How to assign text size in sp value using java code

Question

If I assign an integer value to change a certain text size of a TextView using java code, the value is interpreted as pixel (px).

Now does anyone know how to assign it in sp?

score 597 · Accepted Answer · edited Sep 11 '12 at 17:02

597

http://developer.android.com/reference/android/widget/TextView.html#setTextSize%28int,%20float%29

Example:

textView.setTextSize(TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_SP, 65);

edited Sep 11 '12 at 17:02

John Leehey

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answered Aug 19 '11 at 07:37

Santosh

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Since SP stands for scaled *pixels* you'll need to reduce the size by screen density. It's easily done as follows: SCREEN_DENSITY = getResources().getDisplayMetrics().density; yourView.setTextSize(TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_SP, (desiredTextHeightInSP / SCREEN_DENSITY); – PeteH Sep 13 '14 at 23:50
4

The solution didn't work for me when I tried to collect SP from resources. PeteH, you got me on the right track! The following did the trick for me: ... float textSize = getResources().getDimension(R.dimen.textsize) / getResources().getDisplayMetrics().density; myTextView.setTextSize(TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_SP, textSize); – P Kuijpers Oct 22 '14 at 13:53
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If you get the sp size from your resources, you should use COMPLEX_UNIT_PX, like this: `textView.setTextSize(TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_PX, getResources().getDimension(R.dimen.my_text_size_in_sp));` Getting your text size this way will already convert SP to PX, taking both screen density and text scale factor in account. – Divisible by Zero Aug 12 '15 at 09:30
The provided solution worked for me as shown. Thanks! – Martin Erlic Jan 23 '17 at 16:33
The actual answer did it for me, i dont why but suggestions from comments made my text go microscopic while trying to set sp tp 11 – MDT Jun 21 '21 at 12:47

score 42 · Answer 2 · edited Oct 26 '22 at 12:57

42

Cleaner and more reusable approach is

define text size in dimens.xml file inside res/values/ directory:

<resources>
   <dimen name="text_medium">14sp</dimen>
</resources>

and then apply it to the TextView:

textView.setTextSize(TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_PX, context.getResources().getDimension(R.dimen.text_medium));

edited Oct 26 '22 at 12:57

Donald Duck

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answered Sep 15 '16 at 09:56

klimat

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I would argue that XML is not "in Java code" as the OP requested. This doesn't allow the code a way to set the font to something not already predetermined by the programmer. – David Rector Apr 06 '23 at 01:32

score 37 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 15 '10 at 06:42

37

You can use a DisplayMetrics object to help convert between pixels and scaled pixels with the scaledDensity attribute.

DisplayMetrics dm = new DisplayMetrics();
getWindowManager().getDefaultDisplay().getMetrics(dm);
pixelSize = (int)scaledPixelSize * dm.scaledDensity;

answered Jan 15 '10 at 06:42

David Webb

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This will take the screen density scaling factor into account but not the text scale factor that the user may have specified via settings. I believe @Santosh's solution will take this factor into account whereas this snippet does not. – greg7gkb May 29 '14 at 18:08
4

But sometimes you are not able to use the method of @Santosh for example when you write a Paint into a canvas. Then this method comes handy and works pretty well, therefore thumbs up for these two answers! – byemute Sep 25 '14 at 09:21
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@greg7gkb not true, documentation says ```may be adjusted in smaller increments at runtime based on a user preference for the font size``` so the font size **will** be taken into account. – Luca Vitucci Dec 14 '15 at 10:35

score 21 · Answer 4 · answered Feb 26 '13 at 06:50

Based on the the source code of setTextSize:

public void setTextSize(int unit, float size) {
    Context c = getContext();
    Resources r;

    if (c == null)
        r = Resources.getSystem();
    else
        r = c.getResources();

    setRawTextSize(TypedValue.applyDimension(
        unit, size, r.getDisplayMetrics()));
}

I build this function for calulating any demension to pixels:

int getPixels(int unit, float size) {
    DisplayMetrics metrics = Resources.getSystem().getDisplayMetrics();
    return (int)TypedValue.applyDimension(unit, size, metrics);
}

