# Titanium.Android.Service

Android application component that executes in the background.

Availability
1.5

# Overview

A service is a component started by an application that runs in the background. The service does not have any application UI associated with it, so the user does not directly interact with it, only your application.

The Titanium SDK gives you the ability to write your own Android Services using JavaScript. The service executes your JavaScript code at intervals you specify. Note that the service may stop running if the application is killed.

To create a service:

  1. Write the JavaScript code you want the service to execute in a separate file. The service can execute any Titanium APIs but you should only use non-UI APIs.
  2. Register the service in your tiapp.xml file. Refer to the example below.
  3. Create a service intent by passing the JavaScript file to the Titanium.Android.createServiceIntent method and set the interval to run the code using the intent's putExtra() method.
  4. Pass the Intent object to either the Titanium.Android.createService method to create a Service object (bound service), where the application can manage the service by invoking methods and binding callbacks on the object, or to the Titanium.Android.startService method to start the service (started service) and the service manages itself.

Use the Titanium.Android.Service API to manage the service.

To get a reference to the Service inside the JavaScript service code, use the Titanium.Android.currentService property to retrieve a reference to the service, then invoke the Titanium.Android.Service APIs on the Service object.

Further Reading:

# Background Location Service Example

In order to obtain location events while the application is backgrounded a foreground service must be used. Below is an example of a simple background location service.

tiapp.xml:

<android>
    <manifest>
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION"/>
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE"/>
    </manifest>
    <services>
    <service url="locationService.js"/>
    </services>
</android>

locationService.js:

console.log(`Background location service started.`);

// Create foreground service.
Ti.Android.currentService.foregroundNotify(
    123,
    Ti.Android.createNotification({
    contentTitle: "Background Location Service",
    contentText: "Obtaining location data...",
    contentIntent: Ti.Android.createPendingIntent({
        intent: Ti.App.Android.launchIntent || Ti.Android.createIntent(),
    })
    }),
    Ti.Android.FOREGROUND_SERVICE_TYPE_LOCATION
);

app.js:

const win = Ti.UI.createWindow({ backgroundColor: 'gray', layout: 'vertical' });
const backgroundServiceBtn = Ti.UI.createButton({ title: 'START BACKGROUND SERVICE' });
const listView = Ti.UI.createListView();

let count = 1;
let service = null;

// Set accuracy to high
Ti.Geolocation.accuracy = Ti.Geolocation.ACCURACY_HIGH;

// Enable manual configuration via location providers.
Ti.Geolocation.Android.manualMode = true;

// Define a location provider.
Ti.Geolocation.Android.addLocationProvider(
    Ti.Geolocation.Android.createLocationProvider({
        name: Ti.Geolocation.Android.PROVIDER_GPS,
        minUpdateDistance: 0,
        minUpdateTime: 5000
    })
);

function getLocation () {

    // Create location event listener.
    Ti.Geolocation.addEventListener('location', e => {

        // Create new section for location data.
        let section = Ti.UI.createListSection({ headerTitle: `#${count++} - ${new Date().toTimeString()}` });
        if (e.success) {
            if (e.coords) {
                e = e.coords;
            }

            // Insert location data.
            section.items = [
                { properties: { title: 'LOCATION:\n' + e.latitude + ', ' + e.longitude, color: 'green' } },
                { properties: { title: 'ALTITUDE:\n' + e.altitude, color: 'green' } },
                { properties: { title: 'ACCURACY:\n' + e.accuracy, color: 'green' } }
            ])

        } else {

            // Oops! Something bad happened.
            section.items = [
                { properties: { title: 'ERROR:\n' + e.error, color: 'red' } }
            ];
        }

