How to set the Default Value of a ListPreference

Question

i need to set the defult value for a ListPreference when the Activity starts. I've tried with ListPreference.setDefaultvalue("value"); but it makes the firts Entry of the List as default. I need it because i must check a condition and set as default the value which satisfies that condition, so I think it can't be done from the xml file (with android:defaultValue)

For example, suppose I have this array of values in the arrays.xml:

<string-array name="opts">
    <item>red</item>
    <item>green</item>
    <item>blue</item>
</string-array>

<string-array name="opts_values">
    <item>1</item>
    <item>2</item>
    <item>3</item>
</string-array>

In the PreferenceScreen xml:

<ListPreference
    android:title="Colour select"
    android:summary="Select your favourite"
    android:key="colour"
    android:entries="@array/opts"
    android:entryValues="@array/opts_values" />

In the Activity I'd like to do something like this:

String mycolour;
if (something) {
    mycolour="1";
} else {
    mycolour="2";
}
ListPreference colour = (ListPreference) findPreference ("colour");
colour.setDefaultValue(mycolour);

But it doesn't work, because it makes the first choice as default. Could you explain me how to make another one as default? Thanks.

score 114 · Answer 1 · edited Aug 29 '20 at 20:58

114

You don't need to programmatically handle the default value of ListPreferences. You can do this in xml setting file. Below is an example

<string-array name="opts">
    <item>red</item>
    <item>green</item>
    <item>blue</item>
</string-array>

<string-array name="opts_values">
    <item>1</item>
    <item>2</item>
    <item>3</item>
</string-array>

...

<ListPreference
    android:title="Colour select"
    android:summary="Select your favourite"
    android:key="colour"
    android:entries="@array/opts"
    android:entryValues="@array/opts_values"
    android:defaultValue="2" />

here I selected 2 as a default value. Remember defaultvalue will be opts_values element.

edited Aug 29 '20 at 20:58

JJD

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answered Jul 07 '13 at 04:12

Md. Naushad Alam

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3

What if opts_values is an integer-array? Or is that a bad idea? – ki9 Dec 24 '15 at 06:27
3

Note that in XML, the first option starts at index 1 (i.e. `android:defaultValue="1"`) instead of 0. – Kenny Worden Jul 31 '17 at 16:42
1

@Keith if you use anything other than a `string-array`, you will get an error when it tries to find the corresponding item. see https://stackoverflow.com/a/25355756/2550406 – lucidbrot Oct 10 '17 at 07:35
1

My xml file has the `app:` prefix on everything for some reason... Everything works except the `app:defaultValue` attribute – Elijah Mock Jan 08 '20 at 03:23
If your root element is androidx.preference.PreferenceScreen (or the support library equivalent) then you will need the `app:` prefix – Matt Robertson May 06 '20 at 12:26

score 28 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 04 '11 at 17:50

28

Have you tried:

setValueIndex(int index);

answered Mar 04 '11 at 17:50

biddulph.r

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47

I am not sure this is the correct solution, since setValue or setValueIndex will effectively set the value, even if the user already has provided a custom value that is stored in the preferences. What works for me is `if (colour.getValue() == null) { colour.setValue(mycolour); }` – mtotschnig Apr 10 '12 at 10:37
and what is `int index`? What if I wanted to set a defined string? – Ali Bdeir Nov 02 '16 at 18:07
How do i retrieve the last value stored in persistent storage for a preference who was set for persistent storage? – Akay Nov 25 '17 at 21:41
@AliBdeir the index is the index inside the value-list that should be used. But like having been noted it is not the solution itself. This should not be the accepted answer. – Marcell Jun 30 '22 at 19:57

score 11 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 06 '14 at 22:20

Sorry my bad English.

List item
Retrieve the list Check if the value is null. If it is null set to the default value.

