Various Useful Intent

1. Intent open a picture file public:

Intent intent = new Intent("android.intent.action.VIEW");
intent.addCategory("android.intent.category.DEFAULT");
intent.addFlags (Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
Uri uri = Uri.fromFile(new 
File("/mnt/sdcard/images/001041580.jpg"));
intent.setDataAndType (uri, "image/*");
this.startActivity(intent);

2. Intent to open a PDF file:

Intent intent = new Intent("android.intent.action.VIEW");
intent.addCategory("android.intent.category.DEFAULT");
intent.addFlags (Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
Uri uri = Uri.fromFile(new 
File("file:///android_asset/helphelp.pdf"));
intent.setDataAndType (uri, "/html");
this.startActivity(intent);

3. Intent to open a text file:

Intent intent = new Intent("android.intent.action.VIEW");
intent.addCategory("android.intent.category.DEFAULT");
intent.addFlags (Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
if (paramBoolean)
{
Uri uri1 = Uri.parse (param);
intent.setDataAndType (URI1, "text/plain");
}
else
{
Uri uri = Uri.fromFile(new File("/mnt/sdcard/hello.txt"));
intent.setDataAndType (URI2, "text/plain");
}
this.startActivity(intent);

4. Intent to open the audio file:

Intent intent = new Intent("android.intent.action.VIEW");
intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_CLEAR_TOP);
intent.putExtra ("oneshot", 0);
intent.putExtra ("configchange", 0);
Uri uri = Uri.fromFile(new File("/mnt/sdcard/ren.mp3"));
intent.setDataAndType (uri, "audio/*");
this.startActivity(intent);

5. Intent to open the video file:

Intent intent = new Intent("android.intent.action.VIEW");
intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_CLEAR_TOP);
intent.putExtra ("oneshot", 0);
intent.putExtra ("configchange", 0);
Uri uri = Uri.fromFile(new File("/mnt/sdcard/ice.avi"));
intent.setDataAndType (uri, "video/*");
this.startActivity(intent);

6. Intent to open the CHM file:

Intent intent = new Intent("android.intent.action.VIEW");
intent.addCategory("android.intent.category.DEFAULT");
intent.addFlags (Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
Uri uri = Uri.fromFile(new File("/mnt/sdcard/ice.chm"));
intent.setDataAndType (uri, "application / x-chm");
this.startActivity(intent);

7. Intent to open a Word document:

Intent intent = new Intent("android.intent.action.VIEW");
intent.addCategory("android.intent.category.DEFAULT");
intent.addFlags (Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
Uri uri = Uri.fromFile(new File("/system/etc/help.doc"));
intent.setDataAndType(uri, "application/msword");
this.startActivity(intent);

8. Android Excel intent:

Intent intent = new Intent("android.intent.action.VIEW");
intent.addCategory("android.intent.category.DEFAULT");
intent.addFlags (Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
Uri uri = Uri.fromFile(new File("/mnt/sdcard/Book1.xls"));
intent.setDataAndType (uri, "application/vnd.ms-excel");
this.startActivity(intent);

9. Intent to open the PPT file:

Intent intent = new Intent("android.intent.action.VIEW");
intent.addCategory("android.intent.category.DEFAULT");
intent.addFlags (Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
Uri uri = Uri.fromFile(new 
File("/mnt/sdcard/download/Android_PPT.ppt"));
intent.setDataAndType (uri, "application/vnd.ms-powerpoint");
this.startActivity(intent);

10. Display Html page::

Uri uri = Uri.parse ("http://www.google.com"); 
Intent intent = new Intent (Intent.ACTION_VIEW, uri); 
this.startActivity(intent);

11. Show map:

Uri uri = Uri.parse ("geo: 38.899533, -77.036476"); 
Intent intent = new Intent (Intent.Action_VIEW, uri); 
this.startActivity(intent);

12. Call the dialer:

Uri uri = Uri.parse ("tel: xxxxxx"); 
Intent intent = new Intent (Intent.ACTION_DIAL, uri); 
this.startActivity(intent);

13. Call :

Uri uri = Uri.parse ("tel: xxxxxx"); 
Intent it = new Intent (Intent.ACTION_CALL, uri);  
this.startActivity(intent);
/*permission: 

 */

14. Call to send text messages of the program :

Intent intent = new Intent (Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
intent.putExtra("sms_body", "The SMS text");
intent.setType("vnd.android-dir/mms-sms");
this.startActivity(intent);

