CODEWITHSUNDEEP
androidandroid-intentandroid-serviceandroid-11
user924
user924

Reputation: 12135

Android 11: starting a service of another app

First app has a service:

<service
    android:name="com.example.app.service.MyService"
    android:exported="true">
    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="com.example.app.START_MY_SERVICE" />
    </intent-filter>
</service>

Another app starts a service of the first app using (3 possible methods):

1:

val i = Intent("com.example.app.START_MY_SERVICE").apply {
    setPackage("com.example.app")
}
startService(i)

2:

val i = Intent().apply {
    component = ComponentName("com.example.app", "com.example.app.service.MyService")
}
startService(i)

3:

val i = Intent().apply {
    setClassName("com.example.app", "com.example.app.service.MyService")
}
startService(i)

All these methods to start a service of another app work from 23 API (6 Android) to 29 API (10 Android)

On Android 11 (30 API) it doesn't work, a service doesn't start, no exception:

When using 2-3 methods, in Logcat it prints:

W/ActivityManager: Unable to start service Intent { cmp=com.example.app.service/.service.MyService } U=0: not found

For 1 method nothing happens at all, no message at Logcat

So how can we start a service of some app from another app on Android 11?

Upvotes: 6

Views: 4829

Answers (2)

yozhik
yozhik

Reputation: 5064

I also was looking how to open exprnal app, when I can't get info is this app installed on phone or not. You can try to startActivity() and handle ActivityNotFoundException, if it's present, that mean that app is not installed on the phone or can't open links like this. And also there are intent flags which can also make ActivityNotFoundException in case intent starts browser or pick activity dialog: FLAG_ACTIVITY_REQUIRE_NON_BROWSER, FLAG_ACTIVITY_REQUIRE_DEFAULT

Here is more official and other info on this case:

Open external apps in Android:

https://developer.android.com/training/package-visibility/use-cases

https://developer.android.com/training/package-visibility

https://developer.android.com/training/basics/intents

Tells when we can use QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES permission: https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/10158779

https://developer.android.com/training/package-visibility/use-cases

https://medium.com/androiddevelopers/package-visibility-in-android-11-cc857f221cd9

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/517132/startactivity-throws-error-in-android-11-api-30.html

https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/trusteer-mobile-sdk/5.3?topic=android-step-1-modify-app-manifest-androidmanifestxml

https://pretagteam.com/question/android-11-sdk-30-launch-external-app-doesnt-work

https://proandroiddev.com/the-quick-developers-guide-to-migrate-their-apps-to-android-11-e4ca2b011176

Upvotes: 1

user924
user924

Reputation: 12135

The app that starts a service of another app must include the next declaration in manifest:

<queries>
    <package android:name="com.example.anotherapp" />
</queries>

or

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES" />

(apps like Automate and Tasker have this permission)

Thanks to CommonsWare Android 11: starting a service of another app

Upvotes: 6

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