How to Create a Service Which Continuously Monitors App Usage Information

How to create a Service which continuously monitors app usage information?

As you wrote that the task is about monitoring 3-rd party applications, there is no solution other than periodically read a list of processes and detecting foreground process. You need a service for this. Unfortunately, Android does not provide means such as broadcast events for foreground process change.

The task requires a lot of code in fact, at least much more than an ordinary answer could comprise. I'm posting a part of it here, but you should address many nuances left behind the scenes, such as synchronization and persisting information between launches. This is just a skeleton.

First, lets code an application object, which is a good place to register all instance related stuff.

MonitorApp

public class MonitorApp extends Application
{
  // actual store of statistics
  private final ArrayList<HashMap<String,Object>> processList = new ArrayList<HashMap<String,Object>>();

  // fast-access index by package name (used for lookup)
  private ArrayList<String> packages = new ArrayList<String>();

  public ArrayList<HashMap<String,Object>> getProcessList()
  {
    return processList;
  }

  public ArrayList<String> getPackages()
  {
    return packages;
  }

  // TODO: you need to save and load the instance data
  // TODO: you need to address synchronization issues
}

Then lets draft an activity.

MonitorActivity

import static ProcessList.COLUMN_PROCESS_NAME;
import static ProcessList.COLUMN_PROCESS_PROP;
import static ProcessList.COLUMN_PROCESS_COUNT;
import static ProcessList.COLUMN_PROCESS_TIME;

public class MonitorActivity extends Activity implements MonitorService.ServiceCallback
{
  private ArrayList<HashMap<String,Object>> processList;
  private MonitorService backgroundService;
  private MyCustomAdapter adapter = null;
  private ListView listView = null;

  @Override
  public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
  {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.main); // TODO: provide your layout
    listView = (ListView)findViewById(R.id.id_process_listview);
    createAdapter();

    this.bindService(
      new Intent(this, MonitorService.class),
      serviceConnection,
      Context.BIND_AUTO_CREATE);
  }

  private void createAdapter()
  {
    processList = ((MonitorApp)getApplication()).getProcessList();
    adapter = new MyCustomAdapter(this, processList, R.layout.complex_list_item,
    new String[]
    {
      COLUMN_PROCESS_NAME,
      COLUMN_PROCESS_PROP, // TODO: you may calculate and pre-fill this field
                           // from COLUMN_PROCESS_COUNT and COLUMN_PROCESS_TIME
                           // so eliminating the need to use the custom adapter
    },
    new int[]
    {
      android.R.id.text1,
      android.R.id.text2
    });

    listView.setAdapter(adapter);
  }

  // callback method invoked by the service when foreground process changed
  @Override
  public void sendResults(int resultCode, Bundle b)
  {
    adapter.notifyDataSetChanged();
  }

  private class MyCustomAdapter extends SimpleAdapter
  {
    MyCustomAdapter(Context context, List<? extends Map<String, ?>> data, int resource, String[] from, int[] to)
    {
      super(context, data, resource, from, to);
    }

    @Override
    public View getView (int position, View convertView, ViewGroup parent)
    {
      View result = super.getView(position, convertView, parent);

      // TODO: customize process statistics display
      int count = (Integer)(processList.get(position).get(COLUMN_PROCESS_COUNT));
      int seconds = (Integer)(processList.get(position).get(COLUMN_PROCESS_TIME));

      return result;
    }
  }

  private ServiceConnection serviceConnection = new ServiceConnection()
  {
    @Override
    public void onServiceConnected(ComponentName className, IBinder service)
    {
      LocalBinder binder = (LocalBinder)service;
      backgroundService = binder.getService();
      backgroundService.setCallback(MonitorActivity.this);
      backgroundService.start();
    }

    @Override
    public void onServiceDisconnected(ComponentName className)
    {
      backgroundService = null;
    }
  };

  @Override
  public void onResume()
  {
    super.onResume();
    if(backgroundService != null)
    {
      backgroundService.setCallback(this);
    }
  }

  @Override
  public void onPause()
  {
    super.onPause();
    if(backgroundService != null)
    {
      backgroundService.setCallback(null);
    }
  }

}

The activity launches a background worker service, which does actually monitor processes. You could possibly move the service registration from the activity into the application instance. The service itself is something like this:

MonitorService

public class MonitorService extends Service
{
  private boolean initialized = false;
  private final IBinder mBinder = new LocalBinder();
  private ServiceCallback callback = null;
  private Timer timer = null;
  private final Handler mHandler = new Handler();
  private String foreground = null;
  private ArrayList<HashMap<String,Object>> processList;
  private ArrayList<String> packages;
  private Date split = null;

  public static int SERVICE_PERIOD = 5000; // TODO: customize (this is for scan every 5 seconds)

  private final ProcessList pl = new ProcessList(this)
  {
    @Override
    protected boolean isFilteredByName(String pack)
    {
      // TODO: filter processes by names, return true to skip the process
      // always return false (by default) to monitor all processes
      return false;
    }

  };

  public interface ServiceCallback
  {
    void sendResults(int resultCode, Bundle b);
  }

  public class LocalBinder extends Binder
  {
    MonitorService getService()
    {
      // Return this instance of the service so clients can call public methods
      return MonitorService.this;
    }
  }

  @Override
  public void onCreate()
  {
    super.onCreate();
    initialized = true;
    processList = ((MonitorApp)getApplication()).getProcessList();
    packages = ((MonitorApp)getApplication()).getPackages();
  }

  @Override
  public IBinder onBind(Intent intent)
  {
    if(initialized)
    {
      return mBinder;
    }
    return null;
  }

  public void setCallback(ServiceCallback callback)
  {
    this.callback = callback;
  }

  private boolean addToStatistics(String target)
  {
    boolean changed = false;
    Date now = new Date();
    if(!TextUtils.isEmpty(target))
    {
      if(!target.equals(foreground))
      {
        int i;
        if(foreground != null && split != null)
        {
          // TODO: calculate time difference from current moment
          // to the moment when previous foreground process was activated
          i = packages.indexOf(foreground);
          long delta = (now.getTime() - split.getTime()) / 1000;
          Long time = (Long)processList.get(i).get(COLUMN_PROCESS_TIME);
          if(time != null)
          { 
            // TODO: add the delta to statistics of 'foreground' 
            time += delta;
          }
          else
          {
            time = new Long(delta);
          }
          processList.get(i).put(COLUMN_PROCESS_TIME, time);
        }

        // update count of process activation for new 'target'
        i = packages.indexOf(target);
        Integer count = (Integer)processList.get(i).get(COLUMN_PROCESS_COUNT);
        if(count != null) count++;
        else
        {
          count = new Integer(1);
        }
        processList.get(i).put(COLUMN_PROCESS_COUNT, count);

        foreground = target;
        split = now;
        changed = true;
      }
    }
    return changed; 
  }

  public void start()
  {
    if(timer == null)
    {
      timer = new Timer();
      timer.schedule(new MonitoringTimerTask(), 500, SERVICE_PERIOD);
    }

    // TODO: startForeground(srvcid, createNotification(null));
  }

  public void stop()
  {
    timer.cancel();
    timer.purge();
    timer = null;
  }

  private class MonitoringTimerTask extends TimerTask
  {
    @Override
    public void run()
    {
      fillProcessList();

      ActivityManager activityManager = (ActivityManager)MonitorService.this.getSystemService(ACTIVITY_SERVICE);
      List<RunningTaskInfo> taskInfo = activityManager.getRunningTasks(1);
      String current = taskInfo.get(0).topActivity.getPackageName();

      // check if current process changed
      if(addToStatistics(current) && callback != null)
      {
        final Bundle b = new Bundle();
        // TODO: pass necessary info to UI via bundle
        mHandler.post(new Runnable()
        {
          public void run()
          {
            callback.sendResults(1, b);
          }
        });
      }
    }
  }

  private void fillProcessList()
  {
    pl.fillProcessList(processList, packages);
  }

}

The service utilizes a helper class for building process lists.

ProcessList

public abstract class ProcessList
{
  // process package name
  public static final String COLUMN_PROCESS_NAME = "process";

  // TODO: arbitrary property (can be user-fiendly name)
  public static final String COLUMN_PROCESS_PROP = "property";

  // number of times a process has been activated
  public static final String COLUMN_PROCESS_COUNT = "count";

  // number of seconds a process was in foreground
  public static final String COLUMN_PROCESS_TIME = "time";

  private ContextWrapper context;

  ProcessList(ContextWrapper context)
  {
    this.context = context;
  }

  protected abstract boolean isFilteredByName(String pack);

  public void fillProcessList(ArrayList<HashMap<String,Object>> processList, ArrayList<String> packages)
  {
    ActivityManager activityManager = (ActivityManager)context.getSystemService(Context.ACTIVITY_SERVICE);
    List<RunningAppProcessInfo> procInfo = activityManager.getRunningAppProcesses();