15. Send SMS :

Uri uri = Uri.parse("smsto:0800000123");
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_SENDTO, uri);
intent.putExtra("sms_body", "The SMS text");
this.startActivity(intent);

16. Send MMS :

Uri uri = Uri.parse("content://media/external/images/media/23");
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_SEND);
intent.putExtra("sms_body", "some text");
intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_STREAM, uri);
intent.setType("image/png"); 
this.startActivity(intent);

17. Send an Email :

Uri uri = Uri.parse ("mailto: xxx@abc.com"); 
Intent intent = new Intent (Intent.ACTION_SENDTO, uri);  
this.startActivity(intent);

18. Send an Email with body :

Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_SEND);
intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_EMAIL,"me@abc.com");
intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_TEXT,"The email body text");
intent.setType ("text/plain");
this.startActivity(
Intent.createChooser(intent, "Choose Email Client"));  

19. Send an Email with body,to,cc :

Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_SEND);
String [] tos ={"me@abc.com"};
String [] ccs ={"you@abc.com"};
intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_EMAIL, tos);
intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_CC, ccs);
intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_TEXT, "The email body text");
intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SUBJECT, "The email subject text");
intent.setType("message/rfc822");
this.startActivity(
Intent.createChooser(intent, "Choose Email Client"));  

20. Send an Email with attachments :

Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_SEND);
intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SUBJECT,"The email subject text");
intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_STREAM,"file :///sdcard/mysong.mp3");
sendIntent.setType("audio/mp3");
this.startActivity(
Intent.createChooser(intent,"Choose Email Client"));  

21. Uninstall the program :

Uri uri = Uri.fromParts ("package", strPackageName, null);
Intent intent = new Intent (Intent.ACTION_DELETE, uri); 
this.startActivity(
Intent.createChooser(intent,"Choose Email Client"));  

22. Install the apk :

Uri installUri = Uri.fromParts("package", "xxx", null);
returnIt = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_PACKAGE_ADDED, installUri); 
this.startActivity(returnIt);  

23. Search applications :

Uri uri = Uri.parse("market://search?Q=pname:pkg_name");
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW, uri);
this.startActivity(intent);  
//Where pkg_name is the full package path for an application

24. Google Search Launch Web Browser :

Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_WEB_SEARCH);
String term = "Android";
intent.putExtra(SearchManager.QUERY, term);
activity.startActivity(intent);

25. Send text using Intent (to messaging apps) :

Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_WEB_SEARCH);
String msgBody = "This is message";
Intent intent = new Intent(android.content.Intent.ACTION_SEND);
intent.setType("text/plain");
intent.putExtra(android.content.Intent.EXTRA_SUBJECT, 
"message subject");
intent.putExtra(android.content.Intent.EXTRA_TEXT, msgBody);
activity.startActivity(Intent.createChooser(intent, getResources().
getString(R.string.share_by_using)));

26. Create Shortcut on "Home Screen" :

Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_WEB_SEARCH);
Intent toPrint = new Intent(this, anCreateshutcut.class);  
Intent addShortcut = new Intent
("com.android.launcher.action.INSTALL_SHORTCUT");  
addShortcut.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_NAME, "Shutcutname");  
addShortcut.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_INTENT, toPrint);  
addShortcut.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SHORTCUT_ICON_RESOURCE, 
Intent.ShortcutIconResource.fromContext(this, R.drawable.icon));

Manifest file:
  
    
    

Started Services in Android

We create an started service in two way:

By Extending Service Class:

This is the base class for all services. When you extend this class, it’s important that you create a new thread in which to do all the service’s work, because the service uses your application’s main thread, by default, which could slow the performance of any activity your application is running.

By Extending IntentService:

This is a subclass of Service that uses a worker thread to handle all start requests, one at a time. This is the best option if you don’t require that your service handle multiple requests simultaneously. All you need to do is implement onHandleIntent(), which receives the intent for each start request so you can do the background work.

Services in Android

A service is an application component that can run some long running task in the background without the need for a user interface.

NOTE: Services run in the main thread of their hosting process.

Why Services in Android?:
A Service is use :

• to tell the system about something our application wants to be doing in the background.
  
• to expose some of its functionality to other Components of our Application.
  
• to expose some of its functionality to other third party Applications.
  

Forms of Service:

• Unbound(Started) Service:
  When an appliction component start an service by calling startservice() method, service is called started service.
  
• Bound Service:
  When an appliction component start an service by calling bindservice() method, service is called bound service.