How can I run code on a background thread on Android?

Question

I want some code to run in the background continuously. I don't want to do it in a service. Is there any other way possible?

I have tried calling the Thread class in my Activity but my Activity remains in the background for sometime and then it stops. The Thread class also stops working.

class testThread implements Runnable {
        @Override
        public void run() {
            File file = new File( Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory(), "/BPCLTracker/gpsdata.txt" );
            int i = 0;

            RandomAccessFile in = null;

            try {
                in = new RandomAccessFile( file, "rw" );
            } catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
// TODO Auto-generated catch block
                e.printStackTrace();
            } catch (IOException e) {
// TODO Auto-generated catch block
                e.printStackTrace();
            }
//String line =null;
            while ( true ) {
                HttpEntity entity = null;
                try {
                    if ( isInternetOn() ) {
                        while ( ( line = in.readLine() ) != null ) {

                            HttpClient client = new DefaultHttpClient();
                            String url = "some url";
                            HttpPost request = new HttpPost( url );
                            StringEntity se = new StringEntity( line );
                            se.setContentEncoding( "UTF-8" );
                            se.setContentEncoding( new BasicHeader( HTTP.CONTENT_TYPE, "application/json" ) );
                            entity = se;
                            request.setEntity( entity );
                            HttpResponse response = client.execute( request );
                            entity = response.getEntity();
                            i++;
                        }
                        if ( ( line = in.readLine() ) == null && entity != null ) {
                            file.delete();
                            testThread t = new testThread();
                            Thread t1 = new Thread( t );
                            t1.start();
                        }


                    } else {
                        Thread.sleep( 60000 );
                    } // end of else

                } catch (NullPointerException e1) {
                    e1.printStackTrace();
                } catch (InterruptedException e2) {
                    e2.printStackTrace();
                } catch (IOException e1) {
// TODO Auto-generated catch block
                    e1.printStackTrace();
                }
            }// end of while
        }// end of run

    }

Answer 1

IF you need to:

1. execute code on a background Thread

2. execute code that DOES NOT touch/update the UI

3. execute (short) code which will take at most a few seconds to complete

THEN use the following clean and efficient pattern which uses AsyncTask:

AsyncTask.execute(new Runnable() {
   @Override
   public void run() {
      //TODO your background code
   }
});