Develop Reference

An Android Gallery-esque horizontal swipe/scroll implementation (1 Imageview + 1 Textview)

This is my first question on stackoverflow and I tried to make some of the given answers work but failed.. So, without much adieu, here goes.. :>
I'm trying to make a section of an app about a saint telling his life story in a sequence of images and short text lines detailing the images - a sort of image slide show with text.
What I'm trying to do is an ImageView on top with a Textview at the bottom with the image filling the available screen size. On a user horizontal swipe, the next Image-Text slide loads up different content - replacing the previous content - Imageview filling the screensize completely again.
Basically, a Gallery-esque horizontal swipe/scroll implementation plus the textview (minus the gridview, the pinch-zoom functionality)
I'm a noobie with Java and I tried doing this in XML with HorizontalScrollView but the Imageview doesn't fill the total available screensize or exceeds the screensize making it very non-user-friendly. In Landscape, the textview is hidden completely and even after using weight in LinearLayout, I couldn't make them visible. :S
EDIT:
Current XML Layout
<HorizontalScrollView xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:id="#+id/horizontalScrollView1"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent" >
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="match_parent" >
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="match_parent" >
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/imageView1"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:src="#drawable/dbyouth000" />
</RelativeLayout>
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="match_parent" >
<TextView
android:id="#+id/textView1"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:drawableTop="#drawable/dbyouth001"
android:text="#string/dbystring001"
android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceMedium" />
</RelativeLayout>
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="match_parent" >
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/imageView3"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:src="#drawable/dbyouth001b" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/textView2"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_below="#id/imageView3"
android:text="#string/dbystring001b"
android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceMedium" />
</RelativeLayout>
</LinearLayout>
</HorizontalScrollView>
Potrait Screenshots:
Postimg Gallery 1
Landscape Screenshots:
Postimg Gallery 2
Thanks for reading and I would really appreciate any help :>

Using RelativeLayout, LinearLayout and layout_weight at the same time - weird behaviour

I've got an activity layout specified in an XML file - activity_intro.xml - and I'm trying to create another one that is similar but slightly different - that's going to be activity_instructions.xml.
The Intro activity has a 9patch image at the bottom of the screen that is supposed to stay there and only adjust to different widths of the screens.
The Instructions activity is supposed to contain the same image but above 2 more buttons - all three of these views need to be always located at the bottom of the screen.
activity_intro.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:orientation="vertical" >
<ScrollView
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:background="#drawable/home_background" >
<LinearLayout
style="#style/Activity"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/introAnimationImageView"
android:layout_width="152dip"
android:layout_height="176dip"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"
android:contentDescription="#string/intro_animation_content_description"
android:src="#drawable/animation_intro01" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/introTextViewTitle"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="#string/intro_title"
android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceLarge" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/introTextViewSubtitle"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="#string/intro_subtitle"
android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceMedium" />
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content" >
<Button
android:id="#+id/introButtonLoginSignup"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
android:text="#string/intro_button_label_login_signup" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/introButtonInstructions"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
android:layout_alignRight="#+id/introButtonLoginSignup"
android:text="#string/intro_button_label_instructions" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/introButtonReportAnonymously"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_below="#+id/introButtonLoginSignup"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:text="#string/intro_button_label_report_anonymously" />
</RelativeLayout>
</LinearLayout>
</ScrollView>
<ImageView
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="0"
android:contentDescription="#null"
android:scaleType="fitXY"
android:src="#drawable/footer_cityscape" />
</LinearLayout>
Result:
Since I've got working code for Intro, I wanted to make Instructions follow its example but the layout_weight property isn't behaving as expected. First of all, I was only trying to put in the 2 buttons and leave out 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:orientation="vertical" >
<ScrollView
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:layout_weight="0.1"
android:background="#drawable/home_background" >
<LinearLayout
style="#style/Activity"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="vertical" >
<TextView
android:id="#+id/instructionsTextViewTitle"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:gravity="center"
android:text="#string/instructions_title_1"
android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceMedium"
android:textStyle="bold" />
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/instructionsImageView"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:contentDescription="#string/instructions_image_content_description"
android:src="#drawable/forms" />
<TextView
android:id="#+id/instructionsTextViewDescription"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="#string/instructions_description_1"
android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceMedium" />
</LinearLayout>
</ScrollView>
<RelativeLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_weight="1" >
<Button
android:id="#+id/instructionsButtonPrevious"
style="#style/ButtonPrevious"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:text="#string/instructions_button_label_previous" />
<Button
android:id="#+id/instructionsButtonNext"
style="#style/ButtonNext"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
android:text="#string/instructions_button_label_next" />
</RelativeLayout>
</LinearLayout>
This only worked when I set the layout_weight of the bottom RelativeLayout to 1 (instead of 0) and for the ScrollView 0.1 (instead of 1). If I used the original values the RelativeLayout would take up all the screen. Could anyone explain to me why that is?
I also tried googling the issue and noticed people would suggest to set layout_height to 0dip which I tried but it also didn't work as expected.
Secondly, I tried adding the already mentioned ImageView to the bottom RelativeLayout. This, however, basically displays only the ImageView and not the buttons - or one of the buttons is on top of the image (hiding it). Why is that? Don't I specifically set the buttons to be placed below it?
What should the code look like in order for it to be doing what I expect it?
Further explanation:
Below are images that should help indicate what exactly I want to achieve. The green bits are the ScrollViews - I added them because Android devices tend to have diverse screen sizes. Their purpose is to present the content properly independently of the screen size, i.e. if the screen is small, the user will be able to scroll that part to read the entire text and view the image.
The red bit on the left (Intro) shows the ImageView that is supposed to always be at the bottom of the screen; it'll always be there, visible, and it's the green bit above it that will be movable.
If you take a look at the red bit on the right (Instructions), there's a Next button that's covering the image with the lorry/truck that was visible in the Intro screenshot. Now that's wrong - there should be 2 buttons BELOW the image, as seen on the last screenshot (the 2 blue rectangles).

