Develop Reference

ActionBar transparent background

I have created a actionbar with a custom xml layout that should have a transparent background. It works as it should on ICS but on KitKat it has a gray background instead of the transparency. Can anyone help me solve this issue and make the actionbar transparent for all Android versions 4 and up?
Here is the 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:id="#+id/main_actionbar_layout"
android:background="#android:color/transparent"
android:paddingLeft="5dp"
android:paddingRight="5dp" >
<ImageButton
android:id="#+id/action_menu"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:layout_centerVertical="true"
android:background="#android:color/transparent"
android:contentDescription="#string/app_name"
android:padding="5dp"
android:src="#drawable/menu" />
<ImageButton
android:id="#+id/action_settings"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
android:layout_centerVertical="true"
android:background="#android:color/transparent"
android:contentDescription="#string/app_name"
android:padding="5dp"
android:src="#drawable/settings" />
<ImageButton
android:id="#+id/action_share"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignTop="#+id/action_settings"
android:layout_marginRight="5dp"
android:layout_toLeftOf="#+id/action_settings"
android:background="#android:color/transparent"
android:contentDescription="#string/app_name"
android:padding="5dp"
android:src="#drawable/share" />
<com.quanticapps.athan.views.RobotoTextView
android:id="#+id/action_title"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:layout_centerVertical="true"
android:text="#string/app_name"
android:textColor="#android:color/white" />
</RelativeLayout>
And here is the code that I use:
final ViewGroup actionBarLayout = (ViewGroup) getLayoutInflater()
.inflate(R.layout.main_actionbar, null);
// Set up your ActionBar
final ActionBar actionBar = getActionBar();
actionBar.setBackgroundDrawable(new ColorDrawable(Color.TRANSPARENT));
actionBar.setDisplayShowCustomEnabled(true);
actionBar.setCustomView(actionBarLayout);
// Typeface mTypeface = Typeface.createFromAsset(getAssets(),
// "rockwell.ttf");
title = (TextView) findViewById(R.id.action_title);
share = (ImageButton) findViewById(R.id.action_share);
settings = (ImageButton) findViewById(R.id.action_settings);
menu = (ImageButton) findViewById(R.id.action_menu);
actionBar.setDisplayShowHomeEnabled(false);
actionBar.setDisplayShowTitleEnabled(false);
title.setTextSize(15);
title.setGravity(Gravity.CENTER);

try these way..
getWindow().requestFeature(Window.FEATURE_ACTION_BAR_OVERLAY);
ActionBar actionBar = getActionBar();
actionBar.setBackgroundDrawable(new ColorDrawable(Color.parseColor("#330000ff")));
check this answer

Its always better to set Actionbar property in style.
Define a style where set the actionbar background to transparent and apply that style to your activity. This way your code will be free from handling UI and logic.

Actionbar custom style with title highlight on clicked

I have a quick question regarding custom style navigation in the action bar.
I have used this code to create a custom title layout:
ActionBar ab = getActionBar();
ab.setDisplayShowTitleEnabled(false);
ab.setDisplayShowCustomEnabled(true);
View customTitle = getLayoutInflater().inflate(R.layout.custom_title, null);
ab.setCustomView(customTitle);
which looks like this:
But when I click the navigate up button, only the icon and the indicator highlight... like this:
I'm looking for a way to get the whole title clickable, but with the custom layout. Is this possible?
For reference here is my actionbar layout XML:
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:orientation="vertical" android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:gravity="center_vertical"
android:layout_height="match_parent">
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceLarge"
android:text="Ferries"
android:textSize="20sp"
android:textColor="#FFF"
android:id="#+id/actionbar_title_depart" />
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceSmall"
android:text=""
android:textSize="10sp"
android:textColor="#FFF"
android:id="#+id/actionbar_title_arrive" />
</LinearLayout>
Thanks for taking a look, and I look forward to hear some suggestions!

