Develop Reference

How to switch xml layout from spinner selection

I'm developing a simple BMI calculator for android. I have input fields for lbs, feet, and inches. I want to give users the ability to switch from imperial units to metric, so I added a spinner widget with imperial and metric as options. If the user changes the spinner to metric, I want to be able to change the XML layout so that the input fields are kg and cm. What is the best way to change the XML layout when the user switches between metric and imperial?
I tried creating a new activity that loads the metric layout XML when the user switches to it, but it seems like a poor design to create a new activity just to switch units. I also tried simply using setContentLayout to set the layout to metric.xml if spinner has metric selected and imperial.xml if imperial is selected. This sort of works but the ads and spinner widgets are no longer configured after switching between the layouts. I am still new to android development so I am wondering what the best approach to this would be? I am simply trying to make a slight layout change when the user switches between the different unit options. Any tips appreciated.

Normally, I would put everything inside activity layout xml file and toggle based on the condition like this
<TextView
android:id="#+id/feet"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:visibility="gone"/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/inch"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:visibility="gone"/>
And in your spinner adapter selection listener, you can toggle the view you want to show:
feet.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE)

You can use FrameLayout. It allow you to make to different layouts on each other (different views can be located on another views). For example:
<FrameLayout
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_alignParentStart="true"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
android:background="#FFFFFF">
<RelativeLayout
android:id="#+id/digital_layout"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:layout_marginLeft="294dp"
android:layout_marginTop="64dp">
<Spinner
android:id="#+id/spinner101"
android:layout_width="135dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_below="#+id/checkBox100"
android:layout_toEndOf="#+id/textView100"
android:visibility="visible"/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/textView102"
android:layout_width="120dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentStart="true"
android:layout_below="#+id/spinner101"
android:text="Value pulse"
android:textSize="20dp"
android:visibility="visible"/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/textView107"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="22dp"
android:layout_alignStart="#+id/textView106"
android:layout_below="#+id/textView103"
android:gravity="center"
android:text="11%"
android:visibility="visible"/>
</RelativeLayout>
<RelativeLayout
android:id="#+id/analog_layout"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:orientation="vertical">
<EditText
android:id="#+id/editText3"
android:layout_width="136dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignStart="#+id/spinner2"
android:layout_below="#+id/checkBox3"
android:ems="10"
android:hint="Constant"
android:inputType="textPersonName"
android:textSize="15dp"
android:visibility="invisible" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/button6"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="40dp"
android:layout_alignParentStart="true"
android:layout_below="#+id/checkBox9"
android:layout_marginLeft="20dp"
android:onClick="onResetClick"
android:text="Reset" />
<View
android:id="#+id/delitel1"
android:layout_width="234dp"
android:layout_height="2dp"
android:layout_alignStart="#+id/textView7"
android:layout_below="#+id/button6"
android:layout_marginTop="10dp"
android:background="#004f9b" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/textView14"
android:layout_width="135dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentStart="true"
android:layout_alignTop="#+id/delitel1"
android:layout_marginLeft="10dp"
android:layout_marginTop="10dp"
android:text="Language:"
android:textSize="20dp"
android:visibility="invisible" />
</RelativeLayout>
So, you need to give different id to each RelativeLayouts. Here there are android:id="#+id/digital_layout" and android:id="#+id/analog_layout".
And in code need to write handler for your spinner:
#Override
public void onItemSelected(AdapterView<?> parent, View view, int position, long id) {
switch (position) {
case 0:
digital_layout.setVisibility(View.INVISIBLE);
analog_layout.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
break;
case 1:
digital_layout.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
analog_layout.setVisibility(View.INVISIBLE);
break;
etc.
}
}

Any Skin Selector Android library

Are there any android library that do:
Shows drawables in either a grid or scroll view.
Allows user to select one of the images and shows his selection.
Allows me to get the selected drawable and show it to the user.
Please see the screenshots to see what I'm trying to achieve.

