Android preferences - what is the difference?

Question

What is the difference, when I get preferences as:

PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(getBaseContext());

and

getPreferences(Context.MODE_PRIVATE);

Argonaut

Answer 1

PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(getBaseContext());

Will provide an access to a preferences file that is global for the whole application package ; any activity can access the preferences (internaly, the xml file holding the preferences will be named your.application.package_preferences.xml).

contextInstance.getPreferences(Context.MODE_PRIVATE);

Will provide preferences only for the contextInstance class: only instances of the context's class can access these preferences (said your package is still your.application.package and you're in your.application.package.foo.MyActivity, internaly the preferences file is foo.MyActivity.xml).

Dukas

Well, you explained it better than me. Thumbs up! – Shatzer

Thanks, OcuS. Could you please also clarify if I use .getDefaultSharedPreferences(getBaseContext()), will other applications be able to edit this value? – Argonaut

No, because getDefaultSharedPreferences(Context context) will give you preferences in Context.MODE_PRIVATE (according to android.git.kernel.org/?p=platform/frameworks/… ). May be you could try something like what is explained in this thread's last post groups.google.com/group/android-developers/browse_thread/thread/… . Never tried myself, hope it helps anyway. – Dukas