Android Basics Library
This library offers some barebone code for android common to most applications. It provides simple classes and pre-written functions for:
- Internet Access
- SharedPreferences storage and retrieval
- ImagePicker and Bitmap operations
- File read and write
- Recycler View
- Image Downloading
- Some other basic functions like dp2pixel, etc.
- Database support
- Json Parsing
- Marshmallow Permissions Support
Installation
The library is on Jcenter, so usage is really simple. Add the following dependency in your app's build.gradle
:
dependencies {
...
compile 'com.github.bijoysingh:android-basics:0.10.9'
...
}
You might need to also include these in case you use the corresponding dependencies
dependencies {
...
// For Image Downloader
compile 'com.nostra13.universalimageloader:universal-image-loader:1.9.4'
// For internet access
compile 'com.mcxiaoke.volley:library:1.0.17'
// For Timestamp utility
compile 'net.danlew:android.joda:2.8.1'
// For basic features from Google
compile 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:24.2.1'
compile 'com.android.support:support-v4:24.2.1'
// For Recycler View
compile 'com.android.support:recyclerview-v7:24.2.1'
...
}
Checkout on Android Arsenal
Basic Usage
Internet Access
Internet access is simpler than ever.
I have added a simple DefaultQueryExecutor
class for convenient usage.
DefaultQueryExecutor executor = new DefaultQueryExecutor.Builder(context)
.setOnQueryListener(queryListener) // optional
.setAuthenticationProvider(authenticationProvider) // optional
.setTimeout(DefaultRetryPolicy.DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_MS) // optional
.setMaxRetries() // optional
.setRetryBackoffMultiplier() // optional
.build();
You can create a OnQueryListener
object or have the activity making the request implement
it.
QueryParams query = QueryParams.Builder(url)
.setCache(cacheFilename) // optional: the filename you want to save the result to as a cache
.setQueryIdentifier(queryId) // optional
.setAuthenticated(isAuthenticated) // optional: tells if you want to use the genAuthenticationData method of the AuthenticationProvider
.setMethod(Request.Method.POST) // optional
.setExtra(extraHashMap) // optional
.addExtra(key, value) // optional
.build();
Making a query is really simple too
executor.get(query);
executor.send(query, data);
Extend the QueryExecutor
class for more control on your queries and for supporting more things.
public class MyQeuryExecutor extends MyQeuryExecutor {
....
}
SharedPreferences storage and retrieval
Extend the PreferenceManager
class.
public class Preferences extends PreferenceManager {
...
@Override
public String getPreferencesFolder() {
return "YOUR_PREFERENCE_FOLDER_NAME";
}
}
Use the class and built in functions using save
and load
.
Preferences preferences = new Preferences(context);
preferences.save(KEY, your_variable);
preferences.load(KEY, your_default_variable);
NOTE:
If you plan to use SharedPreferences in Services due to recent changes in Android SharedPreferences this may not be your best option. You can goolde for a solution of use the library 'net.grandcentrix.tray:tray:0.10.0'` I have personally felt it to be really good and has a similar pattern as my library
ImagePicker and Bitmap operations
ImageManager imageManager = new ImageManager();
imageManager.showFileChooser(this);
Handle the response for this using handleResponse
in onActivityResult
@Override
public void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {
super.onActivityResult(requestCode, resultCode, data);
Bitmap bmp = imageManager.handleResponse(requestCode, resultCode, data);
...
}
You can perform a number of Bitmap operations
ImageManager.getScaledBitmap(bitmap, scale);
ImageManager.resizeBitmap(bitmap, width, height)
ImageManager.getScaledBitmapWithHeight(bitmap, height);
ImageManager.getScaledBitmapWithWidth(bitmap, width);
File read and write
To store and retreive some text, some basic support code is available. This is needed if you want to save some file/ json you receive from the server to act as cache.
FileManager.write(context, filename, text_to_write);
String text_read = FileManager.read(context, filename);
NOTE: Asynchronous read/write coming soon.
Image Downloading
This library uses the Universal Image Loader library. To use this some basic configuration is pre-built. You can do this as follows
ImageLoaderManager.displayImage(context, image_url, image_view);
or
ImageLoaderManager loader = new ImageLoaderManager(context);
loader.displayImage(image_url, image_view);
You can also customize the image loader using
ImageLoader imageLoader = ImageLoaderManager.getImageLoader(context);
ImageLoader imageLoader = ImageLoaderManager.getImageLoader(context, diskCacheInMB, memoryCacheInMB);
and use it as follows:
ImageAware imageAware = new ImageViewAware(image_view, false);
imageLoader.displayImage(image_link, imageAware);
Some other useful functions
These are some common useful functions. These will expand with time.
Functions.dpToPixels(context, dp);
Toasts
I know toasts are pretty simple to use in Android. But I personally got pissed with typing the Toast.LENGTH_SHORT and a show() everytime.
So I built a simple wrapper around it to reduce this boilerplate code.
