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

Found a library that does just that: https://github.com/recruit-lifestyle/FloatingView

There's a sample project in the root folder. I ran it and it works as required. The background is clickable - even if it's another app.

Answer 2

Following @Sam Lu's answer, Indeed Android 4.x blocks certain types from listening to outside touch events, but some types, such as TYPE_SYSTEM_ALERT, still do the job.

Example

    WindowManager.LayoutParams params = new WindowManager.LayoutParams(
            WindowManager.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT,
            WindowManager.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT,
            WindowManager.LayoutParams.TYPE_SYSTEM_ALERT,
            WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_NOT_FOCUSABLE
                    | WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_NOT_TOUCH_MODAL
                    | WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_WATCH_OUTSIDE_TOUCH,
            PixelFormat.TRANSLUCENT);

    WindowManager wm = (WindowManager) getSystemService(WINDOW_SERVICE);
    LayoutInflater inflater = (LayoutInflater) getSystemService(LAYOUT_INFLATER_SERVICE);
    View myView = inflater.inflate(R.layout.my_view, null);
    myView.setOnTouchListener(new OnTouchListener() {
       @Override
       public boolean onTouch(View v, MotionEvent event) {
           Log.d(TAG, "touch me");
           return true;
       }
     });

    // Add layout to window manager
    wm.addView(myView, params);

Permissions

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW"/>

Answer 3

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

Answer 4

by using service you can achieve this :

public class PopupService extends Service{

    private static final String TAG = PopupService.class.getSimpleName();
    WindowManager mWindowManager;
    View mView;
    String type ;

    @Override
    public IBinder onBind(Intent intent) {
        return null;
    }

    @Override
    public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {
//        registerOverlayReceiver();
        type = intent.getStringExtra("type");
        Utils.printLog("type = "+type);
        showDialog(intent.getStringExtra("msg"));
        return super.onStartCommand(intent, flags, startId);
    }

    private void showDialog(String aTitle)
    {
        if(type.equals("when screen is off") | type.equals("always"))
        {
            Utils.printLog("type = "+type);
            PowerManager pm = (PowerManager) getApplicationContext().getSystemService(Context.POWER_SERVICE);
            WakeLock mWakeLock = pm.newWakeLock((PowerManager.SCREEN_DIM_WAKE_LOCK | PowerManager.ACQUIRE_CAUSES_WAKEUP), "YourServie");
            mWakeLock.acquire();
            mWakeLock.release();
        }

        mWindowManager = (WindowManager) getSystemService(WINDOW_SERVICE);
        mView = View.inflate(getApplicationContext(), R.layout.dialog_popup_notification_received, null);
        mView.setTag(TAG);

        int top = getApplicationContext().getResources().getDisplayMetrics().heightPixels / 2;

        LinearLayout dialog = (LinearLayout) mView.findViewById(R.id.pop_exit);
//        android.widget.LinearLayout.LayoutParams lp = (android.widget.LinearLayout.LayoutParams) dialog.getLayoutParams();
//        lp.topMargin = top;
//        lp.bottomMargin = top;
//        mView.setLayoutParams(lp);

        final EditText etMassage = (EditText) mView.findViewById(R.id.editTextInPopupMessageReceived);

        ImageButton imageButtonSend = (ImageButton) mView.findViewById(R.id.imageButtonSendInPopupMessageReceived);
//        lp = (LayoutParams) imageButton.getLayoutParams();
//        lp.topMargin = top - 58;
//        imageButton.setLayoutParams(lp);
        imageButtonSend.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(View v) {
                Utils.printLog("clicked");
//                mView.setVisibility(View.INVISIBLE);
                if(!etMassage.getText().toString().equals(""))
                {
                    Utils.printLog("sent");
                    etMassage.setText("");
                }
            }
        });

        TextView close = (TextView) mView.findViewById(R.id.TextViewCloseInPopupMessageReceived);
        close.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener() {

            @Override
            public void onClick(View arg0) {
                hideDialog();   
            }
        });

        TextView view = (TextView) mView.findViewById(R.id.textviewViewInPopupMessageReceived);
        view.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener() {

            @Override
            public void onClick(View arg0) {
                hideDialog();   
            }
        });

        TextView message = (TextView) mView.findViewById(R.id.TextViewMessageInPopupMessageReceived);
        message.setText(aTitle);

        final WindowManager.LayoutParams mLayoutParams = new WindowManager.LayoutParams(
        ViewGroup.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT,
        ViewGroup.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT, 0, 0,
        WindowManager.LayoutParams.TYPE_SYSTEM_ERROR,
        WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_SHOW_WHEN_LOCKED
                | WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_DISMISS_KEYGUARD
//                | WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_TURN_SCREEN_ON
                | WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_KEEP_SCREEN_ON ,
        PixelFormat.RGBA_8888);

        mView.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
        mWindowManager.addView(mView, mLayoutParams);
        mWindowManager.updateViewLayout(mView, mLayoutParams);

    }

    private void hideDialog(){
        if(mView != null && mWindowManager != null){
            mWindowManager.removeView(mView);
            mView = null;
        }
    }
}