Running action fails

[FineFindus]

Following the documentation, I'm trying to add an action to this app, but when triggering the action, it fails with the following stacktace. The emulator is running Android 13 and the FOREGROUND_SERVICE permission has been added to the manifest.

2023-02-12 13:06:25.451   619-808   NotificationService     system_process                       E  Suppressing toast from package com.porg.blocker by user request.
2023-02-12 13:06:38.693  2578-2578  System.err              com.porg.blocker                     W  android.app.ForegroundServiceStartNotAllowedException: startForegroundService() not allowed due to mAllowStartForeground false: service com.porg.blocker/com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginlibrary.action.IntentServiceAction
2023-02-12 13:06:38.700  2578-2578  System.err              com.porg.blocker                     W  	at android.app.ForegroundServiceStartNotAllowedException$1.createFromParcel(ForegroundServiceStartNotAllowedException.java:54)
2023-02-12 13:06:38.700  2578-2578  System.err              com.porg.blocker                     W  	at android.app.ForegroundServiceStartNotAllowedException$1.createFromParcel(ForegroundServiceStartNotAllowedException.java:50)
2023-02-12 13:06:38.700  2578-2578  System.err              com.porg.blocker                     W  	at android.os.Parcel.readParcelableInternal(Parcel.java:4813)
2023-02-12 13:06:38.700  2578-2578  System.err              com.porg.blocker                     W  	at android.os.Parcel.readParcelable(Parcel.java:4775)
2023-02-12 13:06:38.700  2578-2578  System.err              com.porg.blocker                     W  	at android.os.Parcel.createExceptionOrNull(Parcel.java:3006)
2023-02-12 13:06:38.700  2578-2578  System.err              com.porg.blocker                     W  	at android.os.Parcel.createException(Parcel.java:2995)
2023-02-12 13:06:38.700  2578-2578  System.err              com.porg.blocker                     W  	at android.os.Parcel.readException(Parcel.java:2978)
2023-02-12 13:06:38.700  2578-2578  System.err              com.porg.blocker                     W  	at android.os.Parcel.readException(Parcel.java:2920)
2023-02-12 13:06:38.700  2578-2578  System.err              com.porg.blocker                     W  	at android.app.IActivityManager$Stub$Proxy.startService(IActivityManager.java:5302)
2023-02-12 13:06:38.700  2578-2578  System.err              com.porg.blocker                     W  	at android.app.ContextImpl.startServiceCommon(ContextImpl.java:1894)
2023-02-12 13:06:38.701  2578-2578  System.err              com.porg.blocker                     W  	at android.app.ContextImpl.startForegroundService(ContextImpl.java:1870)
2023-02-12 13:06:38.701  2578-2578  System.err              com.porg.blocker                     W  	at android.content.ContextWrapper.startForegroundService(ContextWrapper.java:822)
2023-02-12 13:06:38.701  2578-2578  System.err              com.porg.blocker                     W  	at android.content.ContextWrapper.startForegroundService(ContextWrapper.java:822)
2023-02-12 13:06:38.701  2578-2578  System.err              com.porg.blocker                     W  	at com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginlibrary.extensions.InternalKt.startServiceDependingOnTargetApi(Internal.kt:59)
2023-02-12 13:06:38.701  2578-2578  System.err              com.porg.blocker                     W  	at com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginlibrary.action.BroadcastReceiverAction.onReceive(ActionReceivers.kt:33)
2023-02-12 13:06:38.701  2578-2578  System.err              com.porg.blocker                     W  	at android.app.ActivityThread.handleReceiver(ActivityThread.java:4306)
2023-02-12 13:06:38.701  2578-2578  System.err              com.porg.blocker                     W  	at android.app.ActivityThread.-$$Nest$mhandleReceiver(Unknown Source:0)
2023-02-12 13:06:38.701  2578-2578  System.err              com.porg.blocker                     W  	at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:2153)
2023-02-12 13:06:38.701  2578-2578  System.err              com.porg.blocker                     W  	at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:106)
2023-02-12 13:06:38.701  2578-2578  System.err              com.porg.blocker                     W  	at android.os.Looper.loopOnce(Looper.java:201)
2023-02-12 13:06:38.701  2578-2578  System.err              com.porg.blocker                     W  	at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:288)
2023-02-12 13:06:38.701  2578-2578  System.err              com.porg.blocker                     W  	at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:7872)
2023-02-12 13:06:38.701  2578-2578  System.err              com.porg.blocker                     W  	at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
2023-02-12 13:06:38.701  2578-2578  System.err              com.porg.blocker                     W  	at com.android.internal.os.RuntimeInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(RuntimeInit.java:548)
2023-02-12 13:06:38.701  2578-2578  System.err              com.porg.blocker                     W  	at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:936)

[joaomgcd]

Hi. Thanks for the report. What Target API did you set on your app? Thanks

[FineFindus]

targetSDK is set to 33.

