findPreference(java.lang.CharSequence) is deprecated

Question

It gives me the error "findPreference(java.lang.CharSequence) is deprecated" .Currently, I am targeting API 10 and above for my application. Any kind of help to resolve this will be appreciated.

public class SettingsActivity extends PreferenceActivity implements Preference.OnPreferenceChangeListener {

@Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    // Add 'general' preferences, defined in the XML file
    // TODO: Add preferences from XML

    addPreferencesFromResource(R.xml.pref_general);

    bindPreferenceSummaryToValue(findPreference(getString(R.string.pref_location_key));
    // For all preferences, attach an OnPreferenceChangeListener so the UI summary can be
    // updated when the preference changes.
    // TODO: Add preferences
}

/**
 * Attaches a listener so the summary is always updated with the preference value.
 * Also fires the listener once, to initialize the summary (so it shows up before the value
 * is changed.)
 */
private void bindPreferenceSummaryToValue(Preference preference) {
    // Set the listener to watch for value changes.
    preference.setOnPreferenceChangeListener(this);

    // Trigger the listener immediately with the preference's
    // current value.
    onPreferenceChange(preference,
            PreferenceManager
                    .getDefaultSharedPreferences(preference.getContext())
                    .getString(preference.getKey(), ""));
}

@Override
public boolean onPreferenceChange(Preference preference, Object value) {
    String stringValue = value.toString();

    if (preference instanceof ListPreference) {
        // For list preferences, look up the correct display value in
        // the preference's 'entries' list (since they have separate labels/values).
        ListPreference listPreference = (ListPreference) preference;
        int prefIndex = listPreference.findIndexOfValue(stringValue);
        if (prefIndex >= 0) {
            preference.setSummary(listPreference.getEntries()[prefIndex]);
        }
    } else {
        // For other preferences, set the summary to the value's simple string representation.
        preference.setSummary(stringValue);
    }
    return true;
}

}

Answer 1

It is deprecated because Android moved to fragment-based activities. Calling findPreference(CharSequence) will still work in higher API levels. You are just encouraged to use fragments instead of a PreferenceActivity.

The reason for the deprecation can be found in the source:

This function is not relevant for a modern fragment-based PreferenceActivity.

---

In API 11+ you should use PreferenceFragment.

---

If you want to have your IDE ignore the error just add the following to your method: @SuppressWarnings("deprecation")

Answer 2

public class SettingsActivity extends PreferenceActivity{

@Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    // Add 'general' preferences, defined in the XML file
    getFragmentManager().beginTransaction().replace(android.R.id.content, new MyPreferenceFragment()).commit();

    // For all preferences, attach an OnPreferenceChangeListener so the UI summary can be
    // updated when the preference changes.
}

public static class MyPreferenceFragment extends PreferenceFragment implements Preference.OnPreferenceChangeListener {
    @Override
    public void onCreate(final Bundle savedInstanceState)
    {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        addPreferencesFromResource(R.xml.pref_details);

        bindPreferenceSummaryToValue(findPreference(getString(R.string.pref_location_key)));
    }

    private void bindPreferenceSummaryToValue(Preference preference) {
        // Set the listener to watch for value changes.
        preference.setOnPreferenceChangeListener(this);

        // Trigger the listener immediately with the preference's
        // current value.
        onPreferenceChange(preference,
                PreferenceManager
                        .getDefaultSharedPreferences(preference.getContext())
                        .getString(preference.getKey(), ""));
    }

    public boolean onPreferenceChange(Preference preference, Object value) {
        String stringValue = value.toString();
        if (preference instanceof ListPreference) {
            // For list preferences, look up the correct display value in
            // the preference's 'entries' list (since they have separate labels/values).
            ListPreference listPreference = (ListPreference) preference;
            int prefIndex = listPreference.findIndexOfValue(stringValue);
            if (prefIndex >= 0) {
                preference.setSummary(listPreference.getEntries()[prefIndex]);
            }
        } else {
            // For other preferences, set the summary to the value's simple string representation.
            preference.setSummary(stringValue);
            Log.v("onpreferencechange",stringValue);
        }
        return true;
    }
}

Instead of adding the methods

bindPreferenceSummaryToValue(Preference preference) &
onPreferenceChange(Preference preference, Object value)

inside the main SettingsActivity class create a fragment class which implements the Preference.OnPreferenceChangeListener add the both the methods inside it.

check out the code provided

hope it helps

Answer 3

Well here is the solution:

API Level 11+ introduced PreferenceFragment as another way of constructing the contents of a PreferenceActivity. You are welcome to use them, but if you are still supporting older devices, you cannot use PreferenceFragment for those devices.

Try the following link: Non Deprecated findPreference() Method? - Android