Develop Reference

Customise Android SwitchCompat

In my Android app, I have a list with a SwitchCompat to filter the list data. The default theme can't serve my purpose what I need is a iOS like switch. I have no idea how can I customize it to look exactly like the iOS switch. Thanks for reading.
<androidx.appcompat.widget.SwitchCompat
android:id="#+id/switch_1"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_centerInParent="true"
android:background="#xml/custom_switch_background_main"
android:theme="#style/AppTheme.SwitchOverlay"/>
This is what I have archived so far
custom_switch_background_main.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<item android:state_checked="false" android:drawable="#xml/custom_switch_background" />
<item android:state_checked="true" android:drawable="#xml/custom_switch_background" />
</selector>
custom_switch_background.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<shape android:shape="rectangle" xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<corners android:radius="50dp" />
<solid android:color="#color/transparent" />
<stroke
android:width="1dp"
android:color="#color/hello" />
</shape>
This is what I want

You can achieve something like:
with the standard MaterialButtonToggleGroup:
<com.google.android.material.button.MaterialButtonToggleGroup
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
app:selectionRequired="true"
app:singleSelection="true">
<com.google.android.material.button.MaterialButton
app:shapeAppearanceOverlay="#style/ShapeAppearanceOverlay.App.rounded"
style="?attr/materialButtonOutlinedStyle"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="ITEM1"/>
<com.google.android.material.button.MaterialButton
app:shapeAppearanceOverlay="#style/ShapeAppearanceOverlay.App.rounded"
style="?attr/materialButtonOutlinedStyle"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="ITEM2"/>
</com.google.android.material.button.MaterialButtonToggleGroup>
with:
<style name="ShapeAppearanceOverlay.App.rounded" parent="">
<item name="cornerSize">50%</item>
</style>
If you want the border you can wrap the MaterialButtonToggleGroup in a container (LinearLayout, CardView....) applying a stroke a small padding.
If you want the button with rounded corners on both side you can check something like this question.

I think you should use sliding tab layout instead of switchcompat to fulfill your requirement. I have found one third party library that's looks like same switch as you want.
Click Here to Use This Library

I achieved the design by using a custom vector (and the text inside was a mask) which was replacement for the switch’s state indicator. then I changed the switch compat background vector with a custom border design as well to achieve the border. I’ll update this answer again soon.

Android app - basic icon button without text

How do I make a basic icon button without text or background? For example, just a simple vector image from #drawables that, when clicked, shows that circular response thing around it. I don't want the icon to have any background color to it. Just an icon that can be clicked, that's literally it.
I can only figure out how to do it by creating a menu and setting the icon as an item with app:showAsAction="always". It seems like there must be a better way to do this.
Edit: Here's an example of what I want to achieve. It's very basic. Just a clickable icon with responsive feedback when touched. https://material-ui.com/components/buttons/#icon-buttons
It's exactly the same as creating the following. I just thought there was likely an easier way to do this without having to create and load a menu just for one single icon:
<menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
tools:context="com.mycompany.myapp.MainActivity">
<item
android:id="#+id/action_contacts"
android:icon="#drawable/ic_contacts_24"
android:title="#string/action_contacts"
app:iconTint="#android:color/white"
app:showAsAction="always" />
</menu>

First create a vector drawable and then add to the ImageView like
this:
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/imageView"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:background="?selectableItemBackgroundBorderless"
android:clickable="true"
android:focusable="true"
app:srcCompat="#drawable/ic_delete" />

You can use a MaterialButton, ImageButton and even an ImageView for this. Here's an example of how you'd do it with an ImageView...
<ImageView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:clickable="true"
android:focusable="true"
android:background="?attr/selectableItemBackground"
android:src="#drawable/your_icon" />
All you need to do is set the selectableItemBackground, this will use your theme's primary color (or maybe the secondary color, I can't remember).
Now if you want a different color for ripple effect, for example a grey ripple, then you can create the drawable yourself...
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<ripple xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:color="#dddddd">
<item android:id="#android:id/mask">
<color android:color="#dddddd" />
</item>
</ripple>
and set the view background below..
android:background="?attr/selectableItemBackground"
it'll work with any view provided the view is clickable

