can't find xml for corresponding settings java

Question

I wanted to create a settings activity screen in my app so I right clicked the layout folder and went to settings activity. that create a java file for that activity but I can't seem to find the xml for this? when I run the app I'm able to see a design?

am I not seeing something correctly?

thanks

edit: this is the code that was already given for the settings activity..I haven't done anything to it.

/**
 * A {@link PreferenceActivity} that presents a set of application settings. On
 * handset devices, settings are presented as a single list. On tablets,
 * settings are split by category, with category headers shown to the left of
 * the list of settings.
 * <p>
 * See <a href="http://developer.android.com/design/patterns/settings.html">
 * Android Design: Settings</a> for design guidelines and the <a
 * href="http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/ui/settings.html">Settings
 * API Guide</a> for more information on developing a Settings UI.
 */
public class settings extends AppCompatPreferenceActivity {

    /**
     * A preference value change listener that updates the preference's summary
     * to reflect its new value.
     */
    private static Preference.OnPreferenceChangeListener sBindPreferenceSummaryToValueListener = new Preference.OnPreferenceChangeListener() {
        @Override
        public boolean onPreferenceChange(Preference preference, Object value) {
            String stringValue = value.toString();

            if (preference instanceof ListPreference) {
                // For list preferences, look up the correct display value in
                // the preference's 'entries' list.
                ListPreference listPreference = (ListPreference) preference;
                int index = listPreference.findIndexOfValue(stringValue);

                // Set the summary to reflect the new value.
                preference.setSummary(
                        index >= 0
                                ? listPreference.getEntries()[index]
                                : null);

            } else if (preference instanceof RingtonePreference) {
                // For ringtone preferences, look up the correct display value
                // using RingtoneManager.
                if (TextUtils.isEmpty(stringValue)) {
                    // Empty values correspond to 'silent' (no ringtone).
                    preference.setSummary(R.string.pref_ringtone_silent);

                } else {
                    Ringtone ringtone = RingtoneManager.getRingtone(
                            preference.getContext(), Uri.parse(stringValue));

                    if (ringtone == null) {
                        // Clear the summary if there was a lookup error.
                        preference.setSummary(null);
                    } else {
                        // Set the summary to reflect the new ringtone display
                        // name.
                        String name = ringtone.getTitle(preference.getContext());
                        preference.setSummary(name);
                    }
                }

            } else {
                // For all other preferences, set the summary to the value's
                // simple string representation.
                preference.setSummary(stringValue);
            }
            return true;
        }
    };

    /**
     * Helper method to determine if the device has an extra-large screen. For
     * example, 10" tablets are extra-large.
     */
    private static boolean isXLargeTablet(Context context) {
        return (context.getResources().getConfiguration().screenLayout
                & Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_MASK) >= Configuration.SCREENLAYOUT_SIZE_XLARGE;
    }

    /**
     * Binds a preference's summary to its value. More specifically, when the
     * preference's value is changed, its summary (line of text below the
     * preference title) is updated to reflect the value. The summary is also
     * immediately updated upon calling this method. The exact display format is
     * dependent on the type of preference.
     *
     * @see #sBindPreferenceSummaryToValueListener
     */
    private static void bindPreferenceSummaryToValue(Preference preference) {
        // Set the listener to watch for value changes.
        preference.setOnPreferenceChangeListener(sBindPreferenceSummaryToValueListener);

        // Trigger the listener immediately with the preference's
        // current value.
        sBindPreferenceSummaryToValueListener.onPreferenceChange(preference,
                PreferenceManager
                        .getDefaultSharedPreferences(preference.getContext())
                        .getString(preference.getKey(), ""));
    }

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setupActionBar();
    }

    /**
     * Set up the {@link android.app.ActionBar}, if the API is available.
     */
    private void setupActionBar() {
        ActionBar actionBar = getSupportActionBar();
        if (actionBar != null) {
            // Show the Up button in the action bar.
            actionBar.setDisplayHomeAsUpEnabled(true);
        }
    }

    /**
     * {@inheritDoc}
     */
    @Override
    public boolean onIsMultiPane() {
        return isXLargeTablet(this);
    }

