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Third-party Integration

Note

For API v1.0 and API v1.1 users: support will be removed in future releases of the Android Service. Please consider switching to API v1.2.1 as soon as possible. See migration strategies for recommended ways to stay up-to-date.

UF Android Service has a set of APIs that allow a third-party application to interact with it.

To integrate with the UF Android Service your application you must:

  1. Import the module uf-client-service-api library (see Module uf-client-service-api section)
  2. Bind to the uf-android-service service (see Bind to uf-android-service service section)

The UF Service API Reference Implementation is provided as an example of a third-party application. The uf-service-api-reference-implementation is able to:

  1. show the current service status
  2. open the preferences page of uf-android-service (Settings page)
  3. grant authorization to execute an action during a soft update

API compatibility

Newer APIs are supported only by recent versions of the UF Android Service. The compatibility between the APIs and the Service versions is specified in the following table:

API UF Android Service
v0.1 any
v1.0 ≥ v1.0.0 (version code 23)
v1.1 ≥ v1.3.0 (version code 31)
v1.2 ≥ v1.4.0 (version code 33)
v1.2.1 ≥ v1.4.0 (version code 33)

See the packages page for the recommended strategies to adopt the latest API in your application and concurrently update the UF Android Service.

Note

API v1.2.1 is backwards compatible with UF Android Service down to v1.4.0, but the API addition is useful only when UF Android Service ≥ v1.6.0 is running on the device, as specified in the API v1.2.1 migration notes.

Migration from API v1.2 to v1.2.1

To migrate your application from API v1.2 to v1.2.1:

  1. upgrade the uf-client-service-api dependency to v1.6.1
  2. if you're checking the availability of updates using Force Ping, check for either Idle (sent by UF Android Service < v1.6.0) or NoNewState events (sent by UF Android Service ≥ v1.6.0)
  3. (recommended) avoid sending AuthorizationResponse messages with granted = false

Migration from API v1.1 to v1.2

To migrate your application from API v1.1 to v1.2:

  1. upgrade the uf-client-service-api dependency to 1.5.1
  2. handle the new service events (Started, Stopped, CantBeStopped, ConfigurationUpdated, NewTargetTokenReceived) when your app receives the ServiceNotification

Migration from API v1.0 to v1.1

To migrate your application from API v1.0 to v1.1:

  1. upgrade the uf-client-service-api dependency to v1.3.0
  2. use the ConfigureServiceV2 message to configure the client instead of the ConfigureService message (still supported but deprecated)
  3. handle the CurrentServiceConfigurationV2 message in your handler. The service sends the CurrentServiceConfigurationV2 message as response of sync request instead of the CurrentServiceConfiguration message
  4. handle the new WaitingUpdateWindow service state when your app receives the ServiceNotification

Bind to uf-android-service

uf-android-service is a bound service, it allows components (such as activities) to bind to the service, send requests, receive responses, and perform inter-process communication.

To bind with the service create an intent with:

  1. action = UFServiceInfo.SERVICE_ACTION
  2. package = UFServiceInfo.SERVICE_PACKAGE_NAME

This is an example of how to bind an Application with the service:

private val mService:Messenger;

private val mConnection = object : ServiceConnection {
    override fun onServiceConnected(
        className: ComponentName,
        service: IBinder
    ) {
        mService = Messenger(service)

        Toast.makeText(this@MainActivity, R.string.ui_connected,
            Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show()

        handleRemoteException {
            mService!!.send(Communication.V1.In.RegisterClient(mMessenger).toMessage())
            mService!!.send(Communication.V1.In.Sync(mMessenger).toMessage())
        }
        mIsBound = true
    }

    override fun onServiceDisconnected(className: ComponentName) {
        Log.i(TAG, "Service is disconnected")
        doUnbindService()
    }

    override fun onBindingDied(name: ComponentName?) {
        Log.i(TAG, "Service binding is died")
        mIsBound = false
    }
}

private fun doBindService() {
    val intent = Intent(UFServiceInfo.SERVICE_ACTION)
    intent.setPackage(UFServiceInfo.SERVICE_PACKAGE_NAME)
    intent.flags = FLAG_INCLUDE_STOPPED_PACKAGES
    val serviceExist = bindService(intent, mConnection, Context.BIND_AUTO_CREATE)
    if (!serviceExist && !mServiceExist) {
        Toast.makeText(applicationContext, "UpdateFactoryService not found", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show()
        unbindService(mConnection)
        this.finish()
    } else {
        mServiceExist = true
    }
}

private fun doUnbindService() {
    if (mIsBound) {
        if (mService != null) {
            try {
                mService!!.send(Communication.V1.In.UnregisterClient(mMessenger).toMessage())
            } catch (e: RemoteException) {
            }
        }
        unbindService(mConnection)
        mIsBound = false
    }
}

Messages

The Android client Service uses Android Messenger to receive user inputs and to notify its status. The uf-client-service-api provides a set of help classes that must be used to communicate with the service (see communication).

For more details see the official documentation.

