Develop Reference

How to layout three buttons evenly located under LinearLayout?

I have three buttons need to be located in one line at the bottom of the screen. Below is the code in activity xml. In order to make the three button takes even space, I wrap each of them inside a LinearLayout and set the layout android:layout_weight to 1 and android:layout_gravity to center.
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="90px"
android:background="#88104502"
android:orientation="horizontal">
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_gravity="center"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:layout_weight="1">
<Button
android:id="#+id/goBack"
android:layout_width="70px"
android:layout_height="80px"
android:gravity="center"
android:background="#drawable/back"
android:onClick="toHomePage" />
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_gravity="center"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:layout_weight="1">
<Button
android:id="#+id/findPlant"
android:layout_width="70px"
android:layout_height="80px"
android:gravity="center"
android:background="#drawable/flowr"
android:onClick="toImagePage" />
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:layout_gravity="center"
android:layout_weight="1">
<Button
android:id="#+id/plantList"
android:layout_width="70px"
android:layout_height="80px"
android:gravity="center"
android:background="#drawable/list" />
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>
But it the button is not located in the center of the LinearLayout. Below is the screenshot:
You can see that each button is located on the left of the LinearLayout. How to make them center located?

If you want a button with an image you can use ImageButton instead of Button, and you can try like this, and instead using nested layout you can give directly weight to ImageButton.
If you want to style a button you can use AppCompatImageButton in that you can use app:backgroundTint to change the background.
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="90px"
android:background="#88104502"
android:weightSum="3"
android:orientation="horizontal">
<ImageButton
android:id="#+id/goBack"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:gravity="center"
android:onClick="toHomePage"
android:src="#drawable/ic_action_name"/>
<ImageButton
android:id="#+id/findPlant"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:gravity="center"
android:onClick="toImagePage"
android:src="#drawable/ic_action_name"/>
<ImageButton
android:id="#+id/plantList"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:gravity="center"
android:onClick="toImagePage"
android:src="#drawable/ic_action_name"/>
</LinearLayout>

Try this. I use your code only give gravity to linear layout.If you do not want to use this much of LinearLayout use only one main LinearLayout and give equal weight to 3 buttons.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="90px"
android:background="#88104502"
android:orientation="horizontal">
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_gravity="center"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:gravity="center"
android:layout_weight="1">
<Button
android:id="#+id/goBack"
android:layout_width="70px"
android:layout_height="80px"
android:gravity="center"
android:background="#mipmap/ic_launcher"
android:onClick="toHomePage" />
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_gravity="center"
android:gravity="center"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:layout_weight="1">
<Button
android:id="#+id/findPlant"
android:layout_width="70px"
android:layout_height="80px"
android:gravity="center"
android:background="#mipmap/ic_launcher"
android:onClick="toImagePage" />
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:layout_gravity="center"
android:gravity="center"
android:layout_weight="1">
<Button
android:id="#+id/plantList"
android:layout_width="70px"
android:layout_height="80px"
android:background="#mipmap/ic_launcher" />
</LinearLayout>

you can create an empty view as the padding. this way the spacing will always be the same even if the icon widths are different.
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="90px"
android:background="#88104502"
android:orientation="horizontal">
<View
android:layout_weight="1"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="0dp"/>
<Button
android:id="#+id/button1"
android:layout_width="70px"
android:layout_height="80px"
android:background="#drawable/list" />
<View
android:layout_weight="1"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="0dp"/>
<Button
android:id="#+id/button2"
android:layout_width="70px"
android:layout_height="80px"
android:background="#drawable/list" />
<View
android:layout_weight="1"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="0dp"/>
<Button
android:id="#+id/button3"
android:layout_width="70px"
android:layout_height="80px"
android:background="#drawable/list" />
<View
android:layout_weight="1"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="0dp"/>
</LinearLayout>

Use gravity instead of layout_gravity.

How to set these four buttons in one line even if app runs on any screen size?

I tried this code but text on these buttons are messed in my phone; although it is fine in Nexus 5 emulator....! How can I put these 4 buttons one line dynamically so that they can look same on any screen size...
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:paddingLeft="10dp"
android:paddingRight="10dp"
android:weightSum="8" >
<Button
android:id="#+id/bback"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="2"
android:text="Back" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/bforward"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="2"
android:text="Forward" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/brefresh"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="2"
android:text="Refresh" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/bclear"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="2"
android:text="Clear History" />
</LinearLayout>

set android:layout_width to 0dp instead of fill_parent for all buttons.

