Develop Reference

EditText going down screen

Android studio screenshotI have an EditText which I set the width to 0dp but made the weight 1 so that it still spans across the screen and the height is wrap_content but for some reason, it just comes up as a line going right down the screen with no width. Could you please help me to get this right?
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:id="#+id/activity_main"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:paddingBottom="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:paddingLeft="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingRight="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
tools:context="com.example.user.zidcalculator.MainActivity">
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
android:layout_alignParentStart="true">
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Enter two numbers below and perform an operation to see the output" />
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal"/>
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="enter first number"/>
<EditText
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="1"/>
</LinearLayout>
</RelativeLayout>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:id="#+id/activity_main"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:paddingBottom="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:paddingLeft="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingRight="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
android:layout_alignParentStart="true"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true">
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Enter two numbers below and perform an operation to see the output" />
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal">
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="enter first number"/>
<EditText
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="1"/>
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>
</RelativeLayout>
Your problem is in
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal"/>
it should be
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal">
</LinearLayout>

#Zid
First of all the parent RelativeLayout is not useful in your design
Second of all you was closing your second LinearLayout there only thats why it was giving you issue.
so please check following design code
<?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:orientation="vertical"
android:paddingBottom="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:paddingLeft="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingRight="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin">
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Enter two numbers below and perform an operation to see the output" />
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal">
<TextView
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:text="enter first number" />
<EditText
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="1" />
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>

Layout overlaying another layout after dynamically change

I'm suffering some problems with my layouts in my app. After changing text of TextView (dynamically) to some long text, it overlays my TableLayout. Hope you can help me to determine how to move TableLayout to visible range.
UPD. My bad, that I'm not defined which TextView I've changed. It's TextView above TableLayout with id = textView.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout 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"
android:paddingBottom="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:paddingLeft="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingRight="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
tools:context="com.example.home.myapp1.MainActivity"
android:orientation="vertical">
<TextView
android:id="#+id/textView"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:scrollbars="vertical"
android:text="Hello world!"
android:singleLine="false"/>
<TableLayout android:layout_marginTop="10dp"
android:id="#+id/table"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:stretchColumns="*">
<TableRow android:padding="5dp">
<TextView android:text="Валюта" android:gravity="center_horizontal"/>
<TextView android:text="Покупка" android:gravity="center_horizontal"/>
<TextView android:text="Продажа" android:gravity="center_horizontal"/>
</TableRow>
</TableLayout>
</LinearLayout>

Try to weight and single line to textview Like this........
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout 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"
android:paddingBottom="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:paddingLeft="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingRight="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:orientation="vertical">
<TextView
android:id="#+id/textView"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:scrollbars="vertical"
android:text="Hello world!"
android:singleLine="false"/>
<TableLayout android:layout_marginTop="10dp"
android:id="#+id/table"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:stretchColumns="*">
<TableRow android:padding="5dp"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="3">
<TextView android:text="Валюта"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:maxLines="1"
android:layout_weight="1" android:gravity="center_horizontal"/>
<TextView
android:text="Покупка"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:maxLines="1"
android:gravity="center_horizontal"/>
<TextView android:text="Продажа"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:maxLines="1"
android:gravity="center_horizontal"/>
</TableRow>
</TableLayout>
</LinearLayout>
**Here **
android:maxLines="1"
Used for View is make good if you not give this than the layout view make bad when textview length many words...or you also give the length to textview

I tried using the given layout xml and changed the text of textview dynamically (for testing purpose I changed text on button click which I placed below the TableLayout) but it was working fine until and unless TextView covers the whole screen height. If there is no limit for your textview, then should use ScrollView as the parent of your layout. So try replacing your xml content with below content and it may solve your issue:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<ScrollView 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">
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:paddingBottom="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:paddingLeft="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingRight="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
tools:context="com.example.home.myapp1.MainActivity"
android:orientation="vertical">
<TextView
android:id="#+id/textView"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:scrollbars="vertical"
android:text="Hello world!"
android:singleLine="false"/>
<TableLayout android:layout_marginTop="10dp"
android:id="#+id/table"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:stretchColumns="*">
<TableRow android:padding="5dp">
<TextView android:text="Валюта" android:gravity="center_horizontal"/>
<TextView android:text="Покупка" android:gravity="center_horizontal"/>
<TextView android:text="Продажа" android:gravity="center_horizontal"/>
</TableRow>
</TableLayout>
</LinearLayout>
</ScrollView>

two textviews in two layouts

I want to have two relative layouts side-by-side vertically and put one text view in each layout. I want each layout to take up half of the screen (hence I used android:layout_weight="50". Here is the xml code for the main activity:
<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"
android:paddingBottom="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:paddingLeft="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingRight="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
tools:context="helloworld3.myapplication.MainActivity">
<RelativeLayout
android:id="#+id/view1"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="50"
android:paddingBottom="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:paddingLeft="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingRight="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
tools:context="helloworld3.myapplication.MainActivity">
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Hello World 1!" />
</RelativeLayout>
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="50"
android:paddingBottom="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:paddingLeft="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingRight="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:layout_below="#id/view1"
tools:context="helloworld3.myapplication.MainActivity">
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Hello World 2!" />
</RelativeLayout>
</RelativeLayout>
But the result displays only the first text view "Hello world 1!" and it does not display the second one, Hello world 2! Can anyone help?

