AlarmManager has existed since the beginning of Android. It enables us schedule tasks to be done sometime in the future.

With AlarmManager, you can set some code that will be executed in the future.

Alarm Maanager belongs to android.app package and inherits from java.lang.Object. Even while the device is asleep, alarms are retained as long as they were registered. In this example we will see how to work with a Recurring/repeating alarms.

 

We will schedule showing of toast messages after a given number of seconds. For example, the user enters 5 in the edittexts and clicks start button, after every 5 seconds the toast message gets shown until the user clicks the cancel button to cancell the alarms. So we see how to start repeating alarms and cancel them. You can find more details about AlarmManager here.

Screenshot

• Here’s the screenshot of the project.

Android Recurring Alarms Example

Common Questions this example explores

• How to use android alarmmanager.
• How to set repeating/recurring alarms in android and cancel them.
• Starting and canceling alarms in android.
• How do I schedule work to be done in future in android?
• Easy recurring alarm manager example with a toast.

Tools Used

This example was written with the following tools:

• Windows 8
• AndroidStudio IDE
• Genymotion Emulator
• Language : Java
• Topic : Android Recurring Alarms, AlarmManager, Start Cancel Repeating alarms

Libaries Used

• We don’t use any third part library.

Source Code

Lets jump directly to the source code.

Build.Gradle

• Normally in android projects, there are two build.gradle files. One is the app level build.gradle, the other is project level build.gradle. The app level belongs inside the app folder and its where we normally add our dependencies and specify the compile and target sdks.
• Also Add dependencies for AppCompat and Design support libraries.
• Our MainActivity shall derive from AppCompatActivity while we shall also use Floating action button from design support libraries.

apply plugin: 'com.android.application'

android {
    compileSdkVersion 26
    buildToolsVersion "26.0.0"
    defaultConfig {
        applicationId "com.tutorials.hp.repeatingalarm"
        minSdkVersion 15
        targetSdkVersion 26
        versionCode 1
        versionName "1.0"
        testInstrumentationRunner "android.support.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner"
    }
    buildTypes {
        release {
            minifyEnabled false
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
        }
    }
}

dependencies {
    compile fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: ['*.jar'])
    androidTestCompile('com.android.support.test.espresso:espresso-core:2.2.2', {
        exclude group: 'com.android.support', module: 'support-annotations'
    })
    compile 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:26.+'
    compile 'com.android.support.constraint:constraint-layout:1.0.0-alpha7'
    compile 'com.android.support:design:26.+'
    testCompile 'junit:junit:4.12'
}

MyReceiver.java

• Our MyReceiver class.
• Derives from android.content.BroadcastReceiver.
• We override onReceive() method and perform task to be done when alarm rings here.

package com.tutorials.hp.repeatingalarm;

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

public class MyReceiver extends BroadcastReceiver {
    /*
   RING ALARM WHEN IN WHEN WE RECEIVE OUR BROADCAST
    */
    @Override
    public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
        Toast.makeText(context, "Alarm Ringing...", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
    }
}

MainActivity.java

• Our MainActivity class.
• Derives from AppCompatActivity which is a Base class for activities that use the support library action bar features.
• Methods: onCreate(),initializeViews(),initializeAlarmManager(),go().
• Inflated From activity_main.xml using the setContentView() method.
• The views we use are EditTexts and buttons.
• Reference them from our layout specification using findViewById().
• Initialize alarm manager.
• Start alarm using the setInExactRepeating().

package com.tutorials.hp.repeatingalarm;

import android.app.AlarmManager;
import android.app.PendingIntent;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.os.Build;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.support.design.widget.FloatingActionButton;
import android.support.v7.app.AppCompatActivity;
import android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar;
import android.view.View;
import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.EditText;
import android.widget.Toast;

public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {

    Button startBtn,cancelBtn;
    EditText timeTxt;
    AlarmManager alarmManager;
    PendingIntent pi;

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
        Toolbar toolbar = (Toolbar) findViewById(R.id.toolbar);
        setSupportActionBar(toolbar);

     initializeViews();
     initializeAlarmManager();

        FloatingActionButton fab = (FloatingActionButton) findViewById(R.id.fab);
        fab.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(View view) {
                go();
            }
        });

    }

    /*
    INITIALIZE VIEWS
     */
    private void initializeViews()
    {
        timeTxt= (EditText) findViewById(R.id.timeTxt);
        startBtn= (Button) findViewById(R.id.startBtn);
        cancelBtn= (Button) findViewById(R.id.cancelBtn);

        startBtn.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(View view) {
                go();
            }
        });
        cancelBtn.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(View view) {
                if(alarmManager != null)
                {
                    alarmManager.cancel(pi);
                }
            }
        });
    }
  /*
  INITIALIZE AND START OUR ALARM
  */
  private void initializeAlarmManager()
  {
    // INITIALIZE INTENT
    Intent intent=new Intent(this,MyReceiver.class);

        //PASS CONTEXT,YOUR PRIVATE REQUEST CODE,INTENT OBJECT AND FLAG
        pi= PendingIntent.getBroadcast(this,0,intent,0);

        //INITIALIZE ALARM MANAGER
        alarmManager= (AlarmManager) this.getSystemService(ALARM_SERVICE);
  }

