Develop Reference

How can I create a multiline, multicolumn list item layout?

I am creating a messaging app and am currently working on the inbox. I'm using a RecyclerView to display the list of conversations and would like each list item to look like this:
Leftmost is the contact image at 90dp x 90dp
The first row has two columns--the contact name and the date. The date should not be a fixed size as I currently have it, but fit at most DD/MM/YYYY (can be smaller in the case of something like "Sunday") and should be anchored to the right margin. The contact(s) should expand as necessary to fill any space up to the date.
The second row contains as much text of the last message as will fit.
I was going to use layout_weight but that doesn't work in a RelativeLayout (and doesn't allow the contact names to elongate in the case of a shorter date) and LinearLayout doesn't let me use layout_toEndOf. I'm a newbie at Android development so I'm not sure if one of those is the "right" answer.
What's the proper way of accomplishing the layout I'm looking for?
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content">
<RelativeLayout
android:id="#+id/conversation_info"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:padding="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin">
<RelativeLayout
android:id="#+id/conversation_image_layout"
android:layout_width="90dp"
android:layout_height="90dp">
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/conversation_contact_image"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent" />
</RelativeLayout>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/conversation_contact_name"
android:layout_width="200dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_marginTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:gravity="center_vertical"
android:textSize="#dimen/conversations_contact_font_size"
android:layout_toEndOf="#id/conversation_image_layout" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/conversation_date"
android:layout_width="200dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_toEndOf="#id/conversation_contact_name"
android:gravity="right"
android:paddingRight="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:textSize="#dimen/conversations_date_font_size" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/conversation_snippet"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_below="#id/conversation_contact_name"
android:textSize="#dimen/conversations_snippet_font_size"
android:layout_toRightOf="#id/conversation_image_layout" />
</RelativeLayout>
</LinearLayout>
This is what a list item currently looks like (I haven't loaded contact images yet). It's fine for the most part (though my layout code is probably incredibly bloated so I'd appreciate if anyone could point out ways to make it more concise) but notice how the date isn't on the same level as the contact name and wraps:

One of the textView in question has the MarginTop attribute, and the other one doesn't. Either remove it on both or add it to both:
<TextView
android:id="#+id/conversation_contact_name"
android:layout_width="200dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_marginTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:gravity="center_vertical"
android:textSize="#dimen/conversations_contact_font_size"
android:layout_toEndOf="#id/conversation_image_layout" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/conversation_date"
android:layout_width="200dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_toEndOf="#id/conversation_contact_name"
android:gravity="right"
android:layout_marginTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:paddingRight="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:textSize="#dimen/conversations_date_font_size" />
Also, I'd recommend that you use Linear Layouts with nested Linear Layouts and weights, for better performance on different screens and devices. This may all fall apart if you run it on a different device. Don't trust me, try it :)

After it became clear to me that some of the layout parameters didn't mean what I thought they did, I spent some more time looking at my choices.
It is not recommended to nest LinearLayouts/use layout_weight within a list item, as the number of views created increases rapidly as more items are added. I managed to minify my code and keep it in a single RelativeLayout with the following code:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:id="#+id/conversation_info"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:padding="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin">
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/conversation_contact_image"
android:layout_width="64dp"
android:layout_height="64dp"/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/conversation_contact_name"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:textSize="#dimen/conversations_contact_font_size"
android:layout_toEndOf="#id/conversation_contact_image"/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/conversation_date"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentEnd="true"
android:layout_alignBaseline="#id/conversation_contact_name"
android:textSize="#dimen/conversations_date_font_size"/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/conversation_snippet"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_below="#id/conversation_contact_name"
android:textSize="#dimen/conversations_snippet_font_size"
android:layout_toEndOf="#id/conversation_contact_image"/>
</RelativeLayout>
Notable changes:
No nested tags - It was unnecessary to group the first line in its own layout
Used layout_alignBaseline - #Vucko pointed out that I was using marginTop on the contact name but not the date. Even after removing it, the two were still misaligned. android:gravity had no effect and it turns out none of these actually affect the text inside the layout
Used layout_alignParentEnd to fix the date issue. I've realized that in my case, a layout component usually only needs to reference one other in order to properly align itself relative to the rest of the layout.

Shinobi Android Library Multiple graphs

I am using Shinobi Android library to create different graphs like pie,bar and etc.
I have a childFragment (Created dynamically) , In that fragment I want to place multiple graphs one below other. For that I have created a LinearLayout with vertical orientation within a ScrollView. My plan is to adding graphs or charts one by one as childs of LinearLayout. This plan is not working, No matter how many children I added only one child is visible. This is happening only for Shinobi graphs views, If I add buttons or any other views I can see all the children when I scroll.
Problem Point: How can I insert multiple shinobi graphs one over the other in a Linearlayout?
Fragment Layout
<RelativeLayout 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"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent">
<ScrollView
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:fillViewport="true">
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/fragmentLayout"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:orientation="vertical">
<android.support.v7.widget.CardView
android:id="#+id/messageCard"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content">
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:padding="16dp">
<TextView
android:id="#+id/messageLabel"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
android:text="Message:"
android:textColor="#color/accent_material_light"
android:textSize="18sp" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/messageTextView"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_below="#+id/messageLabel" />
</RelativeLayout>
</android.support.v7.widget.CardView>
</LinearLayout>
</ScrollView>
</RelativeLayout>

I work for ShinobiControls and placing multiple charts in a ScrollView is a fairly common use case. We have seen a number of successful implementations of this in the past, so I suspect this may simply be an issue with your layout.
I appreciate that you have posted the layout in which you demonstrate that multiple non-shinobi Views can be added to a ScrollView. Could you please post the layout file which includes the ShinobiCharts? This should help us spot the cause, and if necessary we can try it here at ShinobiHQ.
Thanks,
Kai.

