[android-developers] Re: interfacing to a server via http with a service
Thanks for the reply. I did look over the service documentation, and its clear to me that I need to use AIDL to accomplish the type of communication I need. That said, I don't need the service to run with separate applications, so it should just be a local service. My confusion is really just over whether or not I can use AIDL to communicate with a local service, or if it is only for remote services? Thanks again for any insight. On Feb 6, 11:48 pm, TreKing treking...@gmail.com wrote: On Sun, Feb 6, 2011 at 5:25 PM, Avtar Khalsa akhals...@gmail.com wrote: I know it will require a binding, but since it is a local service, I am unsure if I should use AIDL, or something else. Have you reviewed the Service documentation? It's pretty detailed, with some samples on local and remote services. --- -- TreKing http://sites.google.com/site/rezmobileapps/treking - Chicago transit tracking app for Android-powered devices -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
Re: [android-developers] Re: interfacing to a server via http with a service
You do not need AIDL for a local service. On Mon, Feb 7, 2011 at 8:20 PM, Avtar Khalsa akhals...@gmail.com wrote: Thanks for the reply. I did look over the service documentation, and its clear to me that I need to use AIDL to accomplish the type of communication I need. That said, I don't need the service to run with separate applications, so it should just be a local service. My confusion is really just over whether or not I can use AIDL to communicate with a local service, or if it is only for remote services? Thanks again for any insight. On Feb 6, 11:48 pm, TreKing treking...@gmail.com wrote: On Sun, Feb 6, 2011 at 5:25 PM, Avtar Khalsa akhals...@gmail.com wrote: I know it will require a binding, but since it is a local service, I am unsure if I should use AIDL, or something else. Have you reviewed the Service documentation? It's pretty detailed, with some samples on local and remote services. --- -- TreKing http://sites.google.com/site/rezmobileapps/treking - Chicago transit tracking app for Android-powered devices -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en -- Mark Murphy (a Commons Guy) http://commonsware.com | http://github.com/commonsguy http://commonsware.com/blog | http://twitter.com/commonsguy Android 2.3 Programming Books: http://commonsware.com/books -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
[android-developers] Re: interfacing to a server via http with a service
If I don't need AIDL, then my original question remains. I am just unsure how to send an object containing information from the local service to an activity its bound to. The Service documentation doesn't show how to send information from the service to an activity any way except using AIDL for remote services? On Feb 7, 8:23 pm, Mark Murphy mmur...@commonsware.com wrote: You do not need AIDL for a local service. On Mon, Feb 7, 2011 at 8:20 PM, Avtar Khalsa akhals...@gmail.com wrote: Thanks for the reply. I did look over the service documentation, and its clear to me that I need to use AIDL to accomplish the type of communication I need. That said, I don't need the service to run with separate applications, so it should just be a local service. My confusion is really just over whether or not I can use AIDL to communicate with a local service, or if it is only for remote services? Thanks again for any insight. On Feb 6, 11:48 pm, TreKing treking...@gmail.com wrote: On Sun, Feb 6, 2011 at 5:25 PM, Avtar Khalsa akhals...@gmail.com wrote: I know it will require a binding, but since it is a local service, I am unsure if I should use AIDL, or something else. Have you reviewed the Service documentation? It's pretty detailed, with some samples on local and remote services. --- -- TreKing http://sites.google.com/site/rezmobileapps/treking - Chicago transit tracking app for Android-powered devices -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en -- Mark Murphy (a Commons Guy)http://commonsware.com|http://github.com/commonsguyhttp://commonsware.com/blog|http://twitter.com/commonsguy Android 2.3 Programming Books:http://commonsware.com/books -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
Re: [android-developers] Re: interfacing to a server via http with a service
On Mon, Feb 7, 2011 at 7:52 PM, Avtar Khalsa akhals...@gmail.com wrote: If I don't need AIDL, then my original question remains. I am just unsure how to send an object containing information from the local service to an activity its bound to. Look at the Local Service example in the docs again. Specifically this class: http://developer.android.com/reference/android/content/ServiceConnection.html The Service documentation doesn't show how to send information from the service to an activity any way except using AIDL for remote services? Not explicitly, no, but it shows you how to get at the running Service, through which you can get and set data as required. - TreKing http://sites.google.com/site/rezmobileapps/treking - Chicago transit tracking app for Android-powered devices -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
[android-developers] Re: interfacing to a server via http with a service
I saw that, and initially thought it could help me. However, the local service example and the class you specifically referred to only seem to accommodate messages from the service onServiceConnected and onServiceDisconnected. This does not really help me since my activity will be launching the service and then will need the service to notify it once the information from my server has been successfully downloaded. I don't see anything other than AIDL that will let the service inform the activity that it is ready to send an object containing information from the server. Am I reading the documentation incorrectly? On Feb 7, 9:19 pm, TreKing treking...@gmail.com wrote: On Mon, Feb 7, 2011 at 7:52 PM, Avtar Khalsa akhals...@gmail.com wrote: If I don't need AIDL, then my original question remains. I am just unsure how to send an object containing information from the local service to an activity its bound to. Look at the Local Service example in the docs again. Specifically this class:http://developer.android.com/reference/android/content/ServiceConnect... The Service documentation doesn't show how to send information from the service to an activity any way except using AIDL for remote services? Not explicitly, no, but it shows you how to get at the running Service, through which you can get and set data as required. --- -- TreKing http://sites.google.com/site/rezmobileapps/treking - Chicago transit tracking app for Android-powered devices -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
