How to handle return value from AsyncTask

Question

I am using AsyncTask class with the following signature:

public class ApiAccess extends AsyncTask<List<NameValuePair>, Integer, String> {
    ...
private String POST(List<NameValuePair>[] nameValuePairs){
    ...
    return response;
}
}

protected String doInBackground(List<NameValuePair>... nameValuePairs) {
    return POST(params);
}

I am trying to call it from other class through:

ApiAccess apiObj = new ApiAccess (0, "/User");
// String signupResponse = apiObj.execute(nameValuePairs);
String serverResponse = apiObj.execute(nameValuePairs); //ERROR

But here I get this error:

Type mismatch: cannot convert from AsyncTask<List<NameValuePair>,Integer,String> to String

Why is that when i have specified String as the third parameter in Class extension line?

Answer 1

You can get the result by calling AsyhncTask's get() method on the returned AsyncTask, but it will turn it from an asynchronous task into a synchronous task as it waits to get the result.

String serverResponse = apiObj.execute(nameValuePairs).get();

Since you have your AsyncTask in a seperate class, you can create an interface class and declare it in the AsyncTask and implement your new interface class as delegate in the class you wish to access the results from. A good guide is here: How to get the result of OnPostExecute() to main activity because AsyncTask is a separate class?.

I will attempt to apply the above link to your context.

(IApiAccessResponse)

public interface IApiAccessResponse {
    void postResult(String asyncresult);
}

(ApiAccess)

public class ApiAccess extends AsyncTask<List<NameValuePair>, Integer, String> {
...
    public IApiAccessResponse delegate=null;
    protected String doInBackground(List<NameValuePair>... nameValuePairs) {
        //do all your background manipulation and return a String response
        return response
    }

    @Override
    protected void onPostExecute(String result) {
        if(delegate!=null)
        {
            delegate.postResult(result);
        }
        else
        {
            Log.e("ApiAccess", "You have not assigned IApiAccessResponse delegate");
        }
    } 
}

(Your main class, which implements IApiAccessResponse)

ApiAccess apiObj = new ApiAccess (0, "/User");
//Assign the AsyncTask's delegate to your class's context (this links your asynctask and this class together)
apiObj.delegate = this;
apiObj.execute(nameValuePairs); //ERROR

//this method has to be implement so that the results can be called to this class
void postResult(String asyncresult){
     //This method will get call as soon as your AsyncTask is complete. asyncresult will be your result.
}