how to capture an image in background without using the camera application

Question

I have an android app which consists of a Button.
When you click on Button, an image should be captured from the camera without opening the camera application (the image should be captured in background).
How to implement this feature?
Any suggestions will be of great help.
Thanks a lot in advance.

Answer 1

Here is my whole working project of How to capture image in background without SurfaceView.

// You can start your service to capturing image wherever you want not should from activity.

also need to ask need permission in your Activity

if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.M && !Settings.canDrawOverlays(this)) {
Intent intent = new Intent(Settings.ACTION_MANAGE_OVERLAY_PERMISSION,
Uri.parse("package:" + getPackageName()));
startActivityForResult(intent, APP_PERMISSION_REQUEST);
} 

handle intent in click or where you needed

Intent front_translucent = new Intent(getApplication()
                        .getApplicationContext(), CameraService.class);
                front_translucent.putExtra("Front_Request", true);
                front_translucent.putExtra("Quality_Mode",
                        camCapture.getQuality());
                getApplication().getApplicationContext().startService(
                        front_translucent);


public class CamerService extends Service implements
        SurfaceHolder.Callback {

    // Camera variables
    // a surface holder
    // a variable to control the camera
    private Camera mCamera;
    // the camera parameters
    private Parameters parameters;
    private Bitmap bmp;
    FileOutputStream fo;
    private String FLASH_MODE;
    private int QUALITY_MODE = 0;
    private boolean isFrontCamRequest = false;
    private Camera.Size pictureSize;
    SurfaceView sv;
    private SurfaceHolder sHolder;
    private WindowManager windowManager;
    WindowManager.LayoutParams params;
    public Intent cameraIntent;
    SharedPreferences pref;
    Editor editor;
    int width = 0, height = 0;

    /** Called when the activity is first created. */
    @Override
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();

    }

    private Camera openFrontFacingCameraGingerbread() {
        if (mCamera != null) {
            mCamera.stopPreview();
            mCamera.release();
        }
        int cameraCount = 0;
        Camera cam = null;
        Camera.CameraInfo cameraInfo = new Camera.CameraInfo();
        cameraCount = Camera.getNumberOfCameras();
        for (int camIdx = 0; camIdx < cameraCount; camIdx++) {
            Camera.getCameraInfo(camIdx, cameraInfo);
            if (cameraInfo.facing == Camera.CameraInfo.CAMERA_FACING_FRONT) {
                try {
                    cam = Camera.open(camIdx);
                } catch (RuntimeException e) {
                    Log.e("Camera",
                            "Camera failed to open: " + e.getLocalizedMessage());
                    /*
                     * Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(),
                     * "Front Camera failed to open", Toast.LENGTH_LONG)
                     * .show();
                     */
                }
            }
        }
        return cam;
    }

    private void setBesttPictureResolution() {
        // get biggest picture size
        width = pref.getInt("Picture_Width", 0);
        height = pref.getInt("Picture_height", 0);

        if (width == 0 | height == 0) {
            pictureSize = getBiggesttPictureSize(parameters);
            if (pictureSize != null)
                parameters
                        .setPictureSize(pictureSize.width, pictureSize.height);
            // save width and height in sharedprefrences
            width = pictureSize.width;
            height = pictureSize.height;
            editor.putInt("Picture_Width", width);
            editor.putInt("Picture_height", height);
            editor.commit();

        } else {
            // if (pictureSize != null)
            parameters.setPictureSize(width, height);
        }
    }

    private Camera.Size getBiggesttPictureSize(Camera.Parameters parameters) {
        Camera.Size result = null;

        for (Camera.Size size : parameters.getSupportedPictureSizes()) {
            if (result == null) {
                result = size;
            } else {
                int resultArea = result.width * result.height;
                int newArea = size.width * size.height;

                if (newArea > resultArea) {
                    result = size;
                }
            }
        }

        return (result);
    }

    /** Check if this device has a camera */
    private boolean checkCameraHardware(Context context) {
        if (context.getPackageManager().hasSystemFeature(
                PackageManager.FEATURE_CAMERA)) {
            // this device has a camera
            return true;
        } else {
            // no camera on this device
            return false;
        }
    }

