Question

Right, this is a strange problem I have been toying with for a while now, hopefully maybe I am missing something you guys can draw my attention to!

LinearLayouts seem to be disappearing once I add any spacing using views and defining the weight (a method which works elsewhere in the project).

I have a custom Dialog (extends Dialog). In the onCreate() I use the method setContentView(generateDialog()) which returns a vertical LinearLayout.

The LinearLayout has three elements, one row of four custom category buttons (LinearLayouts), one row of sorting buttons (also LinearLayouts) and one ListView which populates the rest of the dialog and refreshes based on which button is pressed.

All is functional and working fine. Except when I attempt to space the buttons out evenly using my spacer method:

Dialog.java:

LinearLayout catBtns = new LinearLayout(context);
        catBtns.setOrientation(LinearLayout.HORIZONTAL);
        catBtns.setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.btn_cat_gradient_bg);
        catBtns.setLayoutParams(new LinearLayout.LayoutParams(LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT,LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT));

        catBtns.addView(space(1));
        cat1Btn = new CatButton(context,this,act,"CAT1");
        catBtns.addView(cat1Btn);
        catBtns.addView(space(1));
        cat2Btn = new CatButton(context,this,act,"CAT2");
        catBtns.addView(cat2Btn);
        catBtns.addView(space(1));
        cat3Btn= new CatButton(context,this,act,"CAT3");
        catBtns.addView(cat3Btn);
        catBtns.addView(space(1));
        cat4Btn = new CatButton(context,this,act,"CAT4");
        catBtns.addView(cat4Btn);
        catBtns.addView(space(1));

The space() method:

private View space(int space) {
    View view = new View(context);
    LinearLayout.LayoutParams p = new LinearLayout.LayoutParams(0,0);
    p.weight = space;
    view.setLayoutParams(p);
    return view;
}

What confuses me is that I have been using this method throughout the project and can’t find as to why the category LinearLayout DISAPPEARS COMPLETELY when I add the spacers in between each button.

I use the same technique for the sorting buttons and it works perfectly! I use the same technique in another part of the project using slightly different versions of the same buttons (they are different class files though, because the onClickListener and some other stuff is slightly different)

Anyone have any clue?

Answer 1

I tried to build this in XML and it works fine. A possible difference is, that you do not set any LayoutParams for your buttons. Try something like that for every button:

cat1Btn = new CatButton(context,this,act,"CAT1");
catBtns.addView(cat1Btn, new LinearLayout.LayoutParams(0,0));