title: How to start an android web server service?
body: <p>I have a <code>WebServerService</code> which I would like to start when a toggle button is pressed. The same button also launches a dialog and notifies the user.</p>
  
  <p>I have tried the following code from my main activity:</p>
  
  <pre><code>startService(new Intent(MyActivity.this, WebServerService.class));
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>But the application UI freezes and the dialog doesn't show up and the application force closes. The code for the <code>WebServerService</code> class is:</p>
  
  <pre><code>import android.app.Service;
  import android.content.Intent;
  import android.os.IBinder;
  import android.util.Log;
  
  public class WebServerService extends Service { 
      private WebServer server = null;
  
      @Override
      public void onCreate() {
          Log.i("HTTPSERVICE", "Creating and starting httpService");
          super.onCreate();
          server = new WebServer(this);
          server.startServer();   
      }
  
      @Override
      public void onDestroy() {
          Log.i("HTTPSERVICE", "Destroying httpService");
          server.stopServer();
          super.onDestroy();
      }
  
      @Override
      public IBinder onBind(Intent intent) {
          return null;
      }
  }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I have been trying hard to get this to work. I have also looked at <code>AsyncTask</code> but I'm not sure if that is applicable in my case. Any help or a pointer in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.</p>
  
  <p>The WebServer class is as follows:  </p>
  
  <pre><code>package com.xlnc.webapp;  
  import java.io.IOException;  
  import java.net.ServerSocket;  
  import java.net.Socket;  
  import java.net.SocketException;  
  
  import org.apache.http.HttpException;
  import org.apache.http.impl.DefaultConnectionReuseStrategy;
  import org.apache.http.impl.DefaultHttpResponseFactory;
  import org.apache.http.impl.DefaultHttpServerConnection;
  import org.apache.http.params.BasicHttpParams;
  import org.apache.http.protocol.BasicHttpContext;
  import org.apache.http.protocol.BasicHttpProcessor;
  import org.apache.http.protocol.HttpRequestHandlerRegistry;
  import org.apache.http.protocol.HttpService;
  import org.apache.http.protocol.ResponseConnControl;
  import org.apache.http.protocol.ResponseContent;
  import org.apache.http.protocol.ResponseDate;
  import org.apache.http.protocol.ResponseServer;
  
  import android.content.Context;
  
  public class WebServer {
  
  public static boolean RUNNING = false;
  public static int serverPort = 8080;
  
  private static final String ALL_PATTERN = "*";
  private static final String EXCEL_PATTERN = "/*.xls";
  private static final String HOME_PATTERN = "/home.html";
  
  private Context context = null;
  
  private BasicHttpProcessor httpproc = null;
  private BasicHttpContext httpContext = null;
  private HttpService httpService = null;
  private HttpRequestHandlerRegistry registry = null;
  
  public WebServer(Context context) {
      this.setContext(context);
  
      httpproc = new BasicHttpProcessor();
      httpContext = new BasicHttpContext();
  
      httpproc.addInterceptor(new ResponseDate());
      httpproc.addInterceptor(new ResponseServer());
      httpproc.addInterceptor(new ResponseContent());
      httpproc.addInterceptor(new ResponseConnControl());
  
      httpService = new HttpService(httpproc,
          new DefaultConnectionReuseStrategy(), new DefaultHttpResponseFactory());
  
      registry = new HttpRequestHandlerRegistry();
  
      registry.register(HOME_PATTERN, new HomeCommandHandler(context));
  
      httpService.setHandlerResolver(registry);
  }
  
  private ServerSocket serverSocket;
  
  public void runServer() {
      try {
          serverSocket = new ServerSocket(serverPort);
  
          serverSocket.setReuseAddress(true);
  
          while (RUNNING) {
              try {
                  final Socket socket = serverSocket.accept();
  
