Android Studio: Newly Created Directory Not Appearing In Folders View

Question

I am trying to create a new folder inside the /res directory

I added a new directory

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The folder does not appear in the /res folder even though it exists in the finder

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Case and point I tried adding the folder again and I got a message telling me it exists.

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If you can suggest what I can do to fix this I'd love it!

(And yes I have restarted the program as well as my computer)

score 172 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 10 '14 at 17:33

172

Turns out there is a selector at the top which, by default, is set to show Android. If you flick the toggle down to 'Packages' you can see your own packages.

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answered Nov 10 '14 at 17:33

Aggressor

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The "Project" setting in that selector will give you a view that's more or less the same as it is in finder/explorer/the folder, if you're more comfortable with that. – Tarkenfire Jan 19 '15 at 17:30
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The best response , it provides a permanent solution and not a temporary one – Thenad Jan 05 '20 at 21:35

Suragch · Answer 2 · 2017-11-27T09:44:10.880

In Android Studio you can add new directories by right clicking the resource folder in the Android view. (Don't get confused by the New Directory option.)

For example, if you want a new layout resource file and folder then right click layout and choose New > Layout resource file.

If you want a new layout-sw600dp for the activity_main.xml file then choose Smallest Screen Width from the list and click the >> button. Fill in the file name and width and click ok.

Android Studio will automatically create the layout-sw600dp directory and in the Android view you will have both layout files conveniently displayed next to each other.

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It is a similar process for adding other resource directories and files (see my other example).

score 5 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 21 '17 at 01:29

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Clicking at TAB Android in top, select the perspective Project Files. Then u can see all folders of project.

answered Mar 21 '17 at 01:29

Diego Venâncio

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Kandeep · Answer 4 · 2021-01-28T02:13:19.543

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Android 4.0

The Android view by default seems to conceal the duplicated resource type directories in the side panel.

If you want to view the duplicate resource type directories i.e. drawable for two different languages,

switch the view from "Android" to "Packages" or "Project" or "Project Files"

edited Jan 28 '21 at 02:13

answered Jan 28 '21 at 02:04

Kandeep

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score 4 · Answer 5 · answered Nov 07 '14 at 22:56

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Browse the actual folder structure in windows and you'll see the folder. Put the same resource file found in the normal drawable folder into this new directory. Then when you go back into Android Studio you'll now see 2 files under the NORMAL \res\drawable structure. Make sure you don't look for a subfolder in Android Studio called "drawable-sw600dp" because you won't find it other than in windows explorer. What you will find in Android Studio (after you copy the resource file) is a new resource file along with your original called "jenny-web.png (sw600dp)" or something similar. This same principle resolves the same error when working with other resources like layouts.

answered Nov 07 '14 at 22:56

Post Impatica

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Thanks, but could you elaborate/explain that a little clearer? – Aggressor Nov 07 '14 at 23:01
You created a new layout folder, but I think you meant to create a new drawable folder. – Post Impatica Nov 07 '14 at 23:09
anyway, if you you did in fact mean to create a new layout folder then replace the above "drawable" comments with "layout", but the fix is the same. – Post Impatica Nov 07 '14 at 23:10

score 4 · Answer 6 · edited Nov 01 '18 at 17:22

For Android Studio 3.0, those who are following https://developer.android.com/training/basics/supporting-devices/languages.html and have encountered the same issue as the one stated in this question, you can also do the following aside from the above answers which are helpful.

Right click to the target folder (i.e. res folder) > New
Choose Android Resource File
Specify the file name, and in the Directory name field put the folder name you want to create or the existing folder you want to put the resource file.

After hitting OK, in the Project files dropdown, you will see the correct strucutre.

And in the Android dropdown, you will see it as part of the strings.xml under values folder.

score 2 · Answer 7 · answered Jan 08 '18 at 16:26

This worked best for me. What I did was I right-clicked the 'app' directory and chose 'New' >> 'Android Resource File'. After that I filled in the File Name with 'strings'. Chose 'XML' as my resource type and my Directory Name was 'values-b+za+ZA'.

This created everything as I wanted it to, however, values-b+za+ZA, still didn't show in the Android view but it shows in the Package view. (The views you choose from the top dropdown.)

The difference this time is that in the Package view I can still see my new 'strings.xml' file and in the Android view I van also see the new 'strings.xml' file.

I guess android studio doesn't show custom directories in the Android view but creates like some kind of link to the true directory when working with it. I am not familiar with Android Studio at all but this did work for me. If there are more professional answers please feel free to correct me.

score 1 · Answer 8 · answered Mar 12 '18 at 01:15

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You most probably have the file named in Uppercase, Android Studio does not recognize file names in Uppercase, I had made this mistake a while back.

answered Mar 12 '18 at 01:15

Arpan Pathak

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score 0 · Answer 9 · answered Aug 11 '18 at 16:01

As the developer doc states:

be sure the Project window is open (select View > Tool Windows > Project) and the Android view is selected from the drop-down list at the top of that window.

You will then be able to see all relevant project files (including new ones) in a more efficient way.

Hope it helps someone.

score 0 · Answer 10 · answered Oct 16 '18 at 23:44

This is odd but in my case i had to many underscores delimiters.

When i renamed yt_search_view (2 delimiters) to yt_searchview (1 delimiter), it appear in project view where it should be. It is probably a bug. My version is Android Studio 3.2.

Also, i notice that if i add a value folder to the layout folder, it also fix the issue.

Example:

layout_control_x
 --layout
 ----top_panel.xml
 --values  <--adding this empty folder fixed the problem

For complete information on how to add sub folder layouts check this.

score 0 · Answer 11 · answered Mar 12 '23 at 12:51

In case anyone with my problem ends up here (starting on Android).

You have to first create a new file: New > Android Resource File > Choose Resource Type, etc.. When you create the file, it will be automatically created inside the directory it should be.

TL;DR.

You don't need to create a directory, just create the file directly.

Android Studio: Newly Created Directory Not Appearing In Folders View

11 Answers11

TL;DR.

Linked