Android Question Widget Issue - Solved

[AllyAndroid]

I am working on adding a Widget to one of my apps. I followed the tutorial and was able to add the widget and get it working. But if I make any changes to the app and try to reinstall it on my phone, I always get the java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to create service error. After the error, it appears to go ahead and create the service.

This only happens when I have the widget already on my Home Screen. If I remove the widget and then re-install the app, I do not get the error.

java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to create service com.isotoria.turboflash.flashlight: java.lang.RuntimeException: java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException
    at android.app.ActivityThread.handleCreateService(ActivityThread.java:2595)
    at android.app.ActivityThread.access$1800(ActivityThread.java:139)
    at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1292)
    at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:102)
    at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:136)
    at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:5097)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:515)
    at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:785)
    at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:601)
    at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method)
Caused by: java.lang.RuntimeException: java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException
    at com.isotoria.turboflash.flashlight.onCreate(flashlight.java:33)
    at android.app.ActivityThread.handleCreateService(ActivityThread.java:2585)
    ... 10 more
Caused by: java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:515)
    at com.isotoria.turboflash.flashlight.onCreate(flashlight.java:31)
    ... 11 more
Caused by: java.lang.RuntimeException: java.lang.NullPointerException
    at com.isotoria.turboflash.main.initializeProcessGlobals(main.java:616)
    ... 14 more
Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException
    at com.isotoria.turboflash.main._process_globals(main.java:756)
    at com.isotoria.turboflash.main.initializeProcessGlobals(main.java:607)
    ... 14 more

** Service (flashlight) Create **
** Service (flashlight) Start **
** Activity (main) Create, isFirst = true **

Any suggestions on how to prevent this error from happening? I've tried debugging but it happens before any of my code is run.

 

[DonManfred]

It could help if you post some code (the widget-service)

 

[Erel]

There is something wrong in Sub Process_Globals in your main module.

You should only use this sub to declare variables.

 

[AllyAndroid]

It could help if you post some code (the widget-service)

This is all that I have in the Service.

#Region Module Attributes
    #StartAtBoot: False
#End Region
'Service module
Sub Process_Globals
    Dim rv As RemoteViews
End Sub
Sub Service_Create
    rv = ConfigureHomeWidget("widget", "rv", 0, "Turbo Flash",True)
End Sub
Sub Service_Start (StartingIntent As Intent)
    If rv.HandleWidgetEvents(StartingIntent) Then Return
End Sub
Sub rv_RequestUpdate
    rv.UpdateWidget
End Sub
Sub rv_Disabled
    StopService("")
End Sub
Sub Service_Destroy

End Sub
Sub ImageView1_Click
    StartActivity("Settings")
End Sub

The widget layout only contains a panel and an image view.

 

[AllyAndroid]

The error is occurring before any of this code is run.

 

[Erel]

Read my previous answer again...

 

[AllyAndroid]

Yep, totally misread that one the first time.

There were a few variables that I was setting default values to in the Sub Process_Globals of my main module.

IE: Public screenIndex As Int: screenIndex = 0

I moved setting my default values from Process_Globals to Activity_Create and that fixed the error on reloading the app.

Follow up question:

If setting the value of a variable in the Process_Globals sub is wrong, why does B4A allow it? Could that possibly be a warning in a future release? Or are there times when it is acceptable to do it?