                  DefaultHttpServerConnection serverConnection = new DefaultHttpServerConnection();
  
                  serverConnection.bind(socket, new BasicHttpParams());
  
                  httpService.handleRequest(serverConnection, httpContext);
  
                  serverConnection.shutdown();
              } catch (IOException e) {
                  e.printStackTrace();
              } catch (HttpException e) {
                  e.printStackTrace();
              }
          }
  
          serverSocket.close();
      } catch (SocketException e) {
          e.printStackTrace();
      } catch (IOException e) {
          e.printStackTrace();
      }
  
      RUNNING = false;
  }
  
  public synchronized void startServer() {
      RUNNING = true;
      runServer();
  }
  
  public synchronized void stopServer() {
      RUNNING = false;
      if (serverSocket != null) {
          try {
              serverSocket.close();
          } catch (IOException e) {
              e.printStackTrace();
          }
      }
  }
  
  public void setContext(Context context) {
      this.context = context;
  }
  
  public Context getContext() {
      return context;
  }
  }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p><hr><em>Edit</em>:
  Here are logs:</p>
  
  <pre><code>08-01 22:55:04.406: I/PackageManager(65): /data/app/vmdl40565.tmp changed; unpacking
  08-01 22:55:04.550: D/installd(31): DexInv: --- BEGIN '/data/app/vmdl40565.tmp' ---
  08-01 22:55:04.637: D/dalvikvm(143): GC freed 2787 objects / 185600 bytes in 239ms
  08-01 22:55:05.226: D/dalvikvm(205): DexOpt: load 39ms, verify 132ms, opt 1ms
  08-01 22:55:05.236: D/installd(31): DexInv: --- END '/data/app/vmdl40565.tmp' (success) ---
  08-01 22:55:05.526: I/installd(31): move /data/dalvik-cache/data@app@vmdl40565.tmp@classes.dex -&gt; /data/dalvik-cache/data@app@com.xlnc.webapp.apk@classes.dex
  08-01 22:55:05.526: D/PackageManager(65): New package installed in /data/app/com.xlnc.webapp.apk
  08-01 22:55:05.696: D/MountListener(65): handleEvent ums_disabled
  08-01 22:55:05.756: D/MountListener(65): handleEvent ums_disconnected
  08-01 22:55:05.766: D/AndroidRuntime(162): Shutting down VM
  08-01 22:55:05.766: D/dalvikvm(162): DestroyJavaVM waiting for non-daemon threads to exit
  08-01 22:55:05.766: D/dalvikvm(162): DestroyJavaVM shutting VM down
  08-01 22:55:05.776: D/dalvikvm(162): HeapWorker thread shutting down
  08-01 22:55:05.776: D/dalvikvm(162): HeapWorker thread has shut down
  08-01 22:55:05.776: D/jdwp(162): JDWP shutting down net...
  08-01 22:55:05.776: I/jdwp(162): adbd disconnected
  08-01 22:55:05.789: D/dalvikvm(162): VM cleaning up
  08-01 22:55:05.826: E/AndroidRuntime(162): ERROR: thread attach failed
  08-01 22:55:05.826: D/dalvikvm(162): LinearAlloc 0x0 used 621708 of 5242880 (11%)
  08-01 22:55:06.396: D/dalvikvm(65): GC freed 4364 objects / 319160 bytes in 245ms
  08-01 22:55:06.596: D/MediaScannerService(179): start scanning volume internal
  08-01 22:55:06.716: I/ActivityManager(65): Start proc com.android.mms for broadcast com.android.mms/.transaction.MmsSystemEventReceiver: pid=212 uid=10014 gids={3003, 1015}
  08-01 22:55:07.306: D/installd(31): DexInv: --- BEGIN '/system/app/Mms.apk' ---
