[android] Android: How do I get string from resources using its name?

I would like to have 2 languages for the UI and separate string values for them in my resource file res\values\strings.xml:

<string name="tab_Books_en">Books</string>
<string name="tab_Quotes_en">Quotes</string>
<string name="tab_Questions_en">Questions</string>
<string name="tab_Notes_en">Notes</string>
<string name="tab_Bookmarks_en">Bookmarks</string>

<string name="tab_Books_ru">?????</string>
<string name="tab_Quotes_ru">??????</string>
<string name="tab_Questions_ru">???????</string>
<string name="tab_Notes_ru">???????</string>
<string name="tab_Bookmarks_ru">????????</string>

Now I need to retrieve these values dynamically in my app:

spec.setContent(R.id.tabPage1);
String pack = getPackageName();
String id = "tab_Books_" + Central.lang;
int i = Central.Res.getIdentifier(id, "string", pack);
String str = Central.Res.getString(i);

My problem is that i = 0.

Why does not it work in my case?

Not from activities only:

    public static String getStringByIdName(Context context, String idName) {
        Resources res = context.getResources();
        return res.getString(res.getIdentifier(idName, "string", context.getPackageName()));
    }

Easier way is to use the getString() function within the activity.

String myString = getString(R.string.mystring);

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

I think this feature is added in a recent Android version, anyone who knows the history can comment on this.

To safe, you should add: mContext.getResources().getString(R.string.your_string);

mContext can be: context in onAttach() of Fragment or this of Activity.

You can try this in an Activity:

getResources().getString(R.string.your string name);

In other situations like fragments,... use

getContext().getResources().getString(R.string.your string name);

I would add something to the solution of leonvian, so if by any chance the string is not found among the resources (return value 0, that is not a valid resource code), the function might return something :

private String getStringResourceByName(String aString) {
    String packageName = getPackageName();
    int resId = getResources()
            .getIdentifier(aString, "string", packageName);
    if (resId == 0) {
        return aString;
    } else {
        return getString(resId);
    }
}

If you wannt get it inside an activity or fragmnet, then:

getContext().getResources().getString(R.string.string_name);

If you want to get it from a class outside of activity or fragment where you don't have the activity context then use application context:

getApplicationContext().getResources().getString(R.string.string_name);

If you don't have an Activity reference, you can use your context in this way:

getContext().getString(R.string.your_string_name);

String myString = getString(R.string.mystring);

easy way

Best Approach

App.getRes().getString(R.string.some_id)

Will work Everywhere (Utils, Models also).

I have read all the answers, all answers can make your work done.

• 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

When 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.getAppResources().getString(R.string.some_id)
}

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

So here is a 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 Resources resources;

    @Override
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();

        resources = getResources();
    }

    public static Resources getAppResources() {
        return resources;
    }

}

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

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

Now you are good to go. Use App.getAppResources().getString(R.string.some_id) anywhere in app.

getResources().getString(getResources().getIdentifier("propertyName", "string", getPackageName()))

There is also a set of predefined Android strings such as "Ok", "Cancel" and many others - so you don't have to declare all. They're available simply by:

getString(android.R.string.ok)

(In this case, "Ok" string). BTW there are also other Android resources available like for example icons images etc.

Verify if your packageName is correct. You have to refer for the root package of your Android application.

private String getStringResourceByName(String aString) {
      String packageName = getPackageName();
      int resId = getResources().getIdentifier(aString, "string", packageName);
      return getString(resId);
    }

getResources() works only when you're in Activity or Fragment class.

• to get access to strings resource everywhere,

use:

Resources.getSystem().getString(android.R.string.somecommonstuff)

A simple way to getting resource string from string into a TextView. Here resourceName is the name of resource

int resID = getResources().getIdentifier(resourceName, "string", getPackageName());
textview.setText(resID);

In case you are using Kotlin, you can define an extension function as follows:

fun Context.getStringResourceByName(stringName: String): String? {
    val resId = resources.getIdentifier(stringName, "string", packageName)
    return getString(resId)
}

And then simply use it. For example, in a Puzzles app I set the Activity title according to the image file name:

val stringName = "${folderName}_${assetName.substringBefore(".")}"
title = getStringResourceByName(stringName)

In this example I am reading string resources based on dynamic names.

R.string.<string_name>

Use that line directly in your java file. Keep it simple.