Module uf-client-service-api

The module uf-client-service-api contains all of the classes that a third party application must include to handle the communication with the uf-android-service.

uf-client-service-api contains:

  1. UFServiceInfo: object class with the main information about the service
  2. Communication: a set of classes to build (parse) messages to send (receive) to the service
  3. UFServiceConfiguration: a data class that contains the current configuration of the service
  4. UFServiceMessageV1: a set of classes that represents the state of the service

To import this module:

  1. configure your project to use jitpack (see jitpack documentation).
  2. add implementation 'com.github.kynetics.uf-android-client:uf-client-service-api:v1.y.z' to the project dependencies, for example: 
    implementation 'com.github.kynetics.uf-android-client:uf-client-service-api:v1.6.1'

See API reference documentation for additional info.

UFServiceInfo

UFServiceInfo is an object class with the main information about the service

object UFServiceInfo {
    /**
     * Package name of the Update Factory Service
     */
    const val SERVICE_PACKAGE_NAME = "com.kynetics.uf.service"

    /**
     * Action to bind with the Update Factory Service
     */
    const val SERVICE_ACTION = "com.kynetics.action.BIND_UF_SERVICE"

    /**
     * Action to open the Update Factory Settings
     */
    const val ACTION_SETTINGS = "com.kynetics.action.SETTINGS"
}

UFServiceConfigurationV2

UFServiceConfigurationV2 contains:

  1. tenant = the name of the tenant
  2. controllerId = device unique identifier
  3. url = URL of Update Factory Server
  4. targetToken = device token to communicate with the UF server
  5. gatewayToken = a token shared between all targets of the tenant to communicate with the UF Server
  6. isApiMode = if false the UF Android Service shows a pop up window when user authorization is needed. If true the UF Android Service sends an AuthorizationRequest message via API
  7. isEnable = true to enable the UF Android background Service, false to disable it
  8. isUpdateFactoryServe = if true the service is optimized for Update Factory, if false the service is optimized for hawkBit
  9. targetAttributes = a map of string (key) to string (value) device attributes that the Android Service sends to the UF Server. AddTargetAttributes is the recommended way to provide attributes when using API ≥ 1.2
  10. timeWindows = configuration of the time slots during which a force update can be applied on the device, the timeSlots are defined using a cron expression and a windows size duration:
    1. cronExpression = a cron expression (QUARTZ format) that defines when the time windows begins (in the device time zone)
    2. duration = windows size in seconds

The targetAttributes and timeWindows properties can be omitted when building a UFServiceConfigurationV2, as they have a default value.

UFServiceConfigurationV2(
                tenant = <tenant_name>,
                controllerId = <controller_id>,
                url =  <uf_server_url>,
                targetToken = <target_token>,
                gatewayToken = <gateway_token>,
                isApiMode = true,
                isEnable = true,
                isUpdateFactoryServe = true,
                targetAttributes = mutableMapOf("DeviceOS" to "Android"),
                timeWindows = TimeWindows(
                    cronExpression = "* * * ? * *",
                    duration = 3600
                )
            )

Communication

Communication classes are hierarchy organized: Communication.V1.[<In> | <Out>].<message_type>

In classes represent all messages that can be sent to the service, instead, Out classes represent all messages that can be received from the Service.

In

To send a message to the UF service, you must create an instance of an In class and then invoke the method toMessage 

//mService:Messenger;
mService!!.send(Communication.V1.In.RegisterClient(mMessenger).toMessage())

ConfigureServiceV2

Class to build a message to configure the service.

Arguments:

  1. conf: new service configuration (instance of UFServiceConfigurationV2)
RegisterClient

Class to build a message to register the client (the service will notify any update to the client)

Constructor Arguments:

  1. replyTo: Messenger where reply
UnregisterClient

Class to build a message to unregister the client to the service

Constructor Arguments:

  1. replyTo: Messenger where reply
AuthorizationResponse

Class to build a message to grant the authorization to download or apply an update.

Constructor Arguments:

  1. granted: true to immediately grant authorization. Providing false is discouraged, and has different behaviors depending on the UF Android Service version (see Note).

Note

Regardless of the Service version, the recommended implementation is to send granted = true when ready to provide the authorization to proceed. Since the Service is blocked waiting for the authorization there is no need to provide explicit denial. The handling of the granted = false message in UF Android Service has changed since v1.6.0.

In UF Android Service v1.6.0 or later, any AuthorizationResponse message with granted = false will be ignored. The Service keeps waiting for authorization until an AuthorizationResponse message with granted = true is sent.

In UF Android Service < v1.6.0 an AuthorizationResponse message with granted = false will cause subsequent AuthorizationResponse messages with granted = true to be ignored, until a force ping is called, or the device is rebooted.

Sync

Class to build a message which requires a sync with the service. The service will respond with its configuration and its state (see Out section).

Constructor Arguments:

  1. replyTo: Messenger where reply
ForcePing

Class to build a message that forces a poll to the Update Factory Server.

