Activities and Intents

Programming with Android 187

 More on Activities: Activity states

In most cases, an Android Application is composed

of multiple Activities, not just one …

LOGIN Welcome Marco!

marco
Activity 1

Activity 2
PASSWORD
**********

Go to Next Activity
Login

Programming with Android 188

More on Activities: Saving resources

Each Activity has its own:

 Java implementation MyActivity.java

 XML Layout file activity_main.xml

 Lifecycle with different states ACTIVE PAUSED STOPPED

 XML Tag in AndroidManifest.xml

<application>
<activity android:name=".MyActivity" />
</application>

Programming with Android 189

Activities and AndroidManifest.xml

 Each activity has its Java class and layout file.

public class FirstActivity extends Activity {
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.activity_first);
}

public class SecondActivity extends Activity {

public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.activity_two);
}

Programming with Android 190

 Intent Definition

Intent: facility for late run-time binding between

components of the same or different applications.

 Call a component from another component

 Possible to pass data between components
 Components: Activities, Services, Broadcast receivers …
 Something like:
 “Android, please do that with these data”
 Reuse already installed applications and components

Programming with Android 191

 Intent Definition

We can think to an Intent object as a message

containing a bundle of information.
Component Name

Action Name

Data
Structure
of an Intent Category

Extra Flags

 Intent is sent from current Activity to a receiver Activity which

is then activated and executed.
Programming with Android 192
 Intent types

INTENT TYPES

IMPLICIT
EXPLICIT

The target receiver is specified The target receiver is specified

through the Component Name through the actions to be executed.

Used to launch specific Activities The system chooses the receiver

that matches the request.

Programming with Android 193

 Intent types: Explicit Intents

Explicit Intent  Specify the name of the Activity that will

handle the intent.

Component Name USED

Action Name NOT USED

Data NOT USED
Structure
of an Intent Category NOT USED
Extra Flags

 Used to control the execution flow between Activities belonging to the same Android
application.

Programming with Android 194

 Intent types: Explicit Intents

1. Build a new Intent message

2. Specify the Activity who will receive the Intent

3. Fire the Intent through the startActivity()

NAME OF THE ACTIVITY TO START

Intent intent=new Intent(this, SecondActivity.class);

startActivity(intent);

Programming with Android 195

 Intent types: Explicit Intents

1. Build a new Intent message

2. Specify the Activity who will receive the Intent

3. Fire the Intent through the startActivity()

Intent intent=new Intent(); ALTERNATIVE code

ComponentName component=new
ComponentName(this,SecondActivity.class);
intent.setComponent(component);
startActivity(intent);
Programming with Android 196
 Intent types: Explicit Intents

(OPTIONAL) Insert parameters to be sent to the called

Activity in the Extra field of the Intent.

intent.putExtra(“KEY”, VALUE);
Set an argument named “MyValue” and equal to 5.

Intent intent=new Intent(this, SecondActivity.class);

intent.putExtra(“myValue”,5);
startActivity(intent);
Programming with Android 197
 Intent types: Explicit Intents

(OPTIONAL) From the called Activity, retrieve the

parameters inserted from the calling Activity

intent.getExtras().getTYPE(“KEY”);

Get an argument of type int with key equal to “myValue”

intent.getExtras().getInt(“myValue”);
intent.getExtras().getString(“myString”);
intent.getExtras().getBoolean(“myBoolean”);
Programming with Android 198
 Intent types: Explicit Intents

Some Activities can return results to the caller Activity

SENDER SIDE
1. IMPLEMENT method onActivityResult(int requestCode, int
resultCode, Intent data)
2. INVOKE method startActivityForResult(Intent intent, int
requestCode)
Intent intent = new Intent(this, SecondActivity.class);
startActivityForResult(intent, CHOOSE_ACTIVITY_CODE);
…
public void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {
// Invoked when SecondActivity completes its operations

Programming with Android 199

 Intent types: Explicit Intents

Some Activities can return results to the caller Activity

RECEIVER SIDE
1. IMPLEMENT method setResult(int resultCode, Intent data)
2. SET results on the Extra field of the Intent

Intent intent=new Intent();

setResult(RESULT_OK, intent);
intent.putExtra("result", resultValue);
finish();

The result is delivered only after invoking the finish() method!

