Develop Reference

Fill left over screen space using ViewPager

I'm trying to make a layout in which a ViewPager fills vertically the available space.
Basically what I have here are a bunch of views stacked vertically.
Checkbox
ViewPager
LinearLayout (which will contain the indicator)
Button
I want the checkbox on top, and the button on the bottom, the LinearLayout above the button, and whatever space is left over in the middle to be used by the ViewPager, however I can't seem to be able to make it work.
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:background="#color/white"
android:gravity="top|center_horizontal"
android:padding="#dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent">
<CheckBox
android:background="#drawable/login_button"
android:id="#+id/checkbox_friend_notify"
android:visibility="invisible"
android:checked="false"
android:textColor="#color/black"
android:text="#string/friend_notify"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
<ViewPager
android:id="#+id/pager"
android:gravity="top"
android:layout_below="#+id/checkbox_friend_notify"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/pager_indicator"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:layout_below="#+id/pager"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/start_btn"
android:visibility="invisible"
android:text="#string/start"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:textColor="#color/white"
android:background="#drawable/login_button"
android:layout_below="#+id/pager_indicator"
android:layout_alignParentBottom="true" />
</RelativeLayout>
Any pointers?

If you simply need a set of views stacked vertically, consider changing your RelativeLayout for a vertical LinearLayout. Then you can keep all your child views the same (getting rid of all the layout above/below attributes) except give the ViewPager android:layout_height="0dp" and android:layout_weight="1"
Explained:
layout_weight tells LinearLayout how to distribute leftover white space, and by giving the ViewPager a weight (and not giving any of the other children any weight values) you're telling LinearLayout that ViewPager wants all of the remaining white space to itself. This only works if you don't define a height (hence why layout_height=0dp).
You can read more about it on the LinearLayout guide.

Margin on ListView items in android

I'm trying (in vain) to add margins to my ListView items. I have tried adding margin values to my RelativeLayout below but no matter what I do all I seem to get is a 1px line between each item.
What I really would like is to have rounded corners on each item, a 1px black border and a 3-5px margin left, top, and right but right now I'll settle for just a margin around each item :-)
How do I achieve my goals? Just the margin for now... ;-)
Here's what I have:
UPDATE: I have updated the xml below removing main layout and fragment layout. I have also updated the ListView item layout to what I have now which is closer to what I want but still not perfect. Screenshot added as well
listview item layout xml
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:paddingLeft="#dimen/matchMargin"
android:paddingRight="#dimen/matchMargin"
android:paddingTop="#dimen/matchMargin" >
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:background="#cfcfcfcf" >
<include
android:id="#+id/matchKampstart"
layout="#layout/kampstart_layout" />
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_below="#id/matchKampstart"
android:layout_marginTop="#dimen/belowKampstartMargin" >
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/tournamentImageView"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="center_vertical"
android:layout_marginRight="2dp"
android:adjustViewBounds="true"
android:contentDescription="#string/tournamentImageViewContentDescription"
android:gravity="left"
android:src="#drawable/sofabold_launcher" />
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/homeTeamImageView"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="center_vertical"
android:layout_marginRight="2dp"
android:adjustViewBounds="true"
android:contentDescription="#string/homeTeamImageViewContentDescription"
android:src="#drawable/sofabold_launcher" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/homeTeam"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="center_vertical"
android:layout_marginRight="2dp"
android:text="#string/home"
android:textSize="14sp"
android:textStyle="bold" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/dash"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="center_vertical"
android:layout_marginRight="2dp"
android:gravity="center"
android:text="#string/dash"
android:textSize="12sp"
android:textStyle="bold" />
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/awayTeamImageView"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="center_vertical"
android:layout_marginRight="2dp"
android:adjustViewBounds="true"
android:contentDescription="#string/awayTeamImageViewContentDescription"
android:src="#drawable/sofabold_launcher" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/awayTeam"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="center_vertical"
android:gravity="center"
android:text="#string/away"
android:textSize="14sp"
android:textStyle="bold" />
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
android:layout_below="#id/matchKampstart"
android:layout_marginTop="#dimen/belowKampstartMargin" >
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/tvChannelImageView"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:adjustViewBounds="false"
android:contentDescription="#string/tvChannelImageViewContentDescription"
android:gravity="right"
android:src="#drawable/sofabold_launcher" />
</LinearLayout>
</RelativeLayout>
</RelativeLayout>
This gives me the following where you'll notice a very small line to the right and left for each item. That I would also like to get rid of.

