Option Menu not opening from ListActivity when lis

Question

I have been successfully using the option menu within my ListActivity. Until now. Apparently the menu button only causes the options menu to appear when there is data in the list. I tried loading the ListActivity without any data. This causes the menu button to fail. Even if I load data a little later on, the menu data still fails.

I have tried with both my HTC device and the emulator, just to make sure it was not a bug related to the hardware. Behavior is identical.

The onPrepareOptionsMenu method is never triggered (debugging using breakpoints and logging.)

Build target: Android 2.1update1

Thanks so much, as I am utterly stumped.

Here is the class code (is the menu xml relevant to post?):

package com.techmeridian.jobsite;
import java.text.DateFormat;
import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;
import java.util.Date;
import android.app.ListActivity;
import android.content.Context;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.database.Cursor;
import android.graphics.Typeface;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.text.SpannableString;
import android.text.style.StyleSpan;
import android.util.Log;
import android.view.LayoutInflater;
import android.view.Menu;
import android.view.MenuInflater;
import android.view.MenuItem;
import android.view.View;
import android.view.ViewGroup;
import android.widget.ImageButton;
import android.widget.ListView;
import android.widget.SimpleCursorAdapter;
import android.widget.TextView;


/* *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************/
public class ApptList extends ListActivity {
private JobSiteDbAdapter mDbHelper;
private String curDate;
private String prevDate;
private String nextDate;
private boolean headerSet;
private View mDateHeader;
private Menu mMenu;

/* *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************/
@Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.appt_list);

    mDbHelper = new JobSiteDbAdapter(this);
    mDbHelper.open();

    setCurPrevNextDate();
    fillData(); 
    captureButtonClicks();
    setPrevNextButtonState();     
}


/* (non-Javadoc)
 * @see android.app.ListActivity#onListItemClick(android.widget.ListView, android.view.View, int, long)
 */
@Override
protected void onListItemClick(ListView l, View v, int position, long id) {
    // TODO Auto-generated method stub
    super.onListItemClick(l, v, position, id);


    Intent i = new Intent(this, ApptShow.class);  
    //Long id = (Long) getListAdapter().getItem(id);  
    i.putExtra("id", id);  

    // Create the view using FirstGroup's LocalActivityManager  
    View view = TabsFirstGroup.group.getLocalActivityManager()  
    .startActivity("show_appt", i  
    .addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_CLEAR_TOP))  
    .getDecorView();  

    // Again, replace the view  
    TabsFirstGroup.group.replaceView(view);  
}


/* *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************/
private void setPrevNextButtonState() {
    // disable prev menu item, if necessary
    final ImageButton prevButton = (ImageButton) findViewById(R.id.button_prev_appt_list);
    if(this.prevDate == null) {
        prevButton.setEnabled(false);
    } else {
        prevButton.setEnabled(true);
    }

    // disable next menu item, if necessary
    final ImageButton nextButton = (ImageButton) findViewById(R.id.button_next_appt_list);
    if(this.nextDate == null) {
        nextButton.setEnabled(false);
    } else {
        nextButton.setEnabled(true);
    }       
}


/* *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************/
private void captureButtonClicks() {       

    final ImageButton prevButton = (ImageButton) findViewById(R.id.button_prev_appt_list);
    prevButton.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
        public void onClick(View v) {   
            setCurPrevNextDate("prevDate");
            fillData();
            setPrevNextButtonState();
        }
    });

    final ImageButton nextButton = (ImageButton) findViewById(R.id.button_next_appt_list);
    nextButton.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
        public void onClick(View v) {
            setCurPrevNextDate("nextDate");
            fillData();
            setPrevNextButtonState();
        }
    });        


}

/* *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************/
@Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {     
    this.mMenu = menu;
    MenuInflater inflater = getMenuInflater();
    inflater.inflate(R.menu.menu_option_msg_appt, menu);
    return true;
}    




