manipulate XML Layout Programmatically in Android

Question

Can we Manipulate the Xml layout in our Java code . I mean Lets say i have a layout in Xml and a want to create its object and change its properties (say adding some child before passing it to setcontentveiw() method)

public class IconExtensionLayoutActivity extends Activity {

@Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    RelativeLayout mcontainer = (RelativeLayout)IconExtensionLayoutActivity.this.findViewById(R.id.mContainerIconExtension);
    ScrollView mScrollView = (ScrollView)IconExtensionLayoutActivity.this.findViewById(R.id.mRootIconExtension);
    RelativeLayout mRow1 = (RelativeLayout)IconExtensionLayoutActivity.this.findViewById(R.id.Root_Layout_Iconset_One_ID);
    RelativeLayout mRow2 = (RelativeLayout)IconExtensionLayoutActivity.this.findViewById(R.id.Root_Layout_Iconset_Two_ID);
    RelativeLayout mRow3 = (RelativeLayout)IconExtensionLayoutActivity.this.findViewById(R.id.Root_Layout_Iconset_Three_ID);

    setContentView(mScrollView.getId());

}

}

and My Xml layout is below.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<LinearLayout
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:id="@+id/mContainerIconExtension"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="fill_parent"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:scrollbars="none" >

    <RelativeLayout
        android:id="@+id/Root_Layout_Iconset_One_ID"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content" >

        <ImageView
            android:id="@+id/IconSet_One_ID"
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
            android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
        </ImageView>

        <RelativeLayout
            android:id="@+id/IconSet_One_ScrollView_ID"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_below="@+id/IconSet_One_ID"
            android:layout_margin="5dip" >

            <HorizontalScrollView
                android:id="@+id/HorizontalScrollView02"
                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
                android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
                android:scrollbarAlwaysDrawHorizontalTrack="false"
                android:scrollbars="none" >

                <LinearLayout
                    android:id="@+id/LinearLayout03"
                    android:layout_width="match_parent"
                    android:layout_height="match_parent" >

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView20"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView19"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView21"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView22"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView23"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView24"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView25"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView31"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView32"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView05"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView02"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView01"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView04"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView03"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView06"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>
                </LinearLayout>
            </HorizontalScrollView>
        </RelativeLayout>

        <ImageView
            android:id="@+id/PURCHASE_BUTTON_ICONSET_1_ID"
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
            android:layout_below="@+id/IconSet_One_ScrollView_ID"
            android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
        </ImageView>
    </RelativeLayout>

    <RelativeLayout
        android:id="@+id/Root_Layout_Iconset_Two_ID"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content" >

        <ImageView
            android:id="@+id/ImageView17"
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
            android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
        </ImageView>

        <RelativeLayout
            android:id="@+id/RelativeLayout02"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_below="@+id/ImageView17"
            android:layout_margin="5dip" >

            <HorizontalScrollView
                android:id="@+id/Horizontal_Scroller"
                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:scrollbars="none" >

                <LinearLayout
                    android:id="@+id/LinearLayout01"
                    android:layout_width="match_parent"
                    android:layout_height="match_parent" >

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView51"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView50"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView49"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView48"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView47"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView46"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView45"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView44"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView43"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView40"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView39"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView38"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView37"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView36"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView35"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView34"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView33"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView30"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView29"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView28"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView15"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView14"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView11"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>
                </LinearLayout>
            </HorizontalScrollView>
        </RelativeLayout>

        <ImageView
            android:id="@+id/ImageView16"
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
            android:layout_below="@+id/RelativeLayout02"
            android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
        </ImageView>
    </RelativeLayout>

    <RelativeLayout
        android:id="@+id/Root_Layout_Iconset_Three_ID"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content" >

        <ImageView
            android:id="@+id/ImageView27"
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
            android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
        </ImageView>

        <RelativeLayout
            android:id="@+id/RelativeLayout04"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_below="@+id/ImageView27"
            android:layout_margin="5dip" >

            <HorizontalScrollView
                android:id="@+id/HorizontalScrollView01"
                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
                android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
                android:scrollbars="none" >

                <LinearLayout
                    android:id="@+id/LinearLayout02"
                    android:layout_width="match_parent"
                    android:layout_height="match_parent" >

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView42"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView41"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView13"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView09"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView08"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView12"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView10"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>

                    <ImageView
                        android:id="@+id/ImageView18"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
                    </ImageView>
                </LinearLayout>
            </HorizontalScrollView>
        </RelativeLayout>

        <ImageView
            android:id="@+id/ImageView26"
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
            android:layout_below="@+id/RelativeLayout04"
            android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
        </ImageView>
    </RelativeLayout>
</LinearLayout>

Regards, Hikmat Khan

ingsaurabh · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-09 06:51:05Z

6

Yes you can you have to inflate the UI of xml using LayoutInflater and then you can get the UI elements from xml. Having access to UI objects you can add extra layer of UI elements on to them and finally set them to setContentView()

LayoutInflater mInflater = LayoutInflater.from(this);  
View contentView = mInflater.inflate(R.layout.main, null); 
LinearLayout root = (LinearLayout) contentView.findViewById(R.id.root);// mContainerIconExtension in your case
root.addView(new TextView(this));
setContentView(root);

edited Dec 9, 2011 at 6:51

answered Dec 9, 2011 at 6:45

ingsaurabh

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7 Comments

Hikmat Khan Over a year ago

Thanks ingsaurabh Brother for your time and quick response.

ingsaurabh Over a year ago

@HikmatKhan Glad to hear it helped you

Hikmat Khan Over a year ago

Dear can i all a child of Xml layout multiple time in parent layout. lets say i want to add @+id/IconSet_One_ScrollView_ID in above xml 15 time. then how can i do it. it throws exception of "specified child is already a parent"some thing like that.

Hikmat Khan Over a year ago

for(int i =0 ;i < 15; i++){ RelativeLayout ROW = (RelativeLayout)row.findViewById(R.id.IconSet_One_ScrollView_ID); mContainer.addView(ROW); ROW = null; } I do it like this but it throw exception.

ingsaurabh Over a year ago

put this line after row.findViewbyid, Row.setId(i.toString());

|

Pavankumar Vijapur · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-09 06:49:57Z

1

Inflate it and get the object reference ifthe layouts in the xml is not a part of your set content view of the main activity.
If the objects are the part of youe xml which is set a s a content view. then by doing findview by id youw will bw getting the references to these objects and you can use apis such as set layout params, getwidth, set width and so on to dynamically modify them before on create.

answered Dec 9, 2011 at 6:49

Pavankumar Vijapur

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Comments

st0le · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-09 06:51:07Z

1

Sure you can,

View myLayout = View.inflate(mContext, R.layout.my_layout, null); // or use LayoutInflater
//now myLayout is actually the Root element of your layout, ie The LinearLayout.

So LinearLayout root = (LinearLayout)myLayout

and then you have addViewXXX() methods to add any widget dynamically.

answered Dec 9, 2011 at 6:51

st0le

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1 Comment

Hikmat Khan Over a year ago

Thanks st0le Brother for your quick response and Correct answer. regards Hikmat Khan

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