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When to call findViewById with menu item id to ensure it is not null?

I'm inflating the menu and trying to find the view of one of the menu items in the following way:
#Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(final Menu menu) {
getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.main, menu);
// will print `null`
Log.i("TAG", String.valueOf(findViewById(R.id.action_hello)));
return true;
}
In the result null is printed in Logcat. However if I add some delay before calling findViewById, it returns correct View object:
#Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(final Menu menu) {
getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.main, menu);
new AsyncTask<Void, Void, Void>() {
#Override
protected Void doInBackground(final Void... voids) {
try {
Thread.sleep(1000);
} catch (InterruptedException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
return null;
}
#Override
protected void onPostExecute(final Void aVoid) {
// will print correctly android.support.v7.view.menu.ActionMenuItemView...
Log.i("TAG", String.valueOf(findViewById(R.id.action_hello)));
}
}.execute();
return true;
}
Of course this solution is very dirty and the minimal delay is unknown. Is there a way to register some callback for the menu inflated event. In other words: how can I call findViewById with the menu item id to be sure that the view is already there and this call won't return null?

Just override public void onPrepareOptionsMenu(Menu menu).
Documentation says:
This is called right before the menu is shown, every time it is shown.
You can use this method to efficiently enable/disable items or
otherwise dynamically modify the contents.
The view for Menu is created after calling onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu), that's why you can't access it subviews.

There are two ways to find the menu item view.
Frist way:-
Add a actionViewClass in your menu item, so that you can get view returned by getActionView. As getActionView() only works if there's a actionView defined for menuItem.
Add this in your menu item xml:-
<item
android:id="#+id/menuAdd"
android:icon="#android:drawable/ic_menu_add"
android:title="Add"
app:showAsAction="always"
app:actionViewClass="android.widget.ImageButton" />
In onCreateOptionsMenu method:-
#Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.menu_item,menu);
View menuView=menu.findItem(R.id.menuAdd).getActionView();
Log.e("TAG", "onCreate: "+menuView );
return true;
}
Second way:-
The second way is to use a handler. Using this method you won't need to specify the time for the delay. Check the answer given by #davehenry here

You must call the super method when your code is finished or things just don't work as expected.
#Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(final Menu menu) {
getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.main, menu);
super.onCreationOptionsMenu(menu);
// calling the super completes the method now you code.
Log.i("TAG", String.valueOf(findViewById(R.id.action_hello)));
return true;
}

This way you get the menu item's id and its actionview:
#Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.menu, menu);
MenuItem mi = menu.findItem(R.id.action_hello);
int id = mi.getItemId();
Log.i("TAG", String.valueOf(id));
View actionView = mi.getActionView();
if (actionView == null) {
Log.i("TAG", "ActionView is null");
} else {
Log.i("TAG", "ActionView is NOT null");
}
return true;
}

Posting Runnable to the Handler queue would usually have that Runnable executed after the main UI thread finished with the currently being executed method part of the Activity's lifecycle, hence it would be a good chance to get what you want there. I do need to note that it's a trick which could fail if underestimated and not well tested but it has worked for me ever since I figured it out.
#Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(final Menu menu) {
getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.main, menu);
new Handler(getMainLooper()).post(new Runnable() {
#Override
public void run() {
Logger.LogI(TAG, "run: " + findViewById(R.id.action_hello));
}
});
return true;
}

Create a global variable for future use:
private ImageButton actionHelloView;
Then, in your onCreateOptionsMenu:
#Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
// Inflate the menu; this adds items to the action bar if it is present.
super.onCreateOptionsMenu(menu);
getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.menu_main, menu);
actionHelloView = (ImageButton) menu.findItem(R.id.action_hello).getActionView();
Log.i("the view is: ", String.valueOf(actionHelloView));
return true;
}
Put this in your XML:
<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="com.test.teststack.MainActivity">
<item
android:id="#+id/action_hello"
android:title="#string/action_settings"
app:showAsAction="never"
app:actionViewClass="android.widget.ImageButton"/>
</menu>
Note:
depending on your API version, you can switch between app:actionViewClass and android:actionViewClass in your xml.
Result in LOGCAT:
07-25 17:55:07.138 9491-9491/? I/the view is:: android.widget.ImageButton{5542a5c VFED..C.. ......I. 0,0-0,0 #7f080011 app:id/action_hello}

