Android
Data management
Chapter 5
Data: outline
Data Management in Android
Preferences
Text Files
XML Files
SQLite Database
Content Provider
Managing Data
Preferences: Key/Value pairs of data
Direct File I/O: Read/write files onboard or on SD cards. Remember to req uest
permission for writing, for instance, on SD card
Database Tables: SQL Lite
Application Direct Access: Read only access from res assets/raw directories
Increase functionality:
Content Providers: expose data to other applications
Services: background processes that run detached from any view
Preference system
Preferences are a convenient way to store
configuration parameters
Structured with a key-value mode
Preference TAG Preference VALUE
Preference TAG Preference VALUE
Preferences
Preference TAG Preference VALUE
Preference TAG Preference VALUE
Preferences types
Preferences could be either private or shared
– Shared means that other applications could
potentially read such preferences
– Private means that they could be restricted at
• Application level
• Activity level
Preferences types
Shared preferences
getSharedPreferences(String name, Context.MODE_WORLD_READABLE);
getSharedPreferences(String name, Context.MODE_WORLD_WRITABLE);
Private at application level
getSharedPreferences(String name, Context.MODE_PRIVATE);
Private at activity level
getPreferences(int mode);
Preferences editor
How to edit preferences?
You need to a SharedPreferences.Editor
SharedPreferences.Editor editor = pref.edit();
editor.putString("mydata", et.getText().toString());
editor.commit();
Be sure to commit operations at the end
Preferences screens
Could be defined via XML
Some specializations to ease the process
– CheckBoxPreference
– EditTextPreference
– ListPreference
– RingtonePreference
Create a class that extends PreferenceActivity and
call
addPreferencesFromResource(R.xml.mypreferences);
The Android FileSystem
Linux architecture
User privileges
– Quite limited
Onboard data
– Application's reserved data
External data
– SD card (/mnt/sdcard)
File I/O
Onboard
– Write to a designated place for each application
– Where? /data/data/<package>/files
– How? Use standard java I/O classes
SD card
– Where? Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory()
– How? Use standard java I/O classes
– Permissions? android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
Raw Text Files: how?
Raw Text File
Place it under res/raw/ directory
Fill it with the text you like
Cannot edit it
Populate a TextView with it’s content inside the code
TextView tv = (TextView)findViewById(R.id.tv_main);
tv.setText(streamToString(R.raw.myfile));
XML Files: how?
XML File
Place it under res/xml/ directory
Start the file with
<?xml version=“1.0” encoding=“utf-8”?>
Add whatever you want with <mytag>value</mytag>
XML Files: example
We want to visualize all the grades of this class
Our XML file is like this:
<student
name=“Student’s name”
class=“Laboratorio di Applicazioni Mobili”
year=“2012”
grade=“30L” />
Cursors: data handlers
A Cursor stores data given by a DB query
Some methods:
getCount()
moveTo{First,Next,Last,Position,Previous}()
close()
You need to look inside the Cursor to see query’s
results
while (gradeCursor.moveToNext()) {
Log.v(“GRADES”,gradeCursor.getString(0));
}
Cursors: methods
Manipulating the cursor
– cursor.moveToFirst()
– while (cursor.moveToNext())
– for (cursor.moveToFirst(); !cursor.isAfterLast(); cursor.moveToNext())
Get column numbers from names
– int nameColumn = cursor.getColumnIndex(People.NAME);
– int phoneColumn = cursor.getColumnIndex(People.NUMBER);
Get Data from column
– String name = cursor.getString(nameColumn);
– String number = cursor.getString(phoneColumn);
Cursor methods
• Manipulate the cursor (row pointer)
– cursor.moveToFirst()
– while (cursor.moveToNext()) { /* code */ }
– for (cursor.moveToFirst(); !cursor.isAfterLast(); cur.moveToNext) { /* code
*/ }
• Get column numbers from names
– int nameColumn = cursor.getColumnIndex(People.NAME);
– int phoneColumn = cursor.getColumnIndex(People.NUMBER);
• Get Data from column
– String name = cursor.getString(nameColumn);
– String number = cursor.getString(phoneColumn);
Content Providers
A system to access shared data
Similar to a REST web service
To each Content Provider, one or more URIs are
assigned in the form:
content://<authority>/path
To build a Content Provider
Define the DB
Create a class that extends
android.content.ContentProvider
Implement query(), insert(), update(), delete()
Register the ContentProvider in the manifest
How to use a Content Provider
Need to get the URI
– Usually this is declared as public inside the content
provider class
Make a query, maybe adding some where clauses
– You'll get a Cursor after that
Navigate the Cursor
Content Providers
Content
Provider
Example: contacts
Query the contacts content provider
Contacts information are shared among applications
You need to request a permission
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_CONTACTS"/>
Saving Data in Files in android
In Android, you can save data in files using several
methods. Here are the most common approaches:
1. Internal Storage
You can save files to the internal storage of the
device, which is private to your application.
2. External Storage
You can also save files to external storage, which
can be accessed by other applications.
Saving Data, Cont.….
3. Shared Preferences
For saving small amounts of data, such as user preferences,
you can use Shared Preferences.
4. Using SQLite Database
For structured data that requires complex queries, you might
consider using an SQLite database.
Conclusion
Choose the method that best fits your needs based on the type and
amount of data you want to store. For simple key-value pairs, Shared
Preferences are sufficient; for larger files, consider internal or external
storage; and for structured data, an SQLite database is appropriate.