        // Add section to listView
        listView.appendSection(section);
    });
}

function startBackgroundLocationService() {
    if (service) {
        console.log('Starting background location service...');
        service.start();
        backgroundServiceBtn.title = 'STOP BACKGROUND SERVICE';
    }
}

function stopBackgroundLocationService() {
    if (service) {
        console.log('Stopping background location service...');
        service.stop();
        backgroundServiceBtn.title = 'START BACKGROUND SERVICE';
    }
}

win.addEventListener('open', () => {

    // Request location permissions.
    Ti.Geolocation.requestLocationPermissions(Ti.Geolocation.AUTHORIZATION_ALWAYS, e => {
        if (e.success) {
            getLocation();
        } else {
            alert('Could not obtain location permissions.');
        }
    });
});

backgroundServiceBtn.addEventListener('click', () => {
    if (!service) {

        // Create background location service.
        const intent = Ti.Android.createServiceIntent({ url: 'locationService.js' });
        service = Ti.Android.createService(intent);

        // Android 10+ request background location permissions.
        if (parseInt(Ti.Platform.version.split('.')[0]) >= 10) {
            Ti.Android.requestPermissions([ 'android.permission.ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION' ], e => {
                if (e.success) {
                    startBackgroundLocationService();
                } else {
                    alert('Could not obtain background location permissions.');
                }
            });
        } else {
            startBackgroundLocationService();
        }

    } else {
        stopBackgroundLocationService();
    }
});

win.add([backgroundServiceBtn, listView]);
win.open();

# Examples

# Hello World Service

This example shows how to create a service in JavaScript. Your service code is included in its own JavaScript file.

In this example, the service reads data from the Titanium.Android.Intent which created it, to see what it should say besides "Hello World".

File: myservice.js:

var service = Titanium.Android.currentService;
var intent = service.intent;
var message = intent.getStringExtra("message_to_echo");
Titanium.API.info("Hello World!  I am a Service.  I have this to say: " + message);

Register the service in tiapp.xml:

<ti:app>
    <android xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
        <services>
            <service url="myservice.js" type="interval"/>
        </services>
    </android>
</ti:app>

Code in "regular" Titanium file to launch the service and listen for pause/resume events. Code also stops the service after its code runs 3 times.

var intent = Titanium.Android.createServiceIntent( { url: 'myservice.js' } );
// Service should run its code every 2 seconds.
intent.putExtra('interval', 2000);
// A message that the service should 'echo'
intent.putExtra('message_to_echo', 'Titanium rocks!');

var service = Titanium.Android.createService(intent);
service.addEventListener('resume', function(e) {
    Titanium.API.info('Service code resumes, iteration ' + e.iteration);
});
service.addEventListener('pause', function(e) {
    Titanium.API.info('Service code pauses, iteration ' + e.iteration);
    if (e.iteration === 3) {
        Titanium.API.info('Service code has run 3 times, will now stop it.');
        service.stop();
    }
});
service.start();

Console Output:

[INFO] [29,1942] Service code resumes, iteration 1
[INFO] [70,2029] Hello World! I am a Service. I have this to say: Titanium rocks!
[INFO] [3,2070] Service code pauses, iteration 1
[INFO] [2,3915] Service code resumes, iteration 2
[INFO] [31,3961] Hello World! I am a Service. I have this to say: Titanium rocks!
[INFO] [5,3968] Service code pauses, iteration 2
[INFO] [2,5917] Service code resumes, iteration 3
[INFO] [27,5961] Hello World! I am a Service. I have this to say: Titanium rocks!
[INFO] [16,5980] Service code pauses, iteration 3
[INFO] [1,5981] Service code has run 3 times, will now stop it.

# Properties

# intent READONLY

Availability
1.5

The intent used to start or bind to the Service.


# serviceInstanceId READONLY

Availability
1.5
serviceInstanceId :Number

A service can be started more than once -- this number (based on an incrementing integer) indicates which "start number" in the sequence the current service instance is.

# Methods

# foregroundCancel

Availability
7.3.0
foregroundCancel() void

Puts the service into the "background" state and removes its foreground notification.

If you call the foregroundNotify method to put the service into the "foreground" state, then you call this method to put the service back into the "background" state. This will also automatically remove the foreground service's notification that was put into the status bar.