You don't mention why you want to find the menu item view and that may have some bearing on the answer that you are looking for. However, if you want to use findViewById() to find a menu view then this is one way to do it. The following example just changes a menu icon from an "X" to a check mark.
ViewTreeObserver.OnGlobalLayoutListener will be invoked right after layout of the toolbar in the following code. It is along the same lines as your delay, but it is the acceptable way to do this type of processing.
Alternately, the program can invoke menu.findItem(R.id.action_hello) in onPrepareOptionsMenu(). Unfortunately, the toolbar is not fully formed at this point, so a findViewById() will fail.
MainActivity.xml
public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
#Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
final Toolbar toolbar = findViewById(R.id.toolbar);
setSupportActionBar(toolbar);
setTitle("");
toolbar.getViewTreeObserver().addOnGlobalLayoutListener(new ViewTreeObserver.OnGlobalLayoutListener() {
#Override
public void onGlobalLayout() {
ActionMenuItemView view = toolbar.findViewById(R.id.action_hello);
if (view != null) {
// onGlobalLayout may be called before toolbar is fully defined.
Log.d("onGlobalLayout", "<<<<view is not null");
// Uncomment this view to make the change to the icon here. Android Studio
// will complain about a library group, but that can be ignored for this demo.
// view.animate() might be a better demo here.
view.setIcon(getResources().getDrawable(R.drawable.ic_check));
toolbar.getViewTreeObserver().removeOnGlobalLayoutListener(this);
}
}
});
}
#Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.main, menu);
return true;
}
#Override
public boolean onPrepareOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
// Uncomment the following line to change the icon here.
// menu.findItem(R.id.action_hello).setIcon(getResources().getDrawable(R.drawable.ic_check));
return true;
}
}
main.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto">
<item
android:id="#+id/action_hello"
android:icon="#drawable/ic_x"
android:title="Item1"
app:showAsAction="ifRoom" />
</menu>
activity_main.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<FrameLayout 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"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
tools:context=".MainActivity">
<android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar
android:id="#+id/toolbar"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="?attr/actionBarSize"
android:layoutDirection="ltr"
android:padding="0px"
android:theme="#style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.ActionBar"
app:contentInsetEnd="0px"
app:contentInsetEndWithActions="0px"
app:contentInsetLeft="0px"
app:contentInsetRight="0px"
app:contentInsetStart="0px"
app:contentInsetStartWithNavigation="0px"
app:logo="#null"
app:title="#null"
app:titleMargin="0px"
app:titleTextColor="#757575"
tools:ignore="UnusedAttribute"
tools:title="toolbar">
</android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar>
</FrameLayout>

In onCreateOptionsMenu(), when you call
findViewById(R.id.action_hello)
this searches in the View hierarchy starting with your "content root". Since the menu you inflated hasn't been attached to the content root yet, it is likely this will return null.
You should be able to post a Runnable to a Handler that will find the View you want. This should be called after you return from onCreateOptionsMenu() and Android has attached the menu views to the content root. You shouldn't need any delay. You just need to wait until the framework has completed the creation of the options menu.

Inflating your menu is not asynchronous, so you are able to find the item exactly where you are doing so - although onPrepareOptionsMenu is probably the more correct place to do so.
What you cannot do is use findItemById, which looks in the currently showing layout (not your collapsed menu), instead you must use menu.findItem() (or menu.getItem())
If you really need to work with the view of the Item (vs the MenuItem object) you can use menu.findItem().getActionView()

How to replace/change the icon of an action bar item

I hope you can give me a hand on this one.
I have an Action bar item with a default icon set.(android:icon="#drawable/ic_action_volume_on")
but the thing is that i need to change it somehow programmatically at my method "onOptionsItemSelected" and since I recently started with Android I'm a bit lost...

First you have to save a menu instance on the onCreateOptionsMenu:
private Menu menu;
#Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(final Menu menu) {
this.menu = menu
...
}
Then, you can create the following method:
private void setItemView(int itemId, int layoutId) {
if (menu != null) {
final Menuitem myItem = menu.findItem(itemId);
if (myItem != null) {
MenuItemCompat.setActionView(myItem, layoutId);
}
}
}
It replaces the current icon of your item by a view. For example if you want to display a ProgressBar you can create this layout (let's name it item_custom_view.xml):
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<FrameLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="56dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:minWidth="56dp" >
<ProgressBar
android:layout_width="32dp"
android:layout_height="32dp"
android:layout_gravity="center" />
</FrameLayout>
Finally, in your Activity, just call the setItemView method. Put in parameters the id of your item and the id of your layout (in this case R.layout.item_custom_view).

