How to get around setting a unique ID for AlarmManager?

Question

I am using this code to launch an Alarm.

The alarm is set in an Activity that the user can launch.

//Setting alarm to fire off NEW_GAME intent every 24 hours.
            String alarm = Context.ALARM_SERVICE;
            Calendar calendar = Calendar.getInstance();

            calendar.set(Calendar.HOUR_OF_DAY, 8);
            calendar.set(Calendar.MINUTE, 0);
            calendar.set(Calendar.SECOND,0);
            calendar.set(Calendar.MILLISECOND, 0);

             Log.i("Test", "Current time: " + System.currentTimeMillis() );
                Log.i("Test", "Calendar time: " + calendar.getTimeInMillis() );

                int currentDate = calendar.get(Calendar.DATE);
                calendar.set(Calendar.DATE, currentDate+1);

                Log.i("Test", "Calendar time with a day added: " + calendar.getTimeInMillis() );


            AlarmManager am = (AlarmManager)getActivity().getSystemService(alarm);
                Intent intent = new Intent("NEW_ITEM");
                PendingIntent sender = PendingIntent.getBroadcast(getActivity(), 0, intent, 0);

                am.setRepeating(AlarmManager.RTC_WAKEUP,calendar.getTimeInMillis() , AlarmManager.INTERVAL_DAY, sender);

I was told i need to supply a uniqu id so that the alarm doesnt over writte each other where getBroadcast() is.

The problem is how do I do this when the user can open the Activity as many times as they want?

Also if I supply a unique ID each time this means it could possibly set 5 of the same ALARMS because of the unique id's.

How or what is the best way to get around this?

Answer 1

you could always just use the unix timestamp of your target time as the unique id. that way, alarms for the exact time WILL override each other, while all other alarms will stay seperate

[EDIT:] Here is some example code:

AlarmManager am = (AlarmManager)getActivity().getSystemService(alarm);
            Intent intent = new Intent(String.valueOf(calendar.getTimeInMillis()));
            PendingIntent sender = PendingIntent.getBroadcast(getActivity(), 0, intent, 0);
            am.setRepeating(AlarmManager.RTC_WAKEUP,calendar.getTimeInMillis() , AlarmManager.INTERVAL_DAY, sender);