Android getting a list of colors from resource

Question

I have a list of colours

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>
 <color name="white">#FFFFFF</color>
 <color name="yellow">#FFFF00</color>
 <color name="fuchsia">#FF00FF</color>
 <color name="red">#FF0000</color>
 <color name="silver">#C0C0C0</color>
 <color name="gray">#808080</color>
 <color name="olive">#808000</color>
 <color name="purple">#800080</color>
 <color name="maroon">#800000</color>
 <color name="aqua">#00FFFF</color>
 <color name="lime">#00FF00</color>
 <color name="teal">#008080</color>
 <color name="green">#008000</color>
 <color name="blue">#0000FF</color>
 <color name="navy">#000080</color>
 <color name="black">#000000</color>
</resources>

(I took this list from another question someone asked)

What I want to do is get all the color names. I want the list so I can then populate the lot in a spinner. The pseudo code would be like this.

List ofColours = getListOfColors(R.color);
for(int i = 0 ; i < ofColours.size() ; i ++)
{
  String colour = getResources().getColor(ofColours.get(i));
  addColourToSpinner(colour);
} 

What I want is the list of colours. I hope that explains it Cheers for all the help

Answer 1

Why not simply create two arrays in in your strings.xml or arrays.xml. Something like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>
    <string-array name="items">
        <item>white</item>
        <item>yellow</item>
        <item>fuchsia</item>
        <item>red</item>
    </string-array>
    <string-array name="values">
        <item>#FFFFFF</item>
        <item>#FFFF00</item>
        <item>#FF00FF</item>
        <item>#FF0000</item>
    </string-array>
</resources>

You can follow a simple example on developer.android.com here: http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/ui/controls/spinner.html.

This is another tutorial: http://www.dcpagesapps.com/developer-resources/android/21-android-tutorial-spinners?start=1

That should get you started.

Answer 2

I got stuck doing this for my project. It took long time to make this and i hope it helps some people. I ended up combining an example from here

http://www.ipcas.com/blog/2011/12/android-color-picker/

and a color list provided from here

Web colors in an Android color xml resource file

Just delete colors you dont need and make whatever you like. (Alot faster than making your own)

This is my Strings.xml

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

<string name="app_name">AppName</string>
<string name="action_settings">Settings</string>
<string name="hello_world">Hello world!</string>
<string name="title_activity_visitor">Visitor</string>
<!--  Translation: Hint: White, Blue, Red...-->
<string name="accolor">Hint: White, Blue, Red&#8230;</string>