/* (non-Javadoc)
 * @see android.app.Activity#onPrepareOptionsMenu(android.view.Menu)
 * *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************/
@Override
public boolean onPrepareOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {    
    // TODO Auto-generated method stub
    Boolean returnSuper = super.onPrepareOptionsMenu(menu);

    // disable prev menu item, if necessary
    MenuItem itemPrev = menu.findItem(R.id.menu_option_msg_appt_prev_item);
    if(this.prevDate == null) {
        itemPrev.setEnabled(false);
    } else {
        itemPrev.setEnabled(true);
    }

    // disable next menu item, if necessary
    MenuItem itemNext = menu.findItem(R.id.menu_option_msg_appt_next_item);
    if(this.nextDate == null) {
        itemNext.setEnabled(false);
    } else {
        itemNext.setEnabled(true);
    }

    return returnSuper;     
}

/* *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************/
@Override
public boolean onOptionsItemSelected(MenuItem item) {
    switch(item.getItemId()) {
        case R.id.menu_option_msg_appt_prev_item:
            setCurPrevNextDate(this.prevDate);
            fillData();
            return true;

        case R.id.menu_option_msg_appt_next_item:   
            setCurPrevNextDate(this.nextDate);
            fillData();
            return true;

        case R.id.menu_option_msg_appt_sort_item:
            Log.v("sarah", "inside menu_option_msg_appt_sort_item");    
            return true;

        case R.id.menu_option_msg_appt_refresh_item:
            Log.v("sarah", "inside menu_option_msg_appt_refresh_item"); 
            return true;

        case R.id.menu_option_msg_appt_settings_item:
            Log.v("sarah", "inside menu_option_msg_appt_settings_item");    
            Intent i = new Intent(this, NotifyingController.class);
            startActivityForResult(i, 0);
            return true;
    }

    return super.onOptionsItemSelected(item);
}    

// brand new instance of this class.
// got here from onCreate()
// Either we are receiving the date via intent,
// or we will use today's date by default
private void setCurPrevNextDate() {
    String mDate;

    // were we passed a date?
    Bundle extras = getIntent().getExtras();
    mDate = extras != null ? extras.getString("curDate") : null;    

    DateFormat df = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd");

    // no date passed, use today's date
    if(mDate == null) {
        Date now = new Date();
        try {
         //Date convertedDate = df.parse(strDate); 

         mDate = df.format(now);    

        } catch(Exception e) {
          Log.e("sarah",e.getMessage());               
        }
    }

    // now set the current date
    try {
        this.setCurPrevNextDate(mDate);
    } catch(Exception e) {
        Log.e("sarah",e.getMessage());             
    }


}

/* gotten to by hitting prev and next option menu buttons
 * *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************/
private void setCurPrevNextDate(String mDateNew) {  
    // can't always pass in "this.prevDate", so parse
    if(mDateNew=="prevDate") {
        mDateNew = this.prevDate;
    } else if(mDateNew=="nextDate") {
        mDateNew = this.nextDate;
    }

    // set this.curDate for reference
    this.curDate = mDateNew;
    DateFormat df = new SimpleDateFormat ("yyyy-MM-dd");

    // now get yesterday and tomorrow
    Cursor dateNext = mDbHelper.getNextApptDate(this.curDate);
    startManagingCursor(dateNext);
    String mDateNext = dateNext.getString(dateNext.getColumnIndexOrThrow("myDateNext"));
    if(mDateNext != null) {
        try {    
            // need to get stark date without time
            // get Date from String, first
            Date convertedNextDate = df.parse(mDateNext); 
            // now get String in stark format without time
            this.nextDate = df.format(convertedNextDate);
        } catch(Exception e) {
            Log.e("sarah",e.getMessage());             
        }  
    } else {
        this.nextDate = null;
    }

