Develop Reference

How to change ActionBar Colour

I am trying to change my App ActionBar colour to no success. I am using the this library https://github.com/neokree/MaterialNavigationDrawer;
Here is the style.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>
<!-- Base application theme. -->
<style name="AppTheme" parent="#style/Theme.AppCompat.Light.DarkActionBar">
<!-- Customize your theme here. -->
<item name="android:actionBarStyle">#style/AppTheme.ActionBar</item>
<!-- Support library compatibility -->
<item name="actionBarStyle">#style/AppTheme.ActionBar</item>
<item name="colorControlActivated">#color/color_c</item>
<item name="toolbarStyle">#style/Widget.Toolbar</item>
</style>
<style name="Widget.Toolbar" parent="#style/Widget.AppCompat.Toolbar">
<item name="contentInsetStart">5dp</item>
</style>
<style name="AppTheme.ActionBar" parent="#style/Widget.AppCompat.Light.ActionBar.Solid.Inverse">
<item name="android:background">#color/color_a</item>
<item name="background">#color/color_a</item>
<!-- Support library compatibility -->
</style>
<style name="FullscreenTheme" parent="android:Theme.NoTitleBar">
<item name="android:windowContentOverlay">#null</item>
<item name="android:windowBackground">#null</item>
</style>
<style name="MyNavigationDrawerTheme" parent="MaterialNavigationDrawerTheme.Light.DarkActionBar">
<item name="colorPrimary">#color/color_a</item>
<item name="colorPrimaryDark">#color/color_a</item>
<item name="colorAccent">#FFFFFF</item>
<item name="rippleBackport">true</item>
<item name="singleAccount">true</item>
<item name="multipaneSupport">true</item>
<!--<item name="learningPattern">false</item>-->
</style>
<style name="MySubheaderTheme">
<item name="subheaderTitleColor">#000000</item>
</style>
<style name="MySectionTheme" >
<item name="sectionColorIcon">#000000</item>
<item name="sectionColorText">#000000</item>
<item name="sectionColorNotification">#000000</item>
<item name="sectionBackgroundColorPressed">#160000FF</item>
<item name="sectionBackgroundColorSelected">#0A0000FF</item>
<item name="sectionBackgroundColor">#000000FF</item>
</style>
</resources>
I use the MyNavigationDrawerTheme theme for my activities.

You should be able to set the action bar color using the android:colorPrimary attribute:
<resources>
<!-- inherit from the material theme -->
<style name="AppTheme" parent="android:Theme.Material">
<!-- Main theme colors -->
<!-- your app branding color for the app bar -->
<item name="android:colorPrimary">#color/primary</item>
<!-- darker variant for the status bar and contextual app bars -->
<item name="android:colorPrimaryDark">#color/primary_dark</item>
<!-- theme UI controls like checkboxes and text fields -->
<item name="android:colorAccent">#color/accent</item>
</style>
</resources>
Based on information here

You should create your styles also for v21 and above with a small change (because they natively support material theme).
And in values-v21/style.xml add android:colorPrimary and others attributes with android: prefix to your style:
<style name="MyNavigationDrawerTheme" parent="MaterialNavigationDrawerTheme.Light.DarkActionBar">
<item name="android:colorPrimary">#color/color_a</item>
<item name="android:colorPrimaryDark">#color/color_a</item>
<item name="android:colorAccent">#FFFFFF</item>
<!--...-->
</style>

How to show menu popup exact below actionbar?

I am working on popup-menu in actionbar. But I am stuck to display exact below of actionbar(cut-to-cut).I am putting two snapshot.
My issue screen shot:
I want exact popup menu below of actionbar as below screenshot
Correction screenshot:
My code snippet:
<menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools" tools:context=".MainActivity">
<item android:id="#+id/action_filter"
android:icon="#drawable/ic_filter_white_18dp"
android:title="#string/action_filter"
app:showAsAction="ifRoom" />
<item android:id="#+id/action_label"
android:icon="#drawable/ic_add_circle_outline_white_18dp"
android:title="#string/action_label"
app:showAsAction="ifRoom" />
<item android:id="#+id/action_settings"
android:title="#string/action_settings"
app:showAsAction="never" />

