Accessing a resource "R.string" variably

Question

In my R.string file I have some questions = R.string.question1, R.string.question2, etc.

When the user clicks a button, with only a number as the text, I want to pull that number(num) and access the string at the correct position (R.string.question[num])

OnClickListener clickQuestion2 = new OnClickListener(){

    @Override
    public void onClick(View arg0) {
        String num = "R.string"+".question"+((Button)arg0).getText().toString();
        int myQuestion = Integer.parseInt(num);
        question.setText(myQuestion);
        int myOption1 = R.string.question2_1;
        int myOption2 = R.string.question2_2;
        int myOption3 = R.string.question2_3;
        int myOption4= R.string.question2_4;
        option1.setText(myOption1);
        option2.setText(myOption2);
        option3.setText(myOption3);
        option4.setText(myOption4);

Here's the onClickListener for the button. I've tried a couple ways, but nothing seems to work. The error tells me "R.string.question2", for example, is an invalid string. So I know I'm passing it the string for the resource I want, I just don't know how to tell it I want it to read that string, find that resource and parse the int that comes with it. Basically the same as with

int myOption1 = R.string.question2_1;

does. These are the possible answers to the question being pulled from R.string.question(x), and these work. How can I get that int for the resource, but change the resource each time a button is clicked.

If that makes sense, thanks for the help!

EDIT: "question" is a TextView as well as option1, option2, etc.

hichris123 · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-19 21:21:43Z

3

String dynamicString = "question2_1";
int resID = getResources().getIdentifier(dynamicString, "string",  activity.getPackageName()); 
String result = activity.getResources().getString(resID);

edited Jan 19, 2014 at 21:21

hichris123

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answered Jan 19, 2014 at 21:06

Nesim Razon

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2 Comments

user3067903 Over a year ago

"Note: use of this function is discouraged. It is much more efficient to retrieve resources by identifier than by name." ?

Peter Over a year ago

Yes, but that is what you are exactly are asking for when not using the string array approach, because the resourceID's are static members of your R-class which means variable names and you can't construct variable names at runtime when not using reflections. Using reflections again means a retrieval by string yourObj.getClass().getField(String yourResourceString).getInt(yourObj). So this seems to be another way of resolving your resourceID and you could use this resourceId then. But because R is a static class, you won't have the yourObj.

Rick Falck · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-19 21:20:04Z

1

Use a String array:

<string-array name="question2">
    <item>Sort By Price</item>
    <item>Sort By Magnitude</item>
    <item>Sort By Ingredient Names</item>
    <item>Sort By Extra Effects</item>
</string-array>

Access in code:

int myQuestion = Integer.parseInt(num);
option1.setText(question2[myQuestion]);

edited Jan 19, 2014 at 21:20

answered Jan 19, 2014 at 21:14

Rick Falck

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