refactored StreamingService interface so it acts as a Factory (returning new instances of called classes, eg Extractor), rather than passing Class objects (which loses type safety) which are then instantiated. Also noticed there is a conflict between existing gradle setup and mine: misc.xml and app.iml have had their jvm version values switched from 1.8 to 1.7

.idea/gradle.xml

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
         <option name="distributionType" value="LOCAL" />
         <option name="externalProjectPath" value="$PROJECT_DIR$" />
         <option name="gradleHome" value="$APPLICATION_HOME_DIR$/gradle/gradle-2.4" />
-        <option name="gradleJvm" value="1.8" />
+        <option name="gradleJvm" value="1.7" />
         <option name="modules">
           <set>
             <option value="$PROJECT_DIR$" />

.idea/misc.xml

@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
     <ConfirmationsSetting value="0" id="Add" />
     <ConfirmationsSetting value="0" id="Remove" />
   </component>
-  <component name="ProjectRootManager" version="2" languageLevel="JDK_1_7" default="true" assert-keyword="true" jdk-15="true" project-jdk-name="1.8" project-jdk-type="JavaSDK">
+  <component name="ProjectRootManager" version="2" languageLevel="JDK_1_7" default="true" assert-keyword="true" jdk-15="true" project-jdk-name="1.7" project-jdk-type="JavaSDK">
     <output url="file://$PROJECT_DIR$/build/classes" />
   </component>
   <component name="ProjectType">

app/app.iml

@@ -92,12 +92,12 @@
     </content>
     <orderEntry type="jdk" jdkName="Android API 23 Platform" jdkType="Android SDK" />
     <orderEntry type="sourceFolder" forTests="false" />
+    <orderEntry type="library" exported="" name="rhino-1.7.7" level="project" />
     <orderEntry type="library" exported="" name="recyclerview-v7-23.1.0" level="project" />
+    <orderEntry type="library" exported="" name="support-annotations-23.1.0" level="project" />
+    <orderEntry type="library" exported="" name="appcompat-v7-23.1.0" level="project" />
+    <orderEntry type="library" exported="" name="design-23.1.0" level="project" />
     <orderEntry type="library" exported="" name="jsoup-1.8.3" level="project" />
     <orderEntry type="library" exported="" name="support-v4-23.1.0" level="project" />
-    <orderEntry type="library" exported="" name="rhino-1.7.7" level="project" />
-    <orderEntry type="library" exported="" name="design-23.1.0" level="project" />
-    <orderEntry type="library" exported="" name="appcompat-v7-23.1.0" level="project" />
-    <orderEntry type="library" exported="" name="support-annotations-23.1.0" level="project" />
   </component>
 </module>

app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/Downloader.java

@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 package org.schabi.newpipe;
 
+import android.widget.Toast;
+
 import java.io.BufferedReader;
 import java.io.InputStreamReader;
 import java.net.HttpURLConnection;
 import java.net.URL;
+import java.net.UnknownHostException;
 
 /**
  * Created by Christian Schabesberger on 14.08.15.
@@ -45,7 +48,13 @@ public class Downloader {
                 response.append(inputLine);
             }
             in.close();
-        } catch (Exception e) {
+
+        }
+        catch(UnknownHostException uhe) {//thrown when there's no internet connection
+            uhe.printStackTrace();
+            //Toast.makeText(getActivity(), uhe.getMessage(), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
+        }
+        catch (Exception e) {
             e.printStackTrace();
         }
         return response.toString();

app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/StreamingService.java

@@ -24,12 +24,12 @@ public interface StreamingService {
     class ServiceInfo {
         public String name = "";
     }
-    ServiceInfo getServiceInfo();
+    public ServiceInfo getServiceInfo();
-    Class getExtractorClass();
+    public Extractor getExtractorInstance();
-    Class getSearchEngineClass();
+    public SearchEngine getSearchEngineInstance();
 