I have done something like you are thinking about. I will show you that if is useful to you (I think will be, but you must adapt this):
Context: I have created a simple game based in Space Invaders. My game has a main menu (main activity) where the player can press 'PLAY' or scan elect some 'OPTIONS', though a popup.
App main menu image
1 screen: Main menu.
2 screen: Popup appears when I press 'OPTIONS' button. This popup let me choose graphic options (change game background, ally spaceship model and enemy spaship model).
MainActivity.java
optionBoton.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
#Override
public void onClick(View view) {
soundMenu.start();
LayoutInflater inflater = (LayoutInflater) getBaseContext().getSystemService(LAYOUT_INFLATER_SERVICE);
View viewPopup = inflater.inflate(R.layout.popup_activity, null);
popup = new PopupWindow(
viewPopup,
RelativeLayout.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT,
RelativeLayout.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT
);
popup.showAtLocation(layoutPrincipal, Gravity.BOTTOM, 0, 0);
ImageButton closePop = (ImageButton) vistaPopup.findViewById(R.id.volver_boton);
closePop.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
#Override
public void onClick(View view) {
soundMenu.start();
popup.dismiss();
optionBoton.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
}
});
optionBoton.setVisibility(View.INVISIBLE);
}
});
This code will be inside onCreate method.
Now, you need to design your own XML popup (if you decide to create a popup). Showing a popup is easy, clean and dynamic way to change the graphic options.
popup_activity.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:background="#839ceaac"
android:orientation="vertical">
<ImageButton
android:id="#+id/volver_boton"
android:layout_width="30dp"
android:layout_height="30dp"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
android:layout_marginRight="2dp"
android:layout_marginTop="3dp"
android:background="#android:color/transparent"
android:scaleType="centerCrop"
android:src="#drawable/wcerrar" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/options_title"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:layout_marginBottom="6dp"
android:layout_marginTop="5dp"
android:text="Opciones gráficas"
android:textSize="20dp"
android:textStyle="bold" />
<View
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="2dp"
android:layout_below="#id/options_title"
android:background="#9dc8a6" />
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_below="#id/options_title"
android:layout_marginBottom="8dp"
android:layout_marginTop="5dp"
android:orientation="horizontal">
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="1">
<TextView
android:id="#+id/back_title"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:layout_marginBottom="3dp"
android:text="Fondo"
android:textSize="15sp"
android:textStyle="bold" />
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/back_1"
android:layout_width="40dp"
android:layout_height="60dp"
android:layout_below="#id/back_title"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:layout_marginBottom="3dp"
android:adjustViewBounds="true"
android:onClick="uploadBack"
android:scaleType="centerCrop"
android:src="#drawable/fondo" />
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/back_2"
android:layout_width="40dp"
android:layout_height="60dp"
android:layout_below="#id/back_1"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:layout_marginBottom="3dp"
android:adjustViewBounds="true"
android:onClick="uploadBack"
android:scaleType="centerCrop"
android:src="#drawable/fondo1" />
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/back_3"
android:layout_width="40dp"
android:layout_height="60dp"
android:layout_below="#id/back_2"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:layout_marginBottom="3dp"
android:adjustViewBounds="true"
android:onClick="uploadBack"
android:scaleType="centerCrop"
android:src="#drawable/fondo3" />
</RelativeLayout>
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="1">
<TextView
android:id="#+id/spaceship_title"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:layout_marginBottom="3dp"
android:text="Spaceship"
android:textSize="15sp"
android:textStyle="bold" />
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/spaceship_1"
android:layout_width="40dp"
android:layout_height="60dp"
android:layout_below="#id/spaceship_title"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:layout_marginBottom="3dp"
android:adjustViewBounds="true"
android:onClick="uploadSpaceship"
android:src="#drawable/diseno11" />
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/spaceship_2"
android:layout_width="40dp"
android:layout_height="60dp"
android:layout_below="#id/spaceship_1"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:layout_marginBottom="3dp"
android:adjustViewBounds="true"
android:onClick="uploadSpaceship"
android:src="#drawable/diseno21" />
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/spaceship_3"
android:layout_width="40dp"
android:layout_height="60dp"
android:layout_below="#id/spaceship_2"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:layout_marginBottom="3dp"
android:adjustViewBounds="true"
android:onClick="uploadSpaceship"
android:src="#drawable/diseno31" />
</RelativeLayout>
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="1">
<TextView
android:id="#+id/enemy_title"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:layout_marginBottom="3dp"
android:text="Enemies"
android:textSize="15sp"
android:textStyle="bold" />
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/enemy_1"
android:layout_width="40dp"
android:layout_height="60dp"
android:layout_below="#id/enemy_title"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:layout_marginBottom="3dp"
android:adjustViewBounds="true"
android:onClick="uploadEnemy"
android:rotation="180"
android:src="#drawable/enemigodiseno11" />
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/enemy_2"
android:layout_width="60dp"
android:layout_height="60dp"
android:layout_below="#id/enemy_1"
android:layout_marginBottom="3dp"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:src="#drawable/enemigodiseno21"
android:onClick="uploadEnemy"/>
</RelativeLayout>
</LinearLayout>
</RelativeLayout>
Anyway, if you choose to don't use a popup, I will show you how you can send some data to another activity in Android development:
When you press on a graphic option, look at the call "android:onclick". This allows to call a java method to capture the option selected.
Look a simple example of this:
Method example
public void uploadBack(View view) {
switch (view.getId()) {
case R.id.back_1:
result[0] = "back";
break;
case R.id.back_2:
result[0] = "back1";
break;
case R.id.back_3:
result[0] = "back3";
break;
}
}
As you can see, I have an array of Strings with 3 positions. When I click an ImageView, I call the method wich changes the result[i] value. When I press 'PLAY' and I call the game activity, I use putExtra method to send these options and change the game settings.
I hope this serve as a help for your problem.
Have a nice day!

