Creating MAUI Android TV that works 24/7 without being killed

Question

Creating MAUI Android TV that works 24/7 without being killed

Oleksii Kovalchuk 70

I'm creating MAUI app for Android TV that should work 24/7 without being randomly killed by OS and kinda stuck.

I looked at REQUEST_IGNORE_BATTERY_OPTIMIZATIONS to exclude my app from battery optimization list.

Probably, there's something else I need to do to keep my app alive...

Went thru tens of different manuals, samples and tutorials but none of them worked for me.

I know that REQUEST_IGNORE_BATTERY_OPTIMIZATIONS is not suitable for publishing to Google Play, but I don't need to do that.

I have Android TV API 28 emulator for my development.

my /Platforms/Android/MainApplication.cs looks like this:

[assembly: UsesPermission(Android.Manifest.Permission.RequestIgnoreBatteryOptimizations)]

[Application]
public class MainApplication : MauiApplication { ... }

and /Platforms/Android/MainActivity.cs is:

[Activity(Theme = "@style/Maui.SplashTheme", MainLauncher = true, ScreenOrientation = ScreenOrientation.Landscape, ConfigurationChanges = ConfigChanges.ScreenSize | ConfigChanges.Orientation | ConfigChanges.UiMode | ConfigChanges.ScreenLayout | ConfigChanges.SmallestScreenSize | ConfigChanges.Density)]
public class MainActivity : MauiAppCompatActivity
{
     protected override void OnCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
     {
         base.OnCreate(savedInstanceState);
         if (OperatingSystem.IsAndroidVersionAtLeast(23) &&
             CheckSelfPermission(Android.Manifest.Permission.RequestIgnoreBatteryOptimizations) == Permission.Granted &&
             GetSystemService(PowerService) is PowerManager powerManager &&
             !powerManager.IsIgnoringBatteryOptimizations(PackageName))
         {
             var ignoreBatteryOptimizationIntent = new Intent(Settings.ActionRequestIgnoreBatteryOptimizations, Android.Net.Uri.Parse("package:" + PackageName));
             StartActivity(ignoreBatteryOptimizationIntent);
         }
     }
}

But after StartActivity call nothing happens. I expected the OS will ask for whitelist the app.

When I push Android circle button and navigate to Settings/Apps/Special app access/Energy optimization, the switch for my app is still toggled on.

I tried to call StartActivityForResult (with requestCode), and then capturing that result in overridden MainActivity.OnActivityResult by comparing requestCode and surprisingly Result resultCode was Result.Canceled.

I also tried creating NotificationChannel, with PendingIntent that should run and display notification when I do NotificationManagerCompat.From(this).Notify(...) with [assembly: UsesPermission(Android.Manifest.Permission.PostNotifications)] but that code doesn't seem to do anything too - no notification is displayed, no errors, nothing.

My overall goal is to create MAUI Android App that is always running. Maybe, this battery stuff is now what I should be looking for. I use DeviceDisplay.Current.KeepScreenOn = true; and my app is up and running for 10-12 hours with no problem, but then Android decides to kill it. It's not a crash, nor resources over consumption, it's not idle since I have SignalR hub connection alive.

Bruce (SqlWork.com) 78,086 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2023-10-23T15:51:40.0566667+00:00

I would not expect a signal/r connection to stay alive when in background mode.
Anonymous

2023-10-24T06:33:22.4766667+00:00

I used your code in the MainActivity.cs, I can get a popup window that title is Let app always run in the background? if you click the allow, your application will be set to the not optimized, application could be running like Messages or Phone app.

and my app is up and running for 10-12 hours with no problem, but then Android decides to kill it.

Is your application in the foreground?
Oleksii Kovalchuk 70 Reputation points

2023-10-25T06:21:13.61+00:00

Hi guys! I'm implementing kinda dashboard application that should stay open and display useful information whenever the Server tells to do so using SignalR.

@Bruce (SqlWork.com) I don't need it to stay alive in a background mode.

@Anonymous Yes, my app is running in foreground and gets killed by OS after that period. I'm totally OK with a background mode, if you switched to another app - it's fine, go ahead ad kill it when you decided to do so. But when the app is running in a foreground mode I would like it to stay alive as long as it stays open in a foreground mode.

Initially I thought that DeviceDisplay.Current.KeepScreenOn = true should be enough for that. But it's not. Then I thought that switching off my app in "Settings/Apps/Special app access/Energy optimization" should solve the problem. But that doesn't help too. The App in a foreground mode after running for 10-12 hours is still being killed by OS. This energy optimization thing could be a part of the solution, but not sure.

What emulator settings did you use when creating it? As for me the code from MainActivity literally does nothing, no pop-up, nor switching the mode and using a breakpoint I can confirm that StartActivity is being called. Could it be, that there are permissions or app configuration settings or API version I'm missing?
Anonymous

2023-10-30T08:13:19.3533333+00:00

Can you increate the hw.ramSize in the device properties? Or change a physical device to make a test.

Oleksii Kovalchuk 70

@Anonymous I tried on physical device Xiaomi TV that runs Android 11. The result is the same - nothing appears when starting activity for ignoring battery intent. That could be a limitation on Android 11 but can't find in official docs. Xiaomi could also enforce security things on their own.

