Android 8.1 - invalid channel for service notification

[maerlynflagg]

i'm develope ionic app and there i'm used this plugin.

after opening my app and the app is loaded, i called the function "backgroundmode.enable()". after a short timespan app stopped with the issue:

invalid channel for service notification

after removing the usage of this plugin the app isn't stopped and runs all the time. all fine.

so, i checked this. i have added the plugin usage again and the exception came back. i removed it again, exception is gone

this is the full stacktrace, which is shown in Logcat (Android Studio):

    android.app.RemoteServiceException: Bad notification for startForeground: java.lang.RuntimeException: invalid channel for service notification: Notification(channel=null pri=-2 contentView=null vibrate=null sound=null defaults=0x0 flags=0x42 color=0x00000000 vis=PRIVATE)
        at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:2105)
        at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:109)
        at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:166)
        at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:7377)
        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
        at com.android.internal.os.RuntimeInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(RuntimeInit.java:469)
        at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:963)

[writer0713]

@maerlynflagg
I also spent long time to solve this problem.
I solved this problem with below github (fork version).

try below command.

$ ionic cordova platform rm android
$ ionic cordova platform rm ios
$ ionic cordova plugin add https://github.com/tushe/cordova-plugin-background-mode.git
$ npm install --save @ionic-native/background-mode

$ ionic cordova platform add android
$ ionic cordova platform add ios

[f18nfz]

Have similar issues with Android 8.1 however re-adding the platform didn't resolve it.
On Android P (Pixel 2) I receive the following error:
Issue: java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to create service de.appplant.cordova.plugin.background.ForegroundService: java.lang.SecurityException: Permission Denial: startForeground from pid=17789, uid=10151 requires android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE
So if I add the permission android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE I get the fatal exception:
android.app.RemoteServiceException: Bad notification for startForeground: java.lang.RuntimeException: invalid channel for service notification

Looks like an update might be needed - maybe something like this? ([https://stackoverflow.com/questions/47531742/startforeground-fail-after-upgrade-to-android-8-1])

EDIT: thanks @writer0713 that version has the fixes, updating ForegroundService.java with the updates from that git fixed the issue!

[victorhugoweb]

Dont works in Android >= 8

[EvPut]

Similar problem on android 8.1 (Xiaomi MI8 Lite)

[Gurjit-ONEBCG]

@maerlynflagg

@maerlynflagg
I also spent long time to solve this problem.
I solved this problem with below github (fork version).

try below command.

$ ionic cordova platform rm android
$ ionic cordova platform rm ios
$ ionic cordova plugin add https://github.com/tushe/cordova-plugin-background-mode.git
$ npm install --save @ionic-native/background-mode

$ ionic cordova platform add android
$ ionic cordova platform add ios

@writer0713 This fixed the crash issue, but background plugin stopped working :(

[Bharat-Rayasam]

@Gurjit-ONEBCG

Below changes in the cordova-plugin-background-mode worked for me. Crash issue is resolved as well as background plugin is working fine.

1. In ForegroundService.java made below changes:
   a) Add below import statement:
   import android.app.NotificationChannel;
   b) Add below global variables:

public static final String NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_ID_SERVICE = "de.appplant.cordova.plugin.background";
public static final String NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_ID_INFO = "com.package.download_info";

c) Replace keepAwake() method with below code:

private void keepAwake() {
       JSONObject settings = BackgroundMode.getSettings();
       boolean isSilent    = settings.optBoolean("silent", false);
       if (!isSilent) {
           if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.O) {
               NotificationManager nm = (NotificationManager) getSystemService(NOTIFICATION_SERVICE);
               nm.createNotificationChannel(new NotificationChannel(NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_ID_SERVICE, "App Service", NotificationManager.IMPORTANCE_DEFAULT));
               nm.createNotificationChannel(new NotificationChannel(NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_ID_INFO, "Download Info", NotificationManager.IMPORTANCE_DEFAULT));
           } else {
               startForeground(NOTIFICATION_ID, makeNotification());
           }
       }

       PowerManager powerMgr = (PowerManager)
               getSystemService(POWER_SERVICE);
       wakeLock = powerMgr.newWakeLock(
               PowerManager.PARTIAL_WAKE_LOCK, "BackgroundMode");
       wakeLock.acquire();
   } 

2. Add below in AndroidManifest.xml file:
   <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE" />

3. In code where I invoked background mode plugin, used disableWebViewOptimizations option on activate:

cordova.plugins.backgroundMode.on('activate', function() {
       cordova.plugins.backgroundMode.disableWebViewOptimizations();
 });

Alternately, you can try #416 but do remember to add FOREGROUND_SERVICE permission in AndroidManifest

[brauliofreire]

@Gurjit-ONEBCG

Below changes in the cordova-plugin-background-mode worked for me. Crash issue is resolved as well as background plugin is working fine.

