Develop Reference

Why is height of ListItem (a LinearLayout) so tall when layout_height is changed to wrap_content?

I have a pretty simple layout (Linear) for my ListView item, just 3 widgets laid out horizontally: 2 TextView items then a Button. But even though the layout_height of all 3 is wrap_content it seems that that value used for the button forces the ListItem to expand a lot more than needed. But simply changing the value of the layout_height to 25dp eliminates this.
Why is the Button's wrap_content having this effect, and how to stop it?
Notice the background colors in my screenshots below, showing widget dimensions. The only difference between the two pics is that in my XML (at bottom) the layout_height of the Button has been changed from wrap_content to 25dp.
<?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="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal"
>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/tvTotal"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:gravity="left"
android:layout_gravity="left"
android:text="0."
android:textSize="18sp"
android:maxLines="1"
android:layout_weight=".15"
android:background="#color/LightGreen"
/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/tvName"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:gravity="left"
android:text=""
android:textSize="18sp"
android:maxLines="1"
android:layout_weight=".55"
android:background="#color/LightBlue"
/>
<Button
android:id="#+id/btnMyButton"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="25dp"
android:gravity="right"
android:layout_gravity="right"
android:textColor="#color/CornflowerBlue"
android:text="Questions"
android:textSize="16dp"
android:maxLines="1"
android:layout_weight=".3"
android:background="#color/black"
>
</Button>
</LinearLayout>
Using wrap_content for Button's layout_height:
Hardcoding 25dp for Button's layout_height:

The extra space are buttons default padding.
If you want to remove it use:
android:minHeight="0dp"
android:minWidth="0dp"
in your code
<Button
android:id="#+id/btnMyButton"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="right"
android:layout_weight=".3"
android:background="#color/black"
android:gravity="right"
android:maxLines="1"
android:minHeight="0dp"
android:minWidth="0dp"
android:text="Questions"
android:textColor="#color/CornflowerBlue"
android:textSize="16dp"></Button>

Make 2 TextViews have the same height

I have 2 TextView one on top of the other. When they have the same text they have the same height but when one has more text from the other he will get bigger.
<LinearLayout
android:orientation="vertical"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_gravity="center_vertical"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:paddingLeft="8dp"
android:paddingTop="12dp">
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceSmall"
android:text="Math, Civics"
android:id="#+id/teaches"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:background="#A4D34A" />
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceSmall"
android:text="Computer Science"
android:id="#+id/learns"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:background="#D22ACE" />
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceSmall"
android:text="5$/hour"
android:id="#+id/rate" />
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="32dp"
android:layout_marginRight="8dp">
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceSmall"
android:text="Start Chat"
android:id="#+id/textView9"
android:layout_marginRight="8dp"
android:textStyle="italic"
android:layout_centerVertical="true"
android:layout_alignParentEnd="true" />
</RelativeLayout>
</LinearLayout>
How can I make them stay in the same height no matter what?

You have a couple of options: You can provide equal weights to the two textviews
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_weight="1"/>
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_weight="1"/>
OR You can use give fixed heights to both views.
OR You can set MaxLines(Maximmum lines) attribute for the text view to be of a particular value.

Define a fixed value for yout layout_height like 24dp or something best in an dimens.xml like that:
<dimen name="textview_height">24dp</dimen>
and in your layout put both layout_height to :
#dimen/textview_height
Another option would be to set the first to set both to wrap_content and get the MeasuredHeight from both of them, then take the greater value and apply it to both TextViews

Android align the custom listrow element

In my application I use the custom listview for tableview effect.
But each and every row not align properlly.
only first element give good alignment.
also try the gravity tag.but same effect found.
my xml code:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="50dp"
android:weightSum="5"
android:layout_marginTop="15dp"
android:id="#+id/linearLayout">
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="#string/order_id"
android:id="#+id/tv_orderid"
android:textSize="20sp"
android:gravity="left"
android:layout_weight="1"/>
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="#string/name"
android:gravity="left"
android:id="#+id/tv_name"
android:textSize="20sp"
android:layout_weight="1"/>
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="#string/mobile_number"
android:id="#+id/tv_mobilenumber"
android:textSize="20sp"
android:gravity="left"
android:layout_weight="1"/>
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="#string/order_date_and_time"
android:id="#+id/tv_orderdate_and_time"
android:textSize="20sp"
android:gravity="left"
android:layout_weight="2"/>
</LinearLayout>
can any one help me to align all the rows properlly.

Simple use
android:layout_width="0dp"
instead of
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
for each TextView.
The answer is here where is said:
To create a linear layout in which each child uses the same amount of
space on the screen, set the android:layout_height of each view to
"0dp" (for a vertical layout) or the android:layout_width of each view
to "0dp" (for a horizontal layout). Then set the android:layout_weight
of each view to "1".

