Android AlertDialog with dynamically changing text on every request

Question

I want to show an AlertDialog with one option that might change on every request. So for example at one time I want to show the option "add to contacts" while another time it should be "remove from contacts".

My code does work on the first time, however Android seems to cache the AlertDialog so that onCreateDialog is not executed next time. Therefore the option doesnt change anymore. Can I prevent this caching, or is there just another way of changing the option?

I am working with SDK 1.5 but using 1.1.

@Override
protected Dialog onCreateDialog(final int id) {
    ...
    String add_remove_contact = res.getString(R.string.profile_add_to_contacts);
    if (user.getContacts().contains(profileID)) {
        add_remove_contact = res.getString(R.string.profile_remove_from_contacts);
        // TODO: this string is not changed when contact status changes 
    }
    final CharSequence[] items = {res.getString(R.string.view_profile),
                                  res.getString(R.string.profile_send_message),
                                  add_remove_contact};
    AlertDialog.Builder builder = new AlertDialog.Builder(this);
    ...
    return builder.create();
}

Answer 1

Take a look at onPrepareDialog method that will be called before dialog is shown. There You can change the required values based on request type.

Example with date picker

@Override
protected Dialog onCreateDialog(final int id) {
  switch (id) {
  case DIALOG_DATE_ID:
    final Calendar c = Calendar.getInstance();
    return new DatePickerDialog(this, this, c.get(Calendar.YEAR),
                                c.get(Calendar.MONTH), 
                                c.get(Calendar.DAY_OF_MONTH));
  default:
    return super.onCreateDialog(id);
  }
}

@Override
protected void onPrepareDialog(final int id, final Dialog dialog) {
  switch (id) {
  case DIALOG_DATE_ID:
    //update to current time
    final Calendar c = Calendar.getInstance();
    ((DatePickerDialog) dialog).updateDate(c.get(Calendar.YEAR), 
                                           c.get(Calendar.MONTH), 
                                           c.get(Calendar.DAY_OF_MONTH));
    break;
  }
}