Android/XML - How to align an immobile layout to top of parent and have scrollview below?

Please refer to example below. I want to have the top layout (below encased in red) to be unmoving in a scrollview in my activity. I have a scrollview as the parent layout and then I thought having a relative layout for the top one would work, and align it to the top, but that didn't really work out as it still remained within the scrollview. I would like to have the users have the red-layout box remain static when they scroll down.
I figure I would also have to put in a topMargin at the top of the scrollview or something in order to fit the redbox layout in.
XML Code posted here: http://pastebin.com/bxdREbeG

Do something like this (hand code, for reference only):
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent">
<RelativeLayout
android:id="#+id/YourTopStaticView"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="48dp"> //Or any other height you want
//Contents of the top view
</RelativeLyout>
<ScrollView
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_below="#id/YourTopStaticView">
//Contents of the ScrollView
</ScrollView>
</RelativeLayout>
As a side note, do not hardcode children into the ScrollView like that. Use the RecyclerView (which is an updated, modern replacement for ListView), which you will be expected to know how to use if you want to move into serious Android programming. It is actually super easy to use, once you get the hang of it :-)

You should use the ScrollView with only one child (official documentation - http://developer.android.com/reference/android/widget/ScrollView.html). According to your xml, your ScrollView is very complicated with a lot of child widgets.
The best option for you is to use a LinearLayout as the root for the whole container, a LinearLayout( or Relative) for the top layout containing the Reset and Save buttons, and a ListView for the long list that you have. ListView takes care of it's own scrolling. So you don't have to worry about that.
This will improve your code performance as well.

This should suit your needs:
<RelativeLayout
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent">
<RelativeLayout android:id="#+id/topPanel"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:padding="5dp">
<TextView android:id="#+id/label"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_centerVertical="true"
android:text="Multi TTS Implementation"/>
<Button android:id="#+id/save"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
android:layout_centerVertical="true"
android:text="SAVE"/>
<Button android:id="#+id/resetAll"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_toLeftOf="#id/save"
android:layout_centerVertical="true"
android:text="RESET ALL"/>
</RelativeLayout>
<ScrollView android:id="#id/scroll"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_below="#id/topPanel"
android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
android:padding="5dp">
<!-- Your scrollable content here -->
</ScrollView>
</RelativeLayout>

How to efficiently switch out the parent layout between linear to relative depending on a condition?

I have a condition that says if it's a textview then use a relative layout to hold it, however, if it is a youtubeplayersupportfragment, then use a linear layout. The reasoning behind this is because the youtube player api "doesn't allow view overlays" -_-*. Anyway, I enjoy having the view overlay in any other case besides the youtubeplayersupportfragment, and I just want to use weighting in the case of the youtubeplayer, so that it will comply with the terms of service, and balance the views so that none are overlaying.
My real question is: is it possible to efficiently interchange parent layouts holding items without causing too much overhead? I understand that this is a very specific case, so there probably is no way to do this, and I will probably end up being forced to always use a linear layout to comply with TOS :(
Please help a new androiddev out!
Also, is there a way to force it so that there is no overlay in a relative layout?
edit:
Ok so, here's my layout so far. Don't mind the surfaceview, it's helping a youtube glitch...
I'd like to change the HackyViewPager, to delete the layout_above parameter when there is a youtube fragment loaded into the viewpager. Is there a way to delete a parameter like that? If there is not, then is there a way to say 'Layout_above="bottom of the screen"?'
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
tools:context="${packageName}.${activityClass}"
android:background="#000000"
android:orientation="vertical">
<asdfsdf.adfaf.asfdfa.HackyViewPager
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:id="#+id/pager"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentBottom="false"
android:layout_above="#id/popupMenuButton"
android:layout_centerVertical="true"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"/>
<SurfaceView
android:layout_width="0px"
android:layout_height="0px"
android:visibility="gone"
android:id="#+id/surfaceView" />
<ImageButton
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:id="#+id/popupMenuButton"
android:layout_gravity="end"
style="?android:attr/borderlessButtonStyle"
android:src="#drawable/popupmenubutton"
android:background="#null"
android:onClick="showPopupMenu"
android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
android:layout_alignParentEnd="true" />
</RelativeLayout>

LinearLayout space distribution

I have a complex layout situation in which an horizontal LinearLayout holds two other LinearLayouts. The content for those layouts is dynamic, can be any kind of views, and is generated at runtime from different independent sources.
I want to display both of them as long as there is enough space, and limit them to 50% of the available space each otherwise. So I want those child LinearLayouts to have layout_width="wrap_content" when there is enough space, and layout_weight="0.5" when there isn't. This means that the space distribution could be 10-90, 25-75, 60-40; it would only be 50-50 when there isn't enough space to show the entire content of both views. So far I haven't find a way to do this from XML, so I'm doing it from code. My question is can I achieve what I want using only XML attributes? Will a different kind of layout be able to do it?
Here is my current layout XML:
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:gravity="center_vertical"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:padding="2dp" >
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/title_frame"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="48dp"/>
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/options_frame"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="48dp"/>
</LinearLayout>

Try this.
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:gravity="center_vertical"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:padding="2dp" >
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/title_frame"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="48dp" android:layout_weight="1">
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/options_frame"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="48dp" android:layout_weight="1">
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>
I tried it with textviews and this should work according to ure requirements.

It appears this cannot be achieved using only XML attributes.

Change layout_width="wrap_content" to layout_width="fill_parent" as you are using weight concept .