416

I have written the line:

String Mess = R.string.mess_1 ;

to get string value, but instead of returning string, it is giving me id of type integer. How can I get its string value? I mentioned the string value in the string.xml file.

0

19 Answers 19

885

Try this

String mess = getResources().getString(R.string.mess_1);

UPDATE

String string = getString(R.string.hello);

You can use either getString(int) or getText(int) to retrieve a string. getText(int) will retain any rich text styling applied to the string.

Reference: https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/resources/string-resource.html

4
  • 91
    you can simplify that to this.getString(R.string.some_id) if you're already in a Context (Activity or Service).
    – mxk
    Commented Feb 2, 2010 at 16:02
  • 1
    I used this: String message += getResources().getString(R.string.string1) + "some more word..."; and I wanted to send this string via sms, but it is not working. It works fine without the string resource. Am I missing something?
    – keybee
    Commented Mar 22, 2013 at 16:47
  • 11
    You can simplify that even further to getString(R.string.some_id). And if you want to customize the string, you can make the string something like "Welcome, %1$s", then you can use getString(R.string.some_id, "John Doe"). to get "Welcome, John Doe" at runtime.
    – M Granja
    Commented Aug 17, 2013 at 21:35
  • Also works for other types like I just used getResouces().getInteger(R.integer.my_value_in_xml) Commented Aug 19, 2015 at 0:51
67

In Activity:

this.getString(R.string.resource_name)

If not in activity but have access to context:

context.getString(R.string.resource_name)
application.getString(R.string.resource_name)
1
  • 4
    You don't have to include this while you are in Activity. Simply getString() will let you do things.
    – CopsOnRoad
    Commented Jun 26, 2018 at 17:13
46

I'm using this:

String URL = Resources.getSystem().getString(R.string.mess_1);
1
  • 15
    Warning - according to this answer quoting android's documentation, using Resources.getSystem() does not give you the application resources, but only android's. It should not be used for resources like string. I used this solution and the application crashed, throwing a notfoundexception that was hard to understand (as the resource exists in strings.xml).
    – et_l
    Commented May 3, 2017 at 10:24
26

By the way, it is also possible to create string arrays in the strings.xml like so:

<string-array name="tabs_names"> 
    <item>My Tab 1</item> 
    <item>My Tab 2</item>
</string-array>

And then from your Activity you can get the reference like so:

String[] tab_names = getResources().getStringArray(R.array.tab_names);
String tabname1=tab_names[0];//"My Tab 1"
1
  • 1
    This answer should be up there.Most of the time, you are reading arrays from XML not single strings. Commented Aug 6, 2015 at 15:44
11

Only for future references.

In the String resources documentation it says:

You can use either getString(int) or getText(int) to retrieve a string. getText(int) will >retain any rich text styling applied to the string.

6

Solution 1

Context context;
String mess = context.getString(R.string.mess_1)

Solution 2

String mess = getString(R.string.mess_1)
3

In fragments, you can use

getActivity().getString(R.id.whatever);
3

If you want to add the string value to a button for example, simple use

android:text="@string/NameOfTheString"

The defined text in strings.xml looks like this:

 <string name="NameOfTheString">Test string</string>
3

Details

  • Android Studio 3.1.4
  • Kotlin version: 1.2.60

Task

  • single line use
  • minimum code
  • use suggestions from the compiler

Step 1. Application()

Get link to the context of you application

class MY_APPLICATION_NAME: Application() {

    companion object {
        private lateinit var instance: MY_APPLICATION_NAME

        fun getAppContext(): Context = instance.applicationContext
    }

    override fun onCreate() {
        instance = this
        super.onCreate()
    }

}

Step 2. Add int extension

inline fun Int.toLocalizedString(): String = MY_APPLICATION_NAME.getAppContext().resources.getString(this)

Usage

strings.xml

<resources>
    <!-- .......  -->
    <string name="no_internet_connection">No internet connection</string>
    <!-- .......  -->
</resources>

Get string value:

val errorMessage = R.string.no_internet_connection.toLocalizedString()

Results

enter image description here enter image description here

1
  • Cool answer there. can you give me some advice to improve on kotlin, android. any good resources, routines that you can please recommend Commented Sep 2, 2022 at 7:35
3

You can read directly the value defined into strings.xml:

<resources>
    <string name="hello">Hello StackOverflow!</string>
</resources>

and set into a variable:

String mymessage = getString(R.string.hello);

but we can define the string into the view:

<TextView
    android:id="@+id/myTextView"
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:text="@string/hello"/>
2

You must reference Context name before using getResources() in Android.

String user=getApplicationContext().getResources().getString(R.string.muser);

OR

Context mcontext=getApplicationContext();

String user=mcontext.getResources().getString(R.string.muser);
2

while u write R. you are referring to the R.java class created by eclipse, use getResources().getString() and pass the id of the resource from which you are trying to read inside the getString() method.

Example : String[] yourStringArray = getResources().getStringArray(R.array.Your_array);

1

You can use this code:

 getText(R.string.mess_1); 

Basically, you need to pass the resource id as a parameter to the getText() method.

1

If you are in an activity you can use

getResources().getString(R.string.whatever_string_youWant);

If you are not in an Activity use this :

getApplicationContext.getResource().getString(R.String.Whatever_String_you_want)
1

If you are using Jetpack Compose, you can use

stringResource(R.string.yourstring)
0

**

I hope this code is beneficial

**

String user = getResources().getString(R.string.muser); 
0

Update

  • You can use getString(R.string.some_string_id) in both Activity or Fragment.
  • You can use Context.getString(R.string.some_string_id) where you don't have direct access to getString() method. Like Dialog.

Problem is where you don't have Context access, like a method in your Util class.

Assume below method without Context.

public void someMethod(){
    ...
    // can't use getResource() or getString() without Context.
}

Now you will pass Context as a parameter in this method and use getString().

public void someMethod(Context context){
    ...
    context.getString(R.string.some_id);
}

What i do is

public void someMethod(){
    ...
    App.getRes().getString(R.string.some_id)
}

What? It is very simple to use anywhere in your app!

So here is a Bonus unique solution by which you can access resources from anywhere like Util class .

import android.app.Application;
import android.content.res.Resources;

public class App extends Application {
    private static App mInstance;
    private static Resources res;


    @Override
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();
        mInstance = this;
        res = getResources();
    }

    public static App getInstance() {
        return mInstance;
    }

    public static Resources getResourses() {
        return res;
    }

}

Add name field to your manifest.xml <application tag.

<application
        android:name=".App"
        ...
        >
        ...
    </application>

Now you are good to go.

0

getString(R.string.your_string) get the result

0

String myString = getResources().getString(R.string.here_your_string_name);

Now your string is copied into myString. I hope it will work for you.

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