<integer name="colorGridColumnWidth">65</integer>




 <color name="AliceBlue">#F0F8FF</color>
 <color name="AntiqueWhite">#FAEBD7</color>
 <color name="aqua">#00FFFF</color>
 <color name="Aqua">#00FFFF</color>
 <color name="Aquamarine">#7FFFD4</color>
 <color name="Azure">#F0FFFF</color>
 <color name="Beige">#F5F5DC</color>
 <color name="Bisque">#FFE4C4</color>
 <color name="black">#000000</color>
 <color name="Black">#000000</color>
 <color name="BlanchedAlmond">#FFEBCD</color>
 <color name="Blue">#0000FF</color>
 <color name="BlueViolet">#8A2BE2</color>
 <color name="Brown">#A52A2A</color>
 <color name="BurlyWood">#DEB887</color>
 <color name="CadetBlue">#5F9EA0</color>
 <color name="Chartreuse">#7FFF00</color>
 <color name="Chocolate">#D2691E</color>
 <color name="Coral">#FF7F50</color>
 <color name="CornflowerBlue">#6495ED</color>
 <color name="Cornsilk">#FFF8DC</color>
 <color name="Crimson">#DC143C</color>
 <color name="Cyan">#00FFFF</color>
 <color name="DarkBlue">#00008B</color>
 <color name="DarkCyan">#008B8B</color>
 <color name="DarkGoldenrod">#B8860B</color>
 <color name="DarkGray">#A9A9A9</color>
 <color name="DarkGreen">#006400</color>
 <color name="DarkKhaki">#BDB76B</color>
 <color name="DarkMagenta">#8B008B</color>
 <color name="DarkOliveGreen">#556B2F</color>
 <color name="DarkOrange">#FF8C00</color>
 <color name="DarkOrchid">#9932CC</color>
 <color name="DarkRed">#8B0000</color>
 <color name="DarkSalmon">#E9967A</color>
 <color name="DarkSeaGreen">#8FBC8F</color>
 <color name="DarkSlateBlue">#483D8B</color>
 <color name="DarkSlateGray">#2F4F4F</color>
 <color name="DarkTurquoise">#00CED1</color>
 <color name="DarkViolet">#9400D3</color>
 <color name="DeepPink">#FF1493</color>
 <color name="DeepSkyBlue">#00BFFF</color>
 <color name="DimGray">#696969</color>
 <color name="DodgerBlue">#1E90FF</color>
 <color name="dullwhite">#FFDDDDDD</color>
 <color name="FireBrick">#B22222</color>
 <color name="FloralWhite">#FFFAF0</color>
 <color name="ForestGreen">#228B22</color>
 <color name="fuchsia">#FF00FF</color>
 <color name="Fuchsia">#FF00FF</color>
 <color name="Gainsboro">#DCDCDC</color>
 <color name="GhostWhite">#F8F8FF</color>
 <color name="Gold">#FFD700</color>
 <color name="Goldenrod">#DAA520</color>
 <color name="gray">#808080</color>
 <color name="Gray">#808080</color>
 <color name="green">#008000</color>
 <color name="Green">#008000</color>
 <color name="GreenYellow">#ADFF2F</color>
 <color name="Honeydew">#F0FFF0</color>
 <color name="HotPink">#FF69B4</color>
 <color name="IndianRed">#CD5C5C</color>
 <color name="Indigo">#4B0082</color>
 <color name="Ivory">#FFFFF0</color>
 <color name="Khaki">#F0E68C</color>
 <color name="Lavender">#E6E6FA</color>
 <color name="LavenderBlush">#FFF0F5</color>
 <color name="LawnGreen">#7CFC00</color>
 <color name="LemonChiffon">#FFFACD</color>
 <color name="LightBlue">#ADD8E6</color>
 <color name="LightCoral">#F08080</color>
 <color name="LightCyan">#E0FFFF</color>
 <color name="LightGoldenrodYellow">#FAFAD2</color>
 <color name="LightGreen">#90EE90</color>
 <color name="LightGrey">#D3D3D3</color>
 <color name="LightPink">#FFB6C1</color>
 <color name="LightSalmon">#FFA07A</color>
