Two launcher activities

Question

I have two activities marked with intent filter

<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
package="com.package"
android:versionCode="1"
android:versionName="1.0" >

<uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="7" />

<application
    android:name=".MyApp"
    android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"
    android:label="@string/app_name" >

    <!-- work order activity -->
    <activity
        android:name=".app.WorkOrderActivity"
        android:label="@string/work_order"
        android:taskAffinity="com.package.task_for_work_order_activity" >
        <intent-filter>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

            <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
        </intent-filter>
    </activity>

    <!-- inventory activity -->
    <activity
        android:name=".app.InventoryActivity"
        android:label="@string/inventory"
        android:taskAffinity="com.package.task_for_inventory_activity" >
        <intent-filter>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

            <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
        </intent-filter>
    </activity>
</application>

The problem is, that when I'm installing apk file, there is no activity shown, because, as I understood system can't specify what activity should be shown.

I just really need two activities shown in launcher, so please don't give advice about removing intent-filters from second activity, or if you do so provide me another way to show two icons in launcher.

Answer 1

Add <action> items with android:name attributes defined to both intent filters:

<application
    android:name=".MyApp"
    android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"
    android:label="@string/app_name" >

    <!-- work order activity -->
    <activity
        android:name=".app.WorkOrderActivity"
        android:label="@string/work_order"
        android:taskAffinity="com.package.task_for_work_order_activity" >
        <intent-filter>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
            <action android:name=".app.WorkOrderActivity"/>
            <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
        </intent-filter>
    </activity>

    <!-- inventory activity -->
    <activity
        android:name=".app.InventoryActivity"
        android:label="@string/inventory"
        android:taskAffinity="com.package.task_for_inventory_activity" >
        <intent-filter>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
            <action android:name=".app.InventoryActivity"/>
            <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
        </intent-filter>
    </activity>
</application>

Answer 2

I think it's because of the "android.intent.action.MAIN" action, this worked for me :

<application>
    <activity android:name=".MyActivityA" android:icon="@drawable/aicon"  android:label="@string/app_name">
        <intent-filter>
            <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
        </intent-filter>
    </activity>
    <activity android:name=".MyActivityB" android:icon="@drawable/bicon" android:label="@string/app_name">
        <intent-filter>
            <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
        </intent-filter>
    </activity>
 </application>

Answer 3

Seems it is possible to have multiple startup activities by using the task affinity property. See the answer at https://stackoverflow.com/a/3270422/819904

Answer 4

You need to specify which activity is the default one by adding the following line to your intent-filter:

<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT"/>

Insert this in the default activity and keep the rest. Then it should work.

You may also want to add a different icon to your 2nd activity with the attribute android:icon="@drawable/myothericon"