CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javaandroid
SpyMachine
SpyMachine

Reputation: 470

Convert a String into Java Source code in Android

Does anyone know if it's possible to convert a String/file into java source which can be compiled at run time using something like JavaCompiler. It looks like this is possible with Java 6, but I haven't seen anyone say that JavaCompiler is available in Android.

Basically my main goal is to turn a String or file text into source code in Android. Does anyone know how that can be done?

Thanks!

Upvotes: 4

Views: 1799

Answers (3)

kabuko
kabuko

Reputation: 36302

Technically possible, but not easy. If you look at Terminal IDE they package in all the tools to compile Android byte code from source on the device. You could take a similar approach by writing out the string to a file on disk, compiling it, and then use DexClassLoader to load the classes from the compiled JAR file or APK.

Upvotes: 0

John Ericksen
John Ericksen

Reputation: 11113

You could do something advanced and setup a web service to compile source for you. This service would accept java source, compile it into a dalvik compiled class and return it as a binary.

This binary could then be added to a custom class loader as described here: http://android-developers.blogspot.com/2011/07/custom-class-loading-in-dalvik.html

Although you are not compiling on the phone, this would be compiled during runtime and, once inserted into your classloader, available for execution.

Upvotes: 0

Ivan Koblik
Ivan Koblik

Reputation: 4315

Android runs Dalvik not Java 6. JavaCompiler is not included in standard Dalvik distribution, so you cannot use it. Dalvik runtime is designed for embedded system as such it is less dynamic, compiling code on the fly is one of the things that it is not supposed to do.

Try what Hyangelo suggested, or Google for other scripting libraries. Clojure for example. ;)

Upvotes: 2

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