Android: How can I keep a record of the number of times an app was used?

Question

I have a very simple app that creates a text file (after a button click) and sends it to a certain email address(after another button click). I want to add the ability to change the name of the text file that is created based on how many times the file was sent, or i.e. how many times the app successfully ran till the end. Currently, the name of the text file is fixed.

My idea:

I am thinking of adding a check on start-up of the app to see if another text file exists, lets called it Counter.txt. This will contain the number of times the 'send' button was clicked. If the file doesn't exist, then it will create it and append the number 0. Every time the 'send' button is clicked, it will open Counter.txt and increment that number. Also on a 'send' click, it will email the main textfile that I want to send and adjust the name by appending the number from Counter.txt to it.

I am not sure if this is the best or most efficient method, so would appreciate other suggestions to achieve this. Thanks.

Do you have any requirements like preventing the user to manually overwrite that number? — Rafalon, Aug 13 '18 at 13:41
@LiavReuven I would've fixed "Androird" in the title as well — Rafalon, Aug 13 '18 at 13:42
No I don't have have a requirement like that. And thanks for the title fix suggestion, it was already edited by a moderator by the time I saw it. — user3451660, Aug 14 '18 at 05:07

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 13 '18 at 13:43

1

Why not use SharedPreferences to store the number of times the app was launched and increment the value on the onCreate() method of your main Activity?

Then when the mail is sent, the file is renamed based on the SharedPreferences value. I think it's better than changing the file name each time the app is started.

Here is a good Stack Overflow post on how to use SharedPreferences, you should check it out! There is also another post on how to rename a file here.

Hope this helps!

answered Aug 13 '18 at 13:43

Neïl Rahmouni

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You should call it elsewhere. Function `onCreate()` is called everytime the orientation of the app changes, which (by my opinion) doesn't count as an "use of an app". – AndrejH Aug 13 '18 at 13:56
Oh yeah you're right I've forgot about the orientation thingy. – Neïl Rahmouni Aug 13 '18 at 22:16
Thanks @Andrej, I didn't know that onCreate() is called everytime the orientation changes, I have to edit my code to account for that! – user3451660 Aug 14 '18 at 05:18
Thank you @Neïl ! I wasn't too familiar with preferences, and the post you linked was very helpful. – user3451660 Aug 14 '18 at 05:20
Be sure to thank the original poster of the post I linked then :D And glad you figured it out ! – Neïl Rahmouni Aug 14 '18 at 10:43

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 13 '18 at 13:47

If you have a relatively small collection of key-values that you'd like to save, you should use the SharedPreferences APIs. ~ Android Developer Documentation

// Create your shared preferences
SharedPreferences sharedPref = getActivity().getPreferences(Context.MODE_PRIVATE);

// Write to shared preferences
SharedPreferences sharedPref = getActivity().getPreferences(Context.MODE_PRIVATE);
SharedPreferences.Editor editor = sharedPref.edit();
editor.putInt("yourkey", yourvalue); // You could store the counter right here
editor.commit();

// Read from shared preferences
SharedPreferences sharedPref = getActivity().getPreferences(Context.MODE_PRIVATE);
int defaultValue = 0;
int lastcounter = sharedPref.getInt("yourkey", defaultValue);

Thank you very much. I would also accept this answer if possible. — user3451660, Aug 14 '18 at 05:20

Android: How can I keep a record of the number of times an app was used?

2 Answers2