When working with AppCompat Theme, below code help you.Either Kitkat or Lollipop
Make your style.xml like below
<style name="AppTheme" parent="Base.Theme.AppCompat.Light.DarkActionBar">
<item name="colorPrimary">#color/colorPrimary</item>
<item name="colorPrimaryDark">#color/colorPrimaryDark</item>
<item name="colorAccent">#color/black</item>
<item name="android:background">#android:color/transparent</item>
<item name="actionOverflowMenuStyle">#style/OverflowMenu</item>
</style>
<style name="OverflowMenu" parent="Widget.AppCompat.PopupMenu.Overflow">
<item name="android:windowDisablePreview">true</item>
<item name="overlapAnchor">false</item>
<item name="android:dropDownVerticalOffset">5.0dp</item>
<!--<item name="android:popupBackground">#FFF</item>-->
</style>

If you want to keep using ActionBar and AppCompat theme rather than ToolBar or Holo theme, you can use this code:
<style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light.DarkActionBar">
<item name="actionOverflowMenuStyle">#style/MyOverflowMenu</item>
</style>
<style name="MyOverflowMenu" parent="Widget.AppCompat.PopupMenu.Overflow">
<item name="overlapAnchor">false</item>
<item name="android:overlapAnchor" tools:ignore="NewApi">false</item>
<item name="android:dropDownVerticalOffset">4.0dip</item>
</style>
This worked for me.

As per my code this is exact sotution by changing style.
<style name="AppTheme" parent="#android:style/Theme.Holo.Light">
<item name="android:actionBarStyle">#style/MyActionBar</item>
<item name="android:actionMenuTextColor">#color/text_white</item>
<item name="android:popupMenuStyle">#style/PopupMenu.Example</item>
<item name="actionOverflowMenuStyle">#style/OverflowMenu</item>
</style>
<style name="PopupMenu.Example" parent="#android:style/Widget.Holo.Light.ListPopupWindow">
<item name="android:popupBackground">#efefef</item>
</style>
<style name="OverflowMenu" parent="Widget.AppCompat.PopupMenu.Overflow">
<!-- Required for pre-Lollipop. -->
<item name="overlapAnchor">false</item>
<!-- Required for Lollipop. -->
<item name="android:overlapAnchor">false</item>
<item name="android:dropDownVerticalOffset">4.0dip</item>
</style>

You can achieve this by style property
overlapAnchor= false
<style name="toolBarStyle" parent="AppTheme">
<item name="popupTheme">#style/toolbarPopup</item>
</style>
<style name="toolbarPopup" parent="#android:style/Widget.Holo.ListPopupWindow"> <!--ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Light-->
<item name="android:popupBackground">#AF0000</item>
<item name="overlapAnchor">false</item>
<item name="android:dropDownVerticalOffset">5dp</item>
</style>
and set that style in AppTheme like below
<style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light.NoActionBar">
<!-- to avoid overlay of popup window in toolbar -->
<item name="actionOverflowMenuStyle">#style/toolBarStyle</item>
</style>

Set the theme at android manifest to
android:theme="#android:style/Theme.Holo.Light"

Android default colors theme

I'm currently having the following problem. I changed the default style of the application, my styles.xml looks like this
<!--
Base application theme, dependent on API level. This theme is replaced
by AppBaseTheme from res/values-vXX/styles.xml on newer devices.
-->
<style name="AppBaseTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.NoActionBar">
<!--
Theme customizations available in newer API levels can go in
res/values-vXX/styles.xml, while customizations related to
backward-compatibility can go here.
-->
<item name="android:editTextColor">#000000</item>
<item name="android:textColor">#000000</item>
<item name="android:colorBackground">#ffffff</item>
<item name="android:spinnerItemStyle">#style/menu_spinner</item>
<item name="android:spinnerDropDownItemStyle">#style/menu_spinner</item>
<item name="android:windowBackground">#color/white</item>
</style>
<!-- Application theme. -->
<style name="AppTheme" parent="AppBaseTheme">
<item name="android:editTextColor">#000000</item>
<item name="android:editTextStyle">#style/App_EditTextStyle</item>
<item name="android:textColor">#000000</item>
<item name="android:alertDialogStyle">#style/CustomAlertDialogStyle</item>
<item name="android:colorBackground">#ffffff</item>
<item name="android:spinnerItemStyle">#style/menu_spinner</item>
<item name="android:spinnerDropDownItemStyle">#style/menu_spinner</item>
<item name="android:textColorSecondary">#color/white</item>
<item name="android:textColorTertiary">#ffffff</item>
<item name="android:windowBackground">#color/white</item>
</style>
<style name="CustomAlertDialogStyle">
<item name="android:windowBackground">#color/white</item>
<item name="android:bottomBright">#color/white</item>
<item name="android:bottomDark">#color/white</item>
<item name="android:bottomMedium">#color/white</item>
<item name="android:centerBright">#color/white</item>
<item name="android:centerDark">#color/white</item>
<item name="android:centerMedium">#color/white</item>
<item name="android:fullBright">#color/white</item>
<item name="android:fullDark">#color/white</item>
<item name="android:topBright">#color/white</item>
<item name="android:topDark">#color/white</item>
</style>
<style name="App_EditTextStyle" parent="#android:style/Widget.EditText">
<item name="android:textColor">#color/black</item>
</style>
<style name="LoginFormContainer" parent="AppBaseTheme">
<item name="android:layout_width">match_parent</item>
<item name="android:layout_height">wrap_content</item>
<item name="android:padding">16dp</item>
</style>
<style name="menu_spinner">
<item name="android:textColor">#ffffff</item>
</style>
<style name="spinner_style" parent="AppBaseTheme">
<item name="android:textColor">#000000</item>
<item name="android:background">#drawable/spinner_bg</item>
<item name="android:paddingLeft">10dp</item>
<item name="android:paddingTop">5dp</item>
<item name="android:paddingBottom">5dp</item>
</style>
<style name="Widget.Holo.Light.CompoundButton.CheckBox" parent="Widget.Holo.CompoundButton.CheckBox" />
<style name="Widget.Holo.CompoundButton.CheckBox" parent="Widget.Holo.CompoundButton.CheckBox" />
However, all my dialogs show a darker background, I don't understand why they do not have white background, as I've defined the properties windowbackground and colorbackground by default as white. Here's how a progressdialog looks like by default:
In my AndroidManifest, the theme is "AppTheme":
<application
android:name="com.activeandroid.app.Application"
android:allowBackup="true"
android:icon="#drawable/icono_grande"
android:label="#string/app_name"
android:theme="#style/AppTheme" >
....
</application>

