Android Question Starter Service Clarification

mangojack · Oct 23, 2024

In This Thread re B4A / VB Input Box ... @Erel states,

You should never see this error message. It means that you removed the starter service. That is a mistake.

Using B4XPage projects, it is now habit that I remove the Starter Service and to my knowledge it has not created any issue.

I'm now a little confused whether I am doing wrong.

DonManfred · Oct 23, 2024

mangojack said:
to my knowledge it has not created any issue

correct me if i´m wrong:
It is OK to remove the starter-Service when using B4XPages.

You should not remove the Starter-Service in Activities-Projects.

josejad · Oct 23, 2024

I think it depends on the situation and your needs... there are several cases:

In this post about B4XPages, you can read: "In most cases we don't need to use the starter service."
And sometimes it can be a solution to remove it, but it's not recommended, because you may need it

PaulMeuris · Oct 23, 2024

Until i started updating my apps to Android 14 i never had a problem with the Starter Service as I never used it.
But now i'm writing/updating apps for Android 14.
It seems that the starter service can get stuck in the foreground state resulting in a blank screen.
Once this happens (in release mode) the apps remains stuck and needs to be reinstalled.
This is the Service_Start subroutine (i added some log comments):

B4X:

Sub Service_Start (StartingIntent As Intent)
    LogColor("service start active trying to stop automatic foreground",Colors.Red)
    Service.StopAutomaticForeground 'Starter service can start in the foreground state in some edge cases.
    LogColor("service start finished",Colors.Red)
End Sub

In this log the app (B4XPages) presents a blank screen after the app was removed from the recent apps list (swiped or tapped on close all).

*** Service (starter) Create ***
** Service (starter) Start **
service start active trying to stop automatic foreground
service start finished
** Activity (main) Create (first time) **
*** mainpage: B4XPage_Created
*** mainpage: B4XPage_Appear
** Activity (main) Resume **
*** mainpage: B4XPage_Disappear [mainpage]
** Activity (main) Pause event (activity is not paused). **
*** mainpage: B4XPage_Disappear [mainpage]
*** Service (starter) Create ***
** Service (starter) Start **
service start active trying to stop automatic foreground
service start finished
*** Service (starter) Create ***

In this log the app (default activity) also presents a blank screen.

*** Service (starter) Create ***
** Service (starter) Start **
service start active
service start finished
** Activity (main) Create (first time) **
** Activity (main) Resume **
** Activity (main) Pause, UserClosed = true **
** Activity (main) Create **
** Activity (main) Resume **
** Activity (main) Pause, UserClosed = false **
*** Service (starter) Create ***
** Service (starter) Start **
service start active
service start finished
*** Service (starter) Create ***

Conclusion: if you don't need to use the Starter Service then remove it from the project.

mangojack · Oct 23, 2024

Thanks to all.
I was under the impression a while back that the Starter Service was not an absolute necessity,
more so if using B4XPages ... but @Erels statement caused a tremor in the frontal cortex region.

Alessandro71 · Oct 23, 2024

The Starter Service also contains the exception handler event

B4X:

'Return true to allow the OS default exceptions handler to handle the uncaught exception.
Sub Application_Error (Error As Exception, StackTrace As String) As Boolean

mangojack · Oct 24, 2024

Alessandro71 said:
The Starter Service also contains the exception handler event

B4X:

'Return true to allow the OS default exceptions handler to handle the uncaught exception. Sub Application_Error (Error As Exception, StackTrace As String) As Boolean

Initially I never used that Sub... but at present it is a good reason to rethink inclusion of the Starter Service.

Thanks

LucaMs · Oct 24, 2024

Alessandro71 said:
The Starter Service also contains the exception handler event

B4X:

'Return true to allow the OS default exceptions handler to handle the uncaught exception. Sub Application_Error (Error As Exception, StackTrace As String) As Boolean

https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/t...cation_error-in-a-receiver.146576/post-929368

LucaMs · Oct 24, 2024

mangojack said:
In This Thread re B4A / VB Input Box ... @Erel states,

Using B4XPage projects, it is now habit that I remove the Starter Service and to my knowledge it has not created any issue.

