GCM registration error in Samsung Galaxy ace2 but works in emulator

Question

I am able to run my app in Samsung Galaxy ace2 in the first time. Now i am getting following error with failure to GCM registration. I works fine in emulator but not in that device. Following is the error and GCMIntentService.java.

Error:

03-21 09:25:33.110: V/GCMBaseIntentService(6018): Acquiring wakelock
03-21 09:25:33.120: V/GCMBaseIntentService(6018): Intent service name: GCMIntentService-1089764589011-11
03-21 09:25:33.130: D/GCMBaseIntentService(6018): handleRegistration: registrationId = null, error = SERVICE_NOT_AVAILABLE, unregistered = null
03-21 09:25:33.130: D/GCMBaseIntentService(6018): Registration error: SERVICE_NOT_AVAILABLE
03-21 09:25:33.130: I/GCMIntentService(6018): Received recoverable error: SERVICE_NOT_AVAILABLE
03-21 09:25:33.130: D/GCMBaseIntentService(6018): Scheduling registration retry, backoff = 98657 (96000)
03-21 09:25:33.200: V/GCMBaseIntentService(6018): Releasing wakelock
03-21 09:26:42.950: D/dalvikvm(6018): GC_CONCURRENT freed 354K, 48% free 3310K/6279K, external 630K/1286K, paused 7ms+9ms
03-21 09:27:11.800: V/GCMBroadcastReceiver(6018): onReceive: com.google.android.gcm.intent.RETRY
03-21 09:27:11.800: V/GCMBroadcastReceiver(6018): GCM IntentService class: com.dorji.finalproject.GCMIntentService
03-21 09:27:11.800: V/GCMBaseIntentService(6018): Acquiring wakelock
03-21 09:27:11.830: V/GCMBaseIntentService(6018): Intent service name: GCMIntentService-1089764589011-12
03-21 09:27:11.840: V/GCMRegistrar(6018): Registering app com.dorji.finalproject of senders 1089764589011
03-21 09:27:11.840: V/GCMBaseIntentService(6018): Releasing wakelock
03-21 09:27:12.010: V/GCMBroadcastReceiver(6018): onReceive: com.google.android.c2dm.intent.REGISTRATION
03-21 09:27:12.010: V/GCMBroadcastReceiver(6018): GCM IntentService class: com.dorji.finalproject.GCMIntentService
03-21 09:27:12.010: V/GCMBaseIntentService(6018): Acquiring wakelock
03-21 09:27:12.020: V/GCMBaseIntentService(6018): Intent service name: GCMIntentService-1089764589011-13
03-21 09:27:12.020: D/GCMBaseIntentService(6018): handleRegistration: registrationId = null, error = SERVICE_NOT_AVAILABLE, unregistered = null
03-21 09:27:12.020: D/GCMBaseIntentService(6018): Registration error: SERVICE_NOT_AVAILABLE
03-21 09:27:12.020: I/GCMIntentService(6018): Received recoverable error: SERVICE_NOT_AVAILABLE
03-21 09:27:12.020: D/GCMBaseIntentService(6018): Scheduling registration retry, backoff = 105051 (192000)
03-21 09:27:12.070: V/GCMBaseIntentService(6018): Releasing wakelock

GCMIntentService.java

package com.dorji.finalproject;

import static com.dorji.finalproject.CommonUtilities.SENDER_ID;
import static com.dorji.finalproject.CommonUtilities.displayMessage;
import android.app.Notification;
import android.app.NotificationManager;
import android.app.PendingIntent;
import android.content.Context;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.util.Log;

import com.dorji.finalproject.R;
import com.google.android.gcm.GCMBaseIntentService;

public class GCMIntentService extends GCMBaseIntentService {

    private static final String TAG = "GCMIntentService";

    public GCMIntentService() {
        super(SENDER_ID);
    }

    /**
     * Method called on device registered
     **/
    @Override
    protected void onRegistered(Context context, String registrationId) {
        Log.i(TAG, "Device registered: regId = " + registrationId);
        displayMessage(context, "Your device registred with GCM");
        ServerUtilities.register(context, registrationId);
    }

    /**
     * Method called on device un registred
     * */
    @Override
    protected void onUnregistered(Context context, String registrationId) {
        Log.i(TAG, "Device unregistered");
        displayMessage(context, getString(R.string.gcm_unregistered));
        ServerUtilities.unregister(context, registrationId);
    }

    /**
     * Method called on Receiving a new message
     * */
    @Override
    protected void onMessage(Context context, Intent intent) {
        Log.i(TAG, "Received message");
        String message = intent.getExtras().getString("message");

        displayMessage(context, message);
        // notifies user
        generateNotification(context, message);

    }

    /**
     * Method called on receiving a deleted message
     * */
    @Override
    protected void onDeletedMessages(Context context, int total) {
        Log.i(TAG, "Received deleted messages notification");
        String message = getString(R.string.gcm_deleted, total);
        displayMessage(context, message);
        // notifies user
        generateNotification(context, message);
    }

    /**
     * Method called on Error
     * */
    @Override
    public void onError(Context context, String errorId) {
        Log.i(TAG, "Received error: " + errorId);
        displayMessage(context, getString(R.string.gcm_error, errorId));
    }

