custom android.app.Application not firing onCreate event

Question

I'm deriving a custom application from android.app.Application and I can't get its onCreate event being fired. Here's the implementation

import android.app.Application;

public class MyApplication extends Application {

    public MyApplication() {
        super();
    }

    @Override
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();
    }
}

And here's how I'm using it:

MyApplication ctrl = new MyApplication();

Yes, it does. But shouldn't this be fired automatically? I can call onCreate() in the constructor as well but I don't think this is the most elegant solution. — Narcís Calvet, Jul 28 '11 at 11:48
you should call MyApplication constructor at all... you should point this class in manifest xml and Android OS should call it ... and onCreate too — Selvin, Jul 28 '11 at 11:50
And how should I declare an Application called from an Activity in the AndroidManifest? By default an application tag is already added there. — Narcís Calvet, Jul 28 '11 at 12:00
To be able to create and object from which I can call methods and modify properties. Using Intent to create such object instances didn't allow me to do that. — Narcís Calvet, Jul 28 '11 at 12:10
for global variables ? ... not a good idea ... what you wana achive with this ? — Selvin, Jul 28 '11 at 12:16
No, not global variables, object properties and methods. My optimal solution would be what I posted at http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6792331/sluggish-zoom-and-scroll-with-gridview-in-android. However, due to this issue I can't follow this approach until I find a satisfactory solution. — Narcís Calvet, Jul 28 '11 at 13:22

score 92 · Accepted Answer · edited Jul 31 '15 at 11:01

92

Add following in your AndroidManifest.xml

<application
    android:name="MyApplication"
    android:debuggable="true"
    android:icon="@drawable/icon"
    android:label="@string/app_name">
</application>

then your onCreate() will get fired.

edited Jul 31 '15 at 11:01

Seraphim's

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answered Jul 28 '11 at 11:56

Balaji Khadake

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1

It doesn't work. I have the main Activity defined as an application by the fault at AndroidManifest.xml and this additional application tag. Do you think this is correct? – Narcís Calvet Jul 28 '11 at 12:08
1

@BalajiKhadake My app class extends from a library application class and onCreate in library doesn't fired! – Dr.jacky May 14 '15 at 06:48
4

Must add class name to android:name, like android:name="your.package.com.MyApplication". – Jozka Jozin Aug 17 '15 at 15:43

score 8 · Answer 2 · answered May 08 '19 at 15:06

8

I had this issue and found that in my case that the whole issue was phone side. I rebooted the phone and that fixed the issue.

answered May 08 '19 at 15:06

Brad

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Dude. You potentially saved me hours with this answer. Thanks. – Mickael Bergeron Néron Jul 06 '21 at 06:20
it is true that it is phone specific problem, but restarting the device did not solve the problem in my case. – Shubham Mogarkar May 04 '22 at 08:20

score 4 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 30 '16 at 19:10

Very simple

In your AndroidManifest.xml, within the application tag enter the name of your Application sub-class with it's path under the android:name attribute.

Example:

<application
...
android:name=".models.custom.BaseApplication"
...
> ... </application>

keyboardsurfer · Answer 4 · 2017-09-17T08:53:40.993

2

You don't actually create instances of your Activities with the newoperator. Instead you start an Intent like this:

Intent start = new Intent(context, Classname.class);
context.startActivity(start);

When creating an object with the new operator, then onCreate never will be called.

[EDIT] When creating Applications with the new operator onCreate won't be called either[/EDIT]

[EDIT2] You could create a static method that returns the application like this:

public static MyApplication getApp() {
    return mInstance;
}

[/EDIT2]

edited Sep 17 '17 at 08:53

answered Jul 28 '11 at 12:18

keyboardsurfer

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it's not Activity it's Application – Selvin Jul 28 '11 at 12:21
oops, my bad. But that also applies to an Application. If you create your application with the new operator, onCreate won't be called. – keyboardsurfer Jul 28 '11 at 12:33
Yes, I did that but I need to be able to get object instance to be able to set object properties and call its methods. – Narcís Calvet Jul 28 '11 at 13:23
you could create a static method that returns the singleton of this Application. – keyboardsurfer Jul 28 '11 at 20:44
You cannot return *this* from a static method -_- – Dr. aNdRO Sep 13 '17 at 05:58

score 1 · Answer 5 · answered Jul 28 '11 at 11:50

1

Don't construct it, get it from Context.

For example from Activity:

MyApplication ctrl = (MyApplication)getApplicationContext();

More info: Context.getApplicationContext()

Documentation says that onCreate() is

Called when the application is starting, before any other application objects have been created

answered Jul 28 '11 at 11:50

pawelzieba

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Doesn't work for me either. Actually the application crashes at this line. – Narcís Calvet Jul 28 '11 at 14:59
The line you suggested: MyApplication ctrl = (MyApplication)getApplicationContext(); – Narcís Calvet Jul 28 '11 at 15:04
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/708012/android-how-to-declare-global-variables/708317#708317 – pawelzieba Jul 28 '11 at 16:26
Thanks. The problem here is that I should also declare that application at AndroidManifest.xml but, according to Balaji's reply and comments, I can't have 2 applications defined there. Can you think of a solution to this? – Narcís Calvet Jul 29 '11 at 08:12

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Mar 23 '17 at 06:45

As Balaji Mentioned if your still facing issue even after mentioning class name under application tag

<application
    android:name="MyApplication"
    android:debuggable="true"
    android:icon="@drawable/icon"
    android:label="@string/app_name"> </application>

Then try this:

Try and disabling Instant Run and then clean project and Rebuild it and then run again. It worked for me. Thanks.

score 0 · Answer 7 · answered May 28 '21 at 13:50

In Manifest file Make sure u have added the tag i.e class which extends Application.

Tag= android:name=".MyApplication

ManifestFile

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="com.example.services">
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE" />
    <application
        android:name=".MyApplication"
        android:allowBackup="true"
        android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:roundIcon="@mipmap/ic_launcher_round"
        android:supportsRtl="true"
        android:theme="@style/Theme.Services">
        <activity android:name=".MainActivity">
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
        <!--Declaring the Service in the manifest file-->
        <service
            android:name=".MyServiceDemo"
            android:foregroundServiceType="dataSync" />
    </application>
</manifest>

MyApplication.java(i.e class which extends Applicatoin)

package com.example.services;

import android.app.Application;

public class MyApplication extends Application {

    private static MyAppsNotificationManager notificationManager;

    @Override
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();
        notificationManager = MyAppsNotificationManager.getInstance(this);
        notificationManager.registerNotificationChannelChannel(
                getString(R.string.channelId),
                "BackgroundService",
                "BackgroundService");
    }

    public static MyAppsNotificationManager getMyAppsNotificationManager(){
        return notificationManager;
    }
}

custom android.app.Application not firing onCreate event

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