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Android Layout xml "buttons stacking" (newbie )

I just started with android development. I just need a screen with some buttons on it that can contact a webserver, to trigger an action there, but i have not even gotten that far.
When i add buttons to the layout, even if they are nicely sided by side, they end up ontop of each other, with the button created last ontop.
And furtermore i have changed the color, but it does not seem to be moved end up in the simulator.
This is a fresh design (2nd try) and i dont understand what is going on. I dont really know what files to include :)
I realize this is something simple, but im just overwhelmed
thank you
Lasse
Phone and design view

You're probably using a FrameLayout, which just stacks things on top of each other and only supports gravity.
For your use case, you can use a LinearLayout, a RelativeLayout or a ConstraintLayout. Here's an example using LinearLayout:
<?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:orientation="vertical">
<TextView
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_marginBottom="16dp"
android:text="Select releases since last candy fix" />
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal">
<Button
android:layout_width="96dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_marginRight="16dp"
android:text="Button 1" />
<Button
android:layout_width="96dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_marginRight="16dp"
android:text="Button 2" />
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>
Have a look at the different layouts to see which one better fits your needs, ConstraintLayout would allow you to flatten your layout, which is good for performance.

How can I create a multiline, multicolumn list item layout?

I am creating a messaging app and am currently working on the inbox. I'm using a RecyclerView to display the list of conversations and would like each list item to look like this:
Leftmost is the contact image at 90dp x 90dp
The first row has two columns--the contact name and the date. The date should not be a fixed size as I currently have it, but fit at most DD/MM/YYYY (can be smaller in the case of something like "Sunday") and should be anchored to the right margin. The contact(s) should expand as necessary to fill any space up to the date.
The second row contains as much text of the last message as will fit.
I was going to use layout_weight but that doesn't work in a RelativeLayout (and doesn't allow the contact names to elongate in the case of a shorter date) and LinearLayout doesn't let me use layout_toEndOf. I'm a newbie at Android development so I'm not sure if one of those is the "right" answer.
What's the proper way of accomplishing the layout I'm looking for?
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content">
<RelativeLayout
android:id="#+id/conversation_info"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:padding="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin">
<RelativeLayout
android:id="#+id/conversation_image_layout"
android:layout_width="90dp"
android:layout_height="90dp">
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/conversation_contact_image"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent" />
</RelativeLayout>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/conversation_contact_name"
android:layout_width="200dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_marginTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:gravity="center_vertical"
android:textSize="#dimen/conversations_contact_font_size"
android:layout_toEndOf="#id/conversation_image_layout" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/conversation_date"
android:layout_width="200dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_toEndOf="#id/conversation_contact_name"
android:gravity="right"
android:paddingRight="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:textSize="#dimen/conversations_date_font_size" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/conversation_snippet"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_below="#id/conversation_contact_name"
android:textSize="#dimen/conversations_snippet_font_size"
android:layout_toRightOf="#id/conversation_image_layout" />
</RelativeLayout>
</LinearLayout>
This is what a list item currently looks like (I haven't loaded contact images yet). It's fine for the most part (though my layout code is probably incredibly bloated so I'd appreciate if anyone could point out ways to make it more concise) but notice how the date isn't on the same level as the contact name and wraps:

One of the textView in question has the MarginTop attribute, and the other one doesn't. Either remove it on both or add it to both:
<TextView
android:id="#+id/conversation_contact_name"
android:layout_width="200dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_marginTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:gravity="center_vertical"
android:textSize="#dimen/conversations_contact_font_size"
android:layout_toEndOf="#id/conversation_image_layout" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/conversation_date"
android:layout_width="200dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_toEndOf="#id/conversation_contact_name"
android:gravity="right"
android:layout_marginTop="#dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:paddingRight="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:textSize="#dimen/conversations_date_font_size" />
Also, I'd recommend that you use Linear Layouts with nested Linear Layouts and weights, for better performance on different screens and devices. This may all fall apart if you run it on a different device. Don't trust me, try it :)

After it became clear to me that some of the layout parameters didn't mean what I thought they did, I spent some more time looking at my choices.
It is not recommended to nest LinearLayouts/use layout_weight within a list item, as the number of views created increases rapidly as more items are added. I managed to minify my code and keep it in a single RelativeLayout with the following code:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:id="#+id/conversation_info"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:padding="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin">
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/conversation_contact_image"
android:layout_width="64dp"
android:layout_height="64dp"/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/conversation_contact_name"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:textSize="#dimen/conversations_contact_font_size"
android:layout_toEndOf="#id/conversation_contact_image"/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/conversation_date"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentEnd="true"
android:layout_alignBaseline="#id/conversation_contact_name"
android:textSize="#dimen/conversations_date_font_size"/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/conversation_snippet"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_below="#id/conversation_contact_name"
android:textSize="#dimen/conversations_snippet_font_size"
android:layout_toEndOf="#id/conversation_contact_image"/>
</RelativeLayout>
Notable changes:
No nested tags - It was unnecessary to group the first line in its own layout
Used layout_alignBaseline - #Vucko pointed out that I was using marginTop on the contact name but not the date. Even after removing it, the two were still misaligned. android:gravity had no effect and it turns out none of these actually affect the text inside the layout
Used layout_alignParentEnd to fix the date issue. I've realized that in my case, a layout component usually only needs to reference one other in order to properly align itself relative to the rest of the layout.

