Secondary Display Control via Android Presentation Class

In this blog, we will learn about Secondary Display Control via Android Presentation Class.

Well, the title line certainly deals with a lot of words that probably most of the developers are not aware of and frankly, even I was not aware of this beauty of Android until last month.

Before we start, let me just tell you a few practical use cases for what you can build after following along.

POS Hardware Machines & their Dedicated Application –> Have you seen the agents at big retail centers using POS machines?
There you can see what is being added to your cart at the same moment and the agent is processing your order.
If you peek at agent’s screen the content will be a bit(or entirely) different.
Presentation Apps –> Have you seen the applications where whole presentation(ppts, slides) are being controlled by some android device?
If you peek at the Android device screen the slides are bit different (like with notes, descriptions, etc) but on the secondary screen (like a projector ) the presentation is entirely different.

After reading this blog you will also be able to build something similar.

Before we start talking about code let’s just clear what the words in the title are.

Display

A display is referred to as a screen or area which can show the content.

As a result, an Android device can control any number of displays.

The main point to note is that the application’s code should be able to handle each display separately and these are in sync with the main display.

Main Display

This display refers to the actual screen provided by the manufacturer of the Android device.

Hence, this screen listens to all the user interactions, gestures and motions events.

As a result, this display is referred to as Main Display.

Secondary Display

This display refers to a secondary screen which is somehow (Bluetooth, wired connections, RFC) connected to your Android device.

By Default, this screen is not user interactive and hence it is called as Display and not Screen.

Presentation Class

A presentation is a special kind of dialog whose purpose is to present content on a secondary display. A Presentation is associated with the target Display at creation time and configures its context and resource configuration according to the display’s metrics.

— developer.android.com

For Simple understanding, we need to extend this class to build a view to display on our Secondary Display.

With this understanding, now you can do anything you want on Secondary Display.

Now, in this blog, we will just be making a Welcome TextView on the Secondary Display.

APPROACH :

First, create a layout file that will be displayed on the secondary Display. For simplicity, name this file secondary_display.xml
Now, we create a class that will extend the Presentation Class. Let’s name this class SecondaryDisplay.
The Presentation class object we just created will have a default constructor and override the onCreate Method.
The constructor will take Context & a display as arguments. This will be a reference to the secondary Display.
The onCreate Method is similar to the Activity’s onCreate Method.
Now to display this content, you just need to initialize the constructor of the SecondaryDisplay class and call the show() method. (just like we do for a dialog).

CODE :

File Name –> secondary_display.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    tools:context=".SecondaryDisplay">

    <TextView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_centerInParent="true"
        android:layout_margin="8dp"
        android:padding="4dp"
        android:text="Hello, Presentation Api, \nThis text will be displayed on the secondary display"
        android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceMedium" />


</RelativeLayout>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"

xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"

xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"

android:layout_width="match_parent"

android:layout_height="match_parent"

tools:context=".SecondaryDisplay">

<TextView

android:layout_width="wrap_content"

android:layout_height="wrap_content"

android:layout_centerInParent="true"

android:layout_margin="8dp"

android:padding="4dp"

android:text="Hello, Presentation Api, \nThis text will be displayed on the secondary display"

android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceMedium" />

</RelativeLayout>

File Name –> SecondaryDisplay.java

public class SecondaryDisplay extends Presentation {
    /**
     * Creates a new presentation that is attached to the specified display
     * using the default theme.
     *
     * @param outerContext The context of the application that is showing the presentation.
     *                     The presentation will create its own context (see {@link #getContext()}) based
     *                     on this context and information about the associated display.
     * @param display      The display to which the presentation should be attached.
     */
    public SecondaryDisplay(Context outerContext, Display display) {
        super(outerContext, display);
    }

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.secondary_display);
    }
}

public class SecondaryDisplay extends Presentation {

/**

* Creates a new presentation that is attached to the specified display

* using the default theme.

* @param outerContext The context of the application that is showing the presentation.

* The presentation will create its own context (see {@link #getContext()}) based

* on this context and information about the associated display.

* @param display The display to which the presentation should be attached.

public SecondaryDisplay(Context outerContext, Display display) {

super(outerContext, display);

}

@Override

protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {

super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);

setContentView(R.layout.secondary_display);

}

With the help of lines below, you can set the Secondary Display Content.

Last Step:

public class  MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity{
    public DisplayManager displayManager = null;
    public Display[] presentationDisplays = null;

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(@Nullable Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        displayManager =  (DisplayManager)getSystemService(Context.DISPLAY_SERVICE);
        if (displayManager!= null){
            presentationDisplays = displayManager.getDisplays(DisplayManager.DISPLAY_CATEGORY_PRESENTATION);
            if (presentationDisplays.length > 0){               
                SecondaryDisplay secondaryDisplay = new SecondaryDisplay(MainActivity.this, presentationDisplays[0]);
                secondaryDisplay.show();               
            }
        }
    }
}

public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity{

public DisplayManager displayManager = null;

public Display[] presentationDisplays = null;

@Override

protected void onCreate(@Nullable Bundle savedInstanceState) {

super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);

displayManager = (DisplayManager)getSystemService(Context.DISPLAY_SERVICE);

if (displayManager!= null){

presentationDisplays = displayManager.getDisplays(DisplayManager.DISPLAY_CATEGORY_PRESENTATION);

if (presentationDisplays.length > 0){

SecondaryDisplay secondaryDisplay = new SecondaryDisplay(MainActivity.this, presentationDisplays[0]);

secondaryDisplay.show();

}

With this last change, you have completed the task.

