AIDL based two way communication
- by sshasan
I have two apps between which I want some data exchanged. As they are running in different processes, so, I am using AIDL to communicate between them. Now, everything is happening really great in one direction (say my apps are A and B) i.e. data is being sent from A to B but, now I need to send some data from B to A.
I noticed that we need to include the app with the AIDL in the build path of app where the AIDL method will be called. So in my case A includes B in its build path. For B to be able to send something to A, by that logic, B would need A in its build path. This would create a cycle.
I am stuck at this point. And I cannot think of a work around this loop.
Any help would be greatly appreciated :) .
Thanks!
----EDIT----
So, I following the advice mentioned in one of the comments below, I have the following code
In the IPCAIDL project the AIDL file resides,
its contents are
package ipc.android.aidl;
interface Iaidl{
boolean pushBoolean(boolean flag);
}
This project is being used as a library in both the IPCServer and the IPC Client.
The IPCServer Project has the service which defines what happens with the AIDL method.
The file is booleanService.java
package ipc.android.server;
import ipc.android.aidl.Iaidl;
import android.app.Service;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.os.IBinder;
import android.os.RemoteException;
import android.util.Log;
public class booleanService extends Service {
@Override
public IBinder onBind(Intent intent) {
return new Iaidl.Stub() {
@Override
public boolean pushBoolean(boolean arg0) throws RemoteException {
Log.i("SERVER(IPC AIDL)", "Truth Value:"+arg0);
return arg0;
}
};
}
}
The IPCClient file which calls this method is
package ipc.android.client2;
import ipc.android.aidl.Iaidl;
import android.app.Activity;
import android.content.ComponentName;
import android.content.Context;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.content.ServiceConnection;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.os.IBinder;
import android.os.RemoteException;
import android.view.View;
import android.widget.Button;
public class IPCClient2Activity extends Activity {
Button b1;
Iaidl iAIDL;
boolean k = false;
/** Called when the activity is first created. */
@Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.main);
bindService(new Intent("ipc.android.server.booleanService"), conn, Context.BIND_AUTO_CREATE);
startService(new Intent("ipc.android.server.booleanService"));
b1 = (Button) findViewById(R.id.button1);
b1.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
@Override
public void onClick(View v) {
if(k){
k = false;
}
else{
k = true;
}
try {
iAIDL.pushBoolean(k);
} catch (RemoteException e) {
// TODO Auto-generated catch block
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
});
}
private ServiceConnection conn = new ServiceConnection() {
@Override
public void onServiceDisconnected(ComponentName name) {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub
}
@Override
public void onServiceConnected(ComponentName name, IBinder service) {
iAIDL = Iaidl.Stub.asInterface(service);
}
};
}
The manifest file for IPCServer includes the declaration of the service.
