The ability for people to create an application that will then start a service on the android device to fully run in the background.

Currently only 'background' mode is supported the ability to be able to write an app that could then start a service would allow some of the more creative apps that interact with SMS's or calls to run all the time even when the phone is not awake. This would also solve the issues users are having with timers being suspended when the device is suspended and breaking the desired functionality of an app.

Don't know about it running as a service, but running in the background would be great. Having your app no longer running when you try to recall it later because android killed it in the background is a pain.

This would be great. We need an option to make an app run and start in the background only and only pop up when needed. Also it would need to autorun when turning on the phone.

Be able to tell the app to keep running even if the phone sleeps. I made a quake detector app that sounds when there is an earthquake (via the accellerometer) but it is suspended when phone locks and screen is turn off.

I would use this feature to monitor the current gps location and signal events based on proximity.

I've been trying to make an alarm style application and its really annoying that you can't use the phone for anything else if you want that app to keep on running

Need this feature as well (auto start application, fully in background, no screen popping up, continue running when phone goes to sleep) for a LBS.

This would be great. So you don't need your app on the screen for it to function, either a service or running in the background!

All kind of things to be done...hook up to Google Calendar...background services, wifi?

This feature would be most welcome! One of the apps I am working on needs this. The planned implementation would be to receive a specially coded sms signaling the service to access the tinywebdb component and download the appropriate data (for my service techs on the road). Currently, this only works while the app has focus. This would be a real life saver!

Even people who dont know they want this feature want this feature!

Yes, it would be really great if an application would be at least able to stay in backgound!

As a workaround you can use app inventor to start a background process.

If you use SL4A you can program a background process in for example python.

For more info: http://code.google.com/p/android-scripting/wiki/AppInventor

4 month old ticket, but i will chime in here... This is NEEDED by many. Between this issue and the contact picker issues, "App Inventor" is useless to me, i think i will be having to go back to IDE with Android packages.

Issue 21 has been merged into this issue.

definately need this, to keep countdown timer running once set in my app

Need this ability so app can monitor events even when phone sleeps

It's crucial feature to implement many brilliant ideas!!!!

Running in background, start in background and autorun is very much needed.

Running in background is really needed.

We agree! I've wanted this myself on several occasions. It is mostly a matter of when we have time to do it.

Yea i know, it has only been about 6 months... And it has been almost as long since a "project member" has mentioned anything. Multiple comments & #6 out of 800+ current items in amount of times starred. Not sure why time cant be made to actually start working on it.

@austin: Just because we star an issue doesn't put it at the top of the list. Google have their own priority list of things to get done. You've waited this long for it; keep the faith: it's coming.

Sorry to be a bore, but im onto my 2nd app and really need a way of auto starting my app when the phone switches on.

This is the best interesting feature thtat I'm waiting

Use netbeans or eclipse lol, thats about the best answer you will get. This issue isn't even started so out will be months out

@austin: Can we use eclipse for App Inventor? If we can make code in Java, we never see the App Inventor, which means we are came here since we cannot to do that you referenced...

Depending on your computer skills, memory retainment, etc you could learn how to do things in JAVA that AI is doing in the amount of time it takes for the Google team to have everything everyone needs to make apps.

Believe me, this issue & issue 202 are why i do not use AI. AI is much more user friendly because it provides a UI instead of straight codes.

But if you need full features, using arrays and dynamics, this issue & #202, etc you are going to have to do as i suggested and work with another IDE until it is added here, which as i said will be months (based on the rate of change of the status's)

need it

gimme gimme gimme please

Please address this Google gang. This fix would vastly increase the range of functionality for simple apps. Properties->Run in background. Thanks.

I have built several apps that listen for incoming text messages. Upon receiving certain text messages from specific contacts the user has previously specified, the app does certain things. Right now if the user launches a different app or reads an email for too long the app loses all of its functionality. All temporary variables are lost as well.

I have tried using timers in every combination possible to keep reviving the app and resetting the variables from values in tinyDB. That seems to extent the life somewhat but not for longer than about 20 minutes.

I also tried using activity starter to open .Sceen1 upon arriving at a date or time or upon receiving a text message but that caused duplicate instances of the app and it crashed. It would open the app but stay blank until it crashed when temporary variables where active. After that it did not work at all.

Without this function it is impossible to make any app that relies on date and time to execute a function like clocks, date based calculators, alerts, etc. etc.. It also makes it difficult to make apps that do cool stuff while the user is busy doing something else. This is extremely important IMO and I wonder why it has not been submitted before that I can see.