Android/XML - How to align an immobile layout to top of parent and have scrollview below?

Please refer to example below. I want to have the top layout (below encased in red) to be unmoving in a scrollview in my activity. I have a scrollview as the parent layout and then I thought having a relative layout for the top one would work, and align it to the top, but that didn't really work out as it still remained within the scrollview. I would like to have the users have the red-layout box remain static when they scroll down.
I figure I would also have to put in a topMargin at the top of the scrollview or something in order to fit the redbox layout in.
XML Code posted here: http://pastebin.com/bxdREbeG

Do something like this (hand code, for reference only):
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent">
<RelativeLayout
android:id="#+id/YourTopStaticView"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="48dp"> //Or any other height you want
//Contents of the top view
</RelativeLyout>
<ScrollView
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_below="#id/YourTopStaticView">
//Contents of the ScrollView
</ScrollView>
</RelativeLayout>
As a side note, do not hardcode children into the ScrollView like that. Use the RecyclerView (which is an updated, modern replacement for ListView), which you will be expected to know how to use if you want to move into serious Android programming. It is actually super easy to use, once you get the hang of it :-)

You should use the ScrollView with only one child (official documentation - http://developer.android.com/reference/android/widget/ScrollView.html). According to your xml, your ScrollView is very complicated with a lot of child widgets.
The best option for you is to use a LinearLayout as the root for the whole container, a LinearLayout( or Relative) for the top layout containing the Reset and Save buttons, and a ListView for the long list that you have. ListView takes care of it's own scrolling. So you don't have to worry about that.
This will improve your code performance as well.

This should suit your needs:
<RelativeLayout
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent">
<RelativeLayout android:id="#+id/topPanel"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:padding="5dp">
<TextView android:id="#+id/label"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_centerVertical="true"
android:text="Multi TTS Implementation"/>
<Button android:id="#+id/save"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
android:layout_centerVertical="true"
android:text="SAVE"/>
<Button android:id="#+id/resetAll"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_toLeftOf="#id/save"
android:layout_centerVertical="true"
android:text="RESET ALL"/>
</RelativeLayout>
<ScrollView android:id="#id/scroll"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_below="#id/topPanel"
android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
android:padding="5dp">
<!-- Your scrollable content here -->
</ScrollView>
</RelativeLayout>

Simple, non-scrollable table in android (views)

I see TableLayout, GridLayout, GridView... I have fairly understood what more or less each of them is but I still need some help.
I have the following FrameLayout.
<FrameLayout
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent">
<ImageView
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:clickable="true" />
<CheckBox
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="right|top"
android:checked="false"
android:clickable="true" />
</FrameLayout>
And I want to create a 4x3 table (4 rows, 3 columns) with 12 of the above FrameLayouts and some aspects in mind:
It's not going to be scrollable, it's going to have a relative to the screen height, each cell will have the same relative dimensions and its items to be easily "manipulated".
By manipulated I mean see check the clicks happening on each cell and do something.
In this case that I described, what is the most suitable view to contain those FrameLayouts?

Making a desired layout in Eclipse

I am working on the layout of the android app but i have found that all buttons are fixed in a column in Eclipse atuomatically. What should i do to make it to the desired position like the app shown in the link?? thanks
http://www.dcemu.co.uk/vbulletin/threads/335622-Android-oscilloscope

You could use RelativeLayout instead of LinearLayout in the main.xml file.
In this layout, you can place the components at any place in the layout, but the components are placed relatively to one another.
You can use a mixture of layout to make your view look sound. Also try using the Layout Orientation i.e. either Vertical or horizontal,
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:orientation="vertical" >

You could get 2 columns of buttons by having a vertical LinearLayout containing several horizontal LinearLayouts, each containing 2 buttons. Give the buttons equal weights to space them evenly, and some margin to make them look less cluttered.
E.g.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:orientation="vertical"
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content">
<Button
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Button 1" />
<Button
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Button 2" />
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content">
<Button
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Button 3" />
<Button
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Button 4" />
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>
Or if the columns were going to be very long, you could use a horizontal linear layout containing 2 vertical linear layouts, and add the buttons to those.
Or you could use a TableLayout with 2 columns and have TableRows containing the buttons (I generally find table layouts harder to work with, perhaps that's just me).
I find it easier to write the xml in Eclipse rather than fiddling round with the graphical editor, then just switch over to the graphical editor every now and again to check it displays how you want. Look around online for a few example layouts and you'll soon get the idea.
To emulate that layout exactly, start with a RelativeLayout as mihail suggests, and use that to position your other layouts (such as your linear layout with buttons) and views.