Change Color of Actionbar in Android

Question

I am trying to change the background color of actionbar in my App but this is showing different on my app. Instead of coloring the actionbar the whole activity is color.

I am not sure why this is happening? I just want the main actionbar and settings actionbar colored.

Please check the screenshot.

Main Activity Map:

Preference Settings:

I also have transparent Actionbar with UP Navigation enabled for all my sub activities other than the main activity and preference settings activity.

I am not sure why it is showing like the above:

Here is style.xml (values-v14):

<resources xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">

<style name="AppBaseTheme" parent="android:Theme.Holo.Light.DarkActionBar">
    <item name="android:background">#FF5050</item>
</style>

<style name="dialogtheme" parent="@android:style/Theme.Holo.Light.DarkActionBar"></style>

<!-- Transparent ActionBar Style -->
<style name="AppTheme.Light.ActionBar.Transparent" parent="@android:style/Widget.Holo.Light.ActionBar.Solid.Inverse">
    <item name="android:background">@android:color/transparent</item>
</style>

<!-- Activity Theme with transparent ActionBar -->
<style name="AppTheme.TransparentActionBar.Light" parent="@style/AppBaseTheme">
    <item name="android:actionBarStyle">@style/AppTheme.Light.ActionBar.Transparent</item>
    <item name="android:windowIsTranslucent">true</item>
    <item name="android:backgroundDimEnabled">true</item>
    <item name="android:windowActionBarOverlay">true</item>
    <item name="android:windowContentOverlay">@null</item>
    <item name="android:displayOptions">showHome|homeAsUp|showTitle</item>
    <item name="android:icon">@android:color/transparent</item>
    <item name="android:actionBarTabTextStyle">@style/ActionBarTabTextStyle.Tabtheme</item>
    <item name="android:actionBarDivider">@drawable/verticallinefordivder</item>
    <item name="android:actionBarTabStyle">@style/ActionBarTabStyle.MapsLocation</item>
</style>

<style name="simpledialog" parent="android:Theme.Holo.Light.Dialog">
    <item name="android:windowNoTitle">true</item>
</style>

<style name="ActionBarTabTextStyle.Tabtheme" parent="@style/AppBaseTheme">
    <item name="android:textSize">18sp</item>
    <item name="android:textStyle">bold</item>
    <item name="android:textColor">@android:color/black</item>
</style>

<style name="ActionBarTabStyle.MapsLocations" parent="@android:style/Widget.Holo.Light.ActionBar.TabView">
    <item name="android:background">@drawable/tab_indicator</item>
</style>

<style name="myPreferenceTheme" parent="@style/AppBaseTheme">
    <item name="android:textColor">@color/blue</item>
</style>

<style name="Widget.ActionButton" parent="@style/AppBaseTheme">
    <item name="android:background">?android:attr/actionBarItemBackground</item>
    <item name="android:paddingLeft">12dip</item>
    <item name="android:paddingRight">12dip</item>
    <item name="android:minWidth">56dip</item>
    <item name="android:minHeight">?android:attr/actionBarSize</item>
</style>

</resources>

Answer 1

I know this is not right answer to this question but if you want to edit your ActionBar, you can use this online Android Action Bar Style Generator.

At least you can create a style and check yours to find differences and learn how to edit your ActionBar.

Answer 2

You can try set custom view in action bar.

actionBar.setDisplayShowCustomEnabled(true);
actionBar.setCustomView(you_custom_layout);

Answer 3

A little change and you action bar will be red:

<style name="AppBaseTheme" parent="android:Theme.Holo.Light.DarkActionBar">
    <item name="android:actionBarStyle">@style/AppTheme.Light.ActionBar</item>
</style>

<style name="dialogtheme" parent="@android:style/Theme.Holo.Light.DarkActionBar"></style>

<!-- Transparent ActionBar Style -->
<style name="AppTheme.Light.ActionBar" parent="@android:style/Widget.Holo.ActionBar">
    <item name="android:background">#FF5050</item>

</style>

I have changed item in AppBaseTheme & AppTheme.Light.ActionBar . Now you are good to go. let me know if it works however working at my end :P