Setting Spinner's Selection by Value, Not Position

When updating a view and the Spinner's selection must match a value stored in the database, the conventional approach is to locate the corresponding position using an indexOf method on the Adapter. However, this approach encounters a roadblock as the Adapter doesn't provide such a method.

To overcome this challenge, a more suitable approach is to utilize the ArrayAdapter's getPosition method. This method, when paired with a suitable ArrayAdapter, enables the identification of the position associated with a specific value.

Consider a scenario where the Spinner named mSpinner contains a value of "some value". To locate and compare its position, follow these steps:

Create an ArrayAdapter from the resource file R.array.select_state:

ArrayAdapter adapter = ArrayAdapter.createFromResource(this, R.array.select_state, android.R.layout.simple_spinner_item);

Set the Spinner's Adapter and DropDownViewResource:

adapter.setDropDownViewResource(android.R.layout.simple_spinner_dropdown_item);
mSpinner.setAdapter(adapter);

Next, if the value to be compared (compareValue) is not null:

if (compareValue != null) {
    int spinnerPosition = adapter.getPosition(compareValue);
    mSpinner.setSelection(spinnerPosition);
}

By employing this approach, the Spinner's selection can be accurately set based on the value stored in the database, providing a seamless user experience during view updates.