Run bash script from android app

Question

I want to change the value of variable in xml. The value is based on another file which read by editXml.sh. So I need to run the editXml.sh before app is compiled.

I try to run the script in MainActivity with code as follows:

onCreate() {
......
execScript();
}

execScript(){
    try{
        Runtime rt = Runtime.getRuntime();
        Process proc = rt.exec("sh /.../editXml.sh");
    } catch(Throwable t)
    {
        t.printStackTrace();
    }

}

The editXml.sh is in my local, but the code doesn't work when I run app in Android studio.(Works on local) Should I put my script in the app? And which part of the app? Any suggestion?

Answer 1

Try this. I've tested this code and it works. Let's you script named script.sh.

1. Put file script.sh to you project's /res/raw folder.
2. Use code below.
3. Build apk. Unpack apk (this is usual zip-archive) and make sure file /res/raw/script.sh exists there.

4. Install apk on device and start it.

       public static void executeCommandAndGetOutput(String command){
           BufferedReader reader = null;
           String result = "";
           try {
               Process p = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(command);
               reader = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(p.getInputStream()));
               String line = null;
               while ((line = reader.readLine()) != null){
                   result += line + "\n";
               }
               p.waitFor();
           } catch (Exception e) {
               e.printStackTrace();
           } finally {
               if(reader != null)
                   try {
                       reader.close();
                   } catch (Exception e) {
                       e.printStackTrace();
                   }
           }
           Log.i("Test", result);
       } 
       @Override
       protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
           super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
           setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
   
           String pathToScript = getDir("my_scripts", 0).getAbsolutePath() + File.separator + "script.sh";
   
           // Unpacking script to local filesystem
           InputStream in = getResources().openRawResource(R.raw.script);
           FileOutputStream out = null;
           try {
               out = new FileOutputStream(pathToScript);
               byte[] buff = new byte[1024];
               int read = 0;
               while ((read = in.read(buff)) > 0) {
               out.write(buff, 0, read);
               }
           }
           catch(Exception e){
           }
           finally {
               try {
                   in.close();
                   out.close();
               } catch (Exception e) {
                   e.printStackTrace();
               }
           }
   
           // Make script executable
           executeCommand("chmod 775 " + pathToScript);
           // Execute script
           executeCommand("sh " + pathToScript);
       }
   
   public static String getSystemCommandOutput(String command){
       BufferedReader reader = null;
       String result = "";
   
       try {
           Process p = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(command);
           reader = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(p.getInputStream()));
   
           String line = null;
           while ((line = reader.readLine()) != null){
               result += line + "\n";
           }
   
           p.waitFor();
   
       } catch (Exception e) {
           e.printStackTrace();
       } finally {
           closeQuietly(reader);
       }
   
       return result;    
   } 
   

Answer 2

You can put script at raw resources and then unpack it to Context.getDir(...) folder and run from there with absolute path.

Also you need to run "chmod 775" (chmod +x) for this file before executing.

Example about copying a file from raw: Copying raw file into SDCard? You can copy to app folder (Context.getDir(...)) instead of sdcard

Answer 3

console output:

     58:07.979    8935-8935/cc.softwarefactory.lokki.android   E/MainActivity﹕ onCreate
     12:58:08.234    8935-8935/cc.softwarefactory.lokki.android E/MainActivity﹕ PATH: /data/data/cc.softwarefactory.lokki.android/app_my_scripts/editxml.sh
     12:58:08.258    8935-8935/cc.softwarefactory.lokki.android E/MainActivity﹕ result:
     12:58:08.287    8935-8935/cc.softwarefactory.lokki.android E/MainActivity﹕ result: not found

I changed

 Log.i("Test", result) to Log.e(TAG,"result: " + result);