Yes, you can use ImageView if you like, but if you want to generate the complete image (including frame/borders) yourself you don't have to go that far. You could practically use plain View (except that you'd have to supply android:layout_width/height explicitly). Just use Button and have the android:background specify a selector which will select between images.
<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<item android:drawable="#drawable/clear1" android:state_pressed="true"/>
<item android:drawable="#drawable/clear0"/>
</selector>

How to Style Button

I am looking for a way to style my button like an example from an older question (How to create standard Borderless buttons (like in the design guidline mentioned)?) but some things were left out from the answer.
How can I add more than one value to an XML element, particularly android:background ="";?
I figured out how to make my buttons borderless, but I want them to have a really thin border, and a different background color. I have seen lots of tips online, but I can't find a way to put all my items together properly in code. Below is a copy pasted image with the top part representing the layout I want to achieve with the button name and a thumbnail image on the right hand side on the button with the button being a different color then the background of the app, and below that is a copy pasted image of the border style I'm trying to achieve, thin, touching borders between buttons. I have looked everywhere and tried many ideas but none seem to work properly, or some require me to have
android:background="?android:attr/selectableItemBackground"
but this interacts with
android:background="#22272D"
I need to keep the text in the button because my app is going to translate the buttons text to the language of the users phone, so I can't make the whole button just an image. Below is my XML and the output, any recommendations to how I should change it would be of massive help!
<LinearLayout
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:weightSum="6"
tools:context="com.aid.travelers.myapplication.Transportation">
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="#string/transportation_page"
android:textSize="40sp"
android:textColor="#000000"/>
<Button
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:text="#string/airport"
android:id="#+id/AirportButton"
android:layout_height="60dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
android:layout_alignParentEnd="true"
android:background="?android:attr/selectableItemBackground"/>
<Button
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:text="#string/bicycle"
android:id="#+id/BicycleButton"
android:layout_height="60dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
android:layout_alignParentEnd="true"
android:background="?android:attr/selectableItemBackground"/>

I'm not sure that I get your question, but I guess you want to custom the background of your button, and have a touch effect when you press it.
Have a look at this answer :
https://stackoverflow.com/a/7176006/5446285
You should create your own resource file background.xml (for example) that you create in your drawable folder.
The code should be like :
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<item android:state_pressed="true"
android:drawable="#drawable/background_selected"/> <!-- pressed -->
<item android:drawable="#drawable/background_unselected" /> <!-- default -->
</selector>
You should now create 2 other files in your drawable folder : background_selected.xml, and background_unselected.xml.
To do so, I advise you something like this if you want a thin border :
<layer-list xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<item>
<shape android:shape="rectangle">
<solid android:color="#7c7c7c" />
</shape>
</item>
<item android:bottom="2dp" android:top="2dp" android:right="2dp" android:left="2dp">
<shape android:shape="rectangle" >
<solid android:color="#a0a0a0" />
</shape>
</item>
Then you set the background of your button in your xml :
android:background="#drawable/background"

How do I set a "pressed" imagebutton in Android Studio?

I have an ImageButton:
<ImageButton
android:layout_width="60dp"
android:layout_height="60dp"
android:id="#+id/btn_70s"
android:src="#drawable/btn_70s"
android:background="#null" /* Sets transparent BG for button image(PNG) */
/>
The image is "btn_70s", how do I set a "pressed" version of the image for when the ImageButton is tapped?
The documentation states to create an XML file and place it in the drawable directory:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<item android:state_pressed="true"
android:drawable="#drawable/button_pressed" /> <!-- pressed -->
<item android:state_focused="true"
android:drawable="#drawable/button_focused" /> <!-- focused -->
<item android:drawable="#drawable/button_normal" /> <!-- default -->
</selector>
This to me says it would affect all the ImageButtons rather than an individual one. Would I save it as an individual XML for each button for example (btn_70s_custom.xml), and then use it like:
<ImageButton
android:layout_width="60dp"
android:layout_height="60dp"
android:id="#+id/btn_70s"
android:src="#drawable/btn_70s"
android:android:background="#drawable/btn_70s_custom"
/>
Only issue with this, I can't use #null to allow transparency. Any assistance is appreciate.

