Retain a background service after android app update

Question

My background service performs the core functionality of my app and is first started when the UI is opened.

So when the app is updated on the play store, the service is killed but the UI may not be opened again(So I guess the Service does not start again too).This is bad for me as the service performs the core functionality of the app. How do I overcome this?

Any help is deeply appreciated

Start by adding the relevant code of your app to the question. — TDG, Jul 22 '15 at 18:59
I didn't think my app's code was relevant here. As this applies for any generic Service — abhilash poojary, Jul 22 '15 at 19:06
Every process related to the app will be killed during the app update in playstore right? Or am I wrong? — abhilash poojary, Jul 22 '15 at 19:08
There is a bug in my app which is in prod.I should correct it by updating ASAP but I am afraid if the update will kill the service and not start it again — abhilash poojary, Jul 22 '15 at 19:11
I believe yes but I never payed attention to this problem. What about your return value in onStartCommand ? Service.START_REDELIVER_INTENT restarts the app and resend the intent gave to it at the first start when your service is killed by the OS. — Murillo Ferreira, Jul 22 '15 at 19:12
I use start_sticky.So ideally that should start the service too right?? — abhilash poojary, Jul 22 '15 at 19:39

score 5 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 15 '19 at 09:01

Your service will be killed during upgrade. You need to catch upgrade event and start it again.

In Manifest.xml

<receiver android:name=".yourpackage.UpgradeReceiver" android:enabled="true" android:exported="true">
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MY_PACKAGE_REPLACED"/>
            </intent-filter>
        </receiver>

In UpgradeReceiver.java

public class UpgradeReceiver extends BroadcastReceiver {

    @Override
    public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
        try {
            if (!Intent.ACTION_MY_PACKAGE_REPLACED.equals(intent.getAction()))
                return;

            // Start your service here. 
        } catch (Exception e) {
            Utils.handleException(e);
        }
    }
}

score 2 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:30

Yes every app gets killed during update-refer my answer here

You can make your service as STICKY service,this services are restarted when killed.From the docs:

public static final int START_STICKY Added in API level 5

Constant to return from onStartCommand(Intent, int, int): if this service's process is killed while it is started (after returning from onStartCommand(Intent, int, int)), then leave it in the started state but don't retain this delivered intent. Later the system will try to re-create the service. Because it is in the started state, it will guarantee to call onStartCommand(Intent, int, int) after creating the new service instance; if there are not any pending start commands to be delivered to the service, it will be called with a null intent object, so you must take care to check for this.

Other thing you can try is detect app update and start the service again.To detect app update you can listen to PACKAGE_INSTALL broadcast or use following workaround:

Implement a dummy database and override SQLiteOpenHelper.html onUpgrade().The onUpgrade() method is called whenever a new database version is installed.For more info-refer here
Now everytime you have a new update for an app..update the database version too.In this way you will have one to one mapping between database version and the app version.
Now when the user updates the app onUpgrade() is called and you can write whatever logic you want to track the update.(If you are using database in your app, you might need some extra logic to differentiate between actual database upgrade and app upgrade.)

Service.START_REDELIVER_INTENT redeliver the intent used to start it, maybe it would be a better approach but depends from each case. — Murillo Ferreira, Jul 22 '15 at 19:16
My return value is START_STICK already. So ideally service will restart upon update? — abhilash poojary, Jul 22 '15 at 19:48

Retain a background service after android app update

2 Answers2