Programming with Android 200

 Intent types

INTENT TYPES

EXPLICIT IMPLICIT

The target receiver is specified The target receiver is specified

through the component Name through the actions to be executed.

Used to launch specific Activities The system chooses the receiver

that matches the request.

Programming with Android 201

 Intent types: Implicit Intents

Implicit Intents  do not name a target (component

name is left blank) but an intention of what to do …

 When an Intent is launched, Android

checks out which Activies might answer
to the Intent …
 If at least one is found, then that
Activity is started
 Binding does not occur at compile time,
nor at install time, but at run-time
…(late run-time binding)

Programming with Android 202

 Intent types: Implicit Intents

Implicit Intents  do not name a target (component name is

left blank) but an intention of what to do …

Component Name NOT USED

Action Name USED

Data USED
Structure
of an Intent Category USED
Extra Flags

 Used to control the execution flow between Activities belonging to DIFFERENT

Android applications.

Programming with Android 203

 Intent types: Implicit Intents

Implicit Intents  do not name a target (component name is

left blank) but an intention of what to do …

Component Name NOT USED

 A string naming the action to be
performed.
Action Name USED
 Pre-defined, or can be
specified by the programmer. Data USED
Category USED
 void setAction(String)
Extra Flags

Programming with Android 204

 Intent types: Implicit Intents

Special actions (http://developer.android.com/reference/android/content/Intent.html)

Action Name Description

ACTION_IMAGE_CAPTURE Open the camera and receive a photo
ACTION_VIDEO_CAPTURE Open the camera and receive a video

ACTION_DIAL Open the phone app and dial a phone number

ACTION_SENDTO Send an email (email data contained in the extra)
ACTION_SETTINGS Open the system setting
ACTION_WIRELESS_SETTINGS Open the system setting of the wireless interfaces

ACTION_DISPLAY_SETTINGS Open the system setting of the display

Programming with Android 205

 Intent types: Implicit Intents

Generic actions (http://developer.android.com/reference/android/content/Intent.html)

Action Name Description

ACTION_EDIT Display data to edit

ACTION_MAIN Start as a main entry point, does not expect to receive data.

ACTION_PICK Pick an item from the data, returning what was selected.

ACTION_VIEW Display the data to the user

ACTION_SEARCH Perform a search

 Action Defined by the programmer

ma.example.projectpackage.FILL_DATA (package prefix + name action)
Programming with Android 206
 Intent types: Implicit Intents

1. Build a new Intent message

2. Specify only the Action you want to perform

3. Fire the Intent through the startActivity()

ACTION NAME

Intent intent=new Intent(MediaStore.ACTION_IMAGE_CAPTURE);

startActivity(intent);

Programming with Android 207

 Intent types: Implicit Intents

1. Build a new Intent message

2. Specify only the Action you want to perform
3. Fire the Intent through the startActivity()
4. Verify whether the Intent can be handled

Intent intent=new Intent(MediaStore.ACTION_IMAGE_CAPTURE);

if (intent.resolveActivity(getPackageManager()) !=
null) {
startActivity(intent);
}
Programming with Android 208
 Intent types: Implicit Intents

Implicit Intents  do not name a target (component name is

left blank) but an intention of what to do …

Component Name NOT USED

 Data passed from the caller to the
called Component. Action Name USED
 Def. of the data (URI) and Type of the Data
data (MIME type) USED
Category USED
1. void setData(Uri)
2. void setType(String) Extra Flags

Programming with Android 209

 Intent types: Implicit Intents

In an Intent, the Data is specified by a name and a type

NAME: Uniform Resource Identifier (URI)

scheme://host:port/path
tel:003-232-134-126 EXAMPLEs

content://contacts/people/1
http://www.ensa.uh1.ac.ma
Programming with Android 210
 Intent types: Implicit Intents

Some actions require data in input to be executed.

Use method setData(URI) to define the data input of

an Implicit Intent

Intent intent=new Intent(Intent.ACTION_DIAL);

intent.setData(Uri.parse("tel:0123456789"));

startActivity(intent);
Programming with Android 211
 Intent types: Implicit Intents

Some actions require data in input to be executed.