Android ActionBar custom layout styling

I'm just starting android development coming from IOS and again stubbled onto a problem.
And after 1 day of trying i decided that i will ask the people of stack overflow.
So my problem:
I have an app and in the action bar (default no sherlock) i want 1 logo and 2 lines of text.
And trough the internet i fount the setCustomView for the action bar.
And the custom xml is loaded but i can't get the layout right.
So first i setup the action bar:
private void setupActionBar() {
ActionBar actionBar = getSupportActionBar();
actionBar.setDisplayShowTitleEnabled(false);
actionBar.setDisplayUseLogoEnabled(false);
actionBar.setDisplayHomeAsUpEnabled(false);
actionBar.setDisplayShowCustomEnabled(true);
actionBar.setDisplayShowHomeEnabled(false);
LayoutParams lp1 = new LayoutParams(LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT, LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT);
View customNav = LayoutInflater.from(this).inflate(R.layout.actionbar, null); // layout which contains your button.
actionBar.setCustomView(customNav, lp1);
}
Than the xml:
<?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:layout_gravity="fill_horizontal"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:background="#color/Blue">
<TextView
android:id="#+id/text_left"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="#string/title_menu"
android:textColor="#color/White"
android:paddingLeft="5dp"
android:layout_gravity="left"/>
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/icon"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:src="#drawable/Icon"
android:layout_gravity="center"/>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/text_right"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="#string/title_help"
android:layout_gravity="right"
android:textColor="#color/White"
android:paddingRight="5dp"/>
</LinearLayout>
But the result is something what i'm not looking for:
So what am i forgetting/doing wrong/or should i do?

try change the root layout into relative layout
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_gravity="fill_horizontal"
android:orientation="horizontal">
<TextView
android:text="left text"
android:layout_toLeftOf="#+id/icon"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:id="#+id/text_left"
android:gravity="left"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:paddingLeft="5dp"/>
<ImageView
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:id="#+id/icon"
android:layout_width="10dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:src="#drawable/bg_sunrise"
android:layout_gravity="center"/>
<TextView
android:text="Right txt"
android:layout_toRightOf="#+id/icon"
android:id="#+id/text_right"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:gravity="right"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="right"
android:paddingRight="5dp"/> </RelativeLayout>

you're not getting your result because:
u need to:
if you use AppCompat theme
add to your activity layout
in code eg. in onCreate() set a toolbar to replace the action bar.

You could also use LinearLayout as a root and add android:weightSum and specify a layout_weight on the three child views.
What is android:weightSum in android, and how does it work?

Sherlock actionBar.setIcon(android.R.color.transparent) leaves gap to left

I have tried searching on Google and stackoverflow but I didn't find the solution.
Problem:
Code:
actionBar = activity.getSupportActionBar();
actionBar.setDisplayShowCustomEnabled(true);
actionBar.setDisplayShowTitleEnabled(false);
//actionBar.setDisplayUseLogoEnabled(false);
//actionBar.setDisplayHomeAsUpEnabled(false);
//actionBar.setDisplayShowHomeEnabled(false);
actionBar.setIcon(android.R.color.transparent);
LayoutParams lp = new LayoutParams(LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT, LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT,
Gravity.CENTER_HORIZONTAL | Gravity.CENTER_VERTICAL);
LayoutInflater inflator = (LayoutInflater)activity.getSystemService(Context.LAYOUT_INFLATER_SERVICE);
LinearLayout v = (LinearLayout) inflator.inflate(R.layout.header, null);
actionBar.setCustomView(v, lp);
actionBar.setNavigationMode(ActionBar.NAVIGATION_MODE_TABS);
header.xml:
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:background="#drawable/topheaderbackground" >
<TextView
android:id="#+id/topcaption"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="center_vertical"
android:gravity="center_vertical|center_horizontal"
android:text="ABC"
android:textColor="#ebf5ff"
android:textSize="9.6pt"
android:textStyle="bold"
android:typeface="sans" />
</LinearLayout>
What I have tried:
actionBar.setDisplayShowHomeEnabled(false);
But result is:
Please Help!!!
[Edit]:
I am using Theme.Sherlock.
[Result of Doctoror Drive's suggestion]:
actionBar.setBackgroundDrawable(activity.getResources().getDrawable(R.drawable.topheaderbackground));
new header.xml:
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content">
<TextView
android:id="#+id/topcaption"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="center_vertical"
android:gravity="center_vertical|center_horizontal"
android:text="ABC"
android:textColor="#ebf5ff"
android:textSize="9.6pt"
android:textStyle="bold"
android:typeface="sans" />
</LinearLayout>
As you can see text is not in center, any suggestion???

