How can you get the Manifest Version number from the App's (Layout) XML variables?

Question

I would like to have a way to reference the project's manifest version number in the main part of the code. What I have been doing up until now is to link the version number in a String XML file to the manifest (@string/Version). What I would like to do is to do it the other way around, link a string XML variable to the version in the manifest. The reason? I'd like to only have to change the version number in one location, the manifest file. Is there any way to do this? Thanks!

Answer 1

There is not a way to directly get the version out, but there are two work-arounds that could be done.

1. The version could be stored in a resource string, and placed into the manifest by:

   <manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
        package="com.somepackage"
        android:versionName="@string/version" android:versionCode="20">
   

2. One could create a custom view, and place it into the XML. The view would use this to assign the name:

   context.getPackageManager().getPackageInfo(context.getPackageName(), 0).versionName;
   

Either of these solutions would allow for placing the version name in XML. Unfortunately there isn't a nice simple solution, like android.R.string.version or something like that.

Answer 2

You can use the versionName in XML resources, such as activity layouts. First create a string resource in the app/build.gradle with the following snippet in the android node:

applicationVariants.all { variant ->
    variant.resValue "string", "versionName", variant.versionName
}

So the whole build.gradle file contents may look like this:

apply plugin: 'com.android.application'

android {
    compileSdkVersion 23
    buildToolsVersion '24.0.0 rc3'
    defaultConfig {
        applicationId 'com.example.myapplication'
        minSdkVersion 15
        targetSdkVersion 23
        versionCode 17
        versionName '0.2.3'
        jackOptions {
            enabled true
        }
    }
    applicationVariants.all { variant ->
        variant.resValue "string", "versionName", variant.versionName
    }
    buildTypes {
        release {
            minifyEnabled false
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
        }
    }
    productFlavors {
    }
    compileOptions {
        sourceCompatibility JavaVersion.VERSION_1_8
        targetCompatibility JavaVersion.VERSION_1_8
    }
} 

dependencies {
    compile fileTree(include: ['*.jar'], dir: 'libs')
    testCompile 'junit:junit:4.12'
    compile 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:23.3.0'
    compile 'com.android.support:design:23.3.0'
    compile 'com.android.support:support-v4:23.3.0'
}

Then you can use @string/versionName in the XML. Android Studio will mark it red, but the app will compile without issues. For example, this may be used like this in app/src/main/res/xml/preferences.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<PreferenceScreen xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">

    <PreferenceCategory
        android:title="About"
        android:key="pref_key_about">

        <Preference
            android:key="pref_about_build"
            android:title="Build version"
            android:summary="@string/versionName" />

    </PreferenceCategory>


</PreferenceScreen>

Answer 3

IF you are using Gradle you can use the build.gradle file to programmatically add value to the xml resources at compile time.

Example Code extracted from: https://medium.com/@manas/manage-your-android-app-s-versioncode-versionname-with-gradle-7f9c5dcf09bf

buildTypes {
    debug {
        versionNameSuffix ".debug"
        resValue "string", "app_version", "${defaultConfig.versionName}${versionNameSuffix}"
    }
    release {
        resValue "string", "app_version", "${defaultConfig.versionName}"
    }
}

now use @string/app_version as needed in XML

It will add .debug to the version name as describe in the linked article when in debug mode.

Answer 4

I solved this issue by extending the Preference class.

package com.example.android;

import android.content.Context;
import android.preference.Preference;
import android.util.AttributeSet;

public class VersionPreference extends Preference {
    public VersionPreference(Context context, AttributeSet attrs) {
        super(context, attrs);
        String versionName;
        final PackageManager packageManager = context.getPackageManager();
        if (packageManager != null) {
            try {
                PackageInfo packageInfo = packageManager.getPackageInfo(context.getPackageName(), 0);
                versionName = packageInfo.versionName;
            } catch (PackageManager.NameNotFoundException e) {
                versionName = null;
            }
            setSummary(versionName);
        }
    }
}

Then in my preferences XML:

<PreferenceScreen xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <com.example.android.VersionPreference android:title="Version" />
</PreferenceScreen>

Answer 5

I use BuildConfig.VERSION_NAME.toString();. What's the difference between that and getting it from the packageManager?

No XML based solutions have worked for me, sorry.

Answer 6

You can't use it from the XML.

You need to extend the widget you are using in the XML and add the logic to set the text using what's mentioned on Konstantin Burov's answer.

Answer 7

Easiest solution is to use BuildConfig.

I use BuildConfig.VERSION_NAME in my application.

You can also use BuildConfig.VERSION_CODE to get version code.

Answer 8

Late to the game, but you can do it without @string/xyz by using ?android:attr

    <TextView
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:text="?android:attr/versionName"
     />
    <!-- or -->
    <TextView
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:text="?android:attr/versionCode"
     />