How do I use databinding to combine a string from resources with a dynamic variable in XML?

Question

I have a TextView which has a hardcoded string and I have a dynamic variable that I want to put at the end of this string. This is my code:

<LinearLayout
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:layout_marginLeft="16dp"
    android:layout_marginRight="16dp">
    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/PeopleName"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:text="@string/Generic_Text"+"@{ Profile.name }" />


</LinearLayout>

I am having an issue with android:text="@string/Generic_Text"+"@{ Profile.name }" . The Generic_Text states " My Name is " then the Profile.name is dynamic and obviously changes from profile to profile. I want it so that the whole TextView output is My Name is {Profile.name}. Any help would be great.

Sedation

Are you using databinding? – Mcglothlin

Yes I am using databinding – Sedation

Add your current java code as well please. – Mcglothlin

Answer 1

You can do this:

android:text= "@{String.format(@string/Generic_Text, Profile.name)}"

if you use string formatting for your Generic_Text string. ex. %s at the end

Assuntaassur

Thanks a lot I just put that in and it worked correctly – Sedation

This shouldn't be the accepted answer, as this actually doesn't use Data bindings features to manipulate the text. – Aylesbury

agree with @Darwind, please see my answer for a working implementation with Binding Adapters – Exegetic

@IgorGanapolsky this answer is over 3 years old but definitely used to work before - do you recall what went wrong when you tried it? – Assuntaassur

Android studio does not offer intelisense with this. Is it normal or I have an issue with mine ? – Briareus

Answer 2

You can do this even simplier:

android:text= "@{@string/generic_text(profile.name)}"

you string should be like this:

<string name="generic_text">My Name is %s</string>

Edit:

1. Of course you can use as many variables as you need:

   android:text= "@{@string/generic_text(profile.firstName, profile.secondName)}"
   
   <string name="generic_text">My Name is %1$s %2$s</string>
   

2. It works just because it's designed in data binding. More in docs: https://developer.android.com/topic/libraries/data-binding/expressions#resources

Shift

but it shows My Name is null if data isn't ready yet (e.g. wasn't loaded from network) – Thrower

In this case just check it before. android:text= "@{profile == null ? @string/loading : @string/generic_text(profile.firstName, profile.secondName)}" – Shift

The best answer :) – Aalborg

Android studio does not offer intelisense with this. Is it normal or I have an issue with mine ? – Briareus

Answer 3

Many ways to concat strings

1. Using string resource (Recommended because Localization)

android:text= "@{@string/generic_name(user.name)}"

Just make string resource like this.

<string name="generic_name">Hello %s</string>

2. Hard coded concat

android:text="@{`Hello ` + user.name}"/>

This is useful when you need hardcoded append like + for phone number.

3. Using String's concat method

android:text="@{user.firstName.concat(@string/space).concat(user.lastName)}"

Here space is an html entity which is placed inside strings.xml. Because XML does not accept Html entities or special characters directly. (Link Html Entities)

<string name="space">\u0020</string>

4. Using String.format()

android:text= "@{String.format(@string/Hello, user.name)}"

you have to import String class in layout in this type.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<layout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <data>
        <import type="String" />
    </data>
    <TextView
        android:text= "@{String.format(@string/Hello, user.name)}"
        ... >
    </TextView>
</layout>

5. concat two strings by string resource.

android:text="@{@string/generic_name(user.firstName,user.lastName)}"

In this case put a string resource in strings.xml

<string name="generic_name">%1$s, %2$s</string>

There can be many other ways, choose one you need.

Known

I get the error "cannot find identifiert format" – Disloyalty

Answer 4

strings.xml: <string name="my_string">Hello %s</string>

view.xml: android:text="@{@string/my_string(name)}"

Obedient

As supportive information, it requires data binding enabled in gradle and a layout tag as a root tag in the view.xml. – Klausenburg

Answer 5

Use a Binding Adapter.

This sample is written in Kotlin and takes into account that the bound variable can be null:

@BindingAdapter("my_name")
fun TextView.setMyName(name: String?) {
    this.text =
        if (name.isNullOrEmpty()) "" else "${this.context.getString(R.string.Generic_Text)} $name"
}

then use the binding adapter in your XML instead of the android:text property

app:my_name="@{Profile.name}"

Exegetic

Been having a lot of trouble calling imported functions in the binding, this answer works perfectly for me and allows me to reuse my extensions. Thanks! – Gleeman

Since, basic manipulation is already provided by String class from xml, this solution is only good to be used for advanced String manipulations based on your requirements. However, it is not incorrect. – Apelles

Answer 6

2019 Update, Android studio to 3.4, Android Gradle Plugin to 3.4

No more required to import

<import type="java.lang.String" />" 

for string operations. Please check this answer.

Trilley

Answer 7

In case if you want to type text in XML, you can use `` quotation.

android:text="@{`Device Name`}"

elsewhere you need to Concat with the String or variable, you can use

android:text="@{`Device Name`.concat(android.os.Build.MANUFACTURER)}"

if you want to Concat string resource instead of the variable you can do,

android:text="@{@string/app_name.concat(`Device Name`)}"

Infix

Answer 8

You can also set string resource as parameter to other string resource using formatter like below:

<string name="first_param_text">Hello</string>
<string name="second_param_text">World</string>
<string name="formatted_text">%s lovely %s</string>

and

android:text="@{String.format(@string/formatted_text, @string/first_param_text, @string/second_param_text)}"

"Hello lovely World" will appear on the view.

Rader

Answer 9

Just using + operator works for me:

android:text= "@{@string/Generic_Text +' '+ Profile.name)}"

String.xml will be:

<string name="Generic_Text">Hello</string>

Rivalry

Answer 10

In case you can't change the resource string to contain %s at the end (eg. because it's used elsewhere without the suffix):

android:text="@{@string/Generic_Text.concat(Profile.name)}"

If Profile.name can't be null, that's enough. However, if a null happens, it'll crash. You have to add another layer:

android:text="@{@string/Generic_Text.concat(Objects.toString(Profile.name))}"

(which requires <import type="java.util.Objects"/> to work.)

Again: all this extra work is worth it only if you have the resource string used elsewhere. The second reason is when you want to handle null as "empty string" instead of a "null" literal.

Meneau

If the string resource is used elsewhere, why not just make a new resource? – Cavalcade

Answer 11

if you search one way to set your text with DataBinding when you have a string.xml like that

strings.xml

<string name="your_string_name"><![CDATA[<b>Name: </b>%s]]</string>

this @BindingAdapter can help you

BindingAdapters.kt

@BindingAdapter("spannedText")
fun TextView.setSpannedTextAdapter(formated: String) {
    text = HtmlCompat.fromHtml(formated, HtmlCompat.FROM_HTML_MODE_LEGACY)
}

TextView atribute in your XML layout

app:spannedText="@{@string/your_string_name(`Hello World!`)}"

Output

Name: Hello World!

Boiled

Answer 12

just put or append your string resource name it will work fine

e.x @string/test

android:text="@{@string/test+viewModel.name+@string/test}"

Unaccomplished

Answer 13

yourViewBinding.yourTextView.setText(this.yourViewBinding.getRoot().getResources().getString(R.string.your_string) + yourStringVariable);

Lizzettelizzie