how to stop displaying apps in active application window in android

Question

I made an app as a service which runs in background. This app is basically a battery alarm. It works fine but the only problem is that when this service is running it also displays this app in the active application task manager. So when I exit this app it stops that service as well. So what I want is to only stop this service when the user unchecks the box in the app settings. If it is checked then it should not be stopped even if it is closed in active application task manager.

How can I stop showing my app in task manager?

I think I should provide code over here This is my service class

public class BatteryService extends Service {
Notify notification = new Notify();
BatteryAlarm alarm = new BatteryAlarm();
private MediaPlayer mMediaPlayer;
boolean flag = false;

@Override
public IBinder onBind(Intent arg0) {
    return null;
}

//method to start service
@Override
public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {
    notification.initNotification(this, false);
    this.registerReceiver(this.mBatInfoReceiver, new IntentFilter(Intent.ACTION_BATTERY_CHANGED));

    Toast.makeText(this, "Service Started", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
    return START_STICKY;
}

//Broadcast receiver to get battery info
private BroadcastReceiver mBatInfoReceiver = new BroadcastReceiver(){
    @Override
    public void onReceive(Context c, Intent i) {
        //notification.initNotification(c);

        int level = i.getIntExtra(BatteryManager.EXTRA_LEVEL, 0);
        int plugged = i.getIntExtra(BatteryManager.EXTRA_PLUGGED, 0);

        SharedPreferences getAlarm = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(getBaseContext());
        String alarms = getAlarm.getString("ringtones", "content://media/internal/audio/media/45"); // /system/media/audio/ringtones/ANDROMEDA.ogg , content://media/internal/audio/media/45
        Uri uri = Uri.parse(alarms);

        if(plugged == 2) {
            if(level == 100) {
                if(uri != null) {
                    if(flag == false) {
                        playAlarm(c, uri);
                        notification.initNotification(c, true);
                        Toast.makeText(c, "Battery charge is completed. Unplug your mobile phone!", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
                        flag = true;
                    }
                }
            }
        } else if (plugged == 0) {
            if(uri != null) {
                stopAlarm();
            }
            notification.cancelNotification(c);
            //Toast.makeText(c, "Mobile is unplugged", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();   
        }   
    }
};

//play alarm method
private void playAlarm(Context c, Uri uri) {

    mMediaPlayer = new MediaPlayer();
    try {
        mMediaPlayer.reset();
        mMediaPlayer.setDataSource(getBaseContext(), uri);
        final AudioManager audioManager = (AudioManager) c.getSystemService(Context.AUDIO_SERVICE);
        if (audioManager.getStreamVolume(AudioManager.STREAM_ALARM) != 0) {
            mMediaPlayer.setAudioStreamType(AudioManager.STREAM_ALARM);
            mMediaPlayer.prepare();
            mMediaPlayer.start();
        }
    } catch (Exception ex) {
        ex.printStackTrace();
        onDestroy();
    }

}

//method to stop playing alarm
private void stopAlarm() {
    mMediaPlayer.stop();
    flag = false;
}

//method to stop service
public void onDestroy() {
    super.onDestroy();
    notification.cancelNotification(this);
    unregisterReceiver(this.mBatInfoReceiver);
    stopAlarm();
    Toast.makeText(this, "Service Stopped", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
}

}

This is my main activity

public class BatteryNotify extends PreferenceActivity {
/** Called when the activity is first created. */
@Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    //setContentView(R.xml.prefs);
    addPreferencesFromResource(R.xml.prefs);

    SharedPreferences getCB = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(getBaseContext());
    boolean cb = getCB.getBoolean("checkbox", true);
    final CheckBoxPreference checkboxPref = (CheckBoxPreference) getPreferenceManager().findPreference("checkbox");

    if(cb == true) {
        startService(new Intent(getBaseContext(), BatteryService.class));
    } else if(cb == false) {
        stopService(new Intent(getBaseContext(), BatteryService.class));
    }

    checkboxPref.setOnPreferenceChangeListener(new Preference.OnPreferenceChangeListener() {

        public boolean onPreferenceChange(Preference preference, Object newValue) {
            if(newValue.toString().equals("true")) {
                startService(new Intent(getBaseContext(), BatteryService.class));
            } else {
                stopService(new Intent(getBaseContext(), BatteryService.class));
            }
            return true;
        }
    });

}

}

and here is my menifest file

<uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="10" />

<application
    android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"
    android:label="@string/app_name" >
    <activity
        android:name=".BatteryNotify"
        android:label="@string/app_name" >
        <intent-filter>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

            <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
        </intent-filter>
    </activity>
    <service android:name=".BatteryService"></service>
</application>

Answer 1

The best way to do this would be to create a BroadcastReceiver, register it in the manifest with the appropriate intent-filters and when it receives one it starts the Service or Activity to perform whatever task you need.

EDIT:

Create your BroadcastReceiver as a separate class and register it in the manifest. When it receives a battery event, create a PendingIntent to start the Service. That way it doesn't matter if your app isn't running. It will be started for you.

Answer 2

How can I stop showing my app in task manager?

You can't, for obvious security reasons.