Limit numbers of lines in TextView

Question

I have a scrollable textView, and I want to limit the number of lines displayed, however xml properties are not working :

<TextView
   android:id="@+id/tv_addesc"
   android:layout_width="match_parent"
   android:layout_height="wrap_content"
   android:scrollbars="vertical"
   android:maxLines="12"
   android:textColor="#FFFFFFFF"
   android:textSize="15sp" />

the number of lines displayed is 50 and there are 900 chars in the text.

How can I limit the number of lines displayed and make it scrollable ?

Edit : I tested with 846 lines and 15824 chars, the whole text is displayed regardless of different properties set.

Edit : there was a second component besides the textView, when i removed it it worked, so I will find a workaround. Thank you !

I think there is no need to define "isScrollContainer" and "lines" in this tag. It works fine without them for me. — Yogesh Somani, Oct 16 '12 at 09:50

score 89 · Accepted Answer · edited Jan 29 '15 at 22:12

89

You just have to set a number of lines in your TextView like this:

android:maxLines = "10"

and you must also add:

android:minLines="1"

The rest of this not necessary if you are not using scrolling

and a property which says that this TextView should be scrollable vertically:

android:scrollbars = "vertical"

And in your Java-code:

yourTextView.setMovementMethod(new ScrollingMovementMethod())

edited Jan 29 '15 at 22:12

JPM

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answered Oct 16 '12 at 09:49

Tobias Moe Thorstensen

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sorry but it doesn't change anything. Would it have something to do with the character limit of a textView ? – Jerec TheSith Oct 16 '12 at 09:55
1

Maybe, just try to decrease the maxLines, and add alot of text. I doesn't have my enviroment available now, so its just a random guess. – Tobias Moe Thorstensen Oct 16 '12 at 10:02
1

Add `android:minLines="1"` too – tar Jun 06 '14 at 01:51
Why did you write: "[...] you must also add: `android:minLines="1"`? Android's documentation doesn't state that both properties must be set and my app doesn't need to have `minLines` set. In what cases is it required? – Erik Nov 14 '17 at 08:13
Didn't worked for me, but after adding `android:ellipsize="marquee"` it's working now.. – Shailendra Madda Nov 27 '17 at 09:25

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 23 '15 at 10:50

3

Find your textview by id:

TextView myTextBox=(TextView)findViewById(R.id.textBox);

Now use the setMaxLines function and assign the number of lines you require in it,say 20.

myTextBox.setMaxLines(20);

This limits your text box to show 20 lines only.

answered Nov 23 '15 at 10:50

kapilgm

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score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 16 '12 at 10:06

2

put your text view with in scroll view and set fixed height of scroll view.

<ScrollView
    android:id="@+id/scrollView1"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="120dip" >

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/tv_addesc"
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:maxLines="12"
        android:scrollbars="vertical"
        android:textColor="#FFFFFFFF"
        android:textSize="15sp" />
</ScrollView>

set properties as per your need

answered Oct 16 '12 at 10:06

Jignesh Ansodariya

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as the property `maxLines="12"` doesn't work, the whole text is displayed (50 lines - 900 chars) – Jerec TheSith Oct 16 '12 at 10:11
you can remove it, it was in your code. please adjust here android:layout_height="120dip" > increase or decrease height of scroll as per your need. – Jignesh Ansodariya Oct 16 '12 at 10:18

score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Oct 16 '12 at 11:53

<ScrollView
android:id="@+id/scrollView1"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="120dip" >

<TextView
    android:id="@+id/tv_addesc"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:maxLines="12"
    android:scrollbars="vertical"
    android:textColor="#FFFFFFFF"
    android:textSize="15sp" />
 </ScrollView>

Mahbubur Rahman Khan · Answer 5 · 2020-05-08T18:59:04.327

2

Try using this.

android:maxLines="12"
android:ellipsize="end"

In the end it add ... if extra text available.

You can also use

android:ellipsize="marquee"

It will reduce extra text from end that is not like a word.

edited May 08 '20 at 18:59

answered May 08 '20 at 18:52

Mahbubur Rahman Khan

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score 1 · Answer 6 · edited Oct 16 '12 at 10:05

1

hey try setting the singleline property to false. Just see if it works.

edited Oct 16 '12 at 10:05

gnat

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answered Oct 16 '12 at 09:59

bostan

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1

it doesn't change anything, but even `android:singleLine="true"` doesn't work too – Jerec TheSith Oct 16 '12 at 10:03
1

Dont give a static height to scrollView...give it wrap content and then add the textview to a linear or relative layout..and then you can give a static height to this layout.. – bostan Oct 16 '12 at 10:15

score 0 · Answer 7 · answered Nov 27 '17 at 09:29

0

I tried as said in accepted answer and others but didn't worked for me, but after adding android:ellipsize="marquee" it's working now..

answered Nov 27 '17 at 09:29

Shailendra Madda

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Limit numbers of lines in TextView

7 Answers7

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