I also noticed in debug mode my AI apps show zero use of the system cache. Not sure if this is related or if it is just a handler type that needs to be added.

Please be patient, folks. We know that this is an important feature for lots of apps and we will add it. It is not a trivial change to App Inventor and it interacts with other advanced features that we are working on so it requires some thought and work. We will get to it!

Very much appreciated. Hope I didn't sound negative or complaining. We all very much appreciate the hard work you are doing. :)

The app that I am making with App Inventor currently requires the user to have it open to use it.

Due to the nature of the app, it's almost useless unless I can allow it to run in the background because the user shouldn't need to keep it open.

I agree this would be most beneficial for alot of us.

Wow... this is exactly what I was looking for. Glad it's in the queue. Wonderous ideas for apps that can only work if able to perpetually run in the background (or, as a service). Thanks for all your hard work, App Inventor team!!!!

It would definitely move AI a step up.

I need support for this too in my app! I have a lot of downloads already for my app and it would make the app even better with this option! Thanks guys! :)

Issue 1693 has been merged into this issue.

putting my name down here as well!

+1 on this issue allowing to keep running an application in the background is highly needed. there would be thousands of new possibilities with such feature; for instance: - play an alarm sound when the accelerometer detects movement or play the alarm sound when receiving a message with an specific text (pretty useful to avoid the decide being stolen).

Waiting for this implementation (app runs in background, no need for app's interface) ... I hope it's coming soon

i really need dis!!!

I am also trying to develop a location aware application, that becomes pretty useless when the app goes to sleep / dies in the background...can't wait for this feature!

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I want this for regular checks of web component and vibrate phone + taskbar icon when new item comes in.

I want this for regular checks of web component and vibrate phone + taskbar icon when new item comes in.

desperately needed !!!!

+1 need this ASAP. Shame its taking so long :(

Google ended App Developer. While they are open sourcing it and someone else may add this feature, Google will not.

Use Basic4Android, I needed this and was really easy to accomplish.

Same here, basic4android is really great

Really wating for that, run in backgroung mode.

In the Blocks editor, there is a new tab called "Advanced", which contains functions with "Any" preceeding their names. Where can I find more information about these functions?

Has there been any progress with this? It would be really great to have an indication if this is actively being worked on and if so roughly the timeline that we might see this by.

Thanks

I am just waiting for this "feature"...

Its Great huh!

Really waiting for run in backgroung mode!

Waiting

I need this. Still Waiting.

Issue 1484 has been merged into this issue.

I can´t believe this feature hasn´t been implemented yet. Is there any hope?

Open sourcing App Inventor and moving the project out of Google and into the MIT Center for Mobile Learning was a huge effort that pretty much occupied the entire App Inventor team for many months. Many desirable new features (like this one) were put on hold while that transition happened. Now that the MIT server is up and open to everyone, we are again starting to prioritize new features. Hopefully this one will come to the top of the list soon. I sympathize with your frustration!

Yeah!!!!!

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Any news yet on the background feature?

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Really would like to see this feature added! Thanks for all the hard work AI team!

I think using Activity Starter you can do some scripting... checkout this http://code.google.com/p/android-scripting/wiki/AppInventor this will help running in the background

Agree. Also am interested in periodic wake-up to check GPS proximity calculation.

need this for my texting app so the app opens when you get a text

Ok, add me to the pile of "Yes, please". The ability to have the app periodically execute a routine would be enormously useful.

Now, having said that - GREAT job on the whole App Inventor approach, I cannot believe how helpful this is to app development. I have drafted in days what would have taken weeks, possibly months. WELL Done!

I need this feature too. Thanks.

Hal and Jos from MIT are currently asking in the App Inventor forum:

We've been reluctant to put in general services because we want to keep App Inventor simple, and not force users to think about "services" versus "regular apps". Instead, we're trying to take an approach where there are components that have internal services, and these components sit in ordinary apps in a way that the app will not be killed.

This turns out to be hard to do, and we might not be able to pull this off. But to help us, we'd like to know the main examples for which you and other App Inventor users would like services for.

Therefore please write your examples to that thread https://groups.google.com/d/topic/programming-with-app-inventor/8IpnXEq-7Ic/discussion Thank you. Taifun

Hi all,

as discussed in the forum (see previous comment from Taifun) we are working on alternative ways to 'bake in' Services-like functionality inside certain components (such as Twitter and Texting).

We are also working on making it easy for advanced AI devs (with Java knowledge) to write their own components that can leverage virtually any feature of the SDK. More information pretty soon!

