CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javaandroiddatabase
JDS
JDS

Reputation: 16988

Should I put (online) database queries in Android into a separate thread, and what should the UI showing meanwhile?

I have some questions about executing SQL queries (to an online database) from an Android app.

Since these are network operations and they are costly, should I be doing them in a separate thread? Also, what should I show the user (UI) while these queries are processing?

Upvotes: 1

Views: 209

Answers (2)

Kevin Galligan
Kevin Galligan

Reputation: 17312

The first answer is good with regards to AsyncTask. If they're REALLY long queries, I would put them in a service and communicate back to the activity with a broadcast, but if they're just "network long", then Async is good.

It seems like EVERYBODY wants to use a waiting dialog, but this kind of UI generally sucks. It blocks everything, so if you can't get a response or whatever, the user is stuck. I recently reviewed an app for somebody, and because our network was slow, the time spent waiting in an alert box was 47 seconds. Any idea how long that feels to a user?

I would disable a repost, put some kind of spinner up, but don't block the UI. If the user wants to do something else, let them. Also, when the AsyncTask comes back, the screen that it expects to manipulate may no longer exist. Wrap everything in case you get an exception.

I try to do all remote stuff in a service, even if it isn't totally necessary. Talk back and forth with broadcasts. That's just me, though ;)

Upvotes: 2

Nikola Despotoski
Nikola Despotoski

Reputation: 50548

I suggest you to make a use of AsyncTask. In the doInBackground() method you'd be downloading/processing stuff. In the onPostExecute() you'll be displaying on the UI. This is in short. Research base on AsyncTask for further information.

Upvotes: 3

Related Questions