Develop Reference

Determine default colour of background of Android buttons

How can I find the colour used for a default button's background, both when it is clicked and not. I've tried to use android.R.drawable.btn_default for not clicked, but this color is lighter then default on my tablet.

Then use custom color using selector eg customstyle.xml under drawable and using this as background for your button. Sample code its working fine for me.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<item android:state_pressed="true" >
<shape>
<solid
android:color="#f8f9fa" />
<stroke
android:width="1dp"
android:color="#d2d2d2" />
<corners
android:radius="1dp" />
</shape>
</item>
<item>
<shape>
<gradient
android:startColor="#f8f9fa"
android:endColor="#d2d2d2"
android:angle="270" />
<stroke
android:width="1dp"
android:color="#d2d2d2" />
<corners
android:radius="1dp" />
</shape>
</item>
</selector>

Change shape on an inflated View - Android

I have the following shapes :
1)quizgeneralanswershape.xml:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" android:shape="rectangle" >
<corners android:radius="100dp"/>
<gradient
android:angle="45"
android:centerX="35%"
android:startColor="#E8E8E8"
android:centerColor="#7995A8"
android:endColor="#000000"
android:type="linear"
/>
<padding
android:left="0dp"
android:top="0dp"
android:right="0dp"
android:bottom="0dp"
/>
<size
android:width="270dp"
android:height="60dp"
/>
<stroke
android:width="3dp"
android:color="#878787"
/>
2)quizrightanswer.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" android:shape="rectangle" >
<corners android:radius="100dp"/>
<gradient
android:angle="45"
android:centerX="35%"
android:startColor="#00FF80"
android:centerColor="#66FFB2"
android:endColor="#000000"
android:type="linear"
/>
<padding
android:left="0dp"
android:top="0dp"
android:right="0dp"
android:bottom="0dp"
/>
<size
android:width="270dp"
android:height="60dp"
/>
<stroke
android:width="3dp"
android:color="#878787"
/>
there are also 2 more xml files in layout folder that I have created in order to describe my wanted layout using the shape I want. Here is one: quizrightanswer.xml:
<Button xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:id="#+id/quizButton"
android:text="Button"
android:textColor="#FFFFFF"
android:textSize="13sp"
android:layout_width="270dp"
android:layout_height="60dp"
android:background="#drawable/quizrightanswershape"
android:clickable="true"
/>
I have no problem inflating one specific shape and use it. However, i wanted to know if there is any way to give a new shape to a already existed object. To be more clear, I want on the OnClick event to change the shape of my button. Here is some code of my activity that works fine:
quizTableLayout = (TableLayout) findViewById(R.id.quizTableLayout);
view = LayoutInflater.from(this).inflate(R.layout.quizquestion, null);//works fine
I want in the view object to give a quizrightanswershape shape on click. How is this possible? A solution I thinked of is deleting old shape and inflate new one with using specific parameters of my old view (like text), but I think that's not right and not fast at all.

It's pretty easy. You're setting the general shape as the background to the button right? Yeah so, use findViewById to find your button in your layout and then attach an OnClickListener, in which you will use setBackground or setBackgroundDrawable to the button to change the background shape.

why you are not change background of your button simply?
in easy way you can change it like this:
mButton.setBackground(getResources().getDrawable(R.drawable.yourShape));
if you want button shape change if user click on it and if not press again have old shape so
you can use shape like this:
<selector
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="wrap_content" >
<item android:state_pressed="true" android:state_focused="true">
<shape>
<gradient
android:startColor="#f00"
android:endColor="#f00"
android:angle="270"/>
<stroke
android:width="2dp"
android:color="#eee"/>
<corners
android:radius="3dp" />
</shape>
</item>
<item>
<shape>
<gradient
android:startColor="#ccc"
android:endColor="#ccc"
android:angle="270"/>
<stroke
android:width="2dp"
android:color="#ccc"/>
<corners
android:radius="3dp" />
</shape>
</item>
</selector>

RGB color codes

I'm trying to use a background color for a listview. But i cannot find the RGB color codes that i need.
I'm using this xml code to put a background color .And it works correctly but it's not the color i want.
I'm trying to use a background like this for my listview
My xml code for listview background color
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" >
<item android:state_pressed="true" >
<shape android:shape="rectangle" >
<corners android:radius="3dip" />
<stroke android:width="1dip" android:color="#5e7974" />
<gradient android:angle="-90" android:startColor="#345953" android:endColor="#689a92" />
</shape>
</item>
<item android:state_focused="true">
<shape android:shape="rectangle" >
<corners android:radius="3dip" />
<stroke android:width="1dip" android:color="#5e7974" />
<solid android:color="#58857e"/>
</shape>
</item>
<item >
<shape android:shape="rectangle" >
<corners android:radius="3dip" />
<stroke android:width="1dip" android:color="#5e7974" />
<gradient android:angle="-90" android:startColor="#8dbab3" android:endColor="#58857e" />
</shape>
</item>
</selector>