 <color name="LightSeaGreen">#20B2AA</color>
 <color name="LightSkyBlue">#87CEFA</color>
 <color name="LightSlateGray">#778899</color>
 <color name="LightSteelBlue">#B0C4DE</color>
 <color name="LightYellow">#FFFFE0</color>
 <color name="lime">#00FF00</color>
 <color name="Lime">#00FF00</color>
 <color name="LimeGreen">#32CD32</color>
 <color name="Linen">#FAF0E6</color>
 <color name="Magenta">#FF00FF</color>
 <color name="maroon">#800000</color>
 <color name="Maroon">#800000</color>
 <color name="MediumAquamarine">#66CDAA</color>
 <color name="MediumBlue">#0000CD</color>
 <color name="MediumOrchid">#BA55D3</color>
 <color name="MediumPurple">#9370DB</color>
 <color name="MediumSeaGreen">#3CB371</color>
 <color name="MediumSlateBlue">#7B68EE</color>
 <color name="MediumSpringGreen">#00FA9A</color>
 <color name="MediumTurquoise">#48D1CC</color>
 <color name="MediumVioletRed">#C71585</color>
 <color name="MidnightBlue">#191970</color>
 <color name="MintCream">#F5FFFA</color>
 <color name="MistyRose">#FFE4E1</color>
 <color name="Moccasin">#FFE4B5</color>
 <color name="NavajoWhite">#FFDEAD</color>
 <color name="navy">#000080</color>
 <color name="Navy">#000080</color>
 <color name="OldGold">#CFB53B</color>
 <color name="OldLace">#FDF5E6</color>
 <color name="olive">#808000</color>
 <color name="Olive">#808000</color>
 <color name="OliveDrab">#6B8E23</color>
 <color name="Orange">#FFA500</color>
 <color name="OrangeRed">#FF4500</color>
 <color name="Orchid">#DA70D6</color>
 <color name="PaleGoldenrod">#EEE8AA</color>
 <color name="PaleGreen">#98FB98</color>
 <color name="PaleTurquoise">#AFEEEE</color>
 <color name="PaleVioletRed">#DB7093</color>
 <color name="PapayaWhip">#FFEFD5</color>
 <color name="PeachPuff">#FFDAB9</color>
 <color name="Peru">#CD853F</color>
 <color name="Pink">#FFC0CB</color>
 <color name="Plum">#DDA0DD</color>
 <color name="PowderBlue">#B0E0E6</color>
 <color name="purple">#800080</color>
 <color name="Purple">#800080</color>
 <color name="red">#FF0000</color>
 <color name="Red">#FF0000</color>
 <color name="RosyBrown">#BC8F8F</color>
 <color name="RoyalBlue">#4169E1</color>
 <color name="SaddleBrown">#8B4513</color>
 <color name="Salmon">#FA8072</color>
 <color name="SandyBrown">#F4A460</color>
 <color name="SeaGreen">#2E8B57</color>
 <color name="Seashell">#FFF5EE</color>
 <color name="Sienna">#A0522D</color>
 <color name="silver">#C0C0C0</color>
 <color name="Silver">#C0C0C0</color>
 <color name="SkyBlue">#87CEEB</color>
 <color name="SlateBlue">#6A5ACD</color>
 <color name="SlateGray">#708090</color>
 <color name="Snow">#FFFAFA</color>
 <color name="SpringGreen">#00FF7F</color>
 <color name="SteelBlue">#4682B4</color>
 <color name="Tan">#D2B48C</color>
 <color name="teal">#008080</color>
 <color name="Teal">#008080</color>
 <color name="Thistle">#D8BFD8</color>
 <color name="Tomato">#FF6347</color>
 <color name="Turquoise">#40E0D0</color>
 <color name="Violet">#EE82EE</color>
 <color name="Wheat">#F5DEB3</color>
 <color name="white">#FFFFFFFF</color>
 <color name="White">#FFFFFF</color>
 <color name="WhiteSmoke">#F5F5F5</color>
 <color name="yellow">#FFFF00</color>
 <color name="Yellow">#FFFF00</color>
 <color name="YellowGreen">#9ACD32</color>


