Android Layout - layoutweight and weightsum

Question

I need to build a layout with the set of linear layouts. The layout has to occupy a defined percentage of the screen. I need to do this to have a similar look in all the devices.

Issue:

I have a textview in the top right layout (green color box ). Whenever I add some data in the textview it disturbs the entire layout as shown below in the 2nd image. But I need to have the data wraps automatically when it reaches the right end of the screen/layout.

Please help me to resolve this. Thanks In Advance

Image1 - Graphical view as per the XML shown below

Image2 - Shows how the layout automatically changes, when I add some data in the textView

xml

<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:background="@drawable/background"
android:orientation="vertical" 
android:weightSum="100">

<LinearLayout
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content" 
    android:orientation="horizontal" 
    android:layout_weight="91"
    android:weightSum="100">

                    <LinearLayout
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="match_parent"
                        android:orientation="vertical" 
                        android:layout_weight="40"
                        android:weightSum="235">

                                                    <LinearLayout
                                                        android:layout_width="match_parent"
                                                        android:layout_height="match_parent" 
                                                        android:orientation="vertical"  
                                                        android:gravity="center"
                                                        android:background="#ff0000"
                                                        android:layout_weight="100">

                                                                                    <TextView
                                                                                        android:id="@+id/textView1"
                                                                                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                                                                                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                                                                                        android:textColor="#000000" />

                                                    </LinearLayout>

                                                    <LinearLayout
                                                        android:layout_width="match_parent"
                                                        android:layout_height="match_parent" 
                                                        android:orientation="vertical"   
                                                        android:background="#ffff00"
                                                        android:layout_weight="45">   



                                                                                    <ViewFlipper
                                                                                        android:id="@+id/view_flipper"
                                                                                        android:layout_width="match_parent"
                                                                                        android:layout_height="match_parent"
                                                                                        android:layout_below="@+id/tvItemName" >


                                                                                                                        <LinearLayout
                                                                                                                            android:layout_width="match_parent"
                                                                                                                            android:layout_height="match_parent"
                                                                                                                            android:orientation="vertical" >
                                                                                        </LinearLayout>
                                                                                     </ViewFlipper>



                                                    </LinearLayout>

                                                    <LinearLayout
                                                        android:layout_width="match_parent"
                                                        android:layout_height="match_parent" 
                                                        android:orientation="vertical"  
                                                        android:background="#ffffff"
                                                        android:layout_weight="90">   


                                                    </LinearLayout> 

                    </LinearLayout>

                    <LinearLayout
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="match_parent"
                        android:orientation="vertical" 
                        android:layout_weight="60"
                        android:weightSum="100">

                                                    <LinearLayout
                                                        android:layout_width="match_parent"
                                                        android:layout_height="match_parent" 
                                                        android:orientation="vertical"   
                                                        android:layout_weight="30"
                                                        android:background="#00ab00"
                                                        android:weightSum="100"> 

                                                                                    <TextView
                                                                                        android:id="@+id/textView1"
                                                                                        android:layout_width="match_parent"
                                                                                        android:layout_height="fill_parent"
                                                                                        android:textColor="#000000"
                                                                                        android:text="Test data" />

                                                    </LinearLayout>

                                                    <LinearLayout
                                                        android:layout_width="match_parent"
                                                        android:layout_height="match_parent" 
                                                        android:orientation="vertical" 
                                                        android:background="#cd00ab" 
                                                        android:layout_weight="70"> 

                                                    </LinearLayout>

                    </LinearLayout>

</LinearLayout>

<LinearLayout
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content" 
    android:background="#ab0000"
    android:layout_weight="9">

</LinearLayout>

</LinearLayout>

Answer 1

Use this XML file. I have made the changes for you.

---

<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:background="@drawable/background"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:weightSum="100" >

<LinearLayout
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:layout_weight="91"
    android:orientation="horizontal"
    android:weightSum="100" >

    <!-- Below is the first modification to layout_width -->

    <LinearLayout
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:layout_weight="40"
        android:orientation="vertical"
        android:weightSum="235" >

        <LinearLayout
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="match_parent"
            android:layout_weight="100"
            android:background="#ff0000"
            android:gravity="center"
            android:orientation="vertical" >

            <TextView
                android:id="@+id/textView1"
                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:textColor="#000000" />
        </LinearLayout>

        <LinearLayout
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="match_parent"
            android:layout_weight="45"
            android:background="#ffff00"
            android:orientation="vertical" >

            <ViewFlipper
                android:id="@+id/view_flipper"
                android:layout_width="match_parent"
                android:layout_height="match_parent"
                android:layout_below="@+id/tvItemName" >

                <LinearLayout
                    android:layout_width="match_parent"
                    android:layout_height="match_parent"
                    android:orientation="vertical" >
                </LinearLayout>
            </ViewFlipper>
        </LinearLayout>

        <LinearLayout
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="match_parent"
            android:layout_weight="90"
            android:background="#ffffff"
            android:orientation="vertical" >
        </LinearLayout>
    </LinearLayout>

    <!-- Below is the second modification to layout_width -->

    <LinearLayout
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:layout_weight="60"
        android:orientation="vertical"
        android:weightSum="100" >

        <LinearLayout
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="match_parent"
            android:layout_weight="30"
            android:background="#00ab00"
            android:orientation="vertical"
            android:weightSum="100" >

            <TextView
                android:id="@+id/textView1"
                android:layout_width="match_parent"
                android:layout_height="fill_parent"
                android:text="Test data Test dataTest dataTest dataTest dataTest dataTest dataTest dataTest dataTest dataTest dataTest dataTest dataTest dataTest dataTest dataTest dataTest dataTest data"
                android:textColor="#000000" />
        </LinearLayout>

        <LinearLayout
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="match_parent"
            android:layout_weight="70"
            android:background="#cd00ab"
            android:orientation="vertical" >
        </LinearLayout>
    </LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>

<LinearLayout
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:layout_weight="9"
    android:background="#ab0000" >
</LinearLayout>

</LinearLayout>

It looks fine to me. check out the below snapshot.

Answer 2

Start your layout_width or layout_height as 0dp instead of wrap_content. (If it's in a vertical layout, layout_height should be 0dp; if it's in a horizontal layout, layout_width should be 0dp)

The layout_weight describes how to divide the remaining space after the layout_widths/layout_heights have been assigned.

Note that wrap_content doesn't mean "make the text wrap"; it means set that dimension to the "preferred" dimension of the view.