Android: layout with match_parent shall take the space left or share

Question

I have a horizontal Linear Layout, containing two Layouts. I want the right layout to be as wide as the content (wrap_content). The left layout shall fill remaining space.

I tried with "match_parent" on the left layout(Relative Layout) and "wrap_content" on the right layout(Linear Layout), but the left layout takes all the space.

How can I solve this problem, that the left Layout just takes the space, which remains, not everything. Like letting the right layout take its space first.

EDIT:: Sorry, I wanted to post a picture, but couldnt, here is the code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:orientation="horizontal" android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:measureWithLargestChild="false">

<RelativeLayout
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:background="#00ff27"
    android:layout_gravity="bottom">
</RelativeLayout>

<LinearLayout
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:baselineAligned="false"
    android:layout_alignParentStart="true">

    <Button
        android:layout_width="100dp"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="New Button"
        android:id="@+id/button"
        android:layout_alignParentStart="true" />
</LinearLayout>

The Relative Layout on the left takes ALL the space (the screen becomes green). I want the Relative Layout to take the width, which remains from the LinearLayout, so you can see the button in the Layout.

Welcome to SO. Please add a [mcve] detailing your code. – Adriaan Sep 22 '15 at 17:26 — Adriaan, Sep 22 '15 at 17:26
k, done. I hope it can help to solve the problem. – Mehmet Ates Sep 22 '15 at 17:46 — Mehmet Ates, Sep 22 '15 at 17:46

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 22 '15 at 18:01

Android lays out views in the order in which they appear in the layout file. Therefore, your first view fills up all available space before the second view has a chance to take up any space. One workaround is to make your root layout a RelativeLayout instead of a LinearLayout, letting you put the right-side view first. Another is to leave the root LinearLayout and use the layout_weight attribute. On your first view, instead of android:layout_width="match_parent", try android:layout_width="0dp" and android:layout_weight="1"

NICE, it works! Thanks! I tried the second solution by setting the width to 0dp and weight to 1! — Mehmet Ates, Sep 22 '15 at 18:08

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 22 '15 at 18:14

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:weightSum="1"
    android:orientation="horizontal">

    <RelativeLayout
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:layout_gravity="bottom"
        android:layout_weight="1"
        android:background="#00ff27"></RelativeLayout>

    <LinearLayout
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:baselineAligned="false"
        android:orientation="vertical">

        <Button
            android:id="@+id/button"
            android:layout_width="100dp"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:text="New Button" />
    </LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>

Android: layout with match_parent shall take the space left or share

2 Answers2