applying setLayoutParams on a button programmatically causes the whole layout to get mixed and abnormal

<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="match_parent" >
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/buttons"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true" >
<Button
android:id="#+id/insertButtonVIEW"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:text="insert" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/removeButtonVIEW"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:text="remove" />
</LinearLayout>
</RelativeLayout>
Sometimes, depending on a situaiton, I am hiding removeButtonVIEW using the method setVisibility(View.INVISIBLE);
When that happens, I want to my insertButtonVIEW to take the whole width of the screen (when the two are present, each one takes 50% of the screen).
Since this might or might not happen, I am doing these changes programmatically.
I tried the following methd which worked, however, it is causing for all the interface to go jumbo mumbo, as everything's location on the screen is getting mixed.
modifyButton.setLayoutParams(new LayoutParams(LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT, LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT));
Any hints ?
UPDATE 1 after applying the answer :
I am using the following code to set the button to invisible.
Bundle extras;
extras = getIntent().getExtras();
String answer = extras.getString("answer");
if(answer.equalsIgnoreCase("yes")
{
insertButton.setEnabled(true);
insertButton.setText("INSERT");
removeButton.setVisibility(View.INVISIBLE);
}
else
{
//whatever
}

// I Have modify your code now try this one and you don't required set LayoutParams ().
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="match_parent" >
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/buttons"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true" >
<Button
android:id="#+id/insertButtonVIEW"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:text="insert" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/removeButtonVIEW"
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:text="remove" />
</LinearLayout>
</RelativeLayout>
if(answer.equalsIgnoreCase("yes")
{
insertButton.setEnabled(true);
insertButton.setText("INSERT");
removeButton.setVisibility(View.GONE);
}
else
{
//whatever
}

Use
setVisibility(View.GONE);
*Remove this *
modifyButton.setLayoutParams(new LayoutParams(LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT, LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT));
And set
android:layout_width="0dp"
in both button

setVisibility(View.VISIBLE) doesn't always work. Ideas?

