How do I use Architecture Components with MediaBrowserService?

Question

I'm trying to make an app that plays audio with the MediaBrowserService but also use the new Architecture Components to structure the whole app. I have use MediaBrowserService before for another app( https://github.com/willhwongwork/PodCast ) but in that app I did not use the OnGetRoot() and OnGetChildren() methods to load the data I just load data using loader or asynctask from network(and there's no architecture in that app).

So now if I want to use LiveData and ViewModel how should I structure the code? Should I use them in the MediaBrowserService and through the OnGetRoot() and OnGetChildren() methods provide the data to the UI?

Answer 1

Unlike AppCompatActivity or support Fragment which are LifecycleOwner due to which we can use ViewModelProviders and observe of LiveData , the Service doesn't implement the LifecycleOwner interface.

That said, there is LifecycleService which implements the LifecycleOwner interface. I don't think the MediaBrowserService implements the LifecycleOwner hence you'll need to use ServiceLifecycleDispatcher and create a custom MediaBrowserService .

Note: Kindly also take a look at what Florina says about Service with Lifecycle: https://github.com/googlesamples/android-architecture-components/issues/137

Answer 2

You can use onLoadChildren() method to load chunks of data, using the new Paging library , which is part of the Android Architecture Components. I wrote a post about it where I use a cursor to fetch MediaItems from the MediaStore, but the same can be done with LiveData as well