1. In ForegroundService.java made below changes:
   a) Add below import statement:
   import android.app.NotificationChannel;
   b) Add below global variables:

public static final String NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_ID_SERVICE = "de.appplant.cordova.plugin.background";
public static final String NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_ID_INFO = "com.package.download_info";

c) Replace keepAwake() method with below code:

private void keepAwake() {
       JSONObject settings = BackgroundMode.getSettings();
       boolean isSilent    = settings.optBoolean("silent", false);
       if (!isSilent) {
           if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.O) {
               NotificationManager nm = (NotificationManager) getSystemService(NOTIFICATION_SERVICE);
               nm.createNotificationChannel(new NotificationChannel(NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_ID_SERVICE, "App Service", NotificationManager.IMPORTANCE_DEFAULT));
               nm.createNotificationChannel(new NotificationChannel(NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_ID_INFO, "Download Info", NotificationManager.IMPORTANCE_DEFAULT));
           } else {
               startForeground(NOTIFICATION_ID, makeNotification());
           }
       }

       PowerManager powerMgr = (PowerManager)
               getSystemService(POWER_SERVICE);
       wakeLock = powerMgr.newWakeLock(
               PowerManager.PARTIAL_WAKE_LOCK, "BackgroundMode");
       wakeLock.acquire();
   } 

1. Add below in AndroidManifest.xml file:
   <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE" />
2. In code where I invoked background mode plugin, used disableWebViewOptimizations option on activate:

cordova.plugins.backgroundMode.on('activate', function() {
       cordova.plugins.backgroundMode.disableWebViewOptimizations();
 });

Alternately, you can try #416 but do remember to add FOREGROUND_SERVICE permission in AndroidManifest

thanks!!! Work Great!!!
I have a question.
do I need do the changes everytime I compile my phonegap/android platform?

[ziyaddin]

@brauliofreire is it still working fine on Android 8+ phones?

[brauliofreire]

@brauliofreire is it still working fine on Android 8+ phones?

yes! I made tests in android 8.1 and it is working fine!!

[ziyaddin]

@katzer FYI. I haven't tested @Bharat-Rayasam's solution yet but it can be useful for you to come up with stable solution.

[tajindersinghnamdhari]

@Gurjit-ONEBCG

Below changes in the cordova-plugin-background-mode worked for me. Crash issue is resolved as well as background plugin is working fine.

1. In ForegroundService.java made below changes:
   a) Add below import statement:
   import android.app.NotificationChannel;
   b) Add below global variables:

public static final String NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_ID_SERVICE = "de.appplant.cordova.plugin.background";
public static final String NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_ID_INFO = "com.package.download_info";

c) Replace keepAwake() method with below code:

private void keepAwake() {
       JSONObject settings = BackgroundMode.getSettings();
       boolean isSilent    = settings.optBoolean("silent", false);
       if (!isSilent) {
           if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.O) {
               NotificationManager nm = (NotificationManager) getSystemService(NOTIFICATION_SERVICE);
               nm.createNotificationChannel(new NotificationChannel(NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_ID_SERVICE, "App Service", NotificationManager.IMPORTANCE_DEFAULT));
               nm.createNotificationChannel(new NotificationChannel(NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_ID_INFO, "Download Info", NotificationManager.IMPORTANCE_DEFAULT));
           } else {
               startForeground(NOTIFICATION_ID, makeNotification());
           }
       }

       PowerManager powerMgr = (PowerManager)
               getSystemService(POWER_SERVICE);
       wakeLock = powerMgr.newWakeLock(
               PowerManager.PARTIAL_WAKE_LOCK, "BackgroundMode");
       wakeLock.acquire();
   } 

1. Add below in AndroidManifest.xml file:
   <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE" />
2. In code where I invoked background mode plugin, used disableWebViewOptimizations option on activate:

cordova.plugins.backgroundMode.on('activate', function() {
       cordova.plugins.backgroundMode.disableWebViewOptimizations();
 });

Alternately, you can try #416 but do remember to add FOREGROUND_SERVICE permission in AndroidManifest

@Bharat-Rayasam Thanks for this great help 🥇 💯