If you want to change the theme for Dialog Specific, you could try something like this:
<!-- Makes a "light" equivalent of Theme.Dialog -->
<style name="dialog_light" parent="#android:style/Theme.Light.Dialog">
<item name="#android:background">#android:color/background_light</item>
<!-- Whatever you want to add here -->
</style>
If it is App wide, then something like this should do:
<!-- Makes a "light" equivalent of Theme.Dialog -->
<style name="popup_theme" parent="#android:style/Theme.Light">
<item name="android:windowBackground">#color/back_color</item>
<item name="android:colorBackground">#color/back_color</item>
<!-- Whatever you want to add here -->
</style>

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" ... />

AppCompat Title color

I'm having some troubles changing the color for the ActionBar. I'm using AppCompat library for support. Everything else works: like background, or selector ... but the title color isn't changing.
This is my style file:
<resources xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools">
<style name="Theme.Customtitletheme" parent="#style/Theme.AppCompat.Light">
<item name="actionBarItemBackground">#drawable/selectable_background_customtitletheme</item>
<item name="android:actionBarItemBackground" tools:targetApi="14">#drawable/selectable_background_customtitletheme</item>
<item name="popupMenuStyle">#style/PopupMenu.Customtitletheme</item>
<item name="android:popupMenuStyle" tools:targetApi="11">#style/PopupMenu.Customtitletheme</item>
<item name="dropDownListViewStyle">#style/DropDownListView.Customtitletheme</item>
<item name="android:dropDownListViewStyle">#style/DropDownListView.Customtitletheme</item>
<item name="actionBarTabStyle">#style/ActionBarTabStyle.Customtitletheme</item>
<item name="android:actionBarTabStyle" tools:targetApi="11">#style/ActionBarTabStyle.Customtitletheme</item>
<item name="actionDropDownStyle">#style/DropDownNav.Customtitletheme</item>
<item name="android:actionDropDownStyle" tools:targetApi="11">#style/DropDownNav.Customtitletheme</item>
<item name="actionBarStyle">#style/ActionBar.Solid.Customtitletheme</item>
<item name="android:actionBarStyle" tools:targetApi="11">#style/ActionBar.Solid.Customtitletheme</item>
<item name="actionModeBackground">#drawable/cab_background_top_customtitletheme</item>
<item name="android:actionModeBackground" tools:targetApi="11">#drawable/cab_background_top_customtitletheme</item>
<item name="actionModeSplitBackground">#drawable/cab_background_bottom_customtitletheme</item>
<item name="android:actionModeSplitBackground" tools:targetApi="14">#drawable/cab_background_bottom_customtitletheme</item>
<item name="actionModeCloseButtonStyle">#style/ActionButton.CloseMode.Customtitletheme</item>
<item name="android:actionModeCloseButtonStyle" tools:targetApi="11">#style/ActionButton.CloseMode.Customtitletheme</item>
<item name="actionMenuTextColor">#color/actionbar_text</item>
<item name="android:actionMenuTextColor" tools:targetApi="11">#color/actionbar_text</item>
</style>
<style name="ActionBar.Solid.Customtitletheme" parent="#style/Widget.AppCompat.Light.ActionBar.Solid">
<item name="background">#drawable/ab_solid_customtitletheme</item>
<item name="android:background">#drawable/ab_background_textured_customtitletheme</item>
<item name="backgroundStacked">#drawable/ab_stacked_solid_customtitletheme</item>
<item name="android:backgroundStacked" tools:targetApi="14">#drawable/ab_stacked_solid_customtitletheme</item>
<item name="backgroundSplit">#drawable/ab_bottom_solid_customtitletheme</item>