I'm not great with layouts, but I have noticed in the past that ListView rows often ignore LayoutParams. I have no idea where this happens or if it's possible to override, I do know you can easily work around it by adding another layout:
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="?android:attr/listPreferredItemHeight"
android:background="#990000ff" >
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_marginRight="10dp"
android:layout_marginTop="10dp"
android:background="#9900ff00"
android:paddingLeft="10dp" >
<TextView
android:id="#+id/text"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:background="#99ff0000" />
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>
Typically layouts that only have one child can be removed, but as you can see this one serves a purpose:
The outer-most layout is blue, the TextView is red, and the green is the extra layout that allows you to add some extra spacing. Notice the difference between padding (the green on the left) and margin (no green on the right). You have clearly stated that you want to use margins (android:layout_margin) but your code clearly uses padding (android:padding) so I included both.

A little late seeing this, but just add the following lines to your ListView xml element
android:divider="#00000000"
android:dividerHeight="10dp"

See the answer here for why. In short the child asks the parent, and the list view row uses AbsListView.LayoutParams, which doesn't include margins.
Why LinearLayout's margin is being ignored if used as ListView row view

In your adapter, catch your relative layout in getView(), then give a layout params ,
RelativeLayout.LayoutParams params = (RelativeLayout.LayoutParams)view.getLayoutParams();
params.setMargins(80, 0, 0, 0); //substitute parameters for left, top, right, bottom
YourRelativeLayoutInAdapter.setLayoutParams(params);

I suppose you have a ListView defined in an XML file somewhere, if so, you could add some padding to it, so that there will be some space between the edge of the screen and the ListView.
Example:
<ListView
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:padding="15dp"/>

RelativeLayout weight

In a layout resource XML, I have 3 RelativeLayout(s) which are inside a main RelativeLayout. The view will be shown vertically. These 3 RelativeLayout() are set next to each other, and I want them to fill the whole screen, doesnt matter what will be the screen size. My, layout view:
<RelativeLayout 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:background="#drawable/backg"
>
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/imageView1"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
android:layout_marginTop="#dimen/top_mr_image"
android:src="#drawable/temp" />
<RelativeLayout
android:id="#+id/r1"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:layout_below="#+id/imageView1"
android:layout_marginLeft="10dp"
android:background="#drawable/r1bg"
android:layout_weight="1"
>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/textView1"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:layout_marginLeft="#dimen/txt_mr_right"
android:layout_marginRight="#dimen/txt_mr_right"
android:layout_marginTop="39dp"
android:text="S"
android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceLarge" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/textView2"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:layout_below="#id/textView1"
android:layout_marginLeft="#dimen/txt_mr_right"
android:layout_marginRight="#dimen/txt_mr_right"
android:text="T"
android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceLarge" />
</RelativeLayout>
<RelativeLayout
android:id="#+id/r2"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
android:layout_alignTop="#+id/r1"
android:layout_toRightOf="#+id/r1"
android:layout_weight="1" >
</RelativeLayout>
<RelativeLayout
android:id="#+id/r3"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
android:layout_alignTop="#+id/r2"
android:layout_toRightOf="#+id/r2"
android:layout_weight="1" >
</RelativeLayout>
I set weight=1 and layout_width=0dp for each relativeLayout and this technique works with buttons, I thought the same will be with relativeLayout, seems my thoughts were wrong. Any idea?
UPD1: I have added an image of what I would like to have

