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how to save android recycler view state (scroll position) in an activity with two fragments

I am new to Android and, as a first step, am building an app, for running in a handset, with an activity in which I put two fragments. The first fragment has a recycler view of items that are supposed to represent article titles. When I click on one, the second fragment opens and shows the title (in a text view) and the content (in another text view) of the article (for the moment, for simplicity, I put the article title as fake titles and I have a setting for which the content is not shown but it is shown the title in the content text view too).
I want to save the scroll position of the recycler view.
When I scroll down, having on top of the screen an article title different from the first, I choose an article and my second fragment opens with the expected contents, and that's ok. When I rotate to landscape, the same fragment contains the same content, ok. So:
1) when I press the back button from the landscape, returning to the first fragment, I get the same setting for the recycler view, ok;
2) when I rotate again to portrait, remaining on the second fragment, it is ok too. Now, if I press the back button to return to the first fragment, to the list of articles, the recycler view is NOT set to start with the item I initially scrolled to. What can I do?
I have this code in the first fragment, the one containing the recycler view:
#Override
public void onSaveInstanceState(Bundle state) {
int lastFirstVisiblePosition = ((LinearLayoutManager) recyclerView.getLayoutManager()).findFirstCompletelyVisibleItemPosition();
state.putInt(Articles.RECYCLER_POSITION_KEY, lastFirstVisiblePosition);
super.onSaveInstanceState(state);
}
#Override
public void onActivityCreated(Bundle state) {
super.onActivityCreated(state);
if (state != null) {
int lastFirstVisiblePosition = state.getInt(Articles.RECYCLER_POSITION_KEY);
((LinearLayoutManager) recyclerView.getLayoutManager()).scrollToPosition(lastFirstVisiblePosition);
}
}
What am I missing? Thanks.
[EDIT] In my listener is this, for invoking the second fragment:
ArticleReaderFrag newFragment = new ArticleReaderFrag();
Bundle args = new Bundle();
args.putString(NEW_FRAG_TITLE_KEY, item);
args.putString(NEW_FRAG_BODY_KEY, itemb);
newFragment.setArguments(args);
FragmentTransaction transaction = getSupportFragmentManager().beginTransaction();
transaction.replace(R.id.main_activity, newFragment);
transaction.addToBackStack(null);
transaction.commit();

Reuse Fragment
When the Activity launches for the first time create a new instance of Fragment and use a TAG to save it with FragmentManager. When the activity gets recreated after orientation change. Retreive the old instance using the Tag.
Here is a sample code which you should have in your activity.
#Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
{
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.first_activity);
fragmentManager = getSupportFragmentManager();
if(savedInstanceState==null) {
userFragment = UserNameFragment.newInstance();
fragmentManager.beginTransaction().add(R.id.profile, userFragment, "TAG").commit();
}
else {
userFragment = fragmentManager.findFragmentByTag("TAG");
}
}
How to save scroll position?
That happens by default. Read this answer for more detail.
EDIT
I believe this is your method
public createSecondFragment(int position){
ArticleReaderFrag newFragment = new ArticleReaderFrag();
Bundle args = new Bundle();
args.putString(NEW_FRAG_TITLE_KEY, item);
args.putString(NEW_FRAG_BODY_KEY, itemb);
newFragment.setArguments(args);
FragmentTransaction transaction =
getSupportFragmentManager().beginTransaction();
transaction.replace(R.id.main_activity, newFragment);
transaction.addToBackStack(null);
transaction.commit();
}
Save the position of on rotation and use that position to load the specific fragment.
Call the method when the activity is recreated after orientation change
#Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
{
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.first_activity);
if(savedInstanceState!=null) {
int lastSavedPosition = // Your logic
createSecondFragment(lastSavedPosition )
}
}

