Develop Reference

How to add more dimens.xml files in android?

I have an LinearLayout in my xml file for my UI.
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="170dp"
android:gravity="center_vertical|center_horizontal">
<ImageView
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="70dp"
android:gravity="center_horizontal|center_vertical"
android:src="#drawable/menu_profile_icon" />
</LinearLayout>
I specified the height of Layout in dp. My GUI is different in different emulators . It is good in Nexus 5 emulator but in Nexus S emulator it is not correct . My LinearLayout is out of the screen in Nexus S emulator . What is the solution for it ?
I tried using sp also, but no use,
Thank You.

The android system will choice the right dimens.xml from the "values" folder according the device characteristics.
Some Characteristics:
Screen Density
Screen Size
Screen Orientation
Example:
Device A is a HDPI with a LARGE SCREEN.
The folder name should be:
values-large-hdpi
You have to build the dimens with specific values for each set.
Like the set of Devices with a large screen and XHDPI.
http://developer.android.com/guide/practices/screens_support.html
http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/resources/available-resources.html

Android - ImageView - Multiple Screen Support - Set height/width as dp or match_parent/wrap_content?

I am currently trying to adjust my Android App so it will look and feel similar on multiple screens/devices.
I know by now that a major part in this is to provide multiple image sizes for every image file according to the x1, x1.5, x2, x3, x4 ratios for mdpi, hdpi, xhpi, xxhdpi and xxxhdpi respectively, and I have finished doing so today.
After doing this, I have defined Density independent Pixel dimensions in the #dimen.xml values resource that correspond with the actual image sizes in pixels of the MDPI resources. Subsequently, i have set the imageviews in question's layout_width and layout_height to this dimension.
I am currently at a loss, however, as to why my application still looks significantly different on an MDPI emulator than it does on an HDPI emulator. To highlight what I mean, I'll provide the following screenshot showing the HDPI and MPDI emulator next to one another (left is HDPI (4" WVGA Nexus S) and right is MDPI (5.4" FWVGA)). I want both of them to look like the MPDI version, but what I've done so far apparently isn't working.
I have three theories of my own as to why this is not working the way I intend it to:
1. I am not supposed to set ImageView layout_width and layout_height to a dp value, but rather match_parent or wrap_content (?) (and change the structure of my .xml layouts in the process).
2. I am not only supposed to define multiple drawable resources, but also multiple layout resources for different screen sizes (?).
3. I have misunderstood the entire idea behind how this is supposed to work (?).
I will also give you an example of one of the list items that can be seen in the first screenshot (#drawable/phone_speed_icon is a 64 x64 pixel resource in MPDI and a 96x96 resource in HDPI, and #dimen/icon_attribute_size is 64dp):
<LinearLayout
android:id="#+id/llSpeed_PreSession"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:paddingBottom="10dp"
android:paddingEnd="20dp"
android:paddingStart="20dp"
android:weightSum="100">
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="#dimen/icon_attribute_size"
android:layout_weight="20"
android:weightSum="100">
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="70"
android:gravity="center"
android:orientation="vertical">
<ImageView
android:layout_width="#dimen/icon_attribute_size"
android:layout_height="#dimen/icon_attribute_size"
android:src="#drawable/phone_speed_icon" />
</LinearLayout>
<TextView
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="30"
android:gravity="center_vertical"
android:paddingStart="10dp"
android:text="Speed"
android:textAppearance="#android:style/TextAppearance.Large"
android:textColor="#878787"
android:textStyle="bold" />
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="80"
android:gravity="center">
<android.support.v7.widget.SwitchCompat
android:id="#+id/swSpeed_PreSession"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="match_parent" />
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>
In the end, I have four questions that I'd like answered:
1. How do I make the list items in screenshot 1 look the same on MDPI devices as HDPI devices? Does this have anything to do with one of the three theories I mentioned earlier?
2. Why is the header text ("What do you want to measure?") wrapped on one device, but not on the other? They use the sp unit (via android:style/TextApperance.TextApperance.Large)?
3. Shouldn't everything be more spaced out on an HDPI device (if anything) rather than less spaced out? The HDPI emulator looks as if it "has got way less pixels available", if you can understand what I'm saying even a little.
4. How do I make the Fragments on the second screenshot look the same? Or should i not even want this, because the HDPI is (for some reason) physically smaller, which is why the layout is less spread out?
Anyway, I have been at this all day and the more I read the more thouroughly confused I get, so any help is greatly appreciated!