    /*
    START OUR ALARM
     */
    private void go()
    {
        //GET TIME IN SECONDS
        int time=Integer.parseInt(timeTxt.getText().toString());

        //SET THE ALARM
       if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.CUPCAKE) {
            alarmManager.setInexactRepeating(AlarmManager.RTC_WAKEUP,System.currentTimeMillis()+(time*1000),time*1000,pi);
            Toast.makeText(MainActivity.this, "Alarm set in "+time+" seconds", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();

        }else
        {
            alarmManager.setRepeating(AlarmManager.ELAPSED_REALTIME,System.currentTimeMillis()+(time*1000),time*1000,pi);
            Toast.makeText(MainActivity.this, "Yes Alarm set in "+time+" seconds", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();

        }
    }

}

ActivityMain.xml

• ActivityMain.xml.
• This is a template layout for our MainActivity.
• Root layout tag is CoordinatorLayout from design support library.
• CordinatorLayout is viewgroup that is a superpowered on framelayout.
• CoordinatorLayout is intended for two primary use cases: As a top-level application decor or chrome layout As a container for a specific interaction with one or more child views
• Inside our CordinatorLayout we add : AppBarLayout,FloatingActionButton and include content_main.xml.
• AppBarLayout is vertical LinearLayout that implements scrolling features of material design concept.
• It should be a direct child of CordinatorLayout, otherwise alot of features won’t work.
• Inside the AppBarLayout we add our toolbar,which we give a blue color.
• We will add our widgets in our content_main.xml, not here as this is a template layout.
• Finally we have a FloatingActionButton, a class that derives from android.support.design.widget.VisibilityAwareImageButton. Its the round button you see in our user interface.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<android.support.design.widget.CoordinatorLayout 
    
    
    android_layout_width="match_parent"
    android_layout_height="match_parent"
    tools_context="com.tutorials.hp.repeatingalarm.MainActivity">

    <android.support.design.widget.AppBarLayout
        android_layout_width="match_parent"
        android_layout_height="wrap_content"
        android_theme="@style/AppTheme.AppBarOverlay">

        <android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar
            android_id="@+id/toolbar"
            android_layout_width="match_parent"
            android_layout_height="?attr/actionBarSize"
            android_background="?attr/colorPrimary"
            app_popupTheme="@style/AppTheme.PopupOverlay" />

    </android.support.design.widget.AppBarLayout>

    <include layout="@layout/content_main" />

    <android.support.design.widget.FloatingActionButton
        android_id="@+id/fab"
        android_layout_width="wrap_content"
        android_layout_height="wrap_content"
        android_layout_gravity="bottom|end"
        android_layout_margin="@dimen/fab_margin"
        app_srcCompat="@android:drawable/ic_dialog_email" />

</android.support.design.widget.CoordinatorLayout>

ContentMain.xml

• Our ContentMain.xml file.
• Shall get inflated to MainActivity.
• Root tag is ConstraintLayout.
• Contains EditTexts and two buttons.
• User will enter the number of seconds after which alarm rings in edittext.
• Then click start button to start alarm.
• And Cancel button to cancel alarm.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<android.support.constraint.ConstraintLayout 
    
    
    android_layout_width="match_parent"
    android_layout_height="match_parent"
    app_layout_behavior="@string/appbar_scrolling_view_behavior"
    tools_context="com.tutorials.hp.repeatingalarm.MainActivity"
    tools_showIn="@layout/activity_main">

    <LinearLayout
        android_layout_width="368dp"
        android_layout_height="327dp"
        android_orientation="vertical"
        app_layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent"
        android_layout_marginTop="8dp">
        <EditText
            android_id="@+id/timeTxt"
            android_layout_width="wrap_content"
            android_layout_height="wrap_content"
            android_layout_alignParentLeft="true"
            android_layout_alignParentTop="true"
            android_ems="10"
            android_hint="Number of seconds"
            android_inputType="numberDecimal"
            />

        <Button
            android_id="@+id/startBtn"
            android_layout_width="match_parent"
            android_layout_height="wrap_content"
            android_layout_alignRight="@+id/timeTxt"
            android_layout_below="@+id/timeTxt"
            android_text="Start"
            />
        <Button
            android_id="@+id/cancelBtn"
            android_layout_width="match_parent"
            android_layout_height="wrap_content"
            android_layout_alignRight="@+id/timeTxt"
            android_layout_below="@+id/timeTxt"
            android_text="Cancel"
            />

    </LinearLayout>

</android.support.constraint.ConstraintLayout>

Video/Preview

• We have a YouTube channel with almost a thousand tutorials, this one below being one of them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23Gw-11JFqc

Download

• You can Download the full Project below. Source code is well commented.

Download

How To Run

1. Download the project above.
2. You’ll get a zipped file,extract it.
3. Open the Android Studio.
4. Now close, already open project.
5. From the Menu bar click on File >New> Import Project.
6. Now Choose a Destination Folder, from where you want to import project.
7. Choose an Android Project.
8. Now Click on “OK“.
9. Done, your done importing the project,now edit it.

Conclusion.

We saw a simple android alarm manager example.

More

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