You can do this simply by defining
private Menu menu;
and in onCreateOptionMenu callback assign value to menu and get menu inflater like this
#Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
this.menu=menu;
getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.menu_bar, menu);
return true;
}
And finally you can write this line to change icon in your preferred method
menu.findItem(R.id.item_id).setIcon(R.drawable.your_icon);

Hide/Show Action Bar Option Menu Item for different fragments

I have a Sherlock Fragment Activity in which there are 3 Fragments.
Fragment A, Fragment B, Fragment C are three fragments. I want to show a done option menu in Fragment B only.
And the activity is started with Fragment A. When Fragment B is selected done button is added.
#Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setHasOptionsMenu(true);
}
#Override
public void onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu, MenuInflater inflater) {
if(!menusInflated){
inflater.inflate(R.menu.security, menu);
menusInflated=true;
}
super.onCreateOptionsMenu(menu, inflater);
}
When I again start Fragment A I want to options Menu DONE (which was set at Fragment B) for this I am doing like this
setHasOptionsMenu(false);
MenuItem item = (MenuItem) menu.findItem(R.id.done_item);
item.setVisible(false);
But this is not hiding at all, also it is giving NullPointerException when Activity if first started with Fragment A.
Please let me know what is the problem.

Try this...
You don't need to override onCreateOptionsMenu() in your Fragment class again. Menu items visibility can be changed by overriding onPrepareOptionsMenu() method available in Fragment class.
#Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setHasOptionsMenu(true);
}
#Override
public void onPrepareOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
menu.findItem(R.id.action_search).setVisible(false);
super.onPrepareOptionsMenu(menu);
}

This is one way of doing this:
add a "group" to your menu:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" >
<group
android:id="#+id/main_menu_group">
<item android:id="#+id/done_item"
android:title="..."
android:icon="..."
android:showAsAction="..."/>
</group>
</menu>
then, add a
Menu menu;
variable to your activity and set it in your override of onCreateOptionsMenu:
#Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
this.menu = menu;
// inflate your menu here
}
After, add and use this function to your activity when you'd like to show/hide the menu:
public void showOverflowMenu(boolean showMenu){
if(menu == null)
return;
menu.setGroupVisible(R.id.main_menu_group, showMenu);
}
I am not saying this is the best/only way, but it works well for me.

To show action items (action buttons) in the ActionBar of fragments where they are only needed, do this:
Lets say you want the save button to only show in the fragment where you accept input for items and not in the Fragment where you view a list of items, add this to the OnCreateOptionsMenu method of the Fragment where you view the items:
public void onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu, MenuInflater inflater) {
if (menu != null) {
menu.findItem(R.id.action_save_item).setVisible(false);
}
}
NOTE: For this to work, you need the onCreate() method in your Fragment (where you want to hide item button, the item view fragment in our example) and add setHasOptionsMenu(true) like this:
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setHasOptionsMenu(true);
}
Might not be the best option, but it works and it's simple.

This will work for sure I guess...
// Declare
Menu menu;
MenuItem menuDoneItem;
// Then in your onCreateOptionMenu() method write the following...
#Override
public void onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu, MenuInflater inflater) {
this.menu=menu;
inflater.inflate(R.menu.secutity, menu);
}
// In your onOptionItemSelected() method write the following...
#Override
public boolean onOptionsItemSelected(MenuItem item) {
switch (item.getItemId()) {
case R.id.done_item:
this.menuDoneItem=item;
someOperation();
return true;
default:
return super.onOptionsItemSelected(item);
}
}
// Now Making invisible any menu item...
public void menuInvisible(){
setHasOptionsMenu(true);// Take part in populating the action bar menu
menuDoneItem=(MenuItem)menu.findItem(R.id.done_item);
menuRefresh.setVisible(false); // make true to make the menu item visible.
}
//Use the above method whenever you need to make your menu item visible or invisiable
You can also refer this link for more details, it is a very useful one.

