Question

Today I have been playing a bit with the LinearLayout and have been suprised with the results:

<?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:orientation="vertical" >



<TextView
    android:id="@+id/textView1"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:text="Big Text"
    android:gravity="center_vertical|center_horizontal"
    android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceLarge" />


<TextView
   android:id="@+id/textView2"
   android:layout_width="match_parent"
   android:layout_height="match_parent"
   android:text="Medium Text"
   android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceMedium" />   


<Button
    android:id="@+id/button1"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:layout_gravity="bottom"
    android:text="Button"
   />

</LinearLayout>

This is a simple layout with a text view header, then a text view that I want it to cover all parent (but the space occupied by the bottom button) and a button that is placed at the botton side with the layout_gravity=”bottom”.

This produces a layout where header is shown correctly, center text view covers all remaining free space and the button does not appear. Why is this? Shouldn’t the center text view just calculate its size taking into account the bottom button size?.

Answer 1

Use layout_weight=”1″ in your center TextView.