Do you have to unregister IntentService Broadcast receivers in Android Applications

Question

My current Android application employs an IntentService to call a SOAP WebService.

The IntentService returns the SOAP response data to the calling activity via a LocalBroadcastManager from within its onHandleIntent() method

final Intent localIntent = new Intent(FASTEST_BROADCAST_ACTION);
localIntent.putExtra(FASTEST_EXTENDED_DATA, xmlUtility.getFastestServiceId());
LocalBroadcastManager.getInstance(getApplicationContext()).sendBroadcast(localIntent);

My calling activity registers a broadcast listener as follows in its onResume() method

@Override
protected void onResume() {
        super.onResume();

        mDepartureBroadcastReceiver = new DepartureBroadcastReceiver();
        final IntentFilter statusIntentFilter = new IntentFilter(FASTEST_BROADCAST_ACTION);
        LocalBroadcastManager.getInstance(getApplicationContext()).registerReceiver(mDepartureBroadcastReceiver, statusIntentFilter);
        Log.v(LOG_TAG, "Register receiver = " + mDepartureBroadcastReceiver);

    }

Everything works fine, the Web Service is called and the required response data is returned to my activity.

The issue comes when I leave the current activity and attempt to call unregisterReceiver

I have this code in my onPause method:-

   /**
     * Dispatch onPause() to fragments.
     */
    @Override
    protected void onPause() {
        super.onPause();

        if (mDepartureBroadcastReceiver == null) {
            //INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
        } else {
            try {
                Log.v(LOG_TAG, "About to unregister receiver");
                unregisterReceiver(mDepartureBroadcastReceiver);
                Log.v(LOG_TAG, "Successfully unregistered receiver");
            } catch (final Exception exception) {
                Log.e(LOG_TAG, "Failed unregistered receiver", exception);
            } finally {
                mDepartureBroadcastReceiver = null;
            }
        }
    }

I always get this exception:-

Failed unregistered receiver java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Receiver not registered

The receiver registered:-

Register receiver = com.aaa.bbb.departure.DepartureBroadcastReceiver@2879575

Matches the exception:-

java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Receiver not registered: com.aaa.bbb.departure.DepartureBroadcastReceiver@2879575

Why does this exception occur?

Why cant I unregister this receiver?

Is it due to my IntentService finishing (e.g calling its onDestroy() method) before I call unregister?

Answer 1

You aren't unregistering using the LocalBroadcastManager.

You need to use this LocalBroadcastManager.getInstance(getApplicationContext()).unregisterReceiver(mDepartureBroadcastReceiver);