First thing the color which your using is gradient effect you can achieve it through coding as i am mentioning below
in your case
<gradient
android:angle="270"
android:startColor="#808080"
android:endColor="#363636"
android:type="linear"
/>
angle will be 270, type will be linear and color as i mentioned above
SAMPLE SNIPPEST HOW TO USE
code in your XML file for Button (this is sample snippest for your understanding)
<Button
android:id="#+id/button1"
android:text=""
android:textColor="#FFFFFF"
android:textSize="30sp"
android:layout_width="270dp"
android:layout_height="60dp"
android:background="#drawable/buttonshape"
/>
and save below code in file buttonshape.xml and put that file in drawable folder under res folder
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" android:shape="rectangle" >
<corners
android:radius="7dp"
/>
<gradient
android:angle="270"
android:startColor="#808080"
android:endColor="#363636"
android:type="linear"
/>
<padding
android:left="0dp"
android:top="0dp"
android:right="0dp"
android:bottom="0dp"
/>
<size
android:width="270dp"
android:height="60dp"
/>
</shape>
for reference you can use this online tool it will help you lot
please click here for online tool
hope this will help you happy coding

In Color code, #RRGGBB, R is the code for red, G is the code for green while B is the code for blue.
To get grey color, the RR, GG, and BB values have to be of same value e.g. #454545.
Smaller values give you darker shade of grey while larger values give you lighter shade of grey. For example #222222 is darker than #AAAAAA.
The code that is similar to the image you post is #454545.
Hope that helps.

Android LinearLayout : Add border with shadow around a LinearLayout

I would like to create the same border of this LinearLayout as the example :
In this example, we can see that the border is not the same all around the linearLayout.
How can I create this using an XML drawable file?
For now, I have only able to create a simple border all around the LinearLayout like this :
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" android:shape="rectangle">
<corners
android:radius="1dp"
android:topRightRadius="0dp"
android:bottomRightRadius="0dp"
android:bottomLeftRadius="0dp" />
<stroke
android:width="1dp"
android:color="#E3E3E1" />
<solid android:color="#color/blanc" />
</shape>

Try this..
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<layer-list xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<item>
<shape android:shape="rectangle">
<solid android:color="#CABBBBBB"/>
<corners android:radius="2dp" />
</shape>
</item>
<item
android:left="0dp"
android:right="0dp"
android:top="0dp"
android:bottom="2dp">
<shape android:shape="rectangle">
<solid android:color="#android:color/white"/>
<corners android:radius="2dp" />
</shape>
</item>
</layer-list>

That's why CardView exists. CardView | Android Developers
It's just a FrameLayout that supports elevation in pre-lollipop devices.
<android.support.v7.widget.CardView
xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
app:cardUseCompatPadding="true"
app:cardElevation="4dp"
app:cardCornerRadius="3dp" >
<!-- put whatever you want -->
</android.support.v7.widget.CardView>
To use this you need to add dependency to build.gradle:
compile 'com.android.support:cardview-v7:23.+'

I get the best looking results by using a 9 patch graphic.
You can simply create an individual 9 patch graphic by using the following editor:
http://inloop.github.io/shadow4android/
Example:
The 9 patch graphic:
The result:
The source:
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="200dp"
android:layout_height="200dp"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:background="#drawable/my_nine_patch"

okay, i know this is way too late. but i had the same requirement. i solved like this
1.First create a xml file (example: border_shadow.xml) in "drawable"
folder and copy the below code into it.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<layer-list xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:shape="rectangle" >
<item>
<shape>
<!-- set the shadow color here -->
<stroke
android:width="2dp"
android:color="#7000" />
<!-- setting the thickness of shadow (positive value will give shadow on that side) -->
<padding
android:bottom="2dp"
android:left="2dp"
android:right="-1dp"
android:top="-1dp" />
<corners android:radius="3dp" />
</shape>
</item>
<!-- Background -->
<item>
<shape>
<solid android:color="#fff" />
<corners android:radius="3dp" />
</shape>
</item>
</layer-list>
2.now on the layout where you want the shadow(example: LinearLayout) add this in android:background
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_margin="8dip"
android:background="#drawable/border_shadow"
android:orientation="vertical">
and that worked for me.

