startActivity not working when calling from BroadcastReceiver

Question

I have a notification and when I select, it sends a Broadcast to a BroadcastReceiver using a PendingIntent. In the onReceive I start a new Activity.

However, if I remove my app from recent apps opened (or the notification sit in the draw for a long time) this scenario occurs:

When I have multiple notifications in the drawer the first one opens great. After tapping on the second one my onCreate() nor my onResume() are being called and its as if the startActivity() is not working at all. If I add the flag Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_SINGLE_TOP then onNewIntent is being called.

notificationIntent = new Intent();
notificationIntent.setAction(AppConstants.ACTION_ACTIVITY);
notificationIntent.putExtra("key", value);
int requestID = (int) System.currentTimeMillis();

mBuilder.setContentIntent(PendingIntent
                    .getBroadcast(context, requestID, notificationIntent, 
                                  PendingIntent.FLAG_UPDATE_CURRENT));

onReceive

  Intent intent = new Intent(context, Activity.class);
  intent.putExtra("key", value);
  //IF I ADD FLAG_ACTIVITY_SINGLE_TOP IT WORKS
  intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
  context.startActivity(intent);

that's why getting issue. problem get fixed or still facing issue? — ρяσѕρєя K, Feb 16 '15 at 07:36
Still not fixed. I want to go to an Activity that is not my launcher. How should I define this so I dont need to call `FLAG_ACTIVITY_SINGLE_TOP`? — user1163234, Feb 16 '15 at 09:50
@user1163234: when you press on the second notification: is the activity still running in front? Or is it running in the background or completely closed (finished)? — Trinimon, Feb 17 '15 at 11:03
@Trinimon It is still in the front. But my onResume is not being called either.... — user1163234, Feb 17 '15 at 15:53

score 14 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 19 '15 at 06:56

14

Try using flags as follows for the intent.

intent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK | Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_MULTIPLE_TASK);

And for Pending intent use PendingIntent.FLAG_UPDATE_CURRENT

answered Feb 19 '15 at 06:56

Roadblock

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When I add 'Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_MULTIPLE_TASK' it removes the backstack of the app. Any way around that? – user1163234 Mar 04 '15 at 09:49
`Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_MULTIPLE_TASK` saved my life. – activesince93 Feb 09 '16 at 18:39

score 4 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 10 '19 at 11:13

For someone, who will look for a similar question. Beginning from Android Q it's restricted to launch any activity, when app in background. To launch your activity, you need to displaying a notification with PRIORITY_HIGH and set the full-screen intent. So, totally you should have something like this:

//Create your intent as usual
Intent intent = new Intent(context, Activity.class);
intent.putExtra("key", value);
intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);

// Build a pending intent 
PendingIntent pIntent = PendingIntent.getActivity(context, 0,
                intent, PendingIntent.FLAG_UPDATE_CURRENT);

//Notification builder
NotificationCompat.Builder notifyBuilder = new NotificationCompat.Builder(context, CHANNEL_ID)
                .setSmallIcon(R.drawable.ic_notification)
                .setContentTitle(title)
                .setPriority(PRIORITY_HIGH)
                .setFullScreenIntent(pIntent, true /*isHighPriority*/);

NotificationManager nManager = (NotificationManager) context.getSystemService(Context.NOTIFICATION_SERVICE);
nManager.notify(10, notifyBuilder.build())

This will display notification and will launch your activity immediately. And in your activity onStart() you can dismiss a notification like below:

NotificationManager nManager = (NotificationManager) context.getSystemService(Context.NOTIFICATION_SERVICE);
nManager.cancel(10);

NOTE: Don't forget to init channel. Beginning from Android O it's a mandatory thing

Using the above core on wear os, I am not able to open the app. But I am able to generate the notification. Any suggestion? — SANAT, Nov 25 '22 at 06:04

score 3 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 22 '15 at 15:12

in order to start activity from BroadcastReciever you should add flag of FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK

 Intent imap =new Intent(context,MainActivity.class);
                  imap.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
                  context.startActivity(imap);

score 1 · Answer 4 · edited May 23 '17 at 10:29

1

An activity can be started from Broadcast Receiver even if it is not a launcher. That shouldn't be the problem.

Try passing a unique requestid,

notificationIntent = new Intent();
notificationIntent.setAction(AppConstants.ACTION_ACTIVITY);
notificationIntent.putExtra("key", value);

mBuilder.setContentIntent(PendingIntent.getBroadcast(context, value, notificationIntent, PendingIntent.FLAG_UPDATE_CURRENT));

See this question.

edited May 23 '17 at 10:29

Community

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answered Feb 16 '15 at 17:13

Sajith Sageer

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This is my `requestID`: `int requestID = (int) System.currentTimeMillis();` – user1163234 Feb 16 '15 at 21:06

startActivity not working when calling from BroadcastReceiver

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