Just add weight sum in parent layout and change its from Relative to Linear
layout . Also In Child layout like two relative one add layout height to
0dp below is updated code
<LinearLayout 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"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:paddingBottom="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:paddingLeft="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingRight="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:weightSum="100">
<RelativeLayout
android:id="#+id/view1"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_weight="50"
android:paddingBottom="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:paddingLeft="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingRight="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin">
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Hello World 1!" />
</RelativeLayout>
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_below="#id/view1"
android:layout_weight="50"
android:paddingBottom="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:paddingLeft="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingRight="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin">
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Hello World 2!" />
</RelativeLayout>
</LinearLayout>

If you want 2 TextViews one of top of another, taking 1/2 the screen each, just use a LinearLayout with vertical orientation:
<?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:orientation="vertical">
<TextView
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:text="Text 1"/>
<TextView
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:text="Text 2"/>
</LinearLayout>
If you do not want the TextViews to be 1/2 the height, you can wrap them in a FrameLayout:
<?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:orientation="vertical">
<FrameLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_weight="1">
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Text 1" />
</FrameLayout>
<FrameLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_weight="1">
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Text 2" />
</FrameLayout>
</LinearLayout>

Why don't you just use a horizontal linearlayout and adjust the weight to .5 for each textview and set the gravity of the textview to where you want it

Your RelativeLayout's are both set to match_parent for layout_width and layout_height
You need to set one of these to 0dp for layout_weight to have any effect. The parent should probably be changed to a LinearLayout as well. By the way layout_weight value shouldn't matter as long as they are both equal: see below
<LinearLayout 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"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:paddingBottom="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:paddingLeft="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingRight="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
tools:context="helloworld3.myapplication.MainActivity">
<RelativeLayout
android:id="#+id/view1"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:paddingBottom="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:paddingLeft="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingRight="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
tools:context="helloworld3.myapplication.MainActivity">
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Hello World 1!" />
</RelativeLayout>
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:paddingBottom="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:paddingLeft="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingRight="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:layout_below="#id/view1"
tools:context="helloworld3.myapplication.MainActivity">
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Hello World 2!" />
</RelativeLayout>

if you want to divide the screen half-half. you dont have to set layout_weight to 50. just set layout_height(as you want to vertically divide the screen) to 0dp, then android will do what you want without considering the RelativeLayout's height. so it could be like this:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout 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"
android:orientation="vertical"
tools:context="demo.drawable.propertyanimationdemo.HalfLayoutActivity">
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:background="#android:color/holo_orange_light"></RelativeLayout>
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:background="#android:color/holo_blue_dark"></RelativeLayout>
</LinearLayout>

use linear layout (Horizontal)
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:weightSum="2"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:orientation="vertical">
<TextView
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="0sp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:text="Demo 1"/>
<TextView
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="0sp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:text="Demo 2"/></LinearLayout>

First off all i would suggest you to use Linear Layout for this purpose. the linear layout can easily divide the screen based on the weights given to it.
Below is a sample that will suit your problem.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout 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"
android:orientation="horizontal"
tools:context="helloworld3.myapplication.MainActivity">
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="1">
<TextView
android:id="#+id/textView11"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentStart="true"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
android:text="view 1"
android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceMedium" />
</RelativeLayout>
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="1">
<TextView
android:id="#+id/textView12"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentStart="true"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
android:text="view 2"
android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceMedium" />
</RelativeLayout>
</LinearLayout>
Apply this to your own layout and you will get what you want. do tell if it worked for you. Do accept the answer as correct answer.

how do I align a view on top of 1 of 2 views

Click on image, replace with relativelayout as shown below. This bottom section should be below the listview. Problem is I dont see the listview in the design preview of my IDE.
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:paddingBottom="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:paddingLeft="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingRight="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin">
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/bottomSection"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:gravity="bottom"
android:orientation="vertical">
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/icon"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="end"
android:onClick="switch"
android:src="#drawable/ic_edit"
android:visibility="visible" />
<RelativeLayout
android:id="#+id/rl"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:visibility="gone">
</RelativeLayout>
</LinearLayout>
<ListView
android:id="#+id/lv"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_above="#id/bottomSection" />
</RelativeLayout>

You can put the two linearlayouts in another linearlayout, And use parent linearlayout for reference in Listview.
Like this:
<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"
android:paddingBottom="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:paddingLeft="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingRight="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
tools:context="com.example.tempproj.MainActivity" >
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/container"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/lay1"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:visibility="visible" >
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/lay2"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:visibility="gone" >
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>
<ListView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_above="#id/container" />
</RelativeLayout>
So your Listview will be on top of container LinearLayout, regardless of which linearlayout is visible inside that. Hope it helps.