    /** Check if this device has front camera */
    private boolean checkFrontCamera(Context context) {
        if (context.getPackageManager().hasSystemFeature(
                PackageManager.FEATURE_CAMERA_FRONT)) {
            // this device has front camera
            return true;
        } else {
            // no front camera on this device
            return false;
        }
    }

    Handler handler = new Handler();

    private class TakeImage extends AsyncTask<Intent, Void, Void> {

        @Override
        protected Void doInBackground(Intent... params) {
            takeImage(params[0]);
            return null;
        }

        @Override
        protected void onPostExecute(Void result) {
        }
    }

    private synchronized void takeImage(Intent intent) {

        if (checkCameraHardware(getApplicationContext())) {
            Bundle extras = intent.getExtras();
            if (extras != null) {
                String flash_mode = extras.getString("FLASH");
                FLASH_MODE = flash_mode;

                boolean front_cam_req = extras.getBoolean("Front_Request");
                isFrontCamRequest = front_cam_req;

                int quality_mode = extras.getInt("Quality_Mode");
                QUALITY_MODE = quality_mode;
            }

            if (isFrontCamRequest) {

                // set flash 0ff
                FLASH_MODE = "off";
                // only for gingerbread and newer versions
                if (android.os.Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= android.os.Build.VERSION_CODES.GINGERBREAD) {

                    mCamera = openFrontFacingCameraGingerbread();
                    if (mCamera != null) {

                        try {
                            mCamera.setPreviewDisplay(sv.getHolder());
                        } catch (IOException e) {
                            handler.post(new Runnable() {

                                @Override
                                public void run() {
                                    Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(),
                                            "API dosen't support front camera",
                                            Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
                                }
                            });

                            stopSelf();
                        }
                        Camera.Parameters parameters = mCamera.getParameters();  
                        pictureSize = getBiggesttPictureSize(parameters);
                        if (pictureSize != null)
                            parameters
                                    .setPictureSize(pictureSize.width, pictureSize.height);

                        // set camera parameters
                        mCamera.setParameters(parameters);
                        mCamera.startPreview();
                        mCamera.takePicture(null, null, mCall);

                        // return 4;

                    } else {
                        mCamera = null;
                        handler.post(new Runnable() {

                            @Override
                            public void run() {
                                Toast.makeText(
                                        getApplicationContext(),
                                        "Your Device dosen't have Front Camera !",
                                        Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
                            }
                        });

                        stopSelf();
                    }
                    /*
                     * sHolder = sv.getHolder(); // tells Android that this
                     * surface will have its data // constantly // replaced if
                     * (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT < 11)
                     * 
                     * sHolder.setType(SurfaceHolder.SURFACE_TYPE_PUSH_BUFFERS)
                     */
                } else {
                    if (checkFrontCamera(getApplicationContext())) {
                        mCamera = openFrontFacingCameraGingerbread();

                        if (mCamera != null) {

                            try {
                                mCamera.setPreviewDisplay(sv.getHolder());
                            } catch (IOException e) {
                                handler.post(new Runnable() {

                                    @Override
                                    public void run() {
                                        Toast.makeText(
                                                getApplicationContext(),
                                                "API dosen't support front camera",
                                                Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
                                    }
                                });

                                stopSelf();
                            }
                            Camera.Parameters parameters = mCamera.getParameters();  
                            pictureSize = getBiggesttPictureSize(parameters);
                            if (pictureSize != null)
                                parameters
                                        .setPictureSize(pictureSize.width, pictureSize.height);

                            // set camera parameters
                            mCamera.setParameters(parameters);
                            mCamera.startPreview();
                            mCamera.takePicture(null, null, mCall);
                            // return 4;

                        } else {
                            mCamera = null;
                            /*
                             * Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(),
                             * "API dosen't support front camera",
                             * Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
                             */
                            handler.post(new Runnable() {

                                @Override
                                public void run() {
                                    Toast.makeText(
                                            getApplicationContext(),
                                            "Your Device dosen't have Front Camera !",
                                            Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();

                                }
                            });

                            stopSelf();

                        }
                        // Get a surface
                        /*
                         * sHolder = sv.getHolder(); // tells Android that this
                         * surface will have its data // constantly // replaced
                         * if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT < 11)
                         * 
                         * sHolder.setType(SurfaceHolder.SURFACE_TYPE_PUSH_BUFFERS
                         * );
                         */
                    }