How to vertically center content within a ListView footer?

I have posted the exact layout below. I want to show an image and text vertically centered inside the footer. I have applied:
android:gravity="center_vertical|center"
To both the LinearLayout containing these elements and the TextView inside but nevertheless the whole line image and text appears way too far towards the top of the footer. I want it centered vertically but instead it is in the top 30 % of the footer at all times.
<?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" >
<TextView
android:id="#+id/someMessageMessage"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:visibility="gone"
android:layout_margin="10dip"/>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:gravity="center_vertical|center"
android:paddingBottom="2dip"
android:paddingTop="16dip" >
<ImageView
android:id="#+id/myImg"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_marginLeft="16dip"
android:paddingTop="3dip"
android:src="#drawable/picimg" >
</ImageView>
<TextView
android:id="#+id/myMessage"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_marginLeft="10dip"
android:layout_marginRight="10dip"
android:gravity="center_vertical|center"
android:text="This message appears way to close to the top of the footer. It should be along with the image in the center:"
android:textStyle="bold"/>
</LinearLayout>
<Button
android:id="#+id/myButton"
style="#style/mybuttonstyle"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_margin="10dip"
android:text="#string/lbl_send"
android:visibility="gone" />
</LinearLayout>

After seeing your layout it seems you haven't given android:paddingTop to your TextView. Thats why its appearing to the top.
Moreover you can also remove android:paddingTop from ImageView if that suits to your layout.
Hope that helps.

How big is the image? I think the problem is in your second LinearLayout. You're setting the height to be "wrap_content" so that means that it will only be as big as the biggest child. If the image and the text are about the same height, then it won't seem as if anything is getting centered. You can test this theory by forcing the height to be something big enough.

Picture is too big to see all views

I have a PizzaOverview.
XML:
<LinearLayout
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="vertical"
>
<TextView android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:text="" android:id="#+id/pizza_tv" android:gravity="center_horizontal" android:textSize="15pt"></TextView>
<ImageView android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:id="#+id/pizza_iv" android:src="#drawable/icon" android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"></ImageView>
<RatingBar android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:id="#+id/pizza_rb" android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"></RatingBar>
<TextView android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:text="" android:id="#+id/pizza_date" android:gravity="center|center_horizontal" android:layout_width="fill_parent"></TextView>
<RelativeLayout android:id="#+id/relativeLayout2" android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:layout_height="fill_parent">
<Button android:text="close" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:id="#+id/pizza_bt" android:layout_alignParentBottom="true" android:layout_width="fill_parent"></Button>
</RelativeLayout>
</LinearLayout>
If the picture is too big the date is invisible.

add scroll view to your layout or fix the size of imageview
add the scroll view to your layout
<LinearLayout
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:orientation="vertical"
>
<ScrollView
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
>
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:orientation="vertical"
>
<TextView android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:text="" android:id="#+id/pizza_tv" android:gravity="center_horizontal" android:textSize="15pt"></TextView>
<ImageView android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:id="#+id/pizza_iv" android:src="#drawable/icon" android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"></ImageView>
<RatingBar android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:id="#+id/pizza_rb" android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"></RatingBar>
<TextView android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:text="" android:id="#+id/pizza_date" android:gravity="center|center_horizontal" android:layout_width="fill_parent"></TextView>
<RelativeLayout android:id="#+id/relativeLayout2" android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:layout_height="fill_parent">
<Button android:text="close" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:id="#+id/pizza_bt" android:layout_alignParentBottom="true" android:layout_width="fill_parent"></Button>
</RelativeLayout>
</LinearLayout>
</ScrollView>
</LinearLayout>

