UPDATE_CURRENT);
RemoteViews remoteViews = new RemoteViews(context.getPackageName(), R.layout.widget_f1);
remoteViews.setOnClickPendingIntent(R.id.widgetF1Button, pendingIntent);
appWidgetManager.updateAppWidget(appWidgetId, remoteViews);
}
}
}
The WidgetService:
public class WidgetService extends Service {
#Override
public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {
Bundle bundle = intent.getExtras();
int function = bundle.getInt(Constants.FUNCTION);
switch (function) {
case Constants.F1
//function1
case Constants.F2:
//funcion2
case Constants.F3: {
//function3
case Constants.F4: {
//function4
case Constants.F5: {
//function5public class WidgetService extends Service {
}
return START_STICKY;
}
#Override
public IBinder onBind(Intent intent) {
return null;
}
}

Try using different requestCodes for every pendingIntent:
PendingIntent pendingIntent = PendingIntent.getService(context, uniqueRequestCode, intent, PendingIntent.FLAG_UPDATE_CURRENT);
It should enable android to differentiate between your pending intents and therefore all buttons will start the service, not just last one. The reason why this should work was discussed here somewhere long time ago - I can try to look it up if you are interested.

Android adding more widgets with different content

I am trying to create an application with a widget. When the user places the widget on the desktop a listview should come up with a list of items. The user selects an item then the widget is created with the respective text related to that item. For simplicity I am using now an alertdialog. The input text should appear only in the widget I create. It should not appear in the other widgets. How am I supposed to do that? I have not found anyhing about this.
The AppWidgetProvider:
public class MyWidgetProvider extends AppWidgetProvider {
private static final String ACTION_CLICK = "ACTION_CLICK";
#Override
public void onUpdate(Context context, AppWidgetManager appWidgetManager, int[] appWidgetIds) {
Log.i("INFO", "AppWidgetProvider");
ComponentName thisWidget = new ComponentName(context, MyWidgetProvider.class);
int[] allWidgetIds = appWidgetManager.getAppWidgetIds(thisWidget);
//Intent intent = new Intent(context.getApplicationContext(), UpdateWidgetService.class);
//intent.putExtra(AppWidgetManager.EXTRA_APPWIDGET_IDS, allWidgetIds);
//context.startService(intent);
Intent intentA = new Intent(context.getApplicationContext(), NoteListToWidget.class);
intentA.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
context.startActivity(intentA);
}
}
The service:
public class UpdateWidgetService extends Service {
public static String ACTION_WIDGET_CONFIGURE = "ConfigureWidget";
public static String ACTION_WIDGET_RECEIVER = "ActionReceiverWidget";
String value;
Dialog dialog_newitem;
#Override
public void onStart(Intent intent, int startId) {
Log.i("INFO", "UpdateWidgetService");
AppWidgetManager appWidgetManager = AppWidgetManager.getInstance(this.getApplicationContext());
int[] allWidgetIds = intent.getIntArrayExtra(AppWidgetManager.EXTRA_APPWIDGET_IDS);
ComponentName thisWidget = new ComponentName(getApplicationContext(), MyWidgetProvider.class);
int[] allWidgetIds2 = appWidgetManager.getAppWidgetIds(thisWidget);
for (int widgetId : allWidgetIds) {
int number = (new Random().nextInt(100));
String v = GlobalVars.getValue();
RemoteViews remoteViews = new RemoteViews(this.getApplicationContext().getPackageName(), R.layout.widget_layout);
//remoteViews.setTextViewText(R.id.update, "Random: " + String.valueOf(number));
remoteViews.setTextViewText(R.id.update, v);
Intent configIntent = new Intent(this, Notepad.class);
configIntent.setAction(ACTION_WIDGET_CONFIGURE);
PendingIntent configPendingIntent = PendingIntent.getActivity(this, REQUEST_CODE_ONE, configIntent, PendingIntent.FLAG_UPDATE_CURRENT);
remoteViews.setOnClickPendingIntent(R.id.widgetlayout, configPendingIntent);
appWidgetManager.updateAppWidget(widgetId, remoteViews);
}
stopSelf();
super.onStart(intent, startId);
}
#Override
public IBinder onBind(Intent intent) {
return null;
}
}
This is the Activity with the AlertDialog (the latter listview):
public class NoteListToWidget extends Activity {
Dialog dialog_newitem;
EditText et_newitem;
String value;
#Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
dialog_newitem = new Dialog(NoteListToWidget.this);
dialog_newitem.setContentView(R.layout.dialog_productlists_grp_capitalized);
dialog_newitem.setTitle("Select");
dialog_newitem.setCancelable(true);
et_newitem = (EditText) dialog_newitem.findViewById(R.id.et_item_name);
Button btn_Save = (Button) dialog_newitem.findViewById(R.id.btn_save_pr);
btn_Save.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
#Override
public void onClick(View v) {
value = et_newitem.getText().toString();
GlobalVars.setValue(value);
dialog_newitem.dismiss();
/*
Intent serviceIntent = new Intent();
serviceIntent.setAction("com.myapp.app.UpdateWidgetService");
startService(serviceIntent);
*/
Intent intent = new Intent(NoteListToWidget.this, com.myapp.app.UpdateWidgetService.class);
startService(intent);
}
});
Button btn_Cancel = (Button) dialog_newitem.findViewById(R.id.btn_cancel_pr);
btn_Cancel.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
#Override
public void onClick(View v) {
dialog_newitem.dismiss();
}
});
dialog_newitem.show();
}
}
I don't how and from where should I call the NoteListToWidget activity and how to make this whole thing work.

First of all it is impossible to answer your question in full. This is because it seems you are missing a lot of things about how app-widgets are working, so you must read more about them. However I will give you a place to start.
The onUpdate method of the AppWidgetProvider is called each time an app-widget that it is already placed on the desktop needs an update. That is, even if you manage to display your list from there and the user cancels the operation there is NO way to remove your app-widget from the onUpdate method.
Furthermore when the onUpdate method finishes the AppWidgetProvider is destroyed, so even if you manage to display your list from there there is NO way to get the items that user selected. Long story short, you canNOT do it from onUpdate method and you canNOT do it by this approach.
However, you CAN do it by using a configuration activity in a specified point of the app-widget's creation process but this cannot be answered in the context of your question because you must first understand how the app-widget system works in Android. The best place to start is this link. I had the same problems with my first app-widget application (and almost the same concerns with you) but then I started to read and read, finally after 1.5 months I 've managed to make something like the thing you want to do. So don't say
How am I supposed to do that? I have not found anyhing about this
and start reading, this is the life with Android. It's all in the above link, there are also very good open-source projects in google code like this weather widget which allows the user to configure it BEFORE it is placed on the desktop.
Hope this helps...