  08-01 22:55:07.476: D/AndroidRuntime(210): &gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; AndroidRuntime START &lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;
  08-01 22:55:07.496: W/ResourceType(65): Resources don't contain package for resource number 0x7f0700e5
  08-01 22:55:07.496: D/AndroidRuntime(210): CheckJNI is ON
  08-01 22:55:07.508: W/ResourceType(65): Resources don't contain package for resource number 0x7f020031
  08-01 22:55:07.508: W/ResourceType(65): Resources don't contain package for resource number 0x7f020030
  08-01 22:55:07.508: W/ResourceType(65): Resources don't contain package for resource number 0x7f050000
  08-01 22:55:07.516: W/ResourceType(65): Resources don't contain package for resource number 0x7f060000
  08-01 22:55:07.667: W/ResourceType(65): Resources don't contain package for resource number 0x7f060001
  08-01 22:55:08.236: D/AndroidRuntime(210): --- registering native functions ---
  08-01 22:55:10.246: I/MediaProvider(179): Upgrading media database from version 0 to 78, which will destroy all old data
  08-01 22:55:10.656: D/dalvikvm(219): DexOpt: load 677ms, verify 1526ms, opt 36ms
  08-01 22:55:10.746: D/installd(31): DexInv: --- END '/system/app/Mms.apk' (success) ---
  08-01 22:55:10.757: I/ActivityManager(65): Starting activity: Intent { act=android.intent.action.MAIN cat=[android.intent.category.LAUNCHER] flg=0x10000000 cmp=com.xlnc.webapp/.WirelessDropActivity }
  08-01 22:55:10.827: D/AndroidRuntime(210): Shutting down VM
  08-01 22:55:10.827: D/dalvikvm(210): DestroyJavaVM waiting for non-daemon threads to exit
  08-01 22:55:10.836: D/dalvikvm(210): DestroyJavaVM shutting VM down
  08-01 22:55:10.836: D/dalvikvm(210): HeapWorker thread shutting down
  08-01 22:55:10.836: D/dalvikvm(210): HeapWorker thread has shut down
  08-01 22:55:10.836: D/jdwp(210): JDWP shutting down net...
  08-01 22:55:10.836: I/jdwp(210): adbd disconnected
  08-01 22:55:10.836: D/dalvikvm(210): VM cleaning up
  08-01 22:55:10.916: E/AndroidRuntime(210): ERROR: thread attach failed
  08-01 22:55:10.927: D/dalvikvm(210): LinearAlloc 0x0 used 637292 of 5242880 (12%)
  08-01 22:55:11.076: I/ActivityManager(65): Start proc com.xlnc.webapp for activity com.xlnc.webapp/.WirelessDropActivity: pid=227 uid=10024 gids={3003}
  08-01 22:55:11.746: D/(212): unable to unlink '/data/data/com.android.mms/shared_prefs/com.android.mms_preferences.xml.bak': No such file or directory (errno=2)
  08-01 22:55:11.746: I/dalvikvm(165): Debugger has detached; object registry had 1 entries
  08-01 22:55:11.756: D/(212): unable to unlink '/data/data/com.android.mms/shared_prefs/_has_set_default_values.xml.bak': No such file or directory (errno=2)
  08-01 22:55:11.926: I/ARMAssembler(65): generated scanline__00000177:03515104_00000001_00000000 [ 73 ipp] (95 ins) at [0x3e1138:0x3e12b4] in 1170007 ns
  08-01 22:55:12.026: I/ARMAssembler(65): generated scanline__00000077:03545404_00000004_00000000 [ 47 ipp] (67 ins) at [0x44e5b8:0x44e6c4] in 585431 ns
  08-01 22:55:12.486: D/ddm-heap(212): Got feature list request
  08-01 22:55:12.597: D/ddm-heap(227): Got feature list request
  08-01 22:55:12.666: D/ddm-heap(165): Got feature list request
