StackOverflow2013

Note that there are some explanatory texts on larger screens.

plurals

PO
text
Body
copied!<p>Here is the method i used to successfully successfully create completely custom looking tabs on a recent project.</p> <p>The idea is to use a hidden TabWidget in your layout and control it with a customized LinearLayout containing Buttons. This way, you can more easily customize the buttons to look however you'd like. You'll control the actual TabWidget in your Activity within each button's OnClick.</p> <p>Create your layout with both the TabWidget and the Buttons:</p> <pre><code><?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <TabHost xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" android:id="@android:id/tabhost" android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:layout_height="fill_parent"> <RelativeLayout android:orientation="vertical" android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:layout_height="fill_parent" android:gravity="bottom"> <TabWidget android:id="@android:id/tabs" android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:visibility="gone" /> <LinearLayout android:id="@+id/tabbar" android:orientation="horizontal" android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:layout_height="wrap_content"> <Button android:id="@+id/firstButton" android:layout_alignParentTop="true" android:background="@drawable/btn_first_on" android:layout_width="100dp" android:layout_height="43dp" android:clickable="true"></Button> <Button android:id="@+id/secondButton" android:layout_alignParentTop="true" android:background="@drawable/btn_second_off" android:layout_height="43dp" android:layout_width="100dp" android:clickable="true"></Button> <Button android:id="@+id/thirdButton" android:layout_alignParentTop="true" android:background="@drawable/btn_third_off" android:layout_height="43dp" android:layout_width="100dp" android:clickable="true"></Button> <Button android:id="@+id/forthButton" android:layout_alignParentTop="true" android:background="@drawable/btn_forth_off" android:layout_height="43dp" android:layout_width="100dp" android:clickable="true"></Button> </LinearLayout> <FrameLayout android:id="@android:id/tabcontent" android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:layout_height="fill_parent" android:layout_below="@+id/tabbar" /> </RelativeLayout> </TabHost> </code></pre> <p>Set up the onCreate of your activity to handle using the buttons for adjusting the tab views:</p> <pre><code>public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) { super.onCreate(savedInstanceState); setContentView(R.layout.main); // tabs firstButton = (Button) findViewById(R.id.firstButton); secondButton = (Button) findViewById(R.id.secondButton); thirdButton = (Button) findViewById(R.id.thirdButton); forthButton = (Button) findViewById(R.id.forthButton); Resources res = getResources(); // Resource object to get Drawables final TabHost tabHost = getTabHost(); // The activity TabHost TabHost.TabSpec spec; // Resusable TabSpec for each tab Intent intent; // Reusable Intent for each tab intent = new Intent().setClass(this, FirstGroupActivity.class); spec = tabHost.newTabSpec("first").setIndicator("First").setContent(intent); tabHost.addTab(spec); intent = new Intent().setClass(this, SecondGroupActivity.class); spec = tabHost.newTabSpec("second").setIndicator("Second").setContent(intent); tabHost.addTab(spec); intent = new Intent().setClass(this, ThirdGroupActivity.class); spec = tabHost.newTabSpec("third").setIndicator("Third").setContent(intent); tabHost.addTab(spec); intent = new Intent().setClass(this, ForthActivity.class); spec = tabHost.newTabSpec("forth").setIndicator("Forth").setContent(intent); tabHost.addTab(spec); tabHost.setCurrentTab(0); firstButton.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener() { public void onClick(View v) { tabHost.setCurrentTab(0); firstButton.setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.btn_first_on); secondButton.setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.btn_second_off); thirdButton.setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.btn_third_off); forthButton.setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.btn_forth_off); } }); secondButton.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener() { public void onClick(View v) { tabHost.setCurrentTab(1); firstButton.setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.btn_first_off); secondButton.setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.btn_second_on); thirdButton.setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.btn_third_off); forthButton.setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.btn_forth_off); } }); thirdButton.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener() { public void onClick(View v) { tabHost.setCurrentTab(3); firstButton.setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.btn_first_off); secondButton.setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.btn_second_off); thirdButton.setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.btn_third_on); forthButton.setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.btn_forth_off); } }); forthButton.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener() { public void onClick(View v) { tabHost.setCurrentTab(4); firstButton.setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.btn_first_off); secondButton.setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.btn_second_off); thirdButton.setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.btn_third_off); forthButton.setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.btn_forth_on); } }); } </code></pre> <p>As you can see, I'm using drawables for the images of the buttons on and off. Using this technique, you're not limited to the options available when simply just trying to customize the look of the TabWidget's tabs and you can create a completely custom look to your tabs.</p> <p>Also, as a rule of thumb, it's a bad idea to use an ActivityGroup in android tabs. That approach eats up a lot of system resources. A better approach and one that I've also implemented on this project is to keep track of the views through an array of views and then swap them out as needed.</p>

Querying!

Guidance

An individual column

Larger individual text columns get their own page to allow for proper reading.

SQuiL has stopped working due to an internal error.

If you are curious you may find further information in the browser console, which is accessible through the devtools (F12).

Reload