Stopwatch resets when activity restarts

Question

I`m trying to create simple stopwatch for my statistics activity. What it needs to do is start when activity creates for the first time and then count and count until i reset it. The code I used:

    String trip_time;
    long millis;
    long start_time;
    Handler Handler;
    private boolean started = false;

    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        Handler.postDelayed(Runnable, 10L);
        if (!started) {
            start_time = System.currentTimeMillis();
            started = true;
        }
     }

  private final Runnable Runnable = new Runnable() {
        @Override
        public void run() {
            millis = (System.currentTimeMillis() - start_time);
            long seconds = millis / 1000;
            trip_time = String.format(Locale.getDefault(), "%02d:%02d:%02d", seconds / 3600, seconds / 60, seconds % 60);
            Handler.postDelayed(Runnable, 10L);
        }
    };

But when I come to activity with intent, or activity restarts Stopwatch resets and starts counting from 0. After a few resets it continues counting from basic time. Can I somehow get rid of this problem? Probably via class or whatever.

Answer 1

Thank you, I solved my problem via making StopwatchService:

public class StopwatchService extends Service {

    Handler Handler;
    long start_time;
    static String trip_time;
    static long millis;

    @Override
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();
        Handler = new Handler();
        Handler.postDelayed(Runnable, 10L);
        start_time = System.currentTimeMillis();

    }
    private final Runnable Runnable = new Runnable() {
        @Override
        public void run() {
            millis = (System.currentTimeMillis() - start_time);
            long seconds = millis / 1000;
            trip_time = String.format(Locale.getDefault(), "%02d:%02d:%02d", seconds / 3600, seconds / 60, seconds % 60);
            Handler.postDelayed(Runnable, 10L);
        }
    };
    @Nullable
    @Override
    public IBinder onBind(Intent intent) {
        return null;
    }
    public static String getTrip_time(){return trip_time;}
}

In manifest:

 <service 
    android:name=".StopwatchService"
    android:enabled="true"/>

And in activity:

 startService(new Intent(this, StopwatchService.class));
 String trip_time = StopwatchService.getTrip_time();