As an aside, I just want to make clear that I do not work for MIT; I'm involved in the development team as a volunteer in this open source project.

Awesome !!!!!!

Thank you. Please let us know. The possibility of building our own AI components for students is very exciting indeed.

Well all I really want is the ability to run my app on startup and run in the background. Would it not be easier to get Android to add a startup folder like windows has or am I missing the point?

Hi there, I am afraid it is not as easy as that. The app has to be programmed to be started by the system, and running on the background has to be done through certain techniques in the SDK too. We are finishing up the documentation to allow developers to create their own components, and this will allow using those parts of the SDK not currently supported by AI.

Thanks!

Issue 2277 has been merged into this issue.

I make an app & I just need it to run abot 15 minutes. It has a timer & after 15 minutes, it makes a sound. When screen locks, as we all know, the timer stops. So, when it comes to "just for a limited time (like 15 or mox 20 minutes), maybe it's a good point to start. A permission may be asked to the user of course. As everybody waited for so long for this, I think, at least, this can be done for a start...

sign

Having ability to run in background is essential. My app looks at incoming sms and responds, but it shuts down before it can become very effective. The "I'm Driving" SMS example simply stops working after a short time!

PLEASE PLEASE add this feature of running the AI's apps in the background. I need to keep a Bluetooth connection "alive" and keep the app making GET actions from a web server and I can't because when the screen goes to sleep, it all ... stops!!

My Alarm app is useless as the timers stop when the phone sleeps. I have the feeling this will never be solved in AI it seems to have been going on for a long time, over two years with no solution imminent. Please guys we really want this, heck you can get a rover on mars but can't prevent a timer from stopping.

I made an sms app in AI, that checks for keywords on received sms. If the keywords match, the AI app places the lat, long, message on screen, and save it in DB. Then the user can press a button, and it opens the navigator software to that given coordinates. Well, so far so good, but when the navigator open it kills my AI app, so I can´t receive new coordinates/messages and/or store it in db. Please make this possible, I think is a very useful and important feature to the growth of IA.

Hi all,

the final open source announcement was done today, please have a look at: https://groups.google.com/group/app-inventor-announcements/browse_thread/thread/955f0041db1bce7d

We will be adding an example of background processes (probably Broadcast Receivers) soon.

Enjoy!

Hi again,

a new Texting component that can receive messages in the background and create notifications can be seen in the latest source changes in github. Documentation is still not out, but you can have a look at the sources: http://appinventor.mit.edu/appinventor-sources/

This will be released shortly in the MIT server.

cheers!

I'm trying to build a simple siri app, it would be nice to have it become active by a specific gesture, run and listen for instructions all in the background this is what I would use it for

ditto 2 all comments above

Hi all. The only solution I found for this issue was to use a small application that keeps the screen always "on" and allows you to dim it to save some juice (I use a 2700mAh compatible battery anyway).

Has anyone find a solution now? im developing an app but the app is not listening if it is not in the main screen once in click on home button. the app is an sms app the converts receive sms to speech...

Meanwhile I created a small Java app which is running in the background and can start an App Inventor app after a trigger SMS has been received, more info see here http://puravidaapps.com/sms-receiver.php Taifun

Clever !

thanks taifunbear...its something! nice workaround.

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taifunbear this application is very nice. But we can do it without sms. Can we control the application, for example in 1 minute? Can we open if it is closed?

@ayanmuca... the issues list is not the best place to discuss that. Please post in the forum https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/programming-with-app-inventor Taifun

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Has there been any updates to this issue? I have a tinker phone that I have been using for various projects. I'm currently trying to send my phone up in a balloon. I have a 555 timer on a separate camera to take pictures. All I need the phone to do is check if it's moving every 4 minutes or so, and if it isn't, it will send a text to my personal phone.

Id really like to know if anyone has found ANY work around that I might be able to use. My friend was saying he thought there might be an os that would allow me to keep the screen on without the backlight going to save battery..

This really seems like an easy problem to solve, but I'm no expert.

Hi, as all of you, I have the same issue, but what I noticed is that when you press the home button and then you re-open the aplication but not from the aplication icon, you have to open it from the menu of the last aplications which were used recently, so when you open it like this, the cache previously stored in the memory when you launched the app for the first time will update the application next time you re-open it (from the last time it was used up to the current time). This is what Android does in every aplication. So it is not a solution but it works more less.

What my app does, is to track via GPS and then launch and email in order to report the position. It does it every hour, the problem here is that some times it does and some times it misess some reports because of the issues in background.