    HashMap<String, Object> hm;
    final PackageManager pm = context.getApplicationContext().getPackageManager();

    for(int i = 0; i < procInfo.size(); i++)
    {
      String process = procInfo.get(i).processName;
      String packageList = Arrays.toString(procInfo.get(i).pkgList);
      if(!packageList.contains(process))
      {
        process = procInfo.get(i).pkgList[0];
      }

      if(!packages.contains(process) && !isFilteredByName(process))
      {
        ApplicationInfo ai;
        String applicationName = "";

        for(int k = 0; k < procInfo.get(i).pkgList.length; k++)
        {
          String thisPackage = procInfo.get(i).pkgList[k];
          try
          {
            ai = pm.getApplicationInfo(thisPackage, 0);
          }
          catch(final NameNotFoundException e)
          {
            ai = null;
          }
          if(k > 0) applicationName += " / ";
          applicationName += (String)(ai != null ? pm.getApplicationLabel(ai) : "(unknown)");
        }

        packages.add(process);
        hm = new HashMap<String, Object>();
        hm.put(COLUMN_PROCESS_NAME, process);
        hm.put(COLUMN_PROCESS_PROP, applicationName);
        processList.add(hm);
      }
    }

    // optional sorting
    Comparator<HashMap<String, Object>> comparator = new Comparator<HashMap<String, Object>>()
    {
      public int compare(HashMap<String, Object> object1, HashMap<String, Object> object2) 
      {       
        return ((String)object1.get(COLUMN_PROCESS_NAME)).compareToIgnoreCase((String)object2.get(COLUMN_PROCESS_NAME));
      }
    };
    Collections.sort(processList, comparator);

    packages.clear();
    for(HashMap<String, Object> e : processList)
    {
      packages.add((String)e.get(COLUMN_PROCESS_NAME));
    }
  }

}

Finally, the manifest.

AndroidManifest.xml

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

    <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="8" android:targetSdkVersion="18" />

    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.GET_TASKS" />

    <application
        android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name" >
        <activity
            android:name=".MonitorActivity"
            android:label="@string/app_name"
            android:configChanges="orientation|keyboardHidden" >
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
        <service android:name=".MonitorService" />
    </application>

</manifest>

As you may see, it's already a lot of code. It's partially extracted from a working application, but I made fast changes for your needs, so there may be typos, all imports are skipped, etc. Nevertheless, I hope this helps a bit.

ADDENDUM: Lollipop+

Beware: the latest Android versions broke the abovementioned approach. Here is what the official documentation says about getRunningTasks method and others:

As of LOLLIPOP, this method is no longer available to third party applications: the introduction of document-centric recents means it can leak person information to the caller. For backwards compatibility, it will still retu rn a small subset of its data: at least the caller's own tasks, and possibly some other tasks such as home that are known to not be sensitive.

I think this is an overkill and could be done in much more selective and convenient way. Not to mention that this seems too theatrical considering many built-in features from Google with privacy concerns. Anyway, we can do nothing with this.

The only workaround is to implement Android accessibility service (more info here and here) and intercept all actions with applications gaining and losing focus from there. The user should enable the service manually! Your application should somehow direct the user to do so.

How to create background service which constantly check GPS status?

Service , i get the reference from the stackoverflow

public class MyService extends Service
{
    private static final String TAG = "BOOMBOOMTESTGPS";
    private LocationManager mLocationManager = null;
    private static final int LOCATION_INTERVAL = 1000;
    private static final float LOCATION_DISTANCE = 10f;

    private class LocationListener implements android.location.LocationListener
    {
        Location mLastLocation;

        public LocationListener(String provider)
        {
            Log.e(TAG, "LocationListener " + provider);
            mLastLocation = new Location(provider);
        }

        @Override
        public void onLocationChanged(Location location)
        {
            Log.e(TAG, "onLocationChanged: " + location);
            mLastLocation.set(location);
        }

        @Override
        public void onProviderDisabled(String provider)
        {
            Log.e(TAG, "onProviderDisabled: " + provider);
        }

        @Override
        public void onProviderEnabled(String provider)
        {
            Log.e(TAG, "onProviderEnabled: " + provider);
        }

        @Override
        public void onStatusChanged(String provider, int status, Bundle extras)
        {
            Log.e(TAG, "onStatusChanged: " + provider);
        }
    }

    LocationListener[] mLocationListeners = new LocationListener[] {
            new LocationListener(LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER),
            new LocationListener(LocationManager.NETWORK_PROVIDER)
    };

    @Override
    public IBinder onBind(Intent arg0)
    {
        return null;
    }

