Display an alertdialog out of app

Question

I would like to display an alertdialog from a Service even if the user is not currently on my app.

I read on the web that we necessarily need to create another activity with a "Popup theme"...

So also tried this : how to create alertdialog outside of an application?

But it always open my app before showing the new activity.

I am sure there is another solution. What does Facebook messenger use to show some notifs when new message received?

Thanks

EDIT

I just found that: http://www.piwai.info/chatheads-basics/

Let's try it!

EDIT 2

Okay, I tested the trick in my previous edit. It can be a solution, but it is not very clean... I mean, some developers use this to show ads to the user, it can be intrusive, and I need to add a permission which warn at the install time. I finally decided to open my app and display my AlertDialog in my app.

EDIT 3

I solved my problem. See my answer for more information

You mention alert dialogs, but then you mention FB Messenger notifications. Do you need an alert dialog, or will notifications be sufficient? — LarsH, Dec 01 '15 at 15:16
What are you passing as the ActivityContext for your Alert? The ActivityContext defines which activity to show your alert in. — Matthew Cawley, Dec 01 '15 at 15:18
@Lars, Yes, good question. I need a screen which display a text and a "ok" button. I guess the facebook notification can also display a instead of an ... What do you suggest me ? — psv, Dec 01 '15 at 15:29
@MatthewCawley, I tried with "this" from my android Service, and with "getApplicationContext()". Same result — psv, Dec 01 '15 at 15:31
Sorry, I don't have a suggestion... just wanted to clarify what the requirements were. — LarsH, Dec 01 '15 at 20:14
Starting an Activity with Theme.AppCompat.Dialog theme will do the trick. — Eugen Pechanec, Dec 23 '15 at 17:53

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Dec 23 '15 at 17:48

I finally found a solution.

Look at this link: http://jhshi.me/2013/11/03/pop-up-alertdialog-in-system-service/

Add

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW" />

And

AlertDialog dialog = builder.create();
dialog.getWindow().setType(WindowManager.LayoutParams.TYPE_SYSTEM_ALERT);
dialog.show();

It is exactly what I wanted to do.

NB: I heard that in Android Marshmallow the permission is deactivated by default, and the user will not see the popup if he does not manually activate the permission in the app preferences (apps manager).

I've tested under Marshmallow and I hadn't to force anything in android settings for this app.

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 23 '15 at 17:50

0

Proper way would be to display a Notification, not a dialog.

answered Dec 23 '15 at 17:50

Alexander Kulyakhtin

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Display an alertdialog out of app

2 Answers2