Android - Loop Through strings.xml file

Question

I was wondering if there is anyway to loop through the strings.xml file.

Let's say that I have the following format:

<!-- FIRST SECTION -->
<string name="change_password">Change Password</string>
<string name="change_server">Change URL</string>
<string name="default_password">password</string>
<string name="default_server">http://xxx:8080</string>
<string name="default_username">testPhoneAccount</string>

<!-- SECOND SECTION -->
<string name="debug_settings_category">Debug Settings</string>
<string name="reload_data_every_startup_pref">reload_data_every_startup</string>
<string name="reload_data_on_first_startup_pref">reload_data_on_first_startup</string>

Now let's say I have this:

private HashMap<String,Integer> hashmapStringValues = new HashMap<String, Integer>();

Is there a way to iterate only in the second section of my xml file? Maybe wrap the section with a tag like <section2> and then iterate through it?

public void initHashMap(){
    for (int i=0;i< ???? ;i++) //Here I need to loop only in the second section of my xml file
    {          
        String nameOfTag = ? // Here I get the name of the tag
        int value = R.string.nameOfTag // Here I get the associated value of the tag

        this.hashmapStringValues.put(nameOfTag,value);
    }
}

what for ? ... use arrays for that ... or plain xml for settings ... — Selvin
– Selvin, Commented Aug 30, 2012 at 8:46
Cause I need to pass each value in a javascript document, and each value has an id in my HTML Form who corresponds to the name tag, so I can't use something like this : <string-array name="my_keys"> <item>Key 1</item> <item>Key 2</item> <item>Key 3</item> <item>Key 4</item> <item>Key 5</item> <item>Key 6</item> </string-array> — Alexis C.
– Alexis C., Commented Aug 30, 2012 at 8:48
for one thing, if you put any xml in a folder other than raw folder, the data will not remain as an xml. aapt will generate a compressed more optimized blob which you cannot parse like an xml — nandeesh
– nandeesh, Commented Aug 30, 2012 at 8:51
<item>key|value</item> ... create xml with setting(put it to assets) and use AssetManager.openXmlResourceParser(...) and parse it ... — Selvin
– Selvin, Commented Aug 30, 2012 at 8:51

Charlie-Blake · Accepted Answer · 2012-08-30 09:36:24Z

6

No, but you can create another xml file in resources/values which contains this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>

    <string-array name="array">
        <item>ID_1|Asdf</item>
        <item>ID_2|I do not like to think</item>
        <item>ID_3|Whatever</item>
    </string-array>

</resources>

You can format your strings however you like, and then parse them with a custom parser.

To get the string array you only need to do this:

getResources().getStringArray(R.array.array);

answered Aug 30, 2012 at 9:36

Charlie-Blake

11.1k14 gold badges58 silver badges91 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Comments

ajacian81 · Accepted Answer · 2013-09-25 16:35:44Z

5

If you look inside your generated android.R java file, it gives you a good idea how to accomplish this via Reflection:

    Field fields[] = R.string.class.getFields();
    for (Field field : fields) {
        Log.d("appname", field.getName() + ":" + getResources().getIdentifier(field.getName(), "string", this.getPackageName()));
    }

Note, I wouldn't do this often, but once for App load should be fine.

answered Sep 25, 2013 at 16:35

ajacian81

7,6299 gold badges54 silver badges66 bronze badges

2 Comments

Ωmega Over a year ago

Very helpful : R.string.class.getFields() , thank you!

ajacian81 Over a year ago

No problem, it makes me happy that at one point in my life I was useful :)

Vinay Bedre · Accepted Answer · 2012-08-30 09:03:00Z

0

This is not possible, as basic java itself does'nt detect the comments

You can only select the string like this.

getResources().getString(R.string.app_name)

answered Aug 30, 2012 at 9:03

Vinay Bedre

4661 gold badge7 silver badges17 bronze badges

Comments

user8623629 · Accepted Answer · 2020-12-13 14:00:18Z

public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity{
// one way to iterate over the arrays in the strings.xml file
// is to name them all here......
String[] categories = {"millis","size_uk","size_us","size_jp"};
ArrayList<Spinner> spinners = new ArrayList<>();
ArrayAdapter adapter;

@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

    // iterate over the views in the layout and find the spinners
    // need to iterate over spinners separately
    // because need to identify them individually
    // in order to set their selection in the event handlers
    // of the other spinners
    GridLayout gridLayout = findViewById(R.id.GridLayout1);
    for (int i = 0; i < gridLayout.getChildCount(); i++) {
        View view = gridLayout.getChildAt(i);
        // if the view is a spinner.....
        if (view instanceof Spinner){
            spinners.add((Spinner)view);
        }
    }
    // it is an array of arrays
    // iterate over the arrays and fill each spinner
    // they used to be called strange objects
    // plus attach an event to each spinner
    for (int i = 0; i < categories.length; i++){
        Spinner spinner = spinners.get(i);
        // identify the array from it's name in the resource file
        int id = this.getResources().getIdentifier(categories[i], "array",
                this.getPackageName());
        // create an adapter from said array
        adapter = ArrayAdapter.createFromResource(this, id,
                android.R.layout.simple_spinner_item);
        //put the contents of the array in the spinner
        adapter.setDropDownViewResource(android.R.layout.simple_spinner_dropdown_item);
        spinner.setAdapter(adapter);
        //set listener event for each spinner
        spinner.setOnItemSelectedListener(new OnItemSelectedListener() {
            @Override
            public void onItemSelected(AdapterView<?> parentView, View selectedItemView, int position, long id) {
                // set all spinners to the same index
                for(int k = 0; k < 4; k++)
                    spinners.get(k).setSelection(position);
            }
            @Override
            public void onNothingSelected(AdapterView<?> parentView) {
                // do nothing
            }
        });
    }
}

}

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Android - Loop Through strings.xml file

4 Answers 4

Comments

2 Comments

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

4 Answers 4

Comments

2 Comments

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related