Android splash screen

Question

I have implemented a splash screen, to hold/pause the screen for few seconds and then launch the next screen. I am very enthusiastic to know if there is a more basic way to write the code.

public class SplashActivity extends BaseActivity {

    private final int SPLASH_TIME_OUT = 2000;

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_splash);

        Thread splashTimerThread = new Thread() {
            public void run() {
                try {
                    Thread.sleep(SPLASH_TIME_OUT);
                } catch (InterruptedException interruptedException) {
                    interruptedException.printStackTrace();
                } finally {
                    Intent intent = new Intent(SplashActivity.this, HomeActivity.class);
                    startActivity(intent);
                }
            }
        };
        splashTimerThread.start();
    }

    @Override
    protected void onPause() {
        super.onPause();
        finish();
    }
}

Answer 1

Using a thread for a SplashScreen is fine, however a much cleaner solution would to use a Handler as below...

public class SplashActivity extends BaseActivity {

    private final static int SPLASH_TIME_OUT = 2000;

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_splash);

        new Handler().postDelayed(new Runnable() {
            @Override
            public void run() {
                Intent intent = new Intent(SplashActivity.this, HomeActivity.class);
                startActivity(intent);
            }
        }, SPLASH_TIME_OUT);
    }

    @Override
    protected void onPause() {
        super.onPause();
        finish();
    }
}

Your SPLASH_TIME_OUT constant should be declared static.

Answer 2

The best way to do splash screens is creating a style and adding a drawable (the layout of the page) to this style; afterwards setting the activity theme the style you just created.

drawable/splash_screen.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<layer-list xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">

    <item
        android:drawable="@color/gray"/>

    <item>
        <bitmap
            android:gravity="center"
            android:src="@mipmap/ic_launcher"/>
    </item>

</layer-list>

values/styles.xml

<resources>

    <!-- Base application theme. -->
    <style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light.DarkActionBar">
        <!-- Customize your theme here. -->
    </style>

    <style name="SplashTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.NoActionBar">
        <item name="android:windowBackground">@drawable/splash_screen</item>
    </style>

</resources>

Now go to your manifest file and add this piece of code:

manifests/AndroidManifest.xml

<activity
   android:name=".SplashActivity"
   android:theme="@style/SplashTheme">
   <intent-filter>
       <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
       <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
   </intent-filter>

java/com.(...)/SplashActivity.java

public class SplashActivity extends AppCompatActivity {

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

        Intent intent = new Intent(this, MainActivity.class);
        startActivity(intent);      
    }
}

This way the user doesn't have to unnecessarily wait and gets to look at something nice, and you get to show your brand; everyone is happy.

Source