Anyway, I managed to prolong the time my app runs to 3-4 days with the following code:

[assembly: UsesPermission(Android.Manifest.Permission.WakeLock)]

public class MainActivity : MauiAppCompatActivity 
{
     protected override void OnCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
     {
         base.OnCreate(savedInstanceState);
         if (OperatingSystem.IsAndroidVersionAtLeast(24))
         {
             Window.SetSustainedPerformanceMode(true);
         }
         if (GetSystemService(PowerService) is PowerManager powerManager)
         {
             if (powerManager.IsWakeLockLevelSupported(Convert.ToInt32(WakeLockFlags.Full)))
             {
                 var wakeLock = powerManager.NewWakeLock(WakeLockFlags.Full, PackageName);
                 wakeLock.Acquire();
             }
         }
     }
}

However, after that period Xiaomi TV displays lock screen and after some time turns off.

Not sure what else am I missing.

Anonymous

2023-10-31T08:09:19.6233333+00:00

after that period Xiaomi TV displays lock screen and after some time turns off.

Did you set the Never for when to start of Screen saver in settings->Timer->Screen saver> when to start-> Never. And set the put the device to sleep to Never. In the end, please do not forget to restart your TV.
Oleksii Kovalchuk 70 Reputation points

2023-11-05T18:42:28.0233333+00:00

@Anonymous I set "Put to sleep: Never" from the very beginning. Screensaver was set to started after 5 minutes of idle. But the App runs for 2-3 days and gets killed by the OS and then device starts to display screensaver. Extremely weird behavior. No I'm wondering if it's possible at all - create Android App, that runs 24/7 when it's in foreground mode...

I'm kinda stuck

1 answer

Your answer

Bruce (SqlWork.com) 78,086 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2023-10-23T15:51:40.0566667+00:00

I would not expect a signal/r connection to stay alive when in background mode.
Anonymous

2023-10-24T06:33:22.4766667+00:00

I used your code in the MainActivity.cs, I can get a popup window that title is Let app always run in the background? if you click the allow, your application will be set to the not optimized, application could be running like Messages or Phone app.

and my app is up and running for 10-12 hours with no problem, but then Android decides to kill it.

Is your application in the foreground?
Oleksii Kovalchuk 70 Reputation points

2023-10-25T06:21:13.61+00:00

Hi guys! I'm implementing kinda dashboard application that should stay open and display useful information whenever the Server tells to do so using SignalR.

@Bruce (SqlWork.com) I don't need it to stay alive in a background mode.

@Anonymous Yes, my app is running in foreground and gets killed by OS after that period. I'm totally OK with a background mode, if you switched to another app - it's fine, go ahead ad kill it when you decided to do so. But when the app is running in a foreground mode I would like it to stay alive as long as it stays open in a foreground mode.

Initially I thought that DeviceDisplay.Current.KeepScreenOn = true should be enough for that. But it's not. Then I thought that switching off my app in "Settings/Apps/Special app access/Energy optimization" should solve the problem. But that doesn't help too. The App in a foreground mode after running for 10-12 hours is still being killed by OS. This energy optimization thing could be a part of the solution, but not sure.

What emulator settings did you use when creating it? As for me the code from MainActivity literally does nothing, no pop-up, nor switching the mode and using a breakpoint I can confirm that StartActivity is being called. Could it be, that there are permissions or app configuration settings or API version I'm missing?
Anonymous

2023-10-30T08:13:19.3533333+00:00

Can you increate the hw.ramSize in the device properties? Or change a physical device to make a test.
Oleksii Kovalchuk 70 Reputation points

2023-10-30T13:05:09.33+00:00

@Anonymous I tried on physical device Xiaomi TV that runs Android 11. The result is the same - nothing appears when starting activity for ignoring battery intent. That could be a limitation on Android 11 but can't find in official docs. Xiaomi could also enforce security things on their own.

Anyway, I managed to prolong the time my app runs to 3-4 days with the following code:

[assembly: UsesPermission(Android.Manifest.Permission.WakeLock)] public class MainActivity : MauiAppCompatActivity { protected override void OnCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) { base.OnCreate(savedInstanceState); if (OperatingSystem.IsAndroidVersionAtLeast(24)) { Window.SetSustainedPerformanceMode(true); } if (GetSystemService(PowerService) is PowerManager powerManager) { if (powerManager.IsWakeLockLevelSupported(Convert.ToInt32(WakeLockFlags.Full))) { var wakeLock = powerManager.NewWakeLock(WakeLockFlags.Full, PackageName); wakeLock.Acquire(); } } } }

However, after that period Xiaomi TV displays lock screen and after some time turns off.

Not sure what else am I missing.
Anonymous

2023-10-31T08:09:19.6233333+00:00

after that period Xiaomi TV displays lock screen and after some time turns off.

Did you set the Never for when to start of Screen saver in settings->Timer->Screen saver> when to start-> Never. And set the put the device to sleep to Never. In the end, please do not forget to restart your TV.
Oleksii Kovalchuk 70 Reputation points

2023-11-05T18:42:28.0233333+00:00

@Anonymous I set "Put to sleep: Never" from the very beginning. Screensaver was set to started after 5 minutes of idle. But the App runs for 2-3 days and gets killed by the OS and then device starts to display screensaver. Extremely weird behavior. No I'm wondering if it's possible at all - create Android App, that runs 24/7 when it's in foreground mode...

I'm kinda stuck

Answer 1

Alright, it seems that this depends on a particular device and Android modifications/configuration, the manufacturer did to it. I switched to one of Android TV Tuners that has a normal Android and viola! The app still works without being killed by the OS for more than a week. And it keeps running.

Things that I left in my code:

SustainedPerformanceMode
WakeLock without a timeout
DeviceDisplay.Current.KeepScreenOn = true

Ignoring battery optimizations is not needed for that.

So the answer is: in order to have your Android App (no mater what framework did you use to build it) running 24/7 on Android device, besides calling the right APIs - you have to pick the right device, that is capable of running apps 24/7 per design.

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Creating MAUI Android TV that works 24/7 without being killed

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