Android settings app without UI

Question

I want to make an app such that, when you install it, it shows no screen/UI but just changes your ringtone and couple of other settings on the phone. I don't mind the app icon showing ont he list of apps. Here's what I tried :

-- since setContentView sets the content for the UI, I removed it from the MainActivity.onCreate() but I still get a white screen on app launch. I don't see a reference to my activity_main.xml anywhere else in my code.

-- I can't seem to find anyone else who has the same issue. Google and forum search don't yield anything that is similar to my situation.

-- Preference fragments are a close match but theyy do need a UI again.

Can someone suggest an approach I can take to accomplish this? I know this sounds like a virus, but it's more of a fun prank app I am developing to prank my friends. Thanks in advance

you can use a [service](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/21772458/android-application-without-gui) — code monkey, Nov 02 '14 at 20:50
If its just a fun app: Start the activity, show black screen, apply settings, close activity with the finish method in the onCreate of the Activity and your done. — Rolf ツ, Nov 02 '14 at 21:02
Creating a service also looks like a solution but I tried the below solution by CommonsWare and it worked perfectly fine. Thanks for your prompt answers. Encourages me to ask questions more often :) — LeoNeo, Nov 02 '14 at 21:26

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 02 '14 at 20:50

since setContentView sets the content for the UI, I removed it from the MainActivity.onCreate() but I still get a white screen on app launch

Use Theme.NoDisplay in your manifest:

    <activity
        android:name="BootstrapActivity"
        android:theme="@android:style/Theme.NoDisplay">
        <intent-filter>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN"/>

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

and be sure to call finish() at the end of onCreate().

Android settings app without UI

1 Answers1