Android location updates in a Service

Question

I want to do something like this:

• When my application starts I want to start a Service which should check my location

• When the application g

Answer 1

1. Application is not a visual component in Android. It is divided into Activities, each of them run when visible, paused and destroyed otherwise. So, there is no concept of whole Application going to background, Activities are paused and resumed on the basis of their individual visibility and are completely independent of other Activities in this matter.

2. Your Service shall register with Location Manager in its onCreate(), unregister from the same in its onDestroy(). In its onBind() it shall return a Messenger object. And, in onLocationChanged() it should send a message through its shared Messenger. No need to use START_STICKY as you don't want Service running all the time.

3. The Activity (can be any activity in the App) just needs to call bindService() in its onStart(), The service will start if not already, and Activity will get a Messenger from service. Also, Activity should call unbindService() from its onStop(). The Service will automatically stop when nothing is bound to it.

4. If you need to do the stuff in point 3 at App (Task) level, implement the Application class, and use its onCreate() and onTerminate(). Application class is not paused or stopped like an Activity.