Develop Reference

Overlay of layout in android

I think to do a overlay of layout, this is the code that I have now.:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:background="#color/white">
<ScrollView
android:id="#+id/content_scroll"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent">
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/container_main"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:orientation="vertical">
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/text_search"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="60dp"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:background="#color/white"
android:weightSum="2">
<EditText
android:id="#+id/input_search"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:hint="#string/placeholder_search"
android:layout_margin="5dp"
android:layout_weight="1.5"
android:inputType="text"
android:padding="5dp"
android:drawableRight="#drawable/ic_search"
android:background="#drawable/style_input"
android:imeOptions="actionSend"/>
<ImageView
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="0.5"
android:src="#drawable/img_header" />
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/list_search"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:layout_marginTop="-5dp"
android:layout_gravity="top"
android:orientation="vertical">
<TextView
android:id="#+id/no_result"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:padding="10dp"
android:visibility="gone"
android:text="#string/no_result"
android:gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical|center"/>
<ListView
android:id="#+id/search_categorias"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"></ListView>
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/container_buttons_tall"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="50dp"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:background="#drawable/style_header">
<TextView
android:id="#+id/otherlayout1"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:visibility="gone"
android:text="Other Layout" />
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/container_buttons_tall1"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="50dp"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:background="#drawable/style_header"
android:weightSum="3">
<TextView
android:id="#+id/otherlayout2"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:visibility="gone"
android:text="Other Layout 2" />
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/container_buttons_tall2"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="50dp"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:background="#drawable/style_header"">
<TextView
android:id="#+id/otherlayoutn"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:visibility="gone"
android:text="Other Layout N" />
</LinearLayout>
</ScrollView>
</RelativeLayout>
I want to overlay the next layouts after of the ID "#+id/text_search" with the rest, this list is the a search and show suggestions to users.
This list will overlay about others layouts that I define below, if the user want to make a search.
Are there some way easy of overlay? Or tutorial that can help me. I try to use RelativeLayout, but I didn't get to make it well.
Thanks in advance.

you can use the Relative Layout for this, but you need to specify the relations (thats why relative => relative to what)
means you have to set the postion of your +id/text_search relative to parent.
and also the elements which should do the overlayer have to be relative to parent.
todo so relative Layout uses layout properties like: below=(ID) toRightOf(ID) and so on.
you can start reading about it here:
http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/ui/layout/relative.html
but for the search you want todo, there is already a good advice howto it: so i recommend reading this article:
http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/search/search-dialog.html
and doing it right, like all the others apps do it, your customers will be satisfied then (don't need to learn something new )

Using a RelativeLayout to split a layout evenly

I have a Listview where each listview item looks like this!
The ListViewItem is a RelativeLayout. Now I am having problem in creating the two split-screen buttons. Currently I'm doing it like this.
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent">
<LinearLayout
android:layout_height="fill_parent" android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_below="#+id/ReviewText">
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_weight="1"
android:layout_height="fill_parent" android:layout_width="0dp"
android:onClick="likeClicked"
android:clickable="true" >
<!-- SOME CODE -->
</RelativeLayout>
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_weight="1"
android:layout_height="fill_parent" android:layout_width="0dp"
android:onClick="likeClicked"
android:clickable="true" >
<!-- SOME CODE -->
</RelativeLayout>
</LinearLayout>
<RelativeLayout>
This is working perfectly fine, but the android dev documentation here says that
Furthermore, nesting several instances of LinearLayout that use the
layout_weight parameter can be especially expensive as each child
needs to be measured twice. This is particularly important when the
layout is inflated repeatedly, such as when used in a ListView or
GridView.
Can I improve my code for performance. If yes, How? Is there any other way to have two buttons split evenly without using LinearLayout?

In order to minimize layout nesting, so to optimize performances, I'd write a layout (which does take advantage of the layout's relativity) like this one:
<RelativeLayout
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
>
<View
android:id="#+id/dummy"
android:layout_width="1dp"
android:layout_height="1dp"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:visibility="invisible"
/>
<Button
android:id="#+id/btnLeft"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_toLeftOf="#id/dummy"
android:onClick="likeClicked"
android:clickable="true"
/>
<Button
android:id="#+id/btnRite"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_toRightOf="#id/dummy"
android:onClick="likeClicked"
android:clickable="true"
/>
<RelativeLayout>
I put a dummy View which is aligned to the center, then 2 buttons which I align to the left and to the right side of it.

For a simple layout like your's LinearLayout's are perfect choice. The only thing to be wary about is nesting layout weight's inside a view whose parent already has a layout-weight assigned. This is perfectly ok:
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/imageView1"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:src="#drawable/ic_launcher" />
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content" >
<Button
android:id="#+id/button1"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:text="Button" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/button2"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Button" />
</LinearLayout>
While this is not:
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent" >
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<Button
android:id="#+id/button1"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="1" > <!-- nesting this way is bad for performance -->
android:text="Button" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/button2"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:text="Button" />
</Button>
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<!-- this is ok -->
<Button
android:id="#+id/button2"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Button" />
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>

<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent">
<place top item layout here>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_height="fill_parent" android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:weightSum="2">
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_height="fill_parent" android:layout_width="0dp"
android:onClick="likeClicked"
android:clickable="true"
android:layout_weight="1"
>
<!-- SOME CODE -->
</RelativeLayout>
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_weight="1"
android:layout_height="fill_parent" android:layout_width="0dp"
android:onClick="likeClicked"
android:clickable="true" >
<!-- SOME CODE -->
</RelativeLayout>
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>