<array name="colorNameList">
    <item>AliceBlue</item>
    <item>AntiqueWhite</item>
    <item>Aqua</item>
    <item>Aquamarine</item>
    <item>Azure</item>
    <item>Beige</item>
    <item>Bisque</item>
    <item>Black</item>
    <item>BlanchedAlmond</item>
    <item>Blue</item>
    <item>BlueViolet</item>
    <item>Brown</item>
    <item>BurlyWood</item>
    <item>CadetBlue</item>
    <item>Chartreuse</item>
    <item>Chocolate</item>
    <item>Coral</item>
    <item>CornflowerBlue</item>
    <item>Cornsilk</item>
    <item>Crimson</item>
    <item>Cyan</item>
    <item>DarkBlue</item>
    <item>DarkCyan</item>
    <item>DarkGoldenrod</item>
    <item>DarkGray</item>
    <item>DarkGreen</item>
    <item>DarkKhaki</item>
    <item>DarkMagenta</item>
    <item>DarkOliveGreen</item>
    <item>DarkOrange</item>
    <item>DarkOrchid</item>
    <item>DarkRed</item>
    <item>DarkSalmon</item>
    <item>DarkSeaGreen</item>
    <item>DarkSlateBlue</item>
    <item>DarkSlateGray</item>
    <item>DarkTurquoise</item>
    <item>DarkViolet</item>
    <item>DeepPink</item>
    <item>DeepSkyBlue</item>
    <item>DimGray</item>
    <item>DodgerBlue</item>
    <item>FireBrick</item>
    <item>FloralWhite</item>
    <item>ForestGreen</item>
    <item>Fuchsia</item>
    <item>Gainsboro</item>
    <item>GhostWhite</item>
    <item>Gold</item>
    <item>Goldenrod</item>
    <item>Gray</item>
    <item>Green</item>
    <item>GreenYellow</item>
    <item>Honeydew</item>
    <item>HotPink</item>
    <item>IndianRed</item>
    <item>Indigo</item>
    <item>Ivory</item>
    <item>Khaki</item>
    <item>Lavender</item>
    <item>LavenderBlush</item>
    <item>LawnGreen</item>
    <item>LemonChiffon</item>
    <item>LightBlue</item>
    <item>LightCoral</item>
    <item>LightCyan</item>
    <item>LightGoldenrodYellow</item>
    <item>LightGreen</item>
    <item>LightGrey</item>
    <item>LightPink</item>
    <item>LightSalmon</item>
    <item>LightSeaGreen</item>
    <item>LightSkyBlue</item>
    <item>LightSlateGray</item>
    <item>LightSteelBlue</item>
    <item>LightYellow</item>
    <item>Lime</item>
    <item>LimeGreen</item>
    <item>Linen</item>
    <item>Magenta</item>
    <item>Maroon</item>
    <item>MediumAquamarine</item>
    <item>MediumBlue</item>
    <item>MediumOrchid</item>
    <item>MediumPurple</item>
    <item>MediumSeaGreen</item>
    <item>MediumSlateBlue</item>
    <item>MediumSpringGreen</item>
    <item>MediumTurquoise</item>
    <item>MediumVioletRed</item>
    <item>MidnightBlue</item>
    <item>MintCream</item>
    <item>MistyRose</item>
    <item>Moccasin</item>
    <item>NavajoWhite</item>
    <item>Navy</item>
    <item>OldGold</item>
    <item>OldLace</item>
    <item>Olive</item>
    <item>OliveDrab</item>
    <item>Orange</item>
    <item>OrangeRed</item>
    <item>Orchid</item>
    <item>PaleGoldenrod</item>
    <item>PaleGreen</item>
    <item>PaleTurquoise</item>
    <item>PaleVioletRed</item>
    <item>PapayaWhip</item>
    <item>PeachPuff</item>
    <item>Peru</item>
    <item>Pink</item>
    <item>Plum</item>
    <item>PowderBlue</item>
    <item>Purple</item>
    <item>Red</item>
    <item>RosyBrown</item>
    <item>RoyalBlue</item>
    <item>SaddleBrown</item>
    <item>Salmon</item>
    <item>SandyBrown</item>
    <item>SeaGreen</item>
    <item>Seashell</item>
    <item>Sienna</item>
    <item>Silver</item>
    <item>SkyBlue</item>
    <item>SlateBlue</item>
    <item>SlateGray</item>
    <item>Snow</item>
    <item>SpringGreen</item>
    <item>SteelBlue</item>
    <item>Tan</item>
    <item>Teal</item>
    <item>Thistle</item>
    <item>Tomato</item>
    <item>Turquoise</item>
    <item>Violet</item>
    <item>Wheat</item>
    <item>WhiteSmoke</item>
    <item>Yellow</item>
    <item>YellowGreen</item>
</array>