Try this way,hope this will help you to solve your problem.
In you xml vertical LinearLayout as parent layout and A,B and ListView as child,given weight to ListView so it can adjust height even if no A or B visible and in case of shown A or B you have to implement on click of both in activity like when A show and click show B and hide A and vise versa.
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:orientation="vertical">
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/linearLayout"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:visibility="visible">
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/linearLayout2"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:visibility="gone">
</LinearLayout>
<ListView
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_weight="1"/>
</LinearLayout>

Android Relative Layout with sticky footer

I'm relatively new to Android development and I'm having a hard time putting together a certain interface. I've looked through many similar questions but none of them give me the answer i'm looking for.
I want to put together an XML interface like the following:
I want a LinearLayout that acts like a sticky footer that will contain two Buttons. This part will always align to the bottom and and will always be 60dp high. The RelativeLayout would then be on top of the footer, but it's height should scale depending on the screen size.
I've tried the following:
<LinearLayout 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"
android:orientation="vertical"
tools:context=".DartboardActivity">
<RelativeLayout
android:id="#+id/game_layout"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="506dp"
android:background="#drawable/background"
android:paddingBottom="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:paddingLeft="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingRight="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin">
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/Dartboard"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:contentDescription="#string/desc_dartboard"
android:src="#drawable/dartboard" />
<hhs.week3.dartboard.VerticalSeekBar
android:id="#+id/seekBarVertical"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:layout_gravity="bottom"
android:thumb="#drawable/thumbhorizontal"
android:layout_marginBottom="40dp" />
<SeekBar
android:id="#+id/seekBarHorizontal"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
android:thumb="#drawable/thumbhorizontal" />
</RelativeLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/buttons"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="60dp"
android:background="#333">
<Button
android:id="#+id/fire"
style="#style/button"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_margin="5dp"
android:text="#string/fire" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/settings"
style="#style/button"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_margin="5dp"
android:text="#string/settings" />
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>
I got it working half decently, but it requires me to give the RelativeLayout bit a fixed height, making it look right on my phone, but not on others.
How do I best approach this?

Use the LinearLayout layout_weight mechanism to assign all remaining space to your RelativeLayout:
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:orientation="vertical">
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="0px"
android:layout_weight="1"
... />
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="60dp"
... />
</LinearLayout>

Try following code
<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"
android:orientation="vertical"
tools:context=".DartboardActivity" >
<RelativeLayout
android:id="#+id/game_layout"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_above="#+id/buttons"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
android:background="#drawable/ic_launcher"
android:paddingBottom="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:paddingLeft="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingRight="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin" >
</RelativeLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/buttons"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="60dp"
android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
android:background="#333"
android:orientation="vertical" >
</LinearLayout>
</RelativeLayout>
I removed LinearLayout and replaced with RelativeLayout. This will allow you to set your LinearLayout stick to bottom.

I was able to achieve the same result by using below code. Basically, the parent layout is one Linear layout and the first child element is a scrollview so it can squeeze its content when the keyboard is shown. Also note the use of the android:layout_height="0dp" and android:layout_weight="1" used with the scrollview
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:id="#+id/wrap"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<ScrollView
android:id="#+id/wrap2"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_weight="1" >
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/LinearLayout1"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:orientation="horizontal" >
</LinearLayout>
</ScrollView>
<FrameLayout
android:id="#+id/buttonsPanel"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="40dp"
android:background="#333" >
<TextView
android:id="#+id/textView1"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="action buttons" />
</FrameLayout>
</LinearLayout>

Try this
<LinearLayout 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"
android:orientation="vertical"
tools:context=".DartboardActivity">
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:background="#drawable/background"
android:paddingBottom="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:paddingLeft="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingRight="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin">
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/Dartboard"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:contentDescription="#string/desc_dartboard"
android:src="#drawable/dartboard"
android:adjustViewBounds="true"/>
<hhs.week3.dartboard.VerticalSeekBar
android:layout_marginTop="10dp"
android:id="#+id/seekBarVertical"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:thumb="#drawable/thumbhorizontal"/>
<SeekBar
android:id="#+id/seekBarHorizontal"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_marginTop="10dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:thumb="#drawable/thumbhorizontal" />
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/buttons"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="60dp"
android:background="#333333">
<Button
android:id="#+id/fire"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_margin="5dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:text="#string/fire"/>
<Button
android:id="#+id/settings"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_margin="5dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:text="#string/settings"/>
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>