Action is reset on changing orientation of screen

Question

I've got a little app with some fragments etc. Now everytime I change the orientation of my screen, the action is restarted, meaning that the input gets lost if you turn your device. How can I prevent this? In addition I'd like to keep the possibility to change my orientation and the app changes with it, I just want to keep the content in.

The magic happens in the MainActivity.java, the displaystuff is in the SearchFragment.xml

MainActivity.java:

package mypackage;

import android.app.Activity;
import android.content.Context;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.view.Menu;
import android.view.MenuInflater;
import android.view.MenuItem;
import android.view.View;
import android.widget.ArrayAdapter;
import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.EditText;
import android.widget.Spinner;
import android.widget.TextView;
import android.widget.Toast;
import android.app.ActionBar;
import android.app.ActionBar.Tab;
import android.app.Fragment;
import android.app.FragmentTransaction;
import android.view.View.OnClickListener;
import android.widget.ArrayAdapter;
import android.widget.Toast;
import android.view.View;
import android.view.inputmethod.InputMethodManager;


public class MainActivity extends Activity {


public final static String EXTRA_MESSAGE = "mypackage.MESSAGE";

@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
    //addListenerOnSpinnerItemSelection();

 // lädt die ActionBar
        ActionBar actionbar = getActionBar();
        actionbar.setNavigationMode(ActionBar.NAVIGATION_MODE_TABS);
        actionbar.setDisplayShowHomeEnabled(true);
        actionbar.setDisplayShowTitleEnabled(true);
        actionbar.setDisplayShowCustomEnabled(false);

        // lädt die Tabs in die Actionbar
        String search = getString(R.string.search_fragment);
        String user = getString(R.string.user_fragment);
        String recent = getString(R.string.recent_fragment);

        ActionBar.Tab TabA = actionbar.newTab().setText(search);
        ActionBar.Tab TabB = actionbar.newTab().setText(user);
        ActionBar.Tab TabC = actionbar.newTab().setText(recent);

        // erstellt neue Fragmente
        Fragment fragmentA = new SearchFragment();
        Fragment fragmentB = new UserFragment();
        Fragment fragmentC = new UpdateFragment();

        // Listener werden angelegt
        TabA.setTabListener(new MyTabsListener(fragmentA));
        TabB.setTabListener(new MyTabsListener(fragmentB));
        TabC.setTabListener(new MyTabsListener(fragmentC));

        // Tabs werden in die actionbar geladen
        actionbar.addTab(TabA);
        actionbar.addTab(TabB);
        actionbar.addTab(TabC);

}


public void sendMessage(View view) 
{

    Spinner mySpinner = (Spinner) findViewById(R.id.criterion);
    String text = mySpinner.getSelectedItem().toString();

    //manual initialation of array - later to be created by XML-Parser
    String[][] array = {{"Opel", "Astra", "2010", "120 PS", "12 l/100km", "Blau, Rot, Grün, Braun", "File 1", "File 2"}, 
                        {"Opel", "Corsa", "2012", "80 PS", "8 l/100km", "Grün, Rot, Blau, Gelb, Magenta", "File 1", "File 2", "File 3"},
                        {"Opel","Vectra", "1980", "200 PS" ,"20 l/100km", "Braun", "file 1"},
                        {"Opel", "Astra", "2010", "120 PS", "12 l/100km", "Blau, Rot, Grün, Braun", "File 1", "File 2"}, 
                        {"Opel", "Corsa", "2012", "80 PS", "8 l/100km", "Grün, Rot, Blau, Gelb, Magenta", "File 1", "File 2", "File 3"},
                        {"Opel","Vectra", "1980", "200 PS" ,"20 l/100km", "Braun", "file 1"}    };



//        Intent intent = new Intent(this, DisplayMessageActivity.class);

    EditText editText = (EditText) findViewById(R.id.edit_message);

    String output = "";

    //add Elements of Array on output string
    for(int i = 0; i <array.length; i++)
    {
        int count = 0;

        //Standard values
        for(int j = 0; j<6; j++)
        {
            output = output + array[i][j];
            if(count<5)
            {
                output = output + " - ";
            }
            count++;
        }

        output = output + "\n";

        int count2 = 6;

        //User generated values with diferent length
        for(int k = 6; k <array[i].length; k++)
        {
            output = output + array[i][k];
            if(count2<array[i].length-1)
            {
                output = output + " - ";
            }
            count2++;
        }

        output = output + "\n\n";
    }


    String message = getText(R.string.search_text)+" "+text+": "+ editText.getText().toString() + "\n\n"+output;

   //display results 
   TextView viewText1 = (TextView) findViewById(R.id.showResults);
   viewText1.setText(message);

   //Clear EditText field
   editText.setText("");

   //Hides Softkeyboard on "Send" Button
   InputMethodManager imm = (InputMethodManager)getSystemService(
              Context.INPUT_METHOD_SERVICE);
        imm.hideSoftInputFromWindow(editText.getWindowToken(), 0);

//        intent.putExtra(EXTRA_MESSAGE, message);
//        startActivity(intent);

}


class MyTabsListener implements ActionBar.TabListener {
    public Fragment fragment;

    public MyTabsListener(Fragment fragment) {
        this.fragment = fragment;
    }

    @Override
    public void onTabReselected(Tab tab, FragmentTransaction ft) {
        // wenn das Tab erneut gewŠhlt wird.
    }