 <array name="colorNumberList">
    <item>@color/AliceBlue</item>
    <item>@color/AntiqueWhite</item>
    <item>@color/Aqua</item>
    <item>@color/Aquamarine</item>
    <item>@color/Azure</item>
    <item>@color/Beige</item>
    <item>@color/Bisque</item>
    <item>@color/Black</item>
    <item>@color/BlanchedAlmond</item>
    <item>@color/Blue</item>
    <item>@color/BlueViolet</item>
    <item>@color/Brown</item>
    <item>@color/BurlyWood</item>
    <item>@color/CadetBlue</item>
    <item>@color/Chartreuse</item>
    <item>@color/Chocolate</item>
    <item>@color/Coral</item>
    <item>@color/CornflowerBlue</item>
    <item>@color/Cornsilk</item>
    <item>@color/Crimson</item>
    <item>@color/Cyan</item>
    <item>@color/DarkBlue</item>
    <item>@color/DarkCyan</item>
    <item>@color/DarkGoldenrod</item>
    <item>@color/DarkGray</item>
    <item>@color/DarkGreen</item>
    <item>@color/DarkKhaki</item>
    <item>@color/DarkMagenta</item>
    <item>@color/DarkOliveGreen</item>
    <item>@color/DarkOrange</item>
    <item>@color/DarkOrchid</item>
    <item>@color/DarkRed</item>
    <item>@color/DarkSalmon</item>
    <item>@color/DarkSeaGreen</item>
    <item>@color/DarkSlateBlue</item>
    <item>@color/DarkSlateGray</item>
    <item>@color/DarkTurquoise</item>
    <item>@color/DarkViolet</item>
    <item>@color/DeepPink</item>
    <item>@color/DeepSkyBlue</item>
    <item>@color/DimGray</item>
    <item>@color/DodgerBlue</item>
    <item>@color/FireBrick</item>
    <item>@color/FloralWhite</item>
    <item>@color/ForestGreen</item>
    <item>@color/Fuchsia</item>
    <item>@color/Gainsboro</item>
    <item>@color/GhostWhite</item>
    <item>@color/Gold</item>
    <item>@color/Goldenrod</item>
    <item>@color/Gray</item>
    <item>@color/Green</item>
    <item>@color/GreenYellow</item>
    <item>@color/Honeydew</item>
    <item>@color/HotPink</item>
    <item>@color/IndianRed</item>
    <item>@color/Indigo</item>
    <item>@color/Ivory</item>
    <item>@color/Khaki</item>
    <item>@color/Lavender</item>
    <item>@color/LavenderBlush</item>
    <item>@color/LawnGreen</item>
    <item>@color/LemonChiffon</item>
    <item>@color/LightBlue</item>
    <item>@color/LightCoral</item>
    <item>@color/LightCyan</item>
    <item>@color/LightGoldenrodYellow</item>
    <item>@color/LightGreen</item>
    <item>@color/LightGrey</item>
    <item>@color/LightPink</item>
    <item>@color/LightSalmon</item>
    <item>@color/LightSeaGreen</item>
    <item>@color/LightSkyBlue</item>
    <item>@color/LightSlateGray</item>
    <item>@color/LightSteelBlue</item>
    <item>@color/LightYellow</item>
    <item>@color/Lime</item>
    <item>@color/LimeGreen</item>
    <item>@color/Linen</item>
    <item>@color/Magenta</item>
    <item>@color/Maroon</item>
    <item>@color/MediumAquamarine</item>
    <item>@color/MediumBlue</item>
    <item>@color/MediumOrchid</item>
    <item>@color/MediumPurple</item>
    <item>@color/MediumSeaGreen</item>
    <item>@color/MediumSlateBlue</item>
    <item>@color/MediumSpringGreen</item>
    <item>@color/MediumTurquoise</item>
    <item>@color/MediumVioletRed</item>
    <item>@color/MidnightBlue</item>
    <item>@color/MintCream</item>
    <item>@color/MistyRose</item>
    <item>@color/Moccasin</item>
    <item>@color/NavajoWhite</item>
    <item>@color/Navy</item>
    <item>@color/OldGold</item>
    <item>@color/OldLace</item>
    <item>@color/Olive</item>
    <item>@color/OliveDrab</item>
    <item>@color/Orange</item>
    <item>@color/OrangeRed</item>
    <item>@color/Orchid</item>
    <item>@color/PaleGoldenrod</item>
    <item>@color/PaleGreen</item>
    <item>@color/PaleTurquoise</item>
    <item>@color/PaleVioletRed</item>
    <item>@color/PapayaWhip</item>
    <item>@color/PeachPuff</item>
    <item>@color/Peru</item>
    <item>@color/Pink</item>
    <item>@color/Plum</item>
    <item>@color/PowderBlue</item>
    <item>@color/Purple</item>
    <item>@color/Red</item>
    <item>@color/RosyBrown</item>
    <item>@color/RoyalBlue</item>
    <item>@color/SaddleBrown</item>
    <item>@color/Salmon</item>
    <item>@color/SandyBrown</item>
    <item>@color/SeaGreen</item>
    <item>@color/Seashell</item>
    <item>@color/Sienna</item>
    <item>@color/Silver</item>
    <item>@color/SkyBlue</item>
    <item>@color/SlateBlue</item>
    <item>@color/SlateGray</item>
    <item>@color/Snow</item>
    <item>@color/SpringGreen</item>
    <item>@color/SteelBlue</item>
    <item>@color/Tan</item>
    <item>@color/Teal</item>
    <item>@color/Thistle</item>
    <item>@color/Tomato</item>
    <item>@color/Turquoise</item>
    <item>@color/Violet</item>
    <item>@color/Wheat</item>
    <item>@color/WhiteSmoke</item>
    <item>@color/Yellow</item>
    <item>@color/YellowGreen</item>