    /**
     * {@inheritDoc}
     */
    @Override
    @TargetApi(Build.VERSION_CODES.HONEYCOMB)
    public void onBuildHeaders(List<Header> target) {
        loadHeadersFromResource(R.xml.pref_headers, target);
    }

    /**
     * This method stops fragment injection in malicious applications.
     * Make sure to deny any unknown fragments here.
     */
    protected boolean isValidFragment(String fragmentName) {
        return PreferenceFragment.class.getName().equals(fragmentName)
                || GeneralPreferenceFragment.class.getName().equals(fragmentName)
                || DataSyncPreferenceFragment.class.getName().equals(fragmentName)
                || NotificationPreferenceFragment.class.getName().equals(fragmentName);
    }

    /**
     * This fragment shows general preferences only. It is used when the
     * activity is showing a two-pane settings UI.
     */
    @TargetApi(Build.VERSION_CODES.HONEYCOMB)
    public static class GeneralPreferenceFragment extends PreferenceFragment {
        @Override
        public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
            super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
            addPreferencesFromResource(R.xml.pref_general);
            setHasOptionsMenu(true);

            // Bind the summaries of EditText/List/Dialog/Ringtone preferences
            // to their values. When their values change, their summaries are
            // updated to reflect the new value, per the Android Design
            // guidelines.
            bindPreferenceSummaryToValue(findPreference("example_text"));
            bindPreferenceSummaryToValue(findPreference("example_list"));
        }

        @Override
        public boolean onOptionsItemSelected(MenuItem item) {
            int id = item.getItemId();
            if (id == android.R.id.home) {
                startActivity(new Intent(getActivity(), settings.class));
                return true;
            }
            return super.onOptionsItemSelected(item);
        }
    }

    /**
     * This fragment shows notification preferences only. It is used when the
     * activity is showing a two-pane settings UI.
     */
    @TargetApi(Build.VERSION_CODES.HONEYCOMB)
    public static class NotificationPreferenceFragment extends PreferenceFragment {
        @Override
        public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
            super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
            addPreferencesFromResource(R.xml.pref_notification);
            setHasOptionsMenu(true);

            // Bind the summaries of EditText/List/Dialog/Ringtone preferences
            // to their values. When their values change, their summaries are
            // updated to reflect the new value, per the Android Design
            // guidelines.
            bindPreferenceSummaryToValue(findPreference("notifications_new_message_ringtone"));
        }

        @Override
        public boolean onOptionsItemSelected(MenuItem item) {
            int id = item.getItemId();
            if (id == android.R.id.home) {
                startActivity(new Intent(getActivity(), settings.class));
                return true;
            }
            return super.onOptionsItemSelected(item);
        }
    }

    /**
     * This fragment shows data and sync preferences only. It is used when the
     * activity is showing a two-pane settings UI.
     */
    @TargetApi(Build.VERSION_CODES.HONEYCOMB)
    public static class DataSyncPreferenceFragment extends PreferenceFragment {
        @Override
        public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
            super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
            addPreferencesFromResource(R.xml.pref_data_sync);
            setHasOptionsMenu(true);

            // Bind the summaries of EditText/List/Dialog/Ringtone preferences
            // to their values. When their values change, their summaries are
            // updated to reflect the new value, per the Android Design
            // guidelines.
            bindPreferenceSummaryToValue(findPreference("sync_frequency"));
        }

        @Override
        public boolean onOptionsItemSelected(MenuItem item) {
            int id = item.getItemId();
            if (id == android.R.id.home) {
                startActivity(new Intent(getActivity(), settings.class));
                return true;
            }
            return super.onOptionsItemSelected(item);
        }
    }
}

Answer 1

So AppCompatPreferenceActivity is one of the default activities provided by Android, it makes easy to handle preferences, and its layout is not like other activities that are in layout folder instead they are in xml folder you will find your pref_data_sync in that folder.

Please refer this link for details of PreferenceActivity

Hope this helps

Answer 2

If you do the procedure all over again just look at the window that asks for the name of the activity. If you look carefully you will see that it does not contain a name for the layout to be created because the preferences activity creates separate files under layout/xml folder