How can I use different settings when debugging an android app?

Question

I have an android app that uses a certain url to communicate with our server when used in production. I want to be able to use a different url when I am debugging, so that I can run the app against a local instance of the server on my machine.

How can I do this without manually editing the url?

@zgc7009 my guess is that it was because they don't address the underlying issue - without manually editing - which implies some dynamic logic, which those 'answers' do not address — CrackerJack9, Dec 20 '14 at 05:51

score 4 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:28

Using Android Studio, you can define build variants, and define strings in that case:

Generate Java Constants

Plugin version greater than 0.7.x (current method)

android {
    buildTypes {
        debug {
            buildConfigField "int", "FOO", "42"
            buildConfigField "String", "FOO_STRING", "\"foo\""
        }

        release {
            buildConfigField "int", "FOO", "52"
            buildConfigField "String", "FOO_STRING", "\"bar\""
        }
    }
}

Plugin version less than 0.7 (old)

android {
    buildTypes {
        debug {
            buildConfig "public final static int FOO = 42;"
        }

        release {
            buildConfig "public final static int FOO = 52;"
        }
    }
}

You can access them with BuildConfig.FOO

Generate Android resources (since plugin 0.8.3)

android {
    buildTypes {
        debug{
            resValue "string", "app_name", "My App Name Debug"
        }
        release {
            resValue "string", "app_name", "My App Name"
        }
    }
}

You can access them in the usual way with @string/app_name or R.string.app_name

source: https://stackoverflow.com/a/17201265/1096905 (All credits to him, i just copy&paste)

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 11:50

0

If you are using Android Development Tools for Eclipse, look into BuildConfig.DEBUG. There is some discussion of it at When does ADT set BuildConfig.DEBUG to false?

edited May 23 '17 at 11:50

Community

1
1

answered Oct 07 '14 at 19:05

Gravitoid

1,294
1
20
20

zgc7009 · Answer 3 · 2014-10-06T13:05:58.933

You could make a utility class that generates urls for you. Extending on what Robin Ellerkmann mentioned before me.

public class UrlGenerator{

    private static final String STAGIN_URL = "http://www.statingurl.com/";
    private static final String PRDOUCTION_URL = "http://www.productionurl.com/";

    private static final boolean DEBUGGING = true;

    private static String getBaseUrl(){
        if(DEBUGGING)
            return STAGING_URL;
        else
            return PRODUCTION_URL;
    }

    public static String getLoginUrl(){
        return getBaseUrl() + "login";
    }
}

And then throughout your app something like

String loginRequestUrl = UrlGenerator.getLoginUrl();

That way it is all managed in your utility class.

score -2 · Answer 4 · answered Oct 06 '14 at 10:34

-2

Use a global DEBUGGING boolean variable and if/else statements in your code.

private boolean DEBUGGING = true;

if (DEBUGGING) {
    //Use local machine url here
} else {
    //Use real url here
}

answered Oct 06 '14 at 10:34

Robin Ellerkmann

2,083
4
29
34

How can I use different settings when debugging an android app?

4 Answers4

Generate Java Constants

Generate Android resources (since plugin 0.8.3)

Linked