I am not sure I am using the right words for this UI feature, but I have attached a snapshot of what I am looking to achieve in my app.
Its used by Go SMS, where a user types contacts in an edit text, after the user selects a contact from the completion drop down, the contact is inserted in the edit text as show in the attached image.The edit text is still open to accept further input.
For my app, I would like to do the grouping and insertion as soon as the user enters a comma, Just like the Tag input for StackOverflow works (But I believe I can handle that alone.) My problem is what kind of View is this or how do I modify an EditText to behave like this?
Thanks.
The official Chips library from Google (as used in Gmail, Email, Calendar, Messaging) is located at https://android.googlesource.com/platform/frameworks/opt/chips/
A simple example of how to use it can be found at https://code.google.com/p/platform-features-talk-io-2013/source/browse/src/com/example/iotalk/ChipsActivity.java
Two more Chips libraries.
Android Chips. Unlike some other this one is updated to have visuals reflecting the newly released "Material Design" standard.
Token Auto Complete. It is an Android Gmail style token auto-complete text field and filter.
Update:
Official way of doing it is now through Chips material component.
https://material.io/components/chips/
https://material.io/develop/android/components/chip/
https://medium.com/material-design-in-action/chips-material-components-for-android-46001664a40f
Old Answer:
You are looking for Chips library.
I think we can build our own chips view with Recycler view and Edit text or Auto complete text view. So we can customize it easily.
1. Created a tag shape say, tags_layout.xml in Drawable
<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:shape="rectangle">
<solid android:color="#cfcfcf">
</solid>
<corners android:radius="20dp">
</corners>
2. Created a layout for recycler view
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:padding="5dp"
android:layout_margin="4dp"
android:gravity="center"
android:background="@drawable/tags_layout">
<TextView
android:id="@+id/tag_textView"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:maxLines="1"
android:maxLength="25"
android:ellipsize="end"
android:padding="2dp"
android:text="Hello"/>
<ImageView
android:id="@+id/tag_closeBtn"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:src="@drawable/ic_close"/>
3. In our activity layout, we implement widgets recycler view just above edit text to keeping tags and edit text or Autocomplete text view to enter tags.
<android.support.v4.widget.NestedScrollView
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content">
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="vertical">
<android.support.v7.widget.RecyclerView
android:id="@+id/tagsRecyclerView"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content">
</android.support.v7.widget.RecyclerView>
<EditText
android:id="@+id/tagsEditText"
android:inputType="text"
android:imeOptions="actionDone"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
</LinearLayout>
</android.support.v4.widget.NestedScrollView>
4. Created a model java class for recycler view
public class RecyclerModel {
private String tagText;
public RecyclerModel(String tagText){
this.tagText = tagText;
}
public String getTagText() {
return tagText;
}
public void setTagText(String tagText) {
this.tagText = tagText;
}
}
5. Adapter class for recycler view
public class RecyclerAdapter extends RecyclerView.Adapter<RecyclerAdapter.RecyclerAdapterHolder> {
Context context;
ArrayList<RecyclerModel> model = new ArrayList<>( );
public RecyclerAdapter(Context context,ArrayList<RecyclerModel> model){
this.context = context;
this.model = model;
}
@NonNull
@Override
public RecyclerAdapterHolder onCreateViewHolder(@NonNull ViewGroup parent, int viewType) {
View itemView = LayoutInflater.from(parent.getContext())
.inflate(R.layout.recycler_layout, parent, false);
return new RecyclerAdapterHolder(itemView);
}
@Override
public void onBindViewHolder(final RecyclerAdapterHolder holder, final int position) {
final RecyclerModel mod = model.get( position );
holder.tagTextView.setText( mod.getTagText() );
//remove tag on click x button
holder.tagImageView.setOnClickListener( new View.OnClickListener() {
@Override
public void onClick(View v) {
model.remove( position );
notifyDataSetChanged();
}
} );
}
@Override
public int getItemCount() {
return model.size();
}
public static class RecyclerAdapterHolder extends RecyclerView.ViewHolder {
public TextView tagTextView;
public ImageView tagImageView;
public RecyclerAdapterHolder(View itemView) {
super( itemView );
tagTextView = itemView.findViewById( R.id.tag_textView );
tagImageView = itemView.findViewById( R.id.tag_closeBtn );
}
}
}
6. Finally, In our activity, add data to recycler on entering data in edit text
public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
RecyclerView tagsRecyclerView;
EditText tagsEditText;
ArrayList<RecyclerModel> recyclerModels = new ArrayList<>( );
@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate( savedInstanceState );
setContentView( R.layout.activity_main );
tagsRecyclerView = findViewById( R.id.tagsRecyclerView );
tagsEditText = findViewById( R.id.tagsEditText );
tagsEditText.setOnEditorActionListener( new TextView.OnEditorActionListener() {
@Override
public boolean onEditorAction(TextView v, int actionId, KeyEvent event) {
if (actionId == EditorInfo.IME_ACTION_DONE) {
Toast.makeText( MainActivity.this,"hello",Toast.LENGTH_SHORT );
String str = tagsEditText.getText().toString();
if(str != null && !str.equals( "" )) {
getUpdateData( str );
tagsEditText.setText( null );
RecyclerAdapter adapter = new RecyclerAdapter( MainActivity.this, recyclerModels );
FlexboxLayoutManager gridLayout = new FlexboxLayoutManager( MainActivity.this );
tagsRecyclerView.setLayoutManager( gridLayout );
tagsRecyclerView.setAdapter( adapter );
}
}
return false;
}
} );
}
private void getUpdateData(String str) {
RecyclerModel model = new RecyclerModel( str );
recyclerModels.add( model );
}
}
7. Manifest file should contain gradles
implementation 'com.android.support:recyclerview-v7:27.1.1'
implementation 'com.google.android:flexbox:1.0.0'
there is a new library for Android Material Chips!
Starting from android support library version 28.0.0 Google added Chip
view that allows us to display a chip view within our layout.
Design and documentation about Chip
And simple example:
<android.support.design.chip.ChipGroup
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_margin="16dp"
app:chipSpacing="8dp">
<android.support.design.chip.Chip
android:id="@+id/some_chip"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Android Chip Group"
app:chipIcon="@drawable/ic_android"
app:closeIconVisible="true" />
<android.support.design.chip.Chip
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Android"
app:chipIcon="@drawable/ic_android" />
<android.support.design.chip.Chip
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Chip"
app:chipIcon="@drawable/ic_android" />
<android.support.design.chip.Chip
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Group"
app:chipIcon="@drawable/ic_android" />
</android.support.design.chip.ChipGroup>
A lot has changed. we have new libraries. I would recommend this library. It is very easy and powerful.
Simply add this dependency
implementation "com.hootsuite.android:nachos:1.1.1"
and this view
<com.hootsuite.nachos.NachoTextView
android:id="@+id/nacho_text_view"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
app:chipHorizontalSpacing="2dp"
app:chipBackground="@color/chip_background"
app:chipTextColor="@color/cheddar"
app:chipTextSize="16dp"
app:chipHeight="30dp"
app:chipVerticalSpacing="3dp"/>
and this adapter:
val suggestions = arrayOf("Tortilla Chips", "Melted Cheese", "Salsa", "Guacamole", "Mexico", "Jalapeno")
val adapter = ArrayAdapter(context, android.R.layout.simple_dropdown_item_1line, suggestions)
nachoTextView.setAdapter(adapter)