                }

            } else {

                if (mCamera != null) {
                    mCamera.stopPreview();
                    mCamera.release();
                    mCamera = Camera.open();
                } else
                    mCamera = getCameraInstance();

                try {
                    if (mCamera != null) {
                        mCamera.setPreviewDisplay(sv.getHolder());
                        parameters = mCamera.getParameters();
                        if (FLASH_MODE == null || FLASH_MODE.isEmpty()) {
                            FLASH_MODE = "auto";
                        }
                        parameters.setFlashMode(FLASH_MODE);
                        // set biggest picture
                        setBesttPictureResolution();
                        // log quality and image format
                        Log.d("Qaulity", parameters.getJpegQuality() + "");
                        Log.d("Format", parameters.getPictureFormat() + "");

                        // set camera parameters
                        mCamera.setParameters(parameters);
                        mCamera.startPreview();
                        Log.d("ImageTakin", "OnTake()");
                        mCamera.takePicture(null, null, mCall);
                    } else {
                        handler.post(new Runnable() {

                            @Override
                            public void run() {
                                Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(),
                                        "Camera is unavailable !",
                                        Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
                            }
                        });

                    }
                    // return 4;

                } catch (IOException e) {
                    // TODO Auto-generated catch block
                    Log.e("TAG", "CmaraHeadService()::takePicture", e);
                }
                // Get a surface
                /*
                 * sHolder = sv.getHolder(); // tells Android that this surface
                 * will have its data constantly // replaced if
                 * (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT < 11)
                 * 
                 * sHolder.setType(SurfaceHolder.SURFACE_TYPE_PUSH_BUFFERS);
                 */

            }

        } else {
            // display in long period of time
            /*
             * Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(),
             * "Your Device dosen't have a Camera !", Toast.LENGTH_LONG)
             * .show();
             */
            handler.post(new Runnable() {

                @Override
                public void run() {
                    Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(),
                            "Your Device dosen't have a Camera !",
                            Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
                }
            });
            stopSelf();
        }

        // return super.onStartCommand(intent, flags, startId);

    }

    @SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
    @Override
    public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {
        // sv = new SurfaceView(getApplicationContext());
        cameraIntent = intent;
        Log.d("ImageTakin", "StartCommand()");
        pref = getApplicationContext().getSharedPreferences("MyPref", 0);
        editor = pref.edit();

        windowManager = (WindowManager) getSystemService(WINDOW_SERVICE);

        params = new WindowManager.LayoutParams(
                WindowManager.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT,
                WindowManager.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT,
                WindowManager.LayoutParams.TYPE_PHONE,
                WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_NOT_FOCUSABLE,
                PixelFormat.TRANSLUCENT);

        params.gravity = Gravity.TOP | Gravity.LEFT;
        params.width = 1;
        params.height = 1;
        params.x = 0;
        params.y = 0;
        sv = new SurfaceView(getApplicationContext());

        windowManager.addView(sv, params);
        sHolder = sv.getHolder();
        sHolder.addCallback(this);

        // tells Android that this surface will have its data constantly
        // replaced
        if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT < 11)
            sHolder.setType(SurfaceHolder.SURFACE_TYPE_PUSH_BUFFERS);
        return 1;
    }

    Camera.PictureCallback mCall = new Camera.PictureCallback() {

        @Override
        public void onPictureTaken(byte[] data, Camera camera) {
            // decode the data obtained by the camera into a Bitmap
            Log.d("ImageTakin", "Done");
            if (bmp != null)
                bmp.recycle();
            System.gc();
            bmp = decodeBitmap(data);
            ByteArrayOutputStream bytes = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
            if (bmp != null && QUALITY_MODE == 0)
                bmp.compress(Bitmap.CompressFormat.JPEG, 70, bytes);
            else if (bmp != null && QUALITY_MODE != 0)
                bmp.compress(Bitmap.CompressFormat.JPEG, QUALITY_MODE, bytes);

            File imagesFolder = new File(
                    Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory(), "MYGALLERY");
            if (!imagesFolder.exists())
                imagesFolder.mkdirs(); // <----
            File image = new File(imagesFolder, System.currentTimeMillis()
                    + ".jpg");

