How to get String Array from arrays.xml file

Question

You can't initialize your testArray field this way, because the application resources still aren't ready.

Just change the code to:

package com.xtensivearts.episode.seven;

import android.app.ListActivity;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.widget.ArrayAdapter;

public class Episode7 extends ListActivity {
    String[] mTestArray;

    /** Called when the activity is first created. */
    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);

        // Create an ArrayAdapter that will contain all list items
        ArrayAdapter<String> adapter;

        mTestArray = getResources().getStringArray(R.array.testArray);    

        /* Assign the name array to that adapter and 
        also choose a simple layout for the list items */ 
        adapter = new ArrayAdapter<String>(
            this,
            android.R.layout.simple_list_item_1,
            mTestArray);

        // Assign the adapter to this ListActivity
        setListAdapter(adapter);
    }
}

Your array.xml is not right. change it to like this

Here is array.xml file

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>  
<resources>  
    <string-array name="testArray">  
        <item>first</item>  
        <item>second</item>  
        <item>third</item>  
        <item>fourth</item>  
        <item>fifth</item>  
   </string-array>
</resources>

Your XML is not entirely clear, but arrays XML can cause force closes if you make them numbers, and/or put white space in their definition.

Make sure they are defined like No Leading or Trailing Whitespace