Develop Reference

Android actionbar customization does not change color

I am trying to customize the action bar in my android application. The following is in my styles.xml:
<style name="MyTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light">
<item name="android:actionBarStyle">#style/MyActionBar</item>
<item name="actionBarStyle">#style/MyActionBar</item>
</style>
<style name="MyActionBar" parent="Widget.AppCompat.Light.ActionBar">
<item name="backgroundColor">#000000</item>
</style>
And I have
<activity android:name=".MainActivity"
android:theme="#style/MyTheme">
in my AndroidManifest.xml.
My expectation is that this should turn the action bar black. However, this does not happen, the action bar stays white. I would be very happy for any pointers to why my expectation does not match reality. I am happy to provide more details if needed.

If you are using an ActionBar you can use the actionBarStyle attribute in your app theme:
<style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light">
<item name="actionBarStyle">#style/MyActionBar</item>
</style>
<style name="MyActionBar" parent="#style/Widget.AppCompat.Light.ActionBar.Solid">
<item name="background">#000000</item>
</style>
You can also use the actionBarTheme attribute:
<style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light.DarkActionBar">
<item name="actionBarTheme">#style/ThemeOverlay.ActionBar</item>
</style>
<style name="ThemeOverlay.ActionBar" parent="">
<item name="colorPrimary">#000000</item>
</style>

can we set actionbar height manually in android theme.light

I am using "Theme.Light" theme for my android project and while setting up a navigation drawer how can i set actionbar size(height).
I used the below code and i got an error..
<style name="Theme.Light.ActionBar" parent="#android:style/Theme.Light">
<item name="android:windowNoTitle">false</item>
<item name="android:windowActionBar">true</item>
<item name="actionBarSize">36dip</item>
<item name="android:windowActionBarOverlay">true</item>
</style>
can you please reply to my problem as soon as possible and thank you.

Use height attribute,for actionBarHeight
<item name="android:height">#dimen/bar_height</item>
you have to create style like this:
<!-- Application theme. -->
<style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light">
<!-- Main theme colors -->
<!-- your app branding color for the app bar -->
<item name="colorPrimary">#color/primary</item>
<!-- darker variant for the status bar and contextual app bars -->
<item name="colorPrimaryDark">#color/primary_dark</item>
<!-- theme UI controls like checkboxes and text fields -->
<!-- native widgets will now be "tinted" with accent color -->
<item name="colorAccent">#color/accent</item>
<!--Action bar style-->
<item name="android:actionBarStyle">#style/AppTheme.ActionBar</item>
<item name="actionBarStyle">#style/AppTheme.ActionBar</item>
</style>
<style name="AppTheme.ActionBar" parent="Widget.AppCompat.Light.ActionBar">
<item name="titleTextStyle">#style/AppTheme.ActionBar.TitleText</item>
<item name="android:titleTextStyle">#style/AppTheme.ActionBar.TitleText</item>
<item name="android:height">#dimen/bar_height</item>
</style>
<style name="AppTheme.ActionBar.TitleText" parent="TextAppearance.AppCompat.Widget.ActionBar.Title">
<item name="android:textSize">#dimen/bar_text_size</item>
<item name="android:textColor">#color/bar_text_color</item>
</style>
you have to try below code :
<resources>
<style name="Theme.FixedSize" parent="#android:style/Theme.Holo.Light.DarkActionBar">
<item name="actionBarSize">48dip</item>
<item name="android:actionBarSize">48dip</item>
</style>
</resources>

If you are using AppCompat, you can set the "actionBarSize" attribute in your theme (which must inherit from Theme.AppCompat.x). You can also use a Toolbar in your layout and set its layout_height to the desired value.

How to customize Action Bar Style?

How to change the color of Action Bar Back Button and Action bar Menu Icon(Image attached).
I have the following style code(below), using which I customized the Text but I'm not able to completely customize the Action Bar.
Below is the Style code which I have used :
<style name="MyCustomTheme" parent="Theme.Sherlock.Light">
<item name="actionBarStyle">#style/ActionBar</item>
<item name="android:actionBarStyle">#style/ActionBar</item>
</style>
<style name="ActionBar" parent="Widget.Sherlock.ActionBar">
<item name="background">#drawable/bg_header</item> -----------(1)
<item name="android:background">#drawable/bg_header</item>
<item name="android:titleTextStyle">#style/customTextAppearance.Sherlock.Widget.ActionBar.Title</item> ----(2)
<item name="titleTextStyle">#style/customTextAppearance.Sherlock.Widget.ActionBar.Title</item>
<item name="android:homeAsUpIndicator">#style/customTextAppearance.Sherlock.Widget.ActionBar.Title</item>
</style>
<style name="customTextAppearance.Sherlock.Widget.ActionBar.Title" parent="TextAppearance.Sherlock.Widget.ActionBar.Title">
<item name="android:textSize">18dp</item>
<item name="android:textColor">#ffffff</item>
<item name="android:shadowColor">#ffffff</item>
<item name="android:shadowDy">3</item>
<item name="android:textStyle">bold</item>
</style>
Your help will be appreciated, Thank you.

