Error Inflating Layout caused by Binary XML File

Question

So I am writing an android application that starts an activity after a notification has been clicked. I am getting this in my LogCat:

`

05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224): java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to start activity ComponentInfo{com.example.chowpalv21/com.example.chowpalv21.SmsViewActivity}: android.view.InflateException: Binary XML file line #21: Error inflating class com.android.internal.widget.ActionBarOverlayLayout
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2295)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2349)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at android.app.ActivityThread.access$700(ActivityThread.java:159)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1316)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:99)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:137)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:5419)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:525)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:1187)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:1003)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224): Caused by: android.view.InflateException: Binary XML file line #21: Error inflating class com.android.internal.widget.ActionBarOverlayLayout
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at android.view.LayoutInflater.createViewFromTag(LayoutInflater.java:719)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at android.view.LayoutInflater.inflate(LayoutInflater.java:470)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at android.view.LayoutInflater.inflate(LayoutInflater.java:398)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at android.view.LayoutInflater.inflate(LayoutInflater.java:354)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at com.android.internal.policy.impl.PhoneWindow.generateLayout(PhoneWindow.java:3553)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at com.android.internal.policy.impl.PhoneWindow.installDecor(PhoneWindow.java:3616)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at com.android.internal.policy.impl.PhoneWindow.setContentView(PhoneWindow.java:357)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at android.app.Activity.setContentView(Activity.java:1956)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at com.example.chowpalv21.SmsViewActivity.onCreate(SmsViewActivity.java:80)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at android.app.Activity.performCreate(Activity.java:5372)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at android.app.Instrumentation.callActivityOnCreate(Instrumentation.java:1104)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2257)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    ... 11 more
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224): Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at com.example.chowpalv21.SmsViewActivity.onCreateView(SmsViewActivity.java:121)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at android.app.Activity.onCreateView(Activity.java:4924)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    at android.view.LayoutInflater.createViewFromTag(LayoutInflater.java:695)
05-01 13:43:49.435: E/AndroidRuntime(28224):    ... 22 more

`

I have scoured StackOverflow for answers because it seems others have had similar problems - I tried rebuilding and cleaning the project and restarting ADT as well as creating a new file. I was wondering if anyone here has a guidance.

Here is my layout file:

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<ScrollView xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:id="@+id/scroll_view_sms"
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="match_parent" >

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

        <LinearLayout
            android:layout_width="fill_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content" >

            <LinearLayout
                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:layout_marginRight="4dp"
                android:orientation="vertical" >
            </LinearLayout>

            <LinearLayout
                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:layout_weight="1"
                android:orientation="vertical" >

                <TextView
                    style="?android:listSeparatorTextViewStyle"
                    android:layout_width="match_parent"
                    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                    android:text="@string/food_title_label" />

                <EditText
                    android:id="@+id/food_title_sms"
                    android:layout_width="match_parent"
                    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                    android:layout_marginRight="16dp" />
            </LinearLayout>
        </LinearLayout>

        <TextView
            style="?android:listSeparatorTextViewStyle"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:text="Units of Measurement:" />

        <TableRow
            android:layout_width="fill_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content" >

            <CheckBox
                android:id="@+id/imperial_checkBox_sms"
                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:text="Imperial" />

            <CheckBox
                android:id="@+id/metric_checkBox_sms"
                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:text="Metric" />
        </TableRow>

        <TextView
            style="?android:listSeparatorTextViewStyle"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:text="Number of Servings:" />


        <EditText
            android:id="@+id/food_servings_sms"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:ems="10"
            android:inputType="number" >
        </EditText>

        <TableRow
            android:layout_width="fill_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content" >

            <TextView
                android:id="@+id/ingredient_text_sms"
                style="?android:listSeparatorTextViewStyle"
                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:text="Ingredients" />
        </TableRow>

        <View
            android:layout_width="fill_parent"
            android:layout_height="1dp"
            android:background="@android:color/darker_gray" />