    @Override
    public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId)
    {
        Log.e(TAG, "onStartCommand");
        super.onStartCommand(intent, flags, startId);
        return START_STICKY;
    }

    @Override
    public void onCreate()
    {
        Log.e(TAG, "onCreate");
        initializeLocationManager();
        try {
            mLocationManager.requestLocationUpdates(
                    LocationManager.NETWORK_PROVIDER, LOCATION_INTERVAL, LOCATION_DISTANCE,
                    mLocationListeners[1]);
        } catch (java.lang.SecurityException ex) {
            Log.i(TAG, "fail to request location update, ignore", ex);
        } catch (IllegalArgumentException ex) {
            Log.d(TAG, "network provider does not exist, " + ex.getMessage());
        }
        try {
            mLocationManager.requestLocationUpdates(
                    LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER, LOCATION_INTERVAL, LOCATION_DISTANCE,
                    mLocationListeners[0]);
        } catch (java.lang.SecurityException ex) {
            Log.i(TAG, "fail to request location update, ignore", ex);
        } catch (IllegalArgumentException ex) {
            Log.d(TAG, "gps provider does not exist " + ex.getMessage());
        }
    }

    @Override
    public void onDestroy()
    {
        Log.e(TAG, "onDestroy");
        super.onDestroy();
        if (mLocationManager != null) {
            for (int i = 0; i < mLocationListeners.length; i++) {
                try {
                    mLocationManager.removeUpdates(mLocationListeners[i]);
                } catch (Exception ex) {
                    Log.i(TAG, "fail to remove location listners, ignore", ex);
                }
            }
        }
    }

    private void initializeLocationManager() {
        Log.e(TAG, "initializeLocationManager");
        if (mLocationManager == null) {
            mLocationManager = (LocationManager) getApplicationContext().getSystemService(Context.LOCATION_SERVICE);
        }
    }
}

manifest

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION" />
<application
    android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"
    android:label="@string/app_name" >
    <activity android:label="@string/app_name" android:name=".LocationCheckerActivity" >
        <intent-filter >
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
            <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
        </intent-filter>
    </activity>
    <service android:name=".MyService" android:process=":my_service" />
</application>

How do you monitor another application until it closes?

Writing a separate service seems quite an overkill.

You can first obtain a Process object - say by Process.GetProcessesByName, or better - use the ProcessID of the process you wish to monitor, if you have it. You can then try obtaining a WaitHandle from it, as discussed e.g. here, then call WaitOne on it (or WaitAll, if you're monitoring several instances).

How to programmatically retrieve usage statistics of installed apps?

Sure, take a look at the following classes:

• ActivityManager
• ActivityManager.RunningTaskInfo
• PackageInfo

There are a few examples about how to do it if you look in StackOverflow for any of those classes.
I don't know if you can check how many times it was launched unless you log it somehow! About the interaction maybe you could make some stats checking memory usage? :S

Hope it helps :)

How to continuously monitor the Internet and updates my views in multiple screens

For monitoring network and Internet connection you can use NetworkEvents library, which I developed some time ago. It should meet your expectations. It uses BroadcastReceivers and Otto Event Bus under the hood. After properly registering and unregistering Bus and NetworkEvents. You can subscribe for your event in your activity like that:

@Subscribe
public void onConnectivityChanged(ConnectivityChanged event) {
   if(event.getConnectivityStatus() == ConnectivityStatus.WIFI_CONNECTED_HAS_INTERNET) {
      // enable your button
   } else if(event.getConnectivityStatus() == ConnectivityStatus.OFFLINE) {
     // disable your button
   }
}

You can also use status MOBILE_CONNECTED, when you want to perform specific action, when device is using mobile network.
For more details, read documentation of the library.

Another solution can be RxJava and RxAndroid, but in that case, probably you will have to handle Internet connection check by yourself. You can read about RxAndroid here: http://blog.danlew.net/2014/10/08/grokking-rxjava-part-4/.

EDIT:

I've created another project, which solves the same problem, but this time with RxJava and Reactive Programming approach. It's a successor of NetworkEvents library. It's called ReactiveNetwork and can be found at: https://github.com/pwittchen/ReactiveNetwork. On the website of the repository you can find examples of usage and sample app.

How can I find the data usage on a per-application basis on Android?

The following links should help you figure out how to programmatically determine the data usage per application.

• Create a network monitor using Android's TrafficStats class

• Android Traffic Statistics Inside

You will need to implement your code to use the TraficStats API and track the number of bytes sent/received per UID (application).

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