Saving states of multiple fragments in activity

I am working on an application and there is one specific thing that is bothering me. Let's just say I have one activity and 2 fragments.FragmentA and FragmentB and FragmentA gets attached when activity starts.
I want to save the fragment data and fragment state when orientation changes occur.I have successfully saved fragment data using OnSavedInstanceState method. Now I want to save fragment state in the activity so that if orientation change occurs I want to be on the fragment I was (in my case either FragmentA or FragmentB depends on which was showing before config changes occur).
This is how I am saving the fragment state in the Activity:
#Override
protected void onSaveInstanceState(Bundle outState) {
// Save the values you need into "outState"
super.onSaveInstanceState(outState);
outState.putLong(SS_DATE, userDate.getTime());
android.support.v4.app.FragmentManager manager = getSupportFragmentManager();
Fragment currentFragment = this.getSupportFragmentManager().findFragmentById(R.id.content_container);
manager.putFragment(outState, "currentFragment", currentFragment);
}
And this is how I am retrieving on which fragment I was when the orientation change occurred:
#Override
protected void onRestoreInstanceState(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onRestoreInstanceState(savedInstanceState);
FragmentManager manager = getSupportFragmentManager();
#SuppressLint("CommitTransaction")
FragmentTransaction transaction = manager.beginTransaction();
if (savedInstanceState != null) {
Fragment MyFragment = (Fragment) manager.getFragment(savedInstanceState, "currentFragment");
if (MyFragment instanceof FragListStudentsAttendance) {
Log.v("onRestore", FragListStudentsAttendance.TAG);
}else if (MyFragment instanceof FragGetClassesForAttendance){
Log.v("onRestore", FragGetClassesForAttendance.TAG);
if(MyFragment!=null) {
mFragGetClassesForAttendance = (FragGetClassesForAttendance) MyFragment;
}else{
mFragGetClassesForAttendance = new FragGetClassesForAttendance();
FragmentTransaction transaction = getSupportFragmentManager().beginTransaction();
// mFragGetClassesForAttendanceNew.setRetainInstance(true);
// transaction.replace(R.id.content_ssadmin_container, mFragGetClassesForAttendanceNew, "FragGetClassesForAttendance").addToBackStack(null);
transaction.add(R.id.content_ssadmin_container, mFragGetClassesForAttendance, FragGetClassesForAttendance.TAG);
//transaction.replace(R.id.newEnrollmentMainContainer, mFragNewEnrollmentResults).addToBackStack("FragNewEnrollments");
transaction.commit();
mFragGetClassesForAttendance.setDate(userDate);
}
}
}
}
Now
Scenario 1:
If I am on fragment A and I rotate the device every thing works fine as it should. Like fragment have web services which loads the data into listview so I check if data exist then there is no need to run the web service and that working for now
Scenario 2:
If I am on fragment B and orientation change occurs everything works fine as it is supposed to be on fragment B. Now When I press back button Fragment A gets called again and all the data also comes from service. I think this shouldn't happen because it was supposed to be in BackStack and it's data was saved. So what Should I do now here?
Scenario 3: On FragmentB I have noticed that when I rotates the device the saveInstanceState function of FragmentA also gets called. Why it is so? where as I was replacing the FragmentB with FragmentA ?
Some Confusions:
Let me talk about some of the confusions also , maybe someone clear it to me although I have searched and read a lot about fragment and activity life cycle,
Actually I want to save the data per activity and fragment on device rotation. I know how to do it with activity(how to save states) so I also know how to do it in the fragment (save state of fragment views) now I am confused how to tell activity which fragment was showing and which to go after config changes(rotation) ? also what happens to FragmentA if I am on FragmentB Does its get attach and detach again and again in background?

I got your problems and confusions. I think the life cycle of fragment is confusing you. and indeed it will confuse you.
You need to learn different situations.
1. Fragment Life cycle when it is in foreground (attaching and detaching with activity) . Please keenly observe all the methods that will call i.e OnSaveInstance,onCreateView,OnDestroyView,onDestroy
2. Fragment life cycle when it is in background (observe the methods stated above)
3. Fragment life cycle when it is added to backstack (and not in foreground)
I am quite sure you are confused with the point number 3. As when the fragment is added to backstack it never gets destroy. So rotating device twice will set the ffragment data to null. I think you are restoring data on ActivityCreated or on onViewCreated ,
Ill suggest you to restore the fragment data in the oncreate. this will work for you when your fragment is coming back to foreground from the backstack .
Example
private List<String> mCountries;</pre>
#Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
{
if (savedInstanceState != null)
{
// Populate countries from bundle
}
}
#Override
public View onCreateView(LayoutInflater inflater, ViewGroup container, Bundle savedInstanceState)
{
View view = inflater.inflate(R.layout.fragment_countries, container, false);
if (mCountries == null)
{
// Populate countries by calling AsyncTask
}
return view;
}
public void onSaveInstanceState(Bundle outState)
{
// Save countries into bundle
}
Hope this will clear your confusions.