            // write the bytes in file
            try {
                fo = new FileOutputStream(image);
            } catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
                Log.e("TAG", "FileNotFoundException", e);
                // TODO Auto-generated catch block
            }
            try {
                fo.write(bytes.toByteArray());
            } catch (IOException e) {
                Log.e("TAG", "fo.write::PictureTaken", e);
                // TODO Auto-generated catch block
            }

            // remember close de FileOutput
            try {
                fo.close();
                if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT < 19)
                    sendBroadcast(new Intent(
                            Intent.ACTION_MEDIA_MOUNTED,
                            Uri.parse("file://"
                                    + Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory())));
                else {
                    MediaScannerConnection
                            .scanFile(
                                    getApplicationContext(),
                                    new String[] { image.toString() },
                                    null,
                                    new MediaScannerConnection.OnScanCompletedListener() {
                                        public void onScanCompleted(
                                                String path, Uri uri) {
                                            Log.i("ExternalStorage", "Scanned "
                                                    + path + ":");
                                            Log.i("ExternalStorage", "-> uri="
                                                    + uri);
                                        }
                                    });
                }

            } catch (IOException e) {
                // TODO Auto-generated catch block
                e.printStackTrace();
            }
            if (mCamera != null) {
                mCamera.stopPreview();
                mCamera.release();
                mCamera = null;
            }
            /*
             * Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(),
             * "Your Picture has been taken !", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
             */
            com.integreight.onesheeld.Log.d("Camera", "Image Taken !");
            if (bmp != null) {
                bmp.recycle();
                bmp = null;
                System.gc();
            }
            mCamera = null;
            handler.post(new Runnable() {

                @Override
                public void run() {
                    Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(),
                            "Your Picture has been taken !", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT)
                            .show();
                }
            });
            stopSelf();
        }
    };

    @Override
    public IBinder onBind(Intent intent) {
        return null;
    }

    public static Camera getCameraInstance() {
        Camera c = null;
        try {
            c = Camera.open(); // attempt to get a Camera instance
        } catch (Exception e) {
            // Camera is not available (in use or does not exist)
        }
        return c; // returns null if camera is unavailable
    }

    @Override
    public void onDestroy() {
        if (mCamera != null) {
            mCamera.stopPreview();
            mCamera.release();
            mCamera = null;
        }
        if (sv != null)
            windowManager.removeView(sv);
        Intent intent = new Intent("custom-event-name");
        // You can also include some extra data.
        intent.putExtra("message", "This is my message!");
        LocalBroadcastManager.getInstance(this).sendBroadcast(intent);

        super.onDestroy();
    }

    @Override
    public void surfaceChanged(SurfaceHolder holder, int format, int width,
            int height) {
        // TODO Auto-generated method stub

    }

    @Override
    public void surfaceCreated(SurfaceHolder holder) {
        if (cameraIntent != null)
            new TakeImage().execute(cameraIntent);

    }

    @Override
    public void surfaceDestroyed(SurfaceHolder holder) {
        if (mCamera != null) {
            mCamera.stopPreview();
            mCamera.release();
            mCamera = null;
        }
    }

    public static Bitmap decodeBitmap(byte[] data) {

        Bitmap bitmap = null;
        BitmapFactory.Options bfOptions = new BitmapFactory.Options();
        bfOptions.inDither = false; // Disable Dithering mode
        bfOptions.inPurgeable = true; // Tell to gc that whether it needs free
                                        // memory, the Bitmap can be cleared
        bfOptions.inInputShareable = true; // Which kind of reference will be
                                            // used to recover the Bitmap data
                                            // after being clear, when it will
                                            // be used in the future
        bfOptions.inTempStorage = new byte[32 * 1024];

        if (data != null)
            bitmap = BitmapFactory.decodeByteArray(data, 0, data.length,
                    bfOptions);

        return bitmap;
    }

}

Answer 2

You have to create a fake Surface view that doesn't appears to the users and then you can achieve by the following code