Re: [android-developers] Re: interfacing to a server via http with a service
On Mon, Feb 7, 2011 at 8:35 PM, Avtar Khalsa akhals...@gmail.com wrote: However, the local service example and the class you specifically referred to only seem to accommodate messages from the service onServiceConnected and onServiceDisconnected. Those are the explicit events the ServiceConnection get. Notice in the example when the service is started, the connection object grabs a reference to the Service. The ServiceConnection itself is referenced in the Activity. Therefore you can get at the Service reference from your Activity through the ServiceConnection. This does not really help me since my activity will be launching the service and then will need the service to notify it once the information from my server has been successfully downloaded. Services are usually for maintaining an ongoing background task. Binding to them is usually for showing the state of that background task to the user (and possibly give them control over it). Think music player. If you're just trying to download some data while your Activity is alive, an AsyncTask within your Activity may be much, much simpler. - TreKing http://sites.google.com/site/rezmobileapps/treking - Chicago transit tracking app for Android-powered devices -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
[android-developers] Re: interfacing to a server via http with a service
Thanks for the reply again. It was quite helpful. I am actually downloading small audio files for an answering machine app. If the activity that launched the service is still running, I would like it to update to include the newly downloaded files in the UI for the user to listen to. If the user has moved to a different activity, I just want the service to save the file to persistent storage. (It will store to persistent storage either way, but if the activity is running the UI should update) A service seems appropriate here although I am certainly open to other options? I understand that I can get a reference to the service from the activity, and how I could pass information with it. The issue I am having specifically is notifying the activity that the download is complete. I would really rather avoid having the activity poll the service to find out if the download is completed. On Feb 7, 9:53 pm, TreKing treking...@gmail.com wrote: On Mon, Feb 7, 2011 at 8:35 PM, Avtar Khalsa akhals...@gmail.com wrote: However, the local service example and the class you specifically referred to only seem to accommodate messages from the service onServiceConnected and onServiceDisconnected. Those are the explicit events the ServiceConnection get. Notice in the example when the service is started, the connection object grabs a reference to the Service. The ServiceConnection itself is referenced in the Activity. Therefore you can get at the Service reference from your Activity through the ServiceConnection. This does not really help me since my activity will be launching the service and then will need the service to notify it once the information from my server has been successfully downloaded. Services are usually for maintaining an ongoing background task. Binding to them is usually for showing the state of that background task to the user (and possibly give them control over it). Think music player. If you're just trying to download some data while your Activity is alive, an AsyncTask within your Activity may be much, much simpler. --- -- TreKing http://sites.google.com/site/rezmobileapps/treking - Chicago transit tracking app for Android-powered devices -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
Re: [android-developers] Re: interfacing to a server via http with a service
On Mon, Feb 7, 2011 at 9:24 PM, Avtar Khalsa akhals...@gmail.com wrote: Thanks for the reply again. It was quite helpful. I am actually downloading small audio files for an answering machine app. If the activity that launched the service is still running, I would like it to update to include the newly downloaded files in the UI for the user to listen to. If the user has moved to a different activity, I just want the service to save the file to persistent storage. (It will store to persistent storage either way, but if the activity is running the UI should update) A service seems appropriate here although I am certainly open to other options? I guess it depends on the flow and user workflow of your app. If you start your app, it begins downloading, updates the UI as things becomes available, and then shuts down and stops the downloading when the user exist the Activity, then I would suggest an AsyncTask. If the user expects the downloads to continue and somehow play or be notified as they become available, then yeah, a Service seems more appropriate. Ultimately, either way will work. The issue I am having specifically is notifying the activity that the download is complete. I would really rather avoid having the activity poll the service to find out if the download is completed You've seen how most of the UI in Android works? Nearly everything registers a Listener object when it wants to know something happens. Create your own listener class like ServiceListener or something. Your service takes a reference and hold on to it. When a download is complete, it invokes the listener's onDownloadComplete() method (or whatever you want to call it). Meanwhile the Activity is the one that creates an instance of a custom listener and passes it to the service. When the service call it's method, it responds appropriately (updating the UI). You could also send a Broadcast that the Activity would register for, which would set you up for more advance functionality like background downloading and responding to downloading completing without needing your activity to be alive and waiting for the listener to get triggered. Just an idea though, the former option is much easier and should suit your current problem just fine. - TreKing http://sites.google.com/site/rezmobileapps/treking - Chicago transit tracking app for Android-powered devices -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