I am trying to show a pair of hidden buttons (using setVisibility(View.VISIBLE), within a RelativeLayout), but it doesn't always work. The button shows OK on a Galaxy Tab 10.1" but not in a smaller tablet (not sure which model), nor on an Android 4.0 emulator.
I randomly discovered that, for a certain TextView t, the following code causes the buttons to become visible:
t.setText(t.getText());
...
button.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
t is located in the same RelativeLayout but is not related to the buttons (their locations are independent and non-overlapping).
Edit: In case some Android dev wants to track this down...
I was able to reduce the code to the following layout that exhibits the problem on an Android 4.0.3 emulator but not a Galaxy Tab. I found that I need a SurfaceView or the problem does not occur (for example, change it to TextView and the problem disappears).
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!-- layout/test.xml -->
<RelativeLayout
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:id="#+id/relativeLayout"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<SurfaceView
android:id="#+id/mapCtrl"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:layout_above="#+id/bottomPanel"
android:text="Placeholder"
android:layout_marginTop="18dip" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/title"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:text="#string/map_mode_title" />
<!--=================================================-->
<!-- Bottom bar: current road name and current speed -->
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/bottomPanel"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
android:background="#f228"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:textColor="#ffff" >
<Button
android:id="#+id/btnNavMode"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:layout_marginRight="3dip"
android:textColor="#fff"
android:text="Switch to\nNav Mode" />
<RelativeLayout
android:id="#+id/currentStreetPanel"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:onClick="onClick"
android:clickable="true"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<TextView
android:id="#+id/currentStreetHdg"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
android:text="Current street"
android:textColor="#fff"
android:textSize="10dip" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/currentStreet"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:layout_below="#+id/currentStreetHdg"
android:layout_marginTop="-8dip"
android:singleLine="true"
android:text="Current street"
android:textColor="#fff"
android:textSize="30dip" />
</RelativeLayout>
<RelativeLayout
android:id="#+id/RelativeLayout2"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:background="#ff606060"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<TextView
android:id="#+id/yourSpeedHdg"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
android:layout_marginLeft="3dip"
android:text="Your speed"
android:textColor="#fff"
android:textSize="10dip" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/speed"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:layout_below="#+id/yourSpeedHdg"
android:layout_marginLeft="3dip"
android:layout_marginTop="-8dip"
android:text="0"
android:textColor="#fff"
android:textSize="30dip" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/speedUnit"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignBaseline="#+id/speed"
android:layout_marginLeft="5dip"
android:layout_toRightOf="#+id/speed"
android:text="kph"
android:textColor="#fff"
android:textSize="18dip" />
</RelativeLayout>
</LinearLayout>
<!--================-->
<!-- On-map buttons -->
<Button
android:id="#+id/btnClearRoute"
android:background="#F00"
android:textColor="#fff"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Clear\nroute"/>
<ZoomControls
android:id="#+id/zoomControls"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignBottom="#+id/mapCtrl"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:layout_marginBottom="-25dip"
android:orientation="horizontal" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/btnFindRoute"
android:layout_width="100dip"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignBottom="#+id/mapCtrl"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
android:layout_marginRight="2dip"
android:layout_marginBottom="65dip"
android:text="Route to selected location"
android:textSize="17dip"/>
<Button
android:id="#+id/btnUnselect"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignBottom="#+id/btnFindRoute"
android:layout_alignTop="#+id/btnFindRoute"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:layout_marginLeft="2dip"
android:text="Unselect" />
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/showMePanel"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_above="#+id/btnFindRoute"
android:layout_alignRight="#+id/btnFindRoute"
android:layout_alignLeft="#+id/btnFindRoute"
android:padding="4dip"
android:background="#bbbb"
android:gravity="center"
android:orientation="vertical">
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Show me..."
android:textColor="#fff"/>
<Button
android:id="#+id/btnShowVehicle"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="My car"/>
<Button
android:id="#+id/btnShowRoute"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="The route"/>
<Button
android:id="#+id/btnShowDestination"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Destination"/>
<Button
android:id="#+id/btnShowMap"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="The map"/>
</LinearLayout>
</RelativeLayout>
The Activity class simply toggles the visibility of the two buttons when any of the buttons are clicked. Again, on some devices it works, on others it does not.
package mentor.simplegps;
import android.app.*;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.view.*;
import android.widget.*;
public class TestActivity extends Activity implements View.OnClickListener
{
#Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
requestWindowFeature(Window.FEATURE_NO_TITLE);
setContentView(R.layout.test);
boilerplate();
setVisibilities();
}
Button _btnShowMap, _btnShowVehicle, _btnShowRoute, _btnShowDestination;
Button _btnUnselect, _btnFindRoute, _btnNavMode;
TextView _title;
void boilerplate()
{
_btnUnselect = attachBtn(R.id.btnUnselect);
_btnShowMap = attachBtn(R.id.btnShowMap);
_btnShowVehicle = attachBtn(R.id.btnShowVehicle);
_btnShowRoute = attachBtn(R.id.btnShowRoute);
_btnShowDestination = attachBtn(R.id.btnShowDestination);
_btnFindRoute = attachBtn(R.id.btnFindRoute);
_btnNavMode = attachBtn(R.id.btnNavMode);
_title = (TextView)findViewById(R.id.title);
}
private Button attachBtn(int btnId) {
Button b = (Button)findViewById(btnId);
b.setOnClickListener(this);
return b;
}
boolean haveSel;
public void onClick(View v)
{
haveSel = !haveSel;
setVisibilities();
}
void setVisibilities()
{
_btnFindRoute.setVisibility(haveSel ? View.VISIBLE : View.INVISIBLE);
_btnUnselect.setVisibility (haveSel ? View.VISIBLE : View.INVISIBLE);
// Fixes the problem
//_title.setText(_title.getText());
}
}