public class MainActivity extends Activity {
    public static final int DONE = 1;
    public static final int NEXT = 2;
    public static final int PERIOD = 1;
    private Camera camera;
    private int cameraId = 0;
    private ImageView display;
    private Timer timer;
    SurfaceHolder previewHolder;
    @Override
    public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
        display = (ImageView) findViewById(R.id.imageView1);
        // do we have a camera?
        if (!getPackageManager().hasSystemFeature(PackageManager.FEATURE_CAMERA)) 
        {
            Toast.makeText(this, "No camera on this device", Toast.LENGTH_LONG)
                    .show();
        } 
        else 
        {
            cameraId = findFrontFacingCamera();
            if (cameraId < 0)
            {
                Toast.makeText(this, "No front facing camera found.",
                        Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
            }
            else
            {
                safeCameraOpen(cameraId);
            }
        }
        // THIS IS JUST A FAKE SURFACE TO TRICK THE CAMERA PREVIEW
        // http://stackoverflow.com/questions/17859777/how-to-take-pictures-in-android-
        // application-without-the-user-interface


        SurfaceView dummy = new SurfaceView(this);
        previewHolder = dummy.getHolder();

        previewHolder.setType(SurfaceHolder.SURFACE_TYPE_PUSH_BUFFERS);
        try {
            camera.setPreviewDisplay(previewHolder);
        } catch (IOException e1) {
            e1.printStackTrace();
        }
        /*SurfaceView view = new SurfaceView(this);
        try {
            //  camera.setPreviewDisplay(view.getHolder());
        } catch (IOException e) {
            // TODO Auto-generated catch block
            e.printStackTrace();
        }*/

        Camera.Parameters params = camera.getParameters();
        params.setJpegQuality(100);
        camera.setParameters(params);
        // We need something to trigger periodically the capture of a
        // picture to be processed
        timer = new Timer(getApplicationContext(), threadHandler);
        timer.execute();
    }

    // thread Handler //
    private Handler threadHandler = new Handler() {
        public void handleMessage(android.os.Message msg) {
            switch (msg.what) {
            case DONE:
                camera.startPreview();
                previewHolder.setType(SurfaceHolder.SURFACE_TYPE_PUSH_BUFFERS);
                try {
                    camera.setPreviewDisplay(previewHolder);
                } catch (IOException e1) {
                    // TODO Auto-generated catch block
                    e1.printStackTrace();
                }


                camera.takePicture(null, null, mCall);
                break;
            case NEXT:
                timer = new Timer(getApplicationContext(), threadHandler);
                timer.execute();
                break;
            }
        }
    };
    Camera.PictureCallback mCall = new Camera.PictureCallback() {
        public void onPictureTaken(byte[] data, Camera camera) {
            // decode the data obtained by the camera into a Bitmap
            // display.setImageBitmap(photo);
            Bitmap bitmapPicture = BitmapFactory.decodeByteArray(data, 0,
                    data.length);
            display.setImageBitmap(bitmapPicture);
            Message.obtain(threadHandler, MainActivity.NEXT, "").sendToTarget();
            // Log.v("MyActivity","Length: "+data.length);
        }
    };

    private int findFrontFacingCamera() {
        int cameraId = -1;
        // Search for the front facing camera
        int numberOfCameras = Camera.getNumberOfCameras();
        for (int i = 0; i < numberOfCameras; i++) {
            CameraInfo info = new CameraInfo();
            Camera.getCameraInfo(i, info);
            if (info.facing == CameraInfo.CAMERA_FACING_FRONT) {
                Log.v("MyActivity", "Camera found");
                cameraId = i;
                break;
            }
        }
        return cameraId;
    }

    @Override
    protected void onPause() {
        if (timer != null) {
            timer.cancel(true);
        }
        releaseCamera();
        super.onPause();
    }

    // I think Android Documentation recommends doing this in a separate
    // task to avoid blocking main UI
    private boolean safeCameraOpen(int id) {
        boolean qOpened = false;
        try {
            releaseCamera();
            camera = Camera.open(id);
            qOpened = (camera != null);
        } catch (Exception e) {
            Log.e(getString(R.string.app_name), "failed to open Camera");
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
        return qOpened;
    }

    private void releaseCamera() {
        if (camera != null) {
            camera.stopPreview();
            camera.release();
            camera = null;
        }
    }
}