How to Create Global Broadcast Receiver and Test Service in Android

Introduction

This article explains how to create a global broadcast receiver as well as to create services in an Android project. First of all we will create a new project in Android.

Procedure

1. Start the Eclipse IDE.
2. Create a new project.
3. Create a MainActivity.java (here Abhijeet.java) file.
4. Create a new java file bootstartup.java as in the following:

   public class bootstartup extends BroadcastReceiver {
   
       @Override
   
       public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
   
       // start the service
       Intent service=new Intent(context,TestService.class);
       context.startService(service);
   Log.e("com.example.myglobalbroadcastreceiver",
   "BroadcastReceived:"+intent.getAction())
   
       // start the app
   Intent app= new Intent(context,Abhijeet.class);
   context.startService(app);

5. Create a new java file TestService.java as in the following:

   public class TestService extends Service {
   
               @Override
               public IBinder onBind(Intent arg0) {
                           // TODO Auto-generated method stub
               throw new UnsupportedOperationException("it is not implemented");
               }
   
               @Override
               public void onCreate() {
                           // TODO Auto-generated method stub
                           super.onCreate();
   Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "abhijeet's Service is created",1).show();
   
               }
   
               @Override
               public void onDestroy() {
                           // TODO Auto-generated method stub
   
   Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "Service is destroyed",1).show();
   
                           super.onDestroy();
               }
   
               @Override
               public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {
                           // TODO Auto-generated method stub
   
   Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), " abhijeet's Service is working",1).show();
   
   return super.onStartCommand(intent, flags, startId);
               }

6.  Now add a bootstartup.java file as a receiver.
   
   Step 1: Open the application of the manifest file as in the following:
   
   
   
   Step 2: Then click on Add for adding a receiver.
   
   
   
   Step 3: It will automatically search the bootstartup receiver class.
   
   
   
   Step 4: It is very important for making a global receiver that we should provide a name to that receiver such that the name is started with a dot followed by a lower-case letter.
   
   
   
   Step 5: Set the Exported and Enabled properties to true as in the following:
   
   
   
   Step 6: Add actions on the receiver in the manifest file as in the following:
   
   
    
7. Now add a TestService.java file as a Service in the manifest file.
   
   Step 1: Select Service.
   
   
   
   Step 2: It will automatically search the TestService class.
   
   
   
   Step 3: Select the true option for the exported and enabled properties as in the following:
    

   <service android:name="TestService" android:exported="true" android:enabled="true" android:permission="android.permission.INTERNET"></service>

Code

Abhijeet.java 

package com.example.myglobalbroadcastreceiver;
import android.support.v7.app.ActionBarActivity;
import android.support.v7.app.ActionBar;
import android.support.v4.app.Fragment;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.view.LayoutInflater;
import android.view.Menu;
import android.view.MenuItem;
import android.view.View;
import android.view.ViewGroup;
import android.os.Build;

public class Abhijeet extends ActionBarActivity {

            @Override
            protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
                        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
                        setContentView(R.layout.activity_abhijeet);

                        if (savedInstanceState == null) {
                                    getSupportFragmentManager().beginTransaction()
                                                            .add(R.id.container, new PlaceholderFragment()).commit();
                        }
            }

            @Override
            public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {

                        // Inflate the menu; this adds items to the action bar if it is present.
                        getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.abhijeet, menu);
                        return true;
            }

            @Override
            public boolean onOptionsItemSelected(MenuItem item) {
                        // Handle action bar item clicks here. The action bar will
                        // automatically handle clicks on the Home/Up button, so long
                        // as you specify a parent activity in AndroidManifest.xml.
                        int id = item.getItemId();
                        if (id == R.id.action_settings) {
                                    return true;
                        }
                        return super.onOptionsItemSelected(item);
            }

            /**
             * A placeholder fragment containing a simple view.
             */
            public static class PlaceholderFragment extends Fragment {

                        public PlaceholderFragment() {
                        }
                        @Override
                        public View onCreateView(LayoutInflater inflater, ViewGroup container,
                                                Bundle savedInstanceState) {
                                    View rootView = inflater.inflate(R.layout.fragment_abhijeet,
                                                            container, false);
                                    return rootView;
                        }
            }
}

 bootstartup.java

package com.example.myglobalbroadcastreceiver;
import android.content.BroadcastReceiver;
import android.content.Context;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.util.Log;

public class bootstartup extends BroadcastReceiver {

            @Override

            public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
                        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
                        // start the service
                        Intent service=new Intent(context,TestService.class);
                        context.startService(service);
                        Log.e("com.example.myglobalbroadcastreceiver","Broadcast Received:"+intent.getAction());

                        // start the app
                        Intent app= new Intent(context,Abhijeet.class);
                        context.startService(app);
            }
}

TestService.java

package com.example.myglobalbroadcastreceiver;
import android.app.Service;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.os.IBinder;
import android.widget.Toast;

public class TestService extends Service {

            @Override
            public IBinder onBind(Intent arg0) {
                        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
                        throw new UnsupportedOperationException("it is not implemented");
            }

            @Override
            public void onCreate() {
                        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
                        super.onCreate();
                        Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "abhijeet's Service is created",1).show();
            }

            @Override
            public void onDestroy() {
                        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
                        Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "Service is destroyed",1).show();
                        super.onDestroy();
            }

            @Override
            public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {
                        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
                        Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), " abhijeet's Service is working",1).show();
                        return super.onStartCommand(intent, flags, startId);
            }
}

Output

Step 1: Run the Application.



Step 2: Click on the back button.

Step 3: Go to Settings.

Step 4: Go to Data Usage and turn on the mobile data. We can see that the service is working. It is due to the action used in the receiver.

<action android:name="android.net.conn.CONNECTIVITY_CHANGE"   />