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I have implemented an app that is basically a custom app store for updating and launching a family of related apps. It also needs to update itself, which works, but the app is killed without warning during the install process. I want to automatically restart the app in this case so that the user can continue to use it immediately after an update.

So I made a separate application including only a single Broadcast Receiver that listens for package events for the first app's package name and starts a new activity. That receiver is never called:

<application android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"
android:label="@string/app_name">

<receiver android:name=".AppUpdateReceiver">
  <intent-filter>
    <action android:name="android.intent.action.PACKAGE_REPLACED"/>
    <action android:name="android.intent.action.PACKAGE_ADDED"/>
    <action android:name="android.intent.action.PACKAGE_INSTALL"/>
    <data android:scheme="package" />
  </intent-filter>
</receiver>

In searching for similar implementations I have seen directly contradictory information on whether an application with only a receiver will ever execute, and whether a receiver will be called if its app is not already running. I've even come across example code of an application containing only a receiver, with a manifest very similar to my own. So what do I need in this application to ensure that the receiver is called whenever another package is installed?

If there is a better solution, I'd be happy to hear it.

Travis Christian
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1 Answers1

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Depending on the version of Android, you might need to start an application component in order for the BroadcastReceiver to be registered. By this I mean there will need to be a launcher Activity which must be started manually by the user.

From Honeycomb (I think) onwards it isn't possible to have application components 'active' unless the app has been manually started in some way. The reasoning behind this is the potential for insecure code executing without the end-users' knowledge.

I suspect this is what you're experiencing. To test it, add a simple "Hello World" Activity to the app that has the BroadcastReceiver in it. Launch the Activity and then check to see if the BroadcastReceiver then gets called after your other package is updated.

Squonk
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  • I tried that and it does work if I have first started an activity in that app, but that doesn't really help with what I'm trying to accomplish. Could I do something similar with a service, and somehow start up the service from the update app? – Travis Christian Sep 05 '12 at 20:56
  • I found a related solution using an invisible Activity, so I'm going with that http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4467600/how-to-launch-a-android-service-when-the-app-launches – Travis Christian Sep 05 '12 at 21:38
  • That's a way of doing it but it is good practice for the user experience to let them know that something is happening - an invisible `Activity` basically goes against that, you should at least provide some form of feedback. – Squonk Sep 06 '12 at 02:05