android - Two main activities in AndroidManifest.xml

Question

I would like to have two main activities in my app. So in my manifest I put:

<activity
    android:name="mypackage1.MainActivity"
    android:label="@string/title_activity_main">

    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

        <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
        <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
    </intent-filter>
</activity>

<activity
    android:name="mypackage2.MainActivity2"
    android:label="@string/title_activity_main2">

    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

        <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
        <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
    </intent-filter>

</activity>

Two icons are created in my apps menu. But when I click on each of them the first activity MainActivity is always launched. Is it possible to have two main activities? If so, what's wrong with what I did? Thanks

Answer 1

The LAUNCHER intent filter is what determines what shows up in the app drawer/launcher. That is why you get two icons shown up.

However, you also set the DEFAULT intent filter, which sets the default Activity for the whole package. Since you set it twice, you get the problem of precedence of the first/latest registered. When you remove the DEFAULT filter, you will be able to start whatever you click on in the launcher.

In short, remove the following line from both Activities:

<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />