Memory leaks with custom font for set custom font

Question

The following code for setting custom fonts slows down my whole app. how do i modify it to avoid memory leaks and increase the speed and manage memory well?

public class FontTextView extends TextView {
    private static final String TAG = "FontTextView";

    public FontTextView(Context context) {
        super(context);
    }

    public FontTextView(Context context, AttributeSet attrs) {
        super(context, attrs);
        setCustomFont(context, attrs);
    }

    public FontTextView(Context context, AttributeSet attrs, int defStyle) {
        super(context, attrs, defStyle);
        setCustomFont(context, attrs);
    }

    private void setCustomFont(Context ctx, AttributeSet attrs) {
        TypedArray a = ctx.obtainStyledAttributes(attrs, R.styleable.FontTextView);
        String customFont = a.getString(R.styleable.FontTextView_customFont);
        setCustomFont(ctx, customFont);
        a.recycle();
    }

    public boolean setCustomFont(Context ctx, String asset) {
        Typeface tf = null;
        try {
        tf = Typeface.createFromAsset(ctx.getAssets(),"fonts/"+ asset);  
        } catch (Exception e) {
            Log.e(TAG, "Could not get typeface: "+e.getMessage());
            return false;
        }

        setTypeface(tf);  
        return true;
    }
    }

Jermayne

Answer 1

You should cache the TypeFace, otherwise you might risk memory leaks on older handsets. Caching will increase speed as well since it's not super fast to read from assets all the time.

public class FontCache {

    private static Hashtable<String, Typeface> fontCache = new Hashtable<String, Typeface>();

    public static Typeface get(String name, Context context) {
        Typeface tf = fontCache.get(name);
        if(tf == null) {
            try {
                tf = Typeface.createFromAsset(context.getAssets(), name);
            }
            catch (Exception e) {
                return null;
            }
            fontCache.put(name, tf);
        }
        return tf;
    }
}

I gave a full example on how to load custom fonts and style textviews as an answer to a similar question. You seem to be doing most of it right, but you should cache the font as recommended above.

Cicely

how do i call fontcache i nmy code for setcustomfont? i cant get it right everytime i try – Jermayne

Replace tf = Typeface.createFromAsset(ctx.getAssets(),"fonts/"+ asset); with tf = FontCache.get("fonts/" + asset, ctx); – Cicely

Is there a reason to use Hashtable? If not, ArrayMap might be a better type due lower memory consumption and iteration speed. – Delphine

I didn't actually put much thought into the choice of data structure. ArrayMap might work equally well or better! – Cicely

I am not sure if this was always the case, but the createFromAsset() method already uses a dynamic LruCache to store each Typeface. This method is wasting resources by creating a second cache. – Juniorjuniority

Using Calligraphy library for Font is much better than this solution. – Zoarah

Answer 2

I feel using the Font cache is not needed.Can we do this way?

A minor change to the above code, Correct me if i am wrong.

public class FontTextView extends TextView {
    private static final String TAG = "FontTextView";
    private static Typeface mTypeface;

    public FontTextView(Context context) {
        super(context);
    }

    public FontTextView(Context context, AttributeSet attrs) {
        super(context, attrs);
    }

    public FontTextView(Context context, AttributeSet attrs, int defStyle) {
        super(context, attrs, defStyle);
        if (mTypeface == null) {
            mTypeface = Typeface.createFromAsset(context.getAssets(),   GlobalConstants.SECONDARY_TTF);
        }
        setTypeface(mTypeface);
    }

    }

Guthrie

If you are going to have only one Font, this solution would work. Other solutions are better for multiple font cases. – Felike

Yes, But it is not recommended having more fonts for single android application i think.? – Guthrie

I never heard anything like that. If you have a resource, I would like to read – Felike