How to distinguish whether onDestroy() is called as part of configuration change sequence?

Question

In my Activity some external thing (service) need to be destroyed in onDestroy(). But I do not want this when configuration change happens (e.g. keyboard flips out) because it will be restored right away.

So the question is: how to distinguish whether onDestroy() is caused by say Back-key press or part of config change process?

after @CommonsWare's answer it would be pretty simple) something like:

@Override 
onDestroy() { 
  if (mIsChangeConfig == true) { 
    mIsChangeConfig = false: 
  } else { 
    stopService(); 
  } 
} 

@Override 
onRetainNonConfigurationInstance() { 
  mIsChangeConfig = true; 
}

Answer 1

In Android 3.x (API Level 11), you can call isChangingConfigurations() to see if the activity is being destroyed due to a configuration change.

Prior to that, override onRetainNonConfigurationInstance() and set a boolean data member (e.g., isChangingConfigurations) to true, and check that data member in onDestroy().

Answer 2

This may do the trick for you (from How to distinguish between orientation change and leaving application android):

Use the Activity's isFinishing() method.

Sample code:

@Override
protected void onDestroy() {
  super.onDestroy();

  if (isFinishing()) {
    // Do stuff
  } else { 
    // It's an orientation change.
  }
}