Android - is there a way to edit color in a part of a string that is displayed?

Question

I have a part of the code that calls a toString on an object and the toString basically spits out the string that will be shown on the screen.

I would like to change the color of one part of the string.

I just tried something like this:

        String coloredString =  solutionTopicName + " (" + commentCount +  ")";
        Spannable sb = new SpannableString( coloredString );
        ForegroundColorSpan fcs = new ForegroundColorSpan(Color.rgb(140, 145, 160));
        sb.setSpan(new ForegroundColorSpan(Color.BLUE), solutionTopicName.length(), solutionTopicName.length()+3, Spannable.SPAN_EXCLUSIVE_EXCLUSIVE);

        return sb.toString();

But I am still seeing the same colors appear without change.

Thanks!

Refer the previous posts [1]: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4032676/how-can-i-change-color-part-of-a-textview [2]: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4897349/android-coloring-part-of-a-string-using-textview-settext — Aerrow, May 19 '12 at 05:43
**Do not call `toString()`**. Pass the `Spannable` into whatever needs the formatted value (e.g., `setText()`). — CommonsWare, May 19 '12 at 14:28

Mohammed Azharuddin Shaikh · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-19T06:42:32.877

2

yes, it is possible

use Spannable to do that.

setSpan() will do the job.

Spannable mString = new SpannableString("multi color string ");        

mString.setSpan(new ForegroundColorSpan(Color.BLUE), 5, 7, Spannable.SPAN_EXCLUSIVE_EXCLUSIVE);

Update:

String coloredString = " (" + solutionTopicName + commentCount +  ")";
        Spannable sb = new SpannableString( coloredString );
        ForegroundColorSpan fcs = new ForegroundColorSpan(Color.rgb(140, 145, 160));
        sb.setSpan(new ForegroundColorSpan(Color.BLUE), solutionTopicName.length(), solutionTopicName.length()+3, Spannable.SPAN_EXCLUSIVE_EXCLUSIVE);

        //textView.setText(sb);
    return sb;

Latest:

 String solutionTopicName= "Hello";
 String commentCount= "hi how are you";
 String coloredString =  solutionTopicName+"(" + commentCount +  ")";
 Spannable sb = new SpannableString( coloredString );
 sb.setSpan(new ForegroundColorSpan(Color.BLUE), coloredString.indexOf("("), coloredString.indexOf(")")+1, Spannable.SPAN_EXCLUSIVE_EXCLUSIVE);
  mTextView.setText(sb);

edited May 19 '12 at 06:42

answered May 19 '12 at 05:44

Mohammed Azharuddin Shaikh

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I just updated my question. Is there any way to accomplish what I am trying to do there? I seem to have implemented much of the code, but can't get the colors to change. Thanks!! – GeekedOut May 19 '12 at 06:11
Trying out your new solution now :) Thanks! Lets hope it works :) – GeekedOut May 19 '12 at 06:21
That didn't quite work. This is how the first line should be: solutionTopicName + " (" + commentCount + ")"; ...but the issue is that the color didn't change. – GeekedOut May 19 '12 at 06:28
Btw, what color is that supposed to end up being? :) – GeekedOut May 19 '12 at 06:28
I just updated the question with my latest code...still no color change :( – GeekedOut May 19 '12 at 06:33
see my latest and its working(tested) dont use `(Color.rgb(140, 145, 160));` use (Color.BLUE); – Mohammed Azharuddin Shaikh May 19 '12 at 06:43
Unfortunately still not working. Do you think the sb.toString() that I am using could be messing things up? – GeekedOut May 19 '12 at 06:56
public spannable funcName { .. .. return sb; } change your function return type.(as you are converting it in normal string). – Mohammed Azharuddin Shaikh May 19 '12 at 06:58

N-JOY · Answer 2 · 2012-05-19T05:54:05.623

1

I would like to change the color of one part of the string. Is that at all possible?

yes, you can change color of specific part of string. There is a SpannableStringBuilder class you can make use of it.

you can do some thing like this.

SpannableStringBuilder sb = new SpannableStringBuilder("This is your String");
ForegroundColorSpan fcs = new ForegroundColorSpan(Color.rgb(140, 145, 160));
sb.setSpan(fcs, 0, 10, Spannable.SPAN_INCLUSIVE_INCLUSIVE);
textView.setText(sb);

here is the definition of setspan method.

setSpan(Object what, int start, int end, int flags)
Mark the specified range of text with the specified object.

setSpan method takes indices as parameter and an instance of Object Class. so any class' instance could be passed in as parameter depending upon your requirement. we used instance of ForegroundColorSpan to change color of text. you can pass Clickable instance to make certain part of string clickable.

edited May 19 '12 at 05:54

answered May 19 '12 at 05:46

N-JOY

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thanks, didn't have much luck. I updated my original answer to show you what I did. Maybe you can spot something I did incorrectly? – GeekedOut May 19 '12 at 06:07
your code seems fine, i tried with your string its working at my end. dont know whats there in solutionTopicName. remember the string with changed color is only found in sb not in solutionTopicName + sb. – N-JOY May 19 '12 at 06:18
hmmm, not even if I concatinate like this: solutionTopicName + sb ? – GeekedOut May 19 '12 at 06:19

Android - is there a way to edit color in a part of a string that is displayed?

2 Answers2