Code:

ListPreference dataPref = (ListPreference) findPreference("keyList");

if(dataPref.getValue() == null){
    dataPref.setValueIndex(0); //set to index of your deafult value
}

score 5 · Answer 4 · answered Aug 23 '17 at 14:52

You can set your default value by using the key like this

<string-array name="syncFrequency">
    <item name="1">Block All Calls</item>
    <item name="2">Block Black List</item>
    <item name="3">Block Unknown Calls</item>
    <item name="4">Allow White List</item>
    <item name="5">Receive All Calls</item>
</string-array>




<string-array name="syncFrequencyValues">
    <item name="1">Block_All_Calls</item>
    <item name="2">Block_Black_List</item>
    <item name="3">Block_Unknown_Calls</item>
    <item name="4">Allow_White_List</item>
    <item name="5">Receive_All_Calls</item>
</string-array>



     <ListPreference
        android:key="prefSyncFrequency"
        android:entries="@array/syncFrequency"
        android:summary="%s"
        android:defaultValue="Block_Black_List"
        android:entryValues="@array/syncFrequencyValues"
        android:title="@string/call_block_options" />

score 3 · Answer 5 · edited Apr 10 '12 at 17:59

3

or you can also try colour.setValue(mycolour);

edited Apr 10 '12 at 17:59

Sergey Glotov

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answered Apr 10 '12 at 10:29

ungalcrys

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Langusten Gustel · Answer 6 · 2014-09-01T08:34:52.277

3

Just for the record if someone else has this problem:

setValueIndex(int X) is setting the value @ index X to the default value - so it is probably what you are looking for.

Set this value AFTER you added the Values! (stupid mistake but took me half an hour)

edited Sep 01 '14 at 08:34

answered Jul 25 '13 at 14:02

Langusten Gustel

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score 3 · Answer 7 · edited Sep 07 '17 at 09:49

3

((ListPreference) findPreference("pref_language")).setValue(Locale
                .getDefault().getLanguage());

setValue() is ListPreference's method, and setDefaultvalue is Preference's method

edited Sep 07 '17 at 09:49

Suragch

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answered Nov 18 '14 at 09:38

laomo

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Yijun Li · Answer 8 · 2016-09-09T06:56:02.050

3

Actually it's because the SharedPreferences will persist after you re-build the app. Uninstall it and try again.

edited Sep 09 '16 at 06:56

answered Sep 09 '16 at 05:24

Yijun Li

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score 2 · Answer 9 · answered Mar 11 '17 at 00:09

2

This is an old post, but here's another way to set the default value for ListPreference with the following line of code:

PreferenceManager.setDefaultValues(getActivity(), R.xml.preferences, false);

answered Mar 11 '17 at 00:09

wooldridgetm

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score 2 · Answer 10 · answered Nov 07 '18 at 04:51

Use the xml attribute android:defaultValue="<VALUE>" in your list tag to set the default value.

Note: the <VALUE> is the actual value and not the index of string array.

If still its not working, try below steps.

Clear application data.
Uninstall and reinstall the app
Check the list preference, you will see the default value selected

Strange, I know but it worked in my case.

Fernando Campaña · Answer 11 · 2022-01-24T17:34:54.323

If you are using Android Jetpack Preference, known as androidx.preference:preference-ktx:1.1.1 in Kotlin, you can use:

app:defaultValue="<Value_in_string-array_with_values>".

Additionally: defaultValue is not an index number, is the actual value from the values array.

I also recommend using a string resource for the default value and clearing the data, uninstalling the app, or removing the file:

<package_name_in_app_manifest>_preferences.xml in data/data/shared_prefs/<package_name_in_app_manifest>. Replace <package_name_in_app_manifest> with real name like com.example.yourapp.

I was having the same issue and the defaultValue wasn't updating because it already had a wrong default value of "true". Solved it by using the Android Studio File Explorer and deleting the file.

And here is my solution example:

res/xml/root_preferences.xml

<ListPreference     
    app:key="mic"     
    app:title="@string/select_mic_title"  
    app:useSimpleSummaryProvider="true"    
    app:entries="@array/mic_entries" 
    app:entryValues="@array/mic_values"
    app:defaultValue="@string/default_mic"     />

res/values/arrays

<!-- Mic Preference --> 
<string-array name="mic_entries"> 
    <item>@string/default_mic</item> 
    <item>Headband</item> 
</string-array>  
<string-array name="mic_values">
     <item>@string/default_mic</item> 
    <item>Headband</item>
 </string-array>

res/strings.xml

<string name="default_mic">Integrated</string>

Result: Setting Fragment with default list value of "Integrated" given by string resource @string/default_mic

How to set the Default Value of a ListPreference

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