First-time AI user, my use-case is pretty simple I think, my app is just a looping timer that plays a sound when it reaches zero, then restarts for a predefined number of cycles... It gets killed when the screen turns off :( would be great if it could persist until it finishes, at which point it doesn't matter if it gets killed. /dom

Trying to create an alarm, facing the same problem as many, as the alarm does not run if the app is closed, only if it's running in the background which is not efficient. We need a solution for this problem as soon as possible please!

Dear lordwire1@gmail.com I was wondering what was the to do argument you used at the left bottom of the editor as it is not clear, please state the name of the procedure you used (the clock related blocks).. thank you!

Hi all,

as mentioned in previous replies, the only solution to this problem is to create your own component that contains the background service that you need. This will not be implemented in the main repository anytime soon (nor in the near future).

Feel free to contact the Open Source group for support on how to work with the App Inventor sources : http://appinventor.mit.edu/appinventor-sources/

I am new to app inventor started to use in June 2013. reading this thread, various situations in developing various kind of apps its needed to run it in background process ( specially in locating by GPS) one of this kind of need is faced by me too to develop certain slimier kind of application.

i would like to know; if the team from MIT or the other enthusiastic people working on this project to develop more and more functionality to app inventor have already given some provision for the issue.? what is the latest news of the same issue? is it been resolved ? please some one let me know, i am badly need that component ( procedure) to run my application in background. Thanks in advance.

ketan raval / date - 23/07/2013 / India.

no reply from any one ...

Please refer to comment #107 for a reply. Thanks.

i hope that

Great news concerning "How to refrain your device from sleeping"!

We now have a direct solution with App Inventor only. Thank you Omar for finding it out.

This is how it works: Include a videoplayer component width x height = 1x1, the videoplayer component must be visible on the screen. Upload a small dummy video. Start the video. In the video completed event start it again (or under some condition desired). By playing the video the application is running without sleep. It fades out the screen, then black, but the application still is running.

I updated my countdown example here http://puravidaapps.com/countdown.php, which uses this new solution.

Thank you again Omar! Taifun

I Need this feature as well :)

definitely, these features must be added as it sometimes mandatory in some developed applications

If the "Change Location" under the Location Sensor could also be triggered while the application is in the background (like the texting receive text does) that would be useful. I also am interested in doing current gps location and signal events based on proximity apps - like #5 at the top. Thank you.

Actually to ignore this issue is really a bad solution to helping people, this is a real world and people really do use this application to make apps so they dont have to learn a whole new language ie java, cordova doesn't work this doesn't work. so now i just wasted two weeks of my time just to find out i have to learn java instead of doing things a way i wished i could have done them.

Many apps use this feature but still nothing

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Still waiting for this great feature!!

The solution to this issue will be a great plus to appinventor developers

I need this also

Awesome capability. I've been working out details of an app that 'listens' for voice commands. If it could wake up on command that would really open some doors for very different types of apps now that VR is getting acceptably useful.

Along the same lines would be a way to essentially disable the devices sleep timer completely. ie. I want to have an app wait for an input (tap, shake, sprite swipe, etc) but do NOT want to have to force the user to wake up the device and possibly restart the app first. It needs to be there waiting, at least optionally, for the tap.

i need this also

need an app that even when in the background can process an SMS from the local ambulance service and then process the message.

Agreed that this is something that needs to be addressed. I have spent 3 weeks to familiarise myself with AI & to build my prototype, to find that I now have to desperately find a new solution with the school project deadline tightening in on me T^T I just need the app to sit & continue pinging my GPS data to Fusion Tables... any suggestions...?

I need this service too. I'm shure that all AI users would benefit to a function that could wake up an app if something happens. App inventor is fantastic, but the use of the apps created here is limited to the presens of the user. I can see the issue of annoying apps popping up with the background service available, but the user is king. No problem to remove it. If the AI should be a tool to use, get going! Great work anyway!!

I want this feature very badly also. Currently using Tasker to work it around

4 years since this forum started and nothing...

Hi all, I'm also new to AI and have picked it up in about a week due to the great user interface, but...Unfortunately, without this being fixed, it's a car without wheels. Very sad

I like "it's a car without wheels". I am also new to ai and i like the concept and i will continue. But there are basic missings like thé use of Android without user standing up before smartphone or bluetooth autoconnexion. I don't understand why these elementary points are note seen with app inventor. We hope.....Yes you can.....

2010 - 2015. Te same problem. :(

Unbelievable still no solution. Pending since Oct 2010. I think it is critical for lot of interesting applications.