Have a look over there for a (possible) solution to your problem : Make button background transparent using selector
And for the record,
This to me says it would affect all the ImageButtons rather than an individual one. Would I save it as an individual XML for each button for example (btn_70s_custom.xml), and then use it like:
No, it won't set this theme for all the buttons, but only for the ones where you specify to use this selector.
Hope this helps!

You can try selectableItemBackground
<ImageButton
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:background="?attr/selectableItemBackground"/>

Android Material Design Button Styles

I'm confused on button styles for material design. I'd like to get colorful raised buttons like in the attached link., like the "force stop" and "uninstall" buttons seen under the usage section. Are there available styles or do I need to define them?
http://www.google.com/design/spec/components/buttons.html#buttons-usage
I couldn't find the default button styles.
Example:
<Button style="#style/PrimaryButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Calculate"
android:id="#+id/button3"
android:layout_below="#+id/editText5"
android:layout_alignEnd="#+id/editText5"
android:enabled="true" />
If I try to change the background color of the button by adding
android:background="#color/primary"
all of the styles go away, such as the touch animation, shadow, rounded corner, etc.

I will add my answer since I don't use any of the other answers provided.
With the Support Library v7, all the styles are actually already defined and ready to use, for the standard buttons, all of these styles are available:
style="#style/Widget.AppCompat.Button"
style="#style/Widget.AppCompat.Button.Colored"
style="#style/Widget.AppCompat.Button.Borderless"
style="#style/Widget.AppCompat.Button.Borderless.Colored"
Widget.AppCompat.Button:
Widget.AppCompat.Button.Colored:
Widget.AppCompat.Button.Borderless
Widget.AppCompat.Button.Borderless.Colored:
To answer the question, the style to use is therefore
<Button style="#style/Widget.AppCompat.Button.Colored"
.......
.......
.......
android:text="Button"/>
How to change the color
For the whole app:
The color of all the UI controls (not only buttons, but also floating action buttons, checkboxes etc.) is managed by the attribute colorAccent as explained here.
You can modify this style and apply your own color in your theme definition:
<style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light.NoActionBar">
...
<item name="colorAccent">#color/Orange</item>
</style>
For a specific button:
If you need to change the style of a specific button, you can define a new style, inheriting one of the parent styles described above. In the example below I just changed the background and font colors:
<style name="AppTheme.Button" parent="Widget.AppCompat.Button.Colored">
<item name="colorButtonNormal">#color/Red</item>
<item name="android:textColor">#color/White</item>
</style>
Then you just need to apply this new style on the button with:
android:theme="#style/AppTheme.Button"
To set a default button design in a layout, add this line to the styles.xml theme:
<item name="buttonStyle">#style/btn</item>
where #style/btn is your button theme. This sets the button style for all the buttons in a layout with a specific theme

Simplest Solution
Step 1: Use the latest support library
compile 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:25.2.0'
Step 2: Use AppCompatActivity as your parent Activity class
public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity
Step 3: Use app namespace in your layout XML file
<RelativeLayout
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent">
Step 4: Use AppCompatButton instead of Button
<android.support.v7.widget.AppCompatButton
android:id="#+id/buttonAwesome"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Awesome Button"
android:textColor="#color/whatever_text_color_you_want"
app:backgroundTint="#color/whatever_background_color_you_want"/>

If I understand you correctly, you want to do something like this:
In such case, it should be just enough to use:
<item name="android:colorButtonNormal">#2196f3</item>
Or for API less than 21:
<item name="colorButtonNormal">#2196f3</item>
In addition to Using Material Theme Tutorial.
Animated variant is here.