Now, just run your application on a device with Secondary Display and see the magic.

Keep coding and Keep Sharing 🙂

References –> https://developer.android.com/reference/android/app/Presentation

https://developer.android.com/reference/android/view/Display.html

anchit

26 Oct, 2021
Updated by - Kushal Varshney
19 May, 2019
Updated by - anchit

. . .

27 comments

Anish Hegde 4 years ago

Is there any software solution to test the code without any multi display harware.I mean any virtual device or something?

anchit (Moderator) 4 years ago
Hello Anish,

You can easily try this option in any android device or emulators.

All you need to do is to enable the developer options.

Then in the developer options menu find the option “Simulate secondary displays”.

From the list that opens up , you can easily select the width option as per your need.

Reply

Kim 4 years ago

Good Job!
Thank you!!!
How to controll secondary display?

anchit (Moderator) 3 years ago
Hello,

I am assuming that by control you want to listen to some of the events on the secondary display.

So, if that is all about majorly click listeners then you can add them as you add it to any of the views in your code in your secondary display class as well.

Though, I have not practically implemented any listeners for the secondary display.

But i guess, this should work fine.

Still, if you are looking for soemthing else, then feel free to type more over here.

Regards,
Anchit

Reply
- Sunil 3 years ago
  Hello Anchit,
  I tried solution suggested by you, but its not working. I want handle on click event of view. So I set click listener on button, but not executing.
  
  If you know the solution then please let me know.
  
  Thanks,
  Sunil
  
  Reply
  - anchit (Moderator) 3 years ago
    Where is that button ?
    
    I would need access to your code and then only i can help you out.
    
    Reply

Suheel Yousuf Wani 3 years ago

Hello Anish
Very well explained.
I have a query, How to send data from main activity to 2nd display, for example if we type some thing on main activity, the same should be get displayed on 2nd display

anchit (Moderator) 3 years ago
Hi,

This seems to be pretty easy.

You can either create some method in your secondary display class and update the ui accordingly.

Or

You can declare the components public and then access the same in the main activity.

Both will work.

Reply

Shejal Dekate 3 years ago

Hi Anchit,
I want to have two screens for automotive AVD and transfer the information of the main screen to the secondary screen. How will this connection be made? Also, may I get your mailing information?

anchit (Moderator) 3 years ago
Hi,

I personally have not worked on automotive AVD.

As per me the connection to secondary screen in AVD will depend totally on how both of the screens are connected.

If the connection is physically wired, then you can also go with the points mentioned in the article.

Regarding mailing details, please do send your query to [email protected]

Reply

Allison 3 years ago

Hi, I have multiple activities in my app. I just want to hide my main display for most of the activities. Only in payments screen I want to show some data in second display. For remaining I can just show images or videos.

To do this should I call presentation in all activities? Or can I call it from base activity?

anchit (Moderator) 3 years ago

i would recommend you to call in the base activity.

when you need to change the content on the secondary display just override the activity.

Reply

Snehal 2 years ago

HI Anchit,
I want to connect android device to display screens via HDMI and content from android will shown on screen will this code worked for me?

anchit (Moderator) 2 years ago
hi snehal,
Yes, the code in the blog above should work for you.

Reply
- Snehal 2 years ago
  Thank you
  
  Reply
  - anchit (Moderator) 2 years ago
    your welcome
    
    Reply

Vans 2 years ago

you are genius! I used your example, imported, thought here goes nothing, and it worked!!! Thank you so muchhhhh!!!

anchit (Moderator) 2 years ago

your welcome

Reply

Sailee Shuddhalwar 2 years ago

Hi Anchit,
I am getting this error
Unable to add window android.view.ViewRootImpl$W@55d2da3 — the specified display can not be found

while running this example on emulator.
looking forward for your help.

Sailee Shuddhalwar 2 years ago
Hi Anchit
Can you please help me out, I found this example very helpful but not able to run this on emulator .
it would be great if you give me some of your suggestions.
Thanks you.

Reply
- anchit (Moderator) 2 years ago
  
  Hi,
  
  For both points, please first check that the secondary display is fully simulated on your emulator.
  
  If you are able to successfully simulate the dual-screen, then the article is good enough to work like a charm.
  
  Reply
  - Govind 2 years ago
    I have enabled “Add secondary display” in the emulator and I can see 2 displays being launched. But not able to simulate the secondary activity on the second display, followed the above piece of code . Could you please help here?
    
    Reply
    - anchit (Moderator) 2 years ago
      I will need to have a look into the code that you are working on.
      
      Please do share the same.
      
      Reply

Avanindra Dubey 2 years ago

Hi Anchit, described in very concise way. Helped a lot.
Keep doing such things. Thanks.

anchit (Moderator) 2 years ago

Your Welcome

Reply

pravin 2 years ago

Can we capture user input/interaction? if yes please add some samples.

also my project is library based where one base project and other modules are divided into libraries. so how to handle this kind of structure?

anchit (Moderator) 2 years ago

Hi there,

Yes, we can capture user input and interaction if the secondary hardware supports it.

Sorry, I can’t share samples right now but this is possible with simple logic.

For library-based project, i would recommend adding this functionality to the base project itself so that you can use it on the go in different libraries as per the use case.

Rest all can be done as per your project’s requirement.

Reply