Question

I need to create a gradient that is 230dp high (i.e., not the whole screen), with the rest of the screen a solid color. I can’t figure out how to do this — everything I try ends up with the gradient expanding to fill the whole screen. My current XML looks like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<layer-list xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" >

    <item android:top="230dp">
        <shape android:shape="rectangle" >
            <color android:color="#333333" />
        </shape>
    </item>
    <item>
        <shape android:shape="rectangle" >
            <gradient
                android:angle="270"
                android:endColor="#333333"
                android:startColor="#D9D9D9"
                android:type="linear" />

            <size android:height="230dp" />
        </shape>
    </item>

</layer-list>

I then apply that drawable as the background to my LinearLayout in XML:

<?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"
    android:background="#333333" >
    <LinearLayout
        android:id="@+id/container"
        android:orientation="vertical"
        android:layout_height="fill_parent"
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:background="@drawable/grey_gradient_bg" >

        <!-- a bunch of content, buttons, etc. -->

    </LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>

But the gradient expands to fill the whole screen.

I have tried using a PNG for the background, but I get the banding problems described here, and the fixes haven’t helped me yet.

Answer 1

1. Use a RelativeLayout instead of a LinearLayout
2. Instead of using your gradient as a background of the main container of the layout, add a child View, set the height explicitly to the size you want (230dp), and set the background of that view to your gradient.