It's not the icon, it's a CustomView that's leaving the gap.
You should change the color of ActionBar in styles.
http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/ui/actionbar.html#AdvancedStyles
And then add custom view with no background, just a TextView in center.
EDIT:
After you've set it to center, the space for your text is space of actionbar content minus the size of icon to the left (which is transparent). Try setting ActionBar display options.
remove
actionBar.setDisplayShowCustomEnabled(true);
actionBar.setDisplayShowTitleEnabled(false);
and add instead
actionBar.setDisplayOptions(ActionBar.DISPLAY_SHOW_CUSTOM);
Tell me if you still have the issue, then I will tell plan B.
EDIT, plan B:
Alright, there is a problem with flipping when above is set so try adding padding to root of your TextView. Set ActionBar mode:
actionBar.setDisplayOptions(ActionBar.DISPLAY_SHOW_CUSTOM |
ActionBar.DISPLAY_SHOW_HOME);
And in xml, I think the LinearLayout there is useless. Try setting plain and clean TextView
<TextView
android:id="#+id/topcaption"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:paddingRight="?android:attr/actionBarSize"
android:gravity="center"
android:text="ABC"
android:textColor="#ebf5ff"
android:textSize="9.6pt"
android:textStyle="bold"
android:typeface="sans" />
If that will not work, try
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:paddingRight="?android:attr/actionBarSize"
android:orientation="horizontal">
<TextView
android:id="#+id/topcaption"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_gravity="center_vertical"
android:gravity="center"
android:text="ABC"
android:textColor="#ebf5ff"
android:textSize="9.6pt"
android:textStyle="bold"
android:typeface="sans" />
</LinearLayout>

Title not showing on the mainActivity

I have put up a spinner on Android Action Bar, i have placed the spinner in test.xml layout and i am calling it like this in the main activity in the OnCreate() method
ActionBar actionBar = getActionBar();
actionBar.setBackgroundDrawable(new ColorDrawable(Color.GREEN));
actionBar.setDisplayShowCustomEnabled(true);
actionBar.setCustomView(R.layout.activity_test);
setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
actionBar.setTitle("Home");
But my title is not showing. i want to show HOME as title on that action bar what should i do?
My activity_test
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<Spinner
android:id="#+id/planets_spinner"
android:layout_width="100dp"
android:layout_height="50sp"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
android:background="#drawable/arrow2"
android:layout_weight="0.08"
android:drawSelectorOnTop="true" />
</RelativeLayout>

I have solved the problem by adding a textView to my activity_test, as this whole activity is showing on the ActionBar so i have added a text view and problem is solved :)
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:orientation="horizontal" >
<Spinner
android:id="#+id/planets_spinner"
android:layout_width="100dp"
android:layout_height="50sp"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
android:background="#drawable/arrow2"
android:drawSelectorOnTop="true" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/textView1"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignBottom="#+id/planets_spinner"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:layout_marginBottom="6dp"
android:layout_marginLeft="6dp"
android:textStyle="bold"
android:textSize="20sp"
android:textColor="#ffffff"
android:text="Scene" />
</RelativeLayout>

When you set android:layout_alignParentRight="true" , RelativeLayout uses all the space including the title space and title is not displayed. You can check the behaviour by drawing a border around the RelativeLayout. But RelativeLayout doesnt consume more space if you dont use android:layout_alignParentRight="true". It doesnt consume more space if you use android:layout_alignParentLeft="true", too. It works weird for only android:layout_alignParentRight="true". In order to show a view at the right of the parent, the following worked for me:
<ImageView xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:id="#+id/profile_image"
android:layout_width="40dp"
android:src="#drawable/ic_launcher"
android:layout_height="40dp"
android:background="?android:selectableItemBackground"
android:padding="3dp"
android:scaleType="centerCrop" />
Do not use RelativeLayout. Just the view you need.
Then you can align right with the LayoutParams shown as following:
actionBar.setCustomView(R.layout.actionbar_layout);
actionBar.setDisplayShowCustomEnabled(true);
ImageView imageProfile = (ImageView)actionBar.getCustomView();
int length = (int) TypedValue.applyDimension(TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_DIP, 40, getResources().getDisplayMetrics());
Toolbar.LayoutParams layoutParams = new Toolbar.LayoutParams(
length,
length, Gravity.RIGHT
| Gravity.CENTER_VERTICAL);
imageProfile.setLayoutParams(layoutParams);
Now you should be able to view both ActionBar title and the ImageView.