Alarm service crashes

Question

I'm trying to create an alarm with a list of time to go off that I already have stored in Parse.

I have a AlarmService with this code:

@Override
public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {
    super.onStartCommand(intent, flags, startId);
    Toast.makeText(this,"onStartCommand()",Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();

    Intent intent = new Intent(this, AlarmScreenActivity.class);
    startActivity(intent);

    return flags;
}

The Service goes off after the Save Button in add an alarm activity is pressed as follow:

//set time into calendar instance
Calendar calendar= Calendar.getInstance();
calendar.set(Calendar.HOUR_OF_DAY,mAlarmDetails.timeHour);
calendar.set(Calendar.MINUTE,mAlarmDetails.timeMinute);

AlarmManager reminder = (AlarmManager)getSystemService(Context.ALARM_SERVICE);

Intent intent = new Intent(this, AlarmService.class);
PendingIntent pendingIntent = PendingIntent.getService(this,0,intent,PendingIntent.FLAG_UPDATE_CURRENT);

reminder.set(AlarmManager.RTC_WAKEUP, calendar.getTimeInMillis(),pendingIntent);

When the time is met, the app crashes and my Log says:

java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to start service com.example......AlarmService@16859914 with Intent { flg=0x4 cmp=com.example.....AlarmService (has extras) }: android.util.AndroidRuntimeException: Calling startActivity() from outside of an Activity  context requires the FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK flag. Is this really what you want?

I don't quite understand this log error. Can someone explain and help me solve this issue?

The Toast from the AlarmService also never appeared.

another question, do I have to initiate my service from the button? is there a way to do this without using a button? I think my app will work better if I can do this without the button since the time information is online in parse.

I also want my alarm to go off everyday. I currently have information of hour and minute. Do I need some information to tell it to go off everyday?

Thank you in advance

UPDATE

I added a wake lock so it will wake my phone into my Service as follow:

@Override
public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {
    super.onStartCommand(intent, flags, startId);
    Toast.makeText(this,"onStartCommand()",Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();

    //wake lock
    PowerManager pm = (PowerManager) getSystemService(Context.POWER_SERVICE);
    mWakeLock = pm.newWakeLock(WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_KEEP_SCREEN_ON, "My Wake Log");
    mWakeLock.acquire();

    //start reminder screen
    Intent intent = new Intent(this, AlarmScreenActivity.class);
    ReminderIntent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
    startActivity(intent);

    return flags;
}

Now I have another Log that says:

java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to start service com.example....AlarmService@129539b6 with Intent { flg=0x4 cmp=com.....AlarmService (has extras) }: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Must specify a valid wake lock level.

What does this mean?

no. whats the permission? I only have a wakelock. I don't think it is needed yet though. — stanley santoso, Jul 15 '15 at 20:27
I was able to use the service with just toast and no alarm as a test in the begining. But after I put the alarmmanager,calender,pendingintent and such, it doesnt work — stanley santoso, Jul 15 '15 at 20:31
A pending intent must be received. Where did you receive it? — andrewdleach, Jul 15 '15 at 20:32
hmm... I believe I have no such thing. What I showed is what I have. How do I make a receiver? and how do I connect to the receiver? — stanley santoso, Jul 15 '15 at 20:34

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 15 '15 at 20:41

The problem you are seeing is because the Intent being sent to start the Activity is being sent from Service, so its Context has no notion of task/back stack. The logcat shows you that you need to add the flag FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK to the Intent from the Service in order to get the Activity started.

All of that being said, you are likely still going to run into issues since the alarm is being used to start the Service. If the device is asleep and the alarm expires, the system will wake long enough for the AlarmManager to process the alarm internally. If the alarm's PendingIntent is for a BroadcastReceiver then it will also keep the device awake long enough so the registered receiver gets called. It does not do the same thing if the PendingIntent is for a Service or Activity. This article will help with some additional details (and sample code): http://po.st/7UpipA

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 15 '15 at 20:44

1

this is your problem

android.util.AndroidRuntimeException: Calling startActivity() from outside of an Activity  context requires the FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK flag. Is this really what you want?

when you want to start an activity by a non activity context you have to add FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK flag to the starter intent so your onStartCommand code would be like this :

Intent intent = new Intent(this, AlarmScreenActivity.class);
intent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
startActivity(intent);

answered Jul 15 '15 at 20:44

Mohsen fallahi

915
1
10
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Thank you very much. It works really well. now the question is, based on my code, am I doing this right? It feels like what I did is way simpler then what people are doing based on my research. – stanley santoso Jul 15 '15 at 20:59
oh and this alarm doesn't wake my locked screen. How do I do that? – stanley santoso Jul 15 '15 at 21:03
i think that this question http://stackoverflow.com/questions/9966506/programmatically-turn-screen-on-in-android will help you wake the screen – Mohsen fallahi Jul 15 '15 at 21:05
please look at the new update I have provided. Thank you – stanley santoso Jul 15 '15 at 21:17
your welcome ! when you have faced an Exception just google about it and yo will find good sloutions . i have found this one : http://stackoverflow.com/questions/15555630/specify-valid-wake-lock-level – Mohsen fallahi Jul 15 '15 at 21:28

Alarm service crashes

2 Answers2