Android Fragment created twice orientation change

My fragment is being created twice, even though the activity is only adding the fragment once to the content. This happens when I rotate the screen. Also, everytime the fragment's onCreateView is called, it has lost all of it's variable state.
public class MainActivity extends ActionBarActivity {
#Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
if (savedInstanceState == null) { // Checking for recreation
getSupportFragmentManager().beginTransaction()
.add(R.id.container, new AppPanelFragment())
.commit();
}
}
}
onCreate in the activity checks for the null savedInstanceState and only if null will add the fragment so I can't see why the fragment should be created twice? Putting a breakpoint in that if condition tells me that it only ever get's called once so the activity shouldn't be adding the fragment multiple times. However the onCreateView of the fragment still gets called each time orientation changes.
public class AppPanelFragment extends Fragment {
private TextView appNameText;
#Override
public View onCreateView(LayoutInflater inflater, ViewGroup container,
Bundle savedInstanceState) {
// This method called several times
View rootView = inflater.inflate(R.layout.fragment_app_panel, container, false);
// 2nd call on this method, appNameText is null, why?
appNameText = (TextView) rootView.findViewById(R.id.app_name);
appNameText.text = "My new App";
return view;
}
I managed to have the variable state persisted using setRetainInstance(true), but is this the real solution? I would expect the fragment to not be created on just an orientation change.

In android, when the phone's orientation is changed, the activity is destroyed and recreated. Now, i believe to fix your problem you can use the fragment manager to check to see if the fragment already exists in the back stack and if it doesn't then create it.
public void onCreated(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
if (savedInstanceState == null) {
mFragmentManager = getSupportFragmentManager();
AppPanelFragment fragment = (AppPanelFragment)mFragmentManager.findFragmentById(R.id.fagment_id);
if(fragment == null) {
//do your fragment creation
}
}
}
P.S. I haven't tested this but it should work once you provide the right fragment's id in the findFragmentById method.

The Fragment lifecycle is very similar to an Activity. By default, yes, they will be re-created during a configuration change just like an Activity does. That's expected behavior. Even with setRetainInstance(true) (which I would say to use with extreme caution if it contains a UI) your View will be destroyed and re-created, but in that case your Fragment instance will not be destroyed -- just the View.

I know it is a bit late to answer, but using The Code Pimp answer you can do the next thing:
If the fragment exists in the backstack we pop and remove it to add it back (an exception is thrown if it is added back without removing it, saying it already exists).
The fragment variable is a class member variable.
This method will be called in the onCreate method of the Activity:
if (savedInstanceState == null) {
FragmentManager fragmentManager = getFragmentManager();
FragmentTransaction fragmentTransaction = fragmentManager.beginTransaction();
if (fragmentManager.findFragmentById(getFragmentActivityLayoutContainerId()) == null) {
fragment = getNewFragmentInstance();
} else {
fragment = fragmentManager.findFragmentById(getFragmentActivityLayoutContainerId());
fragmentTransaction.remove(fragment);
fragmentManager.popBackStack();
fragmentTransaction.commit();
fragmentTransaction = fragmentManager.beginTransaction();
}
fragmentTransaction.add(getFragmentActivityLayoutContainerId(), fragment);
fragmentTransaction.commit();
}
The next code will be called in the fragment itself.
It is a small example for a code you could implement in your fragment to understand how it works. The dummyTV is a simple text view in the center of the fragment that receives text according to orientation (and for that we need a counter).
private TextView dummyTV;
private static int counter = 0;
#Override
protected int getFragmentLayoutId() {
return R.layout.fragment_alerts_view;
}
#Override
protected void saveReferences(View view) {
dummyTV = (TextView) view.findViewById(R.id.fragment_alerts_view_dummy_tv);
}
#Override
public void onViewCreated(View view, Bundle savedInstanceState) {
if (savedInstanceState != null) {
dummyTV.setText(savedInstanceState.getString("dummy_string"));
} else {
dummyTV.setText("flip me!");
}
dummyTV.append(" | " + String.valueOf(counter));
}
#Override
public void onSaveInstanceState(Bundle outState) {
outState.putString("dummy_string", counter++ % 2 == 0 ? "landscape" : "portrait");
}