Where unit is something like TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_SP.

the last method is a life saver. – Ajibola Feb 12 '14 at 17:52 — Ajibola, Feb 12 '14 at 17:52

pomber · Answer 5 · 2015-06-03T13:32:20.257

17

When the accepted answer doesn't work (for example when dealing with Paint) you can use:

float spTextSize = 12;
float textSize = spTextSize * getResources().getDisplayMetrics().scaledDensity;
textPaint.setTextSize(textSize);

edited Jun 03 '15 at 13:32

answered Feb 14 '15 at 16:23

pomber

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ok, it work , That's what I want, thanks pomber for sharing it ! – Đốc.tc Nov 30 '18 at 06:19

score 13 · Answer 6 · edited Sep 26 '22 at 14:18

13

By default setTextSize, without units work in SP (scales pixel)

public void setTextSize (float size)

Added in API level 1 Set the default text size to the given value, interpreted as "scaled pixel" units. This size is adjusted based on the current density and user font size preference.

edited Sep 26 '22 at 14:18

DiLDoST

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answered Feb 11 '13 at 23:20

Zeus Monolitics

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macio.Jun · Answer 7 · 2015-03-30T15:07:37.880

Thanks @John Leehey and @PeterH:

desiredSp = getResources().getDimension(R.dimen.desired_sp);
density = getResources().getDisplayMetrics().density;
textView.setTextSize(TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_SP, desiredSp / density);

The thing is if you define R.dimen.desired_sp to 25 in your dimen.xml

On non-HD Device: desiredSp is still 25, density = 1
On HD Device(like Nexus 7 2nd Generation): desiredSp becomes 50 ish, density = 2

score 10 · Answer 8 · answered Sep 20 '16 at 09:50

10

semeTextView.setTextSize(TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_PX, 
                       context.getResources().getDimension(R.dimen.text_size_in_dp))

answered Sep 20 '16 at 09:50

William Hu

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Please explain how setting the text size as pixel value (COMPLEX_UNIT_PX) will be helpful. OP wants to "assign text size in sp value" – Bö macht Blau Sep 20 '16 at 16:28
if you use `COMPLEX_UNIT_PX` you need to divide density. – William Hu Sep 21 '16 at 00:22
I think it's because getDimension already converted 'dp' to 'px' – Ali Kherad Oct 13 '16 at 00:28
I would argue that XML is not "in Java code" as the OP requested. This doesn't allow the code a way to set the font to something not already predetermined by the programmer. – David Rector Apr 06 '23 at 01:32

score 4 · Answer 9 · answered Mar 14 '17 at 16:53

4

This is code for the convert PX to SP format. 100% Works

view.setTextSize(TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_PX, 24);

answered Mar 14 '17 at 16:53

Kamran Gasimov

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Doesn't this set the size based on the number of pixels while the OP asked how to set it in SP? How does this answer their question? – David Rector Apr 06 '23 at 01:33

score 3 · Answer 10 · answered Jul 14 '19 at 13:45

From Api level 1, you can use the public void setTextSize (float size) method.

From the documentation:

Set the default text size to the given value, interpreted as "scaled pixel" units. This size is adjusted based on the current density and user font size preference.

Parameters: size -> float: The scaled pixel size.

So you can simple do:

textView.setTextSize(12); // your size in sp

score 2 · Answer 11 · answered Apr 26 '23 at 08:37

2

In Kotlin 'androidx.core:core-ktx:1.10.0', this way is useful

import android.util.TypedValue


.setTextSize(TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_SP, 12F)

here 12F = 12sp

answered Apr 26 '23 at 08:37

Mori

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score 1 · Answer 12 · answered Oct 04 '18 at 14:35

After trying all the solutions and none giving acceptable results (maybe because I was working on a device with default very large fonts), the following worked for me (COMPLEX_UNIT_DIP = Device Independent Pixels):

textView.setTextSize(TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_DIP, 14);

How to assign text size in sp value using java code

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