Question

I have an app that depends on SQLite for data which is populated by xmls shipped with the app in the assets folder.

1. When you run the app the first time it sets a shared preference config_run = false.
2. then i check if config_run = false then parse the xml and dump the data into db
3. set config_run = true

Now i realize that when i have to push an update on Google Play and add more content into the XML. Even though i change the database version from 1 to 2. The import script wont run because shared preference config_run value will be set to true.

Any pointers on how to handle this situation ?

Scenarios

1. First Instal – Ver = 1, DB V = 1 (Data is parsed and dumped into the database)
2. Bugs Fixed and push and update but no data has changed – ver = 1.1, DB V = 1 (It should just replace the code and not upgrade or re-create the database)
3. Upgraded the DATA and pushed a new update – ver 1.2, DB = 2 ( No new code but data has to be re-created)

The Flow of My App

1. The App Starts Splash Activity. If Shared Pref – config_run is equal to false then it starts a Progress Dialog and parses and dumps the data into the database.
2. Upon Parsing and Creating DB and dumping data it goes to MainActivity.

Second Case

1. SplashActivity Runs and config_run = true so directly goes to MAin Activity.

As Suggested by few people below if i try to dumb the data into the database in onUpgrade of the SQLiteHelper it will happen only in MAinActivity as i dont open a Db connection in the SplashActivity and the Dialog Progress wont be displayed also.

Answer 1

Instead of setting your shared pref (config_run) to false and making it true, just set the database version into it. When you update your app, check whether you have the same version number in your shared pref. You can do this as shown below:

configRun = settings.getInt("database_version", 0);

if ((DBAdapter.DATABASE_VERSION) == configRun) 
{
//skip xml parsing
}
else
{
//first time configRun will be "0" and DBAdapter.DATABASE_VERSION will be 1
// so you need to parse your xml here and set configRun =1
//on update, change your DB version to 2. now again your configRun and DBAdapter.DATABASE_VERSION will mismatch and you can parse your xml.
}