MenuItem Import = menu.findItem(R.id.Import);
Import.setVisible(false)

Try this
#Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu){
MenuInflater inflater = getMenuInflater();
inflater.inflate(R.menu.custom_actionbar, menu);
menu.setGroupVisible(...);
}

By setting the Visibility of all items in Menu, the appbar menu or overflow menu will be Hide automatically
Example
private Menu menu_change_language;
...
...
#Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
...
...
menu_change_language = menu;
menu_change_language.findItem(R.id.menu_change_language).setVisible(true);
return super.onCreateOptionsMenu(menu);
}
Before going to other fragment use bellow code:
if(menu_change_language != null){
menu_change_language.findItem(R.id.menu_change_language)
.setVisible(false);
}

Hello I got the best solution of this, suppose if u have to hide a particular item at on create Menu method and show that item in other fragment. I am taking an example of two menu item one is edit and other is delete. e.g menu xml is as given below:
sell_menu.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto">
<item
android:id="#+id/action_edit"
android:icon="#drawable/ic_edit_white_shadow_24dp"
app:showAsAction="always"
android:title="Edit" />
<item
android:id="#+id/action_delete"
android:icon="#drawable/ic_delete_white_shadow_24dp"
app:showAsAction="always"
android:title="Delete" />
Now Override the two method in your activity & make a field variable mMenu as:
private Menu mMenu; // field variable
#Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.sell_menu, menu);
this.mMenu = menu;
menu.findItem(R.id.action_delete).setVisible(false);
return super.onCreateOptionsMenu(menu);
}
#Override
public boolean onOptionsItemSelected(MenuItem item) {
if (item.getItemId() == R.id.action_delete) {
// do action
return true;
} else if (item.getItemId() == R.id.action_edit) {
// do action
return true;
}
return super.onOptionsItemSelected(item);
}
Make two following method in your Activity & call them from fragment to hide and show your menu item. These method are as:
public void showDeleteImageOption(boolean status) {
if (menu != null) {
menu.findItem(R.id.action_delete).setVisible(status);
}
}
public void showEditImageOption(boolean status) {
if (menu != null) {
menu.findItem(R.id.action_edit).setVisible(status);
}
}
That's Solve from my side,I think this explanation will help you.

You can make a menu for each fragment, and a global variable that mark which fragment is in use now.
and check the value of the variable in onCreateOptionsMenu and inflate the correct menu
#Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
if (fragment_it == 6) {
MenuInflater inflater = getMenuInflater();
inflater.inflate(R.menu.custom_actionbar, menu);
}
}

Okay I spend couple of hour to get this solution.apparently you can get menuitem from your toolbar to anywhere in activity or fragment. So in my case.
var menuItem = toolbar.menu;
Now to get specfic item from menu item
favIcon = menuItem.findItem(R.id.favourite);
Note: favIcon is MenuItem declare global
Now if you can do whatever you want to do for this icon
eg. to make it invisible
favIcon?.isVisible=false

Even though the question is old and answered. There is a simpler answer to that than the above mentioned. You don't need to use any other variables.
You can create the buttons on action bar whatever the fragment you want, instead of doing the visibility stuff(show/hide).
Add the following in the fragment whatever u need the menu item.
public void onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu, MenuInflater inflater) {
inflater.inflate(R.menu.menu, menu);
super.onCreateOptionsMenu(menu, inflater);
}
Sample menu.xml file:
<menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" >
<item
android:id="#+id/action_addFlat"
android:icon="#drawable/add"
android:showAsAction="ifRoom|withText"
android:title="#string/action_addFlat"/>
</menu>
Handling onclick events is as usual.

Late to the party but the answers above didn't seem to work for me.
My first tab fragment (uses getChildFragmentManager() for inner tabs) has the menu to show a search icon and uses android.support.v7.widget.SearchView to search within the inner tab fragment but navigating to other tabs (which also have inner tabs using getChildFragmentManager()) would not remove the search icon (as not required) and therefore still accessible with no function, maybe as I am using the below (ie outer main tabs with each inner tabs)
getChildFragmentManager();
However I use the below in my fragments containing/using the getChildFragmentManager() for inner tabs.
//region onCreate
#Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setRetainInstance(true);
//access setHasOptionsMenu()
setHasOptionsMenu(true);
}
//endregion onCreate
and then clear the menu item inside onPrepareOptionsMenu for fragments(search icon & functions)
#Override
public void onPrepareOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
super.onPrepareOptionsMenu(menu);
//clear the menu/hide the icon & disable the search access/function ...
//this will clear the menu entirely, so rewrite/draw the menu items after if needed
menu.clear();
}
Works well and navigating back to the tab/inner tab with the search icon functions re displays the search icon & functions.
Hope this helps...

