Declaring multiple strings in other java file

Question

I am trying to declare a message protocol that I want to use for exchanging data over UDP. So I would like to declare a bunch of string constants in another file so that I can reference them in my main activity when I am building a packet. I know this isn't right because I am getting errors, but this is what I would like to do...

public final class PACKET
{

    // Packet Protocol Version
    public final void REV ()
    {
        final String R_1_00                         = "1.00";
        final String R_1_01                         = "1.01";
    }

    public final void CMD ()
    {
        final String STAT                           = "STAT";
        final String STOP                           = "STOP";
        final String WAIT                           = "WAIT";

    }
}

That way when I am creating a packet in my main activity I can use PACKET.CMD.WAIT, or something like that. Is there a proper way to do this? Thanks

This is one way to do it. Make your variables `public` so that you can access then directly like `PACKET.R_1_00`. Also you can try enums. http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/java/javaOO/enum.html — Aditya Peshave, Nov 07 '14 at 18:28
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/66066/what-is-the-best-way-to-implement-constants-in-java - Has answers you are looking for. — BatScream, Nov 07 '14 at 18:31
Is there any reason not to use the android strings resources file for this? Or is it just a preference? — Spaceman Spiff, Nov 07 '14 at 18:31
I think as per the answer in the above question and the codes I have seen so far, public classes are most famous with final strings. — Aditya Peshave, Nov 07 '14 at 18:32
Normally resources files contain variables that can be altered/injected by the user manually to change the application code flow. so constants are not stored in resource files. — BatScream, Nov 07 '14 at 18:34

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 07 '14 at 18:57

1

You could do this:

public final class PACKET
{
    // Packet Protocol Version
    public static class REV {
        public final String R_1_00 = "1.00";
        public final String R_1_01 = "1.01";
    }

    public static class CMD {
        public final String STAT = "STAT";
        public final String STOP = "STOP";
        public final String WAIT = "WAIT";
    }
}

answered Nov 07 '14 at 18:57

Rob Meeuwisse

2,847
1
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This is what I was originally trying to do. I see I had forgotten to make the internal classes static. Thanks – Willis Nov 07 '14 at 19:08

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 07 '14 at 18:28

Personally I would use an Enum for this.

public final class Packet {

    // Packet Protocol Version
    public static enum REV {
        R_1_00("1.00"),
        R_1_01("1.01");

        private final String name;

        private REV(String name){
            this.name = name;
        }

        @Override 
        public String toString(){
            return this.name;
        }
    }

    public static enum CMD {
        STAT, STOP, WAIT;
    }
}

Declaring multiple strings in other java file

2 Answers2