[joaomgcd]

Hhmm, I just tried changing the TaskerPluginSample app's target API to 33 and adding the <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE" /> permission to its manifest and I could run its actions normally. Could you please try that on your device and see how it goes? Thanks in advance.

[FineFindus]

Interesting, I followed your steps and had the same result.

Logs

2023-02-13 20:03:17.360   629-3156  NotificationService     system_process                       E  Suppressing toast from package com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample by user request.
2023-02-13 20:03:21.272  8182-8182  System.err              com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  android.app.ForegroundServiceStartNotAllowedException: startForegroundService() not allowed due to mAllowStartForeground false: service com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample/com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginlibrary.action.IntentServiceAction
2023-02-13 20:03:21.280  8182-8182  System.err              com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  	at android.app.ForegroundServiceStartNotAllowedException$1.createFromParcel(ForegroundServiceStartNotAllowedException.java:54)
2023-02-13 20:03:21.280  8182-8182  System.err              com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  	at android.app.ForegroundServiceStartNotAllowedException$1.createFromParcel(ForegroundServiceStartNotAllowedException.java:50)
2023-02-13 20:03:21.280  8182-8182  System.err              com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  	at android.os.Parcel.readParcelableInternal(Parcel.java:4813)
2023-02-13 20:03:21.280  8182-8182  System.err              com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  	at android.os.Parcel.readParcelable(Parcel.java:4775)
2023-02-13 20:03:21.280  8182-8182  System.err              com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  	at android.os.Parcel.createExceptionOrNull(Parcel.java:3006)
2023-02-13 20:03:21.280  8182-8182  System.err              com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  	at android.os.Parcel.createException(Parcel.java:2995)
2023-02-13 20:03:21.280  8182-8182  System.err              com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  	at android.os.Parcel.readException(Parcel.java:2978)
2023-02-13 20:03:21.280  8182-8182  System.err              com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  	at android.os.Parcel.readException(Parcel.java:2920)
2023-02-13 20:03:21.280  8182-8182  System.err              com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  	at android.app.IActivityManager$Stub$Proxy.startService(IActivityManager.java:5302)
2023-02-13 20:03:21.280  8182-8182  System.err              com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  	at android.app.ContextImpl.startServiceCommon(ContextImpl.java:1894)
2023-02-13 20:03:21.280  8182-8182  System.err              com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  	at android.app.ContextImpl.startForegroundService(ContextImpl.java:1870)
2023-02-13 20:03:21.280  8182-8182  System.err              com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  	at android.content.ContextWrapper.startForegroundService(ContextWrapper.java:822)
2023-02-13 20:03:21.280  8182-8182  System.err              com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  	at android.content.ContextWrapper.startForegroundService(ContextWrapper.java:822)
2023-02-13 20:03:21.280  8182-8182  System.err              com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  	at com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginlibrary.extensions.InternalKt.startServiceDependingOnTargetApi(Internal.kt:59)
2023-02-13 20:03:21.280  8182-8182  System.err              com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  	at com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginlibrary.action.BroadcastReceiverAction.onReceive(ActionReceivers.kt:33)
2023-02-13 20:03:21.280  8182-8182  System.err              com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  	at android.app.ActivityThread.handleReceiver(ActivityThread.java:4306)
2023-02-13 20:03:21.280  8182-8182  System.err              com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  	at android.app.ActivityThread.-$$Nest$mhandleReceiver(Unknown Source:0)
2023-02-13 20:03:21.280  8182-8182  System.err              com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  	at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:2153)
2023-02-13 20:03:21.280  8182-8182  System.err              com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  	at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:106)
2023-02-13 20:03:21.280  8182-8182  System.err              com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  	at android.os.Looper.loopOnce(Looper.java:201)
2023-02-13 20:03:21.281  8182-8182  System.err              com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  	at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:288)
2023-02-13 20:03:21.281  8182-8182  System.err              com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  	at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:7872)
2023-02-13 20:03:21.281  8182-8182  System.err              com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  	at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
2023-02-13 20:03:21.281  8182-8182  System.err              com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  	at com.android.internal.os.RuntimeInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(RuntimeInit.java:548)
2023-02-13 20:03:21.281  8182-8182  System.err              com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  	at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:936)

[joaomgcd]

Weird. Did you try running it on a physical device yet?

