Question

After finding that starting a new intent might not be the right way to notify user of GameOver, I’m now struggeling with runOnUiThread, Runnable and dialogs..

Question : How and where would I implement a Dialog.show() to notify the user that the game has ended? In my Log, it all works fine (so I managed to get the message Game end when it’s supposed to). At some point, boolean GameManger.LevelEnded switches to true. When that happens, I want to show the Dialog..

I’ve experimented with runOnUiThread, Runnable and Async threads. Can’t figure it out.

I have a game. Activity AppelzActivity :

public class AppelzActivity extends Activity {
    /** Called when the activity is first created. */

    private static final String TAG = AppelzActivity.class.getSimpleName();

    @Override
    public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(null);

        // requesting to turn the title OFF
        requestWindowFeature(Window.FEATURE_NO_TITLE);
        // making it full screen
        getWindow().setFlags(WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_FULLSCREEN, WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_FULLSCREEN);
        // set our MainGamePanel as the View
        setContentView(new MainGamePanel(this));
        Log.d(TAG, "View added");
    }
}

My MainGamePanel class :

public class MainGamePanel extends SurfaceView implements
SurfaceHolder.Callback {

// DECLARING VARS (REMOVED FOR READABILITY)

    public MainGamePanel(Context context) {
        super(context);
        getHolder().addCallback(this);
        Display display = ((WindowManager) getContext().getSystemService(Context.WINDOW_SERVICE))
        .getDefaultDisplay();
        GameManager.panel = this;

        width = display.getWidth();
        height = display.getHeight();
        RectScreen.set(0,0,width,height);

        // CREATING CONTROLS, MISSION AND VISIBLE OBJECTS (REMOVED FOR READABILITY)

        thread = new MainThread(getHolder(), this);
        setFocusable(true);
    }

    @Override
    public void surfaceCreated(SurfaceHolder holder) {
        thread.setRunning(true);
    }

        // HANDELING ON TOUCH EVENTS AND SUCH (REMOVED FOR READABILITY)


    @Override
    protected void onDraw(Canvas canvas) {
        // fills the canvas with black
        canvas.drawColor(Color.BLACK);
        backGnd.draw(canvas);

        basket.draw(canvas);
        for (int i = 0; i < AppleList.size();i++){
            AppleList.get(i).draw(canvas);
        }
        btnMoreFruit.draw(canvas);
        btnLessFruit.draw(canvas);

        if (GameManager.count){

            glyphsCount.drawString(MainThread.canvas, Integer.toString(GameManager.i), (width/2-120), (height/2-120));

        }

    }
}

And finally, the MainThread class :

public class MainThread extends Thread {

    private static final String TAG = MainThread.class.getSimpleName();

    private SurfaceHolder surfaceHolder;
    private MainGamePanel gamePanel;
    private DialogManager dialogManager;
    public static boolean running;
    public static Canvas canvas;

    public void setRunning(boolean running) {
        MainThread.running = running;
    }

    public MainThread(SurfaceHolder surfaceHolder, MainGamePanel gamePanel) {
        super();
        this.surfaceHolder = surfaceHolder;
        this.gamePanel = gamePanel;
        this.dialogManager = dialogManager;
    }

    @Override
    public void run() {
        // Canvas canvas;
        Log.d(TAG, "Starting game loop");
        while (running) {
            MainThread.canvas = null;
            // try locking the canvas for exclusive pixel editing on the surface

            try {
                MainThread.canvas = this.surfaceHolder.lockCanvas();
                synchronized (surfaceHolder) {
                    // update game state
                    this.gamePanel.update();

                    // render state to the screen
                    // draws the canvas on the panel
                    this.gamePanel.onDraw(MainThread.canvas);

                }
            } finally {
                // in case of an exception the surface is not left in
                // an inconsistent state
                if (MainThread.canvas != null) {
                    surfaceHolder.unlockCanvasAndPost(MainThread.canvas);
                }
            } // end finally
        }
    }
}

Basket.java – This is an object in the game. As you can see, if it is in a certain position, I start a CountDown :

public class basket {

 private Bitmap bitmap; // the actual bitmap
 private int x;   // the X coordinate
 private int y;   // the Y coordinate'
 public static int width;
 public static int height;
 public float X = 100;
 public float Y = 100;

 private boolean touched; // if droid is touched/picked up

 public basket(Bitmap bitmap, int x, int y) {
  this.bitmap = bitmap;

  width = bitmap.getWidth(); 
  height = bitmap.getHeight(); 
 }

 public Bitmap getBitmap() {
  return bitmap;
 }
 public void setBitmap(Bitmap bitmap) {
  this.bitmap = bitmap;
 }

 public int getWidth(){
      return bitmap.getWidth();
     }

     public int getHeight(){
      return bitmap.getHeight();
     }

 public int getX() {
  return x;
 }



 public void setX(float x) {

    // if basket is further than slotmargin 
     if (x + width/2 > SlotManager.SlotmarginX) {
        // if basket is NOT in CheckOut area    
         if (this.Y < MainGamePanel.height - 80 - height/2){
            x = SlotManager.SlotmarginX - width/2;

        } else {
            // if basket IS in CheckOut area
            x = MainGamePanel.width - width/2;