  08-01 22:55:13.176: D/ddm-heap(179): Got feature list request
  08-01 22:55:13.227: I/ActivityManager(65): Displayed activity com.xlnc.webapp/.WirelessDropActivity: 2203 ms (total 2203 ms)
  08-01 22:55:13.346: I/ARMAssembler(65): generated scanline__00000077:03545404_00000A04_00000000 [ 29 ipp] (51 ins) at [0x437570:0x43763c] in 411860 ns
  08-01 22:55:13.776: D/(165): unable to unlink '/data/data/com.android.alarmclock/shared_prefs/AlarmClock.xml.bak': No such file or directory (errno=2)
  08-01 22:55:13.808: W/BackupManagerService(65): dataChanged but no participant pkg='com.android.providers.settings' uid=10017
  08-01 22:55:13.877: W/BackupManagerService(65): dataChanged but no participant pkg='com.android.providers.settings' uid=10017
  08-01 22:55:13.916: I/ActivityManager(65): Start proc com.android.email for broadcast com.android.email/com.android.exchange.BootReceiver: pid=240 uid=10023 gids={3003, 1015}
  08-01 22:55:14.126: D/ddm-heap(240): Got feature list request
  08-01 22:55:14.176: D/dalvikvm(29): GC freed 276 objects / 10576 bytes in 266ms
  08-01 22:55:14.309: D/installd(31): DexInv: --- BEGIN '/system/app/Email.apk' ---
  08-01 22:55:14.346: D/dalvikvm(29): GC freed 45 objects / 2000 bytes in 164ms
  08-01 22:55:14.487: D/dalvikvm(29): GC freed 2 objects / 48 bytes in 139ms
  08-01 22:55:17.596: D/dalvikvm(246): DexOpt: load 283ms, verify 2203ms, opt 85ms
  08-01 22:55:17.665: D/installd(31): DexInv: --- END '/system/app/Email.apk' (success) ---
  08-01 22:55:17.806: I/ActivityThread(240): Publishing provider com.android.email.provider: com.android.email.provider.EmailProvider
  08-01 22:55:17.866: I/ActivityThread(240): Publishing provider com.android.email.attachmentprovider: com.android.email.provider.AttachmentProvider
  08-01 22:55:18.036: D/Exchange(240): BootReceiver onReceive
  08-01 22:55:18.086: D/EAS SyncManager(240): !!! EAS SyncManager, onCreate
  08-01 22:55:18.456: D/EAS SyncManager(240): !!! EAS SyncManager, onStartCommand
  08-01 22:55:18.586: D/EAS SyncManager(240): !!! EAS SyncManager, stopping self
  08-01 22:55:19.186: I/ActivityManager(65): Start proc com.svox.pico for broadcast com.svox.pico/.VoiceDataInstallerReceiver: pid=252 uid=10012 gids={}
  08-01 22:55:19.386: D/ddm-heap(252): Got feature list request
  08-01 22:55:19.416: D/Eas Debug(240): Logging: 
  08-01 22:55:19.456: D/installd(31): DexInv: --- BEGIN '/system/app/PicoTts.apk' ---
  08-01 22:55:19.736: D/dalvikvm(258): DexOpt: load 40ms, verify 22ms, opt 1ms
  08-01 22:55:19.736: D/installd(31): DexInv: --- END '/system/app/PicoTts.apk' (success) ---
  08-01 22:55:19.821: D/EAS SyncManager(240): !!! EAS SyncManager, onDestroy
  08-01 22:55:19.947: D/MediaScanner(179): opendir /system/media/ failed, errno: 2
  08-01 22:55:19.966: D/MediaScanner(179):  prescan time: 12539ms
  08-01 22:55:19.980: D/MediaScanner(179):     scan time: 48ms
  08-01 22:55:19.980: D/MediaScanner(179): postscan time: 1ms
  08-01 22:55:19.980: D/MediaScanner(179):    total time: 12588ms
  08-01 22:55:20.124: D/MediaScannerService(179): done scanning volume internal
  08-01 22:55:23.136: I/Notification(227): show Notification Entered
