Develop Reference

Android Button not filling full space in RelativeLayout

I am trying to create a button, aligned to the bottom of the page. I want it to fill 100% space, from left, right and bottom. Whatever attributes I will choose, there are still very small non covered areas. Can you please help?
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
tools:context="com.example.myapplication.MainActivity">
<Button
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
android:layout_margin="0dp"
android:padding="0dp"
android:text="search"
/>
</RelativeLayout>
Here is the screenshot, showing not filled areas

Create a file in drawable folder like this, say simple_selector.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<item android:state_pressed="false">
<shape android:shape="rectangle">
<!-- Normal color -->
<solid android:color="#android:color/white" />
</shape>
</item>
<item android:state_pressed="true">
<shape android:shape="rectangle">
<!-- Color - when the view is pressed -->
<solid android:color="#android:color/black"/>
</shape>
</item>
</selector>
Now simply set the background as the above created drawable.
<Button
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
android:background="#drawable/simple_selector"
android:text="search"
/>
The above code can change color in both normal and pressed states of the button. You can change the colors as per your requirement.

The space you see is the shadow around the button in its background drawable. You need to create your own background drawable and it should then completely occupy the width.
Or, you could also just set the background to null.
android:background="#null"

How to make the Borders of a custom button in android

I want to achieve something like this :
I want to make the button transparent Which I have successfully done, now tell me how can I show the line on the upper border of the button and between the two button. How can I handle this. my xml of button is simply goes like this
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/buttons"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:gravity="center"
android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
android:weightSum="2">
<Button
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text=" Send Message"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:background="#android:color/transparent"
android:textColor="#ff4444"/>
<Button
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Cancel"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:background="#android:color/transparent"
android:textColor="#ff4444"/>
</LinearLayout>
So How can I achieve the borders like this as shown in picture below.
pardon me , for the small size picture as I have this only single image to clear my question .

If you would like to add separator line, please add this:
<View
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="1dp"
android:background="#android:color/darker_gray"/>
I would use realitveLayout instad of LinearLayout, so you can set the position of the separators more quickly. You are going to have 2 separators, one is the horizontal, with layout_width="match_parent" and one between the elements.
Android draw a Horizontal line between views
Android Drawing Separator/Divider Line in Layout?
You can define your own shape and add to the Button, as background:
use it as R.drawable.myshape:
place it to res/drawable/myshape.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:shape="rectangle">
<gradient android:startColor="#FFFEEE"
android:endColor="#00FFFF"
android:angle="270" />
<corners android:radius="5dp" />
<stroke android:width="7px" android:color="#EE0FF0" />
</shape>
if you would like to be transparent as well, try this:
<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:innerRadius="0dp"
android:shape="ring"
android:thicknessRatio="1.4"
android:useLevel="false" >
<solid android:color="#android:color/transparent" />
<stroke
android:width="4dp"
android:color="#android:color/darker_gray" />
</shape>

Android ImageButton src overwriting background

I'm trying to create a rounded image button using the code below which works when you don't declare a src image. However when you do, it just places the image in but without the rounding effect on it.
style.xml
<ImageButton
android:id="#+id/imageButton2"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="100dp"
android:layout_below="#+id/imageButton1"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:layout_marginTop="41dp"
android:src="#drawable/ellyfish"
android:background="#drawable/roundcorner"
/>
roundcorner.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<solid android:color="#33DDFF" />
<corners android:radius="50dp" />
</shape>

Make your src image round, or make it transparent so you can see the rounded background behind it.

Buttons spacing

I'm trying to set the margin of the buttons to 0, (so no spacing between the buttons).
Basically, I want my buttons to look something like that(with the following style and colors):
Any idea how can I accomplish this kind of task? I do not want to create a 9 patch image by myself (since I don't have any knowledge doing that).

