FLAG_NOT_TOUCH_MODAL not working / Android

Question

I am developing an application on Android. My application in essence is a call log. What I want is for my application to display three buttons above all other activities when the device receives an incomming call.

What I have right now is a BroadcastReceiver which receives PHONE_STATE intents and when an incomming call is detected, an activity is started. The started activity contains the buttons I want to be displayed.

When the OverlayActivity appears, all activities underneath stop receiving touch events, that is I can touch only the OverlayActivity. How do I make them receive the events?

Right now inside my BroadCastReceiver I start the activity:

//PhonecallReceiver.java
public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
    Intent i = new Intent(myContext, OverlayActivity.class);
    i.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
    i.putExtra("phone_number", number);
    context.startActivity(i);
}

The actuall activity

//OverlayActivity.java:
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);

                WindowManager.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT,
            WindowManager.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT,
            WindowManager.LayoutParams.TYPE_PHONE,
            WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_NOT_FOCUSABLE | 
            WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_NOT_TOUCH_MODAL |
            WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_WATCH_OUTSIDE_TOUCH,
            PixelFormat.TRANSLUCENT);
    params.gravity = Gravity.CENTER | Gravity.TOP;
    WindowManager wm = (WindowManager) getSystemService(WINDOW_SERVICE);
    LayoutInflater inflater = getLayoutInflater();
    mLayout = (LinearLayout) inflater
            .inflate(R.layout.overlay_layout, null);
    wm.addView(mLayout, params);
    }

Answer 1

@DJClayworh

Thanks for the tip :)

I managed to solve my problem by using the exam same code, but instead of an Activity, I used a Service. You just have to start the service to display the overlay. Here is an example:

public class OverlayService extends Service {

    private WindowManager windowManager;
    private View layout;

    @Override
    public void onCreate() {
        windowManager = (WindowManager) getSystemService(WINDOW_SERVICE);
        LayoutParams params = new WindowManager.LayoutParams(
            WindowManager.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT,
            WindowManager.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT,
            WindowManager.LayoutParams.TYPE_PHONE,
            // very important, this sends toush events to underlying views
            WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_NOT_FOCUSABLE, 
            PixelFormat.TRANSLUCENT);
        // Layout gravity
        params.gravity = Gravity.TOP | Gravity.CENTER;
        params.x = 0; params.y = 100;

        LayoutInflater li = (LayoutInflater) getApplicationContext()
             .getSystemService(Context.LAYOUT_INFLATER_SERVICE);
        // Your overlay layout
        layout = li.inflate(R.layout.overlay, null;

        // This displays overlay on the screen
        windowManager.addView(layout, params);
    }

    @Override
    public void onDestroy() {
        super.onDestroy();
        // Error will occur if this is missing.
        if (layout != null)
            windowManager.removeView(layout);
    }
}