Hi guys. Is it possible to use SL4A Scripting calls by an ActivityStarter: https://code.google.com/p/android-scripting/wiki/AppInventor as a substitute for a Service to make alarm clock app or receive sms messages or check a TinyWebDB for changes? I don't know anything about SL4A Scripting and i don't wanna waste my time if this doesn't work.

Indeed! After 4 years it should be time that this option is ready.

I've spent the week or so poking around trying to figure out a solution for this. Finally found it! I tried using the ActivityStarter with Tasker, but AI wouldn't broadcast unless it was in the foreground. But it will save a file. I just had Tasker monitor for that file to be modified, set a Flash task, and boom! Now I have Arduino with a Bluetooth module interacting with Tasker.

Put the awe back into awesome that MIT App Inventor will be.

Please add background / service running !!!

You guys at MIT or Google are pathetic... My project timer works fine until my phone goes to sleep....Great work.. :(

at least give us any walkarround... let us access to the manifest of our apk's

Same assessment on my own little project as of 1 December 2014: my timer works fine until my phone goes to sleep :(

Yeah! Background service is a must! Wanted to use this tool but it won't fit any of my projects....

needed so much!

Please please Help us guys we need this...

Please allow apps to run as a background service. Thanks! :)

Still Waiting.

Please allow apps to run as a background service otherwise ai2 is a useless tool.

I made an application for Arduino. The program reads the data via bluetooth and sends data on the Internet. When bluetooth connections of meaning it even works in the background. When concatenate no it does not work in the background. Used two first timer to concatenate the second bluetooth for internet concatenate

we really need it ...

still waiting...

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I'll add my voice to the chorus. This would be a wonderful feature.

this is the number 1 thing I need right now!

I am very new to app development (not programming) so please forgive me in advance. I have developed an app which processes SMS messages. It works fine as long as the app screen (there is only one) "has focus". As soon as another app screen shows then my app stops working. Is this the same issue as the other items in this thread?

many of waiters , jus like me hahahaha

waiting...

I found this trick https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/mitappinventortest/E-4qtjVUnRc/p35QTfquZqYJ

in my spanish tutorial about App inventor 2, I use this trick

http://iesromerovargas.es/android/inicio35.htm

Mi tutorial español sobre AI2

http://iesromerovargas.es/android

Saludos.

this would definately be a great feature

Can we get an approximate date?

Hello, everyone. I may bring good news to you all.

I have found/determined a way that the app can be run in the background. My app is a GPS tracker that uses a host device and a client device, it gets and stores values to my app engine server.

I have blocked the back button from working in the app by creating a variable called "nothing" and when the back button is pressed, it sets that value to "1". That stops the app killing itself.

I would suggest if you have any task killing apps, disable any auto kill features.

With the webdb's I have found that they can "getvalues" in the background even with the screen off. (This requires the back button blocking trick).

For the "storevalue" commands, it is a little more complicated. If your app has a refresh system, then you probably have a clock/timer in your app. The one and only component in ai that fully runs in the background is the player.

So, the solution is to make a muted audio track with the time length of your refresh clock/timer. Then move all the items within "Clock1 .Timer" to "Player1 .Completed".

This kind of works, but it would be good to see if it works for others.

Regards Jonathan

Want this Update!!

@Jonathan: Thanks a lot. The muted audio trick works perfectly fine.

Me need too please.

I'm no expert app inventor, but I created this little procedure that allows the app when you reopen it to calculate the time difference to what has been closed. Do not send notifications when the timer ends. but that's something.

Please Please Please add background service running

Same here, please add the background service running. Thanks!

Please Please add Background service running !!!

Can someone explain me why isn't possible extend this feature on open source ai2?

Please add background service running!!!!

Hello everyone, like all I'm looking for a solution to develop application with ai2 that works in background too. To me is not clear why ai2 doesn't create a service app. is there someone that can explain me why?

thanks

Seems counter-productive to give us a tutorial on an app (No Texting While Driving) that really is useless because it stops when the screen locks automatically. Running with other Apps to keep screen awake when app is running is limiting and battery draining. Really was discouraging to learn of this non-functionality of App Inventor 2.

Please include it.

I need to make a clock app that needs to run in the background and starting a service is what should keep it running in the background.

Please include run as service feature: very useful for example for make apps to store to do lists that sound an alarm at certain time or show a message with the thing to do

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any one will answer at least when this feature will be available ?????!!!!! really need things like timer to be working in the back ground or when screen is locked and take actions