Android options menu not displaying

Question

I'm new to Android and I've been trying to add a simple add button as mentioned below

list_menu.xml

<menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <item 
        android:id="@+id/menu_insert"
        android:icon="@android:drawable/ic_menu_add"
        android:title="@string/menu_insert"              
    />     
</menu>

MyActivity.java

@Override
    public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
        // Inflate the menu; this adds items to the action bar if it is present.
        super.onCreateOptionsMenu(menu);
        getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.list_menu, menu);

        return true;  
    }

I read in Dummies series book that ic_menu_add is already there in resources and I don't need to add it, but when I run this code it does not display. I've tried to add a custom icon with same name still there is no button. Can someone help me with it please.

have you put this layout inside the menu folder located in res folder — Dehan Wjiesekara, Jan 19 '14 at 09:07
By any chance have you forgotten to press the menu button of your mobile to appear your option menus!? — kta, Mar 11 '14 at 00:36
if you are using Toolbar in your Activity, don't forget to `setSupportActionBar()` — Hendra Anggrian, Jun 15 '16 at 11:04

Roel · Answer 1 · 2016-04-18T08:18:32.933

17

If you use a fragment then you need this in onCreate():

 @Override
    public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setHasOptionsMenu(true);
    }

edited Apr 18 '16 at 08:18

answered Jul 10 '15 at 08:22

Roel

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score 9 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 13 '14 at 11:42

I was dealing with the same problem.. read some queries and documentation.. Hope this might help you.

Here's my XML file for a menu..

<item
    android:id="@+id/action_send_feedback"
    android:orderInCategory="100"
    android:showAsAction="always"
    android:title="@string/action_send_feedback"/>

<item 
    android:id="@+id/action_share_app"
    android:orderInCategory="100"
    android:showAsAction="ifRoom"
    android:title="@string/action_share_app"
    android:icon="@drawable/ic_action_share" />

<item
    android:id="@+id/action_rate_app"
    android:orderInCategory="100"
    android:showAsAction="never"
    android:title="@string/action_rate_app"/>

JAVA Code goes here..

@Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
    getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.main, menu);
    return true;
}

For android phones which have option button (at the bottom of the phone) the menu item which are showAsAction="never" comes when the button is pressed.. or else they will be shown normally on the action bar options menu..

Ref: http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/ui/menus.html#options-menu

score 3 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 19 '14 at 08:29

3

It is not required to call super() method. Try replacing your onCreateOptionsMenu for that:

@Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
    MenuInflater inflater = getMenuInflater();
    inflater.inflate(R.menu.list_menu, menu);
    return true;
}

answered Jan 19 '14 at 08:29

amatellanes

3,645
2
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19

are you using fragments ? check below roel 's answer is correct , worked for me. – geniushkg Apr 16 '16 at 07:45

score 3 · Answer 4 · answered Oct 21 '19 at 06:03

For me, I had to add the following code to the activity xml:

 <androidx.appcompat.widget.Toolbar
        android:id="@+id/toolbar"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:background="@color/colorPrimary"
        android:theme="@style/AppTheme"
        app:popupTheme="@style/Theme.AppCompat.Light.DarkActionBar"
        app:title="@string/app_name"
        app:titleMarginStart="24dp"
        app:titleTextColor="@android:color/white" />

Then to the activity.java: onCreate

Toolbar toolbar = findViewById(R.id.toolbar);
    setSupportActionBar(toolbar);

And

    @Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
    //super.onCreateOptionsMenu(menu);
    // Inflate the menu; this adds items to the action bar if it is present.
    getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.main, menu);
    return true;
}

And fragment onCreate:

 setHasOptionsMenu(true);

score 1 · Answer 5 · edited May 23 '17 at 11:54

1

If you set your TargetSDK in the manifest to 5, the icon will show up.

If you are targeting a newer Android SDK (3.0 and up) the action bar takes over the menu and by default doesn't display icons.

You can try this:

How to show icons in ActionBar overflow menu?

edited May 23 '17 at 11:54

Community

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1

answered Jan 19 '14 at 08:47

MikeHelland

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yes that worked but i dont want to display it in ActionBar it should be at the bottom of screen please guide about it thank u . – user3119647 Jan 19 '14 at 08:53
I would suggest first using the standard UI. Your second best option may be targeting a lower sdk in your manifest (like 9), and your least best option creating your own menu with views in your activity's layout that are made visible and invisible on when the menu button is pressed (http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4239880/detecting-physical-menu-key-press-in-android) The last is a bad idea because if the device doesn't have a menu button (which some don't), you're out of luck. – MikeHelland Jan 19 '14 at 09:03

score 1 · Answer 6 · answered Apr 02 '18 at 11:50

I have faced this issue. But in my case, I have added toolbar inside the Framelayout. Top of that I have added one more scroll view with match parent. Now ScrollView took the click control, not toolbar. So if you are using FrameLayout, your toolbar suppose to be the top most view.

score 0 · Answer 7 · answered Sep 19 '16 at 12:58

0

Have you missed these lines in your xml file check once

xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"

tools:context=".MainActivity"

if you missed this is what causing problem for displaying option menu

answered Sep 19 '16 at 12:58

karthik kumar

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1
5

score 0 · Answer 8 · answered Dec 14 '17 at 13:05

Hi hope below code is helpings to you:

    <style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light.DarkActionBar">
        <item name="colorPrimary">@color/primary</item>
        <item name="colorPrimaryDark">@color/primaryDark</item>
    </style>

Please mention DarkActionBar as your Theme which you used into Android Manifest File.

score 0 · Answer 9 · edited Aug 06 '19 at 14:33

0

Add

app:showAsAction="always"

to menuitem.

edited Aug 06 '19 at 14:33

Milo

3,365
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answered Aug 06 '19 at 12:51

harsh kumar

11

1

there are quite a lot of answers already, can you expand on what makes your answer different and maybe add some more example code? – cloned Aug 06 '19 at 12:58
This is not recommend ! You should always use "ifRoom" – bashizip Jan 06 '20 at 12:11

score 0 · Answer 10 · answered Jun 03 '20 at 16:44

0

If it does not show up in your activity, make sure to call setSupportActionBar(R.id.my_toolbar) in your activity's onCreate()

answered Jun 03 '20 at 16:44

Andre Thiele

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Android options menu not displaying

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