    @Override
    public void onTabSelected(Tab tab, FragmentTransaction ft) {
        ft.replace(R.id.fragment_container, fragment);
    }

    @Override
    public void onTabUnselected(Tab tab, FragmentTransaction ft) {
        ft.remove(fragment);
    }

}





@Override //creates the action bar menu using the text information from strings.xml and the method menu() from R.java
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
    // Inflate the menu; this adds items to the action bar if it is present.
    MenuInflater inflater = getMenuInflater();
    inflater.inflate(R.menu.activity_main, menu);
    return true; //number of points in overflow menu or sth like this

}



public boolean onOptionsItemSelected(MenuItem item) {
    switch(item.getItemId()) {
    case R.id.menu_settings:
    {
        Intent intent = new Intent(this, Settings.class);
      startActivity(intent);
      break;
    }
    case R.id.about_section:
    {
        Intent intent = new Intent(this, About.class);
        startActivity(intent);
        break;
    }
    case R.id.faq_section:
    {
        Intent intent = new Intent(this, FAQ.class);
        startActivity(intent);
        break;
    }
    case R.id.search_section:
    {
        Intent intent = new Intent(this, MainActivity.class);
        startActivity(intent);
        break;
    }
    }

  return true;
}
}

SearchFragment.xml

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:layout_gravity="center"
    android:orientation="vertical" >

    <TextView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_marginTop="10dp"
        android:layout_gravity="center"
        android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
        android:layout_centerVertical="true"
        android:text="@string/welcome" />
    <LinearLayout
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="70dp"
        android:orientation="horizontal" >

        <EditText
            android:id="@+id/edit_message"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_marginLeft="20dp"
            android:layout_marginRight="20dp"
            android:hint="@string/edit_message" />

    </LinearLayout>

    <LinearLayout
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_marginTop="8dp" >

        <Spinner
            android:id="@+id/criterion"
            android:layout_width="117dp"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_marginRight="5dp"
            android:layout_marginLeft="5dp"
            android:layout_weight="1"
            android:entries="@array/array"
            android:prompt="@string/prompt" />

        <Button
            android:id="@+id/btnSubmit"
            android:layout_width="136dp"
            android:layout_marginRight="5dp"
            android:layout_marginLeft="5dp"
            android:layout_height="match_parent"
            android:layout_gravity="clip_vertical"
            android:onClick="sendMessage"
            android:text="@string/button_send"
            android:background="@drawable/android" />
    </LinearLayout>

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/showResults"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceMedium" />

</LinearLayout>

see here http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5913130/dont-reload-application-when-orientation-changes — StefMa, Feb 08 '13 at 08:37

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 08 '13 at 08:38

2

As far as I know there is a listener for this orientation change so that you can do some data save before orientation change,as when orientation changes activity is relauched internally.

Check out http://developer.android.com/reference/android/view/OrientationListener.html

That is the class have a look through there.

Hope that helped.

answered Feb 08 '13 at 08:38

Shridutt Kothari

7,326
3
41
61

2

So I looked into your link and I think that's exaktly what I need. Now I've edited the manifest.xml and added the onConfigurationChanged(Configuration) method to my MainActivity.java. But what to write there? Thanks for your help this far :) – chrissik Feb 08 '13 at 09:15
1

Ok See my below answer for further implementation: And If I am helping please Up vote the answers so we can know that it is helping you...Happy to help.:) – Shridutt Kothari Feb 08 '13 at 09:25
1

unfortunatelly upvoting is only possible if i have 15 reputation :( – chrissik Feb 08 '13 at 09:26
3

@chrissik we should always vote the person who helps us, i think when you reach 15 than up vote the answer. – Feb 08 '13 at 09:31
1

@chrissik i think you have 18 rep. congrets now you can upvote answers . – Shridutt Kothari Feb 08 '13 at 09:36

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 08 '13 at 09:23

Using this method: just call Activity.getLastNonConfigurationInstance to retrieve the same object you returned in the onRetainNonConfigurationInstance. Be sure to check for null and cast to the right class (you can return/get any class). Activity.getLastNonConfigurationInstance

A sample usage in pseudo-code would be:

onRetainNonConfigurationInstance:
    return "I need to remember this next time";

onCreate:
    ...
    String messageToShow = null;
    Object data = getLastNonConfigurationInstance();
    if(data != null)
        messageToShow = (String)data;
    else
        messageToShow = "Nothing to show";

So, if you are targetting up to 2.x.x you can use that method. Otherwise, google recommends you to use Fragment.setRetainInstance. This is backwards compatible via the compability package.

Sorry for answering that late. I've looked into the Fragment.setRetainInstance method. Where to call that method? In onConfigurationChanged? Hope you can help me. — chrissik, Feb 13 '13 at 09:50
I've looked into that example: http://android-er.blogspot.de/2012/08/retain-fragment-instance-across.html but the way the author does it it isn't working for me. — chrissik, Feb 13 '13 at 10:03

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 08 '13 at 08:38

0

If the layout is the same on horizontal and verticall add the following to the activity in your manifest:

<activity android:name="yourpackage.MainActivity" android:configChanges="orientation"/>

Now the activity will not reset.

answered Feb 08 '13 at 08:38

PaNaVTEC

2,505
1
23
36

2

that changed nothing unfortunatelly. Manifest.xml: – chrissik Feb 08 '13 at 08:55

Action is reset on changing orientation of screen

3 Answers3