Ensure that the images you supply to the activity are the correct resolution and size.
Also make sure that you have separate layouts for separate screen size categories.
Read this section of the android documentation for more details on layouts and managing different screen sizes. It tells you the basics you'll need.

You could place your image with the rating bar and the text below it in a RelativeLayout. Give a marginBottom to your RelativeLayout equal to the height of your Button. Then place your text, give it an id and add android:layout_alignParentBottom="true". Set the height of the image to fill_parent and add attribute android:layout:below="id_of_text".

You can as the other answer states make the screen scrollable. But if your content is dynamic (and depending on device it is arguable to say you content will ALWAYS by dynamic) you should make sure the that ImageView has it's bounds set correctly.
In the source code you have:
<ImageView android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:id="#+id/pizza_iv" android:src="#drawable/icon" android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"></ImageView>
You should instead have:
<ImageView android:layout_height="0dp"
android:weight="1"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:id="#+id/pizza_iv"
android:src="#drawable/icon"
android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"
android:scaleType="centerInside"/>
The extra attribute of weight will make your view fill any available space along the orientation set in the bounding LinearLayout. This is dependant on the weight of other views along that orientation (as the other views have no weight value in this case it will fill all space up until the edge of your fixed views).
The extra attribute of scaleType="centerInside" will make your image sit in the center of the bound's you have suggested (which are the width of the screen and all available space vertically) without ever growing large enough to overlap the bounding container.
When using ImageView you should keep in mind that the ImageView is a bounding container for an Image. It can be as large or as small as possible but is only a mechanism for telling the UI where to place an image. The scaleType attribute is what you use to say how you want the image placing within this bounding countainer. Using "wrap_content" on an ImageView isn't effective and can lead to trouble later in the design (especially when considering different devices).

Android Dev: Placing layouts

I'm new to android development... while making my application layout i want a button to remain at the very bottom of the screen while a scroll view is placed above it. I am unable to do this i was using the size of the scroll view as 430dp so that it works but when i change the orientation of the screen this does not work as 400dp is bigger than the screen.
how do i make it so that the button stays at the bottom irresepective of the screen orientation ?
:/

Set the ScrollView's layout_height to fill_parrent and layout_weight to 1 and the Button's height to wrap_content.

You could go with this
android:gravity="bottom"
This should always push your element to the bottom of its container.
But it'd more helpful if you'd post up your layout XML.

Here's a real world example of precisely what you're asking.
In this layout, I have a header at the top, a list view taking all the space below it and a button to clear (cancelled, failed, finished) elements of the list view, then right at the bottom I have a custom control showing a toolbar.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><LinearLayout android:id="#+id/layout" xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:orientation="vertical">
<LinearLayout android:id="#+id/browsePeerHeader"
android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:layout_height="70sp"
android:layout_marginBottom="2sp"
android:layout_gravity="top"
android:background="#drawable/background_barbed_wire"
>
<ImageButton
android:id="#+id/frostwire_sphere"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:src="#drawable/icon"
android:layout_gravity="center_vertical"
android:layout_margin="3sp"
android:background="#00000000"/>
<TextView android:id="#+id/browsePeerTitle" android:textSize="30sp"
android:text="Downloads"
android:textColor="#ffffffff" android:textStyle="bold"
android:shadowColor="#ff000000"
android:shadowDx="1.0"
android:shadowDy="1.0"
android:shadowRadius="4.0"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:paddingTop="10sp"
android:gravity="left|center_vertical"/>
</LinearLayout>
<ListView android:id="#+id/ListViewTransfers"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_marginTop="2sp"
android:layout_marginBottom="2sp"
android:layout_weight="1"></ListView>
<Button android:id="#+id/ButtonClearFinished" margin="2sp"
android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:layout_height="wrap_content"
/>
<com.frostwire.android.views.FrostWireStatusBar
android:id="#+id/FrostWireStatusBar" android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_gravity="bottom" /></LinearLayout>
Here's a screenshot
The trick is basically to have the list view use all the space left in the layout that contains it, you don't even have to tell it to fill_parent, just with android:layout_weight="1 it should work.