You can use the
Material Component library.
Add the dependency to your build.gradle:
dependencies { implementation ‘com.google.android.material:material:1.3.0’ }
Then add the MaterialButton to your layout:
<com.google.android.material.button.MaterialButton
style="#style/Widget.MaterialComponents.Button.OutlinedButton"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="#string/app_name"
app:strokeColor="#color/colorAccent"
app:strokeWidth="6dp"
app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
app:shapeAppearance="#style/MyShapeAppearance"
/>
You can check the full documentation here and API here.
To change the background color you have 2 options.
Using the backgroundTint attribute.
Something like:
<style name="MyButtonStyle"
parent="Widget.MaterialComponents.Button">
<item name="backgroundTint">#color/button_selector</item>
//..
</style>
It will be the best option in my opinion. If you want to override some theme attributes from a default style then you can use new materialThemeOverlay attribute.
Something like:
<style name="MyButtonStyle"
parent="Widget.MaterialComponents.Button">
<item name=“materialThemeOverlay”>#style/GreenButtonThemeOverlay</item>
</style>
<style name="GreenButtonThemeOverlay">
<!-- For filled buttons, your theme's colorPrimary provides the default background color of the component -->
<item name="colorPrimary">#color/green</item>
</style>
The option#2 requires at least the version 1.1.0.
You can use one of these styles:
Filled Button (default): style="#style/Widget.MaterialComponents.Button
Text Button: style="#style/Widget.MaterialComponents.Button.TextButton"
OutlinedButton: style="#style/Widget.MaterialComponents.Button.OutlinedButton"
OLD Support Library:
With the new Support Library 28.0.0, the Design Library now contains the MaterialButton.
You can add this button to our layout file with:
<android.support.design.button.MaterialButton
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="YOUR TEXT"
android:textSize="18sp"
app:icon="#drawable/ic_android_white_24dp" />
By default this class will use the accent colour of your theme for the buttons filled background colour along with white for the buttons text colour.
You can customize the button with these attributes:
app:rippleColor: The colour to be used for the button ripple effect
app:backgroundTint: Used to apply a tint to the background of the button. If you wish to change the background color of the button, use this attribute instead of background.
app:strokeColor: The color to be used for the button stroke
app:strokeWidth: The width to be used for the button stroke
app:cornerRadius: Used to define the radius used for the corners of the button

Here is how I got what I wanted.
First, made a button (in styles.xml):
<style name="Button">
<item name="android:textColor">#color/white</item>
<item name="android:padding">0dp</item>
<item name="android:minWidth">88dp</item>
<item name="android:minHeight">36dp</item>
<item name="android:layout_margin">3dp</item>
<item name="android:elevation">1dp</item>
<item name="android:translationZ">1dp</item>
<item name="android:background">#drawable/primary_round</item>
</style>
The ripple and background for the button, as a drawable primary_round.xml:
<ripple xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:color="#color/primary_600">
<item>
<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<corners android:radius="1dp" />
<solid android:color="#color/primary" />
</shape>
</item>
</ripple>
This added the ripple effect I was looking for.

Beside android.support.design.button.MaterialButton (which mentioned by Gabriele Mariotti),
There is also another Button widget called com.google.android.material.button.MaterialButton which has different styles and extends from AppCompatButton:
style="#style/Widget.MaterialComponents.Button"
style="#style/Widget.MaterialComponents.Button.UnelevatedButton"
style="#style/Widget.MaterialComponents.Button.TextButton"
style="#style/Widget.MaterialComponents.Button.Icon"
style="#style/Widget.MaterialComponents.Button.TextButton.Icon"
Filled, elevated Button (default):
style="#style/Widget.MaterialComponents.Button"
Filled, unelevated Button:
style="#style/Widget.MaterialComponents.Button.UnelevatedButton"
Text Button:
style="#style/Widget.MaterialComponents.Button.TextButton"
Icon Button:
style="#style/Widget.MaterialComponents.Button.Icon"
app:icon="#drawable/icon_24px" // Icons can be added from this
A text Button with an icon::
Read: https://material.io/develop/android/components/material-button/
A convenience class for creating a new Material button.
This class supplies updated Material styles for the button in the
constructor. The widget will display the correct default Material
styles without the use of the style flag.

Here is a sample that will help in applying button style consistently across your app.
Here is a sample Theme I used with the specific styles..
<style name="MyTheme" parent="#style/Theme.AppCompat.Light">
<item name="colorPrimary">#color/primary</item>
<item name="colorPrimaryDark">#color/primary_dark</item>
<item name="colorAccent">#color/accent</item>
<item name="android:buttonStyle">#style/ButtonAppTheme</item>
</style>
<style name="ButtonAppTheme" parent="android:Widget.Material.Button">
<item name="android:background">#drawable/material_button</item>
</style>
This is how I defined the button shape & effects inside res/drawable-v21 folder...
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<ripple xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:color="?attr/colorControlHighlight">
<item>
<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<corners android:radius="2dp" />
<solid android:color="#color/primary" />
</shape>
</item>
</ripple>
2dp corners are to keep it consistent with Material theme.

