Android Widgets: Where would the 'insert' step for a database occur?

Question

I have a widget that currently takes a random string from an array and sets it to text view on update. The issue here is that the same item can be re-used multiple times in a row due to the string being 'random'

In order to solve this I was going to create a table that held String text, and int viewednum and increment the viewed number each time 'get text' was called. (on update in the widget).

My Question: If I put the insert statements in the widget, won't the data be inserted every time 'on update' is called?

Would it be better for it to go in the DBadapter class somewhere? I'm just unsure about the best way to make sure I don't enter duplicate data. If there is a better alternative like saving a csv file somewhere and using that I'm open to it, it seemed like a sqlite database was the way to go.

Thank you for your time.

Answer 1

That depends on what your onUpdate method does. If each time onUpdate is called it gets a random String from the database, then that would be the place to put it. However, if you are not getting the String during onUpdate, then you should put it in the method where you are accessing your database. I think your confusion is about the purpose of onUpdate. onUpdate doesn't get called every time the user scrolls by the homepage and sees your widget; it gets called regularly on a timescale you specify, and the whole purpose of it is, in a case like yours, to get a new String from the database.

As for your second question, yes, SQlite databases are the way to do it :) I haven't tried saving a csv file or something like that, but I imagine that would be a lot more complex than just using a database.

Answer 2

Declare your database with a UNIQUE constraint on the columns you want to keep unique, then set the desired behaviour via ON CONFLICT in the INSERT statement. ON CONFLICT REPLACE... means the most recent INSERT overwrites. ON CONFLICT IGNORE... keeps the older version.