[Android Software Development] imso:
Is there a way to get the entire surfaceView screen to function like a button which start/atop a video recording process whenever it sees fit by the user? The function is somewhat similar to youTube's start/stop play function but instead this time it is used to start/stop the video recording process.

Is the code suppose to be coded in the .xml file or my .java file to accomplish the task? Sorry i'm rather new to android/java and given only 6 more weeks to finish this assignment by my lecturer to complete an app which act like a car blackbox yet i'm a total beginner in programming... Any help would be appreciated... Thanks in advance...

This is what i tried so far, can someone guide me i'm really in a desperate situation, PLEASE HELP ME :'(

public class CameraTest extends Activity implements SurfaceHolder.Callback {

private static final String TAG = "Exception";

public static SurfaceView surfaceView;
public static SurfaceHolder surfaceHolder;
public static Camera camera;
public static boolean previewRunning;

@Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.main);

surfaceView = (SurfaceView)findViewById(R.id.surface_camera);
surfaceHolder = surfaceView.getHolder();
surfaceHolder.addCallback(this);

surfaceHolder.setType(SurfaceHolder.SURFACE_TYPE_PUSH_BUFFERS);

Button btnStart = (Button) findViewById(R.id.button4);
btnStart.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener()
{
public void onClick(View v)
{
startService(new Intent(getApplicationContext(), ServiceRecording.class));
}
});

Button btnStop = (Button) findViewById(R.id.button5);
btnStop.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener()
{
public void onClick(View v)
{
stopService(new Intent(getApplicationContext(), ServiceRecording.class));
}
});
}

@Override
public void surfaceCreated(SurfaceHolder holder) {
camera = Camera.open();
if (camera != null) {
Camera.Parameters params = camera.getParameters();
camera.setParameters(params);
}
else {
Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "Camera not available!", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
finish();
}
}

@Override
public void surfaceChanged(SurfaceHolder holder, int format, int width, int height) {
if (previewRunning) {
camera.stopPreview();
}

Camera.Parameters p = camera.getParameters();
p.setPreviewSize(320, 240);
p.setPreviewFormat(PixelFormat.JPEG);
camera.setParameters(p);

try {
camera.setPreviewDisplay(holder);
camera.startPreview();
previewRunning = true;
}
catch (IOException e) {
Log.e(TAG,e.getMessage());
e.printStackTrace();
}
}

@Override
public void onResume(){
super.onResume();

}

@Override
public void surfaceDestroyed(SurfaceHolder holder){
camera.stopPreview();
previewRunning = false;
camera.release();
}
}

My serviceRecording.java file

public class ServiceRecording extends Service {

@Override
public IBinder onBind(Intent intent) {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub
return null;
}

private SurfaceView surfaceView;
private SurfaceHolder surfaceHolder;
public static Camera ServiceCamera;
private boolean RecordingStatus;
private MediaRecorder mediaRecorder;
private final int maxDurationInMs = 20000;

private static final String TAG = "Exception";

@Override
public void onCreate() {
super.onCreate();

RecordingStatus = false;
ServiceCamera = CameraTest.MainCamera;
surfaceView = CameraTest.surfaceView;
surfaceHolder = CameraTest.surfaceHolder;
}

@Override
public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {
super.onStartCommand(intent, flags, startId);
if (RecordingStatus == false)
startRecording();

return START_STICKY;
}

@Override
public void onDestroy() {
super.onDestroy();

stopRecording();
RecordingStatus = false;
}

public boolean startRecording(){
try {
Toast.makeText(getBaseContext(), "Recording Started", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
try{
ServiceCamera.unlock();
}
catch(Exception e){

ServiceCamera.reconnect();
}

mediaRecorder = new MediaRecorder();

mediaRecorder.setCamera(ServiceCamera);

mediaRecorder.setAudioSource(MediaRecorder.AudioSource.MIC);

mediaRecorder.setVideoSource(MediaRecorder.VideoSource.CAMERA);

mediaRecorder.setOutputFormat(MediaRecorder.OutputFormat.DEFAULT);

mediaRecorder.setMaxDuration(maxDurationInMs);

mediaRecorder.setAudioEncoder(MediaRecorder.AudioEncoder.DEFAULT);

mediaRecorder.setVideoEncoder(MediaRecorder.VideoEncoder.DEFAULT);

//mediaRecorder.setOutputFormat(MediaRecorder.OutputFormat.DEFAULT);
DateFormat dateFormat = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd HH_mm_ss");
Date date = new Date();
File directory = new File(Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory() + "/VideoList");

if(!(directory.exists()))
directory.mkdir();

File FileSaved = new File(Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory() + "/VideoList", dateFormat.format(date) + ".3gp");
mediaRecorder.setOutputFile(FileSaved.getPath());

mediaRecorder.setVideoSize(surfaceView.getWidth(),surfaceView.getHeight());

//mediaRecorder.setVideoFrameRate(videoFramesPerSecond);

mediaRecorder.setPreviewDisplay(surfaceHolder.getSurface());

mediaRecorder.prepare();
mediaRecorder.start();

RecordingStatus = true;

return true;
}

catch (IllegalStateException e) {
Log.d(TAG,e.getMessage());
e.printStackTrace();
return false;
}
catch (IOException e) {
Log.d(TAG,e.getMessage());
e.printStackTrace();
return false;
}
}

public void stopRecording() {
Toast.makeText(getBaseContext(), "Recording Stopped", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
mediaRecorder.stop();

try {
ServiceCamera.reconnect();
} catch (IOException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
RecordingStatus = false;
}
}

My .xml file

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<FrameLayout
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:id="@+id/frameLayout1"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
>
<RelativeLayout
android:id="@+id/relativeLayout1"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_width="match_parent">
<Button
android:text="Video"
android:id="@+id/button1"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
></Button>
<Button
android:text="Setting"
android:id="@+id/button2"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_below="@+id/button1"
></Button>
<Button
android:text="Back"
android:id="@+id/button3"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_below="@+id/button2"
></Button>
<Button
android:text="Start"
android:id="@+id/button4"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_below="@+id/button3"
></Button>
<Button
android:text="Stop"
android:id="@+id/button5"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_below="@+id/button4"
></Button>
<SurfaceView
android:id="@+id/surface_camera"
android:layout_width="480dp"
android:layout_height="320dp"
android:layout_toRightOf="@+id/button2"

></SurfaceView>
<TextView
android:text="TextView"
android:id="@+id/textView1"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_toRightOf="@+id/button2"
></TextView>
<TextView
android:text="TextView"
android:id="@+id/textView2"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
></TextView>
<TextView
android:text="TextView"
android:id="@+id/textView2"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
></TextView>

</RelativeLayout>
</FrameLayout>