[FineFindus]

Just tested it on a physical device running android 10 and it worked. It could be very well also related to the android version, as if memory serves me correctly, there have been some changes to this in the last versions.

[joaomgcd]

But I actually tested it on an Android 13 device and it worked for me... Did you disable battery optimization for your app?

[FineFindus]

Sorry for the silence.

I did not. With battery optimizations it has no longer the android.app.ForegroundServiceStartNotAllowedException: startForegroundService() error, but it still does not work.

Logs

2023-02-18 11:58:20.605  5550-5550  BroadcastReceiver       com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      E  BroadcastReceiver trying to return result during a non-ordered broadcast
                                                                                                    java.lang.RuntimeException: BroadcastReceiver trying to return result during a non-ordered broadcast
                                                                                                    	at android.content.BroadcastReceiver.checkSynchronousHint(BroadcastReceiver.java:699)
                                                                                                    	at android.content.BroadcastReceiver.setResultCode(BroadcastReceiver.java:449)
                                                                                                    	at com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginlibrary.action.BroadcastReceiverAction.onReceive(ActionReceivers.kt:13)
                                                                                                    	at android.app.ActivityThread.handleReceiver(ActivityThread.java:4306)
                                                                                                    	at android.app.ActivityThread.-$$Nest$mhandleReceiver(Unknown Source:0)
                                                                                                    	at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:2153)
                                                                                                    	at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:106)
                                                                                                    	at android.os.Looper.loopOnce(Looper.java:201)
                                                                                                    	at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:288)
                                                                                                    	at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:7872)
                                                                                                    	at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
                                                                                                    	at com.android.internal.os.RuntimeInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(RuntimeInit.java:548)
                                                                                                    	at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:936)
2023-02-18 11:58:20.621  5550-5550  Compatibil...geReporter com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      D  Compat change id reported: 147798919; UID 10161; state: ENABLED
2023-02-18 11:58:37.119  5550-5575  EGL_emulation           com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      D  app_time_stats: avg=1697.44ms min=8.62ms max=16816.68ms count=10
2023-02-18 11:58:41.081   628-1682  NotificationService     system_process                       E  Suppressing toast from package com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample by user request.
2023-02-18 11:58:46.109  5550-5564  System                  com.joaomgcd.taskerpluginsample      W  A resource failed to call close. 

[SimoneAvogadro]

I too had the same issue and disabling battery optimization solved it.
However it would be useful to know that there's this failure so thaty next time the app is opened I can show a message and warn the user about that.

[matejdro]

But I actually tested it on an Android 13 device and it worked for me... Did you disable battery optimization for your app?

I think this is a bad solution. Users shouldn't need to disable battery optimization for every app that interacts with Tasker.

Could the Tasker, in the future, use services for everything, including actions with no timeout? That way, we sidestep this issue, since service will already be started by the Tasker.

[SimoneAvogadro]

I think this is a bad solution. Users shouldn't need to disable battery optimization for every app that interacts with Tasker.

Could the Tasker, in the future, use services for everything, including actions with no timeout? That way, we sidestep this issue, since service will already be started by the Tasker.

I agree with that: plugin battery consumption could be greatly optimized if we can overcome this limitation.
Maybe @joaomgcd can point us to a better solution so to make our plugins work without disabling battery optimization!

[joaomgcd]

I don't create the Android framework 😅They put in place those restrictions, and I don't know of a way to overcome them without disabling battery optimization, sorry... Let me know if you ever find a way though, thanks in advance!

[matejdro]

@joaomgcd I gave you a solution above :)

#20 (comment)

[joaomgcd]

Oh, sorry, missed the request about actions without timeout. But the battery optimization issue exists even with services, so unfortunately it wouldn't solve it either...

[matejdro]

No, it does not affect bound services. Only Tasker needs to be excluded from the battery optimization. Then, when Tasker bounds to a plugin, that plugin will inherit battery optimization exclusion for the duration of the bound.