Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately my application requires the database. Without the database my app is just a empty shell really.
But that is actually a good idea you have about just getting a webhost, it is probably less complicated than using google drive or dropbox and will be more flexible etc. Also I see a lot of hosts that do unlimited bandwidth which is exactly what I'll be needing as I don't want to be busted for exceeding bandwidth limits and then have users who are trying to download the database getting denied. Also good idea about using a checksum/hash, this will help security and also prevent corrupt databases from being opened after the download. It's a shame I just can't put it in the apk, but if I did I'd have duplicates of the database (because I don't think you can delete resources at runtime after they've been packaged) and it seems you can't really include assets or raw files that are greater than 1 or 2mb apparently. On Monday, 20 August 2012 18:34:09 UTC+12, Kristopher Micinski wrote: > > I would say it's a good idea to not include 15mb of stuff in your app > if you can avoid it. I assume the stuff is strictly required? If > not, you also shouldn't force the user to download it. If the user > *really absolutely has to have it*, then it might make sense to have > as part of the APK, but it also might be that this data is something > that changes frequently enough that you need to update it anyway. > > In any case, my advice would be that you use some "reliable" method to > *request* a download URL for your data. I.e., Google App Engine or > something like that, and then store the data on your own server. > That's right, you should get a webhost and a server to store the data > on. You shouldn't really need that fancy a web plan, file serving is > basically what web hosts are for. > > One slight comment if you plan to go this route: you should be aware > that it's somewhat possible the data will be faked or otherwise > compromised, if you're concerned about this you need to verify > (checksum / hash) it in the app itself before using it, otherwise you > could have random people serving your app bad data (a frequent source > of security bugs in software...) > > kris > > On Sun, Aug 19, 2012 at 7:08 PM, saernz <[email protected] <javascript:>> > wrote: > > Hiya! > > > > I'm creating an app which requires a large database to work (about > 15mb). I > > have decided > > to not include it in the apk because I think some people might dislike > > having such a big file stored > > on their phone memory, and have instead decided to have my application > > download the database on first > > use and to store it on the SD Card. > > > > I guess I have two questions: > > 1) Is it a good idea in this situation to separate the database from the > > main apk package and host it else where, or is it completely possible to > > include such a large file in the apk package? > > > > 2) If I end up requiring the user to download the database on first run, > > where would the best place be to host the file? I've been considering > google > > drive and maybe dropbox, but I'm concerned mainly > > with the amount of bandwidth that is allowed each day (e.g a free > dropbox > > account allows 20gb to be downloaded in a day, so I could only have a > max of > > 1,365 downloads in one day otherwise dropbox will blow up), especially > > because google doesn't seem to provide these details. Also another > factor > > would be if the file would be accessible to all users, or will the host > > possibly try to block some downloads because it thinks an external site > is > > trying to link to it's content? > > > > Has anyone had to deal with such a situation before and what was your > > solution? > > > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > > Groups "Android Developers" group. > > To post to this group, send email to > > [email protected]<javascript:> > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > [email protected] <javascript:> > > For more options, visit this group at > > http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
