AOSP: Error creating instance of a SystemService in Activity.java - android-activity

Question

I have added a custom system-service to AOSP. I wanted to make use of my service in Activity.java class and wanted to do some changes in startActivityForResult() method. The same way I want to create an instance to PackageManagerService. But for some reason I cannot get this running, I get the following errors from logcat:
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F/SystemServer( 500): BOOT FAILURE starting Input Manager Service
F/SystemServer( 500): java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to get provider com.android.providers.settings.SettingsProvider: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: com.android.providers.settings.SettingsProvider
F/SystemServer( 500): at android.app.ActivityThread.installProvider(ActivityThread.java:4201)
F/SystemServer( 500): at android.app.ActivityThread.getProvider(ActivityThread.java:4010)
F/SystemServer( 500): at android.app.ActivityThread.acquireProvider(ActivityThread.java:4026)
F/SystemServer( 500): at android.app.ContextImpl$ApplicationContentResolver.acquireProvider(ContextImpl.java:1612)
F/SystemServer( 500): at android.content.ContentResolver.acquireProvider(ContentResolver.java:948)
F/SystemServer( 500): at android.provider.Settings$NameValueCache.getString(Settings.java:701)
F/SystemServer( 500): at android.provider.Settings$Secure.getString(Settings.java:2207)
F/SystemServer( 500): at com.android.server.InputMethodManagerService.buildInputMethodListLocked(InputMethodManagerService.java:1966)
F/SystemServer( 500): at com.android.server.InputMethodManagerService.(InputMethodManagerService.java:556)
F/SystemServer( 500): at com.android.server.ServerThread.run(SystemServer.java:273)
F/SystemServer( 500): Caused by: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: com.android.providers.settings.SettingsProvider
F/SystemServer( 500): at dalvik.system.BaseDexClassLoader.findClass(BaseDexClassLoader.java:61)
F/SystemServer( 500): at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:501)
F/SystemServer( 500): at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:461)
F/SystemServer( 500): at android.app.ActivityThread.installProvider(ActivityThread.java:4186)
F/SystemServer( 500): ... 9 more
I/SystemServer( 500): Accessibility Manager
W/SystemServer( 500): ***********************************************
F/SystemServer( 500): BOOT FAILURE making display ready
How I can make an instance of services in Activity.java. Also is there a systemReady() kind of method in Activity.java, I know there is such kind of method in PackageManagerService, but that is a service where as Activity is not. So wondering what would be the best way to check it. Any thoughts appreciated

Answer 1

This was because of the dex opt signature mismatch for SettingsProvider.apk For testing purposes I was able to get around this issue by disabling this check achieved by setting the below env variables:
export WITH_DEXPREOPT=false
export DISABLE_DEXPREOPT=true
Courtesy:
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/android-building/vJCkg8Yq9Ic/mgev8ODDia4J