<item name="android:backgroundSplit" tools:targetApi="14">#drawable/ab_background_textured_customtitletheme</item>
<item name="progressBarStyle">#style/ProgressBar.Customtitletheme</item>
<item name="android:progressBarStyle">#style/ProgressBar.Customtitletheme</item>
<item name="titleTextStyle">#style/ActionBar.CustomTitle</item>
<item name="android:textStyle">#style/ActionBar.CustomTitle</item>
</style>
<style name="PopupMenu.Customtitletheme" parent="#style/Widget.AppCompat.Light.PopupMenu">
<item name="android:popupBackground">#drawable/menu_dropdown_panel_customtitletheme</item>
</style>
<style name="DropDownListView.Customtitletheme" parent="#style/Widget.AppCompat.Light.ListView.DropDown">
<item name="android:listSelector">#drawable/selectable_background_customtitletheme</item>
</style>
<style name="ActionBarTabStyle.Customtitletheme" parent="#style/Widget.AppCompat.Light.ActionBar.TabView">
<item name="android:background">#drawable/tab_indicator_ab_customtitletheme</item>
</style>
<style name="DropDownNav.Customtitletheme" parent="#style/Widget.AppCompat.Light.Spinner.DropDown.ActionBar">
<item name="android:background">#drawable/spinner_background_ab_customtitletheme</item>
<item name="android:popupBackground">#drawable/menu_dropdown_panel_customtitletheme</item>
<item name="android:dropDownSelector">#drawable/selectable_background_customtitletheme</item>
</style>
<style name="ProgressBar.Customtitletheme" parent="#style/Widget.AppCompat.ProgressBar.Horizontal">
<item name="android:progressDrawable">#drawable/progress_horizontal_customtitletheme</item>
</style>
<style name="ActionButton.CloseMode.Customtitletheme" parent="#style/Widget.AppCompat.Light.ActionButton.CloseMode">
<item name="android:background">#drawable/btn_cab_done_customtitletheme</item>
</style>
<!-- ActionBar title text -->
<style name="ActionBar.CustomTitle" parent="#style/TextAppearance.AppCompat.Widget.ActionBar.Title">
<item name="android:textColor">#color/actionbar_text</item>
<!-- The textColor property is backward compatible with the Support Library -->
</style>
<!-- this style is only referenced in a Light.DarkActionBar based theme -->
<style name="Theme.Customtitletheme.Widget" parent="#style/Theme.AppCompat">
<item name="popupMenuStyle">#style/PopupMenu.Customtitletheme</item>
<item name="android:popupMenuStyle" tools:targetApi="11">#style/PopupMenu.Customtitletheme</item>
<item name="dropDownListViewStyle">#style/DropDownListView.Customtitletheme</item>
<item name="android:dropDownListViewStyle">#style/DropDownListView.Customtitletheme</item>
</style>
</resources>
I have also used different values folders, like values-v14 or values-v11, but the same result.
If I change the parent from "Theme.AppCompat.Light" to "Theme.AppCompat.Dark" the color changes, but when I want to use some custom color it is not working...
Also, this is how I used the specified theme in manifest:
<activity
android:name="com.cos.ShareActivity"
android:label="Share File"
android:parentActivityName="com.cos.FileManagerActivity"
android:theme="#style/Theme.Customtitletheme" >
<!-- Parent activity meta-data to support 4.0 and lower -->
<meta-data
android:name="android.support.PARENT_ACTIVITY"
android:value="com.cos.FileManagerActivity" />
</activity>
What I am doing wrong that the color item is ignored ?

After so much time lost trying to figure it out, I found that it was a typo ... damn ... I have used android:textStyle instead of android:titleTextStyle. When I typed in that line the IDE auto-suggest typed the first one :(