Listen to volume buttons in background service?

Question

I know how to listen to volume buttons in an activity. But can I do that in a background service? If yes, how to do that?

Answer 1

IT IS POSSIBLE. Use code below (FOR NEWER ANDROIDS, ESP. MARSHMALLOW, SEE BOTTOM OF THE ANSWER):

public class SettingsContentObserver extends ContentObserver {
    int previousVolume;
    Context context;

    public SettingsContentObserver(Context c, Handler handler) {
        super(handler);
        context=c;

        AudioManager audio = (AudioManager) context.getSystemService(Context.AUDIO_SERVICE);
        previousVolume = audio.getStreamVolume(AudioManager.STREAM_MUSIC);
    }

    @Override
    public boolean deliverSelfNotifications() {
        return super.deliverSelfNotifications();
    }

    @Override
    public void onChange(boolean selfChange) {
        super.onChange(selfChange);

        AudioManager audio = (AudioManager) context.getSystemService(Context.AUDIO_SERVICE);
        int currentVolume = audio.getStreamVolume(AudioManager.STREAM_MUSIC);

        int delta=previousVolume-currentVolume;

        if(delta>0)
        {
            Logger.d("Ściszył!"); // volume decreased.
            previousVolume=currentVolume;
        }
        else if(delta<0)
        {
            Logger.d("Zrobił głośniej!"); // volume increased.
            previousVolume=currentVolume;
        }
    }
}

Then in your service onCreate register it with:

mSettingsContentObserver = new SettingsContentObserver(this,new Handler());
getApplicationContext().getContentResolver().registerContentObserver(android.provider.Settings.System.CONTENT_URI, true, mSettingsContentObserver );

Then unregister in onDestroy:

getApplicationContext().getContentResolver().unregisterContentObserver(mSettingsContentObserver);

Note that this example judges by change of media volume, if you want to use other volume, change it!

UPDATE:

Above method supposedly doesn't work on Marshmallow, BUT there's much better way now since MediaSession was introduced! So first you have to migrate your code to MediaController/MediaSession pattern and then use this code:

private VolumeProviderCompat myVolumeProvider = null;

myVolumeProvider = new VolumeProviderCompat(VolumeProviderCompat.VOLUME_CONTROL_RELATIVE, maxVolume, currentVolume) {
    @Override
    public void onAdjustVolume(int direction) {
        // <0 volume down
        // >0 volume up

    }
};

mSession.setPlaybackToRemote(myVolumeProvider);

Somehow volume button presses are detected even with screen off (just be sure to register proper media button intent receiver if applicable for your platform!)

UPDATE 2 since GalDude requested some more info on getting media MediaSession/MediaController. Sorry, but since I stopped using Java it will be in Kotlin:

lateinit var mediaSession: MediaSessionCompat // you have to initialize it in your onCreate method
val kontroler: MediaControllerCompat
 get() = mediaSession.controller // in Java it's just getController() on mediaSession

// in your onCreate/start method:
mediaSession = MediaSessionCompat(this, "YourPlayerName", receiver, null)
mediaSession.setFlags(MediaSessionCompat.FLAG_HANDLES_MEDIA_BUTTONS or MediaSessionCompat.FLAG_HANDLES_TRANSPORT_CONTROLS)
mediaSession.isActive = true
if (ratingIsWorking) // note: rating crashes on some machines you have to check it!
    mediaSession.setRatingType(RatingCompat.RATING_5_STARS)

mediaSession.setCallback(object : MediaSessionCompat.Callback() {
...
// here you have to implement what happens with your player when play/pause/stop/ffw etc. is requested - see exaples elsewhere
})

// onDestroy/exit method:
mediaSession.isActive = false
mediaSession.release()

Answer 2

You need to play blank sound from service then only you can listen to volume changes. Following worked for me

Steps

1. Put blank.mp3 in raw folder (Download from here)

2. Start media at onStartCommand()

private MediaPlayer mediaPlayer;

public MyService() {
}

@Override
public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {

    ........

    mediaPlayer = MediaPlayer.create(this, R.raw.blank);
    mediaPlayer.setLooping(true);
    mediaPlayer.start();

