Unable to align text after adding 9-patch as button background

Question

I have a button on which text need to be aligned at center horizontally. Gravity works fine when the button is without the 9 Patch as a background. But as soon I add a 9 patch as a back ground the gravity shifts towards left and text refuses to budge no matter what gravity is set to.

I have tried setting padding to 0dip, -1px, @null as suggested on some other threads. None of them worked. I am changing background from within the code also using setBackgroundResource() as my requirements are pinned to API level 8, so other methods to set background is not an option. Also I can't use selector list to do this because I need that button to be in selected state (Like a toggle button).

Any inputs ?

Answer 1

Check and assign 9-patch image content area for EVERY state of that button's background.

I once forgot to set 9-patch image content area for pressed state of button, which somehow lead to wired padding behavior in normal state.

Answer 2

Adding android:padding="0dp" to the Button worked for me.

Answer 3

Here is another approach to this problem: Center horizontaly and/or verticaly with 9 patch in Android

It uses RelativeLayout with 9-patch background and TextView put inside. You can then format and align text as you like without breaking 9-patch marigins and padding.

Answer 4

I had to set padding to 0 after each time I set background, programmatically ! That solved my problem.

Thanks

Answer 5

It is because in your 9-patch image you have assigned content area(see right bottom part).

Generally Right and Bottom part are for content padding (optional) so if you want to set padding via programming then don't manipulate Bottom and Right area of 9 patch.