Question

I have a layout for searching. In the screen, there is a search box and under search box, it shows the search result.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<TableLayout
        xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="fill_parent"
        android:gravity="center_horizontal"
        android:background="#FFFFFF"
        android:stretchColumns="0" >
        <TableRow
            android:layout_width="fill_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:focusable="true" 
            android:paddingTop="5dp"
            android:focusableInTouchMode="true">            
            <EditText
                android:id="@+id/searchword"
                android:textSize="14sp"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:layout_width="fill_parent"
                android:drawableLeft="@drawable/icon_search"
                android:hint="@string/text_searchword">
            </EditText>
        </TableRow>
        <TableRow 
            android:id="@+id/listbox"
            android:layout_width="fill_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:background="#FFFFFF">
            <LinearLayout       
                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content">
                <ListView
                    android:id="@+id/android:list"
                    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
                    android:layout_height="fill_parent">
                </ListView>
                <LinearLayout
                    android:id="@android:id/empty"              
                    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
                    android:layout_height="fill_parent">
                    <TextView 
                        android:id="@+id/emptytext" 
                                        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:textColor="#818185"
                        android:textSize="25sp"
                        android:textStyle="bold"
                        android:background="#FFFFFF"
                        android:text="@string/empty_res"
                        android:gravity="center_horizontal"
                        android:paddingLeft="6dip"
                    />
                </LinearLayout> 
            </LinearLayout>
        </TableRow>
</TableLayout>

I want that the search result shows just after the search box, but if there is no search result, the empty message should come vertically center of the block for the search result. But I failed to move it vertically center. How can it arrange the message vertically center?

Answer 1

Try using this layout:

<LinearLayout
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="fill_parent"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:background="#FFFFFF">

    <EditText
        android:id="@+id/searchword"
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:paddingTop="5dp"
        android:textSize="14sp"
        android:drawableLeft="@drawable/icon_search"
        android:hint="@string/text_searchword" />

    <FrameLayout
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="fill_parent">

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

        <TextView 
            android:id="@+id/emptytext" 
            android:layout_width="fill_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_gravity="center"
            android:gravity="center"
            android:textColor="#818185"
            android:textSize="25sp"
            android:textStyle="bold"
            android:text="@string/empty_res"
            android:paddingLeft="6dip"
            android:visibility="gone" />
    </FrameLayout>
</LinearLayout>

You have to change list’s and text view’s visibility depending on search result.