        <TableRow
            android:layout_width="fill_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content" >

            <RelativeLayout
                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content" >

                <Spinner
                    android:id="@+id/imperial_spinner_sms"
                    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                    android:entries="@array/imperial_array"
                    android:visibility="gone" />

                <Spinner
                    android:id="@+id/metric_spinner_sms"
                    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                    android:entries="@array/metric_array"
                    android:visibility="gone" />
            </RelativeLayout>

            <EditText
                android:id="@+id/amount_text_sms"
                android:layout_width="50dp"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:ems="10"
                android:inputType="numberDecimal" />

            <EditText
                android:id="@+id/ing_name_sms"
                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
                android:ems="10" />
        </TableRow>

        <!-- second ingredient -->



        <TextView
            style="?android:listSeparatorTextViewStyle"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:text="Directions" />

        <EditText
            android:id="@+id/directions_text_sms"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:ems="10"
            android:inputType="textMultiLine" />

        <TextView
            style="?android:listSeparatorTextViewStyle"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:text="Options" />

        <Button
            android:id="@+id/save_button_sms"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:text="Save Recipe" />

            <Button
            android:id="@+id/dismiss_button_sms"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:text="Dismiss" />




        <!-- DONE -->

    </LinearLayout>

</ScrollView> 

ALSO Here is the code for SMSViewActivity:

    * File: SmsViewActivity.java

package com.example.chowpalv21;

import org.json.JSONException;
import org.json.JSONObject;

import android.app.Activity;
import android.app.NotificationManager;
import android.content.Context;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.text.Editable;
import android.text.TextWatcher;
import android.util.AttributeSet;
import android.util.Log;
import android.view.LayoutInflater;
import android.view.View;
import android.view.ViewGroup;
import android.view.View.OnClickListener;
import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.CheckBox;
import android.widget.CompoundButton;
import android.widget.EditText;
import android.widget.Spinner;
import android.widget.TextView;
import android.widget.Toast;
import android.widget.CompoundButton.OnCheckedChangeListener;

  public class SmsViewActivity extends Activity {



    private static final String TAG = "SmsViewActivity";

                private FoodJSONSerializer mSerializer;

                // protected TextView mReceivedFromView;

                public Button mSaveButton, mDismissButton;
                public int mNotificationId;
                public String message;
                private EditText mTitleField;
                private CheckBox mImperialCheckBox;
                private CheckBox mMetricCheckBox;
                private EditText mServingsField;
                private EditText mDirectionsField;

                // set up spinners. allows for up to ten ingredients.
                private Spinner mMetricSpinner;
                private Spinner mImperialSpinner;
                Food mFood;
                //----------------------

------------------------
            public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState){
                setContentView(R.layout.view_sms);
                //super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
            } 

            @Override
            public View onCreateView(String name, Context context, AttributeSet attrs) {
                //View v = findViewById(R.layout.sms_view);
                    View v = super.onCreateView(name, context, attrs);

                 mSaveButton = (Button) findViewById(R.id.save_button_sms);
                 mDismissButton = (Button) findViewById(R.id.dismiss_button_sms);

                // ------------------------------------------------------------

                // Get extras and display information in view
                //String sender = getIntent().getStringExtra("sender");
                String msg = getIntent().getStringExtra("message");
                try {
                    JSONObject jsonRecipe = new JSONObject(msg);
                    Food mFood = new Food(jsonRecipe);
                    Log.i(TAG, "Food = " + mFood);
                } catch (JSONException e) {
                    // TODO Auto-generated catch block
                    e.printStackTrace();
                }

                // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
                mNotificationId = getIntent().getIntExtra("notificationid", 0);
                if (mNotificationId == 0) {
                    Log.e(TAG, "Could not retrieve notification ID.");
                    Toast.makeText(this, "A fatal error has occurred in SMS viewer.",
                            Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
                    finish();
                }