-    // When a VIEW_ACTION is caught this function will test if the url delivered within the calling
+    /**When a VIEW_ACTION is caught this function will test if the url delivered within the calling
-    // Intent was meant to be watched with this Service.
+    Intent was meant to be watched with this Service.
-    // Return false if this service shall not allow to be callean through ACTIONs.
+    Return false if this service shall not allow to be callean through ACTIONs.*/
     boolean acceptUrl(String videoUrl);
 }

app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/VideoInfo.java

@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ public class VideoInfo {
 
     public static final int VIDEO_AVAILABLE = 0x00;
     public static final int VIDEO_UNAVAILABLE = 0x01;
-    public static final int VIDEO_UNAVAILABLE_GEMA = 0x02;
+    public static final int VIDEO_UNAVAILABLE_GEMA = 0x02;//German DRM organisation; sound pretty draconian
 
     public static String getNameById(int id) {
         switch(id) {
@@ -68,8 +68,7 @@ public class VideoInfo {
             case I_WEBM: return F_WEBM;
             case I_M4A: return F_M4A;
             case I_WEBMA: return F_WEBMA;
-            default: Log.e(TAG, "format not known: " +
+            default: formatNotKnown(id);
-                    Integer.toString(id) + "call the programmer he messed it up.");
         }
         return "";
     }
@@ -81,8 +80,7 @@ public class VideoInfo {
             case I_WEBM: return C_WEBM;
             case I_M4A: return C_M4A;
             case I_WEBMA: return C_WEBMA;
-            default: Log.e(TAG, "format not known: " +
+            default: formatNotKnown(id);
-                    Integer.toString(id) + "call the programmer he messed it up.");
         }
         return "";
     }
@@ -94,8 +92,7 @@ public class VideoInfo {
             case I_WEBM: return M_WEBM;
             case I_M4A: return M_M4A;
             case I_WEBMA: return M_WEBMA;
-            default: Log.e(TAG, "format not known: " +
+            default: formatNotKnown(id);
-                    Integer.toString(id) + "call the programmer he messed it up.");
         }
         return "";
     }
@@ -109,6 +106,12 @@ public class VideoInfo {
         public String resolution = "";
     }
 
+    protected static void formatNotKnown(int id)
+    {
+        Log.e(TAG, "format not known: \"" +
+            Integer.toString(id) + "\". Call the programmer, he messed it up!");
+    }
+
     public static class AudioStream {
         public AudioStream(String url, int format, int bandwidth, int samplingRate) {
             this.url = url; this.format = format;

app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/VideoInfoItemViewCreator.java

@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ public class VideoInfoItemViewCreator {
         if(!info.upload_date.isEmpty()) {
             holder.itemUploadDateView.setText(info.upload_date);
         } else {
-            //tewak if nececeary: This is a hack preventing to have a white space in the layout :P
+            //tweak if necessary: This is a hack to prevent having white space in the layout :P
             holder.itemUploadDateView.setText(info.view_count);
         }
 

app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/VideoItemDetailActivity.java

@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import android.widget.Toast;
  * along with NewPipe.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  */
 
+/***/
 public class VideoItemDetailActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
 
     private static final String TAG = VideoItemDetailActivity.class.toString();
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@ public class VideoItemDetailActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
                         try {
                             currentStreamingService = i;
                             extractor = (Extractor) ServiceList.getService(i)
-                                    .getExtractorClass().newInstance();
+                                    .getExtractorInstance();
                         } catch (Exception e) {
                             e.printStackTrace();
                         }
@@ -123,9 +124,9 @@ public class VideoItemDetailActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
             // activity, the Up button is shown. Use NavUtils to allow users
             // to navigate up one level in the application structure. For
             // more details, see the Navigation pattern on Android Design:
-            //
+
             // http://developer.android.com/design/patterns/navigation.html#up-vs-back
-            //
+
             Intent intent = new Intent(this, VideoItemListActivity.class);
             intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_CLEAR_TOP);
             NavUtils.navigateUpTo(this, intent);

app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/VideoItemDetailFragment.java

@@ -79,16 +79,15 @@ public class VideoItemDetailFragment extends Fragment {
 
     private class ExtractorRunnable implements Runnable {
         private Handler h = new Handler();
-        private Class extractorClass;
+        private Extractor extractor;
         private String videoUrl;
-        public ExtractorRunnable(String videoUrl, Class extractorClass, VideoItemDetailFragment f) {
+        public ExtractorRunnable(String videoUrl, Extractor extractor, VideoItemDetailFragment f) {
-            this.extractorClass = extractorClass;
+            this.extractor = extractor;
             this.videoUrl = videoUrl;
         }
         @Override
         public void run() {
             try {
-                Extractor extractor = (Extractor) extractorClass.newInstance();
                 VideoInfo videoInfo = extractor.getVideoInfo(videoUrl);
                 h.post(new VideoResultReturnedRunnable(videoInfo));
                 if (videoInfo.videoAvailableStatus == VideoInfo.VIDEO_AVAILABLE) {
@@ -170,7 +169,7 @@ public class VideoItemDetailFragment extends Fragment {
             }
 
