How to use MediaSession extension for ExoPlayer v2.5+

Question

I want to use MediaSession with exoplayer and by searching I found that Exoplayer already have MediaSession extension library(https://github.com/google/ExoPlayer/tree/release-v2/extensions/mediasession), but I am unable to find any good documentation on how to implement that.

I have already read the documentation provided by Google developer on this but it is not clear and hard to understand for me, the documentation link is https://medium.com/google-exoplayer/the-mediasession-extension-for-exoplayer-82b9619deb2d

Can anyone please help me how can I implement MediaSession extension with Exoplayer.

Edited:

Finally I was able to implement this by trying hard using the above link (https://medium.com/google-exoplayer/the-mediasession-extension-for-exoplayer-82b9619deb2d).

Details are given in the answer section below.

If you did, do you mind sharing the solution in an answer below? Sounds like something others may find useful as well! — anthonymonori, Nov 28 '17 at 12:44
As said above, you can add any info on how you had implemented, for otherss references? — hkchakladar, Jan 01 '18 at 17:08

score 10 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 02 '18 at 22:15

To map the playback state of the player to the media session you can do as follows (assuming video playback in an activity):

// onCreate()
mediaSession = new MediaSessionCompat(this, getPackageName());
mediaSessionConnector = new MediaSessionConnector(mediaSession)

// onStart() or onResume() according to API level
initializePlayer();
mediaSessionConnector.setPlayer(player, null, null);
mediaSession.setActive(true);

// onPause() or onStop() according to API level
mediaSessionConnector.setPlayer(null, null, null);
mediaSession.setActive(false);
releasePlayer();

With this media actions like ACTION_PLAY, ACTION_PAUSE and the like are already supported.

You can find some more context in another SOF post.

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 02 '18 at 12:40

Here is how I did this.

First initialize the MediaSessionCompat, MediaSessionConnector and MediaControllerCompat as given below.

        private void initMediaSession(){
                ComponentName mediaButtonReceiver = new ComponentName(getApplicationContext(), MediaButtonReceiver.class);
                mMediaSessionCompat = new MediaSessionCompat(getApplicationContext(), "MyMediasession", mediaButtonReceiver, null);
MediaSessionConnector mediaSessionConnector = new MediaSessionConnector(mMediaSessionCompat, mPlaybackController, false);
                mediaSessionConnector.setPlayer(mMediaPlayerManager.getPlayer(), null);
                mMediaControllerCompat = mMediaSessionCompat.getController();
            }

All the callbacks are received in this MediaSessionConnector.PlaybackController.

private MediaSessionConnector.PlaybackController mPlaybackController = new MediaSessionConnector.PlaybackController() {

            @Override
            public long getSupportedPlaybackActions(@Nullable Player player) {

                long ACTIONS = PlaybackStateCompat.ACTION_PLAY_PAUSE | PlaybackStateCompat.ACTION_PLAY
                        | PlaybackStateCompat.ACTION_PAUSE | PlaybackStateCompat.ACTION_STOP;

                return ACTIONS;
            }

            @Override
            public void onPlay(Player player) {

            }

            @Override
            public void onPause(Player player) {

            }

            @Override
            public void onSeekTo(Player player, long position) {

            }

            @Override
            public void onFastForward(Player player) {

            }

            @Override
            public void onRewind(Player player) {

            }

            @Override
            public void onStop(Player player) {

            }

        };

Now you can use MediaControllerCompat.TransportControls to send events like play, pause etc. on click of Play/Pause buttons.

mMediaControllerCompat.getTransportControls().play();//For play
mMediaControllerCompat.getTransportControls().pause();//For pause

While using the TransportControls methods corresponding methods of MediaSessionConnector.PlaybackController will also be called simultaneously.

How to use MediaSession extension for ExoPlayer v2.5+

2 Answers2

Here is how I did this.