Note

In UF Android Service version ≥ 1.6.0 the ForcePing behavior has been updated: if the state in the server is unchanged, the service will broadcast the NoNewState; otherwise it will broadcast the new state as before. NoNewState is sent only in case of Force Ping.
When using the following combination:

  • version < 1.6.0 (API v1.2 or earlier) of the uf-client-service-api library
  • version ≥ 1.6.0 (including prereleases) of the UF Android Service

the NoNewState cannot be decoded and causes a harmless warning message.
To correctly handle NoNewState migrate your application to use API v1.2.1.

AddTargetAttributes

Class to build a message that adds target attributes.

Constructor Arguments:

  1. targetAttributesWithPolicy: a Map of target attributes with an AggregationPolicy

Target attributes are defined by three sources:

  1. the built-in attributes
  2. the UF Android Service configuration
  3. the targetAttributes added with this API

Conflicts on target attributes are handled as follows:

  • built-in target attributes always win
  • target attributes defined by AddTargetAttributes win over target attributes provided during UF Android Service configuration

Out

When you receive a message from the service you must use toOutV1Message() (see kotlin extension function) function that returns an instance of Out class. 

override fun handleMessage(msg: Message) {
    runCatching{
        val v1Msg = msg.toOutV1Message()
        when (v1Msg) {

            is Communication.V1.Out.CurrentServiceConfigurationV2 -> handleServiceConfigurationMsg(v1Msg)

            is Communication.V1.Out.AuthorizationRequest -> handleAuthorizationRequestMsg(v1Msg)

            is Communication.V1.Out.ServiceNotification -> handleServiceNotificationMsg(v1Msg)

            else -> { Log.i(TAG, "Unexpected message received") }
        }
    }.onFailure{ error ->
        Log.w(TAG, "Unexpected message received", error)
    }
}

ServiceNotification

ServiceNotification contains the current status of the service. It has a field called content of type UFServiceMessageV1

AuthorizationRequest

AuthorizationRequest has a field called authName that contains the type of authorization (typically one between download and update).

CurrentServiceConfigurationV2

CurrentServiceConfigurationV2 has a field called conf that contains the current service configuration (an instance of UFServiceConfigurationV2)

UFServiceMessageV1

Classes that map states and events of UF Android Client Service

States:

Downloading

Client is downloading artifacts from server.

Fields:

  1. artifacts: list of artifacts to download
Artifact

Fields:

  1. name: artifact name
  2. size: artifact size
  3. md5: artifact MD5 checksum
Updating

The update process is started. Any request to cancel an update will be rejected.

CancellingUpdate

Last update request is being cancelled.

WaitingDownloadAuthorization

Waiting authorization to start download.

WaitingUpdateAuthorization

Waiting authorization to start update.

WaitingUpdateWindow

Waiting for a valid time slot to apply the force update

Idle

Client is waiting for new requests from the server.

NoNewState

The state in the server is unchanged. NoNewState is sent only in case of Force Ping.

ConfigurationError

Bad service configuration.

Fields:

  1. details: additional information

Events:

Polling

Client is contacting server to retrieve new action to execute.

StartDownloadFile

A file downloading is started.

Fields:

  1. fileName: name of the file to download
FileDownloaded

A file is downloaded.

Fields:

  1. fileDownloaded: the file that is downloaded
DownloadProgress

Progress of the current file download process.

Progress is sent every minute if at least an additional 10% has been downloaded with respect to previous progress message. Progress is sent for artifacts of any update type.

Fields:

  1. fileName: the file that is downloaded
  2. percentage: the percentage downloaded (in [0,1])
AllFilesDownloaded

All needed file are downloaded.

UpdateFinished

The update is finished.

Fields:

  1. successApply: true if the update is successfully applied, false otherwise.
  2. details: additional details
Error

An error has occurred.

Fields:

  1. details: additional details
UpdateProgress

Progress of the current update phase.

Progress is sent every minute if at least an additional 10% has been installed with respect to the previous progress message. Progress is sent only for double-copy system updates.

Fields:

  1. phaseName: the name of the update phase
  2. phaseDescription: the description of the update phase
  3. percentage: the progress percentage of the update phase
UpdateAvailable

An update is available on cloud.

Fields:

  1. id: update id
Started

The service is started.

Fields:

  1. configuration: the service configuration
Stopped

The service is stopped.

Fields:

  1. configuration: the service configuration
CantBeStopped

The service can't be stopped. It typically happens when an update is currently being installed.

Fields:

  1. configuration: the service configuration
  2. retryIn: the number of milliseconds to the next service self stop attempt
ConfigurationUpdated

The configuration used by the service has been updated. This event is notified when the configuration change doesn't require a restart of the service.

Fields:

  1. configuration: the new service configuration
NewTargetTokenReceived

The client has received a new target token from the Update Factory Server.

References

Kynetics - uf-service-api-reference-implementation repository

Kynetics - Update Factory

Kynetics Technical note on Update Factory

Kynetics Slideshare