Android: How to use AlarmManager

"Some sample code" is not that easy when it comes to AlarmManager.

Here is a snippet showing the setup of AlarmManager:

AlarmManager mgr=(AlarmManager)context.getSystemService(Context.ALARM_SERVICE);
Intent i=new Intent(context, OnAlarmReceiver.class);
PendingIntent pi=PendingIntent.getBroadcast(context, 0, i, 0);

mgr.setRepeating(AlarmManager.ELAPSED_REALTIME_WAKEUP, SystemClock.elapsedRealtime(), PERIOD, pi);

In this example, I am using setRepeating(). If you want a one-shot alarm, you would just use set(). Be sure to give the time for the alarm to start in the same time base as you use in the initial parameter to set(). In my example above, I am using AlarmManager.ELAPSED_REALTIME_WAKEUP, so my time base is SystemClock.elapsedRealtime().

Here is a larger sample project showing this technique.

An AlarmManager is used to trigger some code at a specific time.

To start an Alarm Manager you need to first get the instance from the System. Then pass the PendingIntent which would get executed at a future time that you specify

AlarmManager manager = (AlarmManager) getSystemService(Context.ALARM_SERVICE);

Intent alarmIntent = new Intent(context, MyAlarmReceiver.class);
PendingIntent pendingIntent = PendingIntent.getBroadcast(context, 0, alarmIntent, 0);
int interval = 8000; //repeat interval
manager.setInexactRepeating(AlarmManager.RTC_WAKEUP, System.currentTimeMillis(), interval, pendingIntent);

You need to be careful while using the Alarm Manager. Normally, an alarm manager cannot repeat before a minute. Also in low power mode, the duration can increase to up to 15 minutes.