CODEWITHSUNDEEP
android
Carl Ansell
Carl Ansell

Reputation: 33

Changing the theme of an android app using preferences

I have been trying to get my app to read data from the preferences, and change the theme according to the option selected. I have found many different suggestions on the internet, including here, but have been unable to get it to work.

I have created preferences.xml and arrays.xml, and the user is able to select the theme they want. However, the change is not reflected in the app.

Here are the contents of ActivityMain.java:

public class MainActivity extends Activity {

 protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    SharedPreferences preferences = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(this);
    String userTheme = preferences.getString("prefTheme", "darkab"); 
    if (userTheme.equals("darkab"))
        setTheme(R.style.darkab);
    else if (userTheme.equals("light"))
        setTheme(R.style.light);
    else if (userTheme.equals("dark"))
        setTheme(R.style.dark);
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
}

@SuppressLint("NewApi")
protected void onResume(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    recreate();
    SharedPreferences preferences = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(this);
    String userTheme = preferences.getString("prefTheme", "darkab");
    if (userTheme.equals("darkab"))
        setTheme(R.style.darkab);
    else if (userTheme.equals("light"))
        setTheme(R.style.light);
    else {setTheme(R.style.dark);}
    super.onResume();
    setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
}

These are the styles I wish to use, as set in styles.xml:

<style name="darkab" parent="android:Theme.Holo.Light.DarkActionBar"></style>
<style name="light" parent="android:Theme.Holo.Light"></style>
<style name="dark" parent="android:Theme.Holo">

And here is my preferences.java file:

public class Preferences extends PreferenceActivity {
@SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
@Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    addPreferencesFromResource(R.xml.preferences);
}

Any help would be appreciated.

Upvotes: 3

Views: 5154

Answers (2)

dondondon
dondondon

Reputation: 901

I know that I am late but I would like to post a solution here:
Check the full source code here.
This is the code I used when changing theme using preferences..

SharedPreferences pref = PreferenceManager
            .getDefaultSharedPreferences(this);
String themeName = pref.getString("prefSyncFrequency3", "Theme1");
if (themeName.equals("Africa")) {
    setTheme(R.style.AppTheme);
} else if (themeName.equals("Colorful Beach")) {
    //Toast.makeText(this, "set theme", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
    setTheme(R.style.beach);
} else if (themeName.equals("Abstract")) {
    //Toast.makeText(this, "set theme", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
    setTheme(R.style.abstract2);
} else if (themeName.equals("Default")) {
    setTheme(R.style.defaulttheme);
}

Please note that you have to put the code before setcontentview..

Upvotes: -1

s.d
s.d

Reputation: 29436

setTheme() is effective only before the layout has been constructed i.e. you should call it before setContentView(). The LayoutInflater resolves theme attributes and accordingly set properties on the View's it creates. To apply a theme on an already running Activity, you would have to re-start the Activity.

Upvotes: 4

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