I'm using an android notification to alert the user once a service is finished (success or failure), and I want to delete local files once the process is done.

My problem is that in the event of failure - I want to let the user a "retry" option. and if he chooses not to retry and to dismiss the notification I want to delete local files saved for the process purposes (images...).

Is there a way to catch the notification's swipe-to-dismiss event?


DeleteIntent: DeleteIntent is a PendingIntent object that can be associated with a notification and gets fired when the notification gets deleted, ether by :

  • User specific action
  • User Delete all the notifications.

You can set the Pending Intent to a broadcast Receiver and then perform any action you want.

  Intent intent = new Intent(this, MyBroadcastReceiver.class);
  PendingIntent pendingIntent = PendingIntent.getBroadcast(this.getApplicationContext(), 0, intent, 0);
  Builder builder = new Notification.Builder(this):
 ..... code for your notification
  builder.setDeleteIntent(pendingIntent);

MyBroadcastReceiver

public class MyBroadcastReceiver extends BroadcastReceiver {
      @Override
      public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
             .... code to handle cancel
         }

  }

A fully flushed out answer (with thanks to Mr. Me for the answer):

1) Create a receiver to handle the swipe-to-dismiss event:

public class NotificationDismissedReceiver extends BroadcastReceiver {
  @Override
  public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
      int notificationId = intent.getExtras().getInt("com.my.app.notificationId");
      /* Your code to handle the event here */
  }
}

2) Add an entry to your manifest:

<receiver
    android:name="com.my.app.receiver.NotificationDismissedReceiver"
    android:exported="false" >
</receiver>

3) Create the pending intent using a unique id for the pending intent (the notification id is used here) as without this the same extras will be reused for each dismissal event:

private PendingIntent createOnDismissedIntent(Context context, int notificationId) {
    Intent intent = new Intent(context, NotificationDismissedReceiver.class);
    intent.putExtra("com.my.app.notificationId", notificationId);

    PendingIntent pendingIntent =
           PendingIntent.getBroadcast(context.getApplicationContext(), 
                                      notificationId, intent, 0);
    return pendingIntent;
}

4) Build your notification:

Notification notification = new NotificationCompat.Builder(context)
              .setContentTitle("My App")
              .setContentText("hello world")
              .setWhen(notificationTime)
              .setDeleteIntent(createOnDismissedIntent(context, notificationId))
              .build();

NotificationManager notificationManager = (NotificationManager) context.getSystemService(Context.NOTIFICATION_SERVICE);
notificationManager.notify(notificationId, notification);