As mentioned, on orientation change, the activity is destroyed and recreated. Also, Fragments(any) are recreated by the system.
To ensure your application restores to previous state, onSaveInstanceState() is called before the activity is destroyed.
So, you can store some information in the onSaveInstanceState() method of an activity and then restore your application to same state on orientation change.
NOTE: You need not create fragments on orientation change, as fragments are recreated.
Example from http://www.mynewsfeed.x10.mx/articles/index.php?id=15:
public class MainActivity extends Activity {
#Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
if ( savedInstanceState == null ){
//Initialize fragments
Fragment example_fragment = new ExampleFragment();
FragmentManager manager = getFragmentManager();
FragmentTransaction transaction = manager.beginTransaction();
transaction.add(R.id.container, example_fragment, "Example");
} else{
//control comes to this block only on orientation change.
int postion = savedInstanceState.getInt("position"); //You can retrieve any piece of data you've saved through onSaveInstanceState()
//finding fragments on orientation change
Fragment example_fragment = manager.findFragmentByTag("Example");
//update the fragment so that the application retains its state
example_fragment.setPosition(position); //This method is just an example
}
}
#Override
public void onSaveInstanceState(Bundle outState) {
super.onSaveInstanceState(outState);
outState.putInt("position", position); //add any information you'd like to save and restore on orientation change.
}
}

Fragment View State on Screen Rotation

I have a few fragments that are loaded when a user clicks on an item in a list. Say a user has clicked on second item in the list, loading the second fragment. But, upon rotating, the screen, the first fragment in the list gets loaded. How can I make sure that the same fragment gets loaded whenever a user rotates the screen.
This is how I'm loading my fragments
private void selectItem(position) {
Fragment fragment = null;
switch (position) {
case 0:
fragment = new FirstFragment();
break;
case 1:
fragment = new SecondFragment();
break;
case 2:
fragment = new ThirdFragment();
break;
default:
break;
}
if (fragment != null) {
android.app.FragmentManager fragmentManager = getFragmentManager();
fragmentManager.beginTransaction().replace(R.id.content_frame, fragment).commit();
}
else {
Log.e("NavigationActivity", "Error in creating fragment");
}
}
I'm calling selectItem(0) in onCreate of an activity.

The entire activity gets destroyed and recreated during a rotation. So if you are calling setItem(0) in Activity.onCreate, then you'll always get FirstFragment in the content frame.
Seems like the easy thing may be to just detect if you've already set a fragment in onCreate and not load the default. Either make use of onSaveInstanceState and/or mark the fragment as retained.
I don't have much experience with retained fragments or fragment management beyond initial load, so just using onSaveInstanceState to keep track of which one was loaded seems appropriate.
In your Activity, override onSaveInstanceState:
#Override
public void onSaveInstanceState(Bundle bundle)
{
bundle.putInt("which_fragment", _fragmentId);
super.onSaveInstanceState(bundle);
}
Where _fragmentId is just some numerical identifier of the particular fragment you are loading. It could even be it's layout id. Set this value in your selectItem method.
And then in onCreate:
#Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
{
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
_fragmentId = 0;
if (savedInstanceState != null)
{
_fragmentId = savedInstanceState.getInt("which_fragment", 0);
}
...
selectItem(_fragmentId);
}

First of all I wouldn't use positionOnTheList->Fragment dependency. I would depend on some id (final or from the resources).
Secondly I think you shouldn't create a new instance of each Fragment class when you select item from the list.
You should consider this approach:
Fragment f = fragmentManager.findFragmentById( String.valueOf(id) );
if( f == null )
f = new FragmentDependingOnId();
mCurrentlySelectedId = id;
fragmentManager.beginTransaction()
.replace( R.id.container, f , String.valueOf(id))
.commit();
Add the following method:
#Override
public void onSaveInstanceState(Bundle outState) {
super.onSaveInstanceState(outState);
outState.putInt(SELECTED_ID, mCurrentlySelectedId);
}
and in onCreate add:
if(savedInstanceState!=null){
mCurrentlySelectedId = savedInstanceState.getInt(SELECTED_ID);
selectItem(mCurrentlySelectedId);
}

