Android: How to balance GridLayout in xml

Question

I want to have a layout with a header and a footer and four pictures (ImageView) all the same size in two rows and two columns in the center. I don't want to use GridView.

This is what I'm thinking of:

the GridLayout elements go their own way with size and don't shrink to the size imposed by the surrounding elements. They either become too big and go off the page, or are cropped by the following LinearLayout. Here is an example of what I mean:

I guess you'll need to see the 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"
android:weightSum="3" >

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

<LinearLayout
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:layout_weight="1"
    android:orientation="horizontal" >

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

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

        <GridLayout
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="match_parent"
            android:layout_column="1"
            android:layout_columnSpan="2"
            android:layout_gravity="fill_vertical|fill_horizontal"
            android:layout_row="0"
            android:layout_weight="1"
            android:columnCount="2"
            android:weightSum="4"
            android:rowCount="2" >

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/button2"
        android:layout_column="0"
        android:layout_row="0"
        android:layout_gravity="fill_vertical|fill_horizontal"
    android:layout_weight="1"
        android:text="Button" />

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/button13"
        android:layout_column="1"
        android:layout_row="0"
        android:layout_gravity="fill_vertical|fill_horizontal"
    android:layout_weight="1"
        android:text="Button" />

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/button14"
        android:layout_column="0"
        android:layout_row="1"
        android:layout_gravity="fill_vertical|fill_horizontal"
    android:layout_weight="1"
        android:text="Button" />

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/button15"
        android:layout_column="1"
        android:layout_row="1"
        android:layout_gravity="fill_vertical|fill_horizontal"
    android:layout_weight="1"
        android:text="Button" />

        </GridLayout>
    </LinearLayout>

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

<LinearLayout
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:layout_weight="1"
    android:orientation="horizontal" >

    <LinearLayout
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:layout_weight="1">
    </LinearLayout>

        <LinearLayout
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:layout_weight="1">
        </LinearLayout>
    </LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>

I want:

• A header and footer
• Four centered pictures of the same size
• A left and right margin around the four-picture bock.

Maybe I'm taking the wrong approach to this, so feel free to send me off in a new direction if necessary.

Answer 1

Without GridView you can try it:

It works perfect.

<?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"
    android:weightSum="3" >

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

    <LinearLayout
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:layout_weight="1"
        android:orientation="horizontal" >

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

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

            <LinearLayout
                android:layout_width="match_parent"
                android:layout_height="match_parent"
                android:layout_weight="1"
                android:orientation="horizontal" >

                <Button
                    android:id="@+id/button2"
                    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                    android:layout_height="match_parent"
                    android:layout_gravity="fill_vertical|fill_horizontal"
                    android:layout_row="0"
                    android:layout_weight="1"
                    android:text="Button" />

                <Button
                    android:id="@+id/button13"
                    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                    android:layout_height="match_parent"
                    android:layout_gravity="fill_vertical|fill_horizontal"
                    android:layout_row="0"
                    android:layout_weight="1"
                    android:text="Button" />
            </LinearLayout>

            <LinearLayout
                android:layout_width="match_parent"
                android:layout_height="match_parent"
                android:layout_weight="1"
                android:orientation="horizontal" >

                <Button
                    android:id="@+id/button14"
                    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                    android:layout_height="match_parent"
                    android:layout_gravity="fill_vertical|fill_horizontal"
                    android:layout_weight="1"
                    android:text="Button" />

                <Button
                    android:id="@+id/button15"
                    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                    android:layout_height="match_parent"
                    android:layout_gravity="fill_vertical|fill_horizontal"
                    android:layout_weight="1"
                    android:text="Button" />
            </LinearLayout>
        </LinearLayout>

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

    <LinearLayout
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:layout_weight="1"
        android:orientation="horizontal" >
    </LinearLayout>

</LinearLayout>