For some reason the method was not working for me this is how I solved it according to the accepted solution
//This should be in on create
new Handler().postDelayed(new Runnable() {
#Override
public void run() {
showOverflowMenu(false);
}
},100);
#Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
this.menu = menu;
getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.options_menu, menu);
return true;
}
public void showOverflowMenu(boolean showMenu){
if(menu == null)
return;
menu.setGroupVisible(R.id.grp, showMenu);
}

How can I set the visibility of an ActionBar item in different fragment

I'm looking for a way to set the visibility of a MenuItem inflated in my MainActivity depending on which Fragment I am on.
For information: I'm using actionBarSherlock, zxing, and some google services.
The application was built with a Navigation drawer(With abs), also I manipulate the FragmentStack in such way I everytime I switch to another Fragment when I press the touch back I come back in my Main Fragment.
Here my menu:
<menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" >
<item android:id="#+id/button_generator" android:title="GENERER" android:icon="#drawable/ic_drawer"></item>
</menu>
Here is where I inflate the menu:
#Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
Log.d(TAG, "================= onCreateOptionsMenu ================= fragSt: " + fragmentStatus);
this.getSherlock().getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.main, menu);
mGenQrFromContacts = menu.findItem(R.id.button_generator);
return true;
}
I've tried the solution purposed here, but ain't work in my case.

You should try this in your Fragment:
#Override
public View onCreateView(LayoutInflater inflater, ViewGroup container, Bundle savedInstanceState) {
// ...
// call the method setHasOptionsMenu, to have access to the menu from your fragment
setHasOptionsMenu(true);
//...
}
// the create options menu with a MenuInflater to have the menu from your fragment
#Override
public void onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu, MenuInflater inflater) {
menu.findItem(R.id.button_generator).setVisible(true);
super.onCreateOptionsMenu(menu, inflater);
}
And this, in your Activity:
#Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
getSupportMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.my_layout, menu);
menu.findItem(R.id.button_generator).setVisible(false);
return true;
}
Hope this helps.

when you want to change fragment you will need to set a flag indicating what menu you want inflated then all you have to do is call invalidateOptionsMenu() in your activity to call onCreateOptonsMenu again and using your flag you set you inflate a different menu

I found a trick, you might wanna try this.
public void displayMenu(boolean show) {
setHasOptionsMenu(show);
getActivity().invalidateOptionsMenu();
}

android Setonclicklistener doesn't work with menu's items

i have a menu that contains just one item.
Button exit;
#Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub
super.onCreateOptionsMenu(menu);
MenuInflater blowUp = getMenuInflater();
blowUp.inflate(R.menu.exitmenu, menu);
return true;
}
exit=(Button)findViewById(R.id.bexitMenuExit);
if i add listener to exit button , i got excpetion (null pointer), i am sure that there is no syntax error, the button exit is comming from this menu
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" >
<item android:id="#+id/bexitMenuExit"
android:title="Exit"
android:icon="#android:drawable/ic_menu_close_clear_cancel"
></item>
</menu>
what am i doing wrong?

There is no need to initialize Button and this doesn't make sence for me.
Just inflate your Menu and just override onOptionsItemSelected method:
#Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
new MenuInflater(getApplicationContext()).inflate(R.menu.exitmenu, menu);
return super.onCreateOptionsMenu(menu);
}
#Override
public boolean onOptionsItemSelected(MenuItem item) {
switch(item.getId()) {
case R.id.bexitMenuExit:
// work that will start when you click on this
...
}
}
Also, there is no need to use OnClickListener, for this there is onOptionsItemSelected method and you should use it.

for menu items, as stated by Sajmon, you can use onOptionsIemsSelected function. onClickListener is used by views while this function has been designed to be used specifically by menu items using switch case.