    Cursor datePrev = mDbHelper.getPrevApptDate(this.curDate);
    startManagingCursor(datePrev);
    // full date with time
    String mDatePrev = datePrev.getString(datePrev.getColumnIndexOrThrow("myDatePrev")); 
    if(mDatePrev != null) {
        try {           
            // need to get stark date without time
            // get Date from String, first
            Date convertedPrevDate = df.parse(mDatePrev); 
            // now get String in stark format without time
            this.prevDate = df.format(convertedPrevDate);
        } catch(Exception e) {
            Log.e("sarah",e.getMessage());             
        }  
    } else {
        this.prevDate = null;
    }
}

/* *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************/
private void fillData() {
    // get day, month, etc.
    String strFriendlyDate = "";
    try {           
        // get Date from String, first
        DateFormat df = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd");
        Date convertedCurDate = df.parse(this.curDate); 
        // now get String in elongated format from Date
        SimpleDateFormat friendlyDate = new SimpleDateFormat("EEEE MMMM dd, yyyy");
        strFriendlyDate = friendlyDate.format(convertedCurDate);
    } catch(Exception e) {
        Log.e("sarah",e.getMessage());             
    }

    // set appt list header with friendly date
    TextView apptHeader = (TextView)  this.findViewById(R.id.appt_list_header);
    apptHeader.setText(strFriendlyDate); 

    // get all messages for date    
    Cursor c = mDbHelper.fetchAllApptsForDate(this.curDate);
    startManagingCursor(c);

    String[] from = new String[] {  "customer_name", "mytime"};
    int[] to = new int[] { R.id.appt_row_customer, R.id.appt_row_time };

    // Now create an array adapter and set it to display using our row
    SarahSimpleCursorAdapter appts =
        new SarahSimpleCursorAdapter(this, R.layout.appt_row, c, from, to);
    setListAdapter(appts);
}    

/* *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************
 * *******************/
private class  SarahSimpleCursorAdapter extends SimpleCursorAdapter {
    private Context context;
    private Cursor c;

    public SarahSimpleCursorAdapter(Context context, int layout, Cursor c, String[] from, int[] to) {
        super(context, layout, c, from, to);
        this.c = c;
        this.context = context;
    }

    /* (non-Javadoc)
     * @see android.widget.CursorAdapter#getView(int, android.view.View, android.view.ViewGroup)
     * *******************
     * *******************
     * *******************       * 
     */
    @Override 
    public View getView(int position, View convertView, ViewGroup parent) {
        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
        //View v = super.getView(position, convertView, parent);
        //customize the background look of each state of the row! yippee!
        //v.setBackgroundResource(R.layout.appt_row_design);

        View v = convertView;
        int pos = position;
        if (v == null) {
            LayoutInflater inflater = (LayoutInflater) this.context.getSystemService(Context.LAYOUT_INFLATER_SERVICE);
            v = inflater.inflate(R.layout.appt_row, null);
        }


        //customize the background look of each state of the row! yippee!
        // the white background that changes to orange when selected

        c.moveToPosition(pos);  
        v.setBackgroundResource(R.layout.appt_row_design);

        int subjectView = R.id.appt_row_customer;

        //subject......................
        //String strSubject = "deal with missing subject in terms of 'new' row design";         
        String strSubject = c.getString(c.getColumnIndex("customer_name"));
        int length = 28;
        if (strSubject != null && strSubject.length() > length)
            strSubject = strSubject.substring(0, length) + "...";
        TextView mySubject = (TextView) v.findViewById(subjectView);
        // set the value of the xml element
        //mySubject.setText(strSubject);

      SpannableString content = new SpannableString(strSubject);
      if(c.getInt(c.getColumnIndex("_id"))==1) {
          content.setSpan(new StyleSpan(Typeface.BOLD), 0, content.length(), 0);
          v.setBackgroundResource(R.layout.appt_row_new_design);
      }
      mySubject.setText(content);


        //time......................
        String strTime = c.getString(c.getColumnIndex("mytime"));
        TextView myTime = (TextView) v.findViewById(R.id.appt_row_time);
        myTime.setText(strTime);

        return v;
    }



} 

}