SurfaceView is the sole culprit (of course, this also applies to GLSurfaceView, RSSurfaceView and VideoView, all of which inherits from SurfaceView). It exposes lots of weird behaviours when dealing with other views on top of it. Playing with View.setVisibility() is one of those issues. Clearly, SurfaceView has not been designed to be used with other views (even though the official doc says it ought to be) but as a standalone view for videos, games or OpenGL stuffs.
For the visibility issue, I've found that using View.GONE instead of View.INVISIBLE resolve it. If you don't want to use GONE, try changing the focus for example (and back to the one that had focus before), or changing other states. The goal is to wake up the underlying UI system somehow.
In short: when something weird happens with your views and you have a SurfaceView (or subclass) somewhere, try replacing it with something else so you don't lose hours searching what you're doing wrong when you're doing it right (and no false beliefs). This way, you know SurfaceView is to blame and you can hack around it with beautiful comments to piss on it without qualms.

For the record: I had this problem, tried a bunch of random stuff (thanks Alex!), and in my case what solved it was doing seekBar.requestLayout() directly after the setVisible on the very seekbar that was refusing to show.

This is my Solution
setAlpha(0)
btnName.setAlpha(0)
Is working for all views like => Buttons - Images - Texts and ...

In my case View.VISIBLE/View.GONE was not working always. When I switched my toggle to View.VISIBLE/View.INVISIBLE it started to work as intended.

I (annoyingly) had similar difficulty with having a button on top of a SurfaceView preview and had to put the Button in a RelativeLayout and make the RelativeLayout VISIBLE/INVISIBLE. Might be worth a shot for anyone else having the same issue.
...And I also had to programatically call the layout to be brought to from: buttonLayout.bringToFront() right after findViewById.

