Unable to instantiate receiver , java.lang.ClassCastException

Question

Problem: AutoStart On Boot Up causing classcastexception.. 

I am doing Location based application , I want to run the app whenever the phone bootup,So that my app will be running continuously, I just want to start the service as soon as the phone loads all the service.

I have wrote broadcast receiver method and in mainfest xml even set the receiver and permission I am writing the following code but I am getting runtime error, I even tried to remove the activity and run but its causing the error . please suggest me some solution.

MainFest.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="com.example.omkar_gpslocation"
    android:versionCode="1"
    android:versionName="1.0" >

    <uses-sdk
        android:minSdkVersion="8"
        android:targetSdkVersion="17" />

    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BATTERY_STATS" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED" />

    <application
        android:allowBackup="true"
        android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:theme="@style/AppTheme" >
       <activity
            android:name="com.example.omkar_gpslocation.MainActivity"
            android:label="@string/app_name" >
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
        <activity
            android:name="com.example.omkar_gpslocation.Activity_Settings"
            android:label="@string/title_activity_activity__settings" >
        </activity> 


<receiver android:enabled="true" android:name="com.example.omkar_gpslocation.MainActivity"
        android:permission="android.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED">

        <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
        </intent-filter>
</receiver>
    </application>

</manifest>

MainActivity

private BroadcastReceiver MyReceiver= new BroadcastReceiver() {
    @Override
    public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
        Intent serviceIntent = new Intent("com.example.omkar_gpslocation");
        context.startService(serviceIntent); 

    }
};

Logcat:

02-04 13:21:08.462: E/AndroidRuntime(503): FATAL EXCEPTION: main
02-04 13:21:08.462: E/AndroidRuntime(503): java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to instantiate receiver com.example.omkar_gpslocation.MainActivity: java.lang.ClassCastException: com.example.omkar_gpslocation.MainActivity
02-04 13:21:08.462: E/AndroidRuntime(503):  at android.app.ActivityThread.handleReceiver(ActivityThread.java:1873)
02-04 13:21:08.462: E/AndroidRuntime(503):  at android.app.ActivityThread.access$2400(ActivityThread.java:155)
02-04 13:21:08.462: E/AndroidRuntime(503):  at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1049)
02-04 13:21:08.462: E/AndroidRuntime(503):  at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:130)
02-04 13:21:08.462: E/AndroidRuntime(503):  at android.os.Looper.loop(SourceFile:351)
02-04 13:21:08.462: E/AndroidRuntime(503):  at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:3820)
02-04 13:21:08.462: E/AndroidRuntime(503):  at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method)
02-04 13:21:08.462: E/AndroidRuntime(503):  at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:538)
02-04 13:21:08.462: E/AndroidRuntime(503):  at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:969)
02-04 13:21:08.462: E/AndroidRuntime(503):  at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:727)
02-04 13:21:08.462: E/AndroidRuntime(503):  at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method)
02-04 13:21:08.462: E/AndroidRuntime(503): Caused by: java.lang.ClassCastException: com.example.omkar_gpslocation.MainActivity
02-04 13:21:08.462: E/AndroidRuntime(503):  at android.app.ActivityThread.handleReceiver(ActivityThread.java:1864)
02-04 13:21:08.462: E/AndroidRuntime(503):  ... 10 more

Answer 1

You have to write your Receiver in its own class. Do not write it as a Field in an Activity.

If you want to register a receiver in the Manifest file it have to be in its own file. Create a new class that extends BroadcastReceiver in a new file. Then use the name of this class as the receiver name in the manifest instead of MainActivity.