Android overlay outside/between layout boundaries

Question

I have to add an overlay (ImageView) so that it's a bit shifted to the left of the containing layout's left boundary.

What is the best way to do this?

Tried something simple, like putting the ImageView inside the layout and use negative margin

android:layout_marginLeft="-20dip"

This made this:

(Correction: Text in the image should be 20dip not 20px)

AbsoluteLayout is deprecated. Is there something like z-order? Or what do I do?

Thanks in advance.

Edit: I tried using relative layout instead. Same effect. Here's the xml reduced to a minimum:

<RelativeLayout  xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:clipChildren="false"
android:paddingLeft="50dip"
>

<ImageView
    android:id="@+id/myId"
    android:layout_width="60dip"
    android:layout_height="60dip"
    android:layout_marginLeft="-30dip"
    android:clipChildren="false"
    android:src="@drawable/pic" />

</RelativeLayout>

Result

Also happens when the containing layout has a background image smaller than the screen instead of padding.

Answer 1

Use a transparent(android:background="#00000000") imageview to the left of linear layout with width = 30dp. And make myId as aligning left in case of relative layout. If you are using linear layout make orientation as horizontal and let the transparent imageview be the first entry in it.

Answer 2

Using RelativeLayout instead of LinearLayout (to allow overlapping) and adding this to the RelativeLayout fixed it:

android:clipToPadding="false"

Answer 3

Instead of

android:layout_marginLeft="-30dip"

try with

android:paddingLeft="-30dp"

Answer 4

set "android:clipChildren = false" in xml