I'm now a little confused whether I am doing wrong.

Probably that user wrote some Sub in the Starter and then removed it. I don't think removing the empty Starter will cause any problems; but you can avoid removinng it, this will still not cause any problems.

PaulMeuris · Oct 24, 2024

A new empty project. The normal Click button is not available.
The first time it is available but when you remove the app from the recent apps list it will get stuck on my device.

The app runs in release mode on a Android 14 device.
It will get stuck if you leave the starter module in the project.
In this code i have commented the line 19 but left the starter module in the project.

B4X:

#Region  Service Attributes
    #StartAtBoot: False
    #ExcludeFromLibrary: True
#End Region

Sub Process_Globals
    'These global variables will be declared once when the application starts.
    'These variables can be accessed from all modules.

End Sub

Sub Service_Create
    'This is the program entry point.
    'This is a good place to load resources that are not specific to a single activity.

End Sub

Sub Service_Start (StartingIntent As Intent)
'    Service.StopAutomaticForeground 'Starter service can start in the foreground state in some edge cases.
End Sub

Sub Service_TaskRemoved
    'This event will be raised when the user removes the app from the recent apps list.
End Sub

'Return true to allow the OS default exceptions handler to handle the uncaught exception.
Sub Application_Error (Error As Exception, StackTrace As String) As Boolean
    Return True
End Sub

Sub Service_Destroy

End Sub

Line 19 code doesn't stop the foreground state. The method Service.StopAutomaticForeground doesn't seem to work in Android 14.
The only way to make this app work normal is to remove the starter module!
But don't take my word for it, just try it out and see for yourself.

Alessandro71 · Oct 24, 2024

LucaMs said:
https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/t...cation_error-in-a-receiver.146576/post-929368

that case was in the context of a Receiver (an home page widget in that particular use case), but the Application_Error is still used in a "normal" app

LucaMs · Oct 24, 2024

Alessandro71 said:
that case was in the context of a Receiver (an home page widget in that particular use case), but the Application_Error is still used in a "normal" app

I think I read that it is now less reliable, that is, that in some cases it (Application_Error) does not raises. Maybe I remember wrong, who knows.

Sagenut · Oct 24, 2024

PaulMeuris said:
A new empty project. The normal Click button is not available.
The first time it is available but when you remove the app from the recent apps list it will get stuck on my device.
View attachment 157962 View attachment 157963
The app runs in release mode on a Android 14 device.
It will get stuck if you leave the starter module in the project.
In this code i have commented the line 19 but left the starter module in the project.

B4X:

#Region Service Attributes #StartAtBoot: False #ExcludeFromLibrary: True #End Region Sub Process_Globals 'These global variables will be declared once when the application starts. 'These variables can be accessed from all modules. End Sub Sub Service_Create 'This is the program entry point. 'This is a good place to load resources that are not specific to a single activity. End Sub Sub Service_Start (StartingIntent As Intent) ' Service.StopAutomaticForeground 'Starter service can start in the foreground state in some edge cases. End Sub Sub Service_TaskRemoved 'This event will be raised when the user removes the app from the recent apps list. End Sub 'Return true to allow the OS default exceptions handler to handle the uncaught exception. Sub Application_Error (Error As Exception, StackTrace As String) As Boolean Return True End Sub Sub Service_Destroy End Sub

Line 19 code doesn't stop the foreground state. The method Service.StopAutomaticForeground doesn't seem to work in Android 14.
The only way to make this app work normal is to remove the starter module!
But don't take my word for it, just try it out and see for yourself.

To support Android 14 correctly I think that it's mandatory B4A 13 with new SDK and Java 19.
But I could be wrong.
Also check this info
https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/t...getsdkversion-34-and-services.162140/#content

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