         } catch (java.lang.NullPointerException e) {
-            // No god programm design i know. :/
+            // Not good program design, I know. :/
             Log.w(TAG, "updateThumbnail(): Fragment closed before thread ended work");
         }
     }
@@ -312,7 +311,7 @@ public class VideoItemDetailFragment extends Fragment {
                 StreamingService streamingService = ServiceList.getService(
                         getArguments().getInt(STREAMING_SERVICE));
                 extractorThread = new Thread(new ExtractorRunnable(
-                        getArguments().getString(VIDEO_URL), streamingService.getExtractorClass(), this));
+                        getArguments().getString(VIDEO_URL), streamingService.getExtractorInstance(), this));
                 autoPlayEnabled = getArguments().getBoolean(AUTO_PLAY);
                 extractorThread.start();
             } catch (Exception e) {

app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/VideoItemListActivity.java

@@ -87,13 +87,11 @@ public class VideoItemListActivity extends AppCompatActivity
         super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
         setContentView(R.layout.activity_videoitem_list);
 
-        listFragment = (VideoItemListFragment)
-                getSupportFragmentManager().findFragmentById(R.id.videoitem_list);
-
         //-------- remove this line when multiservice support is implemented ----------
         currentStreamingServiceId = ServiceList.getIdOfService("Youtube");
         //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-        VideoItemListFragment listFragment = (VideoItemListFragment) getSupportFragmentManager()
+
+        listFragment = (VideoItemListFragment) getSupportFragmentManager()
                 .findFragmentById(R.id.videoitem_list);
         listFragment.setStreamingService(ServiceList.getService(currentStreamingServiceId));
 

app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/VideoItemListFragment.java

@@ -65,14 +65,14 @@ public class VideoItemListFragment extends ListFragment {
     }
 
     private class SearchRunnable implements Runnable {
-        private Class engineClass = null;
+        private SearchEngine engine;
         private String query;
         private int page;
         Handler h = new Handler();
         private volatile boolean run = true;
         private int requestId;
-        public SearchRunnable(Class engineClass, String query, int page, int requestId) {
+        public SearchRunnable(SearchEngine engine, String query, int page, int requestId) {
-            this.engineClass = engineClass;
+            this.engine = engine;
             this.query = query;
             this.page = page;
             this.requestId = requestId;
@@ -82,13 +82,6 @@ public class VideoItemListFragment extends ListFragment {
         }
         @Override
         public void run() {
-            SearchEngine engine = null;
-            try {
-                engine = (SearchEngine) engineClass.newInstance();
-            } catch(Exception e) {
-                e.printStackTrace();
-                return;
-            }
             try {
                 SearchEngine.Result result = engine.search(query, page);
                 if(run) {
@@ -179,7 +172,7 @@ public class VideoItemListFragment extends ListFragment {
     private void startSearch(String query, int page) {
         currentRequestId++;
         terminateThreads();
-        searchRunnable = new SearchRunnable(streamingService.getSearchEngineClass(), query, page, currentRequestId);
+        searchRunnable = new SearchRunnable(streamingService.getSearchEngineInstance(), query, page, currentRequestId);
         searchThread = new Thread(searchRunnable);
         searchThread.start();
     }

app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/youtube/YoutubeExtractor.java

@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ public class YoutubeExtractor implements Extractor {
     private static final String TAG = YoutubeExtractor.class.toString();
 
     // These lists only contain itag formats that are supported by the common Android Video player.
-    // How ever if you are heading for a list showing all itag formats lock at
+    // How ever if you are heading for a list showing all itag formats look at
     // https://github.com/rg3/youtube-dl/issues/1687
 
     public static int resolveFormat(int itag) {

app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/youtube/YoutubeService.java

@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 package org.schabi.newpipe.youtube;
 
 import org.schabi.newpipe.StreamingService;
+import org.schabi.newpipe.Extractor;
+import org.schabi.newpipe.SearchEngine;
+
 
 /**
  * Created by Christian Schabesberger on 23.08.15.
@@ -30,12 +33,12 @@ public class YoutubeService implements StreamingService {
         return serviceInfo;
     }
     @Override
-    public Class getExtractorClass() {
+    public Extractor getExtractorInstance() {
-        return YoutubeExtractor.class;
+        return (Extractor) new YoutubeExtractor();
     }
     @Override
-    public Class getSearchEngineClass() {
+    public SearchEngine getSearchEngineInstance() {
-        return YoutubeSearchEngine.class;
+        return (SearchEngine) new YoutubeSearchEngine();
     }
     @Override
     public boolean acceptUrl(String videoUrl) {