How to make custom button with only center area stretched in Android?

Question

I need help with a custom button in Android. I want to make a button which exists of three components: a left border, a right border and the center.

Left border image Center image Right border image

If the button is stretched horizontally, the right and left borders must stay intact, and the center must be stretched.

I tried to make it using the Android GUI editor in Eclipse, but it didn't succeed. Now is there a way to achieve this? If yes, how? Do I need to use an ImageButton or a Button?

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4517693/how-does-a-9patch-png-work-in-android-apps — ben75, Aug 29 '14 at 11:45

Simon Marquis · Accepted Answer · 2014-08-29T11:55:25.487

1

It is called nine patch or 9patch.
Here is the official documentation and here also.
And there is a simple tool to create 9patch made by Roman Nurik.

edited Aug 29 '14 at 11:55

answered Aug 29 '14 at 11:43

Simon Marquis

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this is from Step 1 if you have android-sdk in your computer. From a terminal, launch the draw9patch application from your SDK /tools directory. – Spurdow Aug 29 '14 at 11:52
@MCEmperor more docs here: http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/graphics/2d-graphics.html#nine-patch – Simon Marquis Aug 29 '14 at 11:54
@Spurdow don't post links that are already in the answer. It's useless – Simon Marquis Aug 29 '14 at 11:56
Ah, what you guys mean is that Android **recognizes the image being a 9patch image automatically** if the filename ends with .9.png. That makes sence; it works. – MC Emperor Aug 29 '14 at 11:57
@MCEmperor yes exactly ;) – Simon Marquis Aug 29 '14 at 11:57
@SimonMarquis oh ok sorry bout that. – Spurdow Aug 29 '14 at 12:08

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 29 '14 at 11:54

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// Use Android asset Studio for generate 9 patch image.

// Under Stretch region you can select stretchable area

http://romannurik.github.io/AndroidAssetStudio/nine-patches.html

answered Aug 29 '14 at 11:54

Pawan Yadav

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@ MC Emperor. There is another tab for padding for 9 patch image. No need to install android sdk. – Pawan Yadav Aug 29 '14 at 11:56

How to make custom button with only center area stretched in Android?

2 Answers2