I tried a lot of answer & third party libs, but none was keeping the border and raised effect on pre-lollipop while having the ripple effect on lollipop without drawback. Here is my final solution combining several answers (border/raised are not well rendered on gifs due to grayscale color depth) :
Lollipop
Pre-lollipop
build.gradle
compile 'com.android.support:cardview-v7:23.1.1'
layout.xml
<android.support.v7.widget.CardView
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:card_view="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
android:id="#+id/card"
card_view:cardElevation="2dp"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
card_view:cardMaxElevation="8dp"
android:layout_margin="6dp"
>
<Button
android:id="#+id/button"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_margin="0dp"
android:background="#drawable/btn_bg"
android:text="My button"/>
</android.support.v7.widget.CardView>
drawable-v21/btn_bg.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<ripple xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:color="?attr/colorControlHighlight">
<item android:drawable="?attr/colorPrimary"/>
</ripple>
drawable/btn_bg.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<item android:drawable="#color/colorPrimaryDark" android:state_pressed="true"/>
<item android:drawable="#color/colorPrimaryDark" android:state_focused="true"/>
<item android:drawable="#color/colorPrimary"/>
</selector>
Activity's onCreate
final CardView cardView = (CardView) findViewById(R.id.card);
final Button button = (Button) findViewById(R.id.button);
button.setOnTouchListener(new View.OnTouchListener() {
ObjectAnimator o1 = ObjectAnimator.ofFloat(cardView, "cardElevation", 2, 8)
.setDuration
(80);
ObjectAnimator o2 = ObjectAnimator.ofFloat(cardView, "cardElevation", 8, 2)
.setDuration
(80);
#Override
public boolean onTouch(View v, MotionEvent event) {
switch (event.getAction()) {
case MotionEvent.ACTION_DOWN:
o1.start();
break;
case MotionEvent.ACTION_CANCEL:
case MotionEvent.ACTION_UP:
o2.start();
break;
}
return false;
}
});

1) You can create rounded corner button by defining xml drawable and you can increase or decrease radius to increase or decrease roundness of button corner.
Set this xml drawable as background of button.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<inset xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:insetLeft="4dp"
android:insetTop="6dp"
android:insetRight="4dp"
android:insetBottom="6dp">
<ripple android:color="?attr/colorControlHighlight">
<item>
<shape android:shape="rectangle"
android:tint="#0091ea">
<corners android:radius="10dp" />
<solid android:color="#1a237e" />
<padding android:bottom="6dp" />
</shape>
</item>
</ripple>
</inset>
2) To change default shadow and shadow transition animation between button states, you need to define selector and apply it to button using android:stateListAnimator property. For complete button customization reference : http://www.zoftino.com/android-button

I've just created an android library, that allows you to easily modify the button color and the ripple color
https://github.com/xgc1986/RippleButton
<com.xgc1986.ripplebutton.widget.RippleButton
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:id="#+id/btn"
android:text="Android button modified in layout"
android:textColor="#android:color/white"
app:buttonColor="#android:color/black"
app:rippleColor="#android:color/white"/>
You don't need to create an style for every button you want wit a different color, allowing you to customize the colors randomly

// here is the custom button style
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<item>
<shape>
<gradient
android:angle="45"
android:centerColor="#color/colorPrimary"
android:startColor="#color/colorPrimaryDark"
android:endColor="#color/colorAccent"
>
</gradient>
<corners
android:topLeftRadius="10dp"
android:topRightRadius="10dp"
android:bottomLeftRadius="10dp"
android:bottomRightRadius="10dp"
>
</corners>
<stroke
android:width="2dp"
android:color="#color/colorWhite"
>
</stroke>
</shape>
</item>
</selector>

you can give aviation to the view by adding z axis to it and can have default shadow to it. this feature was provided in L preview and will be available after it release. For now you can simply add a image the gives this look for button background