Android 9 (Pie), Context.startForegroundService() did not then call Service.startForeground(): ServiceRecord

Question

First of all, I looked at these;

• Context.startForegroundService() did not then call Service.startForeground()
• Context.startForegroundService() did not then call Service.startForeground
• Android 9 (Pie) Only: Context.startForegroundService() did not then call Service.startForeground() - Works fine on Oreo
• RemoteServiceException Context.startForegroundService() did not then call Service.startForeground()
• https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/76112072

I have a streaming application used by almost a million people. I'm using foreground service for the player. I didn't implement MediaSession yet. I have a 99.95% crash-free sessions. So this app works on all versions but I started getting crash reports(ANR) with android 9. This crash occurs only Samsung phones, especially s9, s9+, s10, s10+, note9 models.

I tried these,

• Calling startForeground() method in onCreate()
• Calling Service.startForeground() before Context.stopService()
• Other stackoverflow answers to similar questions

I read some comments from developers of Google, they said it's just Intended Behavior. I wonder is it occurred by Samsung's system or Android OS. Does anyone have an opinion about this? How can I fix this?

Answer 1

After too much struggle with this crash finally, I fixed this exception completely and find the solution.

Make sure that have done this stuff in your service I list them as below : (some of this stuff are repetitious as mentioned in another answer I just write them again).

1- Call

startForeground()

in both onCreate and onStartCommand.(it's ok to call startForeground() many times)

  @Override public void onCreate() {     super.onCreate();     startCommand(); }  @Override public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {     if (intent == null) {         return START_NOT_STICKY;     }     final int command = intent.getIntExtra(MAIN_SERVICE_COMMAND_KEY, -1);      if (command == MAIN_SERVICE_START_COMMAND) {         startCommand();         return START_STICKY;     }     return START_NOT_STICKY; }   private void startCommand() {     createNotificationAndStartForeground();     runningStatus.set(STARTED); } 

2- Stop your service using

context.stopService()

, there is no need to call stopForeground() or stopSelf().

  try {         context.stopService(                 new Intent(                         context,                         NavigationService.class                 )         );     } catch (Exception ex) {         Crashlytics.logException(ex);         LogManager.e("Service manager can't stop service ", ex);     } 

3- Start your service using

ContextCompat.startForegroundService()

it will handle different API versions.

   ContextCompat.startForegroundService(             context,             NavigationService.getStartIntent(context)     ); 

4- If your service has actions ( need pending Intents ) handle your pending intents with a Broadcast receiver rather than your current service( it will call your service on Create() and can be dangerous, or use PendingIntent.FLAG_NO_CREATE) , it's a good practice to have a specific Broadcast receiver for handling your service notification actions, I mean create all your pending intents using PendingIntent.getBroadcast().

    private PendingIntent getStopActionPendingIntent() {     final Intent stopNotificationIntent = getBroadCastIntent();      stopNotificationIntent.setAction(BROADCAST_STOP_SERVICE);      return getPendingIntent(stopNotificationIntent); }  private PendingIntent getPendingIntent(final Intent intent) {     return PendingIntent.getBroadcast(             this,             0,             intent,             0     ); }  new NotificationCompat.Builder(this, CHANNEL_ID)             .addAction(                     new NotificationCompat.Action(                             R.drawable.notification,                             getString(R.string.switch_off),                             getStopActionPendingIntent()                     )             ) 

5- Always before stop your service make sure that your service is created and started (I Create a global class that has my service state)

  if (navigationServiceStatus == STARTED) {             serviceManager.stopNavigationService();         } 

6- Set your notificationId to a long number such as 121412.

7- Using NotificationCompat.Builder will handle different API versions you just need to create notification channel for Build versions >= Build.VERSION_CODES.O.(This one is not a solution just make your code more readable)

8- Add

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

permission to your manifest. (this one is mentioned in android docs) Android Foreground Service

hope it helps :))

Answer 2

I was waiting my crash report to share the solution. I didn't get any crash or ANR almost 20 days. I want to share my solution. It can help those who encounter this problem.

In onCreate() method

• First of all, my app is a media application. I didn't implement the mediasession yet. I'm creating a notification channel in the top of onCreate(). Official doc
• I'm calling Service.startForeground() method after Context.startForegroundService() method. In my prepareAndStartForeground() method.

  Note: I don't know why but ContextCompat.startForegroundService() doesn't work properly.

For this reason, I've added manually same function to my service class instead of calling ContextCompat.startForegroundService()

private fun startForegroundService(intent: Intent) {     if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= 26) {         context.startForegroundService(intent)     } else {         // Pre-O behavior.         context.startService(intent)     } } 

---

prepareAndStartForeground() method

private fun prepareAndStartForeground() {     try {         val intent = Intent(ctx, MusicService::class.java)         startForegroundService(intent)          val n = mNotificationBuilder.build()         // do sth         startForeground(Define.NOTIFICATION_ID, n)     } catch (e: Exception) {         Log.e(TAG, "startForegroundNotification: " + e.message)     } } 

---

It's my onCreate()

override fun onCreate() {     super.onCreate()     createNotificationChannel()     prepareAndStartForeground() } 

---

My onStartCommand()

override fun onStartCommand(intent: Intent?, flags: Int, startId: Int): Int {     if (intent == null) {         return START_STICKY_COMPATIBILITY     } else {         //....         //...     }     return START_STICKY } 

---

onRebind, onBind, onUnbind methods like these

internal var binder: IBinder? = null  override fun onRebind(intent: Intent) {     stopForeground(true) // <- remove notification }  override fun onBind(intent: Intent): IBinder? {     stopForeground(true) // <- remove notification     return binder }  override fun onUnbind(intent: Intent): Boolean {     prepareAndStartForeground() // <- show notification again     return true } 

---

We need to clear something when onDestroy() calling

   override fun onDestroy() {     super.onDestroy()     releaseService()    } 

---

private fun releaseService() {     stopMedia()     stopTimer()     // sth like these     player = null     mContext = null     afChangeListener = null     mAudioBecomingNoisy = null     handler = null     mNotificationBuilder = null     mNotificationManager = null     mInstance = null } 

I hope this solution works properly for you.