Question

btw i am just learning so bear with me ive got all my code correct as far as i can tell my main.xml reads

<Button
 android:id="@+id/LOGIN"
 android:layout_width="wrap_content"
 android:layout_height="wrap_content"
 android:text="@string/LOGIN"
 android:textSize="25dp"
 android:background="@drawable/custombutton"/>

custombutton.xml

<item
android:state_pressed="true"
android:drawable="@drawable/musicnotes1"/>
<item
android:state_focused="true"
android:drawable="@drawable/musicnotes2"/>

created a custombutton.java

import android.app.Activity;
import android.os.Bundle;

public class custombutton extends Activity{

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.drawable.custombutton);
    }
}

and I have the android manifest correct as well no errors showing why is my button gone?

Answer 1

You are setting your content view to be R.drawable.custombutton when it should be R.layout.main

For example:

setContentView(R.drawable.custombutton);

should be:

setContentView(R.layout.main);

Also, you posted your main.xml source but be sure that your button is inside of a layout.

For example:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<LinearLayout
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="fill_parent">

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/LOGIN"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="@string/LOGIN"
        android:textSize="25dp"
        android:background="@drawable/custombutton"/>

</LinearLayout>

And your background drawable selector should be wrap in a selector like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <item
        android:state_pressed="true"
        android:drawable="@drawable/musicnotes1" 
    />
    <item
        android:state_focused="true"
        android:drawable="@drawable/musicnotes2" 
    />
    <item
        android:drawable="@drawable/default" 
    />
</selector>

Perhaps you are forgetting to have a default image?