Question

There is no setBackground() method in the RemoteViews class, so I’ve used the following workaround:

1. Created a FrameLayout for my app widget with an ImageView as the background view.
2. Changed the ImageView image using setImageViewResource() method.

Unfortunately, when it comes to 9-patch drawables this method does not work. Also when an ImageView‘s android:src attribute points to 9-patch – it doesn’t work too. Is there any way to change the AppWidget‘s background image programatically using a 9-patch drawable? Thanks in advance.

EDIT
Settings the 9-patch as initial background in the XML:

<ImageView
    android:id="@+id/small_widget_layout_bg"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:background="@drawable/background_lime" />

When I use android:src="@drawable/background_lime" it doesn’t stretch the image properly, this code works fine. And the code to change the background from the AppWidgetProvider onUpdate method:

views.setImageViewResource(R.id.small_widget_layout_bg,
                    R.drawable.backgroung_lime);

This does not stretch the image as a 9-patch.

Answer 1

This answer was diagnosed in the above comments…

RemoteView doesn’t allow access to View.setBackground(), so your workaround of using the android:src property of an ImageView is good, providing that the android:scaleType property is set to fitXY.

ImageView won’t stretch it’s foreground image unless you tell it to.