    @Override
    protected boolean onRecoverableError(Context context, String errorId) {
        // log message
        Log.i(TAG, "Received recoverable error: " + errorId);
        displayMessage(context, getString(R.string.gcm_recoverable_error,
                errorId));
        return super.onRecoverableError(context, errorId);
    }

    /**
     * Issues a notification to inform the user that server has sent a message.
     */
    private static void generateNotification(Context context, String message) {
        int icon = R.drawable.ic_launcher;
        long when = System.currentTimeMillis();
        NotificationManager notificationManager = (NotificationManager)
                context.getSystemService(Context.NOTIFICATION_SERVICE);
        Notification notification = new Notification(icon, message, when);

        String title = context.getString(R.string.app_name);

        Intent notificationIntent = new Intent(context, MainActivity.class);
        // set intent so it does not start a new activity
        notificationIntent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_CLEAR_TOP |
                Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_SINGLE_TOP);
        PendingIntent intent =
                PendingIntent.getActivity(context, 0, notificationIntent, 0);
        notification.setLatestEventInfo(context, title, message, intent);
        notification.flags |= Notification.FLAG_AUTO_CANCEL;

        // Play default notification sound
        notification.defaults |= Notification.DEFAULT_SOUND;

        //notification.sound = Uri.parse("android.resource://" + context.getPackageName() + "your_sound_file_name.mp3");

        // Vibrate if vibrate is enabled
        notification.defaults |= Notification.DEFAULT_VIBRATE;
        notificationManager.notify(0, notification);      

    }

}

AndroidManifest.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="com.dorji.finalproject"
    android:versionCode="1"
    android:versionName="1.0" >

    <!-- GCM requires Android SDK version 2.2 (API level 8) or above. -->
    <uses-sdk
        android:minSdkVersion="8"
        android:targetSdkVersion="16" />

    <supports-screens android:largeScreens="true"
        android:normalScreens="true" android:smallScreens="true"
        android:resizeable="true" android:anyDensity="true" />

    <!-- GCM connects to Internet Services. -->
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />

    <!-- GCM requires a Google account. -->
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.GET_ACCOUNTS" />

    <!-- Keeps the processor from sleeping when a message is received. -->
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WAKE_LOCK" />

    <!-- Creates a custom permission so only this app can receive its messages. -->
    <permission
        android:name="com.dorji.finalproject.permission.C2D_MESSAGE"
        android:protectionLevel="signature" />

    <uses-permission android:name="com.dorji.finalproject.permission.C2D_MESSAGE" />

    <!-- This app has permission to register and receive data message. -->
    <uses-permission android:name="com.google.android.c2dm.permission.RECEIVE" />

    <!-- Network State Permissions to detect Internet status -->
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE" />

    <!-- Permission to vibrate -->
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.VIBRATE" />

    <!-- Main activity. -->
    <application
        android:debuggable="true" 
        android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name" >
        <!-- Register Activity -->
        <activity
            android:name="com.dorji.finalproject.LoginLayout"
            android:label="@string/app_name" >
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>

        <!-- Main Activity -->
        <activity
            android:name="com.dorji.finalproject.MainActivity"
            android:configChanges="orientation|keyboardHidden"
            android:label="@string/app_name" >
        </activity>

        <receiver
            android:name="com.google.android.gcm.GCMBroadcastReceiver"
            android:permission="com.google.android.c2dm.permission.SEND" >
            <intent-filter>

                <!-- Receives the actual messages. -->
                <action android:name="com.google.android.c2dm.intent.RECEIVE" />
                <!-- Receives the registration id. -->
                <action android:name="com.google.android.c2dm.intent.REGISTRATION" />

                <category android:name="com.dorji.finalproject" />
            </intent-filter>
        </receiver>

        <service android:name="com.dorji.finalproject.GCMIntentService" />
    </application>

</manifest>

Answer 1

If you get this message SERVICE_NOT_AVAILABLE for no reeason and none of the stackoverflow answers solve your problem read on as it may be that all that is required is patience. So selsine's answer worked for me.

After my app working fine on a nexus it suddenly started generating SERVICE_NOT_AVAILABLE messages and showing the registration id as null. I then tried the app on two different emulators and it worked fine on both.

I tried all the suggestions in the various stackoverflow postings to no avail. I left the app running on the device all evening and filled half a screen with SERVICE_NOT_AVAILABLE messages.

I uninstalled the app and switched off the device and retired to bed. The following morning, I switched on the nexus installed and ran the app again and it worked perfectly.

The strange thing is that the device was registered as a new one with the GCM server. My application server also notched up another device added. Unfortunately, my application server is a bare bones one, no persistence or logging so I'm unable to investigate further.

Has anyone else experienced this phenomenon?

Answer 2

That error is defined in Google's GCM docs as follows:

public static final String ERROR_SERVICE_NOT_AVAILABLE

The device can't read the response, or there was a 500/503 from the server that can be retried later. The application should use exponential back off and retry.

So it seems as though it may be a temporary error, I would retry a few more times and see what happens.

Also ass @ol_v_er mentioned you need to ensure that your device meets the GCM requirements as listed in the GCM docs:

• It requires devices running Android 2.2 or higher that also have the Google Play Store application installed, or or an emulator running Android 2.2 with Google APIs. However, you are not limited to deploying your Android applications through Google Play Store.
• It uses an existing connection for Google services. For pre-3.0 devices, this requires users to set up their Google account on their mobile devices. A Google account is not a requirement on devices running Android 4.0.4 or higher.