RelativeLayout does not pay attention to android:layout_weight. (That's a property of LinearLayout.LayoutParams, but not of RelativeLayout.LayoutParams.)
You should be able to get the layout you want with a much simpler view hierarchy. It's not clear what you are trying to do, since the last two RelativeLayouts are empty. If you need a purely vertical organization, I'd suggest using LinearLayout instead of RelativeLayout.
EDIT Based on your edit, it looks like you want a horizontal layout of three compound views, each one clickable. I think something like the following will work:
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
>
<!-- First column -->
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/firstColumn"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:gravity="center_horizontal"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="1"
>
<ImageView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:src="..." />
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:text="text 1"
. . . />
</LinearLayout>
<!-- Second column -->
<LinearLayout . . . >
. . .
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>
If the contents of the buttons aren't correct, you can replace the second-level LinearLayout views with RelativeLayout if that helps organize the layout better.

RelativeLayouts do not support weight. You need to use a LinearLayout as a parent container if you want to use weights.

Solution is very simple. I have been looking for weight distribution in relative layout.
It's a small trick for all these kind situations.
Use LinearLayout with android:orientation="horizontal"

You can use Horizontally oriented LinearLayout Manager in the Recycler View, and place each RelativeLayout in each item, of its Adapter.
The Link: How to build a Horizontal ListView with RecyclerView?
If your RelativeLayouts are set to a fixed width and height, that is to the size of the Screen, that you can get from DisplayMatrics, that will be OK.
The Link: Get Screen width and height
If the contents of your RelativeLayouts are different, then you can use getItemViewType() method.
Please see: How to create RecyclerView with multiple view type?
Happy Coding :-)

Center multiple items in a RelativeLayout without putting them in a container?

I have a RelativeLayout containing a pair of side-by-side buttons, which I want to be centered within the layout. I could just put the buttons in a LinearLayout and center that in the RelativeLayout, but I want to keep my xml as clean as possible.
Here's what I tried, this just puts the "apply" button in the center and the "undo" button to the left of it:
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_marginTop="15sp">
<TextView
android:id="#+id/instructions"
android:text="#string/instructions"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_marginBottom="15sp"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
/>
<Button
android:id="#+id/apply"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_centerInParent="true"
android:text="#string/apply"
android:textSize="20sp"
android:layout_below="#id/instructions"
/>
<Button
android:id="#+id/undo"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_centerInParent="true"
android:text="#string/undo"
android:textSize="20sp"
android:layout_toLeftOf="#id/apply"
android:layout_below="#id/instructions"
/>
</RelativeLayout>

android:gravity will align the content inside the view or layout it is used on.
android:layout_gravity will align the view or layout inside of his parent.
So adding
android:gravity="center"
to your RelativeLayout should do the trick...
Like this:
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:gravity="center"
android:layout_marginTop="15sp">
</RelativeLayout>

Here is an extension of BrainCrash's answer. It is a non nested option that groups and centers all three horizontally and vertically. In addition, it takes the top TextView and centers it horizontally across both buttons. If desired, you can then center the text within the TextView with android:gravity="center". I also removed the margins, added color, and set the RelativeLayout height to fill_parent to highlight the layout. Tested on API 11.
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:gravity="center"
android:background="#android:color/black"
>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/instructions"
android:text="TEST"
android:textSize="20sp"
android:background="#android:color/darker_gray"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:layout_alignLeft="#+id/undo"
android:layout_alignRight="#+id/apply"
android:gravity="center"
/>
<Button
android:id="#+id/apply"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_centerInParent="true"
android:text="APPLY"
android:textSize="20sp"
android:layout_below="#id/instructions"
/>
<Button
android:id="#+id/undo"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_centerInParent="true"
android:text="UNDO"
android:textSize="20sp"
android:layout_toLeftOf="#id/apply"
android:layout_below="#id/instructions"
/>
</RelativeLayout>

android:layout_gravity="center"
will almost give what you're looking for.