Use method setData(URI) to define the data input of

an Implicit Intent

Intent intent=new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);

intent.setData(Uri.parse("content://contacts/people/1"));

startActivity(intent);
Programming with Android 212
 Intent types: Implicit Intents

Some actions require data in input to be executed.

Use method setData(URI) to define the data input of

an Implicit Intent

Intent intent=new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);

intent.setData(Uri.parse(”http://www.ensa.uh1.ac.ma"));

startActivity(intent);
Programming with Android 213
 Intent types: Implicit Intents

In an Intent, the Data is specified by a name and a type

TYPE: Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME)

type/subtype
EXAMPLEs

image/gif image/jpeg image/png

text/html text/plain text/css
video/mpeg4 … … … …
Programming with Android 214
 Intent types: Implicit Intents

Some actions require data in input to be executed.

Use method setType(MIME) to define the data input

of an Implicit Intent

Intent sendIntent = new Intent();

sendIntent.setAction(Intent.ACTION_SEND);
sendIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_TEXT, textMessage);
sendIntent.setType(HTTP.PLAIN_TEXT_TYPE);
startActivity(sendIntent)

Programming with Android 215

 Intent types: Implicit Intents

Implicit Intents  do not name a target (component name is

left blank) but an intention of what to do …

Component Name NOT USED

 A string containing information about
the kind of component that should
handle the Intent. Action Name USED
 More than one can be specified for an Data USED
Intent
Category USED
 void addCategory(String)
Extra Flags

Programming with Android 216

 Intent Components

Category  String describing the kind of component (Activity)

that should handle the Intent.

Category Name Description

CATEGORY_HOME The activity displays the HOME screen.
CATEGORY_LAUNCHER The activity is listed in the top-level application
launcher, and can be displayed.
CATEGORY_PREFERENCE The activity is a preference panel.
CATEGORY_BROWSABLE The activity can be invoked by the browser to
display data referenced by a link.

Programming with Android 217

 Intent Components

1. Build a new Intent message

2. Specify only the Category of the receiver Activity

3. Fire the Intent through the startActivity()

Intent intent=new Intent();

Intent.setAction(Intent.ACTION_MAIN);
intent.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_HOME);

startActivity(intent);
Programming with Android 218
 Intent types: Intent Resolution

QUESTION: How can Android know which application to

call after an Implicit Intent is fired?

ANSWER: Each application declares the Intent is able to

handle in the AndroidManifest.xml file

If an Intent with Action name ACTION_ECHO is invoked, the Activity is lanched

<intent-filter>
<action android:name=”ACTION_ECHO” />
</intent-filter>

Programming with Android 219

 Intent types: Intent Resolution

The Intent resolution process resolves the Intent-Filter

that can handle a given Intent (e.g. ACTION_ECHO).

Three tests must be passed:

1. Action field test
2. Category field test
3. Data field test

If the Intent-filter of Activity A passes all the three test, then

it is selected to handle the Intent.
Programming with Android 220
 Intent types: Intent Resolution

(ACTION Test): The action specified in the Intent must match

one of the actions listed in the filter.

 If the filter does not specify any action  FAIL

 An Intent that does not specify an action  SUCCESS as
as long as the filter contains at least one action.

<intent-filer … >
<action android:name=“com.example.ma.ECHO”/>
</intent-filter>
Programming with Android 221
 Intent types: Intent Resolution

(CATEGORY Test): Every category in the Intent must match

a category of the Intent Filter.

 If the category is not specified in the Intent  Android

assumes it is CATEGORY_DEFAULT, thus the filter must
include this category to handle the Intent.
<intent-filer … >
<category android:name=“android.intent.category.DEFAULT”/>
</intent-filter>

Programming with Android 222

 Intent types: Intent Resolution

(DATA Test): The URI of the intent is compared with

the parts of the URI mentioned in the filter.

<intent-filer … >
<data android:mimeType=“audio/* android:scheme=“http”/>
<data android:mimeType=“video/mpeg android:scheme=“http”/>
</intent-filter>

 Both URI and MIME-types are compared

Programming with Android 223