Should I use convertView?

Question

Should I use convertView or create a new View in the following method?

@Override
public View getView(int position, View convertView, ViewGroup parent) {
    LayoutInflater inflater = (LayoutInflater) context.getSystemService(Context.LAYOUT_INFLATER_SERVICE);
    View v = inflater.inflate(R.layout.content, null);
    return v;
}

or

@Override
public View getView(int position, View convertView, ViewGroup parent) {
    LayoutInflater inflater = (LayoutInflater) context.getSystemService(Context.LAYOUT_INFLATER_SERVICE);
    convertView = inflater.inflate(R.layout.content, null);
    return convertView;
}

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Dec 12 '13 at 10:23

2

Inflating every time the View is a bad decision from the performance perspective. The common pattern is to inflate your view only if the convertView is null. So, yes use the view the system is providing you. This way you can enable some magic optmization that allows to do not waste memory (view's recycle)

@Override
public View getView(int position, View convertView, ViewGroup parent) {
    if (convertView == null) {
    LayoutInflater inflater = (LayoutInflater) context.getSystemService(Context.LAYOUT_INFLATER_SERVICE);
    convertView = inflater.inflate(R.layout.content, null);
    }
    return convertView;
}

answered Dec 12 '13 at 10:23

Blackbelt

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The null check is a must have? – stefana Dec 12 '13 at 10:31
I need to create textviews outside the check? – stefana Dec 12 '13 at 10:43
1

you should take a look to the ViewHolder pattern. You can find it [here](http://developer.android.com/training/improving-layouts/smooth-scrolling.html) – Blackbelt Dec 12 '13 at 10:44

Should I use convertView?

1 Answers1

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