hardcoded string "row three", should use @string resource

Question

I'm a beginner android developer , I was trying to run this Linear Layout in eclipse :

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="fill_parent">

  <LinearLayout
      android:orientation="horizontal"
      android:layout_width="fill_parent"
      android:layout_height="fill_parent"
      android:layout_weight="1">
      <TextView
          android:text="red"
          android:gravity="center_horizontal"
          android:background="#aa0000"
          android:layout_width="wrap_content"
          android:layout_height="fill_parent"
          android:layout_weight="1"/>
      <TextView
          android:text="green"
          android:gravity="center_horizontal"
          android:background="#00aa00"
          android:layout_width="wrap_content"
          android:layout_height="fill_parent"
          android:layout_weight="1"/>
      <TextView
          android:text="blue"
          android:gravity="center_horizontal"
          android:background="#0000aa"
          android:layout_width="wrap_content"
          android:layout_height="fill_parent"
          android:layout_weight="1"/>
      <TextView
          android:text="yellow"
          android:gravity="center_horizontal"
          android:background="#aaaa00"
          android:layout_width="wrap_content"
          android:layout_height="fill_parent"
          android:layout_weight="1"/>
  </LinearLayout>

  <LinearLayout
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="fill_parent"
    android:layout_weight="1">
    <TextView
        android:text="row one"
        android:textSize="15pt"
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_weight="1"/>
    <TextView
        android:text="row two"
        android:textSize="15pt"
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_weight="1"/>
    <TextView
        android:text="row three"
        android:textSize="15pt"
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_weight="1"/>
    <TextView
        android:text="row four"
        android:textSize="15pt"
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_weight="1"/>
  </LinearLayout>

</LinearLayout>

And, I noticed :
1) yellow line under android:text="Yellow"
2) yellow line under android:text="row four"
the Triangle warn says [I18N] Hardcoded string "Yellow", should use @string resource " and same for the rest of the warnings.Any suggestion?

Kuffs · Accepted Answer · 2012-01-05T14:24:32.003

134

It is not good practice to hard code strings into your layout files. You should add them to a string resource file and then reference them from your layout.

This allows you to update every occurrence of the word "Yellow" in all layouts at the same time by just editing your strings.xml file.

It is also extremely useful for supporting multiple languages as a separate strings.xml file can be used for each supported language.

example: XML file saved at res/values/strings.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>
    <string name="yellow">Yellow</string>
</resources>

This layout XML applies a string to a View:

<TextView android:layout_width="fill_parent"
          android:layout_height="wrap_content"
          android:text="@string/yellow" />

Similarly colors should be stored in colors.xml and then referenced by using @color/color_name

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>
    <color name="Black">#000000</color>
</resources>

edited Jan 05 '12 at 14:24

answered Jan 05 '12 at 14:11

Kuffs

35,581
10
79
92

3

(out of scope) also, it looks like a table somehow. may be a tablelayout would be more appropriate. moreover, textsize in pt in discouraged. sp are more flexible. – njzk2 Jan 05 '12 at 14:16
1

Why is it @string/... and not @strings/...? – Con Antonakos Jul 17 '13 at 23:44
2

You are referencing a single string. Why would it be plural? – Kuffs Jul 18 '13 at 05:57
1

@Kuffs: If app is monolingual, and small Toasts like "Please enter value less than 100" needs to be shown, should we still follow _String Resource_ methodology? – Shishir Gupta Dec 08 '14 at 13:48
I would as it makes the code cleaner and all your strings are in one place should you ever decide to add a new language in the future. At the end of the day though, it is recommendation not a rule. – Kuffs Dec 08 '14 at 13:52

score 14 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 24 '12 at 18:31

14

You must create them under strings.xml

<string name="close">Close</string>

You must replace and reference like this

android:text="@string/close"/>

Do not use @strings even though the XML file says strings.xml or else it will not work.

answered Apr 24 '12 at 18:31

Hanson So

167
2
4

4

@CroiOS Great English – Henry Harris Jun 17 '14 at 15:28

Zar E Ahmer · Answer 3 · 2015-05-25T14:41:35.607

It is not good practice to hard code strings into your layout files/ code. You should add them to a string resource file and then reference them from your layout.

This allows you to update every occurrence of the same word in all
layouts at the same time by just editing your strings.xml file.
It is also extremely useful for supporting multiple languages as a separate strings.xml file can be used for each supported language
the actual point of having the @string system please read over the localization documentation. It allows you to easily locate text in your app and later have it translated.
Strings can be internationalized easily, allowing your application to support multiple languages with a single application package file (APK).

Benefits

Lets say you used same string in 10 different locations in the code. What if you decide to alter it? Instead of searching for where all it has been used in the project you just change it once and changes are reflected everywhere in the project.
Strings don’t clutter up your application code, leaving it clear and easy to maintain.

score 4 · Answer 4 · answered Dec 31 '17 at 15:30

4

You can go to Design mode and select "Fix" at the bottom of the warning. Then a pop up will appear (seems like it's going to register the new string) and voila, the error is fixed.

answered Dec 31 '17 at 15:30

Keith Peñas

81
4

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Apr 09 '18 at 09:15

A good practice is write text inside String.xml

example:

String.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>
    <string name="yellow">Yellow</string>
</resources>

and inside layout:

<TextView android:layout_width="fill_parent"
      android:layout_height="wrap_content"
      android:text="@string/yellow" />

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Feb 23 '23 at 08:14

0

Apart from the multiple language special case, what is wrong with the global find & replace approach as used in almost every other environment?

The 'one place' argument seems spurious. Changing a string of 'yellow' would not affect another of e.g: 'yellow paint'!

answered Feb 23 '23 at 08:14

Andrew Shep

69
1
6

As it’s currently written, your answer is unclear. Please [edit] to add additional details that will help others understand how this addresses the question asked. You can find more information on how to write good answers [in the help center](/help/how-to-answer). – Community Mar 01 '23 at 12:33

hardcoded string "row three", should use @string resource

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