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 - Smart Taskbar  on AppBrain  and here V1 4 0 Sidebar style SWKey - Button savior  on xda-developers     I have been successful and have a running service now  The service displays some text on top left corner of screen all the time while user can freely interact with rest of apps in normal manner    What I m doing is subclass ViewGroup and add it to root window manager with flag TYPE SYSTEM OVERLAY  Now I want to add a button clickable-image in place of this text which can receive touch events on itself  I tried overriding  onTouchEvent  for the whole ViewGroup but it does not receive any event    How can I receive events only on certain parts of my always-on-top view group  Kindly suggest   public class HUD extends Service       HUDView mView        Override     public IBinder onBind Intent intent            return null              Override     public void onCreate             super onCreate            Toast makeText getBaseContext    onCreate   Toast LENGTH LONG  show            mView   new HUDView this           WindowManager LayoutParams params   new WindowManager LayoutParams                  WindowManager LayoutParams WRAP CONTENT                  WindowManager LayoutParams WRAP CONTENT                  WindowManager LayoutParams TYPE SYSTEM OVERLAY                  0                  WindowManager LayoutParams FLAG NOT FOCUSABLE                           WindowManager LayoutParams FLAG NOT TOUCHABLE                  PixelFormat TRANSLUCENT           params gravity   Gravity RIGHT   Gravity TOP          params setTitle  Load Average            WindowManager wm    WindowManager  getSystemService WINDOW SERVICE           wm addView mView  params               Override     public void onDestroy             super onDestroy            Toast makeText getBaseContext    onDestroy   Toast LENGTH LONG  show            if mView    null                          WindowManager  getSystemService WINDOW SERVICE   removeView mView               mView   null                     class HUDView extends ViewGroup       private Paint mLoadPaint       public HUDView Context context            super context           Toast makeText getContext    HUDView   Toast LENGTH LONG  show             mLoadPaint   new Paint            mLoadPaint setAntiAlias true           mLoadPaint setTextSize 10           mLoadPaint setARGB 255  255  0  0               Override     protected void onDraw Canvas canvas            super onDraw canvas           canvas drawText  Hello World   5  15  mLoadPaint               Override     protected void onLayout boolean arg0  int arg1  int arg2  int arg3  int arg4                Override     public boolean onTouchEvent MotionEvent event              return super onTouchEvent event           Toast makeText getContext    onTouchEvent   Toast LENGTH LONG  show            return true

User · Answer

Actually  you can try WindowManager LayoutParams TYPE SYSTEM ERROR instead of TYPE SYSTEM OVERLAY  It may sound like a hack  but it let you display view on top of everything and still get touch events

User · Answer

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

User · Answer

Sarwar Erfan s answer does not work any longer as Android does not allow adding view with WindowManager LayoutParams TYPE SYSTEM OVERLAY to window to be touchable anymore not with even WindowManager LayoutParams FLAG WATCH OUTSIDE TOUCH    I found solution to this problem  You can check it out in following question  When adding view to window with WindowManager LayoutParams TYPE SYSTEM OVERLAY  it is not getting touch event

User · Answer

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

User · Answer

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  amp  amp  mWindowManager    null               mWindowManager removeView mView               mView   null

User · Answer

Here is some simple solution  All you need is to inflate XML layout just like you do on list adapters   just make XML layout to inflate it  Here is code that all you need    public class HUD extends Service       View mView       LayoutInflater inflate      TextView t      Button b        Override     public void onCreate             super onCreate                Toast makeText getBaseContext    onCreate   Toast LENGTH LONG  show              WindowManager wm    WindowManager  getSystemService WINDOW SERVICE            Display display   wm getDefaultDisplay     get phone display size         int width   display getWidth        deprecated - get phone display width         int height   display getHeight       deprecated - get phone display height            WindowManager LayoutParams params   new WindowManager LayoutParams                  width                   height                  WindowManager LayoutParams TYPE SYSTEM ALERT                  WindowManager LayoutParams FLAG NOT FOCUSABLE                  WindowManager LayoutParams FLAG NOT TOUCH MODAL                  WindowManager LayoutParams FLAG WATCH OUTSIDE TOUCH                   PixelFormat TRANSLUCENT             params gravity   Gravity LEFT   Gravity CENTER          params setTitle  Load Average             inflate    LayoutInflater  getBaseContext                    getSystemService Context LAYOUT INFLATER SERVICE            mView   inflate inflate R layout canvas  null            b     Button  mView findViewById R id button1           t    TextView  mView findViewById R id textView1           b setOnClickListener new OnClickListener              public void onClick View v                   TODO Auto-generated method stub             t setText  yes you click me                                   wm addView mView  params                      Override     public IBinder onBind Intent arg0               TODO Auto-generated method stub         return null

