Android Developer Fundamentals V2

Preferences and
settings

Lesson 9

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9.0 Data Storage

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Contents

● Android File System

● Internal Storage
● External Storage
● SQLite Database
● Other Storage Options

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Storage Options

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Storing data

● Shared Preferences—Private primitive data in key-value pairs

● Internal Storage—Private data on device memory
● External Storage—Public data on device or external storage
● SQLite Databases—Structured data in a private database
● Content Providers—Store privately and make available publicly

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Storing data beyond Android

● Network Connection—On the web with your own server

● Cloud Backup—Back up app and user data in the cloud
● Firebase Realtime Database—Store and sync data with NoSQL
cloud database across clients in realtime

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Files

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Android File System

● External storage -- Public directories

● Internal storage -- Private directories for just your app

Apps can browse the directory structure

Structure and operations similar to Linux and java.io

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Internal storage
● Always available
● Uses device's filesystem
● Only your app can access files, unless explicitly set to be
readable or writable
● On app uninstall, system removes all app's files from internal
storage

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External storage

● Not always available, can be removed

● Uses device's file system or physically external storage like SD
card
● World-readable, so any app can read
● On uninstall, system does not remove files private to app

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When to use internal/external storage
Internal is best when
● you want to be sure that neither the user nor other apps can
access your files
External is best for files that
● don't require access restrictions and for
● you want to share with other apps
● you allow the user to access with a computer

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Save user's file in shared storage

● Save new files that the user acquires through your app to a
public directory where other apps can access them and the user
can easily copy them from the device
● Save external files in public directories

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Internal Storage

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Internal Storage

● Uses private directories just for your app

● App always has permission to read/write
● Permanent storage directory—getFilesDir()
● Temporary storage directory—getCacheDir()

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Creating a file

File file = new File(

context.getFilesDir(), filename);

Use standard java.io file operators or streams

to interact with files

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External
Storage

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External Storage
● On device or SD card
● Set permissions in Android Manifest
○ Write permission includes read permission

<uses-permission
android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
<uses-permission
android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />

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Always check availability of storage

public boolean isExternalStorageWritable() {

String state = Environment.getExternalStorageState();
if (Environment.MEDIA_MOUNTED.equals(state)) {
return true;
}
return false;
}

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Example external public directories
● DIRECTORY_ALARMS and DIRECTORY_RINGTONES
For audio files to use as alarms and ringtones
● DIRECTORY_DOCUMENTS
For documents that have been created by the user
● DIRECTORY_DOWNLOADS
For files that have been downloaded by the user
developer.android.com/reference/android/os/Environment.html
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Accessing public external directories
1. Get a path getExternalStoragePublicDirectory()
2. Create file

File path = Environment.getExternalStoragePublicDirectory(

Environment.DIRECTORY_PICTURES);
File file = new File(path, "DemoPicture.jpg");

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How much storage left?
● If there is not enough space, throws IOException
● If you know the size of the file, check against space
○ getFreeSpace()
○ getTotalSpace().
● If you do not know how much space is needed
○ try/catch IOException

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Delete files no longer needed

● External storage
myFile.delete();

● Internal storage
myContext.deleteFile(fileName);

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Do not delete the user's files!
When the user uninstalls your app, your app's private storage
directory and all its contents are deleted
Do not use private storage for content that belongs to the user!
For example
● Photos captured or edited with your app
● Music the user has purchased with your app

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 Shared
Preferences
& SQLite
Database
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SQLite Database

● Ideal for repeating or structured data, such as contacts

● Android provides SQL-like database
● Covered in following chapters and practicals
○ SQLite Primer
○ Introduction to SQLite Databases
○ SQLite Data Storage Practical
○ Searching an SQLite Database Practical

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Shared Preferences

● Read and write small amounts of primitive data as key/value

pairs to a file on the device storage

● Covered in later chapter and practical

○ Shared Preferences

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Other Storage
Options

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Use Firebase to store and share data
Store and sync data with the Firebase
cloud database
Data is synced across all clients, and
remains available when your app goes
offline
firebase.google.com/docs/database/

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Firebase Realtime Database

● Connected apps share data

● Hosted in the cloud
● Data is stored as JSON
● Data is synchronized in realtime to every
connected client

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Network Connection

● You can use the network (when it's available) to store and
retrieve data on your own web-based services

● Use classes in the following packages

○ java.net.*
○ android.net.*

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Backing up data

● Auto Backup for 6.0 (API level 23) and higher

● Automatically back up app data to the cloud
● No code required and free
● Customize and configure auto backup for your app
● See Configuring Auto Backup for Apps

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Backup API for Android 5.1 (API level 22)

1. Register for Android Backup Service to get a Backup Service Key

2. Configure Manifest to use Backup Service
3. Create a backup agent by extending the BackupAgentHelper class
4. Request backups when data has changed
More info and sample code: Using the Backup AP and Data Backup

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Learn more about files

● Saving Files
● getExternalFilesDir() documentation and code samples
● getExternalStoragePublicDirectory() documentation and code samples
● java.io.File class
● Oracle's Java I/O Tutorial

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Learn more about backups

● Configuring Auto Backup for Apps

● Using the Backup API
● Data Backup

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What's next?

● Concept Chapter: 9.0 Data Storage

● No practical, this was an overview lecture

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END

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