Question

Setting background doesn’t seem to give any hint on size for android.
Hence I’m looking for a way to create an image with a specific color.
(would be better if could be done in xml)

in iOS this could be achieved by

+ (UIImage*)placeHolderImage
{
    static UIImage* image = nil;
    if(image != nil)
        return image;

    CGRect rect = CGRectMake(0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f);
    UIGraphicsBeginImageContext(rect.size);
    CGContextRef context = UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext();

    // Seashell color                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
    UIColor* color = [UIColor colorWithRed:255/255.0 green:245/255.0 blue:238/255.0 alpha:1.0];
    CGContextSetFillColorWithColor(context, [color CGColor]);
    CGContextFillRect(context, rect);

    image = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext();
    UIGraphicsEndImageContext();

    return image;
}

Answer 1

Here is the equivalent Android code:

// CGRect rect = CGRectMake(0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f);
Rect rect = new Rect(0, 0, 1, 1);

//UIGraphicsBeginImageContext(rect.size);
//CGContextRef context = UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext();
Bitmap image = Bitmap.createBitmap(rect.width(), rect.height(), Config.ARGB_8888);
Canvas canvas = new Canvas(image);

//UIColor* color = [UIColor colorWithRed:255/255.0 green:245/255.0 blue:238/255.0 alpha:1.0];
int color = Color.argb(255, 255, 245, 238);

//CGContextSetFillColorWithColor(context, [color CGColor]);
Paint paint = new Paint();
paint.setColor(color);

//CGContextFillRect(context, rect);
canvas.drawRect(rect, paint);

//image = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext();
//UIGraphicsEndImageContext();
/** nothing to do here, we already have our image **/
/** and the canvas will be released by the GC     **/

Now, if you want to do this in XML its much easier:

<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" android:shape="rectangle">
    <size android:width="1px" android:height="1dp"/>
    <solid android:color="#FFFFF5EE/>
</shape>

Although that won’t give you a Bitmap, but a Drawable. It’s just fine if you intend to just draw it somewhere. If you actually need a Bitmap, then you will have to use the above code to create a Canvas from a Bitmap and draw your Drawable into it.