User · Answer

Well try my code  atleast it gives you a string as overlay  you can very well replace it with a button or an image  You wont believe this is my first ever android app LOL  Anyways if you are more experienced with android apps than me  please try   changing parameters 2 and 3 in  new WindowManager LayoutParams  try some different event approach

User · Answer

This might be a stupid solution  But it works  If you can improve it  please let me know   OnCreate of your Service  I have used WindowManager LayoutParams FLAG WATCH OUTSIDE TOUCH flag  This is the only change in service    Override     public void onCreate             super onCreate            Toast makeText getBaseContext    onCreate   Toast LENGTH LONG  show            mView   new HUDView this           WindowManager LayoutParams params   new WindowManager LayoutParams                  WindowManager LayoutParams TYPE SYSTEM OVERLAY                  WindowManager LayoutParams FLAG WATCH OUTSIDE TOUCH                  PixelFormat TRANSLUCENT           params gravity   Gravity RIGHT   Gravity TOP          params setTitle  Load Average            WindowManager wm    WindowManager  getSystemService WINDOW SERVICE           wm addView mView  params           Now  you will start getting each and every click event  So  you need to rectify in your event handler   In your ViewGroup touch event   Override public boolean onTouchEvent MotionEvent event            ATTENTION  GET THE X Y OF EVENT FROM THE PARAMETER        THEN CHECK IF THAT IS INSIDE YOUR DESIRED AREA       Toast makeText getContext    onTouchEvent   Toast LENGTH LONG  show        return true      Also you may need to add this permission to your manifest    lt uses-permission android name  android permission SYSTEM ALERT WINDOW    gt

User · Answer

It uses permission  android permission SYSTEM ALERT WINDOW  full tutorial on this link   http   androidsrc net facebook-chat-like-floating-chat-heads

User · Answer

If anyone still reading this thread and not able to get this working  I m very sorry to tell you this way to intercept motion event is considered as bug and fix in android   4 2   The motion event you intercepted  although has action as ACTION OUTSIDE  return 0 in getX and getY  This means you can not see all the motion position on screen  nor can you do anything  I know the doc said It will get x and y  but the truth is it WILL NOT   It seems that this is to block key logger   If anyone do have a workaround  please leave your comment   ref   Why does ACTION OUTSIDE return 0 everytime on KitKat 4 4 2   https   code google com p android issues detail id 72746

User · Answer

This is an old Question but recently Android has a support for Bubbles  Bubbles are soon going to be launched but currently developers can start using them They are designed to be an alternative to using SYSTEM ALERT WINDOW  Apps like  Facebook Messenger and MusiXMatch use the same concept      Bubbles are created via the Notification API  you send your notification as normal  If you want it to bubble you need to attach some extra data to it  For more information about Bubbles you can go to the official Android Developer Guide on Bubbles

User · Answer

Starting with Android 4 x  Android team fixed a potential  security problem by adding a new function adjustWindowParamsLw   in which it  will add FLAG NOT FOCUSABLE  FLAG NOT TOUCHABLE and remove FLAG WATCH OUTSIDE TOUCH flags for TYPE SYSTEM OVERLAY windows   That is  a TYPE SYSTEM OVERLAY window won t receive any touch event on ICS platform and  of course  to use TYPE SYSTEM OVERLAY is not a workable solution for ICS and future devices

User · Answer

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   lt uses-permission android name  android permission SYSTEM ALERT WINDOW   gt

