Develop Reference

Android - Aligning views to the ends of a layout

Sorry if my question sounds simple but I'm working on a simple layout for my list item and my intention align to textviews one on each end of the layout. My attempts are as below but the texviews are right next to each other. Any ideas where I'm going wrong?
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:padding="10dp"
android:orientation="horizontal">
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:id="#+id/ll_finc_calctr_result_label">
<TextView
android:id="#+id/tv_finc_calctr_result_label"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"/>
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="right"
android:layout_alignRight="#+id/ll_finc_calctr_result_label"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
android:layout_toRightOf="#+id/ll_finc_calctr_result_label">
<TextView
android:id="#+id/tv_finc_calctr_result"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="center"/>
</LinearLayout>
</RelativeLayout>

Try this..
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:padding="10dp" >
<TextView
android:id="#+id/tv_finc_calctr_result_label"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:gravity="left"
android:text="text left" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/tv_finc_calctr_result"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:gravity="right"
android:text="text right" />
</LinearLayout>

Firstly, you need to remove the two properties of alignRight and toRightOf from the second linear layout:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:padding="10dp"
android:orientation="horizontal">
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:id="#+id/ll_finc_calctr_result_label">
<TextView
android:id="#+id/tv_finc_calctr_result_label"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:text="ss"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"/>
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="right"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true" >
<TextView
android:id="#+id/tv_finc_calctr_result"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="sse"
android:layout_gravity="center"/>
</LinearLayout>
</RelativeLayout>
Which will result in the second textview on right side.
And I would advise that you don't take two linear layout as both of them contain just a single textview:
Something like:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:padding="10dp" >
<TextView
android:id="#+id/tv_finc_calctr_result_label"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="ss" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/tv_finc_calctr_result"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
android:text="sse" />
</RelativeLayout>
Output:

The solution provided by Hariharan is excellent. Another option might be more useful if you need the textViews' width to actually be wrap_content (for instance if they have a background styling, etc.) You can achieve a more accurate behavior using a space:
<?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"
android:padding="10dp" >
<TextView
android:id="#+id/tv_finc_calctr_result_label"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
<Space
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="1" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/tv_finc_calctr_result"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="center" />
</LinearLayout>

android two line listview row alignment

I've a two line listview with the following XML for the row:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:layout_height="?android:attr/listPreferredItemHeight"
android:padding="6dip"
android:gravity="center_vertical"
>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/designation"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:gravity="center_vertical"
android:textSize="18sp"
android:textStyle="bold" />
<TextView
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="0dip"
android:layout_weight="2"
android:id="#+id/orderedValue"
android:gravity="bottom"
android:singleLine="true"
android:ellipsize="marquee"
/>
</LinearLayout>
what I want is to have the first row (designation) to be at the exact vertical center of the row, and the second row (orderedValue) just below it
I've been trying with several combinations of LinearLayout/Relative layout, gravity vs layout_gravity for the TextViews to no avail
Any help/pointers here?

I'd make a blank View above the first TextView which can share the same weight as the text below it.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:layout_height="?android:attr/listPreferredItemHeight"
android:padding="6dip"
>
<View
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="0dip"
android:layout_weight="1"
/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/designation"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:textSize="18sp"
android:textStyle="bold" />
<TextView
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="0dip"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:id="#+id/orderedValue"
android:singleLine="true"
android:ellipsize="marquee"
/>
</LinearLayout>

If I were you I'll try to put designation TextView inside a LinearLayout and use android:layout_gravity to center it. I tried this in my activity and it centered the first TextView. However, I'm not sure if it will work in your list.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:layout_height="?android:attr/listPreferredItemHeight"
android:padding="6dip"
android:gravity="center_vertical" >
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/layout"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<TextView
android:id="#+id/designation"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="center"
android:textSize="18sp"
android:textStyle="bold"
android:text="designation" />
</LinearLayout>
<TextView
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="0dip"
android:layout_weight="2"
android:id="#+id/orderedValue"
android:gravity="bottom"
android:singleLine="true"
android:ellipsize="marquee"
android:text="orderedValue" />
</LinearLayout>

iTurki, thanks for the input, but I just solved it before reading your solution.
I switched to a relative layout and changed some parameters, most importantly adding: android:layout_centerVertical="true".
here is my final layout:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:padding="6dip"
>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/designation"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:textSize="19sp"
android:layout_centerVertical="true"
android:textStyle="bold" />
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:id="#+id/orderedValue"
android:singleLine="true"
android:layout_below="#id/designation"
android:paddingTop="6dip"
android:textColor="#33B5E5"
android:textSize="13sp"
/>
</RelativeLayout>
Thank you both for your interest!

Add two textviews end to end in android xml

I want to add a textview right at the end of another textview, ie not in next line, but where previous textview ends, in xml file. Just like:
| <TextView1><TextView2> |
| aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaabbb |
My xml file:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:orientation="horizontal" >
<TextView
android:id="#+id/textView"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa"
android:ellipsize="none"/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/date"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="bbb" />
</LinearLayout>
but text "bbb" is not shown. Can anyone help?

