Develop Reference

ScrimBackground from Theme.MaterialComponents is not Working

I'm trying to change the scrimBackground that show up when you opened a dialog. And I know that in the new MaterialComponents-Theme is an attribute for this case (scrimBackground). But it is currently not working for me.
On the material.io website that background is also descriped as the scrimBackground and it looks like that it is customizable from the Theme. Has anyone an idea what I'm doing wrong?
https://material.io/design/components/dialogs.html#theming
<style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.MaterialComponents.Light.NoActionBar">
<item name="colorPrimary">#color/colorPrimary</item>
<item name="colorPrimaryDark">#color/colorPrimaryDark</item>
<item name="colorAccent">#color/colorAccent</item>
<item name="scrimBackground">#android:color/holo_blue_light</item>
<item name="dialogTheme">#drawable/window_scrim</item>
<item name="android:dialogTheme">#style/DialogTheme</item>
<item name="alertDialogTheme">#style/AlertDialogTheme</item>
<item name="android:alertDialogTheme">#style/AlertDialogTheme</item>
</style>
<style name="DialogTheme" parent="Theme.MaterialComponents.Dialog">
<item name="scrimBackground">#drawable/window_scrim</item>
</style>
<style name="AlertDialogTheme" parent="Theme.MaterialComponents.Dialog.Alert">
<item name="scrimBackground">#drawable/window_scrim</item>
</style>

The Material code does not appear to use this attribute even though it is defined. This issue tracks this problem. In the meantime, you may be able to change this without a Material Theme using the advise in Changing default Android fade/scrim color when calling a Dialog.

Android styles, difference between api levels

I'm trying to learn how to Style my application using the styles.xml file and I need some clarification on a few things to understand it.
In an Item, what is the difference between setting android:actionbarstyle and just actionbarstyle ? I know that in this particular case, I have to define both, but why? And what about all other cases, for example android:colorPrimary and just colorPrimary? In that case I get an error saying that android:colorPrimary can only be used with min API level 21. So does someone have a good explanation on what the android: prefix does and how it affects my app?
Is there a reference to the different parent styles, such as parent="#style/Widget.AppCompat.Light.ActionBar and what they mean? How do I find a list of the different parent styles available for a specific item and what I can "override" in them? Right now, it's mostly guessing on my part....
Just as a reference, I'm posting my current styles.xml file.
<resources xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<style name="AppTheme" parent="MyTheme"/>
<style name="MyTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light">
<item name="actionBarTheme">#style/MyTheme.ActionBarTheme</item>
<item name="android:actionBarStyle">#style/MyTheme.ActionBarStyle</item>
<item name="actionBarStyle">#style/MyTheme.ActionBarStyle</item>
<item name="colorPrimary">#color/my_green</item>
<item name="colorPrimaryDark">#color/my_forest</item>
<item name="colorAccent">#color/my_soil</item>
<item name="drawerArrowStyle">#style/MyTheme.DrawerArrowStyle</item>
<item name="android:actionOverflowButtonStyle">#style/MyTheme.OverFlow</item>
<item name="android:actionMenuTextColor">#color/white</item>
<item name="homeAsUpIndicator">#drawable/abc_ic_ab_back_mtrl_am_alpha</item>
<item name="android:homeAsUpIndicator">#drawable/abc_ic_ab_back_mtrl_am_alpha</item>
<item name="colorControlNormal">#color/my_green</item>
<item name="colorControlActivated">#color/my_forest</item>
<item name="colorControlHighlight">#color/my_deep_green</item>
</style>
<style name="MyTheme.ActionBarTheme" parent="#style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.ActionBar">
<!-- This sets the BACK arrow to white. Otherwise it's black. Must be placed in the theme-->
<item name="colorControlNormal">#color/white</item>
</style>
<style name="MyTheme.ActionBarStyle" parent="#style/Widget.AppCompat.Light.ActionBar">
<item name="android:background">#color/my_green</item>
<item name="background">#color/my_green</item>
<item name="android:titleTextStyle">#style/MyTheme.ActionBar.TitleTextStyle</item>
<item name="titleTextStyle">#style/MyTheme.ActionBar.TitleTextStyle</item>
<item name="colorControlNormal">#color/white</item>
</style>
<style name="MyTheme.ActionBar.TitleTextStyle" parent="#android:style/TextAppearance.Holo.Widget.ActionBar.Title">
<item name="android:textColor">#color/white</item>
</style>
<style name="MyTheme.DrawerArrowStyle" parent="Widget.AppCompat.DrawerArrowToggle">
<item name="spinBars">true</item>
<item name="color">#color/white</item>
</style>
<style name="MyTheme.OverFlow" parent="Widget.AppCompat.ActionButton.Overflow">
<item name="android:tint">#color/white</item>
</style>
</resources>

I will try my best to explain and will concentrate on:
<item name="colorPrimary">#color/my_green</item>
<item name="colorPrimaryDark">#color/my_forest</item>
<item name="colorAccent">#color/my_soil</item>
These attributes are regularly available with API level 21. In general you use attributes with the "android" prefix.
If you define all your styles in the styles.xml of your values folder and if you are using app compat, then you need both.
Without the prefix the attributes applies for pre L devices. i.e. App Compat. To get it work for L devices and higher you need to specifiy the attribute again with the "android" prefix.
And to get the other Android styles you can step into them, like you step into classes and the implementations. For Mac I press the command button and then click with the mouse on the specific style.

