Starting an Intent to Launch an app to Background in Android

Question

Hi all,

I'm using Wikitude API 1.1 as an AR viewer in my application. The problem with Wikitude, if I haven't launched the actual Wikitude application since the phone's bootup, I will get a NullPointerException everytime I start my own application.

So I figure if I can start my app first and them check if Wikitude is installed and or running. If it's not installed, go to market n download. If it's not running, then we should run it straight to background so that my app doesn't loose its focus.

    // Workaround for Wikitude
    this.WIKITUDE_PACKAGE_NAME = "com.wikitude";
    PackageManager pacMan = Poligamy.this.getPackageManager();
    try {
        PackageInfo pacInfo = pacMan.getPackageInfo(this.WIKITUDE_PACKAGE_NAME, pacMan.GET_SERVICES);
        Log.i("CheckWKTD", "Wikitude is Installed");
        ActivityManager aMan = (ActivityManager) this.getSystemService(ACTIVITY_SERVICE);
        List<RunningAppProcessInfo> runningApps = aMan.getRunningAppProcesses();
        int numberOfApps = runningApps.size();

        for(int i=0; i<numberOfApps; i++) {
            if(runningApps.get(i).processName.equals(this.WIKITUDE_PACKAGE_NAME)) {
                this.WIKITUDE_RUNNING = 1;
                Log.i("CheckWKTD", "Wikitude is Running");
            }
        }
        if(this.WIKITUDE_RUNNING == 0) {
            Log.i("CheckWKTD", "Wikitude is NOT Running");
            /*final Intent wIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_MAIN, null);
            wIntent.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_LAUNCHER);
            final ComponentName cn = new ComponentName("com.wikitude", 
                    "com.mobilizy.wikitudepremium.initial.Splash");
            wIntent.setComponent(cn);
            wIntent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NO_USER_ACTION);
            startActivityIfNeeded(wIntent, 0);*/
        }
    } catch (NameNotFoundException e) {
        // TODO Auto-generated catch block
        Log.i("CheckWKTD", "Wikitude is NOT Installed");
        e.printStackTrace();
        //finish();
    }

The part I block commented is the intent to start Wikitude. But I always failed in restricting Wikitude to background. Any help? Thanks before.

Best, Tista

Answer 1

There is no such thing as "run it straight to background".

I would focus on fixing your NullPointerException by contacting WIKITUDE and figuring out why you are getting it if their app has not yet been run.