  08-01 22:55:23.546: I/HTTPSERVICE(227): Creating and starting httpService
  08-01 22:55:28.896: W/ResourceType(65): Resources don't contain package for resource number 0x7f0700e5
  08-01 22:55:28.896: W/ResourceType(65): Resources don't contain package for resource number 0x7f020031
  08-01 22:55:28.896: W/ResourceType(65): Resources don't contain package for resource number 0x7f020030
  08-01 22:55:28.896: W/ResourceType(65): Resources don't contain package for resource number 0x7f050000
  08-01 22:55:28.987: W/ResourceType(65): Resources don't contain package for resource number 0x7f060000
  08-01 22:55:28.987: W/ResourceType(65): Resources don't contain package for resource number 0x7f060001
  08-01 22:55:59.739: W/WindowManager(65): Key dispatching timed out sending to Service Started
  08-01 22:55:59.739: W/WindowManager(65): Dispatch state: null
  08-01 22:55:59.746: W/WindowManager(65): Current state:  {{null to Window{44e51758 Service Started paused=false} @ 1343861759751 lw=Window{44e51758 Service Started paused=false} lb=android.os.BinderProxy@44e515e0 fin=false gfw=true ed=true tts=0 wf=false fp=false mcf=Window{44e51758 Service Started paused=false}}}
  08-01 22:55:59.816: I/ActivityManager(65): ANR in process: com.xlnc.webapp (last in com.xlnc.webapp)
  08-01 22:55:59.816: I/ActivityManager(65): Annotation: keyDispatchingTimedOut
  08-01 22:55:59.816: I/ActivityManager(65): CPU usage:
  08-01 22:55:59.816: I/ActivityManager(65): Load: 1.45 / 0.77 / 0.29
  08-01 22:55:59.816: I/ActivityManager(65): CPU usage from 30971ms to 54ms ago:
  08-01 22:55:59.816: I/ActivityManager(65):   system_server: 4% = 2% user + 1% kernel / faults: 24 minor
  08-01 22:55:59.816: I/ActivityManager(65):   com.svox.pico: 1% = 0% user + 0% kernel / faults: 2607 minor
  08-01 22:55:59.816: I/ActivityManager(65):   d.process.acore: 0% = 0% user + 0% kernel / faults: 3 minor
  08-01 22:55:59.816: I/ActivityManager(65):   m.android.phone: 0% = 0% user + 0% kernel / faults: 1 minor
  08-01 22:55:59.816: I/ActivityManager(65):   qemud: 0% = 0% user + 0% kernel
  08-01 22:55:59.816: I/ActivityManager(65):   adbd: 0% = 0% user + 0% kernel
  08-01 22:55:59.816: I/ActivityManager(65):   com.xlnc.webapp: 0% = 0% user + 0% kernel
  08-01 22:55:59.816: I/ActivityManager(65):   pdflush: 0% = 0% user + 0% kernel
  08-01 22:55:59.816: I/ActivityManager(65):   logcat: 0% = 0% user + 0% kernel
  08-01 22:55:59.816: I/ActivityManager(65): TOTAL: 5% = 3% user + 1% kernel
  08-01 22:55:59.816: I/Process(65): Sending signal. PID: 227 SIG: 3
  08-01 22:55:59.816: I/dalvikvm(227): threadid=7: reacting to signal 3
  08-01 22:55:59.836: I/dalvikvm(227): Wrote stack trace to '/data/anr/traces.txt'
  08-01 22:56:00.069: I/Process(65): Sending signal. PID: 65 SIG: 3
  08-01 22:56:00.069: I/dalvikvm(65): threadid=7: reacting to signal 3
  08-01 22:56:00.146: I/dalvikvm(65): Wrote stack trace to '/data/anr/traces.txt'
  08-01 22:56:00.413: I/Process(65): Sending signal. PID: 252 SIG: 3
  08-01 22:56:00.413: I/dalvikvm(252): threadid=7: reacting to signal 3
  08-01 22:56:00.436: I/dalvikvm(252): Wrote stack trace to '/data/anr/traces.txt'
  08-01 22:56:00.655: I/Process(65): Sending signal. PID: 240 SIG: 3
