Android Developer Fundamentals V2

Background
Tasks

Lesson 7

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 7.1 AsyncTask
and
AsyncTaskLoader

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Contents

● Threads
● AsyncTask
● Loaders
● AsyncTaskLoader

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Threads

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The main thread
● Independent path of execution in a running
program
● Code is executed line by line
● App runs on Java thread called "main" or "UI
thread"
● Draws UI on the screen
● Responds to user actions by handling UI events
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The Main thread must be fast
● Hardware updates screen every 16 milliseconds
● UI thread has 16 ms to do all its work
● If it takes too long, app stutters or hangs

WAIT

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Users uninstall unresponsive
apps
● If the UI waits too long for an
operation to finish, it
becomes unresponsive
● The framework shows an
Application Not Responding
(ANR) dialog

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What is a long running task?
● Network operations
● Long calculations
● Downloading/uploading files
● Processing images
● Loading data

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Background threads
Execute long running tasks on a background
thread
Main Thread (UI Thread)
Update UI

● AsyncTask
● The Loader Framework
Do some
● Services Worker Thread work
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Two rules for Android threads

● Do not block the UI thread

○ Complete all work in less than 16 ms for each screen
○ Run slow non-UI work on a non-UI thread

● Do not access the Android UI toolkit from outside

the UI thread
○ Do UI work only on the UI thread

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AsyncTask

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What is AsyncTask?
Use AsyncTask to implement basic background tasks

Main Thread (UI Thread)

onPostExecute()

Worker Thread
doInBackground()

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Override two methods

● doInBackground()—runs on a background thread

○ All the work to happen in the background

● onPostExecute()—runs on main thread when

work done
○ Process results
○ Publish results to the UI

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AsyncTask helper methods
● onPreExecute()
○ Runs on the main thread
○ Sets up the task

● onProgressUpdate()
○ Runs on the main thread
○ receives calls from publishProgress() from background
thread

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AsyncTask helper methods

Main Thread (UI Thread)

onPreExecute() onProgressUpdate onPostExecute()
()

Worker Thread publishProgress(

)
doInBackground()

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Creating an AsyncTask
1. Subclass AsyncTask
2. Provide data type sent to doInBackground()
3. Provide data type of progress units for
onProgressUpdate()
4. Provide data type of result for onPostExecute()

private class MyAsyncTask

extends AsyncTask<URL, Integer, Bitmap>
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MyAsyncTask class definition
private class MyAsyncTask
extends AsyncTask<String, Integer, Bitmap>
{...}
doInBackground()
onProgressUpdate
doInBackground()
() onPostExecute()
doInBackground(

● String—could be query, URI for filename

● Integer—percentage completed, steps done
● Bitmap—an image to be displayed This work is licensed under a
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● Use Void if no data
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 onPreExecute()

protected void onPreExecute() {

// display a progress bar
// show a toast
}

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 doInBackground()

protected Bitmap doInBackground(String... query) {

// Get the bitmap
return bitmap;
}

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 onProgressUpdate()

protected void onProgressUpdate(Integer... progress) {

setProgressPercent(progress[0]);
}

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 onPostExecute()

protected void onPostExecute(Bitmap result) {

// Do something with the bitmap
}

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 Start background work

public void loadImage (View view) {

String query = mEditText.getText().toString();
new MyAsyncTask(query).execute();
}

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Limitations of AsyncTask
● When device configuration changes, Activity is
destroyed
● AsyncTask cannot connect to Activity anymore
● New AsyncTask created for every config change
● Old AsyncTasks stay around
● App may run out of memory or crash

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When to use AsyncTask
● Short or interruptible tasks
● Tasks that do not need to report back to UI or user
● Lower priority tasks that can be left unfinished
● Use AsyncTaskLoader otherwise

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Loaders

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What is a Loader?
● Provides asynchronous loading of data
● Reconnects to Activity after configuration
change
● Can monitor changes in data source and deliver
new data
● Callbacks implemented in Activity
● Many types of loaders available
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Why use loaders?

● Execute tasks OFF the UI thread

● LoaderManager handles configuration changes for
you
● Efficiently implemented by the framework
● Users don't have to wait for data to load

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Anatomy
What is a of
LoaderManager?
a Loader

● Manages loader functions via callbacks

● Can manage multiple loaders

○ loader for database data, for AsyncTask data, for internet data…

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Get a loader with initLoader()
● Creates and starts a loader, or reuses an existing
one, including its data
● Use restartLoader() to clear data in existing loader

getLoaderManager().initLoader(Id, args, callback);

getLoaderManager().initLoader(0, null, this);

getSupportLoaderManager().initLoader(0, null, this);

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Implementing
AsyncTaskLoa
der

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AsyncTaskLoader Overview
AsyncTaskLoader AsyncTask WorkToDo

LoaderManager

Request Receive
Work Result

Activity
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AsyncTask
AsyncTaskLoader

doInBackground() loadInBackground()
onPostExecute() onLoadFinished()

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Steps for AsyncTaskLoader
subclass
1. Subclass AsyncTaskLoader
2. Implement constructor
3.loadInBackground()
4.onStartLoading()

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Subclass AsyncTaskLoader

public static class StringListLoader

extends AsyncTaskLoader<List<String>> {

public StringListLoader(Context context, String

queryString) {
super(context);
mQueryString = queryString;
}
}

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loadInBackground()

public List<String> loadInBackground() {

List<String> data = new ArrayList<String>;
//TODO: Load the data from the network or from a
database
return data;
}

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onStartLoading()
When restartLoader() or initLoader() is called, the
LoaderManager invokes the onStartLoading()
callback
● Check for cached data
● Start observing the data source (if needed)
● Call forceLoad() to load the data if there are
changes or no cached data
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Implement loader callbacks in
Activity
● onCreateLoader() — Create and return a new
Loader for the given ID
● onLoadFinished() — Called when a previously
created loader has finished its load
● onLoaderReset() — Called when a previously
created loader is being reset making its data
unavailable
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onCreateLoader()

@Override
public Loader<List<String>> onCreateLoader(int id, Bundle args)
{
return new
StringListLoader(this,args.getString("queryString"));
}

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onLoadFinished()
Results of loadInBackground() are passed to
onLoadFinished() where you can display them

public void onLoadFinished(Loader<List<String>> loader,

List<String> data) {
mAdapter.setData(data);
}

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 onLoaderReset()
● Only called when loader is destroyed
● Leave blank most of the time

@Override
public void onLoaderReset(final LoaderList<String>> loader) { }

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Get a loader with initLoader()
● In Activity
● Use support library to be compatible with more
devices

getSupportLoaderManager().initLoader(0, null, this);

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Learn more
● AsyncTask Reference
● AsyncTaskLoader Reference
● LoaderManager Reference
● Processes and Threads Guide
● Loaders Guide
● UI Thread Performance:
Exceed the Android Speed Limit
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What's Next?

● Concept Chapter:
7.1 AsyncTask and AsyncTaskLoader
● Practical: 7.1 AsyncTask

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END

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