Question

Changing from a standard notification with text and a picture to more complex types with custom designed layout requires the use of RemoteViews class. And instead of using the setContentTitle(), I used setContent(remoteviews) method because of the custom view.

After changing to custom view I deleted the setContent, setSmallIcon, and setContentTitle mehods, however after I did that the notification never showed up again.

If I am using a custom view all I have to use us the setContent() method is that correct? they why does it not work with I remove the other methods?

RemoteViews remoteviews = new RemoteViews("com.test.example", R.layout.custom_notifications);

 NotificationCompat.Builder mBuilder = new NotificationCompat.Builder(AudioService.this)
           .setContent(remoteviews)
            .setSmallIcon(R.drawable.ic_launcher)
            .setContentTitle("My notification")
            .setContentText("Hello World!")
            .setOngoing(true);

Answer 1

Well since ICS I have not really touched the Notification Builder. Even to this day I still do it the old school way when GB was more popular. Example time:

        String ns = Context.NOTIFICATION_SERVICE;
        NotificationManager mNotificationManager = (NotificationManager) getSystemService(ns);

            // Setup an intent for when the user taps the notification
        Intent notificationIntent = new Intent(this, SomeActivity.class);
        PendingIntent contentIntent = PendingIntent.getActivity(
            this, 0, notificationIntent, 0);

            // `icona` is the icon shown in the status bar. 
        Notification notification = new Notification(icona,
            "Ticker Text", System.currentTimeMillis());

            // These flags should be self explanatory 
        notification.flags |= Notification.FLAG_NO_CLEAR;
        notification.flags |= Notification.FLAG_ONGOING_EVENT;

            // This is where you select the xml for you custm view
        RemoteViews contentView = new RemoteViews(getPackageName(),
            R.layout.custom_notification);

        notification.contentView   = contentView;
        notification.contentIntent = contentIntent;

            // Some ID number for the OS to keep track of your notification     
        int HELLO_ID = 123456;

            // Send the notification
        mNotificationManager.notify(HELLO_ID, notification);

This should work for every release of android. Simply because Notification.Builder is a wrapper to make it easier to create status bar notifications. Also the builder calls these methods if you look at androids source code.