  08-01 22:56:00.655: I/dalvikvm(240): threadid=7: reacting to signal 3
  08-01 22:56:00.676: I/dalvikvm(240): Wrote stack trace to '/data/anr/traces.txt'
  08-01 22:56:00.886: I/Process(65): Sending signal. PID: 165 SIG: 3
  08-01 22:56:00.886: I/dalvikvm(165): threadid=7: reacting to signal 3
  08-01 22:56:00.906: I/dalvikvm(165): Wrote stack trace to '/data/anr/traces.txt'
  08-01 22:56:01.142: I/Process(65): Sending signal. PID: 212 SIG: 3
  08-01 22:56:01.142: I/dalvikvm(212): threadid=7: reacting to signal 3
  08-01 22:56:01.256: I/dalvikvm(212): Wrote stack trace to '/data/anr/traces.txt'
  08-01 22:56:01.397: I/Process(65): Sending signal. PID: 179 SIG: 3
  08-01 22:56:01.397: I/dalvikvm(179): threadid=7: reacting to signal 3
  08-01 22:56:01.418: I/dalvikvm(179): Wrote stack trace to '/data/anr/traces.txt'
  08-01 22:56:01.630: I/Process(65): Sending signal. PID: 118 SIG: 3
  08-01 22:56:01.630: I/dalvikvm(118): threadid=7: reacting to signal 3
  08-01 22:56:01.716: I/dalvikvm(118): Wrote stack trace to '/data/anr/traces.txt'
  08-01 22:56:01.859: I/Process(65): Sending signal. PID: 143 SIG: 3
  08-01 22:56:01.859: I/dalvikvm(143): threadid=7: reacting to signal 3
  08-01 22:56:01.877: I/dalvikvm(143): Wrote stack trace to '/data/anr/traces.txt'
  08-01 22:56:02.135: I/Process(65): Sending signal. PID: 116 SIG: 3
  08-01 22:56:02.135: I/dalvikvm(116): threadid=7: reacting to signal 3
  08-01 22:56:02.176: I/dalvikvm(116): Wrote stack trace to '/data/anr/traces.txt'
  08-01 22:56:02.406: W/WindowManager(65): No window to dispatch pointer action 1
  08-01 22:56:02.476: W/WindowManager(65): No window to dispatch pointer action 1
  08-01 22:56:02.646: I/ARMAssembler(65): generated scanline__00000077:03515104_00000000_00000000 [ 33 ipp] (47 ins) at [0x480dd8:0x480e94] in 473574 ns
  08-01 22:56:02.769: I/ARMAssembler(65): generated scanline__00000177:03515104_00001001_00000000 [ 91 ipp] (114 ins) at [0x480e98:0x481060] in 786862 ns
  08-01 22:56:05.066: I/ActivityManager(65): Killing process com.xlnc.webapp (pid=227) at user's request
  08-01 22:56:05.086: I/Process(65): Sending signal. PID: 227 SIG: 9
  08-01 22:56:05.226: I/ActivityManager(65): Process com.xlnc.webapp (pid 227) has died.
  08-01 22:56:05.226: W/ActivityManager(65): Scheduling restart of crashed service com.xlnc.webapp/.WebServerService in 83846ms
  08-01 22:56:05.236: I/WindowManager(65): WIN DEATH: Window{44e72108 com.xlnc.webapp/com.xlnc.webapp.WirelessDropActivity paused=false}
  08-01 22:56:05.236: I/WindowManager(65): WIN DEATH: Window{44e51758 Service Started paused=false}
  08-01 22:56:05.346: E/gralloc(65): [unregister] handle 0x4811e8 still locked (state=40000001)
  08-01 22:56:05.367: I/UsageStats(65): Unexpected resume of com.android.launcher while already resumed in com.xlnc.webapp
  08-01 22:56:05.637: W/InputManagerService(65): Got RemoteException sending setActive(false) notification to pid 227 uid 10024
  08-01 22:56:05.676: E/ActivityThread(65): Failed to find provider info for android.server.checkin
  08-01 22:56:05.687: W/Checkin(65): Can't log event SYSTEM_SERVICE_LOOPING: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Unknown URL content://android.server.checkin/events
  </code></pre>