Element Info Activity

InfoExtension Abstract Class

The InfoExtension class is an abstract base class for activities in the jlindemann/science Android app that display detailed information about chemical elements. It handles data loading, UI population, note management, achievements, statistics, and more.

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Features

Data Loading

• Reads element data from asset JSON files, parses it, and updates the UI.
• Handles errors gracefully, displaying a message if loading fails.

UI Management

• Populates a wide range of UI components with element properties, including:
  • Name, discovery info, physical and chemical properties, electron configuration, hazards, and more.
• Dynamically updates UI for next/previous navigation and element-specific content.
• Supports pro-version features for advanced data (e.g., speeds of sound, modulus, hardness).

Note Management

• Each element supports user notes, stored in shared preferences as XML-like tagged strings.
• Only one TextWatcher is attached per EditText, preventing bugs with note overwrites.
• Notes are loaded and saved in real time as users edit them.

Achievements and Statistics

• Tracks user progress viewing elements and awards achievements.
• Increments statistics each time an element is viewed.

Preferences and Customization

• Many UI sections are shown/hidden based on user preferences (e.g., favorite bar, various property layouts).
• Temperature units and other display options are customizable.

Media and External Links

• Loads element images, 3D models, and emission spectra with Picasso.
• Opens Wikipedia links in custom Chrome tabs if available.

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Key Methods

• readJson(): Loads current element data from a JSON file and triggers UI update.
• updateElementUI(jsonObject: JSONObject): Populates all UI fields with parsed element data.
• handleNotes(elementCode: String, eText: EditText): Loads, displays, and saves element-specific notes. Ensures only one TextWatcher is active.
• setOxidationStates(oxidationNeg1: String, oxidationPos1: String): Updates UI for oxidation state badges.
• setHazards(...): Populates hazard labels and explanations.
• favoriteBarSetup(): Shows/hides favorite bar sections based on preferences.
• wikiListener(url: String?): Sets up Wikipedia button to open links in Chrome Custom Tabs.
• formatSuperscript(text: String): Formats strings with superscript Unicode for display (used in electron configs, etc.).
• updateAchievementProgress(increment: Int), updateStats(): Updates user achievements and stats.

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Notes on Bug Fixes

• Previous versions could overwrite notes when switching elements, especially via next/previous navigation.
  This is now fixed by:
  • Always using the latest notes string when saving.
  • Ensuring only one TextWatcher is attached to the notes EditText at a time.
  • Validating tag indices before modifying the stored notes string.

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Usage

To use InfoExtension, subclass it and implement/override as needed for specific element info activities.

class ElementInfoActivity : InfoExtension() {
    // ... additional logic ...
}

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Recommendations

• For new features, consider migrating notes to a JSON object in preferences for robustness.
• Use ViewBinding to reduce boilerplate code.
• Consider moving long UI update logic into smaller helper methods for maintainability.

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Related Files

• IsotopesActivityExperimental: For isotope details navigation.
• Preferences classes: For all user-configurable options.
• AchievementModel and StatisticsModel: For user tracking.

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See Also

• Picasso library (image loading)
• Chrome Custom Tabs
• Kotlin Coroutines (background loading)