Note that stopping a foreground service will remove its foreground notification from the status bar as well. So, you do not have to call this method to remove it. This method is only intended to be used by services that need to dynamically change states.

Returns

Type
void

# foregroundNotify

Availability
7.3.0
foregroundNotify(id, notification[, foregroundServiceType]) void

Puts the service into the "foreground" state and displays a notification.

Calling this method will change the service from the "background" state (the default) to the "foreground" state. It will also post a notification to the status bar to notify the end-user that the app is doing work, even while backgrounded. This feature is typically used by apps that play music, monitor current location, or perform large downloads while the app is in the background.

Note that a foreground service is far less likely to be terminated by the operating system while the app is in the background. A foreground service is also needed if the app needs to acquire location data since Android 8.0 and higher throttles location acquisition while the app is in the background.

See Android 8.0 "Background Execution Limits":

  • https://developer.android.com/about/versions/oreo/background

You can call this method before or after the service has been started. If you need to change the displayed notification, then you can call this method again with the same notification ID and with an updated [notification]Titanium.Android.Notification object.

The notification will be automatically removed from the status bar when the service has been stopped or if you call the foregroundCancel method.

This method will fail on Android 9.0 and above unless you set the following Android manifest permission in your "tiapp.xml" file.

<ti:app>
    <android xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
        <manifest>
            <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE"/>
        </manifest>
    </android>
</ti:app>

Parameters

Name Type Description
id Number

Unique integer ID to be assigned to the notification. Cannot be zero.

notification Titanium.Android.Notification

Notification to display in the status bar. Cannot be null.

foregroundServiceType Number

Notification service type specified by <Titanium.Android.FOREGROUND_SERVICE_TYPE_*>.

Returns

Type
void

# start

Availability
1.5
start() void

Starts the Service.

Effective only if this instance of Titanium.Android.Service was created with createService.

Returns

Type
void

# stop

Availability
1.5
stop() void

Stops this running instance of the Service.

Returns

Type
void

# Events

# pause

Availability
1.5

For Javascript-based services that you create, pause fires after each time the JavaScript code executes.

The resume and pause events occur in pairs, with resume firing just before your JavaScript service code executes, and pause just after.

Properties

Name Type Description
iteration Number

Incrementing integer indicating which iteration of an interval-based Service is pausing. For example, if you have an interval-based Service running every 10 seconds, iteration 3 would occur at about 30 seconds after you start the instance (assuming your service code runs quickly).

source Object

Source object that fired the event.

type String

Name of the event fired.

bubbles Boolean

True if the event will try to bubble up if possible.

cancelBubble Boolean

Set to true to stop the event from bubbling.


# resume

Availability
1.5

For JavaScript-based Services which you create, resume fires each time the JavaScript code executes.

For example, if your Service runs on an interval of 10000 (10 seconds), you would expect to see resume fired every 10 seconds, just as the JavaScript service code you wrote is about to execute.

Properties

Name Type Description
iteration Number

Incrementing integer indicating which iteration of an interval-based Service is pausing. For example, if you have an interval-based Service running every 10 seconds, iteration 3 would occur at about 30 seconds after you start the instance (assuming your service code runs quickly).

source Object

Source object that fired the event.

type String

Name of the event fired.

bubbles Boolean

True if the event will try to bubble up if possible.

cancelBubble Boolean

Set to true to stop the event from bubbling.


# start

Availability
1.5

Fired when the bound service instance starts.

Bound service instances are created via createService.


# stop

Availability
1.5

Fired when the bound service instance stops.

The service stops when stop or stopService is called and there are no more bound, un-stopped clients.


# taskremoved

Availability
1.5

Fired when the task that comes from the service's application has been removed.

This event is fired if the service is currently running and the user has removed a task that comes from the service's application, eg. the user swipes the application away from the recent applications list. It only works for unbound service which is started using startService.