Android - Loading (updating) string resources from internet?

Question

I want to be able to update strings from internet. Let's say I downloaded list of updated strings in a hash map an each string is mapped to ther ids (R.string.). I thought I could modify string.xml but they are written on rocks I guess.

How can replace view's strings and use the updated list while inflating things? Currently I tried two things.

First I created a custom getResources for my activity which returns a custom resource object with modified getString. However, probably activity inflator does not use getResources() so nothing changes.

After that I thought I can override setText methods of buttons etc however they are final for some reasons.

Any other suggestions? I want to automate this process, otherwise it will be very hard. (Can I even find which views uses which ids? Maybe I can parse resource xmls)

Thanks for all

Answer 1

Use database, or sharedPreferences to keep strings' values, and use as default R.string.bla_bla, cause there is no way to change resources but update the whole app. Try something like this to read string:

SharedPreferences mSharedPreferences = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences( context );
String bla_bla = mSharedPreferences.getString( "R.string.bla_bla", context.getString( R.string.bla_bla ));

And to replace value:

Editor editor = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences( context ).edit();
editor.putString( "R.string.bla_bla", bla_bla );
editor.commit();

updated

Ok, i got it. Then you should create your own class extends Button , like this one.

public class MButton extends Button {
    String mText;
    public MButton( Context context, AttributeSet attrs ) {
        super( context, attrs );
        loadText( context, attrs );
    }
    public MButton( Context context, AttributeSet attrs, int defStyle ) {
        super( context, attrs, defStyle );
        loadText( context, attrs );
    }
    void loadText( Context context, AttributeSet attrs ) {
        String stringId = attrs.getAttributeValue( "http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android", "text" );
        // stringId = @2130903040
        int intStringId = Integer.parseInt( stringId.substring( 1 ));
        // intStringId = 2130903040
        mText = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences( context ).getString( stringId, context.getString( intStringId ));
    }
    @Override
    protected void onFinishInflate() {
        super.onFinishInflate();
        setText( mText );
    }
}

And use it in your layouts:

<com.example.test.MButton
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="@string/app_name"
        android:onClick="clicked" />

But make sure that you clean up all SharedPreferences keeps custom strings, when you update your app, cause your resource ids will be reordered. Good luck!