</array>
</resources>

Next i used the ColorPickerDialog provided by

http://www.ipcas.com/blog/2011/12/android-color-picker/

public class ColorPickerDialog extends Dialog {

    public ColorPickerDialog(Context context) {
        super(context);
        this.setTitle("ColorPickerDialog");
    }

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.color_picker);

        GridView gridViewColors = (GridView) findViewById(R.id.gridViewColors);
        gridViewColors.setAdapter(new ColorPickerAdapter(getContext()));

        // close the dialog on item click
        gridViewColors.setOnItemClickListener(new OnItemClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onItemClick(AdapterView<?> parent, View view, int position, long id) {
                ColorPickerDialog.this.dismiss();
            }
        });
    }
}

with this as well.

public class ColorPickerAdapter extends BaseAdapter {

    private Context context;
    // width of grid column
    int colorGridColumnWidth;
    //array of color values
    int[] colorNumberarray; 
    // array of color names
    String[] colorNameArray; 

    public ColorPickerAdapter(Context context) {
        this.context = context;

        // defines the width of each color square
        colorGridColumnWidth = context.getResources().getInteger(R.integer.colorGridColumnWidth);


        //fill  colorNumberarray with values from the colorNumberList Array in strings.xml  
        colorNumberarray = context.getResources().getIntArray(R.array.colorNumberList);
        //fill  colorNameArray with values from the colorNameArray Array in strings.xml 
        colorNameArray = context.getResources().getStringArray(R.array.colorNameList);

        //Show results in verbose Log
        for (int i = 0; i < colorNumberarray.length; i++) {
            Log.v("Test", colorNumberarray[i] + "");
            Log.v("Test", colorNameArray[i] + "");


        }



    }


    public View getView(int position, View convertView, ViewGroup parent) {
        ImageView imageView;

        // can we reuse a view?
        if (convertView == null) {
            imageView = new ImageView(context);
            // set the width of each color square
            imageView.setLayoutParams(new GridView.LayoutParams(colorGridColumnWidth, colorGridColumnWidth));

        } else {
            imageView = (ImageView) convertView;
        }

        imageView.setBackgroundColor(colorNumberarray[position]);
        imageView.setId(position);

        return imageView;
    }

    public int getCount() {
        return colorNumberarray.length;
    }

    public Object getItem(int position) {
        return null;
    }

    public long getItemId(int position) {
        return 0;
    }
}

Hopefully this will save people some time.

Next you launch the dialog,

 IBcolorpicker.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
        Dialog dialog;
        @Override
        public void onClick(View v) {
            // Clicked!
            // Make a new dialog.
            dialog = new ColorPickerDialog(Visitor.this);
            dialog.show();
        }
    });

Answer 3

You can access the list of colors using reflection:

Field[] fields = Class.forName(getPackageName()+".R$color").getDeclaredFields();
for(Field field : fields) {
    String colorName = field.getName();
    int colorId = field.getInt(null);
    int color = getResources().getColor(colorId);
    Log.i("test", colorName + " => " + colorId + " => " + color);
}