Android AutoCompleteTextView with chips

Question

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.

Answer 1

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'

Answer 2

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>

Answer 3

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

Answer 4

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)

Answer 5

there is a new library for Android Material Chips!

Answer 6

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.

• Here is one https://github.com/kpbird/chips-edittext-library

  

• Another library that works with contacts by Roman Nurik https://plus.google.com/+RomanNurik/posts/WUd7GrfZfiZ