Creating a system overlay window (always on top)

Question

I\'m trying to create an always-op-top button/clickable-image which stays on top of all the windows all the time.

The proof of concept is

• here - Smar

Answer 1

Try this. Works fine in ICS. If You want to stop service simply click the notification generated in statusbar.

 public class HUD extends Service
 {
    protected boolean foreground = false;
    protected boolean cancelNotification = false;
    private Notification notification;
    private View myView;
    protected int id = 0;
    private WindowManager wm;
    private WindowManager.LayoutParams params;
    @Override
    public IBinder onBind(Intent intent) {
        return null;
    }
    @Override
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();
       // System.exit(0);
        Toast.makeText(getBaseContext(),"onCreate", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
        params = new WindowManager.LayoutParams(WindowManager.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT, WindowManager.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT,
                WindowManager.LayoutParams.TYPE_PHONE, WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_NOT_TOUCH_MODAL
                        | WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_WATCH_OUTSIDE_TOUCH | WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_NOT_FOCUSABLE, PixelFormat.TRANSLUCENT);
        params.gravity=Gravity.TOP|Gravity.LEFT;
    wm = (WindowManager) getSystemService(WINDOW_SERVICE);
    inflateview();
    foregroundNotification(1);
    //moveToForeground(1,n,true);
    }     
   @Override
    public void onDestroy() {
        super.onDestroy();
        ((NotificationManager) getSystemService(NOTIFICATION_SERVICE)).cancel(0);
        Toast.makeText(getBaseContext(),"onDestroy", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
        if(myView != null)
        {
            ((WindowManager) getSystemService(WINDOW_SERVICE)).removeView(myView);
            myView = null;
        }
    }
    protected Notification foregroundNotification(int notificationId) 
   {    
    notification = new Notification(R.drawable.ic_launcher, "my Notification", System.currentTimeMillis());    
        notification.flags = notification.flags | Notification.FLAG_ONGOING_EVENT | Notification.FLAG_ONLY_ALERT_ONCE;   
        notification.setLatestEventInfo(this, "my Notification", "my Notification", notificationIntent());          
        ((NotificationManager) getSystemService(NOTIFICATION_SERVICE)).notify(id, notification);            
        return notification;
    }
    private PendingIntent notificationIntent() {
        Intent intent = new Intent(this, stopservice.class);    
        PendingIntent pending = PendingIntent.getActivity(this, 0, intent, PendingIntent.FLAG_UPDATE_CURRENT);    
        return pending;
    }
    public void inflateview()
    {
         LayoutInflater inflater = (LayoutInflater) getSystemService(LAYOUT_INFLATER_SERVICE);
            myView = inflater.inflate(R.layout.activity_button, null);
            myView.setOnTouchListener(new OnTouchListener() {
               @Override
               public boolean onTouch(View v, MotionEvent event) {
                   Toast.makeText(getBaseContext(),"onToasttt", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
                   return false;
               }
             });
            // Add layout to window manager
            wm.addView(myView, params); 
    }
}

UPDATE

Sample here

To create an overlay view, when setting up the LayoutParams DON'T set the type to TYPE_SYSTEM_OVERLAY.

Instead set it to TYPE_PHONE.

Use the following flags:

FLAG_NOT_TOUCH_MODAL

FLAG_WATCH_OUTSIDE_TOUCH