When using fragment you usually use onCreateView to inflate your layout. Then you use onActivityCreated to do all the stuff you need to init listviews etc ...
In your case the problem you have is that you should use the saveInstanceState to keep track of if a fragment is loaded or not because the fragment is re-created on each rotation.
Let's look at some code
#Override
public View onCreateView(LayoutInflater inflater, ViewGroup container, Bundle savedInstanceState) {
return inflater.inflate(R.layout.your_fragment_layout, container, false);
}
#Override
public void onActivityCreated(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onActivityCreated(savedInstanceState);
if (savedInstanceState != null) {
//do nothing if the state already exists
} else {
//do something if state already exists
}
}
Note that if you need to save a given value, for example a boolean you can use
#Override
public void onSaveInstanceState(Bundle outState) {
super.onSaveInstanceState(outState);
outState.putBoolean(YOUR_BOOL_TAG, mYourBooleanVar);
}
and get it back in the onCreateView by using
mYourBooleanVar= savedInstanceState.getBoolean(YOUR_BOOL_TAG);
same applies to other types also.
EDIT
I didn't quite answered your question, so I put more details. The above code is in the fragment. However for your question, in the activity you need something like that.
#Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
if (savedInstanceState == null) {
//here is the transaction to load your first fragment
}
}
and your first fragement won't reload each time.
The first time savedInstanceState will be null and you set your default fragment. Then each time you rotate savedInstanceState is not null and your default fragment is not reloaded but the one that is currently present.
Only this code is relevant for you, but I let the code above the EDIT for other people in case it can be useful to them.

hidden backstack fragments re-shown on configuration change

I am building a one activity-multiple fragments application. I add to the backstack after every transaction. After a couple of hiding and showing fragments and then I rotate the phone, all the fragments added on the container were restored and every fragment is on top of the other.
What can be the problem? Why is my activity showing the fragments I have previously hidden?
I am thinking of hiding all the previously-hidden-now-shown fragments but is there a more 'graceful' way of doing this?

Use setRetainInstance(true) on each fragment and your problem will disappear.
Warning: setting this to true will change the Fragments life-cycle.
While setRetainInstance(true) resolves the issue, there may be cases where you don't want to use it.
To fix that, setup a boolean attribute on the Fragment and restore the visibility:
private boolean mVisible = true;
#Override
public void onCreate(Bundle _savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(_savedInstanceState);
if (_savedInstanceState!=null) {
mVisible = _savedInstanceState.getBoolean("mVisible");
}
if (!mVisible) {
getFragmentManager().beginTransaction().hide(this).commit();
}
// Hey! no setRetainInstance(true) used here.
}
#Override
public void onHiddenChanged(boolean _hidden) {
super.onHiddenChanged(_hidden);
mVisible = !_hidden;
}
#Override
public void onSaveInstanceState(Bundle _outState) {
super.onSaveInstanceState(_outState);
if (_outState!=null) {
_outState.putBoolean("mVisible", mVisible);
}
}
Once the configuration changes (e.g. screen orientation), the instance will be destroyed, but the Bundle will be stored and injected to the new Fragment instance.

I had the same problem. you should check source code in the function onCreateView() of your activity.
public class MainActivity extends Activity {
#Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
if(savedInstanceState == null){//for the first time
FragmentManager fragmentManager = getFragmentManager();
FragmentTransaction fragmentTransaction = fragmentManager.beginTransaction();
FragmentExample fragment = new FragmentExample();
fragmentTransaction.add(R.id.layout_main, fragment);
fragmentTransaction.commit();
}else{//savedInstanceState != null
//for configuration change or Activity UI is destroyed by OS to get memory
//no need to add Fragment to container view R.id.layout_main again
//because FragmentManager supported add the existed Fragment to R.id.layout_main if R.id.layout_main is existed.
//here is one different between Fragment and View
}
}
activity_main.xml:
<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:id="#+id/layout_main">

You might want to try to use the replace() function rather than hide and show. I had the same problem when I started using Fragments and using the replace function really helped manage the Fragments better. Here is a quick example:
fragmentManager.replace(R.id.fragmentContainer, desiredFragment, DESIRED_FRAGMENT_TAG)
.addToBackStack(null)
.commit();