CODEWITHSUNDEEP
androidandroid-layout
jerome2710
jerome2710

Reputation: 570

How to actually re-use UI layout elements?

To make sure every UI element of the same type looks the same, I am trying to find a way to re-use layout elements for proper way. For example, my primary CTA button always has a rounded background, font, text size, spacing, color, etc.

I could use the <include/> tag like so:

<include
    layout="@layout/include_primary_button"
    android:id="@+id/activity_home_cta" />

with my include_primary_button.xml being:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<merge xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools">

    <Button
        tools:ignore="MissingPrefix"
        fontPath="fonts/Roboto.ttf"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:background="@drawable/button"
        android:text="STUB!"
        android:textAllCaps="true"
        android:textColor="@color/text"
        android:textSize="@dimen/text" />
</merge>

Using the <include/> tag limits only the layout properties to be overridden. So for example setting the text of every button used, I need to findViewById in the activity/fragment and set the text programmatically. This annoys me, but can be overcome. But then retrieving the button from the activity (eg. Button mButton = findViewById(R.id.activity_home_cta);), the button is null. What is missing here?

And is there not an easier way to re-use elements? This really feels like a hassle.

Upvotes: 0

Views: 54

Answers (3)

Arka Prava Basu
Arka Prava Basu

Reputation: 2560

Use styles. For simple use cases like the one you say custom styles will help.

Upvotes: 1

Oya
Oya

Reputation: 903

You can make a style. For example

<style name="CustomButton" parent="@style/Widget.AppCompat.Button">
        <item name="android:minHeight">40dp</item>
        <item name="android:textAppearance">@style/ButtonText</item>
        <item name="android:textColor">@color/btn_primary</item>
        <item name="android:background">@drawable/btn_primary</item>
        <item name="android:paddingEnd">@dimen/btn_padding</item>
        <item name="android:paddingStart">@dimen/btn_padding</item>
    </style>

 <style name="ButtonText">
        <item name="android:textAllCaps">true</item>
        <item name="android:fontFamily">@font/arial</item>
        <item name="android:textSize">@dimen/text_button</item>
    </style>

And then add it 

<Button
            style="@style/CustomButton"
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:text="@string/btn" />

If you want to have a custom view you can always create a new class that will extend from whatever you want (ex, Button, View) which will have its own xml and then you would add it like so. (Here is a tutorial for that. There are many on the interwebz)

<CustomView
                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"/>

Upvotes: 4

Raimo
Raimo

Reputation: 1536

One thing you've got to know is the following:

The <include> tag is not a real view, so findByView will not find it. The @id attribute (and any other attributes you've set on the include tag) gets applied on the root tag of the included layout instead. (source)

Meaning that your id attribute gets transferred to the <merge> tag, which isn't a real view, hence why it can't be found. If you remove the <merge> tag, it should work.

Also, instead of creating that button in a layout file and including it, you could also create a custom View and then use that in your layout files. You can read more about creating a View here.

Upvotes: 0

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