Pass String from activity to service?

I am familiar with the method of passing arrays from one activity to another activity using putExtra and getExtra methods. However, whenever I try to get it from a service the following code doesn't work:

Bundle b = this.getIntent().getExtras();
String Array = b.getStringArray("paths");

It is not recognizing the following:

this.getIntent().getExtras();

Any ideas?

EDIT

in the activity class I have the following:

    toService = new Intent();
    toService.setClass(this, Service.class);
    toService.putExtra("paths",Array);

in the service class:

@Override
public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {
    // TODO Auto-generated method stub
    Bundle extras = intent.getExtras();
    if(extras!=null)
    {
        Paths = extras.getStringArray("paths");
        Toast.makeText(protectionService.this, Paths[0], Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show()开发者_StackOverflow社区;
    }

    return 0;
}

Nothing is appearing since Paths is not being assigned apparently.

Paths = extras.getStringArray("paths");

Doesn't seem to work.

---

Where are you trying to access getIntent?

Here is a snippet from a program I have written which uses the getExtras:

@Override
public void onStart(Intent intent, int startId) {
    super.onStart(intent, startId);
    Bundle extras = intent.getExtras();
    if (extras != null) {
        // Do what you want 
      }
}

However, onStart is now deprecated so you should really use onStartCommand. You get the intent as one of the parameters.

@Override
public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {
  handleCommand(intent);
  // We want this service to continue running until it is explicitly
  // stopped, so return sticky.
  return START_STICKY;
}

Otherwise you could use AIDL, Preferences or any other example answered here: How to access a variable present in a service

Same question has already been answered Android: how to get the intent received by a service?

Edit: If you use this

toService = new Intent();
toService.setClass(this, Service.class);
toService.putExtra("array",Array);

You need to get the extras with the same key, here the key is "array"

Paths = extras.getStringArray("array");