Constraint Layout Guideline not working

Question

I am designing a chat item which should look similar to a whatsapp style chat interface but the problem is that the left side constraint does not seem to be working.

Here is my code.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<android.support.constraint.ConstraintLayout 
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent">

<android.support.constraint.Guideline
    android:id="@+id/left_guideline"
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    app:layout_constraintGuide_percent="0.20" />

<LinearLayout
    android:id="@+id/chat_bubble"
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:background="@drawable/chat_sender_bubble"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    app:layout_constraintHorizontal_bias="1.0"
    app:layout_constraintLeft_toRightOf="@id/left_guideline"
    app:layout_constraintRight_toRightOf="parent">

    <LinearLayout
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_marginBottom="5dp"
        android:layout_marginEnd="22dp"
        android:layout_marginLeft="10dp"
        android:layout_marginRight="22dp"
        android:layout_marginStart="10dp"
        android:layout_marginTop="5dp"
        android:orientation="vertical">

        <ImageView
            android:id="@+id/sender_image"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="200dp"
            android:layout_marginBottom="5dp"
            android:layout_marginEnd="5dp"
            android:layout_marginRight="5dp"
            android:adjustViewBounds="true"
            android:background="@color/transparent"
            android:scaleType="center"
            android:src="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
            android:visibility="gone" />

        <TextView
            android:id="@+id/sender_message"
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_gravity="start"
            android:layout_marginBottom="5dp"
            android:layout_marginEnd="5dp"
            android:layout_marginRight="5dp"
            android:text="This is a really long message that could cross the 
left guideline."
            android:textColor="@color/senderBubbleTextColor" />

        <LinearLayout
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_gravity="end"
            android:layout_marginBottom="5dp"
            android:orientation="horizontal">

            <TextView
                android:id="@+id/sender_timestamp"
                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:layout_gravity="center_vertical"
                android:text="27th june, 2017"
                android:textColor="@color/senderBubbleTextColor"
                android:textSize="12sp" />

            <ImageView
                android:id="@+id/synced"
                android:layout_width="12dp"
                android:layout_height="12dp"
                android:layout_gravity="center_vertical"
                android:layout_marginLeft="3dp"
                android:layout_marginStart="3dp"
                android:src="@drawable/clock"
                android:tint="@color/senderBubbleTextColor" />

        </LinearLayout>

    </LinearLayout>

   </LinearLayout>

</android.support.constraint.ConstraintLayout>

I have set a left guideline of 0.20 so it should never cross that but when there is a really long message,it does.If there is a better way of writing the xml it would be really helpful.

Answer 1

Change the width of the LinearLayout for chat_bubble to 0dp. That will make that LinearLayout stay between the left guideline and the right side of the parent.

<LinearLayout
    android:id="@+id/chat_bubble"
    android:layout_width="0dp"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:background="@drawable/chat_sender_bubble"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    app:layout_constraintHorizontal_bias="1.0"
    app:layout_constraintLeft_toRightOf="@id/left_guideline"
    app:layout_constraintRight_toRightOf="parent">