Try this, it will keep the button size as same in any device , also spread the buttons with equal distance on any device,
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:paddingLeft="10dp"
android:paddingRight="10dp" >
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/1"
android:layout_width="0dip"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<Button
android:id="#+id/bback"
android:layout_width="40dp"
android:layout_height="40dp"
android:text="Back"
android:layout_gravity="center" />
</LinearLayout>
//same as layout 2,3,4 and respective button with in it
</LinearLayout>

EDITTEED
Please try with this:
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:orientation="vertical"
tools:context=".MainActivity">
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_weight="5"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:paddingLeft="10dp"
android:paddingRight="10dp"
>
<Button
android:id="#+id/bback"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:text="Back" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/bforward"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:text="Forward" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/brefresh"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:text="Refresh" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/bclear"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:text="Clear History" />
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>

designing a view that make icons fill screen but not stretch the images

I currently have the following layout (see below). Now the issue I am having with it, is that i need the icons to fill up the screen (So i need to split the screen into 6 blocks. But the biggest problem is my images are stretching and that looks really bad. all the images are 256X256. What can I do to rather have more while space above or below than have them stretched?
Layout
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:id="#+id/linLayout"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:animateLayoutChanges="true"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_weight="0.60"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:weightSum="3" >
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<ImageButton
android:id="#+id/category_menu_button_food"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:adjustViewBounds="true"
android:background="#drawable/menu_icon"
android:contentDescription="Food Menu"
android:onClick="foodMenuItemClicked"
android:scaleType="centerInside" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/category_menu_label_food"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.1"
android:ems="20"
android:gravity="center"
android:text="Menu"
android:textSize="25sp" >
<requestFocus />
</TextView>
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<ImageButton
android:id="#+id/button2"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:adjustViewBounds="true"
android:background="#drawable/search_icon"
android:contentDescription="Drinks Menu"
android:onClick="searchMenuItemClicked"
android:paddingTop="55dp"
android:scaleType="centerInside" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/category_menu_label_food"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.1"
android:ems="20"
android:gravity="center"
android:text="Search"
android:textSize="25sp" >
</TextView>
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<ImageButton
android:id="#+id/button3"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:adjustViewBounds="true"
android:background="#drawable/cart_icon"
android:contentDescription="Favorites"
android:onClick="favoritesMenuItemClicked"
android:scaleType="centerInside" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/category_menu_label_food"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.1"
android:ems="20"
android:gravity="center"
android:text="Cart"
android:textSize="25sp" >
</TextView>
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_weight="0.60"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:weightSum="3" >
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<ImageButton
android:id="#+id/button4"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_margin="10dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:adjustViewBounds="true"
android:background="#drawable/bill_icon"
android:contentDescription="View Bill"
android:onClick="billMenuItemClicked"
android:scaleType="centerInside" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/category_menu_label_food"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.1"
android:ems="20"
android:gravity="center"
android:text="Bill"
android:textSize="25sp" >
</TextView>
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<ImageButton
android:id="#+id/activity_category_menu_button_callWaiter"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:adjustViewBounds="true"
android:background="#drawable/callwaiter_icon"
android:contentDescription="Call Waiter"
android:onClick="callWaiterButtonClicked"
android:scaleType="centerInside" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/category_menu_label_food"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.1"
android:ems="20"
android:gravity="center"
android:text="Call Waiter"
android:textSize="25sp" >
</TextView>
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<ImageButton
android:id="#+id/button6"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_margin="10dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:adjustViewBounds="true"
android:background="#drawable/exit_icon"
android:contentDescription="Exit App"
android:onClick="exitButtonClicked"
android:scaleType="centerInside" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/category_menu_label_food"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.1"
android:ems="20"
android:gravity="center"
android:text="Exit App"
android:textSize="25sp" >
</TextView>
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>
<Space
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
<Space
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content" />

Do not set the width and height of images , Leave the height/width attribute to WRAP_CONTENT in this way images will neither shrink nor stretch.

please try to change the width and height to wrap content instead of giving match parent.
or else change the scaletype to fitxy.

I think you can to use wrap_content for layout_width and layout_height of ImageView
and
you use RelativeLayout instead of LinearLayout.
you use RelativeLayout in Root of layout and two ReltavieLayout in sub of Root. and for not stretch your image, you should to use different size image for different size and density device.

android linearlayout baseline align

I have 3 imageviews but since they overlap i wont make them clickable, i want make buttons on top of each imageview(but smaller).
I know in RelativeLayout there is easy way out using align_baseline but it is very important that i use LinearLayout for these images because they use layout_weight
And its important that button is connected with imageview, not just appearing on top of it
And here is my code it might help
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:id="#+id/layout"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent" >
...
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_above="#+id/twitter"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:weightSum="3"
android:layout_marginBottom="25dp"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true" >
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/imgDis"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:layout_width="300dp"
android:layout_height="120dp"
android:layout_marginBottom="-20dp"
android:background="#drawable/img1" />
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/imgCal"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:layout_width="300dp"
android:layout_height="120dp"
android:layout_gravity="right"
android:layout_marginBottom="-25dp"
android:background="#drawable/img2"
android:paddingLeft="25dp" />
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/imgDe"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:layout_width="300dp"
android:layout_height="120dp"
android:background="#drawable/img3" />
</LinearLayout>
...
</RelativeLayout>

put the image in another linear layout vertical and place that layout inside your mainlayout and give the wieght to this linearlayout instead of the image

