Playback position resets to zero after orientation change

Question

Below is the code for my music player. I use Videoview to play a local list of selective songs. I want to store and resume the playback position when orientation changes (portrait/landscape).

I have used onSaveInstanceState and onRestoreInstanceState methods. No errors on build, but still the songs reset every time.

I couldn't figure out what's wrong.

package io.automaton.android.morningbinge;

import androidx.appcompat.app.AlertDialog;
import android.app.Activity;
import android.content.DialogInterface;
import android.media.MediaPlayer;
import android.net.Uri;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.widget.Toast;
import android.widget.VideoView;
import android.widget.MediaController;

import java.util.ArrayList;

public class MainActivity extends Activity
        implements MediaPlayer.OnCompletionListener {


        VideoView vw;
        ArrayList<Integer> videolist = new ArrayList<>();
        int currvideo = 0;
        int mPositionWhenPaused=0;
    @Override
        protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
        {
            super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
            setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
            vw = (VideoView)findViewById(R.id.videoView);
            vw.setMediaController(new MediaController(this));
            vw.setOnCompletionListener(this);

            // video name should be in lower case alphabet.
            videolist.add(R.raw.onbadhu_kolum);
            videolist.add(R.raw.kala_bhairava_ashtakam);
            videolist.add(R.raw.panchamukh_hanumath_kavacham);
            videolist.add(R.raw.kandha_shashti_kavasam);
            setVideo(videolist.get(0));
        }
    @Override
    public void onSaveInstanceState(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onSaveInstanceState(savedInstanceState);
        //we use onSaveInstanceState in order to store the video playback position for orientation change
        savedInstanceState.putInt("Position", vw.getCurrentPosition());
        vw.pause();
    }

    @Override
    public void onRestoreInstanceState(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onRestoreInstanceState(savedInstanceState);
        //we use onRestoreInstanceState in order to play the video playback from the stored position
        mPositionWhenPaused = savedInstanceState.getInt("Position");
        vw.seekTo(mPositionWhenPaused);
    }

    public void setVideo(int id)
        {
            String uriPath
                    = "android.resource://"
                    + getPackageName() + "/" + id;
            Uri uri = Uri.parse(uriPath);
            vw.setVideoURI(uri);
            vw.start();
        }

        public void onCompletion(MediaPlayer mediapalyer)
        {
            AlertDialog.Builder obj = new AlertDialog.Builder(this);
            obj.setTitle("Playback Finished!");
            obj.setIcon(R.mipmap.ic_launcher);
            MyListener m = new MyListener();
            obj.setPositiveButton("Replay", m);
            obj.setNegativeButton("Next", m);
            obj.setMessage("Want to replay or play next video?");
            obj.show();
        }

        class MyListener implements DialogInterface.OnClickListener {
            public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which)
            {
                if (which == -1) {
                    vw.seekTo(0);
                    vw.start();
                }
                else {
                    ++currvideo;
                    if (currvideo == videolist.size())
                        currvideo = 0;
                    setVideo(videolist.get(currvideo));
                }
            }
        }
    }

Answer 1

I sorted out the issue. I changed the way the list is being called to play with the setOnPreparedListener, seeking to last played position.

... Main Activity

package io.automaton.android.morningbinge;

import androidx.appcompat.app.AlertDialog;
import android.app.Activity;
import android.content.DialogInterface;
import android.content.res.Configuration;
import android.media.MediaPlayer;
import android.net.Uri;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.util.Log;
import android.view.View;
import android.widget.Toast;
import android.widget.VideoView;
import android.widget.MediaController;
import android.media.MediaPlayer.OnPreparedListener;
import java.util.ArrayList;

public class MainActivity extends Activity
        implements MediaPlayer.OnCompletionListener {

        VideoView vw;
        ArrayList<Integer> videolist = new ArrayList<>();
        int currvideo = 0;
        int mPositionWhenPaused=0;
        private static final String TAG = "MyActivity";
    
    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
        {
            super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
            setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
            vw = (VideoView)findViewById(R.id.videoView);
            vw.setMediaController(new MediaController(this));
            vw.setOnCompletionListener(this);

            videolist.add(R.raw.onbadhu_kolum);
            videolist.add(R.raw.kala_bhairava_ashtakam);
            videolist.add(R.raw.panchamukh_hanumath_kavacham);
            videolist.add(R.raw.kandha_shashti_kavasam);

            try {
               //set the uri of the video to be played
                vw.setVideoURI(Uri.parse("android.resource://" + getPackageName() + "/" + videolist.get(0)));

            } catch (Exception e) {
                Log.e("Error", e.getMessage());
                e.printStackTrace();
            }

            View decorView = getWindow().getDecorView();
            int uiOptions = View.SYSTEM_UI_FLAG_HIDE_NAVIGATION
                    | View.SYSTEM_UI_FLAG_FULLSCREEN;
            decorView.setSystemUiVisibility(uiOptions);

           vw.requestFocus();
           vw.setOnPreparedListener(new OnPreparedListener() {
           public void onPrepared(MediaPlayer mediaPlayer) {
                    vw.seekTo(mPositionWhenPaused);
                    if (mPositionWhenPaused == 0) {
                        vw.start();
                    } else {
                        vw.pause();
                    }
                }
            });
        }

    @Override
    public void onSaveInstanceState(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onSaveInstanceState(savedInstanceState);
        savedInstanceState.putInt("Position", vw.getCurrentPosition());
        Log.i("Orientation Change", "Warn-orientation change and saved");
        vw.pause();
    }

    @Override
    public void onRestoreInstanceState(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onRestoreInstanceState(savedInstanceState);
        mPositionWhenPaused = savedInstanceState.getInt("Position");
        vw.seekTo(mPositionWhenPaused);
        Log.i("restored", "restored after orientation change");
    }

    public void onCompletion(MediaPlayer mediapalyer)
        {
            ++currvideo;
            if (currvideo == videolist.size())
                currvideo = 0;
            setVideo(videolist.get(currvideo));
        }

    }

...

android manifest

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    package="io.automaton.android.morningbinge">
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WAKE_LOCK" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />

    <application
        android:allowBackup="true"
        android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:roundIcon="@mipmap/ic_launcher_round"
        android:supportsRtl="true"
        android:theme="@style/AppTheme">

        <activity android:name=".MainActivity"
            android:configChanges="orientation|screenSize|screenLayout|keyboardHidden">
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
    </application>

</manifest>

...