Question

I am using 1.6 i.e. API 4 to build my application. There are couple of commands that are supported by higher versions. I want to write those commands and make application more compatible for higher versons. Like, I use Tabs. I want to use setLeftStripDrawable and setRightStripDrawable, but they are supported by API 8.

I write something like :

// I want these lines to come into affect only if the device SDK is greater than 7 as SDK of below 7, doesn't support these methods.
if (android.os.Build.VERSION.SDK_INT > 7) {   
    tw.setLeftStripDrawable(R.drawable.tab_selected_bar_left_v4);  // TabWidget
}

EDIT : I want to set setLeftStripDrawable to the tabs used in my app. In my manifest I have uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion=”4″. If I write the lines as above and compile it in 2.3, it compiles successfully. When I run in 1.6 I get “java.lang.VerifyError”. If I remove those liens and again run in 1.6, it works properly.

What should I do to execute those lines only if the device SDK api is > 7, and if it is less than that then those lines should not come under any affect ?

Any clue ?

Answer 1

I think you should use something like this. I did this by heart, so there might be some errors.

try {
    Method twMethod = TabWidget.class.getMethod("setLeftStripDrawable", new Class[] { int.class });
    twMethod.invoke(tw, R.drawable.yourdrawable);
} catch (NoSuchMethodException e) {
    /* not supported */
} catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
    /* wrong class provided */
} catch (IllegalAccessException e) {
    /* Java access control has denied access */
} catch (InvocationTargetException e) {
    /* method has thrown an exception */
}