Question

I am looking to create an Android application that uses Tabs.

Requirements

When a user selects a tab and gets back to the same tab, there shouldn’t be a loading period (preferably).

Each tab will contain a listview.

In one of the tabs, I will have to use subtabs.

And that’s it.

One great example I really liked (although I didn’t try the app) is http://www.usatoday.com/android/.

Answer 1

I just developed a tabbed application and I used the following function to create tabs in code. The function uses intents which mean when ever a tab is selected an Activity is loaded in the tab body using intent. This function is called in main activity.

private void SetupTabs()
    {
        TabHost tabHost = getTabHost();


        TabHost.TabSpec spec;  
        Intent intent;  

        //*****************************
        intent = new Intent().setClass(MPaper.this, NewsList.class);        
        spec = tabHost.newTabSpec(NewsTag).setIndicator("News")
                      .setContent(intent);        
        tabHost.addTab(spec);
        //*****************************
        intent = new Intent().setClass(MPaper.this, Search.class);        
        spec = tabHost.newTabSpec(SearchTag).setIndicator("Search")
                      .setContent(intent);        
        tabHost.addTab(spec);
        //****************************
        intent = new Intent().setClass(MPaper.this, MyNewsList.class);        
        spec = tabHost.newTabSpec(MyNewsTag).setIndicator("My News")
                      .setContent(intent);        
        tabHost.addTab(spec);
        //*****************************
        intent = new Intent().setClass(MPaper.this, Extras.class);        
        spec = tabHost.newTabSpec(ExtrasTag).setIndicator("Extras")
                      .setContent(intent);        
        tabHost.addTab(spec);
        //*****************************


        tabHost.setCurrentTabByTag(NewsTag);
    }

The list view in NewsList Activity is made by XML as following:

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

    <ListView 
        android:id="@+id/NewsList" 
        android:layout_width="fill_parent" 
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        >

    </ListView>

</LinearLayout>

In Response to Fabios’ comment below:
Yes wither use visibility property or try implementing tabs using the way mentioned below:

private void TabSetup()
    {
        tabs = (TabHost)findViewById(R.id.tabhost);        
        tabs.setup(); 
        TabHost.TabSpec spec = tabs.newTabSpec("MainNewsTag");
        spec.setContent(R.id.MainNews);
        spec.setIndicator("Home");
        tabs.addTab(spec);




        spec = tabs.newTabSpec("SearchTag");
        spec.setContent(R.id.Search);
        spec.setIndicator("Search");
        tabs.addTab(spec);


        spec = tabs.newTabSpec("MyNewsTag");
        spec.setContent(R.id.MyNews);
        spec.setIndicator("My News");
        tabs.addTab(spec);

        spec = tabs.newTabSpec("ExtrasTag");
        spec.setContent(R.id.MyNews);
        spec.setIndicator("Extras");
        tabs.addTab(spec);
} 

Where as Layout file is as below:

    <TabHost xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
        android:id="@+id/tabhost" android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="fill_parent">
        <RelativeLayout android:layout_height="fill_parent"
            android:layout_width="fill_parent">
            <TableLayout android:layout_height="fill_parent" 
               android:layout_width="fill_parent">
               <TabWidget android:id="@android:id/tabs"
               android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                   android:layout_width="fill_parent" />
               <FrameLayout android:id="@android:id/tabcontent"
                    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                                android:layout_width="fill_parent" >  
                   <ListView android:id="@+id/MainNews" 
                             android:layout_width="fill_parent"
                             android:layout_height="wrap_content">
                   </ListView>
.... and so on