Question

My application requires connection to a server, hence it will not work without set preferences. The preferences are set using SharedPreferences. What I am looking for is a pattern to direct the user to the settings activity. What is common?

Currently I am checking on onCreate and onResume whether all preferences are set, otherwise I start the settings activity. The problem is:

1. the activity is started twice (through onCreate and onResume)
2. the user might not know that he/she can go back to the main activity with the back hardware key

Any suggestions to implement this?

Answer 1

create a LauncherActivity class where you can make the decision which Activity should start – PreferenceActivity, or MainActivity: check this advice also

public class LauncherActivity extends Activity {

    SharedPreferences settings;

    public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {

        settings = getSharedPreferences(PREFS_NAME, 0);

        if (settings.getBoolean(PREFS_REG, false)) {
            startActivity( new Intent(this, MAinActivity.class) );
            finish();
        } else {
             Intent enableBtIntent = new Intent(this, PreferenceActivity.class);
         startActivityForResult(enableBtIntent, SETTINGS);
        }
    }

    protected void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {

        if(requestCode == SETTINGS ) {
             startActivity( new Intent(this, MAinActivity.class) );
             Editor editor = settings.edit();
             editor.putBoolean(PREFS_REG, true);
             editor.commit();
             finish();
        }

    }
}

And if user “registered” then set the PREFS_REG to true in onActivityResult()