You have the option to create multiple dimens.xml files depending on a variety of factors. Here you'll see what my current project looks like with the various dimens.xml files in Android Studio based on screen width.
However, you can have different requirements for each dimens file you want. For example, you can create dimens files for each density:

Drawable resources don`t match with physical devices

I have 2 testing device and same images in different size and folders.
Samsug Galaxy S2 retrieves from hdpi which has image (300x300)
Google Nexus 7 is retrieves from xhdpi which has image (400x400)
When i run the application on both devices, even tough i confirmed they read from different resources, same size image appears, so that, when image fits the screen size in S2, it looks very small for Nexus 7.
Should i go for some other configurations? I have no idea how i can fix this. Thank you for suggestions.
.xml for the image:
<?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:background="#drawable/stainbck"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:padding="25dp"
android:id="#+id/rootViewGroup" >
<ImageButton
android:id="#+id/newcard"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="center"
android:layout_marginTop="1dp"
android:background="#color/trans"
android:src="#drawable/contactnew" /> **//THIS IS SOURCE DRAWABLE**
</LinearLayout>
Note: Eclipse have hdpi, ldpi, mdpi, xhdpi and xxhdpi resources.

Nexus 7 supports an XHDPI images
Samsung s2 supports an HPDI images
You need to create two folder for two different screen resolution their name must be like
drawable-hdpi
drawable-xhdpi
put your 300*300 image into drawable-hdpi and 400*400 image into drawable-xhdpi
and keep one thing in mind that both image must have same name with same extention
hope it will help you to get your solution

I had to add ScaleType:
android:scaleType="fitXY"
for ImageButton that it can fit for different screen sizes.
<ImageButton
android:id="#+id/newcard"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="center"
android:layout_marginTop="1dp"
android:background="#color/trans"
android:src="#drawable/contactnew"
android:scaleType="fitXY" /> **//Scale Type**

Making text same size on different devices

I wonder how to make application look the same on different devices. I have read Supporting Multiple Screens many times but I still can't understand how to live.
Here is a sample layout:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
>
<TextView
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Hello World, MyActivity"
android:textSize="30sp"
/>
</LinearLayout>
There is Galaxy S II (480x800) and Sensation XE (540x960). They are both hdpi, physical screen size is almost the same. I expected to see the same looking on both devices but in fact text on 540x960 is smaller then on 480x800:
(left is 480x800, right is 540x960)
I tried to specify text size as dimension resource and make separate folder values-w540dp but it took no effect.
How do you guys make your application look the same on different hdpi devices?

android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceLarge"
android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceMedium"
android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceSmall"
These atributes may solve your problem here.Otherwise you have to setup your layout dynamically with some ratios(or factors you generate like :textSize=factor*height) using your screen height and width.

Have a look at metrics , if you specify your textsize in dp (Density-independent pixels) it should work. The default size for text should be around 14dp. (TextAppearance.small)

2 Sites that might be helpful as there are some nuggets in both related to your problem, however, neither is an exact 1-2-3 how to correct the issue you're seeing:
http://www.pushing-pixels.org/2011/11/08/deep-dive-into-responsive-mobile-design-part-1.html
http://www.alistapart.com/articles/fluidgrids/

Font size for different density devices

When I tested the font size with different density settings using the Eclipse Emulator, I get different size fonts even though I am using "dp" to specific the size. I would have thought the size may decrease with higher density, but I found the higher the density, the bigger the font is. I tried using "in" and "mm" and the same behavior occurs, in that the higher density, the bigger the fonts. This is based on android:minSdkVersion="10".
Is there any way I can set the font sizes to scale to the same size for the different density?
Here is the xml file:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent">
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:textSize="20dp"
android:layout_gravity="center"
android:textColor="#color/orange"
android:textStyle="bold"
android:text="THIS IS A TEST"
android:background="#color/white"/>
</LinearLayout>
Unfortunately I cannot post the images of the font size for the three Emulator settings due to lack of reputation.
Thank you.

I had the same problem... And did't found anything, but making folders:layout-small...large, xlarge, and folders with drawable images for high, mid and small densities with resolutios of images according to it... So, everything works well on different droids with different screens... For every display size there is layout with different meanings of dp...((

Use sp instead of dp
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent">
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:textSize="20sp"
android:layout_gravity="center"
android:textColor="#color/orange"
android:textStyle="bold"
android:text="THIS IS A TEST"
android:background="#color/white"/>
</LinearLayout>

I guess one way is this:
When you make new layout file there is next button in eclipse. Press that and there is a list where to pick layout's density. You can pick x-high density, high density, medium density etc.. When you press finish it makes layout folder like "layout-hdpi" (depends what density you pick). And then make text fit good with that density.
Hope that helps. :)