Just find proper icons for your actionbar and customize it...
and then make changes in your...
You Can Do Following For Changing Icons Of Actionbar
style.xml
<style name="Widget.ActionButton.Overflow" parent="#android:style/Widget.Holo.ActionButton.Overflow">
<item name="android:src">#drawable/ic_action_overflow</item>
</style>
<style name="Your.Theme" parent="#android:style/Theme.Holo.Light.DarkActionBar">
<item name="android:actionOverflowButtonStyle">#style/Widget.ActionButton.Overflow</item>
<item name="android:homeAsUpIndicator">#drawable/my_fancy_up_indicator</item>
</style>

check out this page on android help https://developer.android.com/training/basics/actionbar/styling.html
When supporting Android 3.0 and higher only,
you can define the action bar's background like this: res/values/themes.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>
<!-- the theme applied to the application or activity -->
<style name="CustomActionBarTheme"
parent="#android:style/Theme.Holo.Light.DarkActionBar">
<item name="android:actionBarStyle">#style/MyActionBar</item>
</style>
<!-- ActionBar styles -->
<style name="MyActionBar"
parent="#android:style/Widget.Holo.Light.ActionBar.Solid.Inverse">
<item name="android:background">#drawable/actionbar_background</item>
</style>
</resources>
Then apply your theme to your entire app or individual activities:
<application android:theme="#style/CustomActionBarTheme" ... />
For Android 2.1 and higher
When using the Support Library, the same theme as above must instead look like this:
res/values/themes.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>
<!-- the theme applied to the application or activity -->
<style name="CustomActionBarTheme"
parent="#style/Theme.AppCompat.Light.DarkActionBar">
<item name="android:actionBarStyle">#style/MyActionBar</item>
<!-- Support library compatibility -->
<item name="actionBarStyle">#style/MyActionBar</item>
</style>
<!-- ActionBar styles -->
<style name="MyActionBar"
parent="#style/Widget.AppCompat.Light.ActionBar.Solid.Inverse">
<item name="android:background">#drawable/actionbar_background</item>
<!-- Support library compatibility -->
<item name="background">#drawable/actionbar_background</item>
</style>
</resources>
Then apply your theme to your entire app or individual activities:
<application android:theme="#style/CustomActionBarTheme" ... />

Theme.AppCompat.Light.DarkActionBar giving black actionbar title text

I have been trying to set white text on the actionbar. I went through many questions and I am using theme Theme.AppCompat.Light.DarkActionBar and currently using this xml:
<style name="TrasnparentActionBarTheme" parent="#style/Theme.AppCompat.Light.DarkActionBar">
<item name="android:actionBarStyle">#style/TransparentActionBar</item>
<item name="android:windowContentOverlay">#null</item>
<item name="android:windowActionBarOverlay">true</item>
</style>
<style name="TransparentActionBar" parent="#style/Widget.AppCompat.ActionBar">
<item name="android:background">#drawable/actionbar_transparent_background</item>
<item name="android:titleTextStyle">#style/TransparentTransparentActionBarText</item>
</style>
<style name="TransparentTransparentActionBarText" parent="#style/TextAppearance.AppCompat.Widget.ActionBar.Title">
<item name="android:textColor">#android:color/white</item>
</style>
I have tried different combinations for eg: setting android:titleTextStyle, actionmenutextcolor, or using the actionBar Style Generator. None are working for me.
The above code is from values-v11 but a similar code is in values folder too.
#drawable/actionbar_transparent_background is just a shape with <solid android:color="#00000000"/>

In order to have white text (so dark action bar with light theme) you have to inherit your actionbar style from the correct object: Widget.AppCompat.Light.ActionBar.Solid.Inverse and not Widget.AppCompat.ActionBar.Solid
Here is the style.xml file :
<resources>
<style name="AppTheme" parent="#style/Theme.AppCompat.Light.DarkActionBar">
<!-- action bar -->
<item name="actionBarStyle">#style/MyActionBar</item>
</style>
<!-- ActionBar styles -->
<style name="MyActionBar"
parent="#style/Widget.AppCompat.Light.ActionBar.Solid.Inverse">
<item name="android:background">#drawable/actionbar_background</item>
<!-- Support library compatibility -->
<item name="background">#drawable/actionbar_background</item>
</style>
</resources>

Android Flat ActionBar (without shadow)

i'm trying to create the a flat action bar without shadow
attached image:
my style xml
<resources>
<!-- the theme applied to the application or activity -->
<style name="CustomActionBarTheme" parent="#android:style/Theme.Holo.Light">
<item name="android:actionBarStyle">#style/MyActionBar</item>
</style>
<!-- ActionBar styles -->
<style name="MyActionBar" parent="#android:style/Widget.Holo.Light.ActionBar.Solid.Inverse">
<item name="android:windowContentOverlay">#null</item>
<item name="android:windowActionBarOverlay">true</item>
<item name="android:background">#drawable/white_bg</item>
<item name="android:displayOptions"></item>
</style>
I'm supporting android 4.x
Any ideas ? I tried changing the style to Solid/Inverse didn't work..
white_bg attached (It's hard to see since it's white)

it should look like this
<resources>
<!-- the theme applied to the application or activity -->
<style name="CustomActionBarTheme" parent="#android:style/Theme.Holo.Light">
<item name="android:actionBarStyle">#style/MyActionBar</item>
<item name="android:windowContentOverlay">#null</item>
</style>
<!-- ActionBar styles -->
<style name="MyActionBar" parent="#android:style/Widget.Holo.Light.ActionBar.Solid.Inverse">
<item name="android:windowActionBarOverlay">true</item>
<item name="android:background">#drawable/white_bg</item>
<item name="android:displayOptions"></item>
</style>

The null windowContentOverlay attribute should be set on your Activity theme (CustomActionBarTheme), not on the ActionBar theme.