User · Answer

WORKING ALWAYS ON TOP IMAGE BUTTON  first of all sorry for my english  i edit your codes and make working image button that listens his touch event do not give touch control to his background elements   also it gives touch listeners to out of other elements  button alingments are  bottom and left  you can chage alingments but you need to chages cordinats in touch event in the if element  import android annotation SuppressLint   import android app Service  import android content Context  import android content Intent  import android graphics Bitmap  import android graphics BitmapFactory  import android graphics Canvas  import android graphics Color  import android graphics PixelFormat  import android os IBinder  import android util Log  import android view Gravity  import android view MotionEvent  import android view View  import android view View OnTouchListener  import android view ViewGroup  import android view WindowManager  import android widget Toast   public class HepUstte extends Service       HUDView mView        Override     public void onCreate             super onCreate                Toast makeText getBaseContext    onCreate   Toast LENGTH LONG  show             final Bitmap kangoo   BitmapFactory decodeResource getResources                    R drawable logo l             WindowManager LayoutParams params   new WindowManager LayoutParams                  kangoo getWidth                     kangoo getHeight                    WindowManager LayoutParams TYPE SYSTEM ALERT                  WindowManager LayoutParams FLAG NOT FOCUSABLE                  WindowManager LayoutParams FLAG NOT TOUCH MODAL                  WindowManager LayoutParams FLAG WATCH OUTSIDE TOUCH                   PixelFormat TRANSLUCENT                 params gravity   Gravity LEFT   Gravity BOTTOM          params setTitle  Load Average            WindowManager wm    WindowManager  getSystemService WINDOW SERVICE              mView   new HUDView this kangoo            mView setOnTouchListener new OnTouchListener                    Override             public boolean onTouch View arg0  MotionEvent arg1                       TODO Auto-generated method stub                   Log e  kordinatlar   arg1 getX       arg1 getY       display getHeight       kangoo getHeight                     if arg1 getX   lt kangoo getWidth    amp  arg1 getY   gt 0                                     Log d  tiklandi    touch me                                      return false                                           wm addView mView  params                        Override     public IBinder onBind Intent arg0               TODO Auto-generated method stub         return null               SuppressLint  DrawAllocation   class HUDView extends ViewGroup         Bitmap kangoo       public HUDView Context context Bitmap kangoo            super context            this kangoo kangoo                 protected void onDraw Canvas canvas              super onDraw canvas                delete below line if you want transparent back color  but to understand the sizes use back color         canvas drawColor Color BLACK            canvas drawBitmap kangoo 0   0  null                canvas drawText  Hello World   5  15  mLoadPaint                protected void onLayout boolean arg0  int arg1  int arg2  int arg3  int arg4               public boolean onTouchEvent MotionEvent event              return super onTouchEvent event             Toast makeText getContext    onTouchEvent   Toast LENGTH LONG  show             return true

User · Answer

I m one of the developers of the Tooleap SDK  We also provide a way for developers to display always on top windows and buttons  and and we have dealt with a similar situation   One problem the answers here haven t addressed is that of the Android  Secured Buttons    Secured buttons have the filterTouchesWhenObscured property which means they can t be interacted with  if placed under a window  even if that window does not receive any touches  Quoting the Android documentation      Specifies whether to filter touches when the view s window is obscured   by another visible window  When set to true  the view will not receive   touches whenever a toast  dialog or other window appears above the   view s window  Refer to the   link android view View  security   documentation for more details    An example of such a button is the install button when you try to install third party apks  Any app can display such a button if adding to the view layout the following line   android filterTouchesWhenObscured  true    If you display an always-on-top window over a  Secured Button   so all the secured button parts that are covered by an overlay will not handle any touches  even if that overlay is not clickable  So if you are planing to display such a window  you should provide a way for the user to move it or dismiss it  And if a part of your overlay is transparent  take into account that your user might be confused why is a certain button in the underlying app is not working for him suddenly

User · Answer

TYPE SYSTEM OVERLAY This constant was deprecated in since API level 26  Use TYPE APPLICATION OVERLAY instead  or   for users below and above android 8  if  Build VERSION SDK INT  gt   Build VERSION CODES O        LAYOUT FLAG   WindowManager LayoutParams TYPE APPLICATION OVERLAY    else       LAYOUT FLAG   WindowManager LayoutParams TYPE PHONE

[android] Creating a system overlay window (always on top)

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