Android: Start my service when I close my app

Question

Basically I have a service running to check my location every 30 minutes and when the location changes, pop up a basic notification. I only need this service when my app is closed (on stop/pause too). So im asking where should I start my service in my activity?

I want something similar as Facebook,Instagram and most of apps have... a service running from the background and when a notification pops up just open de app. While the app is open the service shouldnt do anything.

I tried onDestroy() method (in my MainActivity) but didnt work out, and onStop() method neither.

Do i explain myself?

Thanks!!

Answer 1

Recurring tasks should be scheduled using AlarmManager (or JobScheduler ).

This is usually done in a BroadcastReceiver which reacts to BOOT_COMPLETED .

If you want to cancel such a job while your activity is active, call the respective methods on AlarmManager in onResume and onPause .

Answer 2

If you want your service to be running in the background at all times event after closing the app, you need to make your service STICKY and you can do that in the OnStartCommand

@Override
public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {
    Log.i("LocalService", "Received start id " + startId + ": " + intent);
    // We want this service to continue running until it is explicitly
    // stopped, so return sticky.
    return START_STICKY;
}

Note that it returns START_SICKY which tells the OS to recreate the service after it has enough memory and call onStartCommand() again with a null intent.

Read also about application:persistent which is "Whether or not the application should remain running at all times". This is more troublesome - System will try not to kill your app which will effect others in the system, you should be careful using it.