    .......

    return START_STICKY;
}

3. You must choose to stop and release mediaplayer. It's better to do so in onDestroy()

@Override
public void onDestroy() {

    mediaPlayer.stop();
    mediaPlayer.release();

    super.onDestroy();
}

4. Create Broadcast receiver that will listen for volume changes

int volumePrev = 0;

private BroadcastReceiver broadcastReceiver = new BroadcastReceiver() {
    @Override
    public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {

        if ("android.media.VOLUME_CHANGED_ACTION".equals(intent.getAction())) {

            int volume = intent.getIntExtra("android.media.EXTRA_VOLUME_STREAM_VALUE",0);

            Log.i(TAG, "volume = " + volume);

            if (volumePrev  < volume) {
                Log.i(TAG, "You have pressed volume up button");
            } else {
                Log.i(TAG, "You have pressed volume down button");
            }
            volumePrev = volume;
        }
    }
};

5. Register the broadcast receiver in onStartCommand()

@Override
public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {
    .....

    IntentFilter filter = new IntentFilter();
    filter.addAction("android.media.VOLUME_CHANGED_ACTION");
    registerReceiver(broadcastReceiver, filter);

    ....

    return START_STICKY;
}

6. Unregister broadccast receiver in onDestroy()

 @Override
public void onDestroy() {
    .....

    unregisterReceiver(broadcastReceiver);

    .....

    super.onDestroy();
}

That's all

Answer 3

This requires Lollipop (v5.0/API 21) or higher

My goal was to adjust system volume from a Service. Any action can be taken on press though.

public class VolumeKeyController {

    private MediaSessionCompat mMediaSession;
    private final Context mContext;

    public VolumeKeyController(Context context) {
        mContext = context;
    }

    private void createMediaSession() {
        mMediaSession = new MediaSessionCompat(mContext, KeyUtil.log);

        mMediaSession.setFlags(MediaSessionCompat.FLAG_HANDLES_MEDIA_BUTTONS |
                MediaSessionCompat.FLAG_HANDLES_TRANSPORT_CONTROLS);
        mMediaSession.setPlaybackState(new Builder()
                .setState(PlaybackStateCompat.STATE_PLAYING, 0, 0)
                .build());
        mMediaSession.setPlaybackToRemote(getVolumeProvider());
        mMediaSession.setActive(true);
    }

    private VolumeProviderCompat getVolumeProvider() {
        final AudioManager audio = mContext.getSystemService(Context.AUDIO_SERVICE);

        int STREAM_TYPE = AudioManager.STREAM_MUSIC;
        int currentVolume = audio.getStreamVolume(STREAM_TYPE);
        int maxVolume = audio.getStreamMaxVolume(STREAM_TYPE);
        final int VOLUME_UP = 1;
        final int VOLUME_DOWN = -1;

        return new VolumeProviderCompat(VolumeProviderCompat.VOLUME_CONTROL_RELATIVE, maxVolume, currentVolume) {
            @Override
            public void onAdjustVolume(int direction) {
                // Up = 1, Down = -1, Release = 0
                // Replace with your action, if you don't want to adjust system volume
                if (direction == VOLUME_UP) {
                    audio.adjustStreamVolume(STREAM_TYPE,
                            AudioManager.ADJUST_RAISE, AudioManager.FLAG_REMOVE_SOUND_AND_VIBRATE);
                }
                else if (direction == VOLUME_DOWN) {
                    audio.adjustStreamVolume(STREAM_TYPE,
                            AudioManager.ADJUST_LOWER, AudioManager.FLAG_REMOVE_SOUND_AND_VIBRATE);
                }
                setCurrentVolume(audio.getStreamVolume(STREAM_TYPE));
            }
        };
    }

    // Call when control needed, add a call to constructor if needed immediately
    public void setActive(boolean active) {
        if (mMediaSession != null) {
            mMediaSession.setActive(active);
            return;
        }
        createMediaSession();
    }

    // Call from Service's onDestroy method
    public void destroy() {
        if (mMediaSession != null) {
            mMediaSession.release();
        }
    }
}