custom strings for debug buildType

Question

I have an android app and I want to change the app label for the debug and other buildTypes. I don´t have any flavors!

Here is the setup that I believe looks like it should work: Android Studio Setup

-src
   |-debug
      |-res
         |-values
            |-strings.xml
   |-main
      |-res
         |-values
            |-strings.xml
      |-java
      [...]

I have no custom sourcesets just a debug buildType:

buildTypes {
    debug {
        applicationIdSuffix ".debug"

    }
}

so I though

sourceSets.debug.res.srcDirs = ['src/debug/res']

would to the trick. But it doesn't. Any ideas?

How to change app name per Gradle build type does not work anymore...

score 24 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 25 '15 at 13:18

I found another sweet solution to this, using manifest placeholders:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<application
    android:label="${applicationLabel}">
    <activity
        android:label="${applicationLabel}">
        <intent-filter>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
            <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
        </intent-filter>
    </activity>
</application>
</manifest>

and in your gradle file:

android {
    defaultConfig {
        manifestPlaceholders = [ applicationLabel:"@string/app_name"]
    }
    buildTypes {
        debug {
            applicationIdSuffix ".debug"
            manifestPlaceholders = [ applicationLabel:"MyApp Debug"]
        }
    }
}

for anyone who sees merge error in gradle build, simple add ````tools:replace="android:label" tools:node="replace"```` inside — Nicholas Ng, Aug 08 '15 at 07:10

score 13 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 22 '15 at 17:36

13

buildTypes {
    release {
        resValue 'string', 'APP_NAME', '"My App Release"'
    }
    debug {
        resValue 'string', 'APP_NAME', '"My App Debug"'
    }
}

value\strings.xml

< string name="app_name" >@string/APP_NAME< /string>

and use app_name everywhere

answered Oct 22 '15 at 17:36

Paulo Abreu

536
4
10

1

Thanks! This works great. However I use 'app_name' instead of 'APP_NAME' – Maris B. Aug 25 '17 at 11:59
1

Actually you do not need to create that resource in strings.xml. When you define that in `buildTypes`, that string resources already exists, you can directly reference it from layout xml as well. – Sira Lam May 27 '19 at 03:52
For me this _method_ worked `resValue('string', 'app_name', 'my app name')` instead of `resValue 'string' 'app_name' 'my app name'` – John Dec 19 '19 at 09:38

score 4 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 25 '14 at 09:52

4

You have to use

   |-debug
      |-res
         |-values
            |-strings.xml

In your picture you have debug/res/strings.xml

Also you doens't need it (because it is the standard, but the issue isn't here).

sourceSets.debug.res.srcDirs = ['src/debug/res']

answered Sep 25 '14 at 09:52

Gabriele Mariotti

320,139
94
887
841

Fixed the screenshot, that one was an old one. Not it is the real screenshot. I did not understand your answer, what Do I need to do to make it work? – volkersfreunde Sep 26 '14 at 11:27
In this case, it seems to be correct. I really don't know the reason. – Gabriele Mariotti Sep 26 '14 at 12:39

score 4 · Answer 4 · answered Nov 24 '15 at 03:15

Forget the string.xml files. All can be easily configured in build.gradle.

First of all, you should maintain the string pointer "app_name" in AndroidManifest file, and delete all instances of "app_name" in string's resource files:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<application
    android:label="@string/app_name">
    <activity
        android:label="@string/app_name">
        <intent-filter>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
            <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
        </intent-filter>
    </activity>
</application>
</manifest>

Secondly, the resource value of @string/app_name is currently not defined. So we must apply its default definition in build.gradle:

defaultConfig {
        applicationId "com.example.myapp"
        minSdkVersion 14
        targetSdkVersion 22
        versionCode 123423432
        versionName "1.0.0"
        resValue 'string', 'app_name', '"My app label"'
    }

Currently, app_name is defined for all build types. By assuming you want to change the app label for the buildTypes, each build type must be defined with a string value in the same build.gradle branch:

buildTypes {
    release {
        resValue 'string', 'app_name', '"My app label Release"'
    }
    debug {
        resValue 'string', 'app_name', '"My app label Debug"'
    }
}

Since this resource value is set programmatically, we also need to add a certain translations lint ignore in case of a Release build:

lintOptions { disable 'MissingTranslation' }

In case you want to change it accordingly with a set of defined Flavours(dev, qua or prd) add the resValues definitions in productFlavours instead of buildTypes:

productFlavors {
    dev {
        applicationId "com.example.myapp.dev"
        resValue 'string', 'app_name', '"My app label Dev"'
    }
    qua {
        applicationId "com.example.myapp.qua"
        resValue 'string', 'app_name', '"My app label Qua"'
    }
    prd {
        applicationId "com.example.myapp.prd"
        resValue 'string', 'app_name', '"My app label Prd"'
    }
}

It works, but how to deal with the internationalization? English, Chinese or German language? — DinoStray, Jul 10 '17 at 08:38
Why not build types? I am using build types and it does not seem like it's replacing the string — TheRealChx101, Mar 16 '23 at 11:51

score 2 · Answer 5 · answered Mar 12 '15 at 07:42

2

You can create a string in gradle that will be available in xml too:

buildTypes {
    debug {
        buildConfigField "String", "app_name", "AppDebug"
    }
    release {
        buildConfigField "String", "app_name", "AppRelease"
    }

And then use it in xml:

android:label="@string/app_name"

Just make sure app_name not specified in your strings.xml.

answered Mar 12 '15 at 07:42

Simas

43,548
10
88
116

5

This doesn't work, better use: resValue "string", "app_name", '"MyAppDebug"' instead – Benjamin L. Mar 18 '15 at 21:52

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Dec 05 '14 at 21:23

0

Try this.

buildTypes {
    debug {
        applicationIdSuffix ".debug"
    }
    sourceSets.debug.resources.srcDirs = ['src/debug/res']
}

answered Dec 05 '14 at 21:23

chanil

351
1
11

score 0 · Answer 7 · answered Feb 16 '15 at 12:37

Have you remembered to get rid of the directory listing inside your app's build.gradle?

sourceSets {
    main {
        manifest.srcFile 'AndroidManifest.xml'
        java.srcDir 'src'
//      res.srcDir 'res' <--- This line should be removed
        assets.srcDir 'assets'

score 0 · Answer 8 · answered Mar 12 '15 at 07:26

I know this is quite an old question, but I've had the same problem and just solved it.

You should update these codes if you have one in your build.gradle for your app.

debug.setRoot('build-types/debug')
release.setRoot('build-types/release')

These codes automatically generate your AppName.iml and set default debug and release directory to /build-types/debug/res, which is different from src/debug/res.

custom strings for debug buildType

8 Answers8