Can't use Theme.Holo for styles of my first Android app

Question

I'm developing my first Android app following the official Android tutorial, so I'm new, but when I try to styling the action bar with the Theme.Holo my app crash down during the starting, into the log I've the following message:

java.lang.IllegalStateException: You need to use a Theme.AppCompat theme (or descendant) with this activity.

I know that if I use the Theme.AppCompact it's working, but in the tutorial does not mention problems like this one with the Theme.Holo, and does not give a solution, because if I use the Theme.AppCompact the app works, but I can't modify the style of the action bar with a custom color or with a background image.

I've followed exactly the tutorial until this point: https://developer.android.com/training/basics/actionbar/styling.html make an exception for the minSdkVersion, in the tutorial is set to 8, I've changed the value to 14 because gives me other compatibility problems.

This is the AndroidManifest.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
package="com.mycompany.myfirstapp" >

<application
    android:allowBackup="true"
    android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
    android:label="@string/app_name"
    android:theme="@style/AppTheme" >
    <activity
        android:name=".MyActivity"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:theme="@style/CustomActionBarTheme" >
        <intent-filter>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

            <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
        </intent-filter>
    </activity>
    <activity
        android:name=".DisplayMessageActivity"
        android:label="@string/title_activity_display_message"
        android:parentActivityName=".MyActivity" >
        <meta-data
            android:name="android.support.PARENT_ACTIVITY"
            android:value="com.mycompany.myfirstapp.MyActivity" />
    </activity>
</application>
<uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="14" />

</manifest>

Themes.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>

<style name="CustomActionBarTheme"
    parent="@android:style/Theme.Holo.Light.DarkActionBar">
    <item name="android:actionBarStyle">@style/MyActionBar</item>
</style>


<style name="MyActionBar"
    parent="@android:style/Widget.Holo.Light.ActionBar.Solid.Inverse">
    <item name="android:background">@drawable/actionbar_background</item>
</style>
</resources>

MyActivity.java

public class MyActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
    public final static String EXTRA_MESSAGE = "com.mycompany.myfirstapp.MESSAGE";

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_my);
    }

    @Override
    public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
        // Inflate the menu items for use in the action bar
        MenuInflater inflater = getMenuInflater();
        inflater.inflate(R.menu.main_activity_actions, menu);
        return super.onCreateOptionsMenu(menu);
    }

    @Override
    public boolean onOptionsItemSelected(MenuItem item) {
        // Handle action bar item clicks here. The action bar will
        // automatically handle clicks on the Home/Up button, so long
        // as you specify a parent activity in AndroidManifest.xml.
        int id = item.getItemId();

        // Handle presses on the action bar items
        switch (id) {
            case R.id.action_search:
                //openSearch();
                Log.i("MyActivity", "SEARCH PRESSED");
                return true;
            case R.id.action_settings:
                //openSettings();
                Log.i("MyActivity", "SETTINGS PRESSED");
                return true;
            default:
                return super.onOptionsItemSelected(item);
        }
    }

    /** Called when the user clicks the Send button */
    public void sendMessage(View view) {
        Intent intent = new Intent(this, DisplayMessageActivity.class);
        EditText editText = (EditText) findViewById(R.id.edit_message);
        String message = editText.getText().toString();
        intent.putExtra(EXTRA_MESSAGE, message);
        startActivity(intent);
    }
}

activity_my.xml

<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:orientation="horizontal" >

<EditText android:id="@+id/edit_message"
    android:layout_weight="1"
    android:layout_width="0dp"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:hint="@string/edit_message" />
<Button
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:text="@string/button_send"
    android:onClick="sendMessage"/>

</LinearLayout>

main_activity_actions.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto">
<!-- Search, should appear as action button -->
<item android:id="@+id/action_search"
    android:icon="@drawable/ic_action_search"
    android:title="@string/action_search"
    app:showAsAction="ifRoom" />
<!-- Settings, should always be in the overflow -->
<item android:id="@+id/action_settings"
    android:title="@string/action_settings"
    app:showAsAction="never" />
</menu>

styles.xml

<resources>

<!-- Base application theme. -->
<style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light.DarkActionBar">
    <!-- Customize your theme here. -->
</style>

</resources>

Answer 1

you have to just change in style.xml

Replace Parent

<style name="CustomActionBarTheme"   parent="@android:style/Theme.Holo.Light.DarkActionBar">
    <item name="android:actionBarStyle">@style/MyActionBar</item>

</style>

to

<style name="CustomActionBarTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light.DarkActionBar">
    <item name="android:actionBarStyle">@style/MyActionBar</item>
    <item name="colorPrimary">#AA0000</item>
</style>

AND

<style name="MyActionBar" parent="@android:style/Widget.Holo.Light.ActionBar.Solid.Inverse">

to

<style name="MyActionBar" parent="Widget.AppCompat.Light.ActionBar.Solid.Inverse">

Answer 2

The answers to the questions in your comment

I want to know why using Theme.Holo gives error and why using the Theme.AppCompact I can't change the style of the action bar

are in the tutorial you are reading.

Note: If you are using the Support Library APIs for the action bar, then you must use (or override) the Theme.AppCompat family of styles (rather than the Theme.Holo family, available in API level 11 and higher).

You are using the Support Library with AppCompatActivity hence you must use Theme.AppCompat. As to why you can't change the style of the Action Bar that is most likely because you are not using the correct section of the tutorial. Because you are using the Support Library to customise the Action Bar you must use the section For Android 2.1 and higher in the Styling the Action Bar tutorial.

That is res/values/themes.xml should be

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>
    <!-- the theme applied to the application or activity -->
    <style name="CustomActionBarTheme"
           parent="@style/Theme.AppCompat.Light.DarkActionBar">
        <item name="android:actionBarStyle">@style/MyActionBar</item>

        <!-- Support library compatibility -->
        <item name="actionBarStyle">@style/MyActionBar</item>
    </style>

    <!-- ActionBar styles -->
    <style name="MyActionBar"
           parent="@style/Widget.AppCompat.Light.ActionBar.Solid.Inverse">
        <item name="android:background">@drawable/actionbar_background</item>

        <!-- Support library compatibility -->
        <item name="background">@drawable/actionbar_background</item>
    </style>
</resources>

Note the use of Theme.AppCompat and the lines which add compatibility for the Support Library

<!-- Support library compatibility -->
<item name="actionBarStyle">@style/MyActionBar</item>

and

<!-- Support library compatibility -->
<item name="background">@drawable/actionbar_background</item>

---

The Action Bar did not exist pre Android 3.0. Backwards compatibility for it is provided using the Support Library. Hence, because you are using the Support Library to get the desired effects you need to follow all of the advice for Android 2.1 (pre Android 3.0).

Answer 3

make this change:

<style name="CustomActionBarTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light.DarkActionBar">
    <item name="android:actionBarStyle">@style/MyActionBar</item>
</style>


<style name="MyActionBar" parent="Widget.AppCompat.Light.ActionBar.Solid.Inverse">
    <item name="android:background">@drawable/actionbar_background</item>
</style>