Hope , The performance can be improved if you follow the listed points
First thins don't use much XML code when you need something dynamically
instead of creating the 2 relative layouts in XML , create a class where it extends Linear layout/Relative layout
add the views which you want to show in the list item to the above layout
Measure the height and width dynamical with in the same class
And make sure the layout is parametrized where you can pass the content dynamically
Finally , you can inflate the created view , Using getview method of an adapter**
Refer the following link
Dynamic listview content loader

Android, LinearLayout won't scroll

I am relatively new to android programing. Can anybody tell me why my ScrollView won't scroll?
My activity has implemented OnGestureListener for getting some touch information. But, I tried to disable onGestureListener and it still won't work.
It works outside of the SlidingDrawer. Is it possible to get it work inside of the SlidingDrawer?
I solved it by giving to ScrollView ID and then put that ID in SlidingDrawer android:content="#+id/content".
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_gravity="right"
android:background="#drawable/pozadina_touchpad"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="100dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_gravity="right"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<SlidingDrawer
android:id="#+id/prosirenje"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:content="#+id/content"
android:handle="#+id/handle" >
<Button
android:id="#+id/handle"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:background="#drawable/gumb_slider"
/>
<ScrollView
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content">
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/content"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:background="#drawable/slider"
android:gravity="center"
android:onClick="nemaSkrola"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<Button
android:id="#+id/ico_povecalo"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_margin="20dp"
android:background="#drawable/ikona_povecalo" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/ico_desktop"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_margin="20dp"
android:background="#drawable/ikona_komp" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/ico_daljinski"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_margin="20dp"
android:background="#drawable/ikona_play" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/ico_tipkovnica"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_margin="20dp"
android:background="#drawable/ikona_tipka" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/ico_settings"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_margin="20dp"
android:background="#drawable/ikona_settings" />
</LinearLayout>
</ScrollView>
</SlidingDrawer>
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>

give some value to scrollView's width and height and try like this
<ScrollView
android:id="#id/content"
android:layout_width="300dp"
android:layout_height="300dp"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:layout_marginTop="15dp">
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="vertical" >
</LinearLayout>
</ScrollView>
please change scrollview id like this:
android:id="#id/content"
please change handle button id like this:
android:id="#id/handle"

The containers (hierarchical parents) of the ScrollView have the following attribute set this way: android:layout_height="match_parent", which forces them to limit their content to the height of the activity (screen).
For your ScrollView to work, try to get the ScrollView to a higher hierarchical level, so that won't be constrained by its parent.

Android webview fullscreen

I have a layout where I need to show a webview on part of the screen. I've set the layout up and in the Graphical Layout in Eclipse, it does look as I want to, like this (logo and heading blacked out):
However when I open this layout in the simulator or on a Phone it shows the WebView as a full screen. How do I make a layout like this? Any help is much appreciated!
Here's my XML:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
style="#style/Theme.KB_default"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:background="#drawable/header_background_shape" >
<TextView
android:id="#+id/heading"
style="#style/Theme.KB_header"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:text="#string/app_name" >
</TextView>
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/imageViewPadlock"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:layout_centerVertical="true"
android:layout_marginLeft="10dp"
android:contentDescription="#string/global_secure_connection"
android:src="#drawable/padlock" />
</RelativeLayout>
<View
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="1dip"
android:background="#color/black" >
</View>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_weight="0.41"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<WebView
android:id="#+id/webview"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent" />
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/imageView1"
android:layout_width="40dp"
android:layout_height="20dp"
android:layout_marginBottom="5dp"
android:layout_marginLeft="15dp"
android:contentDescription="#string/global_logo"
android:scaleType="fitXY"
android:src="#drawable/logo_transparrent_notext" />
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>

make one of table block as webview
check this link
http://developer.android.com/reference/android/widget/TableLayout.html
You can also check this example by using dialog
http://www.41post.com/4673/programming/android-creating-a-webview-dialog

Well I seem to be the stupidist guy alive. My layout worked but I forgot to add " setContentView(xml.file);" so it never loaded the XML... Stupid

how to design great design's for a Android Activity

What I'm Trying to do
At the moment I'm creating a design for my Activity, which has different kind of "boxes" in it. Every of those "boxes", has diffrent informations in it. I created the design by hand on a piece of paper, but I won't get the idea down in my .xml!!
Question
On the bottom of this post you'll find a copyed "box" which I'd like to create for my app. Please help me to realize this, because I really don't get how to do this in my XML! I'm working with Android 4.0 (ICS).

Something like this should work:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:id="#+id/layout"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<TextView
android:id="#+id/box_title"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Box Title" />
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/box_content"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:orientation="horizontal" >
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/box_content"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<TextView
android:id="#+id/box_content_1"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Hans Max" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/box_content_2"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Maxiburger 12" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/box_content_3"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="8002, Muster" />
</LinearLayout>
<ImageButton
android:id="#+id/box_button"
android:layout_weight="5"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent" />
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>

I give you the pseudo layout:
<RelativeLayout>
<TextView
full width
id:infobox/>
<Button
layoutParentRight
below infobox/>
<TextView
layout_below infobox
toLeftOf button/>
// repeat the textView above and always below the previous one
</RelativeLayout>
With LinearLayouts:
<LinearLayout>
<TextView infobox/>
<LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout>
<TextView />
<TextView />
<TextView />
</LinearLayout>
<Button/>
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>
As you see it is much more complex and bloated. As I always get confused by horizontal/vertical orientation I leave this to you to find out :)
Just experiment and if you can't get it to work, update your answer with the layout you tried.