Android: Overlay button onClick is never getting called

Question

I have created an application that runs a service. The service basically has an Overlay button and the button on click does something. However, everytime, I click on the button, the application in the background of the button is responding. Please can someone help?

I have referred to link.

Here is my code:

Service code:

public class HUD extends Service implements OnTouchListener{
    Button mButton;
    @Override
    public IBinder onBind(Intent intent) {
        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
        String s;
        s = "Hari";

        return null;
    }
    @Override
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();
        //mView = new HUDView(this);
        mButton = new Button(this);
        mButton.setText("Overlay button");
        mButton.setOnTouchListener(this);

        WindowManager.LayoutParams params = new WindowManager.LayoutParams(
                WindowManager.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT,
                WindowManager.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT,
                WindowManager.LayoutParams.TYPE_SYSTEM_OVERLAY,
                WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_WATCH_OUTSIDE_TOUCH,
                PixelFormat.TRANSLUCENT);
        params.gravity = Gravity.RIGHT | Gravity.TOP;
        params.setTitle("Load Average");
        WindowManager wm = (WindowManager) getSystemService(WINDOW_SERVICE);
        wm.addView(mButton, params);
    }

    @Override
    public void onDestroy() {
        super.onDestroy();
        Toast.makeText(getBaseContext(),"onDestroy", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
        if(mButton != null)
        {
            ((WindowManager) getSystemService(WINDOW_SERVICE)).removeView(mButton);
            mButton = null;
        }
    }
    @Override
    public boolean onTouch(View v, MotionEvent event) {
        Toast.makeText(this,"Overlay button event", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
        return false;
    }
}

The manifest has the following permission as well:

I tried changing the types to

WindowManager.LayoutParams params = new WindowManager.LayoutParams(
        WindowManager.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT,
        WindowManager.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT,
        WindowManager.LayoutParams.TYPE_SYSTEM_ALERT,
        WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_WATCH_OUTSIDE_TOUCH,

Now, wherever I click, the touch event is getting called. Please can someone help me?

Returning false in onTouch will tell the application to continue to process the touch as if the button had not been touched. Try returning true. — anthonycr, Jul 23 '13 at 16:49

qweret · Answer 1 · 2013-10-23T15:09:06.003

The problem is you are using WindowManager.LayoutParams.TYPE_SYSTEM_OVERLAY. I think since some Android 4.x it is not usable anymore. This is the way i realized an overlay Button:

public class OverlayButton extends Service implements OnTouchListener {

    Button mButton;
    WindowManager wm;

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

    @Override
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();

        mButton = new Button(this);
        mButton.setText("Overlay button");
        mButton.setTextColor(Color.BLACK);
        mButton.setOnTouchListener(this);

        WindowManager.LayoutParams params = new WindowManager.LayoutParams(150,
                     150, WindowManager.LayoutParams.TYPE_PHONE, WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_NOT_TOUCH_MODAL
                    | WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_WATCH_OUTSIDE_TOUCH, PixelFormat.TRANSLUCENT);

        params.gravity = Gravity.LEFT | Gravity.CENTER;
        wm = (WindowManager) getSystemService(WINDOW_SERVICE);
        wm.addView(mButton, params);
    }

    @Override
    public void onDestroy() {
        super.onDestroy();
        Toast.makeText(getBaseContext(), "onDestroy", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
        if (mButton != null) {
            ((WindowManager) getSystemService(WINDOW_SERVICE)).removeView(mButton);
            mButton = null;
        }
    }

    @Override
    public boolean onTouch(View v, MotionEvent event) {

        if (event.getAction() == MotionEvent.ACTION_UP) {
            Log.d("OverlayButton onTouch", "touched the button");
            stopSelf();
        }
        return true;
    }
}

What i did is, i also gave him the ability to disappear again, if i touch him.

This is the way i let him appear:

getActivity().startService(new Intent(getActivity().getBaseContext(), OverlayButton.class));

but, if you start it from your Activity, just use:

startService(new Intent(this, OverlayButton.class));

And don't forget to set these in your manifest:

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

And inside the tags also don't forget:

<service android:name="OverlayButton" ></service>

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 15 '14 at 11:26

When you use this WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_WATCH_OUTSIDE_TOUCH flag, it is telling the app to watch for all touches outside of your view.

Try using WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_NOT_TOUCH_MODAL instead. This will intercept touches only on your view.

To confirm, you need to be using WindowManager.LayoutParams.TYPE_SYSTEM_ALERT to make the view clickable.

Android: Overlay button onClick is never getting called

2 Answers2