Using a ToastHelper
static methods
ToastHelper.show(context, R.string.your_toast_message);
ToastHelper.show(context, "your toast message");
Using a ToastHelper
object
ToastHelper toastHelper = new ToastHelper(context);
toastHelper.show("your toast method");
toastHelper.show(R.string.your_toast_message);
toastHelper.showLong("your toast method");
toastHelper.showLong(R.string.your_toast_message);
Locale String Format Wrappers
LocaleManager.toString(Character/Float/Double/Integer/Boolean variable);
LocaleManager.toString(Float/Double variable, precision);
This function will convert your variable to the String to these using the Locale. This functions is a wrapper around the code String.format
. The function will prevent Lint Warning for the same.
Recycler View
Using Recycler View cannot be easier! Extend the Recycler View Holder
public class YourViewHolder extends RVHolder<YourItem> {
...
@Override
public void populate(YourItem data, Bundle bundle) {
// Populate your view. You can set on click listeners etc.
}
}
Extend the Recycler View Adapter
public class YourAdapter extends RVAdapter<YourItem, YourViewHolder> {
...
}
Setup your recycler view You could either do the following
recyclerView = new RVBuilder(context)
.setView(rootView, R.id.recycler_view)
.setAdapter(yourAdapter)
.setOnScrollListener(onScrollListener) // optional
.build();
or the usual way will also work of course.
A full fledged example can be seen in my TutorialApp. The class RVAdapter
is well documented to understand the other helper functions.
Database Support
Adding database setup is super simple. You have to do very little work!
Just add a simple model like
public class YourDatabaseItem extends DatabaseModel {
@DBColumn(primaryKey = true, autoIncrement = true)
public Integer id;
@DBColumn
public String title;
@DBColumn
public String description;
}
Using @DBColumn
you can add custom arguments like
fieldType = DBColumn.Type.INTEGER
unique = True
primaryKey = true, autoIncrement = true
fieldName = "custom_field_name"
You can create a custom class for your databases, or you can simply use the default database:
DatabaseManager db = new DatabaseManager(this, new DatabaseModel[]{new YourDatabaseItem()});
// To add an item
YourDatabaseItem your_item = ...;
db.add(your_item);
// To get all items for a custom class
List<YourDatabaseItem> items = db.get(YourDatabaseItem.class);
A full fledged example can be seen in my TutorialApp.
JSON Parsing
Making a JSON Parser is simple to work
public class YourItem extends JsonModel {
@JsonField
public Integer integer_field;
@JsonField(field = "alternate_json_field_name")
public String string_field;
@JsonField
public Double real_field;
@JsonField(field = Type.BOOLEAN)
public Boolean boolean_field;
@JsonField(field = Type.JSON)
public JSONObject json_field;
}
The method automatically detects the type of the JSON field, you can still choose to override it. Further, it assumes that the name of the field is the JSON field, you can yet again choose to override it
You can also, quickly serialize your item into a JSON Object
JSONObject json = item.serialize();
TimestampItem
Another common action you need to do is convert your timestamp string to time. And also convert it to the write timezone.
String timestamp = "...." // your timestamp string
TimestampItem item = new TimestampItem.Builder(timestamp)
.setTimezone(hours, minutes) // optional
.setDeviceTimezone() // optional
.setTimeFormat("hh:mm aa") // optional
.setDateFormat("dd MMMM yyyy") // optional
.setDateTimeFormat("hh:mm aa, dd MMMM yyyy") // optional
.buil()
item.getTime(); // the time string
item.getDate(); // the date string
item.getDateTime() // the date and time string
item.getCompressedDateTime(); // the compressed date and time
PermissionManager
Handling your permissions for Marshmallow made simpler, and cleaner
// Could be more than one permissions here
String[] permissions = new String[]{Manifest.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION};
// Initialise the manager object, with required permissions
PermissionManager manager = new PermissionManager(context, permissions);
/*
* Or set them as you need them
* PermissionManager manager = new PermissionManager(context);
* manager.setPermissions(permissions);
*/
Now checking for permission is really simple
manager.hasPermission(Manifest.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION)
And requesting for permissions too
// Using an access code fixed in the library
manager.requestPermissions();
// Using a custom access code, for more control
manager.requestPermissions(SOME_REQUEST_CODE);
It will automatically detect which permissions are already allowed, and will request the missing permissions.
To handle a response, the procedure is same as that in the usual case. You override the onRequestPermissionsResult
listener.
License
Copyright 2016 Bijoy Singh Kochar
Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
You may obtain a copy of the License at
http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
limitations under the License.
Reference Licensing
Volley
Apache 2.0 License
Copyright (C) 2014,2015,2016 Xiaoke Zhang
Copyright (C) 2011 The Android Open Source Project
Joda
Apache 2.0 License
https://github.com/dlew/joda-time-android/blob/master/LICENSE
Universal Image Loader
Apache 2.0 License
Copyright 2011-2015 Sergey Tarasevich