Resizing views on orientation change

I'm new to android development(v 4.0, API 14) and stuck in implementing orientation change.
I've added the following line in manifest file
android:configChanges="orientation|keyboardHidden|screenSize">
But it looks like screenSize parameter is not working so I have to manually write these two methods:
public void ChangetoLandscape() {
ed.setTranslationX(300.0f);
btnindex.setTranslationX(300.0f);
btngainer.setTranslationX(300.0f);
btnloser.setTranslationX(300.0f);
lsym.setTranslationX(200.0f);
ltable.setTranslationX(300.0f);
tv1.setTranslationX(290.0f);
tv2.setTranslationX(300.0f);
tv4.setTranslationX(300.0f);
mySimpleXYPlot.setScaleX(3.0f);
mySimpleXYPlot.setScaleY(0.8f);
mySimpleXYPlot.setPlotMarginLeft(50.0f);
mySimpleXYPlot.setTranslationX(60.0f);
mySimpleXYPlot.setTranslationY(-70.0f);
sv1.setTranslationY(-80.0f);
}
public void ChangetoPortrait() {
//NOTE THAT IF I DON'T WRITE BELOW CODE,
//SWITCHING TO PORTRAIT MODE AFTER LANDSCAPE MODE RUINS THE WHOLE LAYOUT.
ed.setTranslationX(-1.0f);
btnindex.setTranslationX(-1.0f);
btngainer.setTranslationX(-1.0f);
btnloser.setTranslationX(-1.0f);
lsym.setTranslationX(-1.0f);
ltable.setTranslationX(-1.0f);
tv1.setTranslationX(-1.0f);
tv2.setTranslationX(-1.0f);
tv4.setTranslationX(-1.0f);
mySimpleXYPlot.setScaleX(1.0f);
mySimpleXYPlot.setScaleY(1.0f);
mySimpleXYPlot.setPlotMarginLeft(1.0f);
mySimpleXYPlot.setTranslationX(-1.0f);
mySimpleXYPlot.setTranslationY(-1.0f);
sv1.setTranslationY(-1.0f);
}
.
I'm using RelativeLayout, so I've to manually translate each view to specified position on orientation change.
main.xml
<RelativeLayout android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:id="#+id/MainLayout">"
<EditText
android:id="#+id/txt1"
android:layout_width="100dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:hint="Search"
android:layout_marginLeft="220dp"
android:selectAllOnFocus="true"
android:cursorVisible="false" >
</EditText>
<Button
android:id="#+id/btnindex"
android:layout_width="60dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Index"
android:layout_marginLeft="140dp"
android:layout_below="#id/txt1"
android:textSize="12dp"/>
<Button
android:id="#+id/btngainer"
android:layout_width="60dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Gainer"
android:layout_below="#id/txt1"
android:layout_toRightOf="#id/btnindex"
android:textSize="12dp"/>
<Button
android:id="#+id/btnloser"
android:layout_width="60dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Loser"
android:layout_below="#id/txt1"
android:layout_toRightOf="#id/btngainer"
android:textSize="12dp"/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/tv1"
android:layout_width="75dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_marginLeft="150dp"
android:layout_marginTop="100dp"
android:textStyle="bold"
android:gravity="center"
android:textSize="10dp"
android:textColor="#00ff00"
android:text="SYMBOL"/> <!-- 2 similar textviews -->
<ListView
android:id="#+id/ltable"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_marginLeft="150dp"
android:layout_marginTop="70dp"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_below="#id/txt1">
</ListView>
<com.androidplot.xy.XYPlot
android:id="#+id/mySimpleXYPlot"
android:layout_width="140dp"
android:layout_height="200dp"
android:layout_alignTop="#+id/btnindex"
title="Index"/>
<ScrollView android:id="#+id/sv1"
android:layout_width="300dp"
android:layout_height="100dp"
android:layout_marginTop="250dp">
<LinearLayout android:id="#+id/LinearLayout02"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="100dp"
android:orientation="vertical">
<TextView android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:id="#+id/tv1"
android:text="Scrollview Item 1"/> <!-- 5 similar textviews -->
</LinearLayout>
</ScrollView>
</RelativeLayout>
.
But as showed in below screenshot, in landscape mode, graph which is plotted using android plot is not getting properly displayed. The reason behind this is I've used setScaleX() method bcoz setWidth() is not available. I don't want graph to look stretched. Instead it's width should be increased.
ScrollView is getting displayed properly in portrait mode but in landscape mode, it is not visivle according to it's height which is 100dp.
Edit: After changing android:configChanges="orientation|keyboardHidden|screenSize" to
android:configChanges="orientation|screenSize",
I get this when I switch to landscape mode:

use LayoutParams to place the graph at appropriate location instead of scale() function.