getting list of previously entered strings under the edit-text in android “just like a username field of some email/website”

Question

I want some directions. I have not much clear understanding about it. So please...

1. Here is my edit-text in xml form:

    <EditText 
       android:id="@+id/editTextName"
       android:layout_height="wrap_content" 
       android:layout_width="fill_parent" 
       android:layout_margin="3dp" 
       android:hint="Insert Name"  
       android:onClick="surNameEditTextClick" />
   

2. Code to get the input-string of the edit-text:

   EditText nameText = (EditText) findViewById(R.id.editTextName);
   String name = nameText.getText().toString();
   

3. Saving the name string into an array-list of string:

   ArrayList<String> nameArrayList = new ArrayList<String> ; //created globally 
   if(!(nameArrayList.contains(name))){
   
       //Adding input string into the name array-list
       nameArrayList.add(name) ;
   }
   

4. Putting this array-list into the shared-preferences:

   SharedPreferences saveGlobalVariables = getSharedPreferences(APP_NAME, 0);
   SharedPreferences.Editor editor = saveGlobalVariables.edit();
   editor.putStringSet("name", new HashSet<String>(surNameArrayList));
   editor.commit();
   

5. Getting all Shared-Preferences data back to array-list when program loads (in onCreate() ):

   SharedPreferences loadGlobalVariables = getSharedPreferences(APP_NAME, 0);
   nameArrayList = new ArrayList<String>(loadGlobalVariables.getStringSet("name", new HashSet<String>()));
   

Now how to get this data in some view form under that edit-text. I have seen different methods but not understanding clearly. If I use the

EditText mNameEditText;
mNameEditText = (EditText)findViewById(R.id.editTextName);
mNameEditText.addTextChangedListener(new TextWatcher() {
public void afterTextChanged(Editable s){

}

public void beforeTextChanged(CharSequence s, int start, int count, int after){

}

public void onTextChanged(CharSequence s, int start, int before, int count){

}

});

Then what code snipet will be used here? Which textView or list-view should be used and where??? I am unable to understand it. If any other method is available, then please provide here. regards,

Answer 1

You are most of the way there. I recommend using an AutoCompleteTextView and simply binding your List to an ArrayAdapter. (An AutoCompleteTextView already has the dropdown feature to help the user select between similar entries and doesn't require a TextWatcher.)

Code from documentation:

 public class CountriesActivity extends Activity {
     protected void onCreate(Bundle icicle) {
         super.onCreate(icicle);
         setContentView(R.layout.countries);

         ArrayAdapter<String> adapter = new ArrayAdapter<String>(this,
                 android.R.layout.simple_dropdown_item_1line, COUNTRIES);
         AutoCompleteTextView textView = (AutoCompleteTextView)
                 findViewById(R.id.countries_list);
         textView.setAdapter(adapter);
     }

     private static final String[] COUNTRIES = new String[] {
         "Belgium", "France", "Italy", "Germany", "Spain"
     };
 }

(You can use your ArrayList in an identical manner to the primitive Array above.)