Here is a combination of the above answer's that solved my specific situation:
Centering two separate labels within a layout that also includes a button in the left most position of the same layout (button, label, label, from left to right, where the labels are centered relative to the layout containing all three views - that is, the button doesn't push the labels off center).
I solved this by nesting two RelativeLayout's, where the outer most layout included the
Button and an Inner-RelativeLayout.
The Inner-RelativeLayout contained the two text labels (TextView's).
Here is a snippet that provides the details of how the centering and other layout stuff was done:
see: RelativeLayout Gravity not applied? and
Gravity and layout_gravity on Android
for the difference's between gravity and layout_gravity.
Tweak the paddingLeft on the btn_button1 Button to see that the TextView's do not move.
(My apologies to havexz for the downvotes. I was too hasty in thinking that just b/c your suggestions didn't solve the exact question being ask, that they do help to solve very similar situations (the answer here solves a very specific situation, and only the combination of all these answer's solved my problem. I tried upvoting, but it won't let me unless I edit the answer's, which I don't want to do.)
<RelativeLayout
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:id="#+id/rl_outer"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="50dip"
android:background="#FF0000FF">
<Button
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:id="#+id/btn_button1"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:background="#FF00FF00"
android:text="<"
android:textSize="20sp"
android:paddingLeft="40dip"/>
<RelativeLayout
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:id="#+id/rl_inner"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:background="#FFFF00FF"
android:layout_centerInParent="true"
android:gravity="center">
<TextView
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:id="#+id/tv_text1"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:background="#FF505050"
android:textSize="20sp"
android:textColor="#FFFFFFFF"
android:text="Complaint #"
android:gravity="center"/>
<TextView
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:id="#+id/tv_text2"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:background="#FF505050"
android:textSize="20sp"
android:textColor="#FFFFFFFF"
android:layout_toRightOf="#id/tv_text1"
android:gravity="center"/>
</RelativeLayout>
</RelativeLayout>

LinearLayout is a good option. Other than that there are options like create an invisible view and center that and then align left button to the left it and right on the right of it. BUT those are just work arounds.

Android Dev: Placing layouts

I'm new to android development... while making my application layout i want a button to remain at the very bottom of the screen while a scroll view is placed above it. I am unable to do this i was using the size of the scroll view as 430dp so that it works but when i change the orientation of the screen this does not work as 400dp is bigger than the screen.
how do i make it so that the button stays at the bottom irresepective of the screen orientation ?
:/

Set the ScrollView's layout_height to fill_parrent and layout_weight to 1 and the Button's height to wrap_content.

You could go with this
android:gravity="bottom"
This should always push your element to the bottom of its container.
But it'd more helpful if you'd post up your layout XML.

Here's a real world example of precisely what you're asking.
In this layout, I have a header at the top, a list view taking all the space below it and a button to clear (cancelled, failed, finished) elements of the list view, then right at the bottom I have a custom control showing a toolbar.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><LinearLayout android:id="#+id/layout" xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:orientation="vertical">
<LinearLayout android:id="#+id/browsePeerHeader"
android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:layout_height="70sp"
android:layout_marginBottom="2sp"
android:layout_gravity="top"
android:background="#drawable/background_barbed_wire"
>
<ImageButton
android:id="#+id/frostwire_sphere"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:src="#drawable/icon"
android:layout_gravity="center_vertical"
android:layout_margin="3sp"
android:background="#00000000"/>
<TextView android:id="#+id/browsePeerTitle" android:textSize="30sp"
android:text="Downloads"
android:textColor="#ffffffff" android:textStyle="bold"
android:shadowColor="#ff000000"
android:shadowDx="1.0"
android:shadowDy="1.0"
android:shadowRadius="4.0"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:paddingTop="10sp"
android:gravity="left|center_vertical"/>
</LinearLayout>
<ListView android:id="#+id/ListViewTransfers"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_marginTop="2sp"
android:layout_marginBottom="2sp"
android:layout_weight="1"></ListView>
<Button android:id="#+id/ButtonClearFinished" margin="2sp"
android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:layout_height="wrap_content"
/>
<com.frostwire.android.views.FrostWireStatusBar
android:id="#+id/FrostWireStatusBar" android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="bottom" /></LinearLayout>
Here's a screenshot
The trick is basically to have the list view use all the space left in the layout that contains it, you don't even have to tell it to fill_parent, just with android:layout_weight="1 it should work.