            // Start the countdown timer if not already running
            if (!GameManager.count){
                GameManager.count=true;
// --- HERE I START COUNTDOWN
                GameManager.handler.postDelayed(GameManager.runnable, 0);                               
            }

        }
    } else {

        // Basket is NOT in CheckOut area; stop countdown timer
        GameManager.count=false;
    }

     this.X = x;
 }


 public int getY() {
  return y;
 }
 public void setY(int y) {
        if (y + height/2 > MainGamePanel.height - 80){
            y = MainGamePanel.height - 80 - height/2;
        }


  this.Y = y;
 }


 public boolean isTouched() {
  return touched;
 }

 public void setTouched(boolean touched) {
  this.touched = touched;
 }

 public void draw(Canvas canvas) {
      canvas.drawBitmap(bitmap, X - width/2, Y - height/2, null);
 }

 public void handleActionDown(int eventX, int eventY) {
  if (eventX >= (X - width/ 2) && (eventX <= (X + width/2))) {
   if (eventY >= (Y - height/ 2) && (eventY <= (Y + height/ 2))) {
    // basket touched
    setTouched(true);
   } else {
    setTouched(false);
   }
  } else {
   setTouched(false);
  }

 }
}

The CountDown in GameManager is :

        @Override
        public void run()
        {
            if (SlotManager.alSlottedFruitList.size() > 0){
            //TODO Create Full screen countdown timer
                Log.d("", "Countdown Timer in GameManager " + i);

                i--;
                if (count && i > -1) // stop timer when count is false
                {
                    handler.postDelayed(runnable, 1000);
                } else {
                    if (i == -1){
                        Log.d("", "RoundUp the Level");

// --- HERE I WANT TO DO A LEVEL END AND SHOW THE DIALOG                        

                    }
                    // reset Countdown (if basket outside checkout)
                    i = 6;
                }
            } else {
                // reset Countdown (if slot has no fruits)
                i = 6;
            }
        }
    };

    public static void startCountDown() {
        handler.postDelayed(GameManager.runnable, 0);
    }

    public static void finishRound() {
        listener.onRoundFinished();
    }



    public static List<Integer> missionlist;

    public static void CreateMission(){
        int maxtotalitems = 6;
        missionlist = new ArrayList<Integer>();
        Random Rnd = new Random();

        for (int FruitType = 0; FruitType < FruitManager.fruitResources.size();FruitType++){
            for (int x = 0; x < Rnd.nextInt(maxtotalitems); x++){
                missionlist.add(FruitType); 
            }}

// --- HERE I WANT TO SHOW A DIALOG CONTAINING THE MISSION


        for (int x = 0; x < FruitManager.fruitResources.size();x++){
            Log.d("MISSION", "Mission for " + x + " : " + Collections.frequency(missionlist, x));
        }

// Let's show the Dialog containing the mission 

    }

    public void LevelEnd(){
        // First, count the Fruits in the slot
        SlotManager.countSlotInv();
        List<Integer> list = new ArrayList<Integer>();      
        // Fill itemIds with the types of fruits
        for (apple a : SlotManager.alSlottedFruitList){
            Integer itemId = Integer.valueOf(a.FruitType);
            list.add(itemId);
        }


            for (int key = 0; key < 3 ; key++) {
                boolean succeed = CheckMissionComplete(key, Collections.frequency(list, key));

                System.out.println(key + " : " + Collections.frequency(list, key));
                    Log.d("MISSION", "Number : " + key + " : succeed = " + succeed );                   
            }
            listener.onRoundFinished();
    }

    public boolean CheckMissionComplete(int key, int amount) {

        //CheckMission
        if (amount == Collections.frequency(missionlist, key)){
            return true;            
        } else {
        return false;
        }
    }

    public GameManager(GameListener listener) {
        this.listener = listener;
    }





}

Answer 1

Just try to keep it simple. Hold a reference to the context in your GameManager class. Use it to display your dialog.

public class MainGamePanel extends SurfaceView implements
                                   SurfaceHolder.Callback {

public MainGamePanel(Context context) {
    super(context);
   .......
    GameManager.panel = this;
    GameManager.context = context; // add a reference to the context in GameManager..
   ........
   ........

    thread = new MainThread(getHolder(), this);
    setFocusable(true);
}

In your GameManager use it to call runOnUIThread()

 Activity context;  // Context of the main activity..
 ........
 @Override
    public void run()
    {
        if (SlotManager.alSlottedFruitList.size() > 0){
        //TODO Create Full screen countdown timer
            Log.d("", "Countdown Timer in GameManager " + i);

            i--;
            if (count && i > -1) // stop timer when count is false
            {
                handler.postDelayed(runnable, 1000);
            } else {
                if (i == -1){
                    Log.d("", "RoundUp the Level");

// --- HERE I WANT TO DO A LEVEL END AND SHOW THE DIALOG    

                    context.runOnUIThread(new Runnable() {   // Use the context here
                        @override
                        public void run() {
                            showLevelEndDialog();
                        }
                    }
                }
                // reset Countdown (if basket outside checkout)
                i = 6;
            }
        } else {
            // reset Countdown (if slot has no fruits)
            i = 6;
        }
    }
};