How to start an activity just after booting of a mobile device

This post is an example of how an application will work just after the booting of the device.Here the example shows an authentication app which will work as a lock to the device.

1) Define in the AndroidManifest.xml


<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="com.boot"
    android:versionCode="1"
    android:versionName="1.0" >
    <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="8" />
    <application
        android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name" >
  <receiver android:enabled="true" android:name=".BootActivity"
        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>
  <activity android:name=".AutoStartActivity">
    </activity>
    </application>
    </manifest>


2) Create BootActivity.java in src with the following code
Here AutoStartActivity is the activity we have to run after booting


package com.boot;

import android.content.BroadcastReceiver;
import android.content.Context;
import android.content.Intent;

public class BootActivity extends BroadcastReceiver {

@Override
public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub
Intent i = new Intent(context, AutoStartActivity.class);
        i.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
        context.startActivity(i);
}
}

3)The XML (main.xml) for the activity is


<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="fill_parent"
    android:orientation="vertical" android:gravity="center">

    <LinearLayout
        android:id="@+id/linearLayout1"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:orientation="vertical" android:gravity="center_horizontal">

        <EditText
            android:id="@+id/editText1"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content" >

            <requestFocus />
        </EditText>

        <Button
            android:id="@+id/button1"
            android:layout_width="200dp"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:text="Login" />

    </LinearLayout>

</LinearLayout>

4) Create the activity AutoStartActivity

package com.boot;

import android.app.Activity;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.view.KeyEvent;
import android.view.View;
import android.view.WindowManager;
import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.EditText;
import android.widget.Toast;

public class AutoStartActivity extends Activity {

@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.main);
final EditText ed=(EditText)findViewById(R.id.editText1);
Button b=(Button)findViewById(R.id.button1);
b.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener()
{
@Override
public void onClick(View v)
{
// TODO Auto-generated method stub
if(ed.getText().toString().equals("abc123"))
{
AutoStartActivity.this.finish();
}
else
{
Toast.makeText(AutoStartActivity.this, "Failed", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
}
}
});
}

@Override
public void onAttachedToWindow() {
   this.getWindow().setType(WindowManager.LayoutParams.TYPE_KEYGUARD);
   super.onAttachedToWindow();
}
}

• Run it in a new avd

Using Google Maps in Android

To use google map in our application follow the steps below:

• Getting the MD5 Fingerprint of the SDK Debug Certificate    

          For getting the MD5 certificate open your command prompt 

                  * change the path to the jdk's bin ie. the command will be like  [ cd C:\your path\bin ]

                  * now type the command 

                       keytool -list -alias androiddebugkey -keystore "your debug key store path" -storepass android 

                        -keypass android

                  * 'your debug key store path' can be obtained from Eclipse-window>preferences>android>build.

• Registering the Certificate Fingerprint with the Google Maps Service 

          For getting the API key using MD5 key go to http://code.google.com/android/maps-api-signup.html

and type your MD5 key there, accept the agreement and click the "Generate API Key" button.

• Add the Maps API Key to your Application

         <com.google.android.maps.MapView android:layout_width="fill_parent"
                android:layout_height="fill_parent"
                android:enabled="true"
                android:clickable="true"
                android:apiKey="example_Maps_ApiKey_String"/>

**  How to get MD5 fingerprint when you get  SHA1 from your command prompt???

• While generating MD5 fingerprint for jdk version 1.7, it generates the fingerprint with SHA1  by default.But  the Google Maps doesn't recognize it.So you have to give the below command in the command prompt to get MD5 and SHA1 fingerprint.                                                               

keytool -list -v -alias androiddebugkey -keystore "your debug key store path" -storepass android -keypass android