This is so simple:
Create a drawable file with a gradient like this:
for shadow below a view below_shadow.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<gradient
android:startColor="#20000000"
android:endColor="#android:color/transparent"
android:angle="270" >
</gradient>
</shape>
for shadow above a view above_shadow.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<gradient
android:startColor="#20000000"
android:endColor="#android:color/transparent"
android:angle="90" >
</gradient>
</shape>
and so on for right and left shadow just change the angle of the gradient :)

As an alternative, you might use a 9 patch image as the background for your layout, allowing for more "natural" shadows:
Result:
Put the image in your /res/drawable folder.
Make sure the file extension is .9.png, not .png
By the way, this is a modified (reduced to the minimum square size) of an existing resource found in the API 19 sdk resources folder.
I left the red markers, since they don't seem to be harmful, as shown in the draw9patch tool.
[EDIT]
About 9 patches, in case you never had anything to do with them.
Simply add it as the background of your View.
The black-marked areas (left and top) will stretch (vertically, horizontally).
The black-marked areas (right, bottom) define the "content area" (where it's possible to add text or Views - you can call the unmarked regions "padding", if you like to).
Tutorial: http://radleymarx.com/blog/simple-guide-to-9-patch/

You create a file .xml in drawable with name drop_shadow.xml:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<!--<item android:state_pressed="true">
<layer-list>
<item android:left="4dp" android:top="4dp">
<shape>
<solid android:color="#35000000" />
<corners android:radius="2dp"/>
</shape>
</item>
...
</layer-list>
</item>-->
<item>
<layer-list>
<!-- SHADOW LAYER -->
<!--<item android:top="4dp" android:left="4dp">
<shape>
<solid android:color="#35000000" />
<corners android:radius="2dp" />
</shape>
</item>-->
<!-- SHADOW LAYER -->
<item>
<shape>
<solid android:color="#35000000" />
<corners android:radius="2dp" />
</shape>
</item>
<!-- CONTENT LAYER -->
<item android:bottom="3dp" android:left="1dp" android:right="3dp" android:top="1dp">
<shape>
<solid android:color="#ffffff" />
<corners android:radius="1dp" />
</shape>
</item>
</layer-list>
</item>
</selector>
Then:
<LinearLayout
...
android:background="#drawable/drop_shadow"/>

1.First create a xml file name shadow.xml in "drawable" folder and copy the below code into it.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<layer-list xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<item>
<shape android:shape="rectangle">
<solid android:color="#CABBBBBB" />
<corners android:radius="10dp" />
</shape>
</item>
<item
android:bottom="6dp"
android:left="0dp"
android:right="6dp"
android:top="0dp">
<shape android:shape="rectangle">
<solid android:color="#android:color/white" />
<corners android:radius="4dp" />
</shape>
</item>
</layer-list>
Then add the the layer-list as background in your LinearLayout.
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/header_bar"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:background="#drawable/shadow"
android:orientation="vertical">

Use this single line and hopefully you will achieve the best result;
use:
android:elevation="3dp" Adjust the size as much as you need and this is the best and simplest way to achieve the shadow like buttons and other default android shadows.
Let me know if it worked!

If you already have the border from shape just add elevation:
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/layout"
...
android:elevation="2dp"
android:background="#drawable/rectangle" />

Ya Mahdi aj---for RelativeLayout
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<layer-list xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<item>
<shape android:shape="rectangle">
<gradient
android:startColor="#7d000000"
android:endColor="#android:color/transparent"
android:angle="90" >
</gradient>
<corners android:radius="2dp" />
</shape>
</item>
<item
android:left="0dp"
android:right="3dp"
android:top="0dp"
android:bottom="3dp">
<shape android:shape="rectangle">
<padding
android:bottom="40dp"
android:top="40dp"
android:right="10dp"
android:left="10dp"
>
</padding>
<solid android:color="#color/Whitetransparent"/>
<corners android:radius="2dp" />
</shape>
</item>
</layer-list>

I know this is late but it could help somebody.
You can use a constraintLayout and add the following property in the xml,
android:elevation="4dp"

I found the best way to tackle this.
You need to set a solid rectangle background on the layout.
Use this code - ViewCompat.setElevation(view , value)
On the parent layout set android:clipToPadding="false"

Custom Buttons in Android: How to get border/edge/frame when I read the background from xml?