Android LinearLayout View item in xml does not fill empty space

I am new to android, I have a linear layout list item and would like the TextView itemName to fill the remaining blank space on the row while the other two views (itemIcon and itemTimestamp) just take up as much space as they require hence used wrap_content.
I have tried fill_parent and match_parent on ItemName android:layout_width but it ends up hiding itemTimestamp view. I have tried RelativeLayout but had no luck, would prefer to stick with Linearlayout if possible.
Appreciate your help.
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:id="#+id/itemNotificationBuzz"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:background="#ffff0000"
>
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/notificationHeader"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:background="#ffff0000"
>
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/notificationIcon"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:gravity="left"
android:maxHeight="35dp"
android:maxWidth="35dp"
android:background="#FF000000"
android:padding="1dp"
android:src="#drawable/ic_action_place" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/notificationName"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:gravity="center"
android:padding="5dp"
android:textSize="18sp"
android:textColor="#android:color/white"
android:background="#A4C739"
android:typeface="sans"
android:textStyle="bold"
android:maxLines="1"
android:text="Fname Lname"
/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/notificationTimestamp"
android:layout_width = "wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:gravity="right"
android:background="#FF000000"
android:ems="10"
android:maxLines="1"
android:text="2m"
android:textColor="#android:color/white"
android:typeface="sans" />
</LinearLayout>
</RelativeLayout>

If you want to use the LinearLayout you can achieve what you want by using weightSum attribute in your LinearLayout and layout_weight for your item Name TextView.
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:id="#+id/notificationHeader"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:background="#ffff0000"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:weightSum="1">
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/notificationIcon"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:background="#FF000000"
android:gravity="left"
android:maxHeight="35dp"
android:maxWidth="35dp"
android:padding="1dp"
android:src="#drawable/ic_launcher"/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/notificationName"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:background="#A4C739"
android:gravity="center"
android:maxLines="1"
android:padding="5dp"
android:text="Fname Lname"
android:textColor="#android:color/white"
android:textSize="18sp"
android:textStyle="bold"
android:typeface="sans"
android:layout_weight="1"/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/notificationTimestamp"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:background="#FF000000"
android:gravity="right"
android:maxLines="1"
android:text="2m"
android:textColor="#android:color/white"
android:typeface="sans"/>
</LinearLayout>
This will make your item Name to fill all the space until it reaches the last element.
Note: When you use layout_weight you have to set the layout_width to 0dp. And also you should delete ems = 10 from your last element because it makes your notificationTimestamp element to have a larger width and it will push the Name element to the left leaving an empty space.

You can directly use RelativeLayout to achieve what you want. The answer is already here at How to make layout with View fill the remaining space?
If you want to still use the LinearLayout then that is also possible. In this case to achieve what you want, set the layout_weight property of the widgets that you want to just wrap content with to 0 (you should still set them to wrap_content) and then set the layout_weight of the widget that you want to occupy the remaining space to 1.

There is no reason to use RelativeLayout here. What you need to use is layout-weight. You need to set layout_width to 0dp and layout-weight to 1
Here is the updated layout (btw, I removed the parent RelativeLayout as it didn't have any use):
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/notificationIcon"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:gravity="left"
android:maxHeight="35dp"
android:maxWidth="35dp"
android:background="#FF000000"
android:padding="1dp"
android:src="#drawable/ic_action_place" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/notificationName"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:gravity="center"
android:padding="5dp"
android:textSize="18sp"
android:textColor="#android:color/white"
android:background="#A4C739"
android:typeface="sans"
android:textStyle="bold"
android:maxLines="1"
android:text="Fname Lname"
/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/notificationTimestamp"
android:layout_width = "wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:gravity="right"
android:background="#FF000000"
android:ems="10"
android:maxLines="1"
android:text="2m"
android:textColor="#android:color/white"
android:typeface="sans" />

Android Listview Row Layout

I'm developing what I thought would be a simple listview row layout, but I'm having some trouble getting my views to line up properly. There are 4 TextViews all using layout_weight within a LinearLayout to size themselves appropriately. What I can't figure out, however, is how to align them consistently so that each TextView begins in the same position as the one above and beneath it.
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:background="#AAAAAA88">
<TextView
android:id="#+id/quality"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:layout_weight="2"
android:layout_gravity="center_vertical|right"
android:textColor="#ffffff"
android:padding="5px"
/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/route_name"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:layout_weight="3"
android:layout_gravity="center_vertical|right"
android:textColor="#ffffff"
android:padding="5px"
/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/route_grade"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:layout_gravity="center_vertical|right"
android:textColor="#ffffff"
android:padding="5px"
/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/route_distance"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:layout_gravity="center_vertical|right"
android:textColor="#ffffff"
android:padding="2px"
/>
</LinearLayout>
My attempts to use the :gravity tag don't seem to work. Is LinearLayout the wrong approach here?
As an edit, I'm making some headway using specific width values in dips. Now to test if it looks the same across different screens.

The gravity distributes the remainder of space available after minimum constraints not the total space.
So align different row above and below make sure the remaining space is equal on each row. A good way to accomplish this is to hard-code the minimum space each element needs:
android:layout_weight="2"
android:layout_width="1dip"
Make each TextView on every row 1dip width and split the remaining space according to weight.

you can try using RelativeLayout. Try 4 of the TextViews to be placed relatively, 3 can have fixed width in dp and the 4th can take up rest of the available space. that way each textview will start at a fixed position every time.
something like:
<?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" >
<TextView
android:id="#+id/text_1"
android:layout_width="60dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
android:gravity="left"
android:padding="8dp"
android:text="Text 1"/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/text_2"
android:layout_width="60dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignTop="#+id/text_1"
android:layout_toLeftOf="#+id/text_1"
android:gravity="left"
android:padding="8dp"
android:text="Text 2"/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/text_3"
android:layout_width="60dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignTop="#+id/text_1"
android:layout_toLeftOf="#+id/text_2"
android:gravity="left"
android:padding="8dp"
android:text="Text 3"/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/text_4"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignTop="#+id/text_1"
android:layout_toLeftOf="#+id/text_3"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:gravity="left"
android:padding="8dp"
android:text="Text 4"/>
</RelativeLayout>