Force Close an app programmatically

Question

I need to make an application that can programmatically do what the force stop button does to applications. (I am using root permissions)

I have tried this code:

private void killApp(){
    try {
        int pid = getPid(com.XXX);
        if(pid != -1){
            String command = "kill "+pid;
            Log.i("Got PID",pid + "");
            try {
                Process suProcess = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("su");
                DataOutputStream os = new DataOutputStream(suProcess.getOutputStream());

                os.writeBytes(command + "\n");
                os.flush();

                Log.i("Executed","Kill " + pid);
            } catch (IOException e) {
                // Handle error
            }   
        } else {
            Log.i("Not Found","App Not Found");
        }
    } catch (Exception e) {
        e.printStackTrace();  // Device not rooted! 
    }
}

private int getPid(String packageName){
    ActivityManager am = (ActivityManager)getApplicationContext().getSystemService(Context.ACTIVITY_SERVICE);
    List<ActivityManager.RunningAppProcessInfo> pids = am.getRunningAppProcesses();
    int processid = 0;
    for(int i = 0; i < pids.size(); i++) {
        ActivityManager.RunningAppProcessInfo info = pids.get(i);

        Log.i("PID",pids.get(i) + "");
        Log.i("PID Package",info.processName);

        if(info.processName.equalsIgnoreCase(packageName)){
            processid = info.pid;
            return processid;
        } 
    }
    return -1;
}

But the problem is that the process isn't found, even though the force stop button isn't grayed out.

Even Using:

                         Process suProcess = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("su");
                        DataOutputStream os = new DataOutputStream(suProcess.getOutputStream());


                        os.writeBytes("kill "+ APP_PID + "\n");

                        os.flush();

Doesn't do what the force stop button does since after i execute this code the force stop button isn't grayed out.

Using root how can I programmatically do what the force stop button in the App info does?

Massotherapy

do you have any solution for non root? – Tyrolienne

Answer 1

I found a solution (which requires a rooted device):

Process suProcess = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("su");
DataOutputStream os = new DataOutputStream(suProcess.getOutputStream());

os.writeBytes("adb shell" + "\n");
                        
os.flush();
                        
os.writeBytes("am force-stop com.xxxxxx" + "\n");
                        
os.flush();

Where com.xxxxxx is package name of application to force stop.

Massotherapy

No it doesn't. All it does is minimizes the app. It doesn't completely force shutdown an app. Plus, it only minimizes the foreground app. – Gummy

Answer 2

you are enclosing the variable packageName with quotes

if(info.processName.equalsIgnoreCase("packageName"))

replace it with if(info.processName.equalsIgnoreCase(packageName))

Logia

You were right. I fixed the bug but I'm still unable to force stop the app using root. – Massotherapy

Answer 3

android.os.Process.killProcess(android.os.Process.myPid());

This works well.

Blackford

Answer 4

for force kill, use "kill -9"

so replace String command = "kill "+pid; with

String command = "kill -9 "+pid; 

Also, after os.flush(); line add

os.close(); 
suProcess.waitFor();

Logia