creating colored stripes in android ListView

Question

I am trying to create thin colored stripes in my app. This is similar to stripes of different color that we see in calendar apps.

Is there any easy way to do it.

What I am doing: I have a shape defined with width and height and I am trying to apply it to background of my ListView as it will occupy certain part of the ListView.

What is happening: This is getting applied to the whole background.

What I need: I am looking for help which can make this as stripes instead of complete background. or any other way or alternatives for doing the same.

Some code: rectangle.xml

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

    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:shape="rectangle">
    <corners 
        android:radius="0dp"
        />
    <size 
        android:width="20dp"
        android:height="40dp"       />
    <solid 
        android:color="@color/opaque_red"
        />
</shape>

list_view_item_cell.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="95dp"
    android:divider="?android:dividerVertical"

    android:showDividers="middle" >

@Rod_Algonquin added image. thanks for looking into the post — Bala Sivagnanam, Aug 21 '14 at 04:49

score 4 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 21 '14 at 04:43

You can add a View of the width and height equal to that certain part where you want to have the colored background. For example, if you want to show colored strip of width and height = 20dip. And this colored strip should appear at the left top of List item. Below is the sample

list_view_item_cell.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
    <RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="95dp"
        android:divider="?android:dividerVertical"
        android:showDividers="middle" >
<!-- You can use any view here. Set background "rectangle.xml" drawable to this view.-->
    <View  
        android:layout_width="20dip" 
        android:layout_height="20dip"
        android:background="@drawable/rectangle"
        android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
        android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
        />

    </RelativeLayout>

thanks for the response.. that helps and works perfectly in my case. Just to add, is it possible to change the color of the shape programatically in java code ? — Bala Sivagnanam, Aug 21 '14 at 04:52

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 21 '14 at 05:51

Yes changing the colour of the shape is possible programatically.

Assume if you have a LayerDrawable set to the view background: Then this is something which you can do:

LayerDrawable layerList = (LayerDrawable) view.getBackground();
    if(layerList != null) {
        final RotateDrawable shape = (RotateDrawable) layerList
                .findDrawableByLayerId(R.id.header_titled);
        final GradientDrawable tildShapeDrawable = (GradientDrawable)shape.getDrawable();
        if (tildShapeDrawable != null) {
            tildShapeDrawable.setColor(android.R.color.white);
        }
    }

creating colored stripes in android ListView

2 Answers2