In this specific case, you can do this task easily with XMLs.
This is how you can achieve it in two steps:
Step 1
Create 3 shapes in drawable folder:
First shape is for the left button: shape_button_left.xml. This shape has radial left corners and gradient background.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" >
<stroke
android:width="1dp"
android:color="#BFBFBF" >
</stroke>
<corners
android:bottomLeftRadius="10dp"
android:topLeftRadius="10dp" >
</corners>
<gradient android:startColor="#D2D2D2" android:endColor="#F2F2F2" android:angle="90"/>
</shape>
Second shape is for the center button: shape_button_center.xml. This shape doesn't define anything for corners and also has gradient background.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" >
<stroke
android:width="1dp"
android:color="#BFBFBF" >
</stroke>
<gradient android:startColor="#D2D2D2" android:endColor="#F2F2F2" android:angle="90"/>
</shape>
Third shape is for the right button: shape_button_right.xml. This shape has radial right corners and gradient background.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" >
<stroke
android:width="1dp"
android:color="#BFBFBF" >
</stroke>
<corners
android:bottomRightRadius="10dp"
android:topRightRadius="10dp" >
</corners>
<gradient android:startColor="#D2D2D2" android:endColor="#F2F2F2" android:angle="90"/>
</shape>
Step 2
Now, we can use these shapes in simple views to get the effect of buttons.
In your layout XML add the next code:
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:gravity="center" >
<!-- Button Left -->
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/button_left"
android:layout_width="100dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:background="#drawable/shape_button_left"
android:gravity="center"
android:padding="10dp" >
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Left"
android:textColor="#333333"
android:textSize="20sp" />
</LinearLayout>
<!-- End Button Left -->
<!-- Button Center -->
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/button_center"
android:layout_width="100dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:background="#drawable/shape_button_center"
android:gravity="center"
android:padding="10dp" >
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Center"
android:textColor="#333333"
android:textSize="20sp" />
</LinearLayout>
<!-- End Button Center -->
<!-- Button Right -->
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/button_right"
android:layout_width="100dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:background="#drawable/shape_button_right"
android:gravity="center"
android:padding="10dp" >
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Right"
android:textColor="#333333"
android:textSize="20sp" />
</LinearLayout>
<!-- End Button Right -->
</LinearLayout>
That's it
Now, you can add onClick listener in your code to LinearLayouts and work with it like a button.
Testing this code on my mobile gives next result:

Any idea how can I accomplish this kind of task? I do not want to create a 9 patch image by myself (since I don't have any knowledge doing that).
I'm afraid you may not have much choice. The inherent spacing found in between each button is a result of extra transparent pixels built directly into the existing 9-patch backgrounds that the framework uses. To replace this behavior you must set the background of the buttons to a different Drawable that doesn't include this inherent spacing.
Another option would be for you that could be done in code is to create XML drawable shapes to use for each background. You can create an individual shape that has corner radii, a fill gradient, and a stroke just like your image. You can read more about creating XML Drawables in the docs.

Messed rounded corners

I want to create custom button with rounded bottom right and top right corners.
However, I get bottom left and top right rounded instead, although my implementation seems to be ok.
What am I doing wrong?
I use following shape definition stored in drawable folder:
button_shape.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<shape
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:shape="rectangle">
<solid android:color="#F66622"/>
<padding
android:left="5dip"
android:top="5dip"
android:right="5dip"
android:bottom="5dip"
/>
<corners
android:radius="20dip"
android:bottomLeftRadius="0dip"
android:topLeftRadius="0dip"
/>
</shape>
and the layout file is this:
main.xml
<?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:background="#drawable/bg"
>
<Button
android:id="#+id/btnFoo"
android:text="#string/btn_foo_title"
android:background="#drawable/button_shape"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_margin="5dip"
android:layout_centerInParent="true"
android:textSize="26sp"
/>
</RelativeLayout>
This is the result:
I also tried to define each corner radius separately in the button_shape file
...
<corners
android:bottomLeftRadius="0dip"
android:topLeftRadius="0dip"
android:bottomRightRadius="20dip"
android:topRightRadius="20dip"
/>
...
... with the same result.
Is it possible that this functionality is somehow messed up in Android SDK?

Silly question, but did you try rounding bottomLeft and see if it rounds the bottom-right corner? I know it's not a true solution, but work-arounds are nice too. If it looks the way you want, it doesn't matter how you achieve it.