Here is your answer, while using weight you must define 0dp to height/width to view as per case.
You want Button on every Imageview something like below?
I tried, check below xml:
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:id="#+id/layout"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent" >
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
android:layout_marginBottom="25dp"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:weightSum="6" >
<Button
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_marginTop="5dp"
android:layout_weight="0.5"
android:text="button first" />
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/imgDis"
android:layout_width="300dp"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_marginTop="5dp"
android:layout_weight="1.5"
android:background="#drawable/logo" />
<Button
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_marginTop="5dp"
android:layout_weight="0.5"
android:text="button first" />
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/imgCal"
android:layout_width="300dp"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_gravity="right"
android:layout_marginTop="5dp"
android:layout_weight="1.5"
android:background="#drawable/logo"
android:paddingLeft="25dp" />
<Button
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_marginTop="5dp"
android:layout_weight="0.5"
android:text="button first" />
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/imgDe"
android:layout_width="300dp"
android:layout_height="0dp"
android:layout_marginTop="5dp"
android:layout_weight="1.5"
android:background="#drawable/logo" />
</LinearLayout>
</RelativeLayout>

How to create a neat two-columns input form in Android?

I want to create a neat two-columns input form like this:
My xml layout code so far:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal" >
<TextView
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.25"
android:text="#string/lblTitle" />
<EditText
android:id="#+id/txtTitle"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.75"
android:ems="10" />
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal" >
<TextView
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.25"
android:text="#string/lblAuthor" />
<EditText
android:id="#+id/txtAuthor"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.75"
android:ems="10" />
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal" >
<TextView
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.25"
android:text="#string/lblPublisher" />
<EditText
android:id="#+id/txtPublisher"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.75"
android:ems="10" />
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal" >
<TextView
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.25"
android:text="#string/lblIsbn" />
<EditText
android:id="#+id/txtIsbn"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.75"
android:ems="10" />
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal" >
<View
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.25" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/btnSubmit"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.375"
android:text="#string/submit" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/btnCancel"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.375"
android:text="#string/cancel" />
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>
You can see that I used LinearLayout utilizing layout_weight & layout_width="0dp" trick to make the two columns division looks neat. In HTML code, we can use with % width size. But in android xml layout, there is no %-value for layout_width. I want to avoid hardcoded dp-values for column width. Is it possible in android?
So far that's the best I can do. Now I want to resize the ISBN textbox to become smaller (50% size less from the current size). But I cannot resize the textbox width since layout_width must be "0dp" for layout_weight to work. I also want to do the same with the Submit and Cancel button size.
I wonder if using LinearLayout is a correct way to create input form neatly in android. Could TableLayout better for this? I heard that you cannot change child view's layout_width in TableLayout.
There are some people here recommend me using RelativeLayout, I tried it but it doesn't support layout_weight.

Alright, I found out the way with LinearLayout. The trick is by wrapping the Views that you want to resize with LinearLayout. Then the width of View itself can be adjusted by using: android:layout_width or android:ems property.
Here is the xml code:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal" >
<TextView
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.25"
android:text="#string/lblTitle" />
<EditText
android:id="#+id/txtTitle"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.75"
android:ems="10" />
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal" >
<TextView
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.25"
android:text="#string/lblAuthor" />
<EditText
android:id="#+id/txtAuthor"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.75"
android:ems="10" />
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal" >
<TextView
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.25"
android:text="#string/lblPublisher" />
<EditText
android:id="#+id/txtPublisher"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.75"
android:ems="10" />
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal" >
<TextView
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="center_vertical"
android:layout_weight="0.25"
android:text="#string/lblIsbn" />
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.75"
android:orientation="horizontal" >
<EditText
android:id="#+id/txtIsbn"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:ems="5" />
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal" >
<View
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.25" />
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0.75"
android:orientation="horizontal" >
<Button
android:id="#+id/btnSubmit"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:ems="5"
android:text="#string/submit" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/btnCancel"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:ems="5"
android:text="#string/cancel" />
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>

you should also consider the gridLayout , which can be used (by using an android library) on API7+ .
here's a link:
http://android-developers.blogspot.com/2011/11/new-layout-widgets-space-and-gridlayout.html