Can I pass a parameter to an Android Apk from a properties file?

Question

I need to pass a string to an Android apk externally. Currently my app is in development, so I haven't deployed it on Google Market. Is there any way to pass a parameter to apk from an external file like properties file? If yes, please explain the procedure.

Answer 1

If you need it for development only, just place a file on the SD card.

final File tmpFile = new File("/sdcard/myparam.txt");
try {
    FileInputStream s = new FileInputStream(tmpFile);
    ...

use adb push myparam.txt /sdcard/ and adb pull /sdcard/myparam.txt to transfer it between the desktop and the device.

It is of course incorrect to assume that the SD card is mounted, as well as to use a hard-coded file name, but it is for development only.

If you need to pass a parameter from another application, store in the Intent (assuming that you are the author of both applications).

Answer 2

Actually android uses Intent instead of cmd args. To pass a string from your app to another, for example, you do...

String str = "Test";
Intent intent = new Intent(this,externalApp);
intent.putExtra("str",str);
startActivity(intent);

The app on the other side would go...

Intent intent = getIntent();
String str = getStringExtra("str");