CODEWITHSUNDEEP
androidservicealarmmanager
Sarp Kaya
Sarp Kaya

Reputation: 3794

Android best way to run a method periodically

At the moment I have got a singleton class that extends service like this:

public class ServiceSingleton extends Service {

    private static ServiceSingleton instance;
    private static boolean serviceSt;
    private static PrefValues preferences;
    private static Context context;

    @Override
    public IBinder onBind(Intent intent) {
        throw new UnsupportedOperationException("Not yet implemented");
    }

    public static ServiceSingleton getInstance(Context cont) {
        if (instance == null) {
            context = cont;
            // Some code

        }
        return instance;
    }

So basically I run some methods in this class about every 30 minutes by using something like this:

private static void oneTasks() {
    //task itself
}

private static void oneService() {
    if (!serviceSt) {
        serviceRunning = false;
        return;
    }
    serviceRunning = true;
    oneTasks();
    Handler handler = new Handler();
    handler.postDelayed(new Runnable() {
        @Override
        public void run() {
            oneService();
        }
    }, (INTERVAL));
}

I also heard AlarmManager can do the same thing. Anyway, my question is, If I am running periodical methods, which way to invoke methods is the best way(especially with the consideration of battery usage)?

Upvotes: 0

Views: 2146

Answers (4)

DalveerSinghDaiya
DalveerSinghDaiya

Reputation: 505

You can also do it by CountDownTimer 

CountDownTimer countDownTimer;

 public void usingCountDownTimer() {
        countDownTimer = new CountDownTimer(Long.MAX_VALUE, 10000) {

            // This is called after every 10 sec interval. 
            public void onTick(long millisUntilFinished) {              
                setUi("Using count down timer");
            }

            public void onFinish() {              
                start();
            }
        }.start();
    }

and onPause() method add

@Override
    protected void onPause() {
        super.onPause();
        try {
            countDownTimer.cancel();
        } catch (Exception e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }

    }

Upvotes: 0

sudanix
sudanix

Reputation: 535

By using the Alarm Manager you can register a repeated alarm that will fire automatically every specific time, even if your application is closed. so it's a very efficient in term of battery usage.

Then inside the alarm's broadcast receiver you have to implement what you need. and you should consider creating a new thread or using IntentService class if your method will take more than a few seconds.

Upvotes: 1

CommonsWare
CommonsWare

Reputation: 1007584

At the moment I have got a singleton class that extends service like this

Yuck. Do not make a service be held indefinitely in a static data member.

So basically I run some methods in this class about every 30 minutes

You have not stated how you are doing that.

Anyway, my question is, If I am running periodical methods, which way to invoke methods is the best way(especially with the consideration of battery usage)?

If your objective is to only do this work when your process happens to be running for other reasons, you are welcome to use pretty much anything you want. I'd use ScheduledExecutorService.

If your objective is to do this work, even if your app is not running, AlarmManager covers that scenario. Team it with an IntentService, so that your process only needs to be in system RAM when it is actually doing work.

If your objective is to do this work, even if your app is not running, and even if the device falls asleep, you will need to use AlarmManager with a _WAKEUP alarm, coupled with either WakefulBroadcastReceiver, my WakefulIntentService, or the equivalent.

Upvotes: 2

nKn
nKn

Reputation: 13761

I know it's surely not the most elegant and best solution, but you could simply have a Thread with an infinite loop that had a SystemClock.sleep(1800000) at the end, so basically something like this:

final Thread buf_liberator = new Thread(
  new Runnable() {
    public void run() {
      while (true) {
        /* Your stuff */
        SystemClock.sleep(1800000);
      }
    }
  } 
);
buf_liberator.setPriority(7);
buf_liberator.start();

Also you would need to have a stop condition inside the Thread as you can't stop it with the stop() method anymore.

Upvotes: 0

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