Is it possible to set content view of a single view group within the code?

Question

I want to know whether it is possible to use an xml layout file to define the content of a view dynamically from within the code. When we start an activity we pass it the xml layout to use with the method call setContentView(R.layout.main); but is it possible to use an xml layout file to define a dynamically created ViewGroup such as LinearLayout?

I have a layout xml which shows a score table for a game. Each score that is displayed on this screen needs to be dynamically added via code. I know that it is possible within the code to create a ViewGroup for this score and populate it with all the things I need to make a single score, and then do this every time for each score, and then add them all to the existing UI structure, already defined in the xml layout. What I would like to know is if it is possible to use another xml file to do this?

For example, a layout xml file:

<LinearLayout android:id="@+id/top">
  <LinearLayout android:id="@+id/column_heading"/>
</LinearLayout>

In another xml layout file is something like:

<LinearLayout android:id="@+id/row">
  <TextView/>
  <TextView/>
  <TextView/>
  <TextView/>
</LinearLayout>

Within the code I would like to do something like the following:

LinearLayout top = (LinearLayout)findViewById(R.id.top);
for (int i = 0; i < num_of_rows; i++) {
  LinearLayout row = new LinearLayout(this);
  row.setContentView(R.layout.row);  //where R.layout.row is the second layout above
  // ... dynamically change values as needed
  top.addView(row);
}

However .setContentView(...) is not a valid method of LinearLayout. Is there another way to do this? I know I could do it all by code, but that's rather messy and this way would seem to be very tidy and rational..

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 20 '11 at 14:30

You should use LayoutInflater for this. Here is a short example

LinearLayout top = (LinearLayout)findViewById(R.id.top);
for (int i = 0; i < num_of_rows; i++) {
    LayoutInflater inflater = LayoutInflater.from(this);
    LinearLayout row = (LinearLayout)inflater.inflate(R.layout.row, null);    
    // ... dynamically change values as needed
    top.addView(row);
}

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 20 '11 at 14:29

1

LayoutInflater vi = (LayoutInflater)context.getSystemService(Context.LAYOUT_INFLATER_SERVICE);
View v = vi.inflate(R.layout.row, null);

answered Jun 20 '11 at 14:29

jamapag

9,290
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score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Jun 20 '11 at 14:30

1

You can use LayoutInflater's inflate method to inflate an arbitrary layout from resources. If you provide a root view parameter to this method, the inflated layout will be contained within it. This way you can inflate the XML view into your row.

answered Jun 20 '11 at 14:30

Xion

22,400
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Is it possible to set content view of a single view group within the code?

3 Answers3