                // Cancel the notification
                String ns = Context.NOTIFICATION_SERVICE;
                NotificationManager notificationMgr = (NotificationManager) getSystemService(ns);
                notificationMgr.cancel(mNotificationId);

                // --------------------------------------------------
                mTitleField = (EditText)v. findViewById(R.id.food_title_sms);
                mTitleField.setText(mFood.getTitle());

                mServingsField = (EditText)v. findViewById(R.id.food_servings_sms);
                mServingsField.setText(mFood.getServings());

               mDirectionsField = (EditText)v. findViewById(R.id.directions_text_sms);
                mDirectionsField.setText(mFood.getDirections());


                // --------------------------------------------------

                // Listener for Save button click
                mSaveButton.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener() {
                    public void onClick(View v) {

                        finish();
                    }
                });

                // Listener for Dismiss button click
                mDismissButton.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener() {
                    public void onClick(View v) {
                        backToList();

                        finish();
                    }
                });
        return v;
            }

            public void backToList() {
                Intent i = new Intent(this, FoodListFragment.class);
                startActivity(i);
            }
        }

The odd part is, the exception is on a widget named ActionBarOverlayLayout which is not in my layout. If anyone knows that would help a lot! (project due Monday!) Claudia

Answer 1

Why are you override onCreateView? In onCreate() you are setting the content using a layout resource. Your other initilization code should go here or onResume() depending on what it's doing. Try this...

public class SmsViewActivity extends Activity {
    private static final String TAG = "SmsViewActivity";
    private FoodJSONSerializer mSerializer;
    public Button mSaveButton, mDismissButton;
    public int mNotificationId;
    public String message;
    private EditText mTitleField;
    private CheckBox mImperialCheckBox;
    private CheckBox mMetricCheckBox;
    private EditText mServingsField;
    private EditText mDirectionsField;
    private Spinner mMetricSpinner;
    private Spinner mImperialSpinner;
    Food mFood;


public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState){

        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.view_sms);
        mSaveButton = (Button) findViewById(R.id.save_button_sms);
        mDismissButton = (Button) findViewById(R.id.dismiss_button_sms);

            // ------------------------------------------------------------

            // Get extras and display information in view
            //String sender = getIntent().getStringExtra("sender");
            String msg = getIntent().getStringExtra("message");
            try {
                JSONObject jsonRecipe = new JSONObject(msg);
                Food mFood = new Food(jsonRecipe);
                Log.i(TAG, "Food = " + mFood);
            } catch (JSONException e) {
                // TODO Auto-generated catch block
                e.printStackTrace();
            }

            // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
            mNotificationId = getIntent().getIntExtra("notificationid", 0);
            if (mNotificationId == 0) {
                Log.e(TAG, "Could not retrieve notification ID.");
                Toast.makeText(this, "A fatal error has occurred in SMS viewer.",
                        Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
                finish();
            }

            // Cancel the notification
            String ns = Context.NOTIFICATION_SERVICE;
            NotificationManager notificationMgr = (NotificationManager) getSystemService(ns);
            notificationMgr.cancel(mNotificationId);

            // --------------------------------------------------
            mTitleField = (EditText)v. findViewById(R.id.food_title_sms);
            mTitleField.setText(mFood.getTitle());

            mServingsField = (EditText)v. findViewById(R.id.food_servings_sms);
            mServingsField.setText(mFood.getServings());

           mDirectionsField = (EditText)v. findViewById(R.id.directions_text_sms);
            mDirectionsField.setText(mFood.getDirections());


            // --------------------------------------------------

            // Listener for Save button click
            mSaveButton.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener() {
                public void onClick(View v) {

                    finish();
                }
            });

            // Listener for Dismiss button click
            mDismissButton.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener() {
                public void onClick(View v) {
                    backToList();

                    finish();
                }
            });
    return v;
        }

        public void backToList() {
            Intent i = new Intent(this, FoodListFragment.class);
            startActivity(i);
        }
    }