Use following.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:orientation="horizontal" >
<TextView
android:id="#+id/textView"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:ellipsize="none"
android:text="aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa"
/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/date"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:text="bbb" />
</LinearLayout>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<TextView
android:id="#+id/textView"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa"
android:ellipsize="none"/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/date"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="bbb" />
</LinearLayout>

use weight sum .....
I have provided both 50% space you can change as per your requirement.......
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:weightSum="1">
<TextView
android:id="#+id/textView"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa"
android:ellipsize="none"
android:layout_weight=".5"/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/date"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="bbb"
android:layout_weight=".5" />
</LinearLayout>
as per requirement ......
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<HorizontalScrollView xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent">
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:orientation="horizontal"
>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/textView"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa"
android:ellipsize="none"
/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/date"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="bbb"
android:layout_alignRight="#id/textView"
/>
</LinearLayout>
</HorizontalScrollView>

This is because you have provided android:ellipsize="none" as none and giving a very long text to textView.
just provide android:ellipsize="end" and you will be able to see second textView.

Use a RelativeLayout and have your "aaaa..." text view align to the left of the "bbb" textview. You can either remove maxLines or set it to some other value if you want multiple lines.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:orientation="horizontal" >
<TextView
android:id="#+id/textView"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
android:layout_toLeftOf="#+id/date"
android:ellipsize="none"
android:maxLines="1"
android:text="aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/date"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignBottom="#+id/textView"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
android:text="bbb" />
</RelativeLayout>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:gravity="fill">
<TextView android:id="#+id/textView"
android:text="bbb"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:singleLine="true"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true" />
<TextView android:id="#+id/date"
android:text="aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_toLeftOf="#id/textView"
android:singleLine="true"
android:ellipsize="none" />
</RelativeLayout>

it's simple use one textView and inside your cod use append method and add some space before your second text :)

Android LinearLayouts conflicting with each other

I have two LinearLayout
One contains a EditText with a patch9 image as a speech bubble and another with a TextView and ImageView
When I try typing into the EditText is begins to expand towards the right hand side then starts to reduce the width of the second LinearLayout (crushing the image)
XML is
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:background="#color/white"
android:gravity="center"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:gravity="center"
android:orientation="horizontal" >
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:gravity="left"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<EditText
android:id="#+id/summaryMessage"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:background="#drawable/greeting_bubble_white"
android:gravity="center" />
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:gravity="right"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/summaryImage"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:background="#drawable/picture_frame" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/summaryText"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:gravity="center"
android:paddingLeft="10dp" />
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>
Looks like this
Any ideas?

its expanding since you have specified that layout_width of your LinearLayout should be "wrap_content", you should specify a fixed dimension with dps so it doesn't expand beyond.
Alternative use the weight tag
try out this modification:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:background="#color/white"
android:gravity="center"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:gravity="center"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:layout_weight="0.7">
<EditText
android:id="#+id/summaryMessage"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:background="#drawable/greeting_bubble_white"
android:gravity="center" />
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.3"
android:gravity="right"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/summaryImage"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:background="#drawable/picture_frame" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/summaryText"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:gravity="center"
android:paddingLeft="10dp" />
</LinearLayout>
however I would suggest more that you use this one:
<?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:background="#color/white"
android:gravity="center"
android:orientation="horizontal" >
<EditText
android:id="#+id/summaryMessage"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="0.7"
android:background="#drawable/greeting_bubble_white"
android:gravity="center" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/summaryText"
android:layout_weight="0.3"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:gravity="center"
android:paddingLeft="10dp" />
</LinearLayout>
and that you use compound drawables on your summaryText here is a link that should help you: Using Compund Drawables

Use a relative layout, the layout editor is in fact pretty good so use it to position your views

issue with a android linear layout

i have a problem with the linear layout of android.
i have something like this:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<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/myimg"
android:contentDescription="#string/desc" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/textView1"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="#string/a" />
<EditText
android:id="#+id/editText1"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:inputType="number" />
</LinearLayout>
the problem is, that on some bigger devices everything is good. but on smaler devices i just see the image and the textview and edittext is not visible. and its not possible to scroll down.
how to avoid this?

Put the whole thing into a ScrollView. Nothing easier than that!
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<ScrollView
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent">
<LinearLayout
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/myimg"
android:contentDescription="#string/desc" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/textView1"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="#string/a" />
<EditText
android:id="#+id/editText1"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:inputType="number" />
</LinearLayout>
</ScrollView>

It is because LinearLayout is not supposed to scroll down automatically. If you want to make your views scroll, you should place the layout inside a ScrollView:
<ScrollView xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent">
<LinearLayout
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/myimg"
android:contentDescription="#string/desc" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/textView1"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="#string/a" />
<EditText
android:id="#+id/editText1"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:inputType="number" />
</LinearLayout>
</ScrollView>