[android-developers] Re: interfacing to a server via http with a service
I do need the downloads to continue when the application switches activities, which is why I am using a service in the first place. It sounds like registering a listener is the way to go. Thank you so much for the help! On Feb 7, 10:34 pm, TreKing treking...@gmail.com wrote: On Mon, Feb 7, 2011 at 9:24 PM, Avtar Khalsa akhals...@gmail.com wrote: Thanks for the reply again. It was quite helpful. I am actually downloading small audio files for an answering machine app. If the activity that launched the service is still running, I would like it to update to include the newly downloaded files in the UI for the user to listen to. If the user has moved to a different activity, I just want the service to save the file to persistent storage. (It will store to persistent storage either way, but if the activity is running the UI should update) A service seems appropriate here although I am certainly open to other options? I guess it depends on the flow and user workflow of your app. If you start your app, it begins downloading, updates the UI as things becomes available, and then shuts down and stops the downloading when the user exist the Activity, then I would suggest an AsyncTask. If the user expects the downloads to continue and somehow play or be notified as they become available, then yeah, a Service seems more appropriate. Ultimately, either way will work. The issue I am having specifically is notifying the activity that the download is complete. I would really rather avoid having the activity poll the service to find out if the download is completed You've seen how most of the UI in Android works? Nearly everything registers a Listener object when it wants to know something happens. Create your own listener class like ServiceListener or something. Your service takes a reference and hold on to it. When a download is complete, it invokes the listener's onDownloadComplete() method (or whatever you want to call it). Meanwhile the Activity is the one that creates an instance of a custom listener and passes it to the service. When the service call it's method, it responds appropriately (updating the UI). You could also send a Broadcast that the Activity would register for, which would set you up for more advance functionality like background downloading and responding to downloading completing without needing your activity to be alive and waiting for the listener to get triggered. Just an idea though, the former option is much easier and should suit your current problem just fine. --- -- TreKing http://sites.google.com/site/rezmobileapps/treking - Chicago transit tracking app for Android-powered devices -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
Re: [android-developers] Re: interfacing to a server via http with a service
Well Tre beat me to it. I was thinking two things. Either A, your main activity registers a listener with another class that uses an AsyncTask in it, and some sort of loop to repeatedly make the rest call. Then, when data is returned, the response handler calls back via the listener and the main activity updates the ui. The other thought is some static method or class that is constructed with a method in the main activity to call (perhaps via an interface implementation?) and then response handler calls that method with new data, which in turns updates the ui thread. I think the listener is the way to go though. On Mon, Feb 7, 2011 at 7:52 PM, Avtar Khalsa akhals...@gmail.com wrote: I do need the downloads to continue when the application switches activities, which is why I am using a service in the first place. It sounds like registering a listener is the way to go. Thank you so much for the help! On Feb 7, 10:34 pm, TreKing treking...@gmail.com wrote: On Mon, Feb 7, 2011 at 9:24 PM, Avtar Khalsa akhals...@gmail.com wrote: Thanks for the reply again. It was quite helpful. I am actually downloading small audio files for an answering machine app. If the activity that launched the service is still running, I would like it to update to include the newly downloaded files in the UI for the user to listen to. If the user has moved to a different activity, I just want the service to save the file to persistent storage. (It will store to persistent storage either way, but if the activity is running the UI should update) A service seems appropriate here although I am certainly open to other options? I guess it depends on the flow and user workflow of your app. If you start your app, it begins downloading, updates the UI as things becomes available, and then shuts down and stops the downloading when the user exist the Activity, then I would suggest an AsyncTask. If the user expects the downloads to continue and somehow play or be notified as they become available, then yeah, a Service seems more appropriate. Ultimately, either way will work. The issue I am having specifically is notifying the activity that the download is complete. I would really rather avoid having the activity poll the service to find out if the download is completed You've seen how most of the UI in Android works? Nearly everything registers a Listener object when it wants to know something happens. Create your own listener class like ServiceListener or something. Your service takes a reference and hold on to it. When a download is complete, it invokes the listener's onDownloadComplete() method (or whatever you want to call it). Meanwhile the Activity is the one that creates an instance of a custom listener and passes it to the service. When the service call it's method, it responds appropriately (updating the UI). You could also send a Broadcast that the Activity would register for, which would set you up for more advance functionality like background downloading and responding to downloading completing without needing your activity to be alive and waiting for the listener to get triggered. Just an idea though, the former option is much easier and should suit your current problem just fine. --- -- TreKing http://sites.google.com/site/rezmobileapps/treking - Chicago transit tracking app for Android-powered devices -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