Lollipop Theme issue

I am using sherlock action bar in my project, I have used Theme.Sherlock.Light.DarkActionBar
<style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.Sherlock.Light.DarkActionBar">
<item name="android:homeAsUpIndicator">#drawable/transparent</item>
<item name="homeAsUpIndicator">#drawable/transparent</item>
<item name="actionBarStyle">#style/Widget.MyTheme.ActionBar</item>
<item name="android:actionBarStyle">#style/Widget.MyTheme.ActionBar</item>
<item name="android:titleTextStyle">#style/Widget.MyTheme.TitleTextStyle</item>
<item name="android:textAllCaps">false</item>
</style>
Problem :
I am getting light color menu with lollipop:
pre lollipop image :
Lollipop image :
can some one guide me, how can I get slimier menu color on both .

You can create a style which extends from actionbar sherlock to change color of you actionbar with other properties.
<style name="Theme.MyTheme" parent="Theme.Sherlock.ForceOverflow">
<item name="actionBarStyle">#style/Widget.MyTheme.ActionBar</item>
<item name="android:actionBarStyle">#style/Widget.MyTheme.ActionBar</item>
</style>
<style name="Widget.MyTheme.ActionBar" parent="Widget.Sherlock.ActionBar">
<item name="android:background">#ff000000</item>
<item name="background">#ff000000</item>
<item name="android:textColor">#CC3232</item>
</style>
For TextColor only
<style name="YOURTHEME.ActionBar.TitleTextStyle" parent="TextAppearance.Sherlock.Widget.ActionBar.Title">
<item name="android:textColor">#color/yourColor</item>
<item name="textColor">#color/yourColor</item>
</style>
Last resort Solution
<item name="android:textColorPrimary">#color/yourColor</item>

You should create a new styles.xml in a separate values-21 folder. There, you can define a specific theme/style that suits your needs for Lollipop devices only.

You should be using the ActionBar or ToolBar provided by app-compat library, instead of ActionBarSherlock.
ABS uses replacement Holo themes for older versions, which I guess hasn't been updated in a while.

AppCompat - styling using v14 folder performance

Is there a performance difference in these two methods of implementing AppCompat styles? Is one method better than the other?
values/styles.xml
<style name="ActionBar.Solid.Sunshine" parent="Widget.AppCompat.Light.ActionBar.Solid.Inverse">
<item name="android:background">#color/sunshine_blue_500</item>
<item name="background">#color/sunshine_blue_500</item>
</style>
---------vs--------------------
values-v14/styles.xml
<style name="ActionBar.Solid.Sunshine" parent="Widget.AppCompat.Light.ActionBar.Solid.Inverse">
<item name="android:background">#color/sunshine_blue_500</item>
</style>
values/styles.xml
<style name="ActionBar.Solid.Sunshine" parent="Widget.AppCompat.Light.ActionBar.Solid.Inverse">
<item name="background">#color/sunshine_blue_500</item>
</style>

The v-14 double folder method is better, or you'll get an error if the values/styles.xml contains a namespace that isn't accessible by the min API level

Fully transparent ActionBarSherlock by using theme

I am using ActionBarSherlock 4.0.2.
I need a fully transparent action bar (without the neon color bottom divider). Hence, I have the following style:
<style name="AppTheme" parent="#style/Theme.Sherlock">
<item name="windowActionBarOverlay">true</item>
<item name="icon">#drawable/ic_home</item>
<item name="titleTextStyle">#style/ActionBarCompatTitle</item>
<item name="android:windowFullscreen">true</item>
</style>
By using above code, I will still have the following effect.
In order to disable the background, I put the following code in SherlockFragmentActivity#onCreate. Then the problem gone.
getSupportActionBar().setBackgroundDrawable(null);
However, I would like to see the solution being implemented in styles.xml instead of Java code, as I have many other devices with different screen configuration. I modified the styles.xml to the following, without using the previously mentioned fix in the Java code.
<style name="AppTheme" parent="#style/Theme.Sherlock">
<item name="windowActionBarOverlay">true</item>
<item name="icon">#drawable/ic_home</item>
<item name="titleTextStyle">#style/ActionBarCompatTitle</item>
<item name="android:windowFullscreen">true</item>
<item name="android:background">#drawable/transparent</item>
<item name="background">#drawable/transparent</item>
</style>
However, the neon divider still visible. It seems that my fix using android:background and background does not work. Am I missing something?

<style name="AppTheme" parent="#style/Theme.Sherlock">
<item name="actionBarStyle">#style/AppTheme.ActionBar</item>
<item name="android:actionBarStyle">#style/AppTheme.ActionBar</item>
</style>
<style name="AppTheme.ActionBar" parent="#style/Widget.Sherlock.ActionBar">
<item name="background">#android:color/transparent</item>
<item name="android:background">#android:color/transparent</item>
</style>