Using Android Shapes in xml I have defined a gradient which I use as the background for a button.
This all works nice, but there's no edge surrounding the button. I would like it to look similar to the normal Android button but I need more flexibility to control the color and look.
The shape is defined as follows:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:shape="rectangle">
<gradient android:startColor="#FFFFFF"
android:endColor="#00FF00"
android:angle="270" />
<corners android:radius="3dp" />
<stroke android:width="5px" color="#000000" />
</shape>
I would expect the border to be set in the xml. Why doesn't "stroke" fix it? Stroke doesn't seem to do anything.
I checked the Android Developer spec, but couldn't find the answer there:
http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/resources/drawable-resource.html
I have also looked through all the properties of the Android Button, but as expected there's no such parameter, probably since it's built into the normal Android button. Btw, I checked ImageButton properties too.
Can someone please help?
I know there's the alternative to make an image with proper edges and use an ImageButton, but there really should be a way to fix this programmatically.
Thanks!
Anna

I had this problem a while ago. While I don't quite remember why I made each decision, the way I solved it was to use a a shape layer-list. This lets you stack one shape on top of another. For example, the following XML creates a shape with a solid black outline 2px wide, with a 'grey to white to grey' gradient across the middle:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<layer-list xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<item>
<shape>
<padding android:left="1dp"
android:top="1dp"
android:right="1dp"
android:bottom="1dp"/>
<solid android:color="#FF000000"/>
<corners android:radius="3dp"/>
</shape>
</item>
<item>
<shape>
<padding android:left="2dp"
android:top="2dp"
android:right="2dp"
android:bottom="2dp"/>
<gradient android:startColor="#FFB0B0B0"
android:centerColor="#FFFFFFFF"
android:endColor="#FFB0B0B0"
android:angle="315"/>
</shape>
</item>
</layer-list>
If you want to be able to change that color dynamically at runtime, then things get a lot messier. Again, the details of why I had to do things a certain way are hazy, but I ended up having to create a custom view class which contained a custom ShapeDrawable. I started off looking at the examples from the ApiDemos app which comes with the SDK - it's a very good resource.
EDIT: Another reason your stroke might not be appearing is that you forgot the android: before the color="...." bit.

I've had the same problem, what i observed is stroke is not applying to button as border at design time but at run time i see the border.
I jst used the following same code
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:shape="rectangle" android:padding="10dp">
<solid android:color="#color/black" />
<stroke android:width="1px" android:color="#color/red" />
</shape>
as steve hanley said abvoe you miss the android: for the color attribute.
Hope this helps somebody....

Probably much to late, but you have to add an extra ff before the color.
<stroke android:width="5px" color="#ff000000" />
Greets

Use ImageButton
<ImageButton
android:layout_width="40dp"
android:layout_height="30dp"
android:src="#drawable/left_arrow"
android:background="#drawable/button_selector"
android:gravity="center"/>
Use drawable selector to ImageButton and define your properties
<item android:state_pressed="true" >
<shape>
<gradient
android:startColor="#color/startColor"
android:endColor="#color/endColor"
android:angle="270" />
<stroke
android:width="0.5dp"
android:color="#color/borderColor" />
<corners
android:topLeftRadius="5dp"
android:bottomRightRadius="5dp"/>
</shape>
</item>
<item android:state_focused="true" >
<shape>
<gradient
android:startColor="#color/startColor"
android:endColor="#color/endColor"
android:angle="270" />
<stroke
android:width="0.5dp"
android:color="#color/borderColor" />
<corners
android:topLeftRadius="5dp"
android:bottomRightRadius="5dp"/>
</shape>
</item>
<item>
<shape>
<gradient
android:startColor="#color/startColor"
android:endColor="#color/endColor"
android:angle="270" />
<stroke
android:width="0.5dp"
android:color="#color/borderColor" />
<corners
android:topLeftRadius="5dp"
android:bottomRightRadius="5dp"/>
</shape>
</item>

<item android:state_enabled="false" android:drawable="#drawable/button_disabled" />
<item android:state_focused="true" android:drawable="#drawable/button_highlighted"/>
<item android:state_pressed="true" android:drawable="#drawable/button_highlighted"/>
<item>
<shape>
<gradient android:startColor="#fdfdfd" android:endColor="#f0f0f0" android:angle="270" />
<stroke android:width="1dp" android:color="#56390a" />
<corners android:radius="3dp" />
<